RARE hcoKS 
 Division 
 
 Soz 
 
 Sect;- 
 
Irve. li-Fe- or +Ke. ve.ry 
 rve.ve.re.nd o\nd lecArne.a 
 
 .^: 
 
 
 IBv bc\mtAe.l McA+Wer 
 
 
the PREFACE. ^ 
 
 So much 'Er\i<Xix\oxi, fuch high Degrees 0/ Piety; 
 %nd., fuch an Adive Life in doing Good, united in 
 the fame ^erfon^ are very, rarely feen among the 
 Sons of Men, Sy a tranfient Acqmintance <ivitb 
 Him, one wou^d think, that being fan^ified from 
 the 'Birth, lie had, made the utmofi Imj^rovetnerii: 
 of his ^ime in the Pursuit ok Knowledge: 
 Sut upon a further Vieiv of the Social ^Part of 
 his Life, the^ continual Refort of Vifitants, -with 
 Ms gentle and eafy Entertaitiment of 'em at 'all 
 Hours y and ho*iv he ivou*d fcarce let the^Meanefi 
 or Toungeft pafs fiim avithcut Inftru Ellon ; It fem\i 
 fs ij almojt all his litne "ii'ere fwallo-zved up ivith 
 C o N V E R s A T I o i^i : ^nd yet, being let ' into 
 a more intimate 2)ifcovery of his numherkfs a^J, 
 perpetual Contrivances and Labours to do Geo J 
 in the World ; one ivou'd then he ready to con- 
 chide that ho cou'd have no T'ime left for Either^ 
 hut mufi have f pent it, all in Ac r i o lu . 
 
 Having made Himfelj an Early Mcifl'er of 
 the Learned Languages, One of the fpecial Mf.- 
 T H o © s hv -'vchich he fo ivell improved his Titae 
 and acquired fuch a vajt E>:tent cf Science {eer/v'd 
 to be ; that tho' for his. ^rogrefs, in 'Divine Li- 
 terature 3 tie kept to the confiani /Study cf th?, 
 SiL-cr.T'>> Oracles in their i nf fired Original r, yet- 
 for Other Writings he cared not to trcuble -hhrfvlf 
 ivith any but thofe that ivere likely to bring hini' 
 jomething New, and fo ivcreafe lis Knpivkdg^-, 
 In two or three Minuses ^^t^jj^thro'^ a Volumn'^ 
 he c(f^\ eafily tell ^jt/tJMfKtf^^'^^ make: Jj^ 
 ditiofll/mp the Store T^f^lJcas, IfJtcou\drncr, 
 lie qmckly laid it^. by : .w^cthertvijey' he re^d ii^ 
 pafjing over all thofe 'V'a^i ^ixhich contained tba 
 
 things he bad knaUfcn kjT^'^^c, wtm^"^ thoJe^'Parts 
 only that reprefenteif^^^^etlmg Novel;,'" •:. ,/^ he 
 ^er.ciVd as he '7t'^i|Ujyll'^||t^ at the ^hd re- 
 duc'd the SubilajKe^l^ijis Coi|tnon VMlJ, (o be ^ 
 revie^v'd at , Leifure ; and all this \dth ivonderfiik,hr 
 Celerity, So port aCokrfe he tod^^M univerf rtii'fr. 
 Science'— that as . he increafed in '[^U^l ^^-^ /■Irax- 
 Tlmt he ha.f occafwn to ey:pcnd inru '^ ^f-'^'^aclr.-, f 
 
 \ 
 
4 The PREFACE. 
 
 Jti4tJ:or.\ till- c.t length there ivere hit feiv Sooks 
 fublijjjed the.: -ii-culd take him miich to ready awi 
 'i7id)iy that irere celebrated for their various Learn- 
 ing h^ Jctind had little in them tut ^jchat he had 
 htcn acquainted ^xith before. 
 
 Nor iverc his Common-Places the only ^rea* 
 furies of his rich Ideas : ^hey ^wert but mere 
 Securities that He wight not lofe them : ^nd 
 He us'^ to have them at command on the moji 
 fudden Incidents y and in com men Converfation^ ^johicb 
 had therefore akvays fomethln^ neiv, and ^xas 
 e'ver entertaining and inj}ru6live. Sy this paeans 
 it 11' as that He hsd the mofi agreabk and effeEiual 
 '•xay of Reproving a Friend for ma hat afpeAfd 
 amifsy or of Exciting to a negleSied Tiuty^ that I 
 ever met ivith. Injlead of doing this direBly, 
 ivhich might have been too Offenfive^ He ivou'd 
 rather bring feme Hijlcry or Obfervation in the 
 Form cf a fleafant NznztivCy ivhich He had ready 
 at hand for all Occafions ; and being eiitreamly 
 fintable, ivou'd leave his Friend to the mofl fungent 
 yijjplication. 
 
 And hisglo'ving C w a r i t y and Piety 
 fprc/id a further Lujlre en his ether JSxcelle^cies. 
 Ills burning Zeal for G o Dj and fervent 'Benevolence 
 and Love for Men, -were continually u^orking i» 
 Him, ivi ploying all his talents, Tho'ts and Cares ^ 
 hy Night *ind jD^y, and breaking f^rth into num- 
 berlefs (Projetlions, a^lintenfe IndeavcurSy 'vchich 
 *:i'a(led .and conft^ffk^^Mfe^^ He ivas an mter 
 Enemy to reli'sioti^^^^ffl/0id ImpofitiofUm He 
 T^as <^ ver^ CatholicJ^^uT CcrnpreheHflvm/ffrin- 
 iip}es \ Ite neve)' vcdi^ffany particular Forms of 
 ■JVorJhipy unlefs tl^^^'^ere of :Divinc jJppointment : 
 "But it .ivas the ^^'^h ^^'^j^^^^'^'^ ^^-^ Fracftice 
 cf the great T-uties ^tm^gtW^' ^^^^ Cheistian 
 Inftfiiit ion that his 4IK^T 'i^mtt on : And this 
 
 by Wfivificing and moving 
 
 fl^ivas J or ^Pyopagatnig, l^ 
 
 ■U'gumentSy --iv^fi^'m Ter/kvajions, bri,^ht Fsample. ^ 
 
 * by -eikv v ''Mnning May that ecu' J be thct cfy 
 
 -'bk tl'ir/h'uly primirive anil neb k Simplicity y 
 
 The 
 
 / 
 
The P R E F A C E. f 
 
 *r H E following Draughts mil give thi *Publkk 
 ^n HUrtdining Sfesimen of his ijconderful Improve- 
 ment of limey and the various and furpri-^in^ Afe- 
 thods He invented and furfued for the Advance-^ 
 fnent of this vital Tiety, Ifoth in Hlmfelf^d Others, 
 ft ho' deliberate in Speech y yet expeditiotfs in Indi- 
 ting ; and having the Ten of a ready Writer ^ that 
 knew not how to fault er in its fwift career ; He 
 continually freferved Records of the fevcral Rules 
 And Schemes He formed for his own Dirccllon, and 
 of his diurnal 'Pr^fecutions of them. He. has by this 
 r»esHS left a great Abundance of excellent Materials 
 for his more frivate Hiftory : And the Ar.comns 
 that follow being extracted chiefly from them, are 
 tilfo agreable to that "Part of his Life which fill 
 under the Obfervation ofthofc who were acq-it stinted 
 'With Him ; and fo nearly anfwered to theje latenc 
 Rules nowfublipedy that we cou'd nst but conclude 
 He had them always in his Eye, tho' we had nevsr 
 feen them. 
 
 His Soffy the Compiler having thefi gf^at AI- 
 vantages, can have therefore no Occafion Ho invent 
 a»y Additions to his 2)ear Father's Hiffory. He 
 has rather aimed at Brevity, and to write as little 
 upon every Head as po^ible. And indeed, if He 
 had Tuhlifhed all that his Written Mmorials would 
 have enabled him, or that himfelf and others havj 
 keen Witnejfes of. He had not only fwelVd the Volam.i 
 
 <Pe^i CIS wmld have exceeded r/'^ ''<>o ,'<>/> nt thof. 
 'wJJm^ere Strangers to Him. 'The --^N-jrAT- 
 
 tion woi^d, have rather looked 1:k- : ' '•'•,/ 
 
 Life f)/ C Y R n s., and be^drCputsJ ,••,/. •' 
 
 ^whether it were defir^n'd and J}-a:^s Jor a viist 
 Romance, or a real Hiffory. 
 
 The native Fondnefs of a filial Miai f&r ^ 
 Father's Honour, may give Occafion for r/je Reader 
 to fufpe^, infuch a cafe as this, ^/// E>:ref of'Praifr. 
 'But if fome other Pens had b:en impl^'d'in drax^ 
 rng the Vefcripilon of this exalted €kara6icr' l 
 
f The P R E F A C E,: .' 
 
 }im .very certain they 'wouli hav.§ given tbemfelpe^ 
 <^ greater Liberty » as not being quite fo cautioui 
 cf exceeding as a natural Relative. J^d for ether 
 things 3 the ingenuous Reader ivill rather indulge the 
 blooming Offspring of fo Great a Parent j Effecially^ 
 nxhen the Firft Fruits ho c^nfecrates tj> the fPublick 
 ufe, are fo rich and falutary as thife before us, c- 
 
 B u T now^ Methinks^ I have need offome good 
 Apology for Tny cwn ^JPrefumption to Preface the 
 Life cffiich a Man^ and recommend it to the Worlds 
 I have none but this)^ — "That the noiv Sleffed Subject 
 cf it having been pleaftd to admit me into an 
 haffy Lnimacy 'witb Him, upon my Return to this 
 my Native Country ; I have been thereby too highly 
 obliged — to deny the T>efires of his Orphan Son, 
 that I ifou'd introduce him tbu^ into the ^ublick 
 vie-w, and from my own Experience fay fo much 
 as may in fome meafure move the curious ^ajfenger^ 
 to turn afide and lock into this refle^ing Mr-^ 
 rour^ and with pleafwg WorJer contemplate the 
 Great Original. 
 
 Kii -D to fay no more, — I cannot think to 
 ivip a richer Blessing in the prefent State 
 cf the "Frophetick Syftem j than that the GOD 
 c)f the Spirits of all Flelh^ ^xould in my own dear 
 Country, and every Other , raife up Numbers of 
 fuch Minifters as this, and proffer this Superiour 
 Example for the forming and animating of them : 
 Thaf they may burn and pine as He, and prepare 
 the World for the mofi illuflrious Appearance of 
 the GK^KT G fi|p our Saviour ] E S U S 
 C H R I ^ T^ that S u n of Righteoufneis,^- the 
 houndkfs an4 flo'-xing Source of all the infnitely 
 ^oiver Excelience and fainter Bright nefs ive ih every 
 Tlace an4 -^<J^i admire in Others. 
 
 Jloilon, Feb, 27. 
 
 Thomas Prince* 
 
L ' J 
 
 A L I S T of the 
 
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 TJIS Excellency WILLIAM BURNET Efq. Captain 
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 ^he BoHorahk WILLIAM DUMMER Jpfq. Lieut. 
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 Nathan Webb, M A. T^hf 
 
i\y Subscribers. 
 
 *l*he Kev. Mr. Habijah Wcld^ of Attlcborougli. 
 Samuel Welles^ M. yL 
 ^he Rev. Mr. William Wellked, of Bollon. 
 Mr. Nathanacl Wheekr. 
 tt/^e Rev. Mr. John White^ <j/Glocefl:er. 
 Mr. Samwcl White, Merchant^ Seven Books. 
 Oliver Whiting of Billerica, Efq. 
 Ezra Whirmarfl\ ?>;;. t)/\Veymouthj M. A.. 
 Mr. Thomas Wier. 
 
 ^The Re , Mr. Samuel Wigglefwortb^, 0/ Ipfwich. 
 ^he Re-^. Mr. Eleazer Williams, of Mansfield. 
 T'he Re , Mr. Eliilia Williams, ReBor of Yale- 
 
 [ College in New-Haven. 
 Mr. Jonathan Williams, 2iio Books. 
 21??^ 'Rev. Mr. Nathanael William*. 
 ^he Re^', Mr. William Williams, c?/ Wefton, 
 Mr. Joseph Winn. 
 Peleg W^ifwall, M. A^ 
 
 Mr. Ebcnezcr Witt, of Marlbortugh, uhoo Books.. 
 Mr. Benjamin Woods, e/Marlbojcough^^S^z^f;; Books*^ 
 
 Mr. William Younge. 
 
 ^ 
 
 
[I] 
 
 THE 
 
 IntroduBiott. 
 
 T Is Agreed by alt, that ZrJes of 
 eminent Men are very profitable^ atnl 
 that the Writmg of them is of grc^al^ 
 Ufe to the World ; efpeci^liy • j|e ttei^' 
 Ey^amfks have bin very ll\iiiing^ aad 
 chey have ferved their Generation 
 according to the divine Will ^^^ srid 
 therefore it is that fo many J.ncie?tti and Moderm 
 have endeavoured to tranfmit thro' Age^rdovvhto tl>a 
 iateft Pofterity the Lives dc Adions of their vert^u?^ 
 and excellent Friends, 
 
 It has ever lifcev/ife Bin atlow'd proper fc.r Sons fd 
 communicate to the World Accoimts of their good 
 and great Parents ; to tell what they vvere^ what 
 they have done and futfer'd; how they tho't^, and on 
 what Accounts others are,have bin^ormaybe the beftcl: 
 for the.m : Ilay^ it has bin look'd upon as coriveniertt 
 for So/;s thus to tonour their 'Parents:^ ivbo have bin 
 hopnurr ! .ani highly favoured of H'^aveni. for were 
 X otl5t;twifei vvhy stcthtfe fa rimy 'EMrt^U^Jt^-Uter 
 
% tntRODucrtoif, 
 
 *1irimes as well as in former Generations, of this filtat 
 ^Fietv ? And befides, whatever feme may think of* 
 their ^Partiality and Trejudicey it mull be acknoW- 
 leged that they arc t?wft capable of Writing concerning 
 their 'Parents ; for they have their private Memorials , 
 they have had more free Intimations of their Mind:, 
 and have the mod tborow Acquaintance with the 
 fccret ^/r/Vi^^ of their ^(f//c?;/5: On thefc Accounts 
 they are rather more capacitated that! others; and 
 therefore I hope to be excus'd, or at leaft indulged in 
 this Performance by the ingenuous and confideratc 
 Reader. 
 
 Encouraged arid animated by the many SoffS of 
 Jnge nutty who have gone befoie me, and particularly 
 by my own Father and Granufather^ who 
 have raifed literal Monuments for thtix^arefifsi I fhall 
 now write the Life ofy I might fay v/ith Sir Henry 
 WoTTON, the B-EST of Fathers : I fhall write it with 
 an inviolable Fidelity and Truth ; and I here declare 
 that my Defign in fto Book, is chiefly to ^/t)r//3f 
 Jesus Christ and to ferve His Church : jic ne 
 Patris mei Fam^e farcqrem, fi ejus Laus cederet in 
 CHRIST I opprobrium ^ Corruptionem Evangelii 
 ^ Scandalum Ecckfi(ff ^. 
 
 * '^loli^xiExavm Amyrald. j<?i;«r/. Spanhem /.z.p.ijf* 
 
 Ihtf 
 
THE 
 
 I LIFE 
 
 Of 
 
 The Reverend & Learned 
 
 Dr. Cotton Mather. 
 
 C H A ^. Is 
 
 the Suhje^ of the Hificry • his Birth, EJucafJoif^ 
 Early Reitgion^ Marriages and Children^ wiib 
 his Methods of Education, and Rules of private 
 ConduQ^ 
 
 Sect* t. ^he SuhjeEl of tins Hi-dory^ 'voith a?i 
 Account of kis 2)efcent and Family. 
 
 R. COTTON MA'tHJ^R-"^ 
 He was born Thuriday Ff'l\ i2» 
 1661^1. at 'Bofion in Neiv-EngianJ. 
 
 D 
 
 W^ ^^ I have no great Difpofltion to en- 
 -•■ . quire into the remote AHtiqu'nics olT 
 
 liis Family; nor indeed is it matter of much Gonifi-* 
 Iquence that in our Coat oj.irms, we htTiX Ermine ^ Or^ 
 jiFefi^ W3':^yjAture, three Lions rampant ; or^. for d 
 Crcll;, on a wreath of our Colours a Livn Sedant^ ot 
 on a Trunk of a Tree ven ; — - The Religion and 
 learning found in the Family .was the moil agreeable 
 Pleafure to my Father :, and yields the molt fatisfadory 
 Keiledlion to mc. 
 
 2, Dr. INCREASE MAtHtR -^- ^^vhofe 
 
 Relation^as 'Pajlor to the North Church in Bclfon, 
 
 \^& "F re fide /it of Uar'Vard CQlk^e^ v^hofe prititcd 
 
 B a C(,-f^'p('fures 
 
4 ^he Life of 
 
 Compofures both Latin & Englijhy and whofe Ao^emy. 
 in the Courts of three Monarchs for his afFlidled 
 Country have rendred him univerfally known — •■. 
 was his leather. 
 
 9. His Mother was Maria, the Daughter of the 
 Renowned Mr. John Cotton; who was a Man of 
 very exalted ^iety and uncomn>on Learning : Out 
 of Refpcdl to this excellent Man^ He was called 
 
 CoTTONo 
 
 Sect. 2. His Education, his Eagernefs and Trogrefs 
 in Learning ; and early Favcurs confefd on him. 
 
 i.TlTS Education was at tVie free School in !BoftoH 
 " under the Care, .^V'^ of Mr. Benja. Thomp- 
 son, a Man of great Learning and \Vit^ who was well 
 acquainted mlh. Rcmrm and Greek Writers^ and a good 
 Poet; k.fl undcir the fanio-u^ Mr.EzEKiEL CHEEVERi 
 who was a very learned, pious Man, and an excellent 
 Scho.^l-mal^er. Under thefe two Mailers he made 2 
 laudable l-'roficicncy. 
 
 i. By t'-Wilve years of Age, he had compofed many 
 Latin Exercifes, had convcrfed with Tully, Te'^* 
 R E^iCE, Ov IP and Virgil, had gone thro' his Grf^e^ 
 ^■^i' -'fuenr , and entred upon Isocrates,^ Homer and 
 \ii^ ff'^hre^ir Grunmar-, and at that Age was admitted 
 int« ^''/^'ir^'. The pivjus Dr. Hoar, who was then 
 Prrli.jcnt, according to Cul^om, gave him thASfrofhe- 
 ticai' He J for his initial Declamation, 
 
 Tc.:emicho venicty vivatmodo^fortior JEtas, 
 
 3. After his entrance into ColleF^e, he made as 
 
 gnick a l>'fp'uch as b fore, Maftering Hehreiv per- 
 : riv , dig. iVmg Alex ant\ R ch ardson's Tables, 
 v.t.ich he'tianfc.-ibcdv con poling Syftems of Log:^ic 
 and 'Pkyli'y which were aftcrv/ards ufed by others ; 
 ar-", InV^^'ord^d^^^rr Sing the Circle ofall'the Aca-. 
 demicai Studies, ^iany are the Books which he them 
 
 re^4; 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
Dn CpTTOH MifHER. .-5 
 
 :read with ingenious Remarks^ of which he kept an 
 Account in his uitvy. 
 
 4. When he took, his firH: Degree^ which was at 
 jhe Age qi Smcen^ Mr. Oakes the i-^riefidem^ in nis 
 -Oration at the Comniencement. vvhich i have icad, 
 :thus cxpreiied himiif concerning thisiiopeful Yoiuhj 
 
 — Alter vcro Cot ton us Math erus 7iuncnpatur, 
 -Quantum Jsfowen i Erra'ui^ ja'tetr ylu clito t^ / di- 
 . ijjm etenim^ quanta Nomina : Isiti^ Ego dt Rever- 
 endo Patre^ AcaderaicC Ciiratore m^ilanU-'^irno^ rnu* 
 nicipii Academieijcciofrimario^ die am \ quo'niam co* 
 ram ^ inOs laud arc nolim : fedfi ^ietatenijEruditi^ 
 onenty Ingcniim ekgans^ yudicium SoUdum, ^Pruden^ 
 tiam ^ Gravit/itcm Avorum Reverendi'Jlmoruat 
 'JoANNjs CoTTONi fi^ RicHARDx Matkeri^ re- 
 fir at etreprefhiteti omne tulijfe 'PimEium d-d ^ trrit . 
 -nee defp>ero futunwiy at i?ihoc jfuvene Cot ton us' 
 ' atq ', Matherus tan^ re quam Islomine coakfcant es 
 revivifcant. — 
 
 You will find in the Courfp of this Hiilory, that 
 this great Mans Sentiments were juilj and his Exped:a = 
 tions anrvvered : So that I may now infert the true 
 Charadler of him^ when he made fome Figure in the 
 World ; which I chufe to bring in here, becaufe^it has 
 fome Relation to Pracfident Oak s's Prophecy. " 
 
 A Frierid thus writes of him; 
 
 **■ For Grace and Art ^nd an illuftrious Fawe^ 
 f^ Who would not look from fuch an om'noua Name : 
 ^*" Where f-xo great Names their banAuary take^ 
 ^'^ And in a Third combined % -greater n\2LkQ ^ 
 
 5. When he was half a Year ihojt of Nineteen 3 he 
 proceeded Mafter of Arts, and received hi-^ Degree at 
 the Hand of his Father who was then Prx; dent. The 
 Thcfis which he" -then maintained was^ 'Tun^la Bc- 
 Iraica funt Originis Divin<fi'\ Hut he afterwards law 
 ^aufe to c)ian^e his Mind, and held the contrary Opi- 
 
 ^'- " B 5 ■ ' • ^ips 
 
f fj%e life of 
 
 tiion to the lafl. Kctho't, with the greatpRiPEAwx 
 and iome others, that the 'Points were an Invention 
 of the Maforltes ; and, becaule he could read and per- 
 feAly underftand Hebrew without them ; he imagined 
 there was no need of theni^ unlefs for the igr^urant, 
 as the ycuos without Queftion were, after the 'Baby- 
 lonifh Captivity, when the Tomts were contrived for 
 their Inltrudion. 
 
 6. He might well make a confiderablc Progrefsin 
 Learning, being in his earlielt Years pretty btalthy, 
 having withal a ,^reat Capacity for Learning, and 
 being blcded with that firfl ftep to Knowledge^ a 
 modeft Jnquijirim>tefs^ 
 
 7. And, as it is obferved there are nxery few who 
 prove ^reat Men unlefs they begin betimes^ he was 
 very deiirous of following Seneca^s Advice, that is, 
 to haflen and karn bethnes, left ivken old, he [bould 
 he olHi^ed to it f : And indeed he betimes laid up a 
 good Stock of Knowledge; like the hufy Ant t Jo at 
 adds to its heap^ 7iot igmrant or unaixare of the 
 future % ' ' '- 
 
 8. And, if what fome great Men have hinted be 
 truQ Nemo Fir ma^msjine Afflatu *, while he wasj 
 yet young he bid fair, to be great , for he i^elieved he 
 fh luld be fo , he ''>'<pe£ied it ; and therefore (muka, 
 tuH fecf-tq, Sec. ) he l^orc a>id did many things and 
 difrogarded all the Difficulties that would encoippa& 
 him. 
 
 Sect. 3. His Early Religion... 
 
 l.1rT is an excellent Maxim, That the heft Gifis ara 
 A vuin unkf^ "Piety advrn thtrn : And of this Mind 
 ^A^as he, of wl^om I am writing, from his very Chiid.^" 
 hood." ' ' ' ^ 
 
 i Pr-y^-- ^<f propera ve tihj accidaty ut Senecc Hifcas* 
 Sci. U'}* IT: ^ Houi. lih, E£od, carmen Seculare. 
 * Cig* dc Nat » D soy um A, ^* 
 
Dr. CoT's'OM MatherI 7 
 
 Amp^ altho' his Defirc of Learning was very ^reat 
 ^nd Arongi an4 his Attainments were truly coniider- 
 abkj he was not more noted lor thefe Gijts than for 
 Jii$ early ^kty and Religion. 
 
 From his earlieil Days there were fevcral good 
 things jound in hun. When he began to ipeak almofl^^ 
 he began to fray, and praitifed this Diity conftantly 
 while he was a School- i3oy; and, altho' he ufed no 
 Forms in Secret^ he compo{ed fomc for his School- 
 Irellows <?c obliged them to pray.Before hecoul4wri:^ 
 notes of Sermons in public AlFemblies, he commonly 
 wrote what he remembred when he came home. -— 
 He read the Scriptures with fo much Ardor and Afli-- 
 duiVj^xJazx, fifteen Chapters z Day divided into three 
 Exercires,and nothing leis, would fuffice him. — He 
 would moreover reprove his Play-mates for their 
 ivicked Words and Pradicqs, ' ' 
 
 z. As he grew Eldcr^ he joined him felt to a Society 
 cf Toung Men that met on the Sabbath Evening iox^ 
 Religious Ends and Purpofes ,• and unto thefc Meet- 
 ings he afcriljed \i\sfirfi Rife and Improvement in th^ 
 Art of *S>f^A;V;^, of Tr^jF^v^jj &c. 
 
 5. By Reafonoffome Mifcarriages intqwhiphhc 
 was furprizingly bro't^ he was very Young put upoa 
 enquiring into his Eftate j whether he were not an 
 Jlypocvite^ if notaCi3/?"^it'^3'? He tbund very frequent 
 Returns oi 'Doubts and Fears ; and therefore refolute- 
 Iv and frequently renewed his Clpfure -ivith Jesus 
 Ch R I s T ,as his only Relief againft them. During this 
 time,wh^n he was b^nguill^ing under the Scnle of iiisj 
 V ilenefsj' and thinking witihimfelr//?^// the I-Qai) 
 (icc^pt of one tb^u bits done ^;/i bin as I h.tv£ I I fiy 
 during this time, he tho.'t it propc^/ ii\ op.^n his Boion^ 
 to his father : Upo^ fo. doin^ his Fa.'rier told him, 
 U^ljcre ivas no Sinner reps^^ng end veturnpw hiiP 
 CH?.l^^r "uoill accept of hlv^i : For ( (aid he ) ^fervc 
 ^lievenhmong Ale^i there- h A "^ile Sinrier \ a good;- 
 M'fi ^^Js^^s St.Kd aif^vrs hin^, : X^t //this, Man "ev^r 
 ' " "■ B 4 ' "^ ki'^-'^i 
 
I Ithe life of 
 
 hecontes a fjew Creature:, the fame good ^erfon^ not- 
 njoithftanding hi^ jormtr'ViknefS:^ iviU embrace' hiwt 
 and take him to his !BoJom; and this (continued hej 
 is an B'iddi.m cJidE^eSlofthe Spirit oj Jesus, — -j 
 XVonderful was the .Qiiickning thefe Words gave him; 
 They influenced his Addrefles to Heaven^ in which 
 he then had fvveet and ilrong Intimations of the 2)i- 
 kjine lEdvour. 
 
 4. When he "^'Tls fifteen^ he was much affected by 
 reading Dr. Hallos Treatife of Meditut.on, with his 
 jPropoials of proceeding Alethodir^Uy in this great 
 ^iity of Cbrijriafiity. Upon this. He read feveral 
 cth?r Books upon that Subje^"!, and made many 
 pfTays at ^ Logical and regular Method for daily Me- 
 ditation;, and proceeded fo far that he wrote a Difcourfc 
 upon that Subje^fl^ which at this tender Age found a 
 good Confideration among feveral ingenious friends. 
 The Refuk of all was^ that he finally pitched upon 
 this Method, The Meditation conlifted'oftwoParts: 
 In the /z>/?, He proceeded moiQ do 5frrn ally ; to ifjjlruEt 
 himfelf either with anfwering a ^nejtion^ or with 
 explaining 2 Scripture^ or with confidering the CaufeSy 
 the-EffeBsythe AdjunEis, the oppofites and Ji-fm^ 
 hlances of the Thing that was his Theme. — In the 
 fecond Part, he proceeded more praEfically to affect 
 himfelf in three Steps • firft^ an Examination of him- 
 felf, ;;fxY^ an iS>c/)C)/f«/^r/o;; with himfelf ,■ and la(f, a 
 Refolutio/j in the "Strength of Grace offered in the 
 new Covenant. This happy way of preaching ivith 
 md unto himfelf VxQ was acquainted with betimes. 
 
 5. And before this^ everi ^t fourteen Years of Agc^ 
 he began to keep Z^ays of Faffing and "Prayer 
 alone in his Study ; and in thofe Duties he made at firlt 
 ScuDPER^s Chriftian's TJailyWalkhis Diredory, — 
 But of his Fafts ( together with his T'hanks^iving ) 
 and his Devotions h Methods in them, I treat largely 
 in Chap. €, whither I refer my Reader. 
 
 €. Havinq 
 
Dn CoTYOH Mather, -^ 
 
 ^. Having palt his firll Sixteen Years^ he was tho'( 
 ©f Age eno' to join to ^particular Church : He did 
 io then accordingly;, and renewed his !Bciptifmal Vows 
 and Covenant. By approaching to the Lord^s Table ^ 
 he tho't himfelf obliged to be very particular in Self 
 'Ey^amination. I will here tranfcrioe one [rt fiance oi 
 his Self'E^aminatiorJs which he wrote when Ihort of 
 Seventeen, 
 
 '^'^ Setting my ielf upon the Work of Self-J^xami- 
 motion 3 I find ,* 
 
 ^^ I. Concerning my Faith. ' 
 
 ^^ lam convinced of the utter Infufficiency in liiy 
 ^*" own Righteoufncfs to procure my Salvation. I fee 
 ^'^ my own Righteoufncfs to be nothing in point of 
 ^^ Acceptance with God. I fee a woful Hypocrify 
 ^'^ has acted me^, Sluggifijnejs and Selfipnefi hath at- 
 -*^ tended me^, in the very Beil of all my Services. 
 
 " I perceive now no other way for my Salvation^ 
 ^^ but only by the Lord Jesus Christ j i?^y2/^^ fails 
 **^ elfewhere on every Hand. 
 
 ^'^ I behold a Fulnefs ^ a Scanty in JesusChrist; 
 ^^ He is worth loving^ worth prizing^ worth JblloiV" 
 ing. 
 
 f^ Such is my Defire to obtain an Intereft in Him^ 
 ^^ and make Hi m the only Portion and Support of my 
 ^^ Soul^ that it is one of my greateft Griefs, to find 
 ^*" my Heart fo dull in going forth after Him. 
 
 ^^ 2. Concerning my Repentance. 
 
 ^^ I abhor Sin^ becaufe it is abhorred by God and 
 ^^ contrary to Him. 
 
 '*" Sin is my heavy Surden : 2)eath it relfwoulcl 
 ^^ be welcome to me to free me from fuch a Burden. 
 
 '^ I am heartily troubled for the Sin in my' Heart, 
 ^^ and that fountain of Corruption^ the blague of my 
 '^' Heart afflids me. 
 ^'^ 5. Concerning my Love. 
 
 ^^ I long to fee and know the Favour of GOD 
 ^' unto mej the fight of That would make all my 
 - Afflidions light. 
 
 . '^ I defire to be as adlive as may be in promoting 
 ,^ the Honour of God j and I feldome come into any 
 
 ' ^^ Company, 
 
jio ^'he Life oj 
 
 ^^ Coippany, without contriving. Whether I may not 
 adjb or fpeak fomcching fpr That in it^ Jaeiore I 
 
 '^ ieave 
 
 '*■ I am forryjj that I love Gop no more. 
 
 *^ The Saints, that' have t;he Imag^ of God^ arc 
 " thofe whc;m I value liioft. 
 
 ^^ A Mean Perfon with Grace is more amiable ta 
 " me than another who is uthcrv^ifc never lb weU 
 
 '^ cjuglifiedj but Qracekfs " There are fome 
 
 other of his Examinations ^whta in ToufKrcr fears an4 
 in ^^i-y^^/ic^^i^which you will Und in the tfthChapter of 
 this Book : \ brought this one in here^ as a Specimen 
 pf his early Senie of Religion, ' 
 
 7. Another Thing, In which he demonftrated 
 his early 'Tiety, was his inceiTant Afpirations aftcs 
 Ufefulnefs. He was always of IvIe l a n c t > ; on^s Mind, 
 whofaidjZf/'iui?o iioitlabcund and encreafe viRicheSx 
 fkey "nay for all ^^ ; I lofk i't>on my Works as my 
 'j^reafure \ : He therefore fought ii/^ O.ccafipps for 
 4oin^J^ Good. 
 
 Tie Maxim he we^t ijpon was this, ^hat a Power 
 and Oppoi:tunity'^«' do Goad not only ^ives a Right 
 to the jDoing ofit^ vut alfo makes the ijoing of it a 
 Duty ; A Maxim truly noble and divine hoth /;; if 
 felfy and in its EiTi^s ! And it is built upon thof^ 
 Words of our bleiied Apoflle^, As ive bave Oj>^orru^ 
 ftityy let us do Good unto all Men. * 
 
 Having a Principle of Good-PVfll to Man deeply 
 rooted in hisSoul^ he was very foon and veryflrongiy 
 defirous that it might grow and flourifli, a^d Lhac 
 others might be, t.he better for it. 
 
 ■ He firft let himfclf to contrive whatGood he mi-ght 
 be able to" do in hi? Father's Family ^ by in-n-ra-^in^ 
 his Brethren and Sifters^ and by exhorting t^ie Ser- 
 vants. 
 
 He anon p?oc-:reded to impofe it a.s a R'«ile upon 
 himfclf, never to Qome into any Company where k' 
 
 \ I> Oprr'd-un fif Jhunti.iJitin ??3<r.i ; Dhiii'n ptr ms.licst 
 slmvJsi rwf^uis voliisri:* * ''.->3il. VJ, soc 
 
Dr. Cot'j'pN Mather^ ?i 
 
 mi^^ ^^ proper for him to difcourfe, but he wouldp 
 if poiiibie, (o order it that it might be ferviccablc to 
 the Company ; and^, he f^w the Fulfilment of that 
 Promifcj I'd him that has Jh all be ^ivenx For^, upon 
 Jiis faithful Improvement ©f his Talents, He found 
 his Lord and Mailer went on and multiplied his Op^ 
 fortunities:, untjll he came tp ferve whole Churches, 
 Tb'wm an4 Coumries, 
 
 From his own happy Experience therefore, when 
 he was advanced ip Age^ his would often advife Toung 
 Men, to contrive and liudy as early as poffible ro do 
 Good, to love it and to account it a noble T^^^ff- 
 While ^tf and our Opportunities arc but fmally he 
 would have us invent as many ways as we can to be 
 ferviceable : He would not have us impertinent^ im- 
 modcffc or oftentatious in our Elfays , but would have 
 us with humility, and yet with Readinefs^ begin be-* 
 times with our j'mall Stocky and expe*^ thai^ before 
 we have done^ God will do great things for us as 
 well as by us. I Have made fome Digrellion ; hut the 
 l/fefulnefs of it will make Amends for it, I ihall have 
 Occafion hereafter more particularly to mention his 
 great Ufefulnejs and extenflve Labors, 
 
 8, He very young tho't it his Duty to give unto the 
 L O R!D ofallSdmQ 'part -f the fm all fubftaiice which 
 was afforded him. Even from ^ 4 he devoted a Jent^ 
 to our Mekhi^edek ; and ircifi his Childhood was 
 very good, ni^nly and generous. 
 
 I will mention bv^t t-wo lufiances here of hrs good 
 Spirit and Charity ; ( having Occafion e're long to 
 give yovi forrie rriore ) you will take them in his own 
 Words; . .= • 
 
 ^^ It may not be amifs now ausl then to mention a 
 ^^ Remarkable Providence y and make fome RemarJus 
 ^■^ on the retaliating Difpeiifations of Heaver, towards 
 ^f me. One things that I will abfcrvCj is what I met 
 ^^ with in the t-ivcnty firff Year of my Life. I cai;i tel! 
 £f that the Lord has mcH i^otahlyjin many In:1ances 
 
 ' ■ ' ' ■ ii ret"i:ated 
 
f 2 Sr>be Life of 
 
 **■ retaliated my Dutifulnefs unto my Father. Some 
 '^ of the Inftances which I have taken Notice of may 
 ^^ feem trivial, but yet the Retaliation I law in 'em 
 **■ gave them a Relip, 
 
 ^^ As now, I was Owner of a Z^^^^*:^, which I was 
 ^ fond of for the Variety of Motions in it. I law my 
 ^^ Father took a Fancy to it^ and I made-a Prefent of 
 '*" it unto him, with fome Tho'ts that as it was but a 
 '*■ peice of due Gratitude unto fuch a Parent, lb I 
 '*■ mould not go without a Recompence. Quickly 
 '^ after this there came to me a Gentlewoman, from 
 '^^ whom I had no Reafon to cxped fo much as a 
 *^ Viilt : But in her Vifit, (he, to my Surprize prayM 
 '^ me to accept, as a Prefent from Her, a Watch ^ 
 '^ which was indeed preferibie to that, with which I 
 *■<■ had parted. I reiolved hereupon to ilir up 2)//r/- 
 *' fulnejs unto parents in my felf and others more 
 '^ than ever. 
 
 "At another Time; I bought a S^anijh Indian 
 ^^ Servant, and bcilowed him upon my father. Some 
 *^ Years after this a Knight, whom i had laid under 
 *^ many Obligations, beftewed' a Spanlp Indian Ser- 
 '^ vant upon me. Many more fuch Things I might 
 '^ mention j but I give thefe for a 'Tafie. 
 
 Secy. 4. His Marriages and Children ^ nxith his 
 Methods of Educating them. 
 
 h' 
 
 ;EcAU3E I chufe to iinilh what I have to write 
 concerning him ( inter privates ^Pariftes ) in 
 his private Capacity, I enclinc now to bring in this 
 Se^tion^t and a following one, 
 
 2. Mr. Mather tho't it advifeable in his 24th 
 Year to Marry. He firft looked up to Heaven for 
 
 Diredion, and heard the Ccunfel of his Friends 
 
 The Perfonhc firll pitched upon was Mrs. Auigail^ 
 the Daughter cf the Honourable Col. Phillips of 
 Charleflown, to whom he ^ was married. She was 9 
 comely ingenious Woman and an agrcable Confort. 
 She died in the Year 1702. 
 
 5. Upo>4 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather; 
 
 a -2 
 
 «;. Upon her Death his Family was in great Darkx 
 ticfs Sc Diforder; which made him continually look to 
 Him from nvhom defcends every good Gifiytokeal the 
 preach Gor had made on his Family. His Petitions 
 were abundantly granted. God fhowed him aCien- 
 tlewoman a near Neighbour; whofc Charader I ihall 
 give as 1 have it from thofe who intimately knewhert 
 -— She was one, of liniihed ^iety and Probity, and 
 of an unfpotted Reputation; one of good fenfe^ and 
 'blefsM with a compleat "Difcretion in ordenng an 
 Houfehoid ; one of imgular good-Humour and incom- 
 parable Sweetnefs of Temper; one, with a veryhand- 
 Ibme engagmg Countenance ; and one honourably def- 
 r^A/^^r/^ related i'TwasMrs.EL I zABETH FIubbard ; 
 who was the Daughter of Dr, John Clark. She 
 had been a Widow Jour Tears ^ when Dr. Mather 
 married her, which was ^«^. i8. 1705. He rejoiced 
 in her' as having great ffioll^znd in finding her found 
 great Favour of the Z0R2J. They lived together 
 in perfedl Concent and Harmony ten Years : She died 
 Nov^ 8. 1719. with JVillingnefs ; the Fear of Death 
 was extinguiOied in her ; She committed her (elf into 
 the Hands of her Saviour, and in the fame gracious 
 Hands She left her Children — She was much, beloved 
 and greatly lamented, 
 
 4. In his /f/ry /^Hr J Year, July 5. 171 5. he was 
 married to his third Wife. She is the Daughter of 
 the renowned and very* learned Mr. Samuel Lee : 
 She v^^as the Widow of Mr. George, a worthy Mer- 
 chant, whenDr. Mather pay'd his Refpeds unto her 
 in order to be Marry'd. She is a Lady of many and 
 great Accompliihments, and is the jDo5ior's difcon- 
 folate Widow. 
 
 5. By this lafl: Gentlewoman, he had no Iflue: by 
 the two ^mer Wives he had fifteen, only two of 
 which are%2mg ; one ^Daughter by the firfi Wife; 
 the -other y ^^^ ^y they^-^rc^z/^ ; he is the Writer. 
 
 By his ,€;•/? Wife he had nine Childrjcn, of which 
 hxtfour arrived to Man's or Wojnans Eitater — The 
 
si ^he Life of 
 
 firft^wis named Katharin ; a young Woman of 
 good IVit, who underftood Latin and read Hebrew 
 fluently. She died of a Confumpion. Nupiarim 
 exfers iS adhuc protervo — Cruda Marito, 
 
 The 7ie^t was Abigail : She was of i very ami- 
 able Countenance and loving "Diffofition. She was 
 Married and had four Children, Pixo of which arc 
 living : She died with Compofure and Toy, in Child- 
 ^irtlo. 
 
 The third was Increase; a young Man w^/^ 
 Moved by all who knew him, for his Super iour good 
 Nature and Manners^ his elegant Wit and ready Ex->- 
 freffwnsy He went to Sea, and in his Paflage from 
 Barbados to Neivfoundland ^ was loft in the Atlantic. 
 
 By his fecond Wife, tnjco Children only liv'd to 
 grow up, out oijlx. 
 
 His dear Daughter Elizabeth vf^sone^ who was 
 married, and in tijco Years after died. She very mucK 
 jcefemblcd her Mother in her 'various Veriues^ 
 
 6. 1 muft here mention it for the Glory ofGOi), as 
 'l^'cll as the Honour of his Servant y that altho' He 
 met with fo many Bereavements in his Family, (as 
 "well as Sorrows on other Accounts ) yet He never 
 fainted in the Day of Adverfity : He tho't his Sor- 
 rows fhould rather animate , than hinder, his nume- 
 rous £^V5 /o t^o Gcb^ : And therefore when the 
 tDefires of his Eyes were taken a-zvay, and whenHc 
 was deprived of his Children, none of thefe things 
 mov*d him io far as to hinder him from hisDuty. No ! 
 He ever preach' d after their Deaths, every one of 
 their Deaths, and printed the Sermons, that ft> 
 mhers might be the better for /;/; Griefs. — And 
 indeed He always counted, it was in vcry^Faithful- 
 fiefs that He '-jo as ajSiiEied ; for under f-y^rJCalamity, 
 He confidered how his CHRIST migj^l be glorified 
 both by his Example and by iifeful JVritStgs ; and, iti 
 Ihort, under the repeated Rains of Adverftty, Ho 
 Igccw more and moic fruitful in every goodJVork. 
 
Dr. CoTTONi MatheII (^ 
 
 7, Iwlll conclude Sed. 4.. with reciting folnc fpe- 
 clal Rtiksy which He obfcrved in the Education of 
 his Ctildr€?h 
 
 1. Hs pourM out tontinual Prayers to the GOT) 
 tf alt Grace tor tJoeniy That He would be a Father to 
 them, bellow His aS^^w ^ Gr/zce upon them^ ^z//J^ 
 thcmh^\\\s C^o^///^/ and bring them to Gkry. And 
 in this A(5Vion, He ivienti^nM them difiin^ily^ every 
 one by 2<lamey to the LORD^ 
 
 2. He b^gan betimes to entertain them with de- 
 lightful Starkly efpecially Serif rural ones : And 
 he wx;uld ever conclude with fome LeJJbn of Tiety ; 
 bidding them to learn that Lejjon from the Story. 
 
 Ant thus every Day at the "Table y He ufed him- 
 (elf to tell fome entertaining ll^ale before he role ; 
 and endeavor to make it ufeful to the Olii)e^'Plants 
 about the "Table. 
 
 5. When his Children accidentally at any Time 
 came m his way, it v/as his Cuftom to let fall fome 
 Sentence or other,that might be monitpry or profitable 
 to them. 
 
 This Matter occalioned Labor, Study and Con-' 
 trivance. 
 
 4. He betimes try'd to engage his Children in Ex- 
 crcifes of Ticty ; and efpecially fecret Trayer : For 
 which he gave then very plain and brief Dire6tions> 
 and would fuggefl unto them the n^etitions which he 
 would have thtm make before the LORD, and 
 which he would therefore explain to their Apprehcn- 
 fion and Capacity. And he would often call upon 
 Them; Child ^ Tion^t you forget every 2)ay to g9 
 alone a fid fray as I have dire5fed you. 
 
 5. He tetimes endeavored to form in his Children 
 a Temper of 'Bempnry. He would put them upon 
 doing S'jrvlceS^ Kindneffes for one another, and for 
 other Children. He would applaud them when he 
 faw them- delight in it. He v\rould ufbrauf all Aver- 
 
 fios 
 
iS- 3^^'<? Zife of 
 
 fion to it. He would Caution them exqiiifitely p.gainll 
 «11 Revenges of. Injuries, and would inflrud them to 
 return good Offices for Evil ones. He would fliow 
 them, how they would by this Goodnefi become like 
 the Good GOD and the blelied JESUS." He would 
 let them difcern he was not iatislied, except when 
 they had a Siveetnefs of Temper fhining in them. 
 
 6. Asfoon as poflible, he would make the Children 
 learn to Write \ And w^hen they had the Ufe of the 
 Pen J he would employ them in Writing out the moll 
 inilrucftive and profitable Things he could invent for 
 them. In this way he propofed to fill their Minds 
 with excellent I'Mngs^ w^hich he hop'd would make 
 a deep Impreffion upon their Minds. 
 
 7. He inceflantly endeavoured, that his Children 
 might betimes be aded by Principles of Reafon and 
 Honour. 
 
 He would firft beget in them an high Opinion of 
 their Father^s Love to them, and of his being bcft 
 ahle to judge y what fhall be good for them. 
 
 Then he would make them fenfible, it was Folh' 
 for them to pretend to any Wit or Will of their own : 
 They muft reiign all to Himy who would be fure to 
 do what is befl ; his Word muft be their La-iv. 
 
 He would caufe them to underftand^ that it is an 
 turtful and ffljcimeful Thing to do amifs. He woul^ 
 aggravate this on all Occalions • and let them fee how 
 aminhk they will render them.fclves by u'ell-dcing. 
 
 The frff ChajfiJ ztnent which he would infiidl for 
 any ordinary Fault, was to let the Child fee and hur 
 tim in an Altoniihment, and hardly able to believe 
 that theChild could do fo ^^/^ a Thing jbut believing 
 that they would "never do it again. 
 
 He would never come to give a Child a Slo-zVy 
 JCKcept in cafe of Obftinacyy or fomething that is very 
 €riminaL 
 To be chared for a ivhik out of hlsTf^fence ,hc^o\Ad 
 
 tnake to be looW upon as the foreft Puniihment w 
 IxU Family, 
 
Dr. CoT'tou MATHia: ij 
 
 He would with all poffible Infinuations come upon 
 them to gain this Point, That fo lear:-t all great. 
 i'hingSy ivas the nohlefl TJoing in the World, He was 
 not fond of propofmg "Flay to them as a Reward of 
 dny diligent Application, to learn what is good , left 
 they Ihould think Diverjion to be a better and nobler 
 thing than Diligence. , He would have them to pro- 
 pound andexpe&at this rate, I have done avell ; and 
 noiv Iivill f^o to my Father^ 'who mil teach me feme 
 thing curious for it. Ho would have his Children 
 account it 2i Privilege to be taught ; and would fome- 
 dmes manage the matter fo, that Refufmg to teach 
 ihem fomething Ihould be looked upon as a ^unip^ 
 ment. The Strain of his ^hreatnings therefore was 5 
 tToufiallnot be allonjced to read, or to 'write, or t^ 
 learn fuch a thing jif you do not as. I have bidden you^ 
 
 The Slavijh way of Education, carried on vv'ith 
 Raying h Kicking & Scourging (. in Schocls as. well 
 as Families ) he looked upon as"a dreadful Judgment 
 of God on the World ; he tho't the \PraBice abomi- 
 t'.able, and exprefs'd a mortal Averiion to it. 
 
 8. Tho' he found a vafl:, a wonderful Advantage 
 in having his Children itrongly byaiied by^ the Prin- 
 ciples of Reafon Sc Honour ; ( which he obferved thac 
 Children will feel and undertod fooner than is com- 
 monly tho't for; ) yet he would not neglecl: any 
 Means and Endeavoufs to have higher 'jPrlnci^les 
 infufed iiiio them. 
 
 He would therefdre bet<mes a'jue them with the 
 fenfeof the Fye efG02J upon them in the fVays 
 which they take. . 
 
 He would Ihow them how they muft love curLord 
 Jesus C-^rist ;^nd b:ow th^y nvi^t denfonfircite it. 
 by dcir.g what theif PafiTits reqiaiie of tl-iem. 
 
 He w'ould oft'en ^e!l them oixh^good .Angels j wh<^ 
 Jove :hem, help them; guard them from Evil and do 
 fr:any s^ood Omces for them ; who likewife take a 
 very diligent Notice of them^ and ou^ht n«t in aty'^ 
 rne'-:0'i^e. 10 be difobli^^cd. 
 
A^' 
 
 Tls Life of 
 
 Hi would not fay much to them of the rj/7^;;^e/i; 
 becaufc he would not have them entertain any fright- 
 ful i-ancies about the Apparitions of X^ rj/7; : But yet, 
 he would briefly let them know_, that there are!Z>m/j, 
 w ho tempt them to Wickednefs, who are glad when 
 they do wickedly^ and who may get leave ol God to 
 kill them for it. 
 
 HE A 1^^ EN and Hell he fet before them clearly 
 and faithfully^, as the Confequcnces of their good or 
 bad Behaviour here. 
 
 9. When the Children w^ere cafal^Ie of it_, he 
 would take them alofte one by one ; and after many 
 atfedionate,, loving, ftrong Charges unto them^, to 
 fear GO D^ to fcrve CHRIST and fhun Si»; he 
 would pray ivitb them in his Study^ and make them 
 the Witneifes of the Agonies and Strong Cries^, with 
 which he J on their behalf, addrelfed the Throne of 
 Grace. 
 
 ic. He found much Benefit, by a particular Me- 
 thod as ^i Catechifing the Children/ fo of carrying on 
 the Repetition of the public Sermons unto them. 
 
 The Anfwers of the Cathechifm he v/ould explain, 
 with Abundance of brief ^usflions which make them 
 to take in the \\hole meaning j and he found by this- 
 Way that they did fo. 
 
 And when the ^f?r;?;o;^s were to be repeated ^ he 
 ehofe to put every 'Truth into a ^uefiion, to be An- 
 fvvcrcd w^ith Tes or No. In this way he would awaken 
 the jlt tent ion as well as enlighten the Underftand- 
 ing of his Children. And in this w^ay he would take 
 the Opportunity to ask, Tio you defire fuch orfuch a. 
 Grace of God} And the like: And in this way, he 
 had Opportunity to demand, and perhaps to obtain 
 their early and frequent (and why not JiHcere} ) Con- 
 feat unto the glorious Articles of the Ne-zv-Covenant. 
 He tlK^t the Spirit of Grace might f-iU upon them in 
 this Action, and they might be fdz'd by Hi m and held 
 as His Temples thro' Eternal Ages. Blcifed be (jod 
 it was fo with ievci*il of them. 
 
 Thus 
 
Dr. CoTTOii Mather, if 
 
 Thus I have recited the ufual Methods ^ which Mr. 
 Mather obferved in bringing up his Children : 
 There are feveral otherThings which were very praiie 
 worthy in his Carriage tov^^ards Them;, but not of 
 that Conlequencc with thofe I have written ^j and 
 therefore I Ihall omit them. 
 
 Sect. 5, Mifcellaneoui Heads' of private Condu^. 
 
 T. It is a faying of Ger son's, ^ui bene vlvh 
 fejnfer orat^ He that lives well^ frayi -ixnthout Cea- 
 Jing- Mr. Mather was one of th'oie good Livers, 
 He prayed alw^ays^ at leall, J/x times a 2) ay every 
 Day. 
 
 2. He was a Gentleman of uncommon ^ifpatcb 
 and Activity, and yet was ever upon good 'Devices ; 
 io thatj tho' he was conjlaritly doing Servi:e, he was* 
 ever enquiring * Ho-zv Joe might do 7?jore Good ? 
 
 Upon David's ^rr?! being ^,ble to break a "Boiso 
 <if SteHy Austin's Glofs is, thit his In tern ion of 
 good TVorks was indefatigable \, Altho' the literal 
 was not j the Glofs was, falfilled or found in Mr.Ma- 
 
 TIIER. 
 
 5. His Converfation he endeavour'd to render ex- 
 tremely entertaining, and it was fo ; for he produced 
 fuch a variety of ufeful Difcourfe as made him welcome 
 wherever there was any Rclilh for Learning, ^Polite- 
 nefs and Ingenuity, He had the jfe ne fcay qu i of 
 Converfation in Perfection. As for his Friends whert 
 in Company with him, when his Sp^rech dropped up- 
 on them, after his Words, they f pake not again ; ihcy 
 ipa ted /or hr..n, as for the Rain, and they cppned 
 their Mouth -ivide as fcr the httcr R^iin : Ij he 
 laugh 'd on thcni, they believed it not. —- And as for, 
 Es ' Eicmie^y— even they confefs'd his Excellent and^ 
 
 f lnieni:o_ hsrio'Tmj Opcnm in ei ctat ivdefat'-^nyi r. 
 C 2, frcfjabi^ 
 
i'*- ^he Life of 
 
 fnfitahly f leafing Convcrfationj and in Society witk, 
 him they were filled with fiknt Wonder. Ha^fy ths 
 ConverffJlon^ and happy the fharers in it |1 1 
 
 I fhall here give you the Rules he ebferved m 
 Converflng : They may be rankj?d under three Heads. 
 
 Flrjfj He would not aCec^ Et^azity in his D^if- 
 cour fes, but, on the contrary, much ^eliberatmu 
 The Gravity and UJifcretion, accompanying fuch a 
 Caution, he beheld as of gjeater Conkquence to one 
 in all Companies, than the Reputatiori of Wity whicb 
 by a greater Volubility of Tongue might eafily be ac- 
 quired : And belidcs he remcmbred in many Wbrdi 
 tijcre ivants net Sin* 
 
 Secondly y He would fludioufly decline to utter 
 »ny thingjthat he foreiaw might be ufelefi ; and much 
 inore, every Thing that might be hurtful zndfinfulto 
 be uttered. It was his Ambition every where to fpeak 
 nffully, and fay only thole Things .that one or other 
 might be the ^cvifer or better for. 
 
 ^i/trdlyy He v^ould, with all the nice Contrivance 
 imaginable, improve Opportunities to fay fomething 
 or other, that might particuhuly fct oWfomeGlories of 
 his Lord : He would every where contrive, if it wefb 
 poiTlble, to let fall feme Sentence or other, by which 
 high Tho'ts of Christ might be raifed m thofethac 
 heard Him. 
 
 4. TKiNr.iNG his Charitable ^ifburfements may 
 mofl fuitably be rcfcrved for the next Chapter ; I ihall 
 onlv here give you his private Sentiments, of Chari- 
 fahk»'fs in his own Words ; ^ 
 
 '*"' I am not unable with a little Study to write ia 
 ^' feven Lanniages : 1 feaft my iclf v^ith the Sweets' 
 
 ■•'■m^^i^i j'.rie m k^Uiiiiii DEL, tiicronymi 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather.' 
 
 ''^ of all the Sciences v\hich the more polite Part of 
 *^ Mankind ordinarily prcteftd lihto. lam entertained 
 ^^ with all kinds of Hijlorie^ ancient £nd modern. 
 f^ lam no liranger'to th^j Curioiities^ which by all 
 ^^ forts of Learning are brought unto the ciirioui. 
 '*■ Thefe IntdkBUal Pleafures are far beyond' any 
 
 ^^ Senfual ones. Neverthelefi.-^ all this attords me 
 
 ^^ not fo much Delight as it does^ to relieve tiu Dii- 
 ^"^ trelfes of any one poor mean miferable Neighbour ; 
 *^^ and much more, to do any extenlive Service for 
 ^^ theRedreis of thofeEpidemicalMiieries under which 
 '*■*■ Mankind in general is languifhingj and to advance 
 '^ the Kingdom of God in the World. — Hi; pri"- 
 yate Condudt was confonant with his Sentiments. 
 
 5. It was his watchful Defire and Study, never uy 
 maintain tl pejfoml ^inrrel with any Man breath- 
 ing i but rather deny himfelf ofhis Humor, his Elleem, 
 
 ' or any Thing in the World. His Reafon 
 
 was, becaufe no Man can manage a ferlbn.U 
 i^arrel without lofing abundance of precious 
 ^ime, which may be laid out infinitely better kx 
 the Service of Christ and his Church j belidesadeal 
 of inevitable SI//, which will iniinuate it lelfiiuo 
 every perfonal Quarrel yhy which one's internal Peace 
 isjbroken. And further, iince w^e have but a fijort 
 Ollme to live in the World,He tho't it foolifh to throiv 
 ;iway any of it in Squabbles. 
 
 6. CofjsiDE^RiN'-r that for Men, even ^8;ood Af^?; 
 to fpcc k Evil one of another, is a very evil Thing- — 
 He tho't it would be a con ficierablc Service to feei 
 the SupDreffion of that Vice or any Verp;cncies tr.jt^ 
 in hiinfjlf Wherefore, after Hif^hts to his [rsus for. 
 Strength to Ii7U and 'Perform^ he n^ade tliJie Krlj- 
 lutions. 
 
 That he would never fpeak f'alfely of any Man y 
 and that if he fpake Evil of any Man, "it ihould be u,^ - 
 der thefe Liuiitations and Regulations, 
 
 ^ • G 5 ^.:.^ 
 
2^ ^l^s Life of 
 
 Fir ft 3 That He would keep z Charity fortkcPer- 
 fon of whom he fpoke, wifhing moii heartily that 
 all Good might be fpeken of him ; and he would 
 
 from Chaiity Ipeak to thofe when with them ; 
 
 always thinking. Whether ivhat he faid might be 
 for the "Benefit of the Hearers'^, 
 
 Secondly, If He f poke what was Evil of any Per- 
 fon, he would carefully watch over his Heart, that 
 he did not utter it 'ivith Delight : He would manage 
 it with Brevity and Averfion^ as a very ungrateful 
 Subjech 
 
 Tr:irJly, When he mufl, or was obliged to fpeak 
 what is £'jil of any Man, if he knew of any Good 
 that could be fpoken of him, he would befure to 
 balance the EvU with the mention of the Good. 
 
 Fourthly 3 Before he v7ou\d fpeak Evil of a Man, 
 he would confider whether he iliould not firfl fpeak 
 to him ; and, be it how it will, he would ordinarily 
 fpeak nothing, but what he fhould chearfully and 
 contentedly lay in the Hearing of the Man of whom 
 he is talking. 
 Ant, 
 
 Fifthly, He would aggravate nothing ; and when 
 he /poke of an Evil would not make it worfe than it 
 was. 
 
 These Rules he confcientioufly obferved.— Would 
 to GoD^ others werefo careful as to take a due No- 
 tice of them ! 
 
 7. Because he did not love to be difturbed with 
 tedi ■!<:> i^ impertinent Vifters^dnd becaufe his FricnJj 
 ( A»i'C'- 'JTemporis Fures ) might fomctiincs unfpolo- 
 nably interrupt him, ht wrote over his Study tDour 
 in Capitals, Be bHORT. And yet, let him be ever 
 io bufy when a Friend came to fee him, he threw all 
 by, ^e^'?LS p'rfeBly eafy, jwith pleafure communi- 
 cated the Obfcrvations he had lately met with, and 
 was fo very obliging that, akho'his Friends knew hi ^■ 
 hurry and gre?,t l^ulinefs, they knew not how to leave 
 ll^y-i. 5. lis 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather, ^5 
 
 6. H^ would rarely fee a torn Leaf of a !Bible in 
 Cbc Street, but would take it up with fome particular 
 Mark of Refpecl: ^ not knowing but he might iiud 
 iomQ.fpecir.1 Admonition. This he found a very ^r(/~ 
 
 '-fit able 'Practice. 
 
 p. When h^rode c^broad^He would mofl: commonly 
 take fome young Gentleman with him^with whoir. he 
 'us'd to p'ay in private at their Lodging in Inns and 
 Gentlemen's HouftJS,and unto v. horn he vv'ould endea- 
 vour in all poilible ways to recommend Religion wich 
 the i vveet and eafy, but llrong Charms of it. 
 
 10. When he went into any confiderable Tovvns^ 
 he would for ths moil: part beg ^lay-'Days for the 
 iBoys; and^ as a Condition for their being excufed 
 from School:, he would enjoyn fome Religious ^I^ask 
 'Upon them. 
 
 I r. If he heard that anyPerfon had done him "wrong 
 in Wurdor Deed, he v/ould feldom let him know that 
 he had 'sny Knowlege of it. The belt Way he tho't 
 v.'as to-for.givs tlie wrong and bury it in Silence, For 
 bclides the Coniideration due to the internal Advan- 
 tage reaped ■ by fuch Chriflianity, there is this to be 
 confiJcred ; Such is the Malignity in the mofl ofMen^ 
 that they y/iVy. hate you only becaufe they know they 
 have 'ivronge:i you.. They Vv^ill^ as far as they can, 
 ji[f}ify the VvTong they have done you"'; and becaufe 
 they imagine you owe them alike TtTow^, they will 
 bear a confirmed.S/^/V^' to you.- But he found the beft 
 way w^as 'Patience Sc Silence ; the Coniequence of 
 which has been , thofe who itrongeJ him became h'vz 
 I^efl Friends afterw^ards, • ■ , ■ ■ ■ 
 
 1 2. I wa^ going to relate fome other Rnlcs of 'Prac- 
 tice, o{^ri{ihnce, and alfo to tell the jMcthodswhfcli 
 Jie kept to, to preferve Health. But I rem-cmber 
 Be has dcfcribed his Practice in thofe Rules and Me- 
 thods v^hich he has mentioned at the Fad of l^^isiMA - 
 isjurucTiO AC MiNiTSERiuM^to vvhich I rc'c-r yog 
 • C -1 .-. \ 
 
z^ T^e tife of 
 
 1 5. I will conclude this Scftion and Chapter with 
 an Account of r'ti^c? Books in which he was writing 
 conft^ntly. 
 
 The firfl was his ^uotidiana ( as he calPd it ) or 
 Common-^ lace Sook-y in which he wrote along the 
 remaikable Paffages in any Author as he read him ; 
 tut for fear he Ihould be at alofs in finding any Paf- 
 fage, entred as he found it^, he therefore numbered 
 every Quotation^ and at the Enci of his Book had an 
 Index of l^aineSy "things ^ die, fo that he could 
 preieptiy have Rccourie to the Sentences he wanted. 
 
 The c^^fr Book v^'as his 'Diary \ in which he 
 kept an Account of the moft confiderable Articles in 
 which he had done his Duty^ " as well as thofe ip. 
 which He had been deficient. 
 
 There was a German one Sebastian Heinric^ 
 who, not many Years ago, publifhed for the Courfe 
 of one Year whatever he didy read oxfaiu for that 
 Year. ...... 
 
 Mr. Mather's CDiary was not fuch a Medley : 
 No / There was none but imj)ortanr' Matters enured 
 into it. I will only take Notice of what I have eol- 
 leded in obferving one 0ay]y and one Tear of it. 
 
 I find in one of tiis Diaries an Account of theTranf- 
 aclions of one 2.hzy zs (ollovfs. *' This Day 1 per- 
 ^ formed the JDuties of my g^;?fr^/C^///;/^, inftructed 
 ' the Scholars under my Charge, underwent the Di- 
 ^ verfion of A'p^/i and Canpmy^ with whom I was a 
 ^ confiderable while ; I tpads z long Sermon and 
 '^ preached it i 1 (pent more than a little Tiir.e at 
 ' the privat-e Meetings where I preached, and read 
 " over Knox's Ilifiorical Relation of the Ifland of 
 ^ Ceylon. 
 
 Im the Obfervation of one whole Year of his Diary 
 I took Notice of it,— 
 
 ' 1'h a t he had preached above feventy t^xo fublick 
 Sermon?, and many j^rlvate ones; perhaps nf^srbalf 
 as many.- 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather. »> 
 
 That not one ^ay jailed wltbout fome Contri- 
 vance to do Good invented' and regiflred j belides, I 
 {(jp'^ofe^ many ^t-y^rentred his _ Memorials. 
 
 i^nAT no cm T>ay had palled without being able 
 to ivj at Night, that fcma of his Rcvenuis, tho* 
 fmally had been dealt out to pious Uies. 
 
 That h^ \i2idi p'efared and publiped about four- 
 Ueti Books. 
 
 That he had kept /xr^ FliJIs^ and t^.venty two 
 Vig-is. 
 
 A vaft Variety of otherThings I find recorded, which 
 I fhall omit : I bring this oi^y as a Specimen of, 
 his 2>/^r;', how it was replenilhed an4 vvhap Pains he 
 took not to fpend his LJfe in vain. 
 
 But notwithllauding He took luck Care of 
 fpendinghis Tim.e j yet, I often in his Books find 
 him complaining of his ^enrlencies^ Szc. Hisfirll 
 Years, He cAls^ 7*1 me jo mi f pent as to render it un^ 
 worthy to he called a Life; after he was grown in 
 Years, he chole rather to fay, fuch a Tear of his Age 
 than his Life : On one of his Books I r^ad, fuch a 
 Tear of a forfeited Life ;' on another Year, of '^ my 
 finnifi'^againfmyfrecioui llEDEi.M?:R '' : On ano- 
 ,ther, ^'^ Alas of my Unfriiitfulnefs " / On a fourth, 
 '' A Tear puceeyd a-zvay in Sin and Slctb ". So 
 that it might be faid of Him, as was faid of one that 
 was very exad in hi\ Walk^ that his Life s\'^s ^er^e-^ 
 tua Cenfura J d. continudl Ceniure of himfelf. 
 
 Alt ho' he thus complains of himfelf ; it would 
 be happy for the greatejt 'Tart of the World, if they 
 could give fo good an Account of their Time and 
 their Talents. jBleffed is - fuch a ivife and faithful 
 Servant y nvbo when his Lord comet b^ is fotmd fo 
 doings 
 
 I might under this Chapter have given you a large 
 Account of his FafiSy ^c. ( which belong to his pri- 
 vate Charafler and Conducl: ) but I harl rather rc- 
 ferve them, until the dth Chapter obliges me to pro- 
 duce them. ' ■ w ■ 
 
t€ I'he Life of 
 
 Chap. II. 
 
 if/j public Appearances and fignal Servkes 3 
 in the Minijiry^ and in Cont^crns abflrathi 
 . from it. 
 
 Sect- i. His MinlftrVy Preparation for it y Hin- 
 drances of it ^^ Introduction imo it 3 and Method i 
 in ity &c. 
 
 I. '' j "Here was one Thing, which, from his Cra- 
 J xlle, feemM to have a dark and fad Afpe^ft 
 upon his Ufefulnefs, and that was an uncommon im^ 
 pediment in his Speech. Several great Men were 
 Stammerers before him, as a Moses, a Paul, a Vir- 
 gil, and a Bovle ; and perhaps fuch great and 
 good Companions in Adverfity might render it left 
 tedious and more tolerable. 
 
 2. While he was full of Concern for Relief from 
 this troublefome Infirmity, that good old School- 
 mafter Mr. Corlet gave him a Vifit on purpofe to 
 advife Him ; Sir^ faid he, / fhould he ^lad if you 
 ivould oblige your felf to ^ dilated Deliberation in 
 /peaking ; for as in Singing there is no one ivho Stam- 
 mers, fo by prolonging your Pronunciation you uxill 
 get an Habit offpeaking without Hcefitation. 
 
 5. Here I muft inform my Reader, that becaufc 
 of his 6'f^wwer/>g", he had aimoft^ for (ome Time, 
 laid aOde the Tho'ts of' being a Alinifier^ and had 
 with great Application ftudied T by fie: But, upon 
 profccuting Mr. Coi\ let's Advice, and having pro- 
 cured with Divine Help an happy delivery ^ he was 
 perfwaded by hisFriends to defeit theCalling of *i:P/K'- 
 fician ; He did fo : And after having ftudied l^teoiogy 
 rationally and without Prejudice, he prepared for 
 public Appearance-, And becaufeofthe Callinp: he 
 had relinquiflied, he did in his firft Sermon cuiilidc: 
 «ur bleiled Saviour as the glorious ^byfician of 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather. i^ 
 
 Souls; chufing thofe words for his firft Text in Luke 
 IV. 1 8. He hath fentmeto heal the broken-hearted, 
 
 4.. Serrarius thought^ that none were called 
 RahbinS) but iuch as wqre advanced in Years and 
 had received Impofition of Hands and taught fomc 
 Scholars. But altho' he was well read in this Sub- 
 ject Mr. Basnage fays, he was miltaken ; for 
 N ACHMANiPES was i\\\<td Rahbl at eighteen Years 
 oid^ becaufe he diftinguiihed himfdf at this green 
 Age, and began to teach. 
 
 Mr. Mather defervcd the Title of i^^^^/ at the 
 the fame Age ; for he then diflinguifhed himfclf and 
 began to t-^ach : For on Au^. 22. 1680. He A>/; 
 preached fur his C^and-father -ht 'JJorchefter^thQ Sab- 
 bath after for his Father at Bojlon, and the Sabbath 
 fucceeding was in his ether Grand-father's Desk at 
 jbojion. 
 
 5. The North Church at 5*o/?£?-^ having Time 
 after Time taken notice of his i^re^^ Gifts ^ ylbilities, 
 on Fej'^uary 2,3d, idSc. gave an w/;^;;//;;^/^^ Invitation 
 to him, tote an if'ldnt to his Father, and made 
 him encouraging Offers for his Support. 
 
 •6. After this, they had further Experience of his 
 Miniflerial ,§>uaUjicatio'is,zr\d on Jan. 8. 1682. una- 
 nimoufly chofe him for their 'P^/'.r, and deiired his 
 0/-^/;;^rio/; as fuch over them. He for fome Time 
 declined any Compliance with their repented Calls^ 
 f partly becaufe they were not in extreme /]^?;;r, ha- 
 ving his Father w'lxh them, who was hearty (^ ftrong , • 
 and partly from zr^^odsft Opinion, and low Appre- 
 henhon of himfelf and his Talents. Chrysostom 
 fays, that when he read that Text, Heb. xiii. 17. 
 'They 'watch jor your Souls, as they that muji give 
 Account -- the words cauled an Earthquake izntbin 
 hir/iy and f reduced an holy ^Trembling in his Soul. — - 
 The fame wbrds^ with continued Ref!eclions on them^ 
 m2i<iQ:\\\m fear and quak.e e>iceedingly^ about entring 
 into facrcd Orders. 
 ■ , 7. Never- 
 
f% ^he Life cf 
 
 7. Nevertheless^ atlafl^ he was prevailed witji 
 to accept the facred "Burden ; f Onus Angelich HUms:' 
 r/S fir '^iJ andum !) zndhQ ^MS ordained May 15th 
 1684 ; whea Mr. Allen^ Mr. Willard and his 
 Father impofed Hands- on \\\m ;' with the gocd 
 Apoilolical Eliot, who gave him the Right Hand 
 of FelPoivpip. — A truly primitive Ordination ! which 
 he never once in his Life' fcrupled the Validity of 1 
 After a curious Examination of moil of the Fathers 
 in the three' firft Centuries^ he was verily perlvvaded 
 tliat every one of them had been perverted and abu- 
 fed by defigning Men to ferve their own Ends, eipe- 
 cially in the Inftance of Ordination : And yet grant- 
 ing' that not one of them had been debauched .and all 
 bf them were unanimous for Eptfcoptil (ovUidcefan ) 
 Ordination ; I fay granting this i ^yet he iirmly be- 
 lieved that the 77;r/fmr^/ Ordinatiofi ( exceptirig the 
 extraordinary Part) wereTuchas his own; and ever 
 looked upon tht Choice of the Teopk as agreable to 
 the Rights of Mankind in general^ of a Church in 
 particular^ confonant with the facred Scriptures^ and 
 tho't no Ordination regular, unlefs Ekcfion of the 
 people preceded it. I write not here my own Senti- 
 rnents ( I dare not pretencj toi wylte' them, ) but the 
 !Do5for's. 
 
 r 
 
 8. I fhall here tranfcribe fome Paflages I find in 
 bis' i)iaryy i elating to the Cure ^ cf ^ride, a 
 bin, which all are fubjeA unto^ 'zi\d moreefpecially 
 MlnifterSy and which ought with Care and all Dili- 
 gence to be avoided. "' 
 
 The apprehenfion of the curftd Pripe ( the^ 
 '^ Sin o{ youn^ )lfi;:ijfers ) working in my Heart, 
 *"^ fiird me with inexpreirible Bitternei~^and' Confu- 
 ^^ fion before the Lor p. " In my early Touth, even 
 ^' when others of my Age ^re phving in the Streets, 
 **■ I preached unto very great Aireiiiblies, and found 
 '^ Arangc Refpec'^s among 'the People of God. I 
 ^' fcar'd (and Thanks be to Gop,,that He ever 
 '^ flruck me with fuch a Fear .' ) lefl- a Snare ^ and 
 ^^ zTit v:cio by'S?.tan prepared for fuch z.Kg'^'rc 
 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather. i> 
 
 ^^ I refoivei therefore that I would /^^ apart a ^ay, 
 (^ to humble my (elf before God for the Pr.ide of 
 ^^ my own Hearty' and entreat that by His Grace I 
 <^ may be delivered frbni that Sin and from all the 
 ^^ dreadful Wrath, to which I may be by that Sin 
 ^^ cxpofed, I did fo ; And on this Day I examined 
 ^*^ myfelf by the Discoveries b^Tride, which I found 
 ^^ given in fome judicious Difcourfes on that Subjc6fc. 
 *<■ But Ifoundefpeciallytwo RefpeAs^in which I fear'd 
 ^^ I was guilty before God. 
 
 ^^ Flrfty Ms[ jSpplaudihg o^ my Mrm myTho'tS;» 
 "^ when I have done any thing at all fignificant ; 
 ff pray'd or preach'd with Enlargements-, anfwered a 
 *^ Queflion readily^ prefently, fuitably. "Proud Thot's 
 ^^ I law fly-blow'd my bell Performances. 
 
 ^^ Ney:t, My ambitious Affectation of ^^^-e;»/>^/;^ff 
 ^ far above what could belong tomj^ Age or worthy 
 ^'^ and above others that were far more defervingthan 
 *'^ my felf. 
 
 *"*■ For my Humiliation I then wifote thefe Confl- 
 *^ derations: 
 
 ^ I. What is Tride but the very Image of Satan 
 ^ on the Soul? The more any Man has ofCnk^^T 
 
 * in himj the more humble will he be, more lov/ and 
 f vile in his own Eyes and more empty of himfelf. 
 '^ When God renews His Image in us. He pulls 
 ^ dcjun our proud "thci's. "H^'is true, ^ride is a 
 
 ^^ moil natural Sin ; but Grace v^'ould overcome that 
 ^ in a molt Ipecial Manner and Mealure. And tbeti 
 "^ how little Grace have I? How unlike Him, that 
 ^ could fay^ / itm lo-ziiy > Let me for this Caiifej aP^ 
 ^ hor my ft If in 2) ufl and jlpcs ! 
 
 *^ 2. Do I not by "Pride offend God ? It is a 
 ^ Breach of Hrs holy Command and He ofttn de- 
 ' dares Wi^m Abhorrence of it. His holy Spirit 
 
 * is grieved by it : And how vehcmerill'y does the 
 
 * Scripture caution againfl all Tendencies unfo it ? 
 ^ Shall 1 \j(t^x CO think of ©lending that God v\hoi 
 
30 ^he Life of 
 
 ^ has been a Father to me^ and \vhom I havechofen 
 '^ and vowM to love and lervx^ as my God and Fa- 
 *■ ther ? Or that Sp i r i t^, upon the fvveet Influences 
 ^ of which my Soul does livc^ Sealed umc theUcy 
 *■ of Rede?7tpion. 
 
 ^ 3. Is not TrUe a moft unreafonable Folly and 
 ^ Madnefs in me ? Have I any juft Occalion for 
 ^ glorying in my felf> Do I any Thing fin gular'> 
 ^ Am not I in xnoi\ Ktt.?di-\niQViis ey:c ceded by moft oi 
 ^ my Calling and Standing ? But, Oh, let this be 
 *^ a Dagger to my Heart ! Have I not a curfed Na- 
 
 * ture in me? And hath not the Lord heretofore 
 "^ left me unto fome Follies, thefenfe of which fhould 
 ^ irnke me walkfofily all my 2) ays} Lord, / am 
 *■ mler than a Seafl before Thee ! Or, why fhould I 
 
 * feek Honor o ^Tis not feemly for ^uch ^ Foci. Am 
 ^ I fit for Service ? Or am I not rather unfavory Salt; 
 ^ fit for Nothing but the Dunghil ? What am I bet- 
 ^ ter than the leafiof all Saints ? If in any external 
 *■ Grandeurs I get above any of them, I am by them. 
 ^ the more obno>:ious to Temptation and Sin and 
 *■ Wrath. Ly then in the iJtifl^ O my Soul^ before 
 ' GO'D. 
 
 ^ 4. How dangerous;, how deftrnBlve an Evil is 
 ^ this ^ride ? I provoke the God of Hea\^en, to 
 *■ take away every one of thofe Idols, which in my 
 ^ fond 'Pride ^ I dote upon ; and if the Lord fhould 
 *■ now deprive me of my Capacities & Opportunities^ 
 *■ where am 1 but in an horrible Pit of Sorro-ws and 
 ^ Miferies ? And let me remember, ^ride will' 
 ^ fo oner than any Thing drive away the goodSpi- 
 *^ RiT of God from the Heart of a poor Crenturj. 
 \ And if that fhould be my Fate, — LORI), ILive^ 
 
 * Mercy on mo I— What a Monument ihall the ot 
 *^ thy direful Vengeance ? O that the Lop.d would 
 ^ fethome theie Tho'ts for my Humiliation! 
 
 ^ But what fhall I do for the Cure of this Di- 
 '^ feafe ? 
 
Dr. CcfTTOM Mather.^ ^i 
 
 ^ In the firft and chief place, I would carry my 
 
 ■ dillemperM Hean unto the Lord Jesus, and pm; 
 ' it into the Hands' of that alfufficient "Plo^-fician for 
 • Him to cure it. 
 
 ^ Secondly, I would be daily watchful againft my 
 
 ■ Tnde, Sc continually keep an Eye upon my Heart, 
 and check the leajt 'Beginnings zxxd prfi Motions oi 
 
 ' this Corruption. 
 
 ^ Thirdly y I would fludy much the Namre, the 
 ^ Work ^i-vA Aggravations ij{th\sEvil, andtheExcel- 
 ^ leney of the Grace contrary unto it, 
 
 ^ In one of my Supplications this Day, I thusex- 
 ^ prefs'd my felf ; 
 
 '' LORD, What ihall I do for the Cure of this 
 '' Difeafe my "Pride ? Blefled be thy Name, Thou 
 ^^ hail fhewed me a Way, and bid me ^zvalk in it, 
 ^' Have^ I not beard Thee faying to my finfuly (lung 
 ^'^ ^nd Jhvoln Soul, Look unto ME and be Javed i 
 ^'^ And therefore by thy Grace I will do it. I have 
 ^•^ done it and have found, and to this Day findj the 
 ^'^ Benefit of it. Why is it that I am not infenfibly and 
 ^'^ incureably forever earned away Captive by t\\QLujh 
 ^^ with which I am now warring ? ''Tis becaufe I 
 ^' had put my Heart into the Hands of the faithful 
 ^<- JESUS, and He it is that hath not fufFered me 
 ^^ to go on unconcerrjed about the Diiiremper of my 
 ^" Soul, but hath awakened me to feek Relief at His 
 '^ Hands, as I do this Day. — And now Lour, I 
 ^^ come to Him. He fees how I am labouring and 
 '^ heavy laden, but He has bid me come. Does He 
 '' not call for my Heart} But what kind o^ Heart > 
 '^ It is not mcntion'd • but I am fure it is n:y Hcar^ 
 '" that is called for. Hence tho' my Heart be ^ 
 ^^ proud Heart, ytt as long as 'tis mine, I an to bring 
 ^*" it. And, O Lord, I bring it becattfe it h proud, 
 ^' But vVherefore doth He call for it ? Is it not thac 
 ^<^ He may fet up His Kimrdom in it, fill it with 
 ^^ His Graces, * and manifefl the power of His rich 
 '^ Goodness in it forever > Then let Him take my 
 *^ Heart and make k MmMe ! It is eafy with Him 
 
 '' t© 
 
i^ The Life cf 
 
 ^' to Jo It. Tho' T cannot overcome <his ^rlJe^M^, 
 ^^ can : Oh^ Let Him do it, I wait upon Him for 
 ^^ it ; I believe and am iatisfied that He will do it ; 
 ^' I have }}ot fought T HT Facein'uain. " 
 
 . These FalTa^es, v^'ere wrote prefently after Mr- 
 Mather \ as letled in the Miniflry,, and therefore? 
 I bring them in here. ThtSeEUen is indeed long ; but^ 
 as 1 blefs Kiov, it has been very profitable to Me, I 
 hope it will be acceptable to thep/c?//i Readers^ efpe- 
 daily of the f acred Order c 
 
 S. I forgot to inform my Reader, That^ Mr. Mat 
 THER before He was Setled^ kept many Days of 
 Taftinf: and Grayer in order to it. And in one of 
 thofe Days, having declared unto God, That not 
 expelling any temfoml. Advantage , but rather Sor- 
 rcw and Skhjefs, Obhiquy and many ^erfecutionSy 
 he would put of Love to Him, undertake the Work 
 before Him, fied a precious and numerous Flock of 
 His : He then promiled thefe Things to his Loe. d ; 
 
 That He would endeavour to ,be ?i faithful ^af- 
 tor unto thofe over whom he Ihould be placed. 
 
 That He would endeavour to be huml?le und^r 
 \vhatever Enlargeinems fliould be voiichfafcd unto 
 him. , . ^ , . 
 
 That if God iliould give him to build vp His 
 Church with an unfpotted Refutation, he would 
 endeavor to be contented v*ith whatever State fhould 
 te ordered for him in the World, tho^ neVer fo ^oor 
 and many other ways afilided. 
 
 ID. He was conflant and unwearied in his public 
 Jilinijlryy when, he v.as entrcd into it.—- Sometimes 
 he has preached a Sermon ibr ekven2Jays fucceffively. 
 I need not at large vvrite the Subje6is of his 2)ifccw- 
 fesy his Method oi' Sn^dyii'/; 5c breaching, iince he 
 has given io true a Dcfcription of them in his Manu- 
 ducfio fid liliulfmwih Page pc^to «;§ ^ 102^ to 105^ 
 
Dr. Cor^CN Mat!kx.r: 
 
 V. II. Bui* however I will give my ReaRder his RaUi 
 of 'Preaching, fince they are Ihort^ lince they wert 
 jho't upon when he ^^'a5 Young, others may be th^ 
 better tor them, a»d fmce this Book may Qo.me into 
 tjieir. Hands who have not feen the Dodor's Mam- 
 du^io. - . , , V ' » . ■ .? 
 
 ; Firfty WiiEM he was at a lofs for a Text; hff woulcj 
 make a Prayer to the Holy Sfirxt of CnRi!|T foip 
 His, Direction and AlMance^ as well to find a Text: 
 for him _, zsx,o handle it. - , •' 
 
 Secondly, Before he would undertake to go over 
 any larger 'Portian. or T>oBrine of the "Bible, which 
 might require many-Sermons^ he would with morp 
 Solemn .Supplications addrefs Heaven for neceffar/i 
 Succours. , ; A. - ' '* 
 
 T'hirdly^ He would weigh well the Original 
 1*ongues,. as well as the ufual and needful Commenta-^ 
 ties, for a Scripture before he would preach upon it. .^ 
 
 Fourthly 9 In pitching on Sub)e6ls to be aifcourfect 
 in his public Miniftry^ ^fpepally more occafional ones^ 
 (for which he would referve hlmfelf a Liberty in vyhac 
 Courfe foever he wa^ ) He wojuld ever, have fom^ 
 U^efign of fuiting and ferving the Edification of thd 
 Hearers ; — ever — preach upon 'Defign. ■ 
 
 Fifthly y He would n^tftand long upon one Text 
 ordinarily, but ftudy an acceptscble P'ariety : Nor 
 would he ufe one way. of treating every T'^xr^ but bs 
 various in his. Methods. 
 
 Sixthly, He- would be Scriptural in all his E^^QXr 
 ^ifes ; and ordinarily difinifs no Head, without fomdi 
 place o( Scripture wtU adjulled to it. 
 
 Seventhly, He would aKv^ys endeavour to fill his 
 HiUr rjcell ( and he did lb ) and croud every Sermon 
 as full of Matter, as poifibk v/ithout Ohfcurity. . 
 . Eighthly^ Im uttering his Sermc'hs he was not for 
 i^eginning too f aft or too. loud, ^ ri. -■ j -. -: 
 
 ^, Ninth ly^\l{^ ^[^_ not, rh^kt Hs Sentences ox Periods 
 t,oo ext^ndpd foi.ihtJJ f J tery<:^ to^ tal^e them readily j 
 % for the liedrm fiadiiy itid eafily to have the fencd 
 
 P tmhly. 
 
54 '^^^^ I^^fi ^f 
 
 I'enthly, Before he preach 'd any Sermon he wa? 
 dellrous in a de-jcut Meditation to work every Head 
 of it upon his Heart , until he turned it into a proper 
 Supplication. 
 
 Eleventhly 3 He would have and ufe Notes in 
 Preaching ; bat yet would not fo read his Notes, as 
 in the leail: to take off the Vivacity of his £ye, his 
 Voice, his whole A^ion. 
 
 Thxelfthly, He would have much of Christ in 
 his Miniftry ; ( ChPvIst who is All\ ) As knowing, 
 that the Holy Spirit loves to glorify Christ ; and 
 if he did fo too^ he fhould have much of the Holy 
 Spirit with him in his Miniflry. 
 
 Ttineenthly, K^-d he was refolved to have great 
 Care in his Miniftry^ left at all he fhould confound 
 the Methods cfGRACE\ upon a due ^SV jr;;;^ and 
 O-ixning of which the Succefs of the Miniliry does ex- 
 ceedingly depend. 
 
 Fourteenthly , He ordinarily would conclude his 
 Sermons with fome agreeable Text of Scripture^ left 
 with Life and Pungency to the Gonfideration of the 
 Hearers j He tko't the Practice edifying. 
 
 12. In thisSeilion I fhall produce feveral 7)efigm 
 if Chrifiianity , which he formed after his Inveftiture 
 in the Sacred Calling. 
 
 Firfty The Apoille's Advice to a YoungMinifter;, 
 Exercife thy f elf to Godlinefs; he would think much 
 upon It, read over fome Difcourfes on the Sub;e(^:, and 
 as he went along^, employ his particular Ejaculations 
 upon every Article. 
 
 Secondly, WK\i\iG met with en Obfervation, That 
 the ivant of Alortification in aAlin[(ler, procures a fad 
 Unfuccefifidnefs to his Miniflry ; and that he might 
 hot be a deplorable Inftance of it;, he refolved imme- 
 diate iy to read over Dr .OwEN'sTreatifc cf Mortif ca- 
 tion, ( with others on the fame Sub'eci: J and endea- 
 vour to follov.and apply the Direc^tions in it. 
 
 Il.irdly, He took a Catalogue of all the Comtnu- 
 mca>j:s belonging to his Church ; p.nd in his Secret 
 'Frayr:-^ he re Halved tb^t he would go over the Car.i- 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather: ^j 
 
 logue by Parcels at a Time upon hi$ Knees and Pray 
 for the mo1^ fuitabk Bleliings^ he could think of, to 
 be beftowed upon each Perfon by Name dilUndly 
 mentioned. 
 
 Fourthly y In perufing hisSermons before he Preach- 
 ed them^ he refolved to make even that an Exercife 
 of Devotion by endeavouring to fetch an agreeable 
 JEjaculation out of every Head and every Ttx^ pro- 
 duced in them. 
 
 Fifthly y He had one Defign which I will exprefs 
 in his own Words ; 
 
 ^ It will coil me vcrv bitter Toyls and Pains \ yet 
 ^ perhaps I may be ferviceable in it: If I procure to 
 ^ my feif an exa6t Account of thole evil Humours ^ of 
 ' which the place were I live at any time is under 
 ' the obfervable Dominion ; and whereas tholb 
 ^ Devils may be cafl: out by Fafting and 'Prayer fee 
 *^ apart a Day flill of fecret Grayer with Fafting for 
 ' each of them; to deprecate my own Guiltinefs in- 
 ^ themj and fupplicate for luch liffulions of the 
 ^ Spirit from on high^ as may redrels^ remove and 
 * banifh fuch Diltempers from the place. 
 
 13. But he did not think theie Things fufficient. 
 He tho't it his Duty to vijit the Families belonging 
 to his Church;; taking one, and ^omtiimt^ two After - 
 noons in a Week for that Purpofe. 
 
 He Pent before-hand to the Families , that he in- 
 tended at fuch a time to vifit them : And when he 
 came, with as pungent and handfome Addreires, as 
 poilible, he would treat every Perfon particularly 
 about their Eternal Intercils. 
 
 Firfty He difcourfed wdth the Elder People upon 
 fuch Points as he tho't moll proper for them. 
 
 And efpecially charged them to maintain Family 
 Grayer , obtained their Promifes for it if they had 
 hcgiedled it, and frayed ivith them that he mighc 
 Ihow them how to pray^ as Vv'ell as to obtain their 
 purpofes for it. 
 
 He likewife prefTed upon them the Care of inllruc^- 
 ing their Children and Servants in the Holy Religion 
 we profefsj and bringing them up for CHRIST. 
 
 D * If 
 
j^ "fhe Lljc of 
 
 If any that he ftiould have fpbke with ^ were abfent, 
 he frequently left a Solemn ^6-.N'r or two of th'^ Sacred 
 ScripturCj which he tho't mofl agrcable for thcin ; de- 
 firing fome prefent would remember him to them, 
 and from him recommend unto them that Oracle 
 Of GOD. 
 
 And by the way at his Fareivcl to his Chriftiaii 
 Friends and as a Conclufion of his Viiit, he would 
 contrive to commend unto them, fome fuitable 
 fZex^ of Serif tare of which they might think when 
 he was gone from. them. 
 
 But I return ; He having done" with the Parent^, 
 then called for the Children and Servants-, and put- 
 ting to them fuch ^uejfions of the Cutcchiftn as he 
 tho't fit, he would from the A^ifjcers make as lively 
 Applications to them, as could be, for engagir/^ theif^ 
 to the Fear of GOD. 
 
 He frequently got ^rornifes from them relating to 
 Secret ^Frciyer, Reading the Serif iiires c\ Obedience 
 to their '^Parents and Mafters, 
 
 He would often fet before them the 'Propofals of 
 the KeivCovenant^2k^x he had firft laboured for their 
 Conviction and Awakening : So they have full of 
 Tears expreffly declared their Confenting to, and Ac-^ 
 cepting of, the ^^rcpofals of the Covenant of Grace ;, 
 which he diftin(flly fet before them. 
 
 Some of the kjfer Folks) he would order to bring 
 their bibles to him, and read unto him from thence 
 three or four Vcrles, to v^^hich he turned them : H'c 
 would charm them to think on fuch Things, as lie 
 thence obferved for their Admonition, and never for- 
 get thok faithful faj}'ings of GOD. 
 
 He would fometimes leave fome awful ^teefiions 
 with them, which, he told them, they ihouM not 
 Aijfwer to him, but to themfslves ; As, What have I 
 keen doing ever fince I came into the World about the 
 i(r€^t Errand upon ivlich GO*D J'ent ine into the 
 World} And If GO 2) jJwuld now call fie out of the 
 Worlds IV hat ivould become oftr.e throughout Eternal 
 ^zes ? And Have I ever yet b\ Faith carried a per- 
 ■(IbhgSoul unto the L0R2) 7ESUS for both 
 k i^sju'sc ufnefs and Salvgticn. Ma n x 
 
Di\ Cotton Mather.' iy 
 
 J,fANY Other fuch Methods he took for the ^>/-. 
 m;tg of Souls in this Difchargc of his Miiiiflry : An(J 
 he enjoy'd a rnoft wonderful Prcfencc of God with 
 him in th^^ undertaking ; znd feldom left a Family 
 without Tears dropt by fevcral in it. 
 
 He could feldom difp-uch more that) four or five 
 Ffimilies in an A'fteriioon;, and look'd on this Work as 
 laborious as any in all his Miniftry. He fat a great 
 A^alue uDon his 'Paftcral Vifys ; he not only did, but 
 got Good in his Converfation >vith all forts of PerfonSj, 
 and tho'^t he neyer ^jcalk'd :>we /> tkie S^P IRIT 
 than thus ivalkin^ to his Flocic to ferve and fcek their 
 Left Intereft. I need not fay any niore about his 
 Vifits ; his 'Jlfemdrialjor 'P aft oral Vlfits is publifhed/ 
 which will give you fome Account pf his Conduct i« 
 them, ■■■ ' • '••■■ ■ '' •' 
 
 14. His Love to his Church znd CougregattoH wa$ 
 very flaming. To Esercife this Love — he wasj 
 very defirous : and therefore he reiolved to take 
 the Sills, that are put ijp in our Congregation, for 
 ^Prayer or Pratfe, and prefent the particular Cafes 
 there exhibited before the LQRD in his Study, where 
 hp did more particularly implor^ the Gra? e of GOD 
 for each of them than he did or could in "the Pubiick. ' 
 
 And in purfuance of this Intention, (that is the 
 Exercife of Love ) he would ask himfelf before hi? 
 EverAng'Prayer;^ Who hath in the foregoing Qay 
 fliown me any iCuidr^cfs I And he would then "par- 
 ticular] y I^jpplicate theGoD of Heaven that he would 
 \t^xQ:^ Spiritual and Fjcrnal Favours on each of theiT) 
 that had particularly obliged him, " '•' 
 
 1 5. He would nevef let any of his Flock ( or iri- 
 deed any other ) fairly come in his way,- but he wouiq 
 let fall fomp U^ord or other, that he defign'd and 
 
 ^cp'c| might prove fervic^able fome way to thpVi, 
 
 x€. Hi: was continually fcaUermg 2^^9h qfPk-:;^ 
 ^n;^ their Hands j and often ^]jd it with this Advice^ 
 
 'S^eiTJcribsr 'I m fpeakinir' to/ y^^^^^^ ^vhik vou 
 
^% '^he Life of 
 
 have this Sook before you I And fo there was not a 
 Pay in the Year in which he was not preaching tQ 
 many of them. It is fcarce imaginable how many 
 good Books he difpofed of: He has given away above 
 a Tboufand in a rear. 
 
 17. iTwas a Rule with him ( and hebcg^dofGoD 
 to give him this Gocdnefs^ '■Tatieme bi. Condefcention ) 
 rather to fwiFer and bgry in lilence any manner of In- 
 juries & Abufes from Ahfurd People 3 than to manage 
 any Contention with any of them" on any Occafion. 
 Let the Matter and Iffiie of the Controverfy be what 
 it will, he tho't he (Kould gain more in regard of his 
 greateft Intercft by re7nitting his Right, than vigo- 
 yoully ptrfuing it. 
 
 Ant* in the Services of Chriflianity, If he made 
 any DifFerence between thofe that ahtifed him, and 
 thofe that valued him ; it was in being more ready to 
 ferve the former than the latter. 
 
 And it was admirable to fee how this Conduct 
 would conquer the Follies & Humors of unreafonahle 
 (People. 
 
 18. He was ever defirous of entertaining an high 
 Opinion of the pcrfoftal Worth, Wifdom, Goodnefs 
 and Accomplilhments of many in the Flock, and the 
 unfpeakablc Worth of the Sou h of all of them, and by 
 this Opinion to be quickned in his Studies for his 
 Sermons, that they might be as ahle^ and yet as ufe- 
 ful Compofures as he could render them :^ And in- 
 deed they never had caufe to comolain of his Difcour- 
 fes as jejune and unftudied. 
 
 T 9, He endeavoured with explicit Confiderations 
 that all t\it temporal Benefits heenjoyM by thtSalary 
 which his People allow'd him, might be anf'ixered 
 and vaflly exceeded in the Spiritual Senents of which 
 his Vlmiftry might make them the Partakers. ^ Their 
 Salary fed him : he would therefore prepare rich anJ 
 heavenly and Angels Food for their Minds. It clothe) 
 
 him ; 
 
Dr. CoTfON Mather 
 
 ^.. 
 
 him ; be would therefore do his bell in fiiowmg them 
 \io^ to put 071 Christ^ how to defend and adorn 
 themfelves with the Garments of Salvation. It iiarm- 
 ed him ; and therefore he would endeavour to fpeak 
 things unto them^ that fliould make their Heart's 
 burfi ijcltbin them and keep alivp the Flame cj Tiety 
 among them. 
 
 20. I mentioned a little while ago his concern foK 
 his Churchy in his Trayers — I muft add this on^ 
 Infiance of his Love to them ; That he would evci; 
 now and then fet apart an ivhcle ^Day, to fupplicatc 
 the Favor of Heaven for them with ftrid Fafti/tg, 
 And on each fuch Fafty altho' near Four Hundred be- 
 longed unto his Church, he would pray for each ©f 
 them by Name and befeech the raoft fuitahk Bliclfrngs 
 for them. 
 
 21. A Lord Chancellor o£ England ^ who was alfo 
 Arch-Bifhop of Tork faid in his latter days^ ^ That: 
 ^ in. his Time he had palFed thro' more Pofts of Office 
 ^ and Honour than moil Men in the World ; but if 
 ^ he were fure that any one Soul had been by his 
 f Means converted unto God and Christ <?C Holi- 
 *■ nefs, it would give him unlpcakable more Satisfac-r 
 ' tion than all the Dignities that had been confer'd 
 ^ upon him. "' How happy then was Dr. Mather, 
 and how ailonilhing his Satisfa«flion ! For, as he had 
 not been a Year a Minjfter before he had thirty Seah 
 of his Mlniftrys h. e. thirty who declared unto the 
 Church He wzs the Caufe under God of their ^wake- 
 fling and Converfion ; Many, Many, ( God knov.'s 
 how many ) have been by his AddreiTes to them eiihei: 
 by Totigue or ^cn [incc bro't home to God. -- 
 Many excellcntPerfons on theirDcath-Beds have often 
 looken unto him of what God had by his Miniflry 
 cone to them : He has often fecn them with Rapture 
 triumphing over the Sting and Fear of Death, ov.ning 
 him as the Inflrumental Saviour of their Souls from 
 tDeath yConkiRn^ their Love to him ^c alluring hi;n c^' 
 |l^e JJondri^uj.GlQrj^v^a.\tmg{oT him .^s.well as ti^crii. 
 y ' " D 4* "' " ' ' -'- ^ 
 
4» ^he Life of 
 
 22. I know not how to leave this Seftion without 
 infcrting the Words I met with in the private Papers 
 of his pious Mother, which fhe wrote on 4 ^. 2 r^r, 
 J 7 14. {" en which Day Ihe died. ; 
 
 ^ I went thro' many Deaths in hearing Children:, 
 » but thofe 'Deaths ha^^e proved the Spiritual Life 
 f of many a Soul. God particularly (o blefled my 
 ^ Elder Son;- that I have often hlelfed the LORD, 
 ^ that made me the MofJoer of fucb an eminent Ser- 
 i vant of GOD. 
 
 Sect. 2. His heing concerned in Affairs abftraBed 
 from the Miniflry ; in hiJlru6iion of Scholars y in 
 fublit Affairs of Government ^ ^c. ivitk Accounts 
 of his eatenjive ferviceablcnefs. . . • 
 
 T. T T may as well be bro't in, in this Place as 'any, 
 I That from «S*6"z;e;;r^^« Years old he hiad for rfidre 
 2:han Seven Te/irs together the Charge of Scholars, 
 and fome under his Tuition older than himfelf. Thefe 
 hh 'Pupils he carried thro' the Parts oi'' Academic 
 Learning ; and by inftruc^ing f/7^w? confirmed himfelf 
 in many Points of Literature. The Methods how he 
 taught them the Hebrew Tongue i Plow he* ' heard 
 their daily Recitation from the Originals of both 
 Teilaments; ho\V he compofcd Catechifms of the 
 Several Arts for them ; how he directed their Decla- 
 mations and Difpites — might be related for fomc- 
 what of Curiofity in them. JBut I will hint one thing 
 which maybe grateful to thofe who have theEmpIdy- 
 inent of Tutors. 'Tis this ; He had mahyContrivan- 
 ces triat he might favethe Souls of the Toting Men 
 Vi\io were conimitted to his Charge. He therefore, 
 bc'iides his Cares to check all Ebullitions of Sin in any 
 of their Converfations^ did fuccelUvely ufe to Irndl for 
 them J cne by one, into hisStudy,and there in the mofl 
 moving, foft, obliging, ^ yet moft folemn & lively 
 manner difcourfe with th«in about their own everlaft- 
 
 ins 
 
WP^ 
 
 pr. Cotton Mather- a^ 
 
 hg Intercfls', and he would then beflow fotne good 
 Books on them to further the Work of God and ot* 
 Grace upon their Spirits: And moreover, he made it 
 his Ci/flum, that in every Recitation he would, from 
 fomething or other occuring in it^ make an Occaliori 
 to let fall iomc Sentsfice^^ which might have^'tendeiacy 
 to promote rhe Fear ofG Ol)\n their Soul«, which 
 Pradice did fometimes ca.ufe him to exert his Wit. and 
 Readincls j but it IqftT a good ElFd(5t upon theYouths. 
 
 Anp at length Got) gave him tp fee the Haryeft 
 of thefe his Labors ; for feveral of thefe Young Men 
 have proved able' and holy Preachers, and ariiohg the 
 moft hopeful of the rifing Generation. Mr. Mather. 
 would often' fay. He would give all he was worth ia 
 the Wc:ld for thofe Meafures o^Qrijce ^nd fen.ce whicH 
 he/Ikw'in fome that were onge his Tu^tU. 
 
 1. I am here to mention his being concern'd^ in 
 State Affairs ( a difficult Section ! ) and I muft affure 
 my Reader that I am more at- a lots what to do about 
 it tha?t any Qt}e in; the whole Bcjok .;, for fhould I 
 oniit the Section I muft be a faulty Hiftorian^ to leave 
 out what is fo coniiderable; and iflfhould ihfertit at 
 jehgth, write the /// Managements of others and the 
 Warmth with which the T)oEior ever appeared for 
 Truth apd Honour as well as for his People <5c Coun- 
 try • I fay, fhould I record thefe Things in all their 
 Circumftances, it might provoke the Anger of a fcv/ 
 Gentlemen and others. Now becaufe it is my defire 
 that this Hiftory may be very unexceptionable, I fhall 
 treat of one or two Things only, and write of thQ. 
 K'?/? in fuch a General Way as to give no oxie ^tiy 
 Ofieiice. . '• • ' 
 
 T find my fclf obliged to mention one or two 
 Affairs, particularly in.^likh Mr. Mather.' was con- 
 ildered and diftinguilhed hinnfclf. ' 
 
 Mr Country is very fenfibletha^ in the Year \6%%] 
 ( when one of the moft wicked ofKings was 'on the 
 
 Britiifc 
 
4^ 'fhe Life of 
 
 Britilh Throne ) Andros and his Crew were very 
 violent;, illegal and arbitary in their Proceedings : I 
 need not give any Narrative of their Managements 
 here, becaufe there has been an Account of thcin al- 
 ready given to the World. 
 
 While thefe Roaring Lions and Ranging !Bcars 
 were in the midil of their Ravages ; It was in the 
 Month o^ April v^htn we had News by the Edges 
 concerning a Defcent made upon England by the 
 Prince of Orange for the Refcuc^of the Nations from 
 Slavery and Popery ; — Then a Strange Difpofition 
 cntred in theBody of pur People to allert omLibertie^ 
 againft the Arbitrary Rulers that were fleecing them : 
 But it was much feared by the more fenfjbleGentlemea 
 at Sojlon, that an unruly Company of Soldiers, who 
 had newly deferted the Service in w^hich they had bin 
 employed for the Eaftern War, by the gathering of 
 their Friends to them to protect them firom the Go- 
 vernor^ who> they tho't, intended nothing butRuine 
 to them, would make a great Stir ^ produce a bloody 
 Revolution, 
 
 An© therefore the principal Gentlemen in Softon 
 met with Mr. Mathes. to confult what was belt to 
 be done ; and they all agreed, if poffible, that they 
 "would extinguifh all Effays in our People to an //;- 
 fur region ; but that if the Country People to the 
 Northward by any violent Motions puih'd on the 
 Matter fo far as to make a Revoliition unavoidable. 
 Then to prevent the Shedding of !Blood by an ungo- 
 verned Multitude, fome of the Gentlemen prefent 
 Would appear in the Head of what Adion fhould be 
 done/\and a declaration was prepared accordingly. 
 
 On April 1 8. thePeople were fo driving & furious, 
 that' unheaded they began to feize our public Op-? 
 preflbrs ; upon which the Gentlemen aforefaid found 
 it neceffary to appear, that by their Authority among 
 ,tlie People the unhappy Tumults might be a little 
 
 tcffuUted. AA<i tlw' th^ Goodnefs oif ,<3qp, altho' 
 
 ".*.;7"-" - — --^ -■■ -'— ^^ 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather. 4^ 
 
 the whole Country were now in a moil prodigious 
 J^^erment and Thoufands of exafperated People inArms 
 were come into Scflon, yet there was no manner of 
 Outrage committed ; only the public Robbers that 
 had lorded it over Us were confined. ^Twas then 
 Mr. Mather appeared — He was the Inflrument of 
 preventing the Excelles into which the Wrath of Matt 
 is too ready to run ; He came and like a Nestor or 
 Ulisses reafoned down the PaiHons of the Populace: , 
 had he lifped a Syllable for it^, perhaps the People ' 
 would by a fudden Council of War have try'd^, judg'd 
 and hang'd thole ill Men, who would have treated 
 him otherwife. Neverthelefs he fet himfelf both pub- 
 Uckly 3i privately' to hinder the Peoples proceeding 
 any furcher than to relerve theCriminais for the Juilice 
 of the Englifi Parliament. 
 
 Now the Perfecution which was intended for Mr, 
 Mather was diverted j for on that very Day that he 
 was to be committed to half a Tears Imprifonmeftts> 
 thofe that would have ivrong'd him were jufily 
 taken into Cuflody : And yet fo generous was he as 
 hot only to expofe his iJame but even his Life unto 
 the Rage of the Multitude for the faving of fome that 
 would have hurt him : Tho* he had no Thanks for 
 his Ingenuity. 
 
 The Spirit which aded him in thefe Matters is 
 expreifed in a Sermon he preachM to the Convention 
 of the Colony from z Chron.XV. 2. It was printed 
 under the Title of, "the Way to ^rofperity. 
 
 A few Days before this, the Inhabitants of Soflon 
 aflembling together to chufe Reprefentatlves for that 
 Convention & vote Inftru6iions for them^it was apfwrc- 
 hendcd,that the different Perfuafions of the People a- 
 bout the nest Steps to be taken for ourSettlement woul<} ', 
 have produced a Fury near toSloodped ;3,nd therefore^ 
 Mr. Mather was defired to be at thelrMecting. The 
 Meeting began with dangerous and horrible Paroxyfos^ 
 which when he faw, he upon it made an. afFedionate 
 aiad moving Speech to them^ at which many fell into 
 ~ — Tear^L^ 
 
41 ^' ^he Life of 
 
 Tears and the whole Body of the People prefent im- 
 mediately united in the Methods of 'Peace Mrl' 
 Mather propofed unto them. 
 
 Upon', Difcoiirfing with him_ of thefe Affairs he 
 has told me, that he always prelied ^JPeace and Love 
 and Submijfion unto a legal Government, tho' he 
 fuffercdfrom fome tumultuousPeople^by doing fo ;?and 
 upon the whole, has afferted unto me his lunocency 
 and Freedom from all hto-ivn Iniquity in that Time, 
 but declared his Refolution, from the View he had 
 of the fickle Humors of the Populace that he would 
 chi^fe to be concerned with them as little as polfible^ 
 for the future. And fo I difm.ifs this Head of the Re- 
 volution. 
 
 « 
 3. My Country is alfo acquainted with the Confu- 
 fions whicfi they futtered ' by the WitcJscrafts, m it. 
 I fiiall here fay a little of that Time of Temptation ; 
 and v/rite Mr. Mather^s Sentiments dc Actions. 
 
 The Summer of the Year 1^92.* was a very dole- 
 ful Time unto the whole Country, -— The Devils 
 iftcr a mofl prasternatural Mariner hy the dreadful 
 Judgments of Heaven took a "Bodily ^ojjejpon of 
 many People in our *SV?/ew,and Places adjacent j where 
 the Houfefs of the poor People began to be filled with 
 the Cric^ of Perfons tormented by Evil Spirits. Therd 
 ieeiu'd to be an execrable TVitchcraft in the Founda- 
 tion «f this Wondrous Afflid:ion ; many Perfons of 
 diverfe CharaAers being accufed, apprehended^ pro- 
 fccuted upon ihq Vifiom of the Aff|ic^9,d. 
 J ^^? '• ■ , ';■ "■•■;■■ ' ' '' '' 
 
 Mr. Mather^ for his Part, was always affraid of 
 proceding to convift and condemn any Perfon as a 
 Confederate with" afflifting ^demoik upon fo feeble ati 
 Evidence as a SpeElral Rcprefentation, Accordingly 
 he ever tcflified againft it both ^uhUchy 6c privately ^ 
 and particularly^ in his Zemr to the ^udgeSs ^c b^^ 
 fought them that they wolild by no means admit \%i 
 aiid'w.henacgnfiderable Jff:mHy ofMsnifi^rs gave 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather.^ 4,5 
 
 in their Advice about that Matter, he not only cpn- 
 tur'd with the Advice but He drew it up. 
 
 Nevertheless, on the other fide, hh faW in moft 
 of the y«^^c5 a charming In fiance of ^rwJc/^ce and 
 ^J^ a tie nee ; and as he knew their exemplary ^ietyy fo 
 lie obferved th<^ Agony ofSoul with which they fought 
 ihe Direction of Heaven, above mofl other of our 
 People who were enchanted into a raging, railing and 
 lihrLafonable Difpofltion. For this Caufe, tho' Mr, 
 M.trnER cduid not allow the 'Pnnciftcs^omc of the 
 Judges hjid efpouicd, he could not however but fpcak 
 honoiirably of their ^P^^y^^j on all Occafions; and his 
 CompaJJion upon the fight of their TiifficultieSy which 
 Compapion ^^as raifed by his Journeys to Sakm tho, 
 chief Seat of thefe Diabolical Vexations, caufed hii'' 
 itill to go to the Place. And merely for this Rcafoi^ 
 fome mad People in the Country ( from whom one a 
 two credulous Foreigners have dared to publifhed the 
 abufive Story ) under a Fafcination of their Spirits 
 equal to what omE/iergumens had upon their Bodies^ 
 reviled Mr. Mather, as if he had bin theDoerofthe 
 hard Things that were done in the Profecution of the 
 JVltchcraft. 
 
 In this evil Time Mr. Mather offered at the Be- 
 ginoingthat if the foffej/ed 'Peofk might be fcattered 
 far afunder. Re would^lingly provide for Sis of them ; 
 and he w'ith fome others would fee whether without 
 more bitter Methods, "Prayer vrith Pajii fig yiould not 
 put an end unto thefe heavy Trials : But his Offer 
 was not accepted. 
 
 However for a great Part of the Summer he did 
 almoft every JVeek fpend a Day by Himfelf in the Ex- 
 crcifes of a fecret Fast before the LORD. On the& 
 Pays He cried unto God not only for his' own Pre- 
 iervation from the Malice and Power of the Evil An- 
 gels, but alfo for a good IJfue of the Calamities in 
 which he had permitted the Evil Angels to enfnare 
 the miferable Country. He alfo bcfought the Lord 
 
 that 
 
>^ "fhe Life of 
 
 that he would enable him^ profper, cHre^S: and accept 
 him in publilliing fuch Tellimonies for Him as uere 
 proper, and would be ferviceable unto His Imerefls 
 on that Occafion. 
 
 And that a right Ufe might be made of the pro- 
 digious Things which had been happening among 
 us, he now compofed ^ publifhed his Book ehtituled^ 
 ^he Wonders of the invifibk V/orld ; which was re- 
 printed feveral Times in London : In the Preface he 
 fpeaks of, ^^ the heart-breaking Eaercifes. " He 
 went thro* in writing it. — There was a certain T)if- 
 Ipehevcr of Witchcraft who wrote againfl this Book -, 
 but as the Man is dcad,hisBook died long before him. 
 
 \ But having fpoken eno' of the more puhlicHVitch" 
 draft; I think 1 will hale in here an Account of a 
 Witchcraft happening m one private Family ztSofon 
 tvyo or three Years before tht general one. 
 
 'TwAs, I think, in the Year i68p. in the Winter^ 
 that feveral Children belonging to a pious Family at 
 the South End of So/ion were horribly be'-jiitch'd 
 and poffefs'd. 
 
 'Mr. Mathepw tho'tit would be for the Glory of 
 God, if he not only prayed with as vpell as for the 
 tortured Children ,• but alfo took an Account of the 
 extraordinary Symptoms which attended them, with 
 fufRcient Atteftations to confound the Sadducijm and 
 Atheifm of a debauched Age. 
 
 He therefore did thefe Things; and that He might 
 more efFedually do them, took one of the Sufferers 
 to his own Houfe. With a thoufand Grange Pallagcs 
 he found himfelf -entertain'd ; the chief of which ne 
 afterwards compiled into a jufl Hijldry which is pub- 
 lifhed under the Title of, Memorable Providences re- 
 lating to Witchcrafts and ^offeffiotis. The Things 
 referring to Himfelf in thefe reapers, he reports as of 
 a third Terfon -, and with the btory He alfo printed 
 
ibmc Sermons prcachM on that Occafion.- — Mr. Bax- 
 ter often mentions this Book in his Book of the 
 World of Spirits ; and once in a Lecture at dinner s-^ 
 Hall quoted it> with an Invitation unto People to 
 purchaie it ,• unto which end Mr. Baxter procured 
 the Reprinting of it at London with a kind Preface of 
 his own to it.— ^ 'Tbis Book alfo has been flouted ac 
 and written againft as well as the former ,• to men- 
 tion the Author^'s Names would be to fhow them too 
 much refpedt -, their Writings never had Credit eno'. 
 among zny Men of Senfe to dckivQ an Anfwen 
 
 But I have now done with my Account of the 
 Wirchcrafty and Mr. Ma therms Serviceablenefs in 
 the 'Tme of it. 
 
 I fhall not come lo'wer down^ and fhow what a 
 fhare the TfoEior had in the Management of Civil 
 Affairs j^or fear of writing amifs. But Si Chart cejik-' 
 
 am quod bene feceris — Mer cedent tuleris, 
 
 4. But however I may obferve that, all along, 
 wherever he faw our (jo-y^T-^i^r J and Commanders ta- 
 king any Heps that he tho't might be hurtful^ he 
 would freely either by Word of Mouth ox Writing tell 
 them his Sentiments y and whenever he was apprehen- 
 fivc of any Step that might be for our 'Benefit;, 
 he would fpeak his T ho'ts to our Rulers, and give 
 them his bell Advice. 
 
 5. And not only to our Rulers here ; but unto 
 thofe beyond Sea^ who were concerned for our Wel- 
 fare, he manifefted the fame Freedom. There are fcr 
 veral ^erfons of §)uaUty ; I fuppofe, now living that 
 are confcious of the Doc^lor's Fidelity to his Country ^ 
 in writing on their behalf, when any 2)anger threat- 
 ned them, and when any Profit might acrue from his 
 Writing.— But here too I am obliged to refrainfrom 
 Ibowing the Inilances. 
 
 ^ ^. Then 
 
4^ ^he Life of 
 
 ,6. There will be^no hurt in relating the feverat 
 Societies he was related unto. 
 
 He promoted and fet on foot Societies for tbk 
 StipfreJfwH of Dif orders ^ud for dging Good ; and he 
 belonged to them. 
 
 In the Year 1 7 1 9.. He projected a Society of^eace- 
 fnakers.y ^ ( iiJke what we read qf in Courhnd ) whofc 
 Buiincfs. it was to compor^ and prevent r)iffcrencesj, 
 and divert Law-fuits that might ariic. 
 
 He was one of the CommilTioners for the Ljdiau- 
 Affairs, whom he very much excited and fpirited to 
 the pQJng of what has bin done here. He has lome^ 
 times got them to keep a illr/?e of Grayer for that 
 poor People ; he preach'd a Sermon unto them, 
 which is printed, and called India .Chrijli^na:^ and 
 at the end of it there is an account of the Propagation 
 of Religion £S well in the Eaftem as the V/eJlerM - 
 Indies. He belonged to fome other Societies in this 
 Country which it is necdlefs to write of. 
 
 * 7. He printed a Tropofalfor an EvangelicalT'rear 
 fury 'y the Defign of which was to advance a Fund 
 for bearing the txpence o( buildifig Churches in dclli- 
 tute Places, of diilributing Books of Piety, of rdiev-- 
 ing poor Mmfters die. The Dodlor's Church an^ 
 fonie others came into it, and 'tis to be hop'd that 
 fo good a Pradice will prevail more ^ more. 
 
 S. He it was that bro't up the happy Method 
 of Inoculation of the Small 'Pox among us ; pof 
 ^twas he that firft drew up an Account of this Method 
 fromTiMONius and Pilar inus out of the Tran- 
 fadions of the Royal Society, and recommended it to 
 the Phylicians of the Town. 
 
 9. But he did not think it fufRcient to be Mfeftii 
 und active at home : he was fgr appearing publickly;, 
 and to the European World. 
 
Dr. Cotton Mathea* 4^ 
 
 When tbe ^^r/^// Controverfy was warm^he could 
 not refrain writing his Amerkiin Sentiments upon it. 
 
 When he faw the ^roteftant Intereft run low^ ha 
 muft publifh his Juft Sentiments of the Trotejlant Re- 
 ligion ; and obferving the curfed ^erfecution of the 
 Proteftants, he could not but print his Sufpiria Vine-* 
 torum yCdXWng all, that might ferve God with Freedom 
 to pray for the opprefled People of GOD. 
 
 10. T II Kr h\s Ufefulncfs xrn^t reach beyond hU 
 Country, he learned the French di Spanip Tongues^ 
 and in his Forty fifth Year conquered IroqUois Indian; 
 in each of which he has publilhed Treatifes for theit 
 Inftrudlion. 
 
 II* I have told you before fomething oih\%Charit}\ 
 I may here take notice that he did not look upon a 
 Seventh part of his Intereft as eno' to" be laid out in 
 pons ufes. — - I need not tell my Reader how he 
 procured the Benefadions of others j nor, fince an 
 Account of it is printed, need I acquaint you, how 
 that he procured feveral Benefad-lons for the pious 
 Foundations at Hall in the Lo-wer San^onyy for which 
 he has been publickly thanked. 
 
 12. The Ambition and Chara^er of my Father's 
 Life was Serviceablenefs. I fhall conclude tnisSectioit 
 and Chapter by telling you, that this Quellion What 
 Good fhall I do} was the Subjed of bis daily Tho^rs, 
 even from his early Youth ; and befides his Cuftom to 
 fet apart now and then a time to devife Good, he fel- 
 dom came into any Company without explicit Confi- 
 deration upon it, as I think I hinted before. It would 
 indeed have been but a lofsof time in him, and other- 
 wife ufelefs to record Thoufands of deligns to do 
 Good which he contrived in his Mind. But however 
 he had a Method ( and I will give you^the Recollec- 
 tion* of it j which he obferved in carrying on this 
 manner of Life and 'PurpoJing,znd which it will not 
 be amifs for the World to knozv fully : And however 
 
50 The Ltje of 
 
 there may be fome />r/V^rr Circumftances in what I 
 write^yet, becaule the greafejl 'Part have fome Re^ 
 f(prence to ihe public^I tho't it would be moll pro- 
 per to infert his Mcthpd hcre^ and to fum up this 
 Chapter with it '',"',. ' . -^^ 
 
 He found that he could every Mornhig redeem the 
 Time, while he was dreffing himfclf, by taking his 
 grand Queftion into Confideration;, What Good may 
 j[Jo; Accordingly the Week was divided by him into 
 as many Subjects of Confideratiou as there be ^ays in 
 f he Week ; and the Reiult of his Tho^ts on each of 
 them, he noted down as foon as he came into his 
 Study in his Book oi Hints for things to be fpoke or 
 done ; but with fuch very brief Hints that they only 
 Terved to preferve in his own Mind the Remembrance 
 of his TurfofeSj untill he fhould have Opportunity to 
 profecute them. 
 
 I ftiall now recite in order his Morning Queftions : 
 but you may not imagine that I fhall or can tranfcribe 
 the Multitudes of A?fhvers to each Queflion upon 
 which he tho't. However to illullrate th^Manner and 
 ^roccfs o^ his Operation upon it, I may infert a few 
 hrief Hints of his ; from which wc may form an Idea^ 
 how to proceed upon fuch a Qucilion, when We fball 
 have it lying before us. 
 
 His §)mfion for tlia SABSAT'H Morning 
 conitantly was, 
 
 ■WHATjIjall I do as a Paflor of a- Church j or 
 
 the Good of the Flock under my Charge ? 
 
 Herk he rank 'd the People of the Flock into 
 fcveral 67^^^i,diftin(5tly confidering, what they were, 
 and what was to be done for them. He confidered 
 what Suhje5ls w^ere moft fcafonable and agreable to 
 be handled in his Sermons ; what v/ould moll: fuit, 
 and bell ferve each of the Cla/fes. He confidered how 
 hi mgkK make hi? ^ rivers ^^ well ss his Sermons 
 
 leave 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather, 5t 
 
 leave good and llrong Imprellions on the Auditory. 
 He entreated the Neighbours^ aliociated for Exercifes 
 ofReligionto fend their Advice, what Things they 
 might want or wifh to hear treated on;, and he accom- 
 modated them. He conlidered how to make his pu^T 
 lick jMhuffry more lively, uleiul and acceptable. He 
 confidercdj wjbo were to be frivarcly. addrcfs'd with 
 his VifitSy and on what Intentions. He Ci^nhdered 
 how he might vifit tht ScboGls unto the bell Advan- 
 Mge J, particularly Ibmc Charity SciJoolSy which he, pro- 
 cured to be eredled. He confidered how he might 
 Ca/ry on Evangelical Defigtls in concert ^^ith the 
 ^/'y:/?<^f<^^\irt the Neighbourhood; whom he parti- 
 cularly dQ,{[t^dy that they would let him know the 
 Neceifitics of the Sick, if he were ignorant of them ; 
 and unto whom. he* communicated rich Notions and 
 Medicines "^hkh iahis Reading he had obferved. 
 Many more fuch Things he tho't upon. 
 
 . Ar^THo'I fpokc fomething before of it ; yet I will 
 here again take particular Notice of on^ Thing a- 
 mong his 'Purpcfes . and TraBices, beeaufe it belongs 
 to this Head ot Conjldrrations, 
 
 - He obliged hlmfelf unto this Method in Studying, 
 a Sermon ; on every 'Paragraph he made a 'Pnufii 
 and endeavoured with ^cknoivkd^ments and Ejjru-^ 
 lations to Heaven,- and with Self-E^aminatioyn to feel 
 fome holy Imprellions of the ^Truths in that Para- 
 graph on his own Soul before he went any further. 
 By means of this, the Sev^:n Hours which he ufuaHy* 
 took to Pen a Sermon, prov'd To many Hours ofDe- 
 vction with Him. The Day in v;hich he made a Ser- 
 mon, left jull fuch a Flavor on his Mind, as a Day of 
 Grayer us'd to do. When he came to 'Preach a 
 Sermon fo iludied, he could do it with more Liberty 
 and Ajjurattce ^ and he tho't the Truths thus pre- 
 
 Eared would come with a more fcnfible Warmth and 
 ife upon the Atjditory, 
 
 EvT I proceed ; 
 
 E i. Vu^ 
 
U I'be Lije of 
 
 His J^iejUon for Monday Morning was. What 
 Jhall I do in my Family, and for the Good of it ? 
 
 Mere he tonlidered himfelf as an Husband ^ as a 
 Father and as a Mafter. He would defire his Confort 
 to thinkj what ^ro^ofals there were that She would 
 inake to him in her Service. He projected how his 
 Prayers with her in his Study might be very much 
 for her Service. He chofe Sooks to be read by her 
 that might be fo. He contrived how to mention fomc 
 inftrutUve thing at going to Sleep^ and Riling from it. 
 
 He confidered what 'Joints of Education were ilill 
 wanting in any of his Children, and purfued them in 
 the molt proper Ways. I told you before, he cailfed 
 them to read and -ivrite fuch things as he found out 
 for their befl Advantage, and moft luitable Entertain- 
 ment. He took each of them alone fucceffively on 
 the Saturday Evenings, and, having obtained a know- 
 ledge of their interior State, and the declared Refolu- 
 tions of their Souls for early Piety, he prayed with 
 them. He caufed fome of them to compofe Prayers 
 and bring them to him in writing, that he might fee 
 their Temper and Progrefs in Religion. He obliged 
 them to retire and ponder upon that Queftion, What 
 Jhould I ivifi to have done, if J zvere noiv a dying ? 
 And he would oblige them to report unto him their 
 own Anfwer to the Qiiellion ; of vvhich he took Ad- 
 vantage to inculcate theZeJJons ofGodlinefs on them. 
 
 He. confidered how to drop ufeful Admonitions on 
 his Servants, as they were waiting on him ; if the 
 A<5^ion afforded any Time for it. He provided for 
 their Inrtrudion in every thing that he fuppofed 
 might be for their Good. He put fuch TreatiJ'es into 
 their Hands, as might be moll profitable unto them 
 in the Peruial. And as a fort of Crumbs falling from 
 the Table of his Servants, he hired a Woman to keep 
 a School, in which the Sable Sons of Ethiopia might 
 every Evening learn to read and be taught their Ca^ 
 rechifm; and he himfelf bore the whole Expcnce of 
 
 thi^ 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather 55 
 
 this CJiJsmy Schooly every Week paying the Miftrefi 
 hcj Wages, 
 
 Two were his ^eftions for Tuesday Morning, 
 
 Firfl, WHAT'fiaUIdofor my B.d'm\Qs abroad^ 
 He took a Catalogue ^ which began with his 'Pareuts', 
 and extended as far as the Childrtn of his dufin Gcr'- 
 mans. With the help of this Catalogue, he pi;opoun- 
 j3cd that he would at proper times ^ray for each of 
 thcm.diflincflly by Name. And that every Week he 
 would finglc out one of them to conhdcr, JVbat 
 Good^may I do for them} Or m K\)hH Inftancc mav 
 they he the hater j or we > And, that he might addrcfs 
 every one of them fucceirively vvith faithful Admoniti- 
 pns, concerning their interior and eternal IntcrcHs, 
 cither by fpeakmg to them perlonally^ or by Writing 
 to them, or by putting 2^ooki of 'Piety into their 
 Hands ; he propounded in this way to' glorify our 
 blelfed Saviour, and p^dc^'vQur a Conformity to 
 him, who even on his Crofs took peculiar Care of one 
 that was fiearly related unto him. But he did not 
 confine thefe Eflays of Good unto his Relatives with- 
 in the Limits of his Catalogue : No ! He made thehi 
 irc^ch as far as ever he could find out Opportunities, 
 1 need not any further explain this Article ^ only "\u 
 one Inflance. 
 
 When his Father was become aged and in a co;v 
 tfnualand defirous Expectation of his call out of thi!^ 
 World, tho' he was in a goodState of Health, Strength 
 and Vigor; he refolved that every Interview he had 
 with him ( which was almoll every Day ; fhould 
 have in it fomething or other referring to the Heaven- 
 ly World y and alfift their m.utual Preparation for ^t; 
 not knowing but it might be the laft Tme of thei^ 
 Conferring together in this. ' ' ' ' 
 
 But then Secondly ; When fjch an Occnrron flir if 
 has occur'd, ke intermitted the former Qj^iefli^.n, anct 
 v/^sas much ccncerncd for bii Euemp^ ( Nvhom G<u> 
 
 E 5 m^Jf 
 
S{: 'The Life of 
 
 made Inftrumcnts of Good unto him ) as for Ih Re- 
 l. lives. He therefore enquired^ What Good Jfj ail 1 
 
 do for my Terfona^ Enemies j and boixi Jhall 1 ovtr^ 
 
 come Evil witlJ Good i 
 
 His publick Circumflances^ his Faithfulnefs ii\ the 
 Difchafge ofhisDuty^ the Power o\ Satan over the 
 Minds ot many People <5c the Envy of fome ill Spirits 
 at his Improvement and Acceptance procured him % 
 NuTiber of ferfonal Enemies^ or at leall of fuchas 
 treated him injurioufiy and abufively. Each of thofe 
 Perfonsj as far as he could come to the Knowledge of 
 them, he would fet himfelt diilinctly to conhder. 
 What good Offices he might do for them ? Befure, ac- 
 cordingly, he prayed for each of them by Name^ an4 
 he would fay, as I remember I haye read in Mr. Bur- 
 iLir'^Uik/fcme ^erfons had never had a pare in 
 my Prayers but for the Injuries they have done me f. 
 And if he could perceive or invent any other Oppor- 
 tunity to do them Goody he wouM do it ; tho' many 
 Times he has done it fo, that they knew not whence 
 it came. He was very fond of being able to fay, 
 ^hat he knew not of any ^I'eyfon in the Worlds that 
 load done him an ill Office^ hut he had done him a 
 good one for it ; and he left ofFthe Alternation of 
 this Qtieftionj till there might recur Opportunities 
 for'his Tho'tsuponit. 
 
 Hrs 3ue(lion for Wednesday Morning was, 
 }Vhat poll I do for the Churches of the LORT>y and 
 the more general Interefi of Religion in the World ? 
 
 Here he confidered, what ^ropofals to make un- 
 to oi\iCi['Minijlers of his Acquaintance. He conlidered 
 vhat 'Books he might compered publifh to advance 
 the Kingdom of his Savio\;r. He confidered, how 
 to dittufe and difperfe the Engines ofChrifbianKnow- 
 lege and Vertue unto diltant Places. He had his 
 many CcrrefpondeiJclsS:, (' of svhich more by and by ) 
 
 but 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather^ 55 
 
 <"' ,* 
 
 but he would make them all fubferv-ient to his greati 
 Defign. His endeavors to lervc the general Intsrefi 
 cfReligiony have reached unto each of the threfKifi^^ 
 dems. They have extended unto fcveral other Natj^ 
 tions of Eurojpe, They have vifited all the Englijb 
 "Plantations %. udm erica -, and parricularly every 
 Town oU\\^ JSfenjc-En-gUJb Colonies.to which he was 
 under fpeci^;! Obligations. Negroes 6: Indians, Na- 
 tions of them as well as others, have been reached by 
 them : Nor has the Je-icijh Nation been unconfidered, 
 nor the Greek Churches. Thus extenfively generous 
 was he, that I cannot help ufing Sir John I>£.k ham's 
 fine 'Charader of his "thames ^^ and applying it unto 
 theDoftor; 
 
 Thus Godlike his un-jceari^d ^otaity flo-ws ; 
 Firfl ioves to doy then loves the Good He does. 
 Nor are the/c ileffijigs to, his "Banks confined ^ ,, 
 'But free and common as the Sea and Wijid, 
 
 But 1 come to Thursday Morning: His ^%^ 
 tios for that was, E^'h^t Good may I do in the fiver fii 
 Societies to ivhich I am related ? ' ' ' - 
 
 He was related to above tzv.^my Societies 6f a Re- 
 ligious Chara(fler and Intention. He niuft have his 
 Times to P^ij^P every one ot thefe, always to do fome- 
 thing in them and for them. He kept a v/atchful. 
 Fye' over them, and would as far as polTJble make 
 them become Engines of Good in the Land. 
 
 Some of the Societies which he cherifhed as well as 
 produced, were a fort of Reforming Societies, or So- 
 cieties for the SuppreJJlon ofDiforders. I have fpokc 
 •f them before, but will now give a more particular 
 Account of them. The Dodor contrivecl and pre 
 
 Religion to whi 
 could, bear 
 part in pj^rfuinglhe DeligTi ofthefi 
 
 pos'd, that the other Societies of Religion tow lx^^^-j. 
 he belong'd might, as far as they could, bear theif: 
 oart in purfuins the Defielfi oUhefe R'^ferr^i^rs. W^ 
 
 ¥ Vid. Dcnham's Covffey'i UUU 
 
5(? "fhe Life of 
 
 for thefgy he endeavored generally every Week to be 
 p refent with them ; and ever to fay (omthing that 
 jnight be both for their 'Z)ireEfion and Encouragement, 
 He drew up certain ^Fo/HtsofConJideratioft, to be 
 wi th due Paufes read in the Societies every time they 
 ine t, for any to offer what Propofal he plcafed upon 
 any of the Points at the Reading of it. I will here 
 tranfcribe thofe 'Joints of Confideration j and we may 
 eafily guefs^ that they will fiipply one with Matters 
 to which one may be, not a little, ferviceable. 
 
 ^ I. Is there any remarMle fDifof-der in the Place, 
 *" that requires our endeavor for the Suppreffion ofiti 
 ^ and in what fair, likely way we may endeavor it ? 
 
 ^ 2. Is there any particular ^ erf on whofe difor- 
 ' derly jBehavior may be fo fcandalouJ dc fo notorious 
 ^ that we may do well to fend unto the faid Fcrfon 
 f our charitable Admonitions ? Or are there any 
 ' contending ^erfons whom we Ihould admonilh, to 
 ^ quench their Contentions^ 
 
 ^ 5. Is there 2Lny ffccial Service to the Intereftscf 
 * Religion, which we may conveniently defirc our 
 ^ Miffijlers to take Notice of? 
 
 ' 4. Is there any thing v;e may do well to men> 
 ' tion unto the jfufiices for the further promoting good 
 ^ Order ? 
 
 ^5. Is there any fort of Officers, among us to fuch a 
 ^ Degree unmindful cf their Duty, that we may do 
 5 well to mind them of it ? 
 
 ^ 6. Can any further Methods be dcvifed that Ig- 
 ' norance and Wickednefs may be chafed from our 
 •^ People in general, and that Houfchold ^Fiety in 
 - particular may flourilli among them ? 
 
 *■ 7. Does there appear any Inftance of 0//>r^/7/<?;> 
 ^ or Fraudnkiicc in the Dealings of any fort cf Peo- 
 ^' 'Mj that may call "for cm Effaysto get ifre^lified? 
 
 ^ 8. li 
 
Dr, Cotton Mathei;.. ^^ 
 
 ^ 8. Is there any Matter to be humbly moved 
 •^ unto the Legijlathe 'Poiver to be enacted into a 
 ^ Za-w for pubbc Benefit ? 
 
 ' 9. Do we know of any Perfon languifhing under 
 ^ fore and fad AfflitHon \ and is there, any thing wc 
 ^ may do for the Succour of fuch an afflided Neigh- 
 'bour? • 
 
 ' 10. Has any Perfon any ^ropofal to make for 
 ^ our own further Advantage and AlTlliance^ that w€ 
 ' our felvcs may be in a probable and regular Capacity 
 ^ to purfuethe Imentkm before u$'? 
 
 Thus I have taken theLiberty to recite their Joints 
 cf Confine ratio », in hopes that the publilhing of them 
 may be very ferviceable. 
 
 The Doctor ftarted numberlefs Things in the 
 
 4S'(?(ri>r/V5 upon thcfe Points. Thc;r Regi/rers I fup- 
 pole, are lilPd with thcin. I ihall only add^ con- 
 cerning thefe Societie,, that once a Year they u fed ail 
 to meet together in one Place, and have a iDay of 
 Grayer, in which they ham bled them felvcs for doing 
 fo lictle Good .; and befought the Pardon of their Un- 
 fruitfulnefs thrv>' the Blood of the- great Sacrifice; 
 alid implored the Bleliing of Heaven on the Effay.s 
 to do Good which they had made, with the Counfel 
 tnd Conduct of Heaven for their further Eifays, and 
 fuch Influences of Heaven as might bring about thofe 
 Reformation^^ which it was not in their Pov/cr to ac- 
 compliffi. On theie Days the Docflor, with another 
 Minifter carried on the Exercifes. 
 
 This was his Method ©n Tlmrjday Mornings : 
 But at length he found it expedient to change his 
 Queftion ; and He .jnade this his alternate one ; Is 
 there any particular^ erfo?t able to do the Good^johich 
 lies cut of my more imrr^ediate Reach j to --vhom XmRV 
 ^er fome good Tropofal} ' . '^ 
 
^3 T'ls Life of 
 
 Bt anfwcring this Q^fiion^ he made his Conve^-^ 
 &don flili more ufefuL Thus he was often a Doei 
 of Good at the Second Handy and often had th^ 
 PIcafore not to be known to have any hand at all in 
 what was done. 
 
 TuE. Qucilion for Friday Morn was coi^lliintly 
 this ; What fpecial SubjeBs of Affli^^on, and Obje^is 
 €f Compajfion^ may I take under my }ar:kular Care ^ 
 and 'xhatJbaU I do for them> 
 
 Heke he took a Catalogue of the ^oor in his 
 numerous Flock ; but extended his Care farther than 
 foj, wherever he faw any mifcrable. He minded ailbj, 
 who wanted Employment ; He took notice of thofe 
 xtadtj peculiar ExercifeSy and was very tho^tfulj, what 
 Souls were by particular Addreffes, to be pull'd as 
 ^Brands cm of the Surning^ becauft of their being 
 abandoned to flanging Wickednefs ? He conflantly 
 finglcd out one oi other of thefe to be on this Morn- 
 ing confideTed. 
 
 I ihdiH only add one thing more npon this Head : 
 He oonJSdcred, that tho^ the fVind will not fill the 
 Sungry, yet it will turn the Mllly that will grind 
 the CoTfi to fin the himgry. And ^hercfore^, havir^ 
 his Lifl efMiferables commonly with him, he very 
 <^ften m Company would make it a Subjei^ of th^ 
 Converfation, What Jhall be done for fucb or fuch an 
 9ne in my Lift- ? And thus^ befides the innumerable 
 Kindnefies which he had himlelf more immediately 
 done for them^ he procured multitudes of Kindnefle's 
 from others ; and the firll Spring in the Motion has 
 been unknown to them. Very much of the St^irh and 
 <Pkafure of his Life was in fuch things as thcfe. An4 
 I may teil my Reader, what I gave him to underflanct 
 before^ that he did not ordinarily let ojjs Day in' a 
 jTear pafs him, without fomething expended onpiouA 
 t/feSy befides his other comin^ai Kifiinejfes to affliic- 
 ted People. 
 
 AkI5 
 
"Di, Co*»ON Math EH 1 xa 
 
 And at length I arrive tote Suejlioti (or Satur^ 
 CA.Y Morning. ^ I may well cat! it hiS:, for it was 
 j^bout the Concerns of his o'vcn SouL 
 
 The Queilion was ; JVhat more have I to do for 
 fhe Intereji oJGOi) in my own Heart and Life ? 
 
 r' 
 
 I fhall a little here illuflrate his way of Thinking 
 Upon this Qucftion. 
 
 He would fet himfelf to confider the more fpecial 
 Sins of his Tomb ; and ■^hTLtmoYt fpecidl Serviceht 
 Ihould do for the Kingdom of God, in the greatcll 
 Contrariety to his former Mifcarriages. 
 
 He ^tt himfelf then to confider the Reproaches he 
 had met with j and upon this^ what Services he ihould 
 be awakened by them to do for the Kingdom of God; 
 
 Ks confidered^ how he was favoured with furprt 
 zing and unpommon Opportunities to publifh many 
 Sooks cf 'Tiery ; and of what valt Concernment it 
 was, thathefhould take effectual Care his own !Booi<s 
 did not prove at lafl: his Condemnation, by his foiling 
 jnthofe Attainments in Religion^ which he commen- 
 ded unto others. Wherefore (^ with Prayers to be de- 
 livered from this ) he would fometimes on a Lord '5 
 Day Evening read over his own 2^ooks oj ^evotion^ 
 and work them over again upon his Hearty until his 
 own Soul was exquifitely conformed. unto thcfn. • • 
 
 HE-refoived, that v^hzttvtr' hodily' Infirmities hfi 
 might labour under, ( or that he could call to miiid 
 he had been viiited with ) he would, make them the 
 Occafions and Incentives of fomeagreabi,eDirpQfit:Ioni 
 in his Soul. 
 
 Thus I have given you a brief Specimen of hi:> an- 
 fweringthe/^ Qucflion : I have been the moxthriej' 
 here ; becaule z fuller Anfiyer will be given to it in 
 thefix'th Chapter of this Book^ where I fhall treat of 
 feis Ckrifiian Life2(.\dir^^.' 
 
 C H A P- 
 
^© the Life of 
 
 Chap. Ill, 
 
 Uis Experiences, and Deliverances from Tefnp- 
 tations. Dangers and Sicknefs -, together with 
 his Deliverances from Evil Tongues & pens j 
 and bis^arriage & Refolutions tohen troubled 
 mitb them, 
 
 X, A MoNG the three Things which conftitutc a 
 f-\ finipi*d 2)ivine3 T'empation is one ; and none 
 
 «^ ^ muil exped to be very confiderable with- 
 out them. Mr. Mather had hisiharcof 
 them. 
 
 He was never much tempted to queilion the Ex- 
 iflence and Providence of the Deity : If ever he was 
 It all, he rejeEled the tho'ts with the utmoft Detcfla- 
 tion and Abhorrence. 
 
 Whenever he was tempted to any evil Frame of 
 Soul, or any wrong AEtion^ his conllant Courfe was 
 to cry out, O 1,0 R^ I befeech T'H E E, 'Deliver 
 ny Soul I and he endeavoured to form fuch 'I'bo^n ^s 
 Ihould be reverfe^ to thofc infufed or excited by the 
 Tempter, as well as to aEl contrary and diametrically 
 oppoijte to what he was tempted to. Thus he refiftea 
 the 2)evil i^ntil he fled from him; He tho't, thafe 
 Oracle in \ Cor. xv. 58. was Anfwer enough for any 
 Temptation. 
 
 2. I will rehte one or two Inltances of the Divine 
 Appearance to keep him from Dellruclion, when in 
 very great Danger. 
 
 In his 3^th Year he received a Remarkable 'Dz- 
 liverance. For, Riding over a "Bridge one of the 
 ^olei on it, that was rottetiy broke, and his Horfe 
 broke thro' and funk doivn to his ^Breafl. Mr. M ae- 
 ther chofc rather to keep the Saddle than go ofF 
 into the River y at^d the Horfe to the Aftonifhment of 
 fhe Company rofe again (tearing oft'his Shoe inRifiK^j 
 j^nd lc;^p'd over with Mr. Mather fafe upon him. 
 
 Hovi 
 
Dr> Cotton Mather, , ^% 
 
 How happily do all Creatures fcrvc usj while we are 
 fcrving their and our LORD ! 
 
 . I fhall relate but one notable Deliverance more ; 
 When the Squadron arrived from the Wefl-IndieSy on 
 Board of which there was a confiderableArmy return- 
 ed from a fruitlefs Expedition there j Mr. Mather. 
 was defired by many of the Officers to give tliem z 
 Sermon on a certain Sahbath upon an Ijland where 
 they put alhorc to air thcmielves. He rafhly under- 
 took it^ but while he was m hie Excellency's Barge, he 
 was taken fo very Sick that his Friends mull needs 
 carry him back again. As foon as he came Home he 
 was well : The Admiral afterwards told him, it was 
 well he went no further ^ for the Army had newly 
 fufFered a great Defolation by a Sicknefs more infe(5i:i- 
 ous arid deftrudive than the Plague it felf : And had 
 he gone and converied among fuchan infecflious Com- 
 pany, it would probably have coil him his Life, as it 
 proved mortal to many of his Neighbours, who were 
 K> hardy as to go down among them* 
 
 :;. But having mentioned his being kept from ill- 
 nefs,I may now very properly add a Secflion of his be- 
 ing vijited ^xhh Sicknefs y his Thofsundtx it, his de- 
 liverance from it, with the grateful Sentiments of his 
 Heart upon being kept from fundry Difeafes. 
 
 Sometimes, efpecially when a Young Man, he 
 was troubled with tormenting Pains in his 'teeth and 
 Jail's, which Tains made him lofe more Time than 
 he was willing to fpare, and which produced many a 
 fad Hour to him in his Pilgrimage, In thefe Pains 
 he would fet himfelf, as well as he could, to try Ms 
 Ways, 
 
 He confidered whether or no, he had not finned 
 with his T'eeth ? How ? By finful and exceffive Eat- 
 ing : And by E'vil Speeches ; for there are Liters 
 2)entaks ufed in them. At laft by a courfe of Wafh- 
 ing behind his Ears and on the Top of his Head with 
 Cold JVater^ he obtsioed a Deliverance from the un^ 
 caiineilej. By 
 
^ft Ths Life of 
 
 Bv Rcafon of his Sedentary Life^ great Study and 
 little Exercife, he was when in Years inuch afflicted 
 and enfeebled with Sicknefs at his Stomachy a palled 
 sad pained Stomach. From hence he muft awaken 
 himlclf to bewail his want of a Stomach for the Service 
 of GoDj and Meditations on his Saviour ; he mult 
 Hourn for his not having an Appetite for the beft Ob- 
 jecSbs and Adions> which he tho't he had not duely 
 iclilhcd : The Offences of his Stomach in the Intemp- 
 erance of the Table he tho't alfo to be bewailed ; he 
 muft beg the Pardon of his Mifcarriages thro^ the Blood 
 of the great Sacrifice^, and beg Grace to carry it better. 
 Thus he fetch'd Good cut of EnJih and thus Evil 
 ivorlCd together for his Good. 
 
 The laft Thing I #iall mention in this Section is 
 his pious Tho'ts upon being delivered from Sicknefs 
 in General^ zndfive Difeajes in particular. 
 
 He was ever defirous^ to be greatly affected with 
 Difpofitions ofagreable Gratitude unto the God of his 
 Health ; and by the Health with which he v**as fa- 
 voured to be awakened unto fuch Acknowledgments 
 of Goi^ and fuch Refolations of Piety, as he tho't were 
 inoft emphatically cxpe61:ed from hmi. \^herefore 
 when he vifited the Sick> he would blefs the Lord 
 for his own Fr^cd-m from their Diieafes ; and would 
 fchink, what moral ^Jifrafei and Diforders he had 
 analogous to themjagainlt which he fhouid be watch- 
 ful I and unto what Graces and A(5tions he fhouid by 
 the Goodnefs of his Saviovr be animated, and he 
 would firft offer his 'Prayers and then employ his 
 Cares for the obtaining of them. 
 
 There are particularly €<ye !Z^/7if^^ ; hisDelivcr- 
 ance from each of which, he improved in a way of 
 exceeding I'hankfulnefs unto the Lor r his Healer. 
 And bcitig delivered from tbemj he would on the oc- 
 cafion glorify his God after this manner. Since he 
 Was not lying under the living Death of a ^alfey^hc 
 would be very zcalOus and aCfive in the Service of 
 
 God 
 
Dr. CoT*roM Mather, 4^ 
 
 God, Since he was not uEderCorrofions of a Career, 
 he would have all Tendencies to Envy extinguifiicd 
 in his Soul, and a perpetual Joy at the Profpcrity of 
 his Neighbour flourifhing in him. Since he had not 
 the Tortures of the Gotit^ his Feet Ihould chearfully 
 carry him to the affli6led, with Comfortable Words, 
 and unto the Congregation of the Faithful ; While 
 his Hands fhould not be idle in writing for God, and 
 in diftributing to the Poor. Since the Scone had not 
 laid him on the Rack> he would be full of tenderCt?/??- 
 pajjion to all the Miferable, And fince he was not 
 w^afling mihzConfumption,hQ would beware ofZ^j/h 
 ^jefs in the Soul, arid fining aioay in Iniquity, Thus 
 he learned Obedience by the things ^hich he fuffered 
 not. 
 
 4. I never obfervcd among Pagan Writers a better 
 defcription in ^o few Words of a good Man, refolatc 
 in Virtue, even ^^hW^^hth- reproached for it, thaa 
 that of Ru T I L I us, RUI'IL II Virtus 13 Inmcen- 
 tin later ety nifi accepijjet Injuriam ; T)um viciatur 
 effiilfit t- The very fame may be faid concerning I>r* 
 Mather, in the midfl of the bafe Ufage he met with 
 from the "Tongues and "^ens- of feveraL 
 
 My excellent Uncle of Witney in OxfordJInre^ m 
 his Letter about Temptations , obferves,that MiniilcK,^ 
 who meet with abufes from forry and fcoundrel Peo- 
 ple, have caufe to look on themiclves as humbled oa 
 the Account of their having the JEgyptian Plague of 
 Lice upon them. Ik fo, then the Dodor might have 
 Caufe for Humiliation on the fame Account ; having 
 perhaps the Infults of contemptiblePeoplc,theA{Iaul£s 
 of thofe inlignificant Lice, more than any Man in 
 Ne'iv- England. Thefe troublefome but diminutive 
 Creatures he fcorn'd to concern himfdf with, only^ta 
 ^ity them and pray iox them. 
 
 However God appeared fo for him, that fcvera? 
 •f them have at laft been bro*c to cotifcfs, again^ 
 
 t S^n??:a Epift. 79, 
 
^4. "the Life tf 
 
 their Will almoft, what fuperior Excellency there was 
 inhim. 
 
 I will here for fome Caufes infert one PalFage ; 
 C tho' there were feveral in the Dodor's Life of the 
 fame Importance ) 'Tis this ; 
 
 In the Year 1704. OEiob. lo. there came feveral 
 People to the Dodor very late at Nighty telling him, 
 there was a Man in the Town lay a dying, but could 
 not be fatisfied unlefs he faw him before he died. The 
 Man was noted for his wickednefs. * 
 
 When the Do6lor came to him (^ who wondredat 
 him that he would fo readily do it ) he told him to 
 this Purpofe, ^ That he had been a very profane Per- 
 
 * ion ; that he had given himfelf a great Lioerty to 
 
 * abufe good Men ; but had abufed no Man in the 
 ^ World fo much as Doctor Mather, and that he 
 ^ could not go out of the World without confelling 
 ' it, bewailing it unto him, and befeeching him to 
 ^ pardon it. ' The Doftor asked him, if he had re- 
 ceived any particular Prejudice, or ever had been in- 
 formed or could have pretended any particular Matter 
 of Fad:, upon which his Abufes might have been eila- 
 blifhed ? He gave him to underfland, that *" There 
 *■ was nothing of that^ but all v/as do-A-nright Malign 
 ^ nity ; for he took him to be a Man that did more 
 ^ Good than others, and that was all the Reafon why 
 ^ he had vilified him more than other Men '. 
 
 The Dodor, after his well known mild Way, told 
 the Man, That there was no Occafion for any Par- 
 don becaufe of his Speaking diminutively of him ; 
 for, fays he, you may fpeak fo of me, and do me no 
 wrong. But, continued he, for your fpeaking injuri- 
 oufly, falfely, calumnioufly of me, it was indeed a 
 Fault y yet, as he would forgive it without his asking 
 for it, had it been ten hundred times more than it 
 was, he would join with him in crying to God for 
 the Forgivcnefs of that, and every Thing elfe wherc- 
 
 * His Name was Gtorgt FUUirg* 
 
 In 
 
Df. CoTTOiNi Mather,' ^ #5 
 
 Jh he had done amifs. ^ He did fo; The Man wasf 
 ftU of Affection to him^) kept contintiaHy crying for 
 him to be with him the next Day in the Forenoon,, 
 and he died in the Afternoon.— And perhaps every 
 Man who ever reproached him, if he were to place 
 himfelf in the Circumftances of a dying Man would 
 alter his Opinion and change his Tone. 
 
 / havefaid of h\smeaner Reproaches : But/Coul4 
 one think ity the Doctor's dilhnguifhing ^iety and 
 (Jfefulnefs procured him fome Enemies among thofe 
 who might otberivifc pafs for Men of Senfe ^ Credit. 
 Such would lomctimes fpeak difrefps 51 fully of him ; 
 and now and then aZoiLuswould vent his Spitej, 
 foam out bis Malice and Shame ; while he inftead of 
 returning- an Anfwer when advis'd to it, chofe rather 
 to publilk fucK Trcatifes as were lafting Teftimonies 
 of his Religion 6i Charity, 
 
 There were feme who alfo 'uorote againft him ; 
 but againlt all their Calumnies, as St. Ignatius faid 
 to PoLYCART, he. ^Qodfteadyy and fafi asabeateft 
 ^nviL 
 
 Sometimes they woUld cnditd Letters full of gro-, 
 veling Malice, and fend them unto him : He receiveci 
 them without Emotion of Soul, and tied them up till 
 rhcy rnade a large Bundle, or>the out fide of which he 
 wrote> Libels : Father 3 fcrgivfj them l 
 
 . i 
 
 Amd fume hxst piihlij'hed Sooks full of Lies anfil 
 Inverlrves againit hrm" : Bur, as the Authors wer« 
 but little regarded, the Tiooks were fcarce ever look'c! 
 in. The Doctor took no other Satisfadion ofthenf^ 
 but jufl to write in the beginning of the Books ; job 
 .XXXI. 3 5, 5d. "-My UJifire is— that mine Adver^ 
 f'ary had •-xritten a 'J^ock : Surely I ivould take it on 
 my Shoulder and bind it as a Cro'vcn to me. He tho'c 
 it not worth his while to write againft them, of ra- 
 ther for himfelf; but chofe once for all to give th^ 
 World, his R^ght Way tojhake off' a Vipr, 
 
 P t 
 
66 ll'e Life of 
 
 ' I know not here how to ufe more fignificaht 
 Expreilions than thofe us'd by Mr. Baxter in his 
 ^Jying Thot'i \ concerning luch as had been Angry 
 withhim^ and could not endure him to anfwerthem, 
 and vindicate his own Innocency ; I fay, I know not 
 how to ufe better Exprdlions of Dr. Mather with 
 relpeft to his Enemies, than thefe,— That *" all of 
 them together v\ere never able tofaften their Accufa- 
 tions, and iprotuxc 2in^ common Selief ; nor to bring 
 him under dcfigned Contempt ; much lefs to break 
 hii Comforts^ Encouragements and Labors. 
 
 ^ I fiiall rpeak ofbut one thing more, and conclude 
 this Chapter with it. The Do6lor was a firm Friend 
 to bis Country ; and by Confcquencc mufl be hated 
 by the Enemies ofity is he was : For Jfuppofe there 
 Kvas not one Enemy of our Country hut ivhat pro- 
 fefs'd open Enmity to Him * for a great number of 
 Years^ perhaps the grcateft part of his Life. 
 
 And therefore they were glad of all Opportunities 
 which they might improve fortheirAdvantage^^^^?//;/? 
 him ; 'and were particularly pleas'd when they could 
 meet with any private Letters from others to him, as 
 well as from him to others, which fome were fo dif- 
 ingenuous as to expofe : They were never able to 
 bring about their Dciigns : The Dodlor was high 
 above their reach. 
 
 But becaufe the fbovving o^ private Letters is a 
 frequent Pracflice, tho' a very barbarous ar.d ungcn- 
 tlem.anly one, I will take the Liberty to tranfcribc for 
 the life of the Learjied, the Words of Cicero^ 
 in Marc. Anton, 'Philippic, z. 
 
 i Pag. 217, 218. 
 
 ^ ^onam FatG tneo, P. C. Fieri d:cAm, ut nemo his 
 jfnvis vi^inti Reipuh. Hojtn fuer.i^ qui von Btllum 
 iodtm Tem$QrA mihi ^uo^-^ indjxirit' Cictron* Philip. 
 Stcundo - 
 
 «*•> 
 
Dr. CoTTori Mather ^^ 
 
 At efiam IJteras quas me fibimifijje dicer et reci^ 
 tavit Homoy et humanitatis exferSy ct vit<f co7nmu^ 
 nis ignariis, ^uis enim unquam , qui ^aulum modo 
 bonorum Confuetudinem fioffct, Literas adfe ab Ami^ 
 CO tnijfas, offenfione aliqua interpofitay in medium 
 frotulit, pdlamq] recitavit > ^uid hoc eft aliud^qur-m 
 teller e e Vita Fitce Societatem'} Toller e Amicorum 
 Colkqula abOritium ? 3uam mult a Joca folent efje #;; 
 Epiltdis, qiidP f.xlatajtfint inept a effe' videantur l 
 ^am niultaferia, neq, tamcn ullo moBo dtvulganda ? 
 
 -— At ego, ncn nego ; teq; in ijlo ipfo conmnco 
 non Inhutnafiitatisfoluw, fed etiam Amentide, SuoJ 
 enim Verbum in i ft is Literisefl^ non plenum Humani^ 
 tatiSy Officii^ !Bencvolentic€ ? Omne autem Crimen 
 tuum ejlj quod de te in his Uteris non male e^^ijli:^ 
 mem ; qmd fcrib^m tanquam adCivsm, tanquam ad 
 lonum Vi-um, non tanquam ad Scekratum et Latro- 
 71 em: At ego tuns Literas etfi jure pot erafn ate la- 
 cejfitus, t amen 3 no?} prefer am. 
 
 Chap. iVo 
 
 An Account oj his various Writings^ kcri 
 particularly of Jome that he has Printed^ 
 and of others that remain tn Mah'ujcript, 
 
 THE mmber of the Bootes, which fie prin- 
 ted; is' three hundred eightv. and t-jco ', and 
 a'nd yet, as one of the 'Greek Poets fays of 
 htm that a^s -zvith GOO) on his fide, he wrote them^ 
 t% he did all Things ivith Jiafe.- On die outfide of 
 the Catalogue of his. Works, which I fliall give you 
 at the End of this Booi, he wrote that Text forhfs 
 further Excitation and En6oiiragement, Joh. xv. 8, 
 Herein is my Father glorified, that 've bear much 
 Frm I And upon looking over the Catchgue, I 
 F 2; could 
 
^8 *tte tife of 
 
 cinM^A fiot iielp putting thefe tivo Lines at the End 
 of/'r, in which 1 acknowlege there is more Truth 
 than lyit : 
 ^uam mmerare TJics Sol dct mortalibus Anno^ 
 ''Fluns ^crdotiosedUit ilk Libros. 
 
 2. Betoae I fpeak o^ one particular Book^ I fhall 
 vazkc^ general OI^j ei"v a uoh concerning the Dodor's 
 Writings. To prepare the way to the Remark, let 
 me tell you. That Dr. Mather's quick ^ij pat chin 
 Reading was well known to all ; he would ride ^oft 
 thro* an Author, drr/ttq; pedum pr<fvenere l^enros -^ 
 and yet, which was more furprizing, he always remem* 
 bred the moft obfer-vable 1 hings he read, was Majler 
 of them and able to produce them. 
 
 My general Remark therefore eoncerning moilef 
 the Dodtor's Writings except his praulical ones, is. 
 That wc need not wonder to lind in his Books To 
 many learned Allufions and References ; for it is next 
 to impoiiible, that a Man ihould keep from nxiiting 
 learnedly^ and as if he were acquainted with Author's 
 and their Sentiments, when his Mind is llored with 
 their various Ideas and Images, and he is a com pleat 
 Owner of them. 
 
 There are indeed a Set of Tfitlings, who for Tear 
 ^{'Tedantry, and hurting a Period, would not quote 
 a Greek or" Latin Sentence, however weighty and 
 pregnant it may be ; but, inftcad of the fnafjy Senfi 
 in tne Exprcllions of others, chufc their oivn eafy 
 Flonjc of JVords-^ and gliding Vacuity of ^ho't. Thus 
 thele Men X^um vitant viria in contraria cur runt f, 
 to ufe a Sentence of Horacf/s ; and, to mortify them 
 with another Author, JuvE^JAL gives their Charac- 
 ter when he fays of fome, Rarus Sermo illis et mag-, 
 na Libido tacoidi * ; which lall Sentence I would 
 tranflate, they have a great Gufl for faying nothing* 
 
 t ncr.it. Sat. 2. * JuvcTtiil Sat. 
 
 But 
 
Dr- Cotton Mather. 4y 
 
 fivT on the other fidC;, I muft confcfs there may 
 •Jdc a Fault in endeavouring and Jiraining for far 
 fetch'dy and dear bought Hints, and cramming z 
 iSifcourfe with them : And therefore I eannot duC 
 fublcribeto the ingenuousObrervation ofMr.TR app \, 
 That good iVritiugSyis Chthei ^ou^ht net to be loaded 
 licit h jfe-ix'tli. 
 
 There were ju ft eno' tg render a ftrong^eai'y^S^ to Jor 
 
 I need not fay any more ia a general way concern- 
 ing 13r, Mather's 7/ r/V;/;^i ; linee in the 4.4.th and 
 4)th Pages of his MiuiuJuitio he has hindred nie^ by 
 giving the World a Deicription and Account of them. 
 
 3. I come more particularly to. fpeak of fome of 
 his 'Publications, with a Vindication of them, and 
 an ^^<;^(i;</;r of others, together with the Character 
 oHon^^frcpareJ for the Prcfs^ and now in my Hands. 
 
 The firll Book, I Ihall treat of, fliall be his 
 Jifaj^nalia C H R I S'T I Americana : AS^ck replete 
 with Learning, and excellently calculated for the Ad- 
 vancement of true Religion ?i; Undefiled : A Sooky 
 in. which the good Names of above four/core JVor- 
 tkieSy who for theCaufeof Christ came over into 
 this Land when it was a Wildernefs, are confign'4 
 oy.r 'Aith Honor, to late PoUerity j K'Bcok jin which 
 there i5 a faithfulAccount of the yidions d^ Sufferings 
 of our Fathers, together with a true Relation of ma- 
 ny remarkable Providences in fetling this Land, it's 
 Churches y College y School's d,nd Inhabitants -. and, in 
 a word, a 'Book, in which the defigns of a ClTAVyh- 
 Hifiory are-exquifitely accomnlodated. 
 
 I In preho Gemma [empty hnhiicz, f^mpttrq', hn^^ehn-ntvr : 
 
 t'cjlem inter mt Gemmis, etiam diverfo'um Gtmtarn, qui- 
 
 ijuaverfum onuflam ^ coopeMam^ qtm non r'ldixet putnis 
 
 ^.lam Uuiivst ? Jof. Trapp, Prv-ici^t* Poetic, p. i u- 
 
 F i Buy 
 
lo 7'^^e Zfje of 
 
 But I had rather on this occafion ufe the word^of 
 Mr. Alsop (sl Gentleman of great Learning & ^/Vry, 
 as well as of finjfhed Wit ) who, when an Abridg- 
 rient of this tliftory wjs propofed in an AfTembly of 
 Miniflers, fiid -, It is a very improper "Prcpojal : 'Tis 
 impoiTibktc abridge it ! Abridging it ^ivill injure it. 
 There is n-thingjuperfluous in it : InfteaJ ofEpito- 
 mz,in^it^you kad better read it twice over as I have-. 
 No Man that has a Relifijor *Piety or for Variety 
 can ever be iveary of it, • 
 
 I have feveral other Letters by me from Gentlemen 
 beyond Sea, v\hich ^xq full to the fame purpole : And 
 fcerCj the Gentlemen at Scotland will give me leave 
 ^0 declare it, that they highly valu'd the i'erformance : 
 i^nd the equally learned and modefl Mr. Miliar 
 of Taijley in particular will forgive me, iflfpcakof 
 it, that in his excellent Book ot the ^Profa'gdtion of 
 Chridianity 3, he mentions the Dodor ^s well as his 
 Magnalia with great Refped. 
 
 In defcribing the Magnalla, I mentioned the Lives 
 jn it and their Number : I may take notice here, that 
 t>y the Year 1718. the Doftor hadpublifhed the Lives 
 of no leis than one hundred and jourteen Men, and 
 more than :-wenty Women, and fince that Year, 
 he has printed Accounts and' Characters of many 
 niojc j not to fay any Thing of the tranfient but ho- 
 nourable mentio;i many others have had in the Doc- 
 tor's Trad^ates. ,^' 
 
 But I may particularly fpeak of the Life of his 
 Father, Pi^bli Hied in the Year 1724, which may pafs 
 for an Appendix to the Magnalia : It is a very enter- 
 taining Life ; was well received in Scotland, and in 
 this Country ; and is vrorthy to be perus'd by evgry 
 Man of Senfe;, Honor, and Vertue. 
 
 The Doftor has given to the World a Book en- 
 titled, 'Pf^kerlum Americanim ; the Defign of which 
 was, fii'ikj to give /;; M:etre '^w ^\?St and literal 
 
 V^rfm 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather, yi 
 
 Verfion of the Hebrew Text;, without any Jingle of 
 Words at the End ; and thcn^ at the End of each 
 Pfalnij to produce thofc lUujhations of the Text, 
 and thofc ^;c;/^; Hinrs that would both enlighten the 
 Mind, zi\L\iva}in the Heart of the Singer. As for the 
 lUiiJlratory part^ no Man that lias any Value for Di- 
 yinc KnowJege can find fault with it ; and as for the 
 Metrical \itx\xor\ (bine prefer it vaftly to any other; 
 fur as on one hand it has no large 'Parafbrafe, nor 
 yet any 'Diminution of the Senfe of Davit), fo 
 on the other it has no Occafion to feledl improper 
 Ji 'orch for the lake of a Rhime. 
 
 The Dire St ions for a Candidate of the MiniJlrVy 
 which Dr. Mather has printed, has occafioncd fo 
 niany Letters o( :f hanks and Compliments , that it 
 would fill zt^olumne to recite them. And indeed, 
 ( J^uis unquam vitu^eravit ? ) Who ever faid h 
 word againlt it > 
 
 The Doflor -s Chrijlian "Philofopher, in which the 
 learned World enjoys * a rich Treafure, is ^ celebrated 
 Piece : An ingenious Gentleman from London writes 
 of it '" Ic is the Glory oj New-England, as it is the 
 Admiration q/Old. 
 
 Hrs Ratio Difciflin^e Fratrum Nov-Anglorur/Jy 
 f which Title he borrow'd from Comem^ius, ) h^s 
 had very great Encomiums.— One of the mofuiinifh'd 
 Gentlemen and Scholars in Americq^ one who was 
 born for Government over Men as well as to be 
 a Ruler in the Common-wealth of Learning ^ abd 
 one who is Delictum Hun^ani Generis, has been 
 pleasM to write of that Book, that ' it is a decent 
 confifient Method of Church-GovernmeHt '\ 
 
 Thus I have writ of one or two of the DocH-or'si 
 Eooks, which produced him the f^^reatcft- Efieev' ; 
 thefe I choic tofpcak of, becaulc they were compolcd 
 V/ith ilrong Tho't and great Appiiciticm. 
 
7^ The Zife of 
 
 I will not mentiorj any of his fmaller Works 3 many 
 pf which v/ere never deiign'd jn the compofing for 
 ihe 'PrefSf and therefore needed not thgt gxtzt Ace iL 
 racy as if they had i And it was phe Dpftor's fre- 
 quent Wonder th^ thofe Compofures he 'wrote with 
 the kajl Trouble and Care^ found a ^affage into the 
 WorUf^ "johik many of his elaborate Compofures lay 
 by him, 
 
 Bu-r yet in and by tho^Q fmaller jBooks ( which he 
 ever modcltly calPd Effays ) he ihow'd he was in 
 Zabours more abundant yhcd\£cover*d the great Reach 
 of his Tho*t and Compafs of his Learnings did a vail 
 deal of Good and procured the Thanks of innume- 
 rable. Many of thcle have hid feveral Editions with 
 Prefaces from Men of the frjl flank in the learned 
 World, ' 
 
 I fhall acquaint my Reader with two or t^ree of 
 thofe ( Treatifes or rather ) great Performances^ 
 which he left behind him in Manufcript. 
 
 There is his Angel otf Bethefda : a Book in 
 which under every 'JDifeafe there are proper^ religious, 
 Chn^miSentiments for thofe who are Sick ; and then 
 the mod /imple andeafy Medicines colledcd from his 
 own Knowledge and Ufe, and from among the moft 
 noted Receipts and Experiments in learned Writers. 
 This is a confiderable Volumn, artd coit the Dodof 
 many Years fludy to fill and embellilli it. 
 
 There is his ^o-imerges^ or Work of the T^ ay : 
 A large Trtatife, defign'd for the promoting an U^ 
 mon amongft ^P.rotejiants^ and written with great 
 Care, long Qbfervation, hard Study and a laudable 
 Charity, 
 
 There is likewife his Triparadifuiy which was 
 fent to Mr. Wyat Bookfeller in London in order to 
 'be publifhed : Since which I am informed the ^ook- 
 feller is deadj and know not what is become pf the 
 Manufcript. . It is pity it fliould be loft t It ll"^P'>v'd 
 ^ great Acquaint3nceo^'itt^ ^Divine ajid Human tear n- 
 
Br. C0TTO14 Mather. ^^ 
 
 His GoUathus ^efruncatus, had as fad a Fate. 
 Thb Book was written againft Mr. Whiston : The 
 Defign bf itVas to Ihow, that moftof the Anteni- 
 £ene Fathers were orthodox and not Arinn^ contrary 
 to^that learned Man's grofs Miilake; It was" written 
 'mzviEpiftolary^2iy: Dr. Edwards a famous Di- 
 vine of the Church of England was bringing it into 
 the World, and |b;^d written a Preface to it ^ but, Dn 
 Edwards dying when it was upori the brink of ap- 
 pearing, the fVork was bro^t to ^full St9py and I 
 ;have not beard where |:hc Letter is difjpoied of. 
 
 There remains but one more to be treated of; 
 ^nd J'hat is a Work the writing of which is enougji 
 conftantly to employ a Man, unlefs he be a Miracle 
 of 'Uilli^ence the half oi tht'Threej core Tears ^ T'eth 
 which is the Sum of Years allowed us. I mean, his 
 Jlluji rations of the facred Scripture. The Doftor, 
 from an Hint given by that very gfc^t and learnc4 
 Man my Lord Bacon, begun tjiis Work in his thirty 
 firflYc2iXy tho' Heh^d beib re /i;??^ Materials for it by 
 him y and in h\s fifty firji Tear fo finifh'd it, as to 
 publiih his Proposals for printing it, intituled, A 
 pew Ofer to the Lovers of Religion and Learning. 
 Ever (ince that Time to his 2)eath, he was adding to 
 jit ; fo th^t now it is judged to htby far the greatejt 
 Amaffment of Lear tdng that has ever been hro't to- 
 gether to illuftrate the Oracles of GOD. I fhall fay 
 no more here concerning it ; defigning to print ^ro- 
 pofals for it's Pub]:ic»tion, together witn which I Ihall 
 give a faithful Defcription of it. * "'^ ' 
 
 5. I (hall have done this Chapter, when I have 
 writ Dr. Frankius's Prefcription which Dr. Ma- 
 ther learnt of him and obferved, that is, ^^ When 
 f^ one has projeded any Thing that will be evidently 
 ^^ a Service totl^e Kingdom ofGoD,hefhould goon, 
 ^^ with a lively "Faith in Him to carry him thro^tho^ 
 ^/ at the p'ref^nt he may have but little Profpeftl of 
 ^^ accomplilHng his Defigns : Gop will doubtlelb do 
 ^'^ v,?ry wonderfully for him ". 
 
 Chap, 
 
74 -?">^^ I^*f^ ^/ 
 
 C H A ?. V. 
 
 Foreign Honours f^i (^orrffp.Qndcmn, 
 
 Sect. I. Foreign Honoulrs. 
 
 I. "■•^HE wife Man fays, Prov. XI 27. He ivM 
 I diligently feeketh Good procuretb Favor : 
 JU which Proverb Dr. Patrick thus para- 
 phrafes,^' He that from the Time he ri{es ftudies 
 ** nothing but how to do Good unto others, fhall 
 ^^ obtain Favor both with God and Man ''. Dodor 
 IJIathea knew experimentally the Truth of this. 
 
 2. I remember the famous Zai^chv in hisOration^ 
 "when Rot ANUS was made a Doaor, fays; — .^uos 
 3)£US prior promovity quis rejiciat ? ^uos 2)EiJS 
 prior eacellentibus 2)oms vero 2)o5lore dignis e^ornaty 
 ^uii fDoSiorum Ornament a his deneget ? And the fame 
 may befaid concerning Mr. Mather ; When he was 
 worthy of the l}o6ioratey why fho\3ild not Ue have it ? 
 
 The Renowned Senate of the Univeriity cf Glaf- 
 gowy fenfiblc of hi§ great Merits, in the Year mdccx. 
 prefented him with a 2)oBor'5 'Degree ^ with a Diplo- 
 tna for it^ and the great Seal of the Academy ailx'd 
 toco it. 
 
 Im the Diploma^ fpeaking of the hjgheft Academi- 
 ^1 Honor, ^me illuflrious 61?^^/^ fays'; Cum' hoc Ac- 
 ademico Honore digniffmwn cenfeam.us Virum Egre- 
 giam CoTTONUM Matheb, Evangelii apud Softoni- 
 enfes Aftgli<e nov<e Incoles ^r(ecomm celeherrimum. 
 !De cujtis quippe Yitds Integritdte yingenio fPrudcntia ^ 
 €t facrarum Liter arum Cognitioney nobis et crhi qui- 
 dem literato confiet ; Fama Jitnuly et editis ab eo 
 fcriptiSy iftarum Virtutum *IeJlihus lucule?itij]lmis ; 
 £um Virum cl. Cottonum Mather DoBorali 
 in S. S. ^heologia 2)igni.tate infipn^ndur. judicavr^s 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather, ^j 
 
 Whe^ the fDiphma was fent unto Dr. Mather, 
 the mort excellent Vice-Chancellor of the Univerfity 
 wrote very kindly to him. I will take the very great 
 Freedom to qupte a Paragraph or two of his Letter ; 
 ^^ The high Value ( writes he ; the Univerfity he»'c 
 '*■ has for you, I hope, you will no longer doubt, 
 ^' when I tell you, they have confer'd the highell 
 !*■ Academical Degree upon You, the Doctorate in 
 ^^ Divinity ; "which I am ferjuaded is hut tmhat you 
 ^^ deferve. Be pleafed therefore to receive your !Zi/- 
 ^^ ploma^ which could not be fent fooner, in regard 
 ^^ no fuch fure Occ4fion offered until now. - Sir, I 
 ^^ Ihall henceforth reckon you under a nearer Rela- 
 '^ tion to this Society, and as one of us '\ 
 
 The 'Dean of the Faculty alfo about the fame 
 time writes thus: '' Upon a Motion made in the Fa- 
 " culty of this Univerfity, that fome Teftimony be 
 '' given of the Senfe we have of your Merit, it was 
 " unanimoully agreed unto, that theHonor o[^o£ior 
 f^ ofTiivinity lliould be conferred on you. And, 
 ^' according to the Power they have by their Founda- 
 ^' tion Charter, granted fome Hundreds of Years ago, 
 ^^ They have { difpenling with your Ablence ) created 
 ^'^ you iJoEior of Divinity; and having ordered your 
 f*^ Diploma they have figned it, and appended the 
 V Univerfitics greatSeaL This theirDced is as valid^ 
 f*" as. any Univerfity in Europe can make it '\ 
 
 From this Tjme Dr. Mather had a very intimate 
 Friendfhip and Correfpondence with feveral Gentle- 
 men of that Univerfity : He heartily lov'd them un- 
 ^o his Deaths and never fpoke of them but withTerms 
 of the greateft Refpe(fl'. 
 
 And, as the very leanied Man I quoted above fays^ 
 chat t the Jttle and Oraamem of Do&or's foould 
 
 Jlimulate 
 
 •j- Vohis cnvendum efl, ne quod n->n imVis c^yitingit^ con- 
 lent irn^ati que folo Ihcioruv} Titulojiudia mgligatis'^ 
 fed dcindii potius Opera, ut Tniilus iRe, Ormimentaq 5 
 Po^Oium nchts fint fiimuli ad diltgentuis jiudsnium 
 & faciendum p§cium, ^^anchii Orat de Digniiats 
 Hudii Thiolog, 
 
^if 'The Life of 
 
 fiimuUte them to an indttjlrious Studying and Doing 
 their 2)utji of tjiis podor Mather was excedingly 
 
 ^edrous. 
 
 ». 
 
 When he receive4 his 2)iflmay he immediately 
 lookM upob It ^s an Encouragement unto him in the 
 Service oFC HP. 1ST and His Kingdom: He rendred 
 Thank? to Heaven, and beg'd Grace to make fuch an 
 Improvement of the Encouragement as might anfwer 
 the pemands of Heaven from him : And he fet him- 
 felf to confider, Wha^ San^iity, Wfiat Gravity y what 
 Vfefulnefs^ what ihining Abilities and 'Performances 
 the Church of God might juflly demand from one 
 fo diftinguilhe^d above any Man in ^he American Co- 
 lonies. 
 
 I ftall h^ve done with this Head, when I have 
 told my Reader of the pious Ufe he made of hisliihg. 
 
 Some of the Dodor's Friends advifed him to wear 
 his Signet Ring, as a Token and Affertion of his 
 tDo5f orate in Divinity ^ to which he was admitted as 
 above; and riot to do it from any Vanity of Orna- 
 ment, but out of Obedience to the Fifth Command- 
 rnenty which direds u$ to affert the Ho;ior of any 
 Dignity, in which thp P^rovidence of God n^^ay llation 
 vs. 
 
 Th» DoAor therefore would wear this Ring ; 
 and made this Action, fo feemingly inconfiderable, a 
 great Engine of Religipp. 
 
 JF/'r/?, He loo\Cd on the Ring as a continual Ad- 
 monition to him, to do nothing below the Charadier, 
 of which that was ^ N{emorial , nothi^ng difagre^ble 
 to the Gravity the i)ifcretion zndfuferiour ^Behavior 
 with which a Do^orate ought always to be .attended. 
 
 Secondly J, It cfFecHrually admonifhcd him, that in 
 his Difcourfe there ihould pais nothing ou,; of his" 
 Lips that was mean, or not according to the Laws of 
 
 Uiifdom^ Goo^nefs ^m^ Oftf^l^jefs. - '• ' ' 
 
 'thirdly. 
 
i)r. Cot TON Matm&r. 11 
 
 *fhirdlyy The fight of the Gold frequently ex- 
 cited Wipes and 'Prayers in him of this Importance. 
 May lb 'Ve the Grace, the Gain of ivhlcb is better 
 than that of Gold I May I be a Son ofZion com^ar* 
 Me to fine Gold I And on ^zSignet — May Ibe fre- 
 ferved frotn fo provoking the holy LOR'Dy that if 1 
 'voere a Signet on his Right-Hand j He would fluck 
 mg thence I 
 
 Fourthly , One Original to the Cererhony of a 
 Ring for !ZJo£fors oftDivinity was to intimate, that 
 they fhould be ready to fet their Seal to the Advice 
 which may be received from them. The Dodor imj- 
 proved this as a Caution : His Advice was asked ort 
 many Occafions ; he would be very conflderate, and 
 on luch Occafions deliberate and look up to Heaven, 
 defiring to fpeak nothing but what he fhould be will- 
 ing to Jeal it and fland to it. 
 
 Fifthly i The Emblem oh the Dodor's Signet is 
 A Tree with Pfal.1.3. written under it; and about 
 it GL ASCU A RIGAVIT. The Caft of his Eye up« 
 
 on this, conftaritly provoked him^to pray, Karot S y^ay, 
 O GOT>y make me a very fruitful 'tree y and h elf 
 ' me to bring forth feaf enable Fruit continually ! 
 
 9. The RefpcfV which tht Royal Society m ion- 
 Jon paid him, did alfo very much encoufage hifn, and 
 fortify him in his Eflays to do Good, while it added 
 to the fuperior Circumflahces,in which he was placed 
 above the Contempt of envious Men. 
 
 ^Twas in the Year 17 14. he received a Letter from 
 the Secretary of the Royal Society y [ Richarb 
 Wallek, Efq; 1 dated 'Decemb, 4. 1 719. in which are 
 thefe Words ^ jis for your being chofsn a Member of 
 the Royal Society y that has been done both by the 
 Council and ^ody of the Society : only the Ceremony 
 (fan Admiffion is ^wanting \ imbic^^ you beingbeyond 
 Sea, cannot be ferformea. 
 
 After 
 
j8 "the Life of 
 
 A^tER this he had feveral Letters from many con- 
 fiderable Gentlemen of that Society_, who always 
 Superfcribed their Letters to him as F. R. S, And 
 he was alFured by feveral of them, that he ought to 
 afRv that Title to his Name before his Wof ks : other- 
 wife he would never have done it. 
 
 But there are a few in Ne'vc-Mnglan^yV^ho;, as they 
 grudg'd the Dodor any Hohor^ were fo very foolilh 
 and impudent as to doubt, nay to deny his Right unto 
 that Title : The Reafon they gave for it was ; be- 
 taufe his Name was not in the Lift of the Members of 
 that Society : But they are ignorant of it, that, altho* 
 his Majefty's Subjeds in any of his extended Domini- 
 ons may be a Fe/low of the Royal Society, they may 
 iiot have their Names in the Lift of the Society if they 
 are abfcnt ; which is the onlyReafon why theDodlor's 
 was not. Bat if it be faid, there are the Names of 
 feveral ouilandifi Gentlemen in the Lift ^ what is 
 this to the purpofc ? They are Foreigners and are 
 allow'd this Honor becaufe they are fo : whereas no 
 Man among his Majefty's Subjeds may have this Fa- 
 Vor, unlefshebe prcfentand be formally adm.itted.— 
 Several Gentlemen of the Society wonder at the Sta- 
 
 Eidity of thofe People who doubt this, and in their 
 etters exprefs their Amazement at it : I have at this 
 Time in my Hand, Letters from Mr. Waller, Dr 
 Chamberlain, Dr. Woodward, Dr. Jurin, and 
 others who give Dr. Mather his Titk, and exprefs' 
 Concern that fome fordid People hercsViW not allow it. 
 
 But the Doftor was very eafy, as well he might ; 
 for i^ht had not the due T///^ allowed him, he defer- 
 red it ; as his Chriftian ^hilcfaphery his Curicfa A- 
 fnericana, or Letters to the Royal Society, together 
 with his ( unprintcd ) Angel of Ssthefda zbunazntly 
 tellify. 
 
 4. As for ^omeftic Honours they were comparatively 
 hxxtfmall ; they honored not the Dodor fo much as 
 he honored tbsm. 
 
 5.1 
 
Cr; Cotton MATHEii. 79 
 
 » , 
 
 5. I know not hovfr better to difmifs this Head 
 
 than with a pious Tho't which the Dodtor had, upon 
 
 the Honors of this World, and a Name among the 
 
 Learned of the World. 
 
 There is ( he tho't ) an accurfed Idolatry com- 
 mitted, when we take Notice of tlus and that eonfi- 
 derable in any Man,znA confider not at the fame Time 
 the great God i% the Author of all this Excellency. 
 3fan ought to be iook'd on as nothing, any further 
 than what God makes him to be ; fo that when wc 
 fee any thing that looks great and good in any Man^ 
 it muft be with fenfible AcknowlegementSi that aH 
 comes from G 2). 
 
 The mod of Men will celebrate the Learning ^thc 
 Vertue, the Condu6i of an eminent Perfon without the 
 ieaft Obfervation of our Maker in all ; much lels do 
 they give all the Glory of all to God, and behold 
 Man, as no other than a f^effel chofen by the Grace 
 of GO^j to exhibit Omething of His own Glory in 
 the Points which render the Man obfervable. 
 
 Dr. Mather therefore trembled, and was flU'd 
 with a Ihuddering Horror, at the Tho'ts of having a 
 great Name in the World, or being applauded, ad- 
 mired and mightily talk'd of. The llealon of this 
 Regret was, becaufe he tho't thofe that fpoke well of 
 flim^ would not have the Tiety to look further thaa 
 him. He was afraid his poor Name lliould have fa- 
 crilcgioufly lodg'd upon it, feme Regards that fliould 
 be transfer'd to the glorious God alone. Indeed he 
 was fenfible, there would be no Iniquity charged on 
 Him for the Sacrilege into which others fell : But yet 
 . beheld it as a great Infelicity : He reckoned himfelF 
 unhai)py in being, the ObjeEi upon which . any fhouid 
 finfully terminate their Honors and Praifes : He w<mr 
 derfuUy'abhorred it. 
 
 He rejoiced in it, if any Lovers of GOD faid -, ^he 
 QOD of all Grace has dif^ofed tkiat Servant of His 
 
 29 
 
I, 
 
 8« The Life of 
 
 to do vertuoujly ; or the Toiver and Wifdom ofGb'H 
 have tarried that Servant (?/ His 'well thrd" La^ 
 Jfor% and Sufferings \ This was all the Dodor de- 
 (ir'd ^ this \N as all his Ambitign. 
 
 •ECT. 2. 
 
 Foreign Correfpondencies. 
 
 would be tirefome to my Reader to tell whaii 
 'orreffondents the Dodor had beyond Sea to^ 
 gelFer with their Ckara5iers, All therefore I Ihall 
 lay here is, that he had a very numerous and extenjive 
 Correfpcndence; fo that I have known him at one 
 Time to have above ^fty beyond Sea to whom he 
 was obliged to fpend confiderable Time in writing. 
 
 2. BuTj altlio' it would be tedious to fpeak of all 
 he was acquainted with by Letters^ it will not be f?) 
 to name a few noiv Living with whom the Doctor 
 accounted himfelf hiifpy in a Correfpondence. 
 
 I have fpoken before of his intimate FriendfKip 
 with many Gentlemen of the Scotch Nation in the 
 facrcd Order, but I muft by no means forget here to 
 acqOaint the World, that my Lord PoLLrL a Gentle- 
 man of great Goodnefs, Humanity and Religioif, 
 was plealed often to remember Him : I need not, I 
 fuppofe, fay any Thing more r»f ihat Nation ; ribr 
 any Thing of his Intimacy with feveral Minif.ers 6f 
 the greatclt Charader m England &. Ireland : 'Tis 
 well known. 
 
 The very great and good my lord Chancellor 
 King will not be angry, if I pUblifhit, that he has 
 honored my Father with his Letters. 
 
 The Author ( if we are notmiftaken inthe Author) 
 of the Mifcellanea Sacra alfo, (which Dr. Mather 
 lookM upon as an ineftimable uncommon Trcafure ) 
 Will not take it amifs, if I let the World know he has, 
 niatiy Times written to the Doctor 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather. St 
 
 Sir Richard Blackmore likewife very fweetly 
 tntertained and highly gratified the Doctor with his 
 Jblpijlks as well as his prifited Compol'urcs. 
 
 ThoSe learned Mathematicians and Philofophers 
 Mr. Whistom and Dr. Desaguliers, have written 
 familiarly to. him , and with Exprciliens of Love and 
 Honor for him. 
 
 I fhall mention but one morc^ who is I fuppofe^ ycc 
 living, Mr. Pillionere, from v»honi he had feveral 
 Letters: And by the way, I think one of the Do(5tor's 
 Letters to him is printed in the Occafwnal Ta£er^ and 
 is called a Celebrated Letter. 
 
 To go a little flirther from Hornc and give ah Vn- 
 llance or two more of the Doctor's Correlpondencics : 
 From the Year 1712 to his Death, he had a free Cor- 
 refpondence with a Gentleman, at GLiucba near Hall 
 in the Lo-iver Sasofn^ a Gentleman in whom I know 
 not which is greatcft, v^'hether his ihining Goodnefs, 
 fincere uhafFe&ed 'Fifty and miraculous Charity ; or 
 elfe hii very ^Q:reat Learnhja;; I nican Dr. Francki- 
 vs ; One of whofc plca(ant long Letters to Dr. Ma- 
 ther is printed in 'Pi etas Halle nfis. 
 
 He has (by Rcafon of that Value Dr. Framckius 
 had for him ) had alfo Letters from the iJanlp MifTi^ 
 cnarlei TiX.T'rannuehnr in the Eajl -Indies \ and not 
 very long (ince had a particular Account of their Pro- 
 ceedings from them. 
 
 q. Having written before of the Rules he obfcrvcd 
 as in other Things, in his Ccarefpoidenciej, and the 
 T>efi^n of his Cultivating:^ then-i ; I mufi: here abruptly 
 break off this Chapter, and proceed to another, in 
 which you will lind the CQin^lcte Cbrijllcn and his 
 heavenly Life. 
 
 G GiiAr 
 
gz The Life of 
 
 Chap. VL 
 
 An Acccunt cf the CbriJltJ/i L'tje and PrdHkc 0} 
 Fi€ty cf Dn MATHER ♦, in tohicb thtn is 
 a particular Delineation of his Devotions and 
 Afceticks^ together zvitb bis Methods in ob/er- 
 vtng bis private Fa/is ^ Thanksgivings, Vigih^ 
 Scc. la which Chapter you will read the 
 Chriftian ofthehighefi: Rank. 
 
 WITH Devotion and Reverence I am now 
 to write of the Christian : Gradatim ad 
 Sydera tollor : I choie the rather to coilc<ft 
 fome Olfervatlons ^ ^raBices of Religion 
 into this Chapter, that fo thofe who are ferioufly dif- 
 pofed may at once find Exennpiars to copy after. 
 
 I mull confefs I have no great Affection for the 
 forc'd Wit in Anagrams and the like ; but yet I can- 
 not help giving -you one made by a pious Friend up- 
 on the Docflors Name, Cot tonics Mather us ; 
 Anagn \tu Homo ter SanElui ; which Anagram I 
 was the more willing to recite herc^ bccaufe thisChap- 
 ItT h to be the flain Bnglijb as well as 'Proof oi it. 
 
 L Hii chafing ofGOD, his converfing ivith HIM 
 his Refigmng unto HIM fjid his 'Delight in HIM. 
 
 I. 0^5 a Day of Prayer that he kept, I find him 
 affured that all Controi^erfy was taken away between 
 his Maker and Him^ and folemnly renewing and fub- 
 (cribing this Covcnant„ 
 
 The COFENANr. 
 
 ' I renounce all the Canities and curfed Idols and 
 ^ evil Courfes of this World. 
 
 ' I engage^ That I will ever have the great God. 
 '^ my bell GooJj my laft £nJ and xny only Lord. 
 
 ^ That 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather.' t^ 
 
 • ^ That I will be ever readering of Acknowledge- 
 ' ments unto the Lord Jesus Christ in all the He- 
 ^ lations which he bears u ito mc. 
 
 '' That I will ever be Scudying what is my Dut^r 
 ^ in thefe Things , and Ivherein I find my felf to f;ill 
 ^ fhortj I will ever make it my Griej and my Shame;, 
 ^ and for 'Pardon betake wiy lelf to the Stood of the 
 ^ Ever Lifting Covefuint. 
 
 ^ Now humbly imploring the Grace of the Medi- 
 ) at or to be fufficient for vie^ I do as a further So- 
 '^ lemnity fubfcribe my Name with both Hand and 
 ^ Hp>art unto thislnflrument .' 
 
 This his Covenant he frequently^, ferioufly, fo- 
 lemnly renewed^ and found his Account in it. 
 
 2. Having laid this Foundation^ he tho't it his 
 Duty to acquaint himfelf with God, to rejign him- 
 felf to Him and to delight in Him. 
 
 CoNSiDEp.iNG how, whtTi Creatures take them- 
 felves Wings, while AfBiftions roll in upon us ; 
 ^t would be therefore Happinefs to converfe with God 
 as Alfufficient and to take Satisfadion in Him], as that 
 Objeci, that will make up the Want of all Things 
 whatfoever. 
 
 He then railed a ^ueftion^ ^ Hov/ can I take my 
 ^ Comfort in the Alfufficient G 02)^ when my Intereu: 
 *■ in Him is uncertain ? Will not the LopvP frown ori 
 ^ my Prefumption, and fay^ I have reje6ied thy Con-. 
 *■ fidences ? 
 
 He anfwered No. For he laid this down as a cer- 
 Truth j that an Heart enclined to converfe withGoD;, 
 as the Object whofe Jfi'fjiciency makes up for the 
 want of all Creatures, is a mofl: undoubted Sign of ati 
 Intereft in God : He therefore that can-^o fuch a 
 Thing;, may do it v»'ithout any Objeclion and iigainft 
 every Difcouragement. 
 
 Reating once Mr. Y>ox\.^^% Seraphic Love:, and 
 finding fome fublimeStrokes upon a Man^'sRESicisjiNG 
 up him f If, arid efpecially his Wtily to the God of 
 Heaven ; he refolved he would fet apart a Time on 
 f lirpofe to give iip hi'rjfelf and hi.s Will nntb the 
 ^^- ".. Lop>rj; 
 
\ 
 
 %4- ^f^t tift of 
 
 Lord, and fo to feck a ^Preparation for an actual arid « 
 entire SuhtnifJioH unto Him in all his Concernments* 
 Hedidfo. ' 
 
 In his Papers I lind an Addrefs of his on that Occa- 
 fion, which I will give in his Words as fol]o\\ s. 
 
 ' Most glorious Lord ! Thou hafi: offered l^hy 
 
 * felf unto thy Creatures, and often called upon them 
 ' to take I'hei for their GO "D. This, This is that 
 *■ which I am willing, I am defirous, 1 am rcfolved 
 ' this Day to Aq. I take 'ru EE, O Lord, to be 
 ' my G O jD, and hence I take thy Glory for the End 
 ^ unto which I would he and ll'je ; I take the En- 
 ' joyment of THEE for my great and fole Hafpl- 
 ^ nefs ; and, which is the peculiar Thing I am noW 
 *■ aiming at, I take Tby JVill to by my Will. As for 
 *■ my cwn Willi Lord, I find it blind y foolifli, wicked, 
 
 * hurtful ; and therefore I renounce, rejed: and refign 
 ^ it; and fay again, LORD, let Thy Will be 7ny 
 ^ Will. I have great Concernments ; Concerns as to 
 ^ this World and as to the future ; They arc many 
 ' and w^eighty. But O God, Thou art the only 
 *~ nxnfe God ; There is ferfe6l Kno-ivled;^e with 
 ^ THEE; Th©v art of great To-iver ; Tl^ £//;- 
 *■ derftandin;r is infinite : And, in that fweet Recon- 
 
 * ciler of God and Man the Lord J&sus Christ, 
 ^ Thou art wonderfully njcrcifid and Gracious unto 
 ^ them that draw near unto Thee, as I do this Day. 
 *■ Unto Thy Wlfdom and Gcodnefs I commit my 
 
 * Concernments one and all. I caft all wi- Cares up- 
 
 * on my GO'D. O Thou mod ^xife and j^ood God, 
 ' I refign all unto Thee, Is it not Thy Pleafurc 
 ' that 1 fliould fo do ? It is. And haft Thou not 
 ' Pleafure in feeing mc do fo ? THO U hafi. I then 
 ^ profefs intlry Prefence ; All my Concernments are 
 *■ put into Thy Hands awd left unto Thy Manage- 
 ^ f/fcnts forever. And now I am inconceivably happy ! 
 ' TheLop.D God Almighty v^'ill perform all nin^s 
 ^ for me, and all Things novv Ihall be ••zte// performed . 
 ' Whatever now befalls me v.ill be an Effecft of the 
 *■ greatjEHOvAn's infinite [/7/Jo^7; <Sc 6^c»oJ/?f/}. And 
 ^ tho' it be never fo really crofs to my Humor , and 
 
 ^ fccmingly 
 
Dr. Cotton Matheii. 8j 
 
 ; feemingly crofs to my Welfare yl will take Content- 
 *■' nient in it ; bccaule 1 will now look \ip6n k as the 
 ^ ff^ill of Him that is infinitely iiife and goo<rJ; the 
 ^ JVill of Him that is my Frk'/iJ, my Father, my 
 *^ GoDj the /r/// of Him that hath undertaken the 
 ^ Conduct of all my Atlairs forever. And, O my 
 ' Soul^ O my J^/7/j Remember .Thou after this never 
 ^ to be dillurbed ^bout future iii'r/;r;j and always to 
 '^ approve the frefen: jUeall/j^s q( the Lord \ 
 
 Being difpofed and refigned as I have written; He 
 jfonned Refolutions to Delight inGO'I)^ afcer this 
 Manner. 
 
 ^ I. I will ever ;;/(?zo^-?!r over the Diftempcrs of my 
 ^ own Heartj which enclinc mc to take an iinchatl 
 ^ fort oVDcli'rbt in Creatures^in Idols, in Vanities. 
 
 ' z. I wiU'i'/^y} GOi^ for thofe ^fflicUons, for 
 *i thofe Difpcnfations be they never fo dilireiiing, by 
 ^ which He is curing thcfe J^iforders in me. 
 
 '3.1 will always account my felf happy in the 
 ' Favor of GO 'J) i altho' I fhould have nO Earthly 
 ^ Thing to give me any SatisflcTrion, 
 
 *■ 4. i will reckon any Opfortu^nries for my being 
 ' bro't into a Co/iverfe 'Vith"G O '2)^ as Treafiires to 
 ^ be pjrferred above all Riches. 
 
 ^ 5! i" will never be any othei* than in a refllcfs jDif- 
 ^- quiet of Soul ^ luitil I find all my Ends to be entire- 
 f ly fwallosied up in the Glury oj GOtD. 
 
 * 6. Iwill reliih all my Fjijoy^^ents Qvcn to my 
 -' very M^eat'zud T)rink m.ainly, and iff can weerly, 
 ' under thcNotion of my beini^, by thcMii aliiiled in the 
 ' Knoii-kFj^e or \.\\k:' Service of Got). 
 
 *■ 7. I will endeavor to be continually abounding in 
 ' the 7l?£?;^of God"; nor would I be ordinarily one 
 ^ waking Quarter of an Hour wholly deititute of 
 ^ them. 
 
 ^ H. It fhall be my Plcafure to wait upon Gon, in 
 '5 all the Ways of his OTr/?.v'/), in whicli 1 may have 
 ^ Communion withHiM^ cipecially in frequent 'i^?rj;-- 
 * ers unto Him. - ■ 
 
 ^ Lou'dj Alfift me^ Accept mCj Dcligh.t in mc \ 
 G 5 ' 'i. 'dv.c^ 
 
^6 ^^'e Lije of 
 
 2. CLOSING 'Xltb CHRIST, Accepting H IS 
 Right eoufnefss Loving HIS Glory ^ and Living by 
 Faith in HIM. 
 
 I. I find him one D^y thus renewing his Clofure 
 with the Lord Jesus. 
 
 He confidered that God had offered Christ unto 
 him ; altho' he was a fmful and wretched Creature^ 
 and becatife he was fo : And therefore it was his Duty 
 to take Him. 
 
 He then examined^ whether there was no Referve, 
 that might herein prove deflruflive to his Soul. He 
 fought unto the Lord, that HE would fearcb him, 
 try him, fee whether there were any ivay of Wicked- 
 nefs in him. He found the Things, of which he had 
 iTiofl Reafon to be jealous were Worldly Honors and 
 Carnal Tkafures j and therefore he thus renounced, 
 them, 
 
 ' Lord, I give rny Name unto Thee ; If Thou 
 *" wilt have it reproached, I am content : Only give 
 ^ me thy CHRIST, and I fhall be fatisfied. Yea, I 
 ^ will leek the Honor of Tty Name, whether the 
 * Honor of my cucn be advantaged or prejudiced by 
 ' my doing fo. 
 
 ' LORD, if any of my Delights are Jinfitl, or as 
 ^ far as they are fmful I utterly forego them, and be- 
 *^ feech THEE to make me abhor them : JESUS 
 ^ CHRIST my LORD is better to me than any of 
 *■ them, than all of them. If they are la'-jofulj yet 
 ' will I leave them, when either the Command or the 
 5 Glory of my LORD calls me another way. 
 
 And he added, ^ Now I believe the LORD is 
 ^ 'nine and I am His : He will carry on his Kingdom 
 ^ in my Soul in fpite ofall Oppofitions whatfoever: 
 <^, 1 leave all the weighty Affairs of it with Him for 
 ^ ever and ever. 
 
 In Profecution of thi^ AdVion of Clofing 'with 
 CHRIST, no Man or Book fhow'd him the way; 
 but he tho't the HOLY SPIRIT was his Teacher^ 
 and that by Htm he was led on to the mofl explicit 
 Procedure m it. 
 
 In 
 
Df. CoTTOi^ Mather. 8-, 
 
 In a diftercnt Day from the former, I perceive that 
 ^c ufed fuch Words as thcfe befure his KEDEF- 
 MER. 
 
 ' O my dear LORD; ThypATHER has committed 
 * my Soul into Thy Hands : There is a Cove^iant cf 
 ^ Redemption in which I am concerned : I know my 
 ^ EleBion by my Vocation, and my Concernment in 
 ^ that Covenant y by my being made willing to come 
 ' under the Shadow of thy Wings in the Covenant cf 
 ^ Grace, Now in that ancient Co^je^iant x\\^ FatmeBs 
 ^ faid unto the Son, Smh a Soul there, is that I '"jciil 
 *" bring into thy Foldy and "JChou p.: alt undertake for 
 ^ that Souly as afitfficient and an eternals ApyoU'R. 
 ^ Wherefore I am now in thy Hands, O niy LORD : 
 ^ Thy Father has put me there,and I have put my 
 ' fclf there ; O fave mc, heal me, worlc for me and 
 ^ ia me the good Pleafure of thy' Goodnefs. 
 
 And a little after I read as follows ; 
 
 ^ LORD, I haye been leaving my Soiil with my 
 •^ LORD JESUS CHRIST; and Thou. haft bid me 
 ^ to believe I fhall be laved by Him. LORD, I do 
 ^ believe that there never came a miferable Soul unto 
 ' CHRIST in vain, and I believe that 1 my fclf Ihall 
 ^ not find it in vain. He v\'iil do ^trreat 'JThings for 
 ' me. He has done enow already to leave me with- 
 ^ out any Caufe of Repenting that 1 have with, fo 
 ^ much Agony of Soul come, unto Him. But I bc-^ 
 ^ Uevey that he hath more frill to do for me. Having 
 ' been the Author he will be the Flnijber of my 
 *. Faith '. 
 
 2. One fpeclai Chara^erupon. the Experiences o^ 
 his Life, was the groat and clear Application^ he had 
 made unto the Right eoufnefs of C U R I Si' for his 
 Jufiification before the Holy GOD. 
 
 Icannot well entertain my Readers with an Article 
 of more Importance than this; i v»ill tlu^rclore tiiin' 
 icribe a few feleH ^ajjages from his Memorials, 
 which are worthy of a mjre tlian ordin.^ry Coalidcra- 
 tlon and AttentioiL Ci t 'At 
 
8S ' " I'he Life of 
 
 A* one Time he writes thus ; 
 
 ^ In the former Part of this Day, I humbled myfelf 
 < before the LORD with inexprellible Agony of Soul 
 ^ for all the hikhinefs of my Heart and Life : I did 
 *" with Tears bewail my fmfulnefs before the LORD : 
 ^ and fubmitting my felf unto the Divine Sovereignty , 
 ^ which might uncontrolably make me a Vefj'el of 
 ^ 2)iponour and an Inftance of Confufion : I further 
 ' acknowledged that the Divine Righteoufnefs added 
 ^ to Sovereignty had farther Advantages to piocccd 
 
 * againft me, and make me a dreadful Monument of 
 ^ ^JJivine 2)if^kdjure. 
 
 ' While I was in the midft of my difconfolate Re- 
 f flections, theSi^iRiT of the LORD caufcd me to 
 
 * behold the Obedience y the Sacrifice and the Siiretr- 
 
 * pip of my precious REDEEMER, as provided by 
 ^ the FATHER for the Relief of my Diflrefles : And 
 
 * that good SPIRIT caufcd me to rely upon it : So 
 '^ that I faid with Tears of Joy before the LORD ; 
 •^ Noit' J kno'uo that all my Debts are paid ; my GOTi 
 
 * ivill now make no !Dcmand of me, but that I kve. 
 ^ HIM and prat fe HI My and glorify mybkffed 
 ^ S A VIOU R for ever. I know it ! / 'kno-jc it I 
 '^ And fwiv I ivill do fo forever i I can do no other. 
 
 Kr another Time ; 
 
 ^ I experienced an unipeakable Satisfatfliou of Seal 
 '^ this Day, when taking part with the LORD againft 
 ^ my Self I approved all tilsZaivs, and abhor'd my 
 
 * felf on the fcore of my Contrariety to them and Vi- 
 ' olation of them ; and I juftified all the Chaftifc- 
 ^ ments that had therefore befallen me : And then 
 ^ with a ravilhed Soul, I felt the LORD alluriiig 
 ^ me that His free Grace would impute unto me the 
 ' Rightcoufnefs ofCHRIS'T, and at the fame Time 
 ^' ir/iprint .upon me an holy Difpofition to conform 
 ' unto thiu Rigbteoif/fcJ] in my ovviv Heg:t & Life. 
 
Dr. CoTTp^5 Mai'her. Sf 
 
 At another thus ; 
 
 ' This Day my Spirit was exceedingly diftreffcd 
 ^ at the View of my own manifold prefent and former 
 ^ VileneffeSy which I bitterly bewailed before GOD, 
 — But 1 find his Humiliations concluded thus ,* 
 
 ' --And yet after all this, 7 do ^Believ^, LORD 
 ^ Help fuy Ufibe.liefl I 'Bekeve, that my precious 
 
 * SAVIOUR our Immanuel hath fully obeyed and 
 
 * fufiered Thy Will, as a Surety in the Room of Sin- 
 *' ners. I Sekeve^ that the Rtghteoufnefs of this our 
 ' Surety is oftercd unto my Acceptance, that for the 
 ^ fake of it 1 may become accepted with GOD 1 
 ^ :Bekevey that whenever Thou doil enable mc to 
 
 * rely upon chisjR/2;^r<?i^i^i/^jTHou doft immediately 
 ^ ahfolvc me from all my Guiltinefs and pronounce 
 ^ mc a dear SoUy a pkafant Cbild, upon ^xhom 
 ' Thou -ivik fur ely have Afercy. And USekeve th;it 
 ^ the Greatnefs of my Sins docs nothing to render 
 ^ me uncapable of this h'ee and rich Grace o^ Heaven. 
 ^ Q my GOD, in this 'Belief I calt my felf at the 
 T Feet of Jesus Christ : !77;^r^ will I ly waiting, 
 ^ looking, affurcd to receive thy Favors. " Thus 
 this Cbild of Abraham jRekeved^ and it '•juas 
 counted to bivifor Ri^Ijteo?tf7iefu 
 
 3. Ir was the Henven oFthe Docfifor's Snul^^ This 
 he chofe and beg'd, to be made an Inftrument of ex- 
 hibitiH^r thi Glory of CHR 1ST unto His People^ 
 of inviting and inducing others to glorify Him. 
 
 He received a Letter once, a fhort Letter from a 
 very Religious Man, which had this Palfage in it. 
 
 "■' 'Vou'l pardon my troubling you with a Line or 
 two to thank you fur your ]\[afchily [ tbefitk (fa 
 liook the DoEior had publijhed, ~| which I think 
 may be called AliUavi, as well is Mafcijil. You 
 help me to this Tho't; How full of Excellency is 
 the. glorified Man the Loivo JESUS CHRIST; 
 
^ ^he Life cf 
 
 ^ if by His Roly Spirit He (o fills c«£ of His Ad- 
 '^ mircrs, that He is enabled to fill a iiook with fuch 
 
 * excellent Things ! " 
 
 *Tis impoffible toexprels thefatisfii6tion of Soul^ 
 •yshich the fight of this Paflage raifcd in the Doctor. 
 That holy ones, whofe Hearts arefet upon glorifying 
 Jesus Christ, fhould by any Thing of CHRIST iiv 
 Him, be led into the Contemplation of His Glories ! 
 This, This He looked upon as the highefl Pitch of 
 Ms Felicity : He tho't ot, he afpircd unto nothing 
 higher than this throughout Eternal Ages. It ra- 
 •^.iihed him, when he faw the good GOD beginning 
 fa grant him this Felicity. He defpifed the Diadems 
 ©f Emperors in Comparifon with it ; and cried out 
 with a Rapture, greater than that of Archmedes. 
 I a-r.- happy ! I am happy ! LO R2);, I am fivallo-wed. 
 up 'xith the Ei^tafies of 'Thy Love ! 
 
 4. I fhall recite fbme very fingular Methods of hii. 
 maintaining a Life by the Faith of the SON of GOD : 
 and, becaufe it is impoffible to ufe Words more ex- 
 preflive and weighty, I fhall chufe rather to producer 
 the Dodtor's own Words thnn my own. 
 
 ^ Having entertained aright and clear Appre- 
 ^ henfion of my great Saviour ; and His glorious. 
 ■^ Perfon, as the Eternal Son of God incarnate and 
 ^ inthroned in my JESUS being fomewhatunderfl-ood 
 '^. with me : and beholding the Infinite GOl^ as com- 
 '^ ing to me and meeting with me in this blelled Afc- 
 "^ diator ; The Thot^s of Him are become exceeding 
 "^ frequent with me. I count it a Fault, if my Mind 
 "^ be many Minutes together without fomc Thoughts 
 " that have in them a Tindlure of Piety : But I have 
 ^ learnt the Way of interefling my SAVIOUR ia 
 
 * theTho'ts: And I feel an Impatience raifed in. 
 
 * me, if I have been many Minutes without (bme 
 ' Tho^ts of Him. I fly to Him on multitudes of Oc- 
 
 * fions every Day, and am impatient if many Minutes 
 
 * have paffed without fpme Rr-'courfe tp-Him. 
 
 Eves 
 
Dr Cotton Mather, 91 
 
 ^ Ever now and then I bciiow a Rebuke upon 
 ^ my fclf, W^y have I been fo lon^r -without June 
 f 7^/00' ts on my lovely SAVIOUR > How can I 
 ^' bear to keep at affy iDifhuice from HIM ? I thea 
 ^ look up to my SAVIOUR ; Q my dear SA VI- 
 ^. OUR, T>razv near unto me : Oh : Come donn to 
 ^ d'weUinmy Soul^ afid help me to form feme ^hoUi 
 ^ wherein If jail enjoy Thke ! 
 
 ^ Upon this I fet my felf to form Tome Tho'ts on- 
 ' my moft amiable Saviour, His G/(?r/>i, His il/b- 
 ' ritSy His 'Pattern^ His Afaxims, what He has 
 ' done, and what ITe 'ivill do for us. I find the 
 *" Subjed infinitely inexhauHible.-— ^nd after I have 
 *" been in the 2Jay thus employed^ I fall alleep at 
 ^ A^i/^^r perpetually in the midll of fome Meditation 
 ^ on the Glory o( my Saviour ; ufually on a Scrip - 
 *; ture where that Glory is mentioned. So I Sleep'^in 
 ' yESUSl And when I wake in the Nighty 1 do 
 ^ on my 'Bed feek Him that my Soul docs Love : St ill 
 ^ in the Nlo^ht the 'Dsfires of my Soul carry me to 
 ^ Him in Tho'to on the Subjed which 1 fell allcep. 
 ^. with. 
 
 ^ I find that where CHRIST comes, a wondroiu 
 ^ Light, IJfe?ind -Peace comes witli Him, together' 
 *" with a Strength to go thro' Services and Sutfcrings. 
 *■ The Holincfs^Lwd Happiuefs to which I am intro- 
 ^ duced by this Way of Living, 'tis better to me than 
 ' all the Enjoiments of this World. All the Rirlr^^i 
 ^ of this World appear contemptible Things unto liie, 
 ^ while I have the Zv^^^^^rr/M^/e i^/^fe ofCHRIS'f 
 ^ thus bro't into my Poflefiion. And all the Glory of 
 *■ this V/orld vv^ould not encline me to forego this 
 ^ way of Living. 
 
 ' NOPF, O my dear JESUS, Ikno^v, I haz^e 
 '^ an internal Witnefs, that THOU art the SON 
 f vfG O 2) and the SAVJO UR of the World. 
 
 ^ Concerning this Matter I have had aContem- 
 *" plation which had a m.oft melting Efficacy on me. 
 
 ^ WasN. 
 
51^ ^he Life of 
 
 ^ When the Cloud of Ghry, which was the She- 
 
 * cHiMAH that had our SAVIOUR vrith the -/^/;- 
 ^ ^f/i of bis ^refsnce dwelling in it, came down and 
 ^ filled the "temple of old;, what a grateful Sfecfade 
 *" was it, and what Acclamations did it raife in the 
 ' Spefetors ? A godly Man is ^Temple of Go.d j' a 
 ' ll'vptg temple ; dearer to Him than any Temple of 
 *" mere Matter, tho' the moll fplcndid and coftly in 
 ' the World. *And our Sa-vioitr comes into an 
 *" Heart which is continually inflTU(^ing, reforming 
 ^ and folacing it felf by thinking on Him, O 
 ' Heart panting after thy Saviour ; fo kind is He^ 
 ' fo very kind, that even at the Call of a, tho't He 
 ^ will come in vuito Thee ! A temple fo filled with 
 ^ the Glory of the LORD is unfeen to the ifanders 
 
 * by, to Flep and !B loo (■!.-— The Life of the pious 
 ^ Man is hid -jcith CUR IS t in GOD -. It is an 
 *■ hidden Life, But God {t^% the Temple with 
 *■ Pleafure. The Saviour, who kno^jceth ail things 
 *■ is pleafed with the fight. His Angels make theij? 
 ^ Acclamations upon it. 
 
 *" But that I may let this important Matter, yet 
 ^ in « fuller Light I fhall be more punctual and par- 
 
 * ticular in my Account. 
 
 «^ Ij behold the Infinite GOD in His Eternal SON 
 ' affuming the Man Jesus„ into fuch an intimate and 
 
 * confcious Union with Him., that in my Saviour 
 ^ I now fee a God-Man, and a Man, who has ihs 
 *^ Fulnefs of the GOD-HMA'D perfonally dwelling 
 ' in Him. 
 
 ' In this God-Man I behold all poffible Provi- 
 ' flon for the happy Return of j/^/? unto God, and 
 *■ all poffible Encouragement unto Man tofeek and 
 ^_ look for luch an Happinefs. 
 
 ' As this my SAVIOUR is very GOD3 and. my 
 ^ Hope and J^oy in Him is all animated from that 
 ^ Confidcration ; fo, being one GOD with the FA- 
 *^ THER and SPIRIT^ who thro' Him communicate 
 
 * them- 
 
Dr. CotTOia^MAT^^iER. ^* 
 
 ^- thcmfe'ves to me, I confider my felf as coming to 
 *^ GOD in Him and converling with the whole Gob- 
 <^ Head in my more immediately tavingtodQwith 
 
 *^ The firft Thing I do, is to accept the Offers 
 ^ which this wonderful Saviour makes to me of be- 
 *" ing min^ and bringing mc to GOD. I hear Him 
 ^ gracioufly offering to make me Righteous 6c Holy, 
 *■' reconcile me to GOD, quicken me to Live Unto 
 ^ Him, -and wot'k in me that ivhicb pallbe ivdl-pka- 
 ^ fi'K^ before Him. I feel Him To apprehending of 
 ^ me that He difpofes and enables m*^ to give an 
 ' hearty, joyful, thankful Confent unto thefe ^ro- 
 *■ fofals of Grace 'y and in contenting to them, I cnter- 
 * tain a comfortable 'Perfwafion of my kind Rcoep- 
 '^ tioii with Him ; I think it my Duty to be *weii 
 ^ perfuaded-^ that He imll furely do me Gmd. 
 
 '^ And now what remains is^tkat as l-ivorflipGO'D 
 ^ in the Spirit, ^olm^iy rejciccin CHRIST yESUS. 
 
 ' Wherefore in the firfl Place I ask it of tlic 
 •^ glorious GOD with the Importunity;, that having 
 ^ CHRIST concerned tor mc, I may alfo have Him 
 *■ poffejfino^ of me ; That I may have Skill, Will and 
 ^.Hclp from Heaven to ronverfe v.ith Him coxiti- 
 ^ nually ; That I may be {^o \\t\\ of it as to keep con- 
 ^ tinuaily calhngHiM into n'\y '/'/jGUfrJjt^, and feeding 
 ^ upon Him. I have declared unto the LORD, 
 ^ that if He would grant me this Felicity, I cared 
 ^ not what befel me ; 1 am willing and ready to en- 
 "^ connccr any Thing that He Ihall pleafe to order 
 
 for me. 
 
 ^ My Life is full o^ Sacrifices : But that which car- 
 ' ries me -well thro' them all is this Consideration ; 
 ^ That/r/'/Vf T/Mve CHRISTj have enough ; lean 
 
 rejoyce in Him \vhile I have nothing elfe left umo 
 
 me : 
 
 ^ By tkefaithfulDifpenfationsof GOD I have beeti 
 
 brought to this. That I feci my ielf dead unto all 
 I Crearures. I have employed tlie Sacrificing Stroke 
 
 ^ upon 
 
>4 The Life ef 
 
 ^ upon all my Enjoyments. My ie^keahlenefs V« 
 ^ the Kingdom of my SAVIOUR was the hfi Thing 
 
 * that in my Tieath to all Things here lelow I parted 
 ^ with ; The Thing which I could leafi of all part 
 
 * with : But this jbarlingy which I would fain have 
 
 * had faved from the ^Power of the T>ogy I have alfo 
 
 * Sacrificed. I haVe fubmitted Unto it that the Ever- 
 <■ Blefied ONE Ihould not only makfe me vile among 
 *■ His People, but alfo utterly lay me aCde from do- 
 '•' ing any more Services for Bis Kingdom in the 
 ^ World. -- I have been entirely dead unto every 
 *■ Thing elfe, and have had nothing but this one 
 
 * T'hing left unto me, T^hat I way have my JESUS 
 ' not C7jly doing for me^ hut alfo dwelling /;; Yne']^ 
 ' and enabling me ferfetually to feed and live up^u 
 ^ Him. This will be enough. I care not if lam 
 
 * Uript of every Thing elfe, if I may but enjoy this 
 ^ Felicity. 
 
 *■ In purfuance of this Felicity^, 'tis not cafy for 
 ^ me to delineate cr enumerate the Methods of Con- 
 
 * 'verfing ni'irh my only SJVJOUR, wherein I have 
 
 * been inHrucTred of GOD. And it is impoflible for 
 ^ me to e^-prefs the Sati^faBion that irradiates and re- 
 ' plenifhcs my Mmd upon the Difcoveries of any ne^j^ 
 
 * Methods for it. No Affluence of any Worldly 
 
 * Wealth-^ noj nor any Advances in any Sciences 
 *" could fo tranfport and ravifh me / 
 
 * T H E BlefTedncfs of the Heavenly World lies in 
 *■ our being nvith C H R IST^; and ^by being ^with 
 ' the LO RT>, 2.ViAbebQldi)-g His Glory in precious 
 ' Thoughts of Him here, I apprehend my felfeven 
 ^ in Heaven iitcn Earth : And indeed the Light and 
 
 * (Peace y the Joy , Strength and Purity with which 
 *■ it fills m.y Ivlind carries a Fa craft and Earneft of 
 ^ Heaven in it. 
 
 *■ I foar up to an inexprelTible Contemplation on 
 "^ my SAVIOUR, as the Wijdcm of GO'D, who is 
 ' the Archetype of the whole Creation^ and in whom 
 ^ there are the original Ideas of all that is produced 
 
Dr. Cotton MATHiifi. ^^ 
 
 ^ by His Hands in the Woridj even that Platform 
 ^ and SubfidHce^ of which all Creatures arc but the 
 ^ Jj]ues and the Skadoivs. 
 
 ^ I am hence wot^oufly reconciled unto my ap- 
 ^ preaching 'Death, inafmuch as going from Creatures 
 ' here, I go to Him in whom I Ihall find all that 
 
 * I leave and infinitely more. 
 
 ' In the mean Time I am fure, that whatever I fin^ 
 ^ amiable or comfortable in zny Creatures here^ is muck 
 ^ more to be found in Him. 
 
 *■ Hence when I fee any Thing that is amiable rfi 
 ^ any CrcatureS:, I commonly fly away from them to 
 
 * my Saviour and think^ Ho-w great is His Good- 
 ^ ncfs and his Seauty 1 
 
 ' When I find any Thing that is comfortable m 
 ' any Creatures^ I commonly hallen away unto my 
 ^ Saviour, and think. What benefits ivillflow frain 
 ^ Him to me? 
 
 ^ Upon the 'withdraw of ^ny Creatures ^ or 'i^htn 
 ^ any defireable Enjoyments are witheld or tak<:n from 
 
 * me^ I think 5 What is it that would recommend thefs 
 
 * Things unto me ? And I prelently find my Sa- 
 *" viouR commended unto me by iuchand more dc- 
 
 * fireable Qualities. In his being mine I find every 
 ^ Lofs repaired abundantly I Dead unto every Thing 
 ^ but my Saviour^ I thus exprefs my Sentimeucs i 
 
 ^ For the Delights of this World. — Such De- 
 '^ lights as I tail in the mere Tendencies of Nature ^ 
 ^ I would in the Tafle ot them think. The Will of 
 ^ GOD^ esfrejfed ih the Nature of His Works is thus 
 
 * complied with. Sut^Oh^ What Jb all I find in the 
 ^ Infinite GOD Himfelf upon my going back unto 
 *^ Him ! — Thole Delights vvhLch are moil helpful 
 ^ to mc in feeing and ferving of GOD are thofe 
 *■ which I would have the moll Value for : And even 
 f my appetites for my Food particularly Ihall be lb 
 
 ^ regulated.— 
 
S0 ^he Life of 
 
 ^ regulated. — But I know of no iZ)f;V^/;n coiVipara- 
 ^ ble to thofe which I take in Communion w'rh my 
 ' SAVIOUR. 
 
 ^ For the Riches of this World. — I ufe no Lahore 
 ^ I have no T>efire to obtain temporal Riches : Thcy 
 *" appear to me very contemptible. My Riches are 
 *■ my Opportunities to do Good, and thole lllumina- 
 ^ tions of my Mind which furnifli me for it.—- In my 
 '^ Saviour I have unfear chalk Riches y and in my 
 ^ Fruition ofHimI have a fulUupply for all myWants. 
 
 *■ For the Honors of this 7r(?r/^/.-— My Abhorrence 
 ^ of having the great GOD robbed on my Account, 
 ^ by People gazing on me without being led thro' 
 *■ me to Hitn, renders all the Honours in. the ^raije 
 *" of Ale n very diftafleful to me. I dp nothing to gain 
 
 * Honors for my felf ; and if I do fecure any Thing 
 ^ oi Efieem or o^ St at ion ^ it fhall be purely for. the 
 *■ Intereft of GOD.— If I be accepted with my Sa- 
 *■ VI OUR and employed in Work for His Kingdom and 
 
 * have His Image imprinted on me : Here are all 
 ^ the Honors that I wifh for. 
 
 *■ I go over the affli^i-^-^^ things with which my 
 ^ Life is all embittered { and I make the fame Salleys 
 *" towards CHRIST upon the Arrival of any nc-it) 
 ^ Afflitiion ) I repair to my JESUS : I realize not 
 *■ only His Hard, but alfo His Love in fending the 
 *■ Trouble. I fee my Saviour " once encountring 
 *■ the fame l^rouble, and I am heartily pleas'd at my 
 ^ Conformity to Him. I lee how patiently and with 
 ^ what Vie-ivs He bore the L'rouhle^ and I wifh to be 
 ^ like Him. I confider what is that Good which this 
 
 * "Trouble deprives m^e of, and I ^fee the fame Goody 
 ^ and what is infinitely i'fr/^r,laid up in my Saviour ; 
 ^ and I am fatisfied. The 77./oV5 of my Saviour T 
 
 * forever find fweetning the bitter Waters of Marali 
 ^ to me. I fmd Him the Comforter that always re- 
 ^'lievcs my Soul, when I have Him ftear unto me. 
 
 'HO W 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather; ^y 
 
 ' / HOW ma»y^ LORT)^ ^^re the Tho'tl 
 ^ wliich I form in my Alind concerhihglHEE ! Ths 
 ^ Of^V^o^l oiiwhich, the Contrivance^ With which^ I 
 ^ <?herifli the ^bo'ts cannot h reckoned u^ in Order, 
 
 j*^ Wheu I Fee any Thing €'ir.c client in any Ma.^i^ \ 
 
 * leads me to fho'ts on the luperior Excellencies m 
 
 * my Saviour. 
 
 ^ Tnz .^uidities of the .various J^nlmais which, i 
 ^ happen to have before me, put me in Mind of the 
 ^ admirably Qualities by which my Saviqur ii en- 
 5 deared unto me. 
 
 ^f^ WfjEN I fee People miferahle m ariy. Poirit^ !t 
 «■ rsifeS in me fome7"^£/Vi on the Mferies, from which 
 *■ I am delivered by my SAviouRjand my OHigatioris 
 
 * to my Deliverer. 
 
 '^ What arc the Ufes of my Garmeffis to th^ 
 
 * JPjw that are covered with them > Of fuch Ufes 
 ^ is my Saviour to my Spirit^ with *th^ 1^i)o*ts of 
 ^ which I have adored Him. 
 
 ^ What is there in the ^ieis of my TaBleto ren- 
 ' der them agreable unto me ? AnakgcUs 'T ropers 
 ^ ties I difcerri in my Saviour ; and the 'tl:io^'ts 
 ^ thereof give me an exquifite Relilti of Him. 
 
 ' I durft not let my Mindly fallow as I v/alk the 
 ' Streets. I ]:eHuke my iel' with heavy Complaints 
 f ( and, I make my Moan to Heaven ) if I have p-one 
 5 many fteps v^jthout feme ftruggie to pull down 
 ^- the -J^w'ipf my Saviour into m.y Sotflo I have 
 f compelled the *S%;;.i-in i\-ic Streets to ppint me unta 
 .^ fomething ,in my Saviour tha^ ihoiild be tho'i; 
 f upon. When I have been at ..a lofs for frelh ^ho'fSi 
 . on Hirn, it has. been but caiiing my Eye on the; 
 f Shops of cither fide^and/rojin ihe Varieties in them, 
 ^ I. have. had foiiietHlrg of Lny Sayiour fuggeliy. 
 ^ iinto m.€, i. 
 
5>1S ^he Life of 
 
 ' Enquiries after JV<?wi are made with Frequency.^ 
 '^ with Eagcrnefs : I am grown very Cold in ,fuch 
 '^ Things : My Concern for them and rieafure in 
 ' them is very mvich extinguilhed. Some nt'vo ^ho'ts 
 ' of Him iliali be the Nc^jcSy after which I fiiall W 
 
 * flill moll enquiring. Here I have my Curiofity 
 ^ gratified a thoufand Times more than in the l^eifCi 
 ^ of the common Occurrences in the World. 
 
 *^ I have fometlmes zn EsupeElailoft offome Satis-- 
 ^ faction arriving to me, and a little of *S'/m/^r/?7 and 
 
 * Impatience in it. I retund it : I h^ve done expec- 
 '^ ting any good Things from this World : My Tbo'ts 
 *" ufually arc, IVhat is the Good of that isohich I ex- 
 ^ peB ? O my Sotd^ All of this Good 7'hou haft ah 
 ; ready in thy SA V 10 UR. 
 
 ^ I have in my Study a very eafy Chair : When I 
 **. am going to repofe my fclf in it, it is a common Re- 
 *" fledion with me. Return to thy Re fly O my Soul ; 
 ^ O my yESUSy Thou art the Refi of my Souk 
 
 •^ Ow the Lo^^d's Dsy I would r/rr^r into the Refl 
 ^ of GO'X>. That I may Sabbatize aright I hear my 
 *■ Saviour inviting of me. Come unto me , and I'vcill 
 ^ give you Reft. On this Day I try to make a par- 
 ^ ticular Applicaticn of that Invitation. 1 get my 
 * Mind filled this Day with as many Iho'ts of my 
 *" Saviour as may be : Which 'Tbd'ts in general 
 ^ have a Tendency to convey afweet Refl unto the 
 •' Soul that entertains them. And more particularly, 
 *■ if I happen to think of any Thing that may be un- 
 <■ eafy to nje, I prefently feek a fweet Refl^ for my 
 <" Soul in Jesus Christ as being and as doing what 
 ^ will be a Relict of that Unecfuicf. Yea, Tf^me- 
 ' times now caftan Eve on the unr cm fort all? T^A/^ei 
 ' which give a Diiluibance to my Reft in this A^A'orldJ 
 *■ on purpofe that 1 may immediarely take my Flights 
 ^ to iomething in CnaiST^that Ihall fhow me a plcn- 
 ' tecHs Redeynpticn from them. So / rejoire in the 
 ^ J.ORiD a^ain^y a^ainj md fo I find'i//< Refl is 
 ' glorious. ^ EvER^ 
 
jDr. GoTTOti MATntaT 9^ 
 
 ^ Every Day I fihd in my fcl'f fuch Imperfeiliohsi 
 ^ Infirmities^ i^///67?rr/>^<?5 J as caufe me to humble 
 ^ d^ndahJpprtn^'felf before the Lord. Now .1 em- 
 ^ ploy my ovjnJkumiUamns (ov Scaffolds from 'v\' hence 
 ^ I woula raife the Pr^ifes of my admirable SAvicotjR, 
 ^ Whatever 1 fee ;;?e^;? & -y/Ve in my ielf^ I vv^ould pto- 
 f ceed from thence tothink'^ how much the Rsverfe 
 f of this is to befeen.in jf ESUS. From the Leath-^ 
 * ing of my felif I would pafs on totheZ(?t'/«^^ of.my 
 f Saviour, And fo among other Confcqiiehces^ £ 
 *^ fhall alfo affec^^my felf with the only BSghteoufnefi 
 f which I have to pkad that I may be jtd'ti/ied t€fure 
 ^ GOD, _ . " . , 
 
 ^ Tn.E ^agahs had, their w^;;^ j^Oi:/^^ 6tid foi' one 
 ^ Blelling they hop'd from one of their gods, tor ano- 
 ^ ther from another. Now z\\ the Glories which [ 
 ^ find them dividmg among their many gods >, I aicrib^ 
 '^. unto my Saviour who is the true GOT) an^ 
 ^Eternal Life-y arid look for every Bleifing from 
 ^ HtM'^lont. 
 
 *''ftr my coftverfing witB my Saviour^ I go thro* 
 many VoYuons o^ Striftures v;hich. tafiify^of Hnn i 
 . efpeciaily the ^jy^/wijemploying a Verfe or i Chufe^ 
 ^ at a Time for theSubicct of my Aleditation^ whtili 
 every Night I fall apep in 'JESUS. Now the 
 ^Pfahns arQ filled with ^Prayers.j v;herein I find my 
 Condition fo fuited th^t I cannot exprefs.it betted 
 before the Lor d. But when I preient fuch Prayers 
 unco the Lord it proves a vafi: Encouragernent and 
 Confolation imto me^ and therein I maintain a molt 
 ^ fweet Fellcivfiip with my SAvJot'R, v.'hen I think ; 
 * 'l^hls vevs^Prayer ivas-ona prefented b\ viv S A- 
 ^ VIOUR unto liiS Eternal FArUEA : My. 
 ': SAVIOUR once pray'd at rhi> Ratf ^ jlmd 
 5 Acceptance I f pray hi: as my S AV JOU R taii'iht 
 \ me and as liE did before me \ C'trtainly fuch Cf 
 ^ 'Rrayer u'iU i>e grateful unto GOT). 
 
 I '^ TAW^Wf f Ik ^^.y admirable Saviour accomplin?.-, 
 ^In^'fcMrmt^ Kedc^'.ption for us^ Lfee gloriou^ 
 
t©# ^he Life ojf 
 
 < ) 
 
 ^ Tranfadions'and Occurrences. Now I am follici- 
 ' tous to feel the Power, the heavenly CPoiver oi 
 ' thefe Things upon me^ that I may come into ah 
 ^ holy Felloivlhip i^^ith themy and syith Him in them. 
 ' This I take for a T'okcn to me, that my Sjiviouae 
 "^ has been concerned for me inthefeParts of his potent 
 '^ Mediation. 
 
 ' I fee GOD becoming a Man in my Saviour, 1 
 ' feel the ^Poiver of it in my returning to GOD and 
 ' meeting with Him in my Saviour, 
 
 ^ I fee my SAVIOUR leading an hidden Life^^rA 
 ^ palling thrc' oh f cure Circumftances while He fojour- 
 ' ned among us : I feel the ^ower of it in my being 
 '^ wiUing to have my Walk ivith GO 2) carried on 
 
 * with all poiTible Concealment upon it. 
 
 *■ I fee my SAVIOUR doing illuilrious Mracles 
 ' upon the Children of Men in their Diftreffcs : I feel 
 
 * the \Po^x€r of it in my own Experience of the 1)1^ 
 ' vine W'rks upon my Soul, anfwerablc to what was 
 ^ in thofe andent Operations of the Lord. 
 
 ^ 'I fee my SAVIOUR dying for my Sin> dying 
 ^ oh the Crofs : I feel the Tower of it in the 2)^^/^ 
 ^ of my finfulDirpofitions,my tDying unto Creatitres^, 
 ' my having for tJ^is fVbrld the Sentiments of a Man 
 
 * hanging upon a Crofs. 
 
 ' I fee my SAVIOUR in His Re fur region trlum- 
 
 * phing over the Tc^joers cfDarknefiy and entring 
 
 * mto a 2v^-:t' Life v^herein He lives for ever more : 
 ' I feel the 'Tc-zver of it in my rifing and getting up 
 
 * out of my Lifelefs Ttark/iefs^ and my coming into, 
 ^ a Ne'-jo Life, wherein I Ihall purfue the Deiigns of 
 
 * Fl.ETY, quickncd with an Everlaf.ing 'Frincipk 
 ' of ir, to which I was once a Stranger. '* 
 
 This may be enough to illuflrate the Way of 
 Livina^ in which the G O D of all Grace enabled 
 Pr. Mathjr to proceed. In this Way ofLivin^j^^ 
 
 He 
 
f Dr. Cot TON Mather: ip;^ 
 
 He waited to fee what his SAVIOUR would do. 
 far Him ; Thus kaning on the 'Beloved of his Soul 
 He would go up from the Wildemefs of this World. 
 
 3, H LS Occafio^al 7*houghts and JEjacuhury 
 ^r^yers. ^ 
 
 t. That Dr. Mather might 'walk in the fear of 
 the Z0R2) all the 2)ay lonr, his Mind was continu- 
 ally convcrfing with God and preparing for Heaven 
 in Occafional '^Prayers andMe^Uatio-ns, His Opinion 
 and Perfua(i6H-concerniflg>y«^/;lZ^/;o'i'5.\vas, that while, 
 He was forming of them -He was difec^tly, nearly, 
 fwcetly anfsvering the Grand End of his Lite, which 
 is to Glorify GOD and ackwx'ledgc HIM; ThutHe 
 was alfo therein reSlifying his Soul and ripening it 
 for the ^mploymnts and Enjoyments of the Heavenly 
 World. ^ 
 
 I fhall now tell you fome of the Rules which H« 
 prefcritied unto Himfelf to avvaken the ^ho'ts 
 and ^Prayers of a Religious Mind on the Occajions 
 which frequently occurred* 
 
 When He heard a Clock ftrikey He could not help 
 thinking and wilhing, that He might /o mmber h\i 
 tDays as to apply hk Heart tc, Wijdotrr. ; and that He 
 might fofpend every Hour as to be able to give a good 
 Account of it. 
 
 Ar the Winding up of his Watch y He blefsM Gan 
 
 for another Day jlnd'defir'd He might fpend it in Eii- 
 deavcurs to glorify HixM. 
 
 W^^ATF-VER. Comfortable linings He faw any other- 
 Perfon eWjoy He took the Cqmfort of it, adored tho 
 Goodnefs^ of Heaven and wilhed for 2.^right- hnprone- 
 tnent ofitv - ' -\ ■ 
 
 His Life was fuH-of *SV^"j;V^; i-. but on every ^;/r 
 Ke would diftin6tly confider how ^ to do it out ■ o^- 
 > H :^ Ob-' 
 
20% 2%e Life of 
 
 Obedience to God^ how to glorify an3 ferm 
 Christ, how to imitate Him> and after all what: 
 (IH unprofitahle Servant He was. 
 
 When He dilpenfed iC/W«e/i to any Perfon, He 
 
 would at the fame Time lift up a Pjajier for them^ 
 that they might not be unmindful of iuch Duty to 
 Him as thro' this Kindnefs they might be invited to. 
 
 He had oftentimes an Opportunity to exprefs a 
 Benignity to "Bruit Creatures^ either to feed them or* 
 make their Conditiop eafy to them: He would do 
 It with Delight and raife two Meditations upoji it. 
 *^ lam no'x the IiJiJ'ums^t of GO 2) unto thefe Crea- 
 tares \ HIS Kindnefs pajfes thro'' my Hunds to them : 
 And itiU rwt the bkjfed GO 2} he as heneficent unta 
 tne 'as I am unto thefe Creatures ? efpecially ify a% 
 they look unto me to he kind unto tbem^ J always look 
 ti^ unio HIM. 
 
 When he knocked at a Door^ th^ Faith of our 
 Saviour's Promife was awakened iu Him^ Knock 
 and it Jhall be opened unto Xou, 
 
 When he mended his Fire^ it was with a Medita- 
 tion how his Hr.art and Life might be reclined , aod 
 bow thro' the Emendations of Divine Grace His 
 
 Love and Zeal mi^ht flame more agreably* 
 
 When he put out his Candle ^ it muft be done 
 with an Addrefs to the Father of Lights ^ that his 
 Light might net be put cut in Obfcure *Darknefs j 
 and with a Wjih that ^ii'ben He goes out by Morta^ 
 ilty He might enter everlafting Life and Light. 
 
 As he tafled of the feveral Fruits which are the 
 yich Produ^ of Summery he would fet Himfelf to 
 think on fo me y/)fa*i?/ Glory of our Saviour^ of 
 which he might by it be lead unto the Contempla-. 
 ^ion, anJ To addrefs Hixm with a rapturous Confeiiion 
 
 IS3 
 
Br. Cotton Mathkr. i^^ 
 
 Tja drinking a Difh of l^ea, ( of which he was a 
 gr^at Admirer ) he would take an Occjiiion for thcfc 
 Tho'ts efpecially with thcrngenuity of Oaaficjial Re- 
 fle^lomwd agreal/kSimilitikJ e^thzt ihould havj many 
 fweet Acknowlcgements of the glorious J lsvs ni 
 them. And whatever 'Delight any of his Serfes 
 cnjoyM, it was foon fan^^ified and rendred more de- 
 lightful by his making fuch an Improvement of it. 
 
 The Servant of the Lord could fay, Mhjc Eyes 
 prevent the Night Watches, that I might Akcljate 
 in thy Word. When the Dodlor waked in the 
 Nighty he would impofe it as a Law upon Himfelf 
 ever before he fell afleep again to bring fome Glory 
 of his S AV 10 UK into his Meditations, and have 
 Tome" agreable T>ejir8 of his Sotil xx^on it. 
 
 When he paid what he civ\l at any Time^ he 
 would refled on what he cw'd CHR'lS'tforpny^^ 
 ing his "Debt to the juftice ofG OD^ and was deli- 
 reus that he fhould oi^ce no ALin any thing but Love. 
 
 Among the Occafions for the Expreffions of ^iety 
 and Thankfulnefs;, he would aifed:ionately take No- 
 tice of the mean JBmployments wherein he iavv other 
 People occupied. When he faw thol^ whofe Buiinel^> 
 it was to dig in the Earthy to fweep Chimneys^ 
 cleanfe the Kennels y or drive the Coach y ■■ the Cart or 
 Wheel-barroiVy or excrcifed in the like lo-zv Dc'^ree ; 
 I lay, whan he faw thofc Men, it raifed his Heart in 
 Wonders at the Goodnefs of GOD, which Jiflin- 
 .2;uilhed him. with nobler Emplovmcncs. 
 
 W^HEN he viflted a Sick ^crfvn he would fetch 
 ipme Admonition relating to, the moral 'Jjiile'nij>ers ia 
 his Heart and; Life, analogous to the Circum fiances' 
 of the di leafed Perlbn. 
 
 If any Thiiig began to raifeany Ebullition of yf/?- 
 ger in him, he would endeavor to allay it byil<4nk- 
 ing, ^'^ What 'Provocations have J?iven to the ^r eat 
 H 4 G O \Q, 
 
^OtD ; and "johat was the Meeknefs and WtCdom ofm^ 
 HeJJed yESUS when he met with Contradidion 
 from ^nners. 
 
 When h^^voafied his Hands, he muft think o! 
 the clean Hands, as well as pure iieart^ which bc» 
 long to the Citixens of Zion. . \ 
 
 Ai4p when he did fo mean ^n A<^ipn zo,parmg hh 
 Nailsj he tho't how he might iajy afide all Super - 
 jit4ifj/ of J^m^htinejs. 
 
 So p^E TIMES he, had kiad Pref^nts made him : He 
 would- i?y thc=^//^A'0'ofthePrcrents be awakened unto 
 pariicuiar AcJino-zvled^tnents and Rtfoluticns, He 
 would thmk. What Good 7'hing (hould that Man 
 ^ij/j^ and 'what Goodfiouldkedc^^ iichomGOD ohli- 
 ges by ipejfoivinjrfuch Things upon Him ? And he 
 would, always add a Refi^iStion upon the Humiliation 
 of our SAVIOUR who wanted fuGi> Things^ thro' the 
 Ingratitude of an evil World, 
 
 Whenever he met with, any Crooked 'Thing, he 
 rcflcfled after this manner; Jlfy Willis crojfed ; but 
 ivhat particular Jnftance of iDifobedience and Con^ 
 tradlttioK to the Will of GO 2) Jhould this jiffd6ll(ifi 
 lead me to confider of 
 
 He had: for many Years a 7rfcrning Cough : it 
 every Morning ralfed proper 'Difpojitions ofTlety 
 in him. 
 
 Ii^ managing his Correfpondenrles, He would think. 
 What honour able Mention can I make of my S A- 
 V lOU R. here, and ii^hat Service may I do for the 
 Kingdom of my S A.VIO U R on thti Opportunity ? 
 He afterwards added three ReflefVions. i-irft , When 
 he was Sealing a Letter and" fending it away> lie 
 would with an a£b oi Ri^fignation put it over into 
 the Hands of the x)iv^'ie -Previdence for the Safety 
 and Succels of it. Secondly; When he was open. ::g 
 any Letter^ he would lift up his Heart to Heaven that 
 . '■ . • he 
 
5)r. Cotton Mather; ^05 
 
 ke might be />rf^/!jr^i for whatever was grievous cr 
 joyful Thirdly; In his lafi "Prayers in his Study 
 4t Night before he went to reft, he would call to 
 itiind whom he had received any Letter from in the 
 Day, and would make particular mention of that Per- 
 fon and pray for fyitabie Mercies for him. 
 
 Thus I h?»ve given you a Specimen, which is all I 
 intendedj and all you caji expeft here. 
 
 2. But that fo the Doctor, rxhether he eat or 
 drank or-iv/^cteverhc did, might do all to the Ghry 
 efGOlJ'y he was very conltantm EjczculatoryPrayerz 
 and Pr^ijes. "" ^ 
 
 Thr partjcuUr Sea(pns^ m.wh*ch he was furnilh'd 
 \yith them, were as follows, viz. 
 " Before he fet upon any iigaai A^ ofWorfiif, an 
 Ejaculation muft ask tor ncfp in that Acb. 
 
 .While he was joining with another in Social 
 'Prayinr he would tix his wandring Heart by annex- 
 ing fuch a pertinent iijiuukition unto every Sentence 
 that was uttered as^ '' LOI^Dy lo-jcnit, or LOBJD 
 I ask it I 
 
 In hearing; of a Sermon h<? would tack a fcripus 
 Bjncukmon upoh every Te:^i or Head that lliould be 
 propofed in it. ' 
 
 Before' his Preaching of a 6'fr^/^r;, he revolved 
 ir in a Meditation than fliould" turn every part of it into 
 fome Eiaculiitiort. 
 
 His Courfe of daily Meditation ^ which he car- 
 ried on,^ had agreable Ejaculations intermixed in tlie 
 whole Exerciie. ■■ 
 
 ' Number] eis Fjnculnt'ons at the LORlPsTlhle he 
 tho't highly feafonable. 
 
 • 1m Si.-Ji'^t^.'y^ a 'J 'Jain: ?ind B^rr.dinr, a Cl'ap'rr, 2$ 
 he wciit along he would form agreaoie Ejauil-riovs 
 out of every Verfe. 
 
 ^VIIE^J in his liefjre Minuses he fetch \] ZpJJim 
 {ro^.^i\thz€reatur€S of GOD, he would not diimift' 
 then until he had put them into proper E}a;:i'lafions. 
 
 When 
 
joMiT Xhc Life op 
 
 Wheu 2tny new Comfort was conferred oq l;iim^ ht 
 had thi5 Ejaculation, ^^ LORD, Help me to employ 
 ihi% ^Talent for thy Glory '\ And when any new 
 STrcubk was inflicted on hiiii, he prayed^ ^^ ZOR!D^ 
 Eel^ me to bear as mcell as to hear the Rod '\ 
 
 Every new matter of Care bro't whh it new Mat- 
 ter for his Trayers : He thoi^ht ther^^fore that the 
 leafi he could do was to carry zjbort Petition to the 
 Lord ; and thus he asked the fmile of Heaven upori 
 aH that he had to do-. 
 
 EspEci ALLY if any weighty ^eftion was propoun- 
 ded unto him, he would not anfwer it until he 
 ferie% addreis'd Heaven for 2k right ^nfjcer. 
 
 He had often '' LORD, Save thy "People *' in his. 
 Mind; fuch Ejaculations for the Church, of God, he 
 often nfed. 
 
 He iiked that good Rule which one propofed for 
 liiinMf, When I think of ky Friend, let it be '-jC'ith a 
 praying I'ho^t. 
 
 '■ When he was infonned of any Neighbour in Af- 
 fiiSion, he thought it befpoke his charitable Eja- 
 culations. 
 
 While he nicalked the Streets, or fat in a Room 
 ^th his Mind otherwife unemployed, he would not 
 io(e the Time, but ute his Wit as well as Grace ivti 
 contriviRg fome ruitable "Blefjing for fuch and fuch as 
 were before him ; and then he would form it into an"^ 
 jEjaculation for them. Thus none, but He that- 
 kf^&^vitheT'hot^s afar off, witxt 7ic<^'izv[itQ,d with the 
 fccrct pious Motions of hisSouL 
 
 ' So much foiEjiiculatory Prayers for the prefent. 
 
 The Seafons for Ejaculatory Traifes you may 
 take as» folio ^vs, vi-^. 
 
 Tbe Occafions \yhkh occur'd for his, Prayers ^ 
 fometimes too, foUicited for his ^rnifes. 
 
 E%'ERY Difpenfation of God efibrded. Matter kr. 
 fufh an Ejaculation to him, 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather ;ro7 
 
 Especially when any confpicuoi^s Mercy was 
 beilovved up(^n him:> he exprefs'a his" Gratitude by 
 ibme grateful Ejaculation upon it, fuch as, I'hou art 
 good 3 and '/hou doll Good. 
 
 Arqr whenever any ^erfeBlon of God was by any 
 Effects matiifefled unto him, he would by fo me adap- 
 ted Ejaculanon celebrate that Perle^^ion, faying^ 
 ZOR'U^ ho-w ^reatis thy 'Tower ^ thy Wifdom^Jup 
 tlce, So-Oerelgnty and 'Bounty. 
 
 — — Thus Tike wife o( Ejaculatory ^raifes, 
 
 I will re(u,me the Head of Ejaculatory Prayers ; 
 and ihall conclude thisHead withfome of them, which 
 he us'd at a iCable once and in ^jsalking the Streets ; 
 by which you may guefs very eafily, how he walked 
 ais in the fight of GOD. 
 
 ^ I'a 7'ahk^ where he tbo't it not proper to fay 
 much, and the Dircourfcs of others were too trivial to 
 
 be worthy of his Intention. 
 
 Looking on the Gentlewoman that carv'd for the 
 Guefts : '^ LORD, tho'c he. Carve a rich ^Fortiou 
 of thy Graces and Comforts to that Ferfon.' 
 
 A Gentlewoman (Iricken in Years j ^, Lord, adorn 
 that 'Pcrfon -zvith the Fertues "vchich "Thowprefcribefi 
 unto aged Woraen. ^. 
 
 For a Gentlewoman newly Married, ^ Lord^Mar-- 
 ry a fid Ejpoufe that T erf on to Thy f elf in a Covenant 
 never to be forgotten.^ 
 
 For aGen'clewoman very beautiful, *" Lord^ Give 
 thatTerfonah humble Mind, and lei her be rnojl con- 
 cerned for thofc^ Ornaments that are of great 'Price 
 in thy fight'' 
 
 • For one of our Magiftrates, ^ Lord, Infpire that 
 TerCon <:vith IVifdcm, 'Courage and Goodnefs to feek 
 the 'V/elfare of thy ^People. \ 
 
 O^p.. of the Mini ilers ; Lord, Encline and afjifi 
 that T erf on to be m faith fit StC'-ivard in tliy Houfc. ^ 
 
 One 
 
ioS ne Life of 
 
 One unhappy in his Children ; ' LorS, CoHOeyt 
 the Children of that ^erfo?}, and let him Ijavc thit 
 ^oy to fee them walking in the Truth ^ 
 
 One weakly and sickly ; ^ Zord^ Let the Sun &f 
 Kjghteopfnefs arife on that 'JPerfon 'with Mealing uh- 
 Jer his Wings \ ' / " _ 
 
 ■ APhyfician^ ^ Lord^ Let that Teffo^he fucafsfttl 
 in his TraBice ; and let him cany the 2)ifiemfers tf 
 tis own Soulfuccefsfully to his Hsaler \ • 
 
 One that had met with great Lofles ; ^ Lords, 
 Qivethat ^erfon thi good Tart that" can never be 
 taken away. \ 
 
 And' fpi; the Sen^ants giving Attendance ; ^ Lord^ 
 Make them thy Children and Servants of J J^ SUS 
 CHRISX' 
 
 When he walked the Streets ^ he ftill hleffed ma- 
 flv Perlpas who never knew it^ ^^khfecret IfTjhes 
 itter this manner for them ; '^ 
 
 Upon the fight' ofa tall Man ; ^ Lo.rd\ Give that 
 Man.high At^tainments in Chrijlianify : Xet him fear 
 G02) ahhve many ^ 
 
 A lame Man ; ' Lordy Help that Man on moral 
 jic^counts to walk uprightly. ' 
 
 A Negro ; ' Lordy Wap that foor Soul ; make 
 loim white by the Wafiing of thy S'P JR IT. ' ^ 
 
 Children ilanding together; ' Lord, Let the 
 Mejfed IJand of C HR IST be put on thefe Chil- 
 dftn K 
 
 Children at Play; ^ Lord^ Let not thefe ClnU 
 drm always forget the Work vfon which they came 
 into the World \ 
 
 A Merchant ; ^ Lordy Make that Jifajs a wife 
 Merchant \ 
 
 ]A. very little Man ; ^ Lord]^ Sr/?j;;y great Slef 
 fings upon that Man y and ^abp'vis all thy SON the 
 greatefi of all ^Blafpngs \ ' ' ^ 
 
 A Man on Horfe-back ; ^ Lord, T^y Creatures 
 fervi that Man ; help him tofcrvehis Creator. ''• '' 
 
 Yo£?NG People; ^ Help themy O Lord, to ferve. 
 their Creator in the 2>ays of their Touth \ 
 
 ' YouN© 
 
Dr. Cotton Mamer; io^ 
 
 Young Gentlewomen; * Lor 3"^ Make -thein rsoifB 
 Virgins 3 and as the folijh'd Stones of the Ttmfle \ 
 
 A Shop-keeper bufy at Work ,• * Zet not this Ter- 
 f on fo mind the Affairs of this Worid as to negie^ 
 the one T'hing needful ^ 
 
 A Man going by without obferving him i ^ Lord^ 
 I fray THEEy Help that Man to take a due No^ 
 ticeofCHRIsr,' . 
 
 One in Mourning ; ^ Lord, Give that Man the 
 Comforts "xhich Thou hafi fromis'd to the hjejfed 
 Mourners '. 
 
 A very old Man ; ^ Lord), Make him an old 2)if' 
 c^le'. 
 
 One leaning on a Staff; ^ Teach this ^erfon^Lord^ 
 to lean on his SAVIO UR' 
 
 One who hadfpoken injurioully of hiih ; ^ Lord 
 fiefs', fpare andfave that 'Ferfon even as my oivn 
 Soul ; may that Terfon fiaro 'with me in all the Sal- 
 vations ofG 2)\ 
 
 One that was reckoned a very wicked Man ; LorJ^ 
 Re fcue that poor Man ^joho {'tis to be feared) Isfof-* 
 fefs'd by Satan J *who leads him captive \ 
 
 In like manner jwhen he has beeh fitting in a Room 
 fiill of People ^t a Funeral, where they take not 
 much liberty to ^alk, and where much Time is moit 
 unreafonibly loft ; he ufually fct his Wits to work to 
 contrive agj'eable Senedidions for each Perfon in the 
 Company. 
 
 But It were endlefsto exemplify a thoufandth part 
 ofthofc Ejaculations, in which his Grace ^ Love 
 were exercifed. 
 
 4. HIS Fap, "thanksgivings, Vigils^ and Self^ 
 Examinations. 
 
 I. FAST'ING, however in this Generation it 
 Hiay be defpifed, is very ufeful not only becaufe ^^- 
 iure, but alfo Grace, fares the better for it^ and is 
 Hrengthned by it : Hence it is that fo many religious 
 Men have Igoted wpga it 4S a ncceflary & importanc 
 
no Ithe nfe cf 
 
 There is J. Pafiagc in the Talmuds ( in HlerofyL 
 Kilaim. Fol. 32. 2,) that Rabbj [osi failed eix:bty 
 FajhzndK. Simeon Ben Lagish thrti Huudi rd^ 
 that they might fee R.CAijAi Rvbbah. Ihe 
 y£?-m report ot'R. Zatok that he did fo mortify him= 
 lelf N^ithirafbing that he v.as commoniy called Cbaljha 
 !. e. the IFeak. They tdl us alfo ot, K. jo§: ua Ben 
 A NAN I AH that his Face was black by reiifon of hi$ 
 Failings. 
 
 So very frequent among the ^rlmiuve Cbrii^ians 
 was the Pradicc of this Duty^, that it was to be dis- 
 covered in their Faces and Joint:; , fo tJiat \r -llidl 
 and ^refidi were the opproLriouo Names which the 
 Heathen for this Reafon gave them. 
 
 But among, thofe that ^^'^5 <^o/;e vert :wujly 'mxhi% 
 Refpedj perhaps Dr. M at h ep. has ^-xc^/^c J then) all. 
 
 In my Sermon on my Father^ I faid^ by a very mo-* 
 derate Computation ^he kept about Four 'jjundrtd and 
 ffty Fails : 1 computed thus^That {xomhA?, ft a rtec nth 
 Year almoU untoliis Deaths he tho't l^ivcSi^liftarved 
 unlefs hey^j?^J oncea Month ; that he^ when ce>n-^ 
 cerned in any very great Affair^ would alfo very often 
 keep Weekly Fji(h, fometimes Mfc> in a Week , and., 
 inafmuih as he kept not Records of ^?/^ th^ Faffs nc 
 obferved and fo I could not exailly number theni;, X 
 therefore tho't the Number above ipeciiied to be a 
 moderate Cvvipnation, 
 
 I fhall here, give you his Frame,, his Sentiments 
 and Ac'^ions on two or three of his Days of F.:iUng^ 
 C in his own Words ) from whjch you may judge o? 
 the reil. ' ' , 
 
 *■ Setting apart a Day (^theDay pail: ) for 'F^X'^yer. 
 ^. ivith Faftifi;^ in my Study ; I judged my (elf before, 
 \ the Lord for my various Tranfgref lions ; and in 
 
 * theDiftrefTes of my Soulj beholding my Mifcryty 
 
 * my EiUangednef^ from God and Exp(aedncfs ro his 
 
 * Wrath ; but believing tiiat the Lord JESUS 
 ' CHRIST the only Mediator was willing t,o hiive' 
 
 ^ iNlcrcy 
 
Dr. Cotton Ma.tke)r., iit 
 
 Mttcy upon ine^ after all the Indignkies I h2.d pot 
 upon Hiirij, if I now looked unto Him : I tm- 
 neilly beleeched Him gracioully to take Care of all 
 that concerned my Salvation, and rdcueme ^xjoaaJl 
 the Confulions I had brought upon my ielf by my 
 leaving GOD, and be my ^I'riefl, 'Prophft audi 
 King forever. And I profefs'd unto Him, that I idt 
 my immortal Spirit in his blelled Hands, and tlhat 
 I would expert every part of my Welfare as the iMt 
 of his blefTed Satisfaaion Sz Inter ceffim ; arid tiaat 
 I woiiJd fubmitunto his glorious I>ominioii, Pijwcr 
 and WiTdom fo as never willingly to withdraw fi:oaii 
 the tt^guiations of them -, but 1 would fly unto lais 
 precious jBkod for Pardon whenever I percdveJ 
 in rny felf any Deviations- And I concluded wklb 
 a trifiipphant Faith that He would do mc Goodlji 
 and GoD would have no Controverfy with me ; 
 and that I fhotild after a defireable manner Know^ 
 Love and Honour Him ; and that I dial! find my 
 ■ never dying Soul under the peculiar Care of a iiier- 
 ciful Redeemer in the Times of the greateft Extre- 
 mity that fhall or can ever come unto me \ — 
 —Thus on one Day: 
 
 On another Day be WTites thiis ; 
 * This Day having htimbled my felf and fudged 
 ' my felf before the Lord for my many Provocations, 
 ^ and "jcatcred n;y Couch ivirh viy ^ears iu the Ap- 
 ^ prehenfion of my exceeding \'ilcnefs ; ^t iengtli 
 ' 1-loods of Tears gulhed from me in my laying hoM 
 ^ on the pardoning Mercy of GOD in' JESUS 
 ^CHRIST. The Spirit- of the moil High bro't, 
 =^ me to a marvelkuz l^ivifer which was to me like 
 ^ the very Suburbs of Heaven ^ wherein He dlured me 
 ^ chat all my Sins ivpre forgiven ; and that his Anger 
 ' in the fenieof wh?ch my Soiil trembled^ fV.ouidno 
 
 * more burn againil me. Upon this I called unto 
 ^ mind t\it Names of as many Perfons as I could any 
 
 * ways learn had reproached and injured me; and I 
 "^ moft heartily beg'd the GOD of Heaven on the 
 ^ behalf cf them oas by one^thatj^hcy might hckk/J'^d 
 
ii»- The Lfje of 
 
 ' ^'jMt^b mthe meffwgs cfGoodnefs, and .fuch-.Bler- 
 
 * iings efpecially as were molt fuitable for them. 
 
 ^ I . alfo befought the Lord that I might never Sin 
 
 * againll Him . wiih \''ill or Defign or Delight any 
 ' jnprs : I profefs'd unto Him that Ilhould rejoice to 
 *■ Dy this very Day, if I might be everlaftingly deli- 
 
 * vered {Yomfmmng againft Him : I declared before 
 ' Hin: that I was very fure I fhould ,be witn CHRIST 
 *" e'relong, and joyfully behold his Face mfwlefs 
 ^ Glory \ 
 
 <3n another fuch Day I find in his Papers, ^ That 
 ^ he did with Plenty of Tears lament his Wretched- 
 ' nefs : And herein, fays he, I was carried forth to 
 
 * declare unto the Lord, that having difhonoured 
 ^ His glorious Namey if there were no other way for 
 ' the Honor e^f itto be recovered except in my Ruin y 
 ' I laid my felf down at His. holy Feet to be difpofed 
 ' of for ever by Him as He fhould pleafe. But yet I 
 ^ faid, that His Name was ^G 02; that ivould abuH- 
 
 * damly 'Pardon,, and that He had provided a way 
 *■ fo»- the Glory of it, and that whofoever will accept 
 ' of Salvation in and thro^ CHRIST fhould upon 
 
 * His Word be fur? to have it; and fo I concluded 
 T with Aifurance that the Lord JESUS CHRIST 
 
 * was inter ceeding for me, and that bccaufe He had 
 ' Liv'd <k: :2)ied I fhould not Dy but Live. And 
 
 * thefe Motions of Soul in me were accompanied 
 ^ v^irh very rapturous Hallelujahs, with Tranfports 
 
 * of Love and Praife ; telling the Lord that now I 
 *■ would be His forever, and I longed now to ht 
 "^ with my REDEEMER in the Manfions that are 
 
 * above v/hcre Ifhall certainly be; but for one Reafon 
 
 * I defired to Live a few Days more upon Earth, evert 
 
 * that I might Labour &: Suffer for Him, and Serve 
 ^ Flirn, where I had finned againll Him ; And this 
 ^ (hall be my Work, all the L")ay long while I have 
 ^ a Day to Jive. ' 
 
 Ther? 
 
Dr. CoTTOx^ MathePv ii^ 
 
 . Ther;^ was once a Time and a Thing in which 
 the Doctor was full of diltre's. His Temptations and 
 Difficulties were extraordinary : He thought himielf 
 c^aJled unto more than ordinary Humiliations, Suppli- 
 cations and Refignatiqns, In this Time he rarely Ice 
 a Week pafs without fctting apart a i)ay for Fafling; 
 'with ^Prayer {qx m^LVxy _Momhs together; and cveic 
 rio>v and then he had his Vigils for a Converfatior^ 
 yith Heaven ^ and every Day /for the moft part he 
 Md pne lecret Prayer more than he ufed to have anc| 
 lay proftrate in the Duft v^ith Tears before the Lord, 
 yet he tho't it neceflary to do romething mbre than all 
 this. 
 
 He had often In his Life fcept tn.vo 7) ay s^ of fe//'/^ 
 and "Prayer in one Week : But now he was refelved 
 to fpend. Tkree Tfays after this manner in his Study, 
 and befeechthe LOBS) thrice^ knocking at the Door 
 of Heaven for three ^ays together '; and he was car-» 
 ried thro' the Undertaking even beyond wh^t his 
 feeble Conftitution could have looked for. 
 
 He wa.s defirous that each i)ay iiioiild have i"t'$ 
 peculiar Cbara6fer, tho' there were many geneVai 
 Strokes of Devotion which were common to^iill the 
 Days* 
 
 The Characfter offHe/fr/? iS^^ v;& Co/Tftj^n ofl, 
 and Contrition for the Sins'which might expofe hini 
 to the Difpleafure of Heaven ; ( in which he ufed a 
 Catalogue of Things forbidden and required in the. 
 Commandments yzs well as the Ingredients of Ori^itl^k 
 Sin ) and, he petitioned for the Pardon ofall thro' ih^ 
 Blood of the Lord JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 The Ch.ara<^er hUbe fcccnd i>ay #as Rch^nati- 
 en to the mil of G O 'B in Vvharever Sorrovvs had be- 
 fallen him, and in the forrowful things which he, 
 <:ould imaglhe might poiFibly te infJi-.^ed on him.. 
 He found aftonilliing EiuatalnmLht ficiri Hedveh in 
 ^his Adion. 
 
 ^The lin.^ul.ir Chair-iilcr cf the third 2)ar was 
 Reqifejl ; firil: for Help tinder and ^gaihft all the. 
 
114 ^he Life of 
 
 Affaults of ^*:^ptatio'ns upon him ; and then, fot^h^ 
 Jifigelical Minifiry to be employ'd on his Behalf and 
 for his Help in thofe Cafes, in which the Heirs of 
 Sahatlon ufe to be befriended by the Minijlers who 
 do the Tkafure of the LO R7). 
 
 I will now ufe his ow^nExprefiicns :— ^ MyThrei 
 * jDays left me in a very defireable Frame ; very fear- 
 *" ful of Sinning againflGOD, very raifed in my tho'ts 
 *■ of CHRIST, and Heaven, and very watchful to do 
 '^ Good and bring forth Fruit unto the LORD. 
 
 *■ But becaufc an Admlflion to extraordinary inti- 
 ' mate Communion with Heaven ufes-to be followed 
 *■ with fore !Buffetings from Satan either by internal 
 *" Imprefjions or ei<ternrA Occurrences, I had a tremb- 
 *■ ling Expectation of what might follow upon thac 
 ^ Intcrcoiirfc with Heaven to which I had bin newly 
 'admitted. 
 
 * lloe Evil that I feared came upon mcy but yet I 
 ^ received a marvellous Harveft of the nree Days, 
 *■ The Dcfign of them was obtained to Admiration '. 
 
 I will infert but one m.ore Day of Trayer ivith 
 Faflin^, which he kept under fome Temptations j 
 on which I fmd he has entred this Record. 
 
 '^ It Vv'as a Day full of zltonifliing Enjoyments, t 
 ' Day filled withReiignation;, Satisfadion di Heavenly 
 ^ Aflcniinments. Heaven h^s as it were been opened' 
 '^ unto me this Day. Never did I fo long to dy and 
 • fly away into Heaven i J have leen and felt unutter- 
 ^ able^thing^y I have ta^ed that the LORtDis 
 ' gracious. I can by no means relate the Communi-^ 
 *■ cations of Heaven to which I have been admitted. 
 f Jam now fure that the great GOD is my GO 2), 
 ''^ that I {land before HIM in the Right ecufnefs of 
 ^ CHRl^r,that no Good Jb all be ivith^hsld from we, 
 ^ that Q^P^' will ufe me to glorify HLM greatly, and 
 '^' that l^^ll be anObjcd: for theEverlaiting'l nuinphs 
 ^ of itif-nftc Grace. 
 
Dr. COTTdM MA-iTHtR.' I £5 
 
 ^ I was fcarce able to bear the Eatajiss of Tiivip^ 
 .«f Zove into which I was raptured. They exhauiled 
 ^ my Spirits ; they made nic faint ,-. they were infup- 
 ^ portable ; I was forced to withdraw from them lelt 
 ^ the Raptures Ihould make me iwoon away \ 
 
 , I could produce a vaft Multitude more of his.En-f 
 tcrtainments, his Tho'ts and Methpds on Days cF 
 FafttHs-s^ but it would fwcll this Book to too great % 
 Bulk. 
 
 . i. I come therefore to write of his ^hankfgiving$\ 
 which were very numerous : I Ihall colled: but thrtQ 
 Inflances out of the many that arc before me> 
 
 On, one Day he kept, he (et himrdf ; ,. 
 . I. To recoUe5l tht memjui iJif^enfatiofiSO^QOlil 
 unto him. ; , ;. ; 
 
 2. To confider the Aggravmons of thofe Mercits 
 in the Greatnefs and. Freenefs of them. 
 
 5. To rcgifter them in his Memorials. 
 
 4. To acknowledge them in his 2)evoucn$. . , , 
 , 5. To contrive what Returns he fliouid make by 
 way of Gratitude to GOD. 
 
 ( He writes^ ^ I (pent the Day in fuch Exercifes; 
 f and the fweetnefs of them with the heavehly odf^^r'?'' 
 f tus they bro't upon my Mind, made mc a rich Rs- 
 ^ compence for the Labor oftbem : . ^ 
 
 ^ In the Clcfc of the Day. coming to ponderj 
 ^ V/bat pall I no<w render to the L0R2J for aU 
 ^ his benefits} _ 
 
 His Tho^tsare thus written down. . 
 , *■ I. Shall I not kye the Z0R'.D,2Lnd be confiant^ 
 ^ fervent^ unwearied m fervingoFHIM ? Efptcinlly ia 
 ^ the Rules 1 have propofed for my Gonverliuion ? 
 
 ^ II. Shall I not endeavor to Ihine by a good 
 ^ Sample ? 
 
 . ^ III. Shall I not husband &: redeem the Gol'^e^i 
 ^ Hours, which I enjoy in the midit of (b many SptjI- 
 ^ Unz^Providemsi ? . , 
 
its The Life of 
 
 IV. Shall I not every Daymt^try Capacilyj; 
 ^ Relation, Company be contriving. What can I noiiu 
 ' -and here do for GO 2)} And lay my felf out ac- 
 *■ cordingly ? 
 
 ^ Oh I That GOD Would help me thus to do/ 
 
 , On another of thefe Thanksgivings he writes 
 thus ; 
 
 ^ The Forenoon of this Day I fpent; 
 
 ^ I. In acknowledging my own Viknefs before 
 ^ God, by v.hich after an aggravated Manner I have 
 *" become umvorthy of all that Goodnefs atrd liiercy 
 ' that has foUoived me all my days. 
 
 XL In acknowledging thofe Glories which belong 
 *' unto the great GOD as HE is infinitely excellent in 
 ' Himfclf, ind as HE is the Creator and Governor of 
 ^ the World, and unto JESUS CHRIST as HE is 
 *■ one altogether lovely. — In thefe Exercifes my 
 *" Heart was bro't to fuch Frames as would ha'te turn- 
 
 * cd a 'Dungecn into a Paradife. 
 
 ' In the Afternoon I went over the former Kind- 
 ^ 'nefjes of. GOD unto m.y felf in my|27^o'/j, my 
 ^ Q^fahnSy my Traifes. 
 
 *" But I more efpccially finglcd out three things 
 ^ m which 1 have feen the Favor, of GOD ; viz. An- 
 ^ fwers to ^Petitions, Refcues from Temptations and 
 ^ thofe AffiSfions by means of which I hav6 enjoyed 
 ^ both. 
 
 ^ I eiTay'd then to blefs the Lord for thofe Favors 
 ^ with v^hich at prefentlam on every fide furrounded;, 
 ^ fuch as, 
 
 ' My Life and Health. 
 
 *^ My Accompliflmients in any Points of Lcarn- 
 
 ^■''My v^-ell furnifh-'d Library, 
 ^ My Improvement in the Miniflry of the Gofpeh 
 / My peaceable Settlement in a Place of gr^it Op- 
 
 * pcrtunitiis to <^o Good. 
 
 ^ My SuCccfs in iriy public and private Labors. 
 ^ My Acceptance and Intcrell among the People 
 ' of GOD. ■ ' M^ 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather.' ii^ 
 
 * My Enjoyment of my Father to this Day. 
 
 ' The notable Growth and Peace of the Flock^ 
 f iver which I am a ^Pafior. 
 
 ^Having employed my Admirations and Adora- 
 ^ tions upon the Grace from whence thefe Things do 
 ^ come unto me ; I then came to confider the jn^ 
 
 * Grace of GOD unto me in^ 
 
 ' '^ Tna G//>ofCHRIST unto the World. 
 
 ^ The Offer of HIM unto my felj"iv\ particular. 
 
 ^ The ^e/^/^o'ftheNecelfity ofCHRl-iT, GOD 
 ^ has given me. 
 
 ' The Union -wiih Him to which the Holy Spi- 
 
 * KIT has bro't.me. 
 
 * And all the further Operations of the Hoi y 
 
 * Spirit upon my Soul, by which He is coik-inua-ily 
 ^ making me more meet for the Inheritance vj the 
 ' Saints in Light. 
 
 * I concluded the Day with confidering. What 
 ' pall I render totheLORTi} 
 
 ^ I then gave my Jelf^ my wholey^//,all myPowers^ 
 ^ Members, Capacities and fnterefts ( which I cwn'd 
 ^ was the leafl that I owM ) unto the LORD. 
 
 *. In particular I added. That, fince I owed all my 
 ' good Things to the Compajfions oIGor, I. wouM 
 
 * aKvays be contriving hoiv to boner H I Mj and 
 ^ wQuld procure fqme T^efiimony againft fome- com- 
 ^ moriEvils in the Land which are oiTeniive to Him. 
 
 ^ And fmce itwasthe Mediation of CHRIST un- 
 ^ to which I owed the Procurement of all, I would 
 ^ preach a Sermon, the Scope of vv-hich ihould be to 
 ' magnify the Lord Jesus Christ, and invite the 
 ^ Minds of Men toa:;^'ailiduoviS ConteinplarioH of His 
 
 * Glories \ ' ' '• ■- 
 
 The Third and lad I fhall wrireof; f]-.alU>e more 
 rarticularly delcribed than tiie reff-;' bccauie of Icme- 
 chinp; more imgula-r and i!:ilriif^i\''e iu it. 
 
 *■ C)n this Day, I coniic'ered that as by the Tycifa 
 '' ot God, I ibould bccf ime like the /(-cv/ yh.\it Isr, 
 ^"^ ! hijs it vvas a very rc::f( nablc Thing that 1 fixuici 
 ^ t^tilr my C)^trao?di.^aryl raifes tp. Miliiijoy Ilisyjrnf.eh\ 
 
lit If ke Life of 
 
 ^ I faw th^it the Scripurei mentioned the Mimjlry 
 ** of the good u4^g£lS3 about t^e Heirs of Salvation 
 ^ with Frequency; and I faw -that my Life had beei> 
 ^ wondrouliy fighalized By the Miniflry of thofe An- 
 ^ gels} Wherefore loth to be guilty of fuch an un- 
 *" thoughtful Negled- of the Angels as the Generality 
 ^ of the Faithful who enjoy the Affiftanccs of thofc 
 ^ Heavenly Guardians are, I devoted this Day - to 
 ^ glorify the GOD and Father of my Lord JESUS 
 ^ CHRIST for the Mniftry of ANG ELSfy^hkh 
 ^ has notably befriended mc unto this very Day, And 
 '^ I expected in this Way not only to render my felf 
 ^ more agreable to thofe excellent Spirits A>ut alfo to 
 *^ obtain from tbeir and my Lord a morrfignal fhare 
 '^ of their Influence than had ever yet been granted 
 •^ me. ■ ' ' " ■' "'' ^' 
 
 ^ In the Evening before this Day> I was am^%^3 
 ^ when I behieldj, But happy that I plainly beheld^ the 
 <^ happening of feveral Tnings that fecmed as it were 
 ^ contrived on Purpofc toindifpo'fe me for the Duties. 
 ^ now before mc : B.ut I comfortably got over all the 
 ^ Indifpofitions, 
 
 *■ Twill be necdjefs to relate how manjr J^'m»s I 
 * fang referring to the ^«^e/io ■ ' ■ 
 
 ^ Iw the Morning I wrote an Illuftration upon a 
 \ Text about the good Angels : And I made my' 
 
 f Famly-Ojferikg fuitablc to the D-efign before me. '" 
 
 ^. Ab3D one Z/cju which I laid upon, my felf this 
 ^ Day was^ that in all the Intervals of more ftated' 
 ^ "thinkingy as. I paffed from one Objefl to another^ 
 ^ I would make Ejaculatory l'hanksgivins,s unto the^ 
 ^ Lord upon all the Occafions which ofFcr'd thcm- 
 ' fclves unto me. But how many Scores of Ejacula- 
 ' tions thus occafionally acknowleging the Greatnef?, 
 ^ and Goodnefs of God palled h'om me this Day, I 
 ^ cannot reckon. 
 
 ^- My chief Excrcife in the Forenoor> was. To con-^ 
 •^.ilder exa-fllyj and. with aj much of Scripture and-, 
 
 ^ • • ■ . . c Lc?.rr.ing^ 
 
3Dr. Cotton MATiiER, jr<j 
 
 5 Learning as I could^ 'the £>:ifle?ice, the Trcp^rtiss 
 f and the Relations of the good Angds.j .and, the 
 ' Honor, but notWorpl(yA(^<^ to thofe benign Spirits: 
 ^ And then to run over the marvellous References to 
 
 * their Minlflry which I. have here and there found 
 
 * fciittered in the Oracles of God ; whether toward* 
 ^ particular Saints or towards tht CbUrc'h' in Gene ml 
 ^ Thcfe Confiderations with a vaii: V ariety took in 
 ^ the chief of the Story of the 'Bible together with the 
 ^ Apocalyptical Prophecies^ efpccially in the ^trumpets 
 
 * and K#^/i wherein An^/As are concerned. But my 
 ^ Confiderations were iiill dircded unto the Lord 
 < with my Dciires^ that HE fhould forever be mag- 
 ^ nified and glorified for the Things^ in which he had 
 ^ thus commifiioned his Angels to be his Meffengcrs 
 ^ and his Inilrumcnts. 
 
 * I cannot fully exprefs the Elevation of Soul , ^^ith 
 
 * which I went thro' thefe noble Exercifes ; which 
 ^ Exercifes at laft I concluded with Aifurances, that 
 ' I fhould one Day come to fraife H TM that fets 
 ' upon the throne and the Lamb in the Company of 
 ^ his holy Angels forever. 
 
 ^ In the Afternoon^I looked over ^omt Cat aloc!:^ues 
 •^ 0/ JlferaVi received from the God of Heaven^ which 
 ' I had heretofore entred into my 'Diaries ; and by 
 ^ comparing of what I read in the Book of Heaven 
 ♦. about the Agency of the Angels, I examined, where 
 ^ I might make an Allowance for their fuboidinats 
 ^- Agency in my ov^n Affairs. 
 
 ' The main Heads of /i^/W'-;6'^■ done for mev;hlch 
 ' the Word of Cod permitted me to count A^i- 
 ^ gelical were thefe. 
 
 ^ L I have Reifon to think, that tlie "Pareutal Gq- 
 •^ vernmenty which in my Childhood was a thouHmd 
 ^- Ways a BleiTing to me had a Blafs very often given 
 *c to it by the Angels of Gor. 
 
 M confidcrcd ^uJ. xWi 12. 13. and Afat. n. u. 
 I 4 ^iLI 
 
UL* 'Tke Lije of 
 
 ^ IL I hTLVthin preferved in and from many 2)^;^- 
 
 * gers while I was yet a C^/A' by the Angeh look- 
 "^ ing after me, — I confidtied J/^r. Xyill. lo, 
 
 <■ III. In my Education I was wonderfully circum- 
 ^ ilanccd by Helps and Means of Learning, by a Ca- 
 ^ pacity to Learn and kind Conduct of Tufors^y^hidx 
 •^ the Angels doubtiefs influenced, --■> I conlidereq 
 ^ Gen. XXL 17. i8. i^. ' 
 
 ^ IV. When Epidemical Sicknefs have carried off 
 ^ many of my Neighbours, and I have ' bin in the 
 ^_ midll of them, I have been kept unto this Day, b)f 
 
 * the Angels about me. — I confidered "PfaL XCI. 3.4; 
 
 ^ V. I have made many Journeys and never yet 
 ^ came to any Harm in any of them : The Angels 
 5 were my Keepers;-^ I conlidered ^?y^/. XCI. ii. 12. 
 
 *■ VI. I v/as blcffcd with an early Converfion to 
 ^ God ; and the blefled Spirit has bin ever fince 
 *^ wondroufly at v,'ork upon my Soul to fit me for 
 *" the Society of Angeh in a better World. Here 
 *" w^as a Joy^ and as to raany Circumftances, a Work 
 ^ of Angeh. — - I confidered Luk. XV. 10. 
 
 ^ VIL My Call to the Miniftry of the Gofpel, 
 ^ and the Hearts of People being fo difpofed that I 
 ^ have had my Call in foTemarkable a Place as where 
 ^- my Lot is call, has bin a Thing full of Wonders'^ 
 *■ and I don't fear to fay full of Ang-eh, — . I confi- 
 ^ dcred A_clsXYl. 9, 10. 
 
 ' VIIL Tv^^Tyoov c^ Utterance Opened for me 
 
 ^ hath Tome iurprifing things in it, which I am ccr- 
 ^ tain have proceeded from the Angels of God. -—I 
 ^ confidered Luk. I ic. Jfa. VL d. 7.- '. 
 
 ' IX. My fi:range Oppcrtumties to do Good and 
 ^ and ft^rve the Church of Christ both hyfpeakin^ 
 ■^ dnd W/iflng j ^nd the Impulfe I have often had 
 
Dr Cotton Mather. izj 
 
 * upon my Mindl_, at which I have often bin amaz'd 
 ^ I'hejrc has" bin the Energy of Angek in thefc 
 5 Things. — I confidcred Jiil. x. 30^32. A61, viii. 2^.* 
 
 ' X. My Marriages have bin under the DirecSlion 
 ^ of Angels, and the Condition of my Family alfo. — ' 
 ^ Iconfidered Gen. xxiv. 7, 
 
 ^ XL The Proviiipn of a Foo3 co»venient for rne, 
 ' have frequently bin fo' ftrangely tlm'd;, that I we're^ 
 ' blinder than a ilone if I fhould not fee ' Angels my 
 
 * Providers. — I coniidered ^faklxtvnl 25. 
 
 ' XII. UNREASOlsfASLE Men that had 
 f no Faith have Zealoufly fought my Ruine for my^ 
 
 * Faithfulnefs to the Intereft ot Christ ; but I have 
 ' had an Hofi of Angels for my Guard. — I confi- 
 ^ deredG^^. xxxiii. 4. and fZ)^/?. vi. 22. 
 
 ^ XIIL My /c/? Health has bijj refrored and prolon- 
 *■ ged ; Have not the Angels bin my '■'Pbyftcians. — 
 *^ I confidered-Jz-'biS^^v. 4. 
 
 *" XIV. Many a Time have I bin ready to do 
 
 * thofe Things which would have bin very contrary 
 ^ to God's Glory as well as pernicious to my own 
 ^ TVclfare; but I have bin llrangely hindred : By 
 ' whom ? Truly the Angels odhf^Lo^D. — I confi- 
 ^; dcx^ed Nwwr'. xxii. 32. 
 
 *" Such Things as thefel did with multiplied Halle-^ 
 -* lujabs acknowlege on 'my Study Floor before the 
 ' LoRP. And in the midft of my rapturous Praifc;* 
 ^ I could not forbear faying, 'Bkfstke LOR\D, O 
 **' my Soxd, and forget not ail IBs benefits ! And, if 
 ^ anv good Angels ofthp LORD are noiv nigh 
 '., ufito me, 2)0 Tou alfo blefs the LO R'D ye Hea- 
 ^ ' venly AHf?i.flers ; And Oh, ad 01 e that free Grace of 
 ' HiSy -zvhich employs Tcu to be ftrvl(:cai>l'e to fo foor^ 
 ^•fo rn^an^ fo "Jtle tJirc-tch as iS herg piojlraji^^hefore 
 
 W " ■ ■ ^ From 
 
M±i: . 21?^ Zffe 4 
 
 ^ From hence I went on to Suf^lkath^j:, tlia^ 
 ^ the great God would go on more than ever to 
 ' employ His gocd J^gels for my Good, which I 
 ^ alfo then particularized in many Articles ; and that 
 ^ He alfo would prefcrye mc from th^ Illiifions and 
 
 * Injuries of Eml ones, " • . !. ^ 
 
 ' I then eoniidcrcd:, Whaj^ Returns I fhould make 
 ^ unto the Lord for the Senefits, vshich I have rccei- 
 ^ ved by His Angeh. And here I tho't on the 
 ' Meffage which an Angel bro't from Heaven unto 
 ' one of his Fellow Servants towards the Ciofe of * 
 ' Day fpent in extraordinary Devotions, "ithou art 
 f a kejireahk MAN, [ ^an. ix.25. ] So Ifpentan 
 ' Hour or two in confidpring what would rcnaer ms 
 5 fuch a Man. 
 
 ^ One {pecial Thing wherein I propofed unto my 
 ^ felf a way to become, defireahk was to. become Jtn^ 
 
 * gelical. 
 
 ^ —- Accordingly ^ confidercd ; 
 
 ^ How the Angih were continually engaged m 
 ^ beholding and admiring the Glories of. the great 
 *■ GOD. [^Mat, xviii, 10. ] 
 
 ^ How 2l7ey were continually ftudying the T^^tf- 
 
 * ries of Redemption by Jesus Christ with the 
 ^ Characters and Approaches of His Kingdom, [i^et. 
 
 * I. 12.] 
 
 ' How ?7:7fy were continually upon, the Wing to 
 ' go upon the Errands of the King of Heaven. [ Tfah 
 '. ciii. 2©, 21. ] 
 
 * How T'tey were continually doing of Good a- 
 ^ mong the People and Churches of the Lord^, [^Hel^. 
 
 ' I. 14- J ' 
 
 ^ How T/>^3' took particular Satisfaction in- the 
 '. Converfion of miferablc Sinners, [ Zuk. xv. 10. ] 
 
 ' How the Angels y in fine, vv^ere very Holy.'-— ^ 
 
 * Thele Thmgs I confidered for. my. ov^n Imitariof;. 
 
 r But for the Clofe of, all; becaufc I tho't it 
 '^. would be a little A/^gelkal^ zs well .as othcrwife 
 
Dr. Cotton MATHtRr ^^^ 
 
 *f ax^eaih^ I took a Lift of many poor People in 
 * my Flock with fonfie C^r^ to hav« their Necefil- 
 f tie« relieved agatnft the approaching Winter ". 
 And fo the Day ended, 
 
 5 » It is impoffiblc for mc to tell hov^ many Vr- 
 ciLS Dr. Mather kept^ he not always keeping an 
 Account ofthc^m : I Ihall therefore only in general let 
 you know that he frequently in former Years con- 
 vcrfcd witU his Saviour in the Ni^^r Watches, 
 
 He confidcred that the Primitive Chriflians in O- 
 bcdience to that Command of Watching mt'o "Prayer 
 fometimes had their Vigils which were of great Ufe 
 tinto them in their Chriiltianity. To fpend a good 
 Part of a Night new and then/>; "Prayer ^ and Co take 
 the Advantage. of a noBurftnl Solitude, and abridge 
 ^hemfelves of their ufual Reft, for the lake ofa devout 
 Converfacion with Heaven; They found God re- 
 warding them and the Devotions of luch Vigils 
 with a more than ordinary Degree of Heavenly Cbn- 
 folation. And fo the jDoi^'/crlikcwiie found it. He 
 has frequently witladrawn from his Lodging agreabla 
 enough unto Him^ and in the Dead of the Night has 
 retired unto his Study ; where he has thrown aimfelf 
 on his Floor in the Duft, and wrcftled with him in 
 Prayer for a great w^hile together. In doing thus 
 he was rewarded with unutterable Communication*.^ 
 from Heaven. 
 
 • 
 
 4. I win here give my Reader the Refult of three 
 S€lf-E:<amif:ations^ \s^\q\\\ find m the M)oHor's Pa- 
 pers, and which will be fuffkient to fliow how he 
 proceeded in that Exercife. 
 
 I find in onQo^h\sSelf-F.<^minatlons, p?eparalory 
 to a Communion^ what follows recorded. 
 
 ^ I find; ("1.1 Not only myUnder(ianJln% fces^but. 
 ^ my Will c\\u'ic$ the great God as my beft Good' 
 '■'4ndn^.v 14 End,- ^ '• 
 
 • ■ ■■ • ^ ' I. My 
 
124 21&^ ^^^ ^f 
 
 ^ lo My Ltterefl in Him is my grcatcfl Wijh and 
 «' Joy. According n^^Tfal, xvL j,^. 1>fah lxxiii.25^ 
 ^ X<jw. iii. ^5. -//>." xxvi. 15, 
 
 * Ohje£l. Then You would be more careful and 
 f carnefl for fecuring it. 
 
 '^ AiJpvo. 1. I tn6$rn under and ftrive againfl my 
 ^ ownQoldnefs^ and endeavour to ftir up my felfc ''■' 
 
 ^ 2. My Zeal to make fure of any other Enjoy- 
 ^ ment is not fo lively as to make fure of this. 
 
 ^ 1, Id© heartily embrace and propofe the Glory- 
 ^ fy^^S Him^as the main Defign upon which I woul^ 
 
 * be and live and work. ' ' '' 
 ' Qtieft. HO U^ do you k^-ow that ? 
 
 * i" By my frequent and adual ^edicatiom to 
 ^ his Glory. 
 
 ^ By the Difpofltion of my Soul in 'Prayer for 
 ' any Mercy ; above all for that Mercy. 
 
 ^ 3. By my exceeding Satisfaction ^ when I fee 
 « God acknowledged j eipecially when by me, or by 
 
 * my means. * 
 
 ' [2.] With much Dcteftatioii I rejecH: all that 
 ' which hath made any ^y^^^r^/zo;? between the Lor i> 
 ' and my Soul. —Sin is that accurfed ^hin^, Ifa. 
 
 * lix. 2. Wherefore — I lament itj i abhor it i I 
 5 labor to avoid jt. 
 
 *■ [3.] I eflay to come unto Jesus Christ the 
 ' ever-glorious Mediator that I may be inflated in 
 *■ the' full Enjoyment of God. According to jfohn 
 ' xiv. ^. " . 
 
 ^ I- Thirsty after the Fountain of Life in Go:3, 
 ^ to the Lord JESUS CHRIST as the Way. 
 
 ' 2. I would have none but Him to be my SA- 
 ' VIOUR. 
 
 ' 3. I am free that HE fhould execute every one 
 ' of all his OfHcei in the accompiiniing of my Salva- 
 ' tion. BIcfT-d be the Lord, who has not left :n« 
 *■ deftitute of his ^Eternal Mercies. 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather.' ii5 
 
 ^ I employ'd a Collcdlion of Marks which I had 
 ^ lying by me ; I proceeded by dire5i rather than 
 ^ reflex ones ; That is to fay. Examining whether I 
 ' had done thefe and thofc good ^rhinp^ I put it out 
 •■ of Doubt by doing them over again. Inciredible 
 *■ Sathfa^ion and I hope fome Sathfa^ion was the 
 ^ EiFcd: of thefc^.blciFed Exercifes '\ 
 
 The Refult of the {^con^ Self- E:<amination^ which 
 I promifcd, I find written as follows. 
 
 ^ Asking the Help cf Heaven in this Work^ that 
 ^ if I were yet unfound I was defirous to begin the 
 ^ Work of CcnverJio?t again^ and anew go over all the 
 ^ forrowful Hours which I had fcen in that Work : 
 *■ But that if I (aw my own Sincerity^ my Hands would 
 ^ thereby be ftrcrigthned iri the Warfare to which I 
 *" am called. 
 
 ^ I then found fuch Things as thefe, which made 
 ^ me hope that the Lord had begun a never dying 
 ^ Work of liis Grace upon my Soul. 
 
 '^ I. The S:ipretnt? jycCign ^nd Defire of my Soul 
 *" is, that God may be forever glorious, 
 
 ■ INFERIOR Enis are become defpicable 
 ' in my Eyes j and I apprehend thole to be the viielt 
 ^ FoclSy who live only unto themfelves. 
 
 "" The Voice of my Soul is, OJj, let the Lb RD 
 ^ he magmfied f Hence I am contriving every IVeeky 
 *■ every i)ay and perhaps oftner than (o^ What can 
 ^ I do for the JSame oj GO^D. 
 
 ^ Hence my 'Third Tiktr an Enlargement m the 
 *" Service ofGor,, and after t];it Enjoyment of my ow^n 
 *■ Salvation yioci then after the mofl melting Manner 
 ' traniport me, when 1 think," Hereby the Glory cf 
 I (he infinitely amiable G OD lall be d if covered I 
 
 ^ Hekcs 
 
iadr ^he Life of 
 
 , ^ Hence thofe Things by which the Ghry of 
 ^ God is obfcL red and cclipied ; efpccially thofe curfcd 
 
 * Zujh of mine which have robbed the Lord of that 
 f Ghry that I might have bro'fe ^xm, do vex and 
 ' cut my very Soul within me. 
 
 ^ Finally i My Heart rejoices in any Revenues of 
 ' Glory bro't any way to the Lord : I feel my oivn 
 
 * Ifiterefi gratified by it^ and fee my beft Frietid ho- 
 *■ nored and advanced. 
 
 * 2. My Heart is infatiably frefffjg after the N^k 
 ' Jlttainmems of Religion. 
 
 *■ Oh ! Whien I cbnfider what it v&to converfe ijcith 
 ' G02) continually 'y and not only to be living always 
 *" ^ith and upon and un$o the Lord, but alfo to 
 ' love no Creature except in Yiiu, and for Him^ 
 *■ and to have Him for my All in ally My Heartj 
 •^ fprings at it. I cry^ I flrive, L0R2J, let me thus 
 
 * araw near unto THE E. 
 
 *■ And herein the Lord gives me fome Ey^pcrienct 
 
 * that is exceeding defireablc. 
 
 ^ For when I have bin mightily carried forth iri 
 
 * my publick Difpcnfations I have taken Comfort : 
 *■ In what ? Not that any Gifts of Mine have been 
 ^ ieen, but that the Q^ou'er, the Wifdom^ the Good'^ 
 ' nefs and T'rutb of the glorious God have glitter'd^ 
 ' tbro' me as thro' a forry Lanthorn to the View' of 
 ^^ many Hundreds at a time. This even diffolves my 
 *■ Heart and caufes me to love that God who has ho- 
 ^ nored Himself by me. 
 
 ^ Hence alfo my Spirit grows more unconcerned 
 
 * about keeping or loling any Creatitre Comfort.^, 
 "^ \ Confolatiuncuhs Creaturulas ;] for 1 can encottra<^e 
 < wyftlfin the LORVmy GOTi. 
 
t)r. Cotton MiTHak." ti^ 
 
 ^3.1 drive a continual Trade of the moft exa6l, ex- 
 ^ flictP Addn(Tes unto the Lord Jesus Cmrist, 
 
 * who is the Mediator between God and Man ; fol- 
 ^ liciting Him to accomplilh xht great Work at 
 ^ bringing my G 2) and my Soul together, and fulfil 
 ^ ^M his Offices in the Doing of it. 
 
 ^ 4. My Refj^e^itwto tie Commandments of go 2) 
 
 * is Univerfal. Be a Precept never fo difficult and 
 ' fo likely to be rfecoiled at by Fkjh 6c Shod, if I fee 
 ' a is GOLD'S, my Soul fays, 'Tis Good I let me Obey 
 ^ it till Idy 1 
 
 ' 5, Let my 0'zt;« Iniquity aflault iftc with never fo 
 *" much Vehemence and Violence, I never let go the 
 '^Combat : But if I am foiled, I mourn ^ lam hum- 
 ' bkdy lam grieved exceedingly ; and with extreme 
 ^ Ardor and Anguifh, I keep crying unto Heaven for 
 
 * Help ; lefolving fo to do while 1 have a Day to 
 \ Live.— Wherefore, mejsthe Lord, O my Soul ! '' 
 
 In the third and laft Eicamination, which I iball 
 mention, his Soul fallies forth unto thcfe three ABs 
 #/' elevated Ckrifiiaf)iiy. 
 
 *■ (i.) Lord, I am To fatisfied in the infinite G/c^rr 
 *■ and Greatncfs ci uVj l^ov.T) Jesus Christ, and of 
 *■ Thy infinite Regard to Him, that I wholly give up 
 
 * my fcif unto that illufirious Lord ; and I pitch up- 
 ^ on it as my chief Happine Is to kivc Him forever. 
 
 (i.) Lord, I . am in fuch ill Terms with my <T//7, 
 ' that I mofl heartily give Thanks unto Thee for 
 ^ the m.ofl bicur and hui^)bling Difpenfations of thy 
 ' "Frcvidence towards me that have any Tendency 
 ^ to mortify it. 
 
 ^ f;.) Lord, I will always be at lVork\ox Thee, 
 ' and be fo far from thinking miuch of any Work, 
 ^ which 1 may do forTiiEE, that whatever Sufferi.vgs 
 
 do bcfali me for the [akc of t/jat TVork^ I will rc- 
 
 ^ joycc 
 
»i» "the Life (?/ 
 
 ^. joice in them exceedingly '^— . Thefe three Self- 
 Examinations will give you a Specimen of his Procc- 
 <iure in that Employment. 
 
 5. HIS Morning ThoUs, vmnner of [finding Sa- 
 turday-Afternoons^ and Mstbcd of SiiUari- 
 ^ing^ his Reading of the Scriptures and Applic a - 
 tk)n of the IPromifeSy Employment of his Mind at 
 She Eucharifi., ivith his prayers at the Sacra- 
 ment^ his Petitioning for three Favors 3 and his 
 'Refolution'for a Walk ivith GOD. 
 
 [i.l I have already written of the fiated Courfe of 
 Thinking he obferved for cveryMorning in the Week : 
 I fliall here juft let you know^ that the Dotftor con- 
 ilantly, befideshis Reflexions upon the ^efxion for 
 the Morning], fixed his Rifing "Tho'ts in the Morn- 
 ing upon fome Scripture, which might be of fpecial 
 Confequence to his befl Intereils. 
 
 One Example may fervc for all here : The Text 
 lie chefe for one Morning was that in Zech xiii. i. 
 On which his Tho'ts were under thefe Heads j 
 
 I. The Shod of the Lord Jesus Christ is fitlv 
 compared unto a Fountain. 
 
 z. ^Tis an open Fountain. . 
 
 3. The, End of it is the Wiifiing a^vcay of Sin. 
 . Of. S I N is therefore to be looked on as the vilefl 
 Unckanfiefs. , 
 
 It would take up too much Room here to defcribc 
 at large this Method and the Ufefulnefs of it : All I 
 fhall add about.it is, that Dr. Matheb. v.cot ovck 
 many Portions and Chapters of the Bible \n ihli 
 Me:hpd^ and handled multitudes of Cafes referring to 
 the moft important Points in Chriflianity. 
 
 , [2.] H.E had a particular holy Way of fpending 
 the Afternoon of Saturdays. 
 -—His Method was this ; 
 I. Maki:4'J three Prayers. 
 
 ThIc 
 
Dr. Ooi**t'0>« MOTHER.' ii^i 
 
 Th« f^^^) fas he begU^ other Aft^mdoni ) icon- 
 Tifting of -Tralfes^ unto God for His Mercies uritb 
 Him:, and his Rcq'UeJts oii the behalf of others. 
 
 The fecondj confifling of more JI(rml Converjh 
 ijvith Gop, in renewir^.g of Govenan't and Cloibres 
 with Jesus Christ ^nd the like. 
 
 The thirdj confifting of 'P^/^//6'//.^ jciuiing co the 
 Minifterlal Capacity^ in which he was placed^ and 
 particularly the Services of the Day enfuing. 
 
 2. Thinking on that Qucftibn^ What is /? tJ:^^ 
 I am jurtljer to do for the Name of GOID } 
 
 3. METi TT'ATING oh the Truths of Gopj 
 elpecially luch as hewite to deliver on the Morrov;. 
 
 4. Reading of i?cc/:j and Singing of //j/,;;;jiii 
 
 which his Graces might be excrcife'd. Hefpent manf 
 
 fiich Bielied Afternoons and kept Records of them. 
 « ■*■ 
 
 [ 5 1 Havi Hg fpokeil concerning Satitrdcyj Jif-er- 
 noons \ it is natural to tu(\\\u^ how he f^enttht SaJy- 
 hath ? 
 
 I will here giv^^ you what I find^ the "C'dviou: E^.- 
 ercifes he went thro' or^^ but o/ie Subbath, 
 
 Having the Evcn'ng before laid afid'e all AHairs 
 that might be any Hncumbrance to him, havin 
 devoted the Evenin;^ to the pAercilcs of Pjcty^ aii 
 charged His Family to m?ikQ 'Prepararlcn ior the 
 Sabbath ; iri the iMorning. he awoke }3leifini>- Goi^ for 
 tmother Sabbath 3 and arofe earlier than oii other Days. 
 
 He confidercd his iifual ^Hcfthn for tlte Morn:ng. 
 JVhatpall I do for Phe Good QJ'theVktk that I ha^ 
 under my Charz^e? He fang his Morrd;rr Bymn^ and 
 fcoming down into his btuuy wrote Ins ^^ij^icr to \\\% 
 Qucftiun,. 
 
I30 f he Life of 
 
 He applied himfelf to his Maker, as for the Tar^ 
 don of his former TreipafTes on His holy Day of Reft, 
 thro' the 'Bleed of him who is the Lord ©f it_, fo for 
 Grace from Him now to fanftify his Day. 
 
 THROurxHouT the Day, he kept his 7>oV5 in an 
 agreable Er?iplcy7n£nt and under the ncceffary Govern- 
 ment. When he was not engaged in any extended 
 Exercife of Devotion, he was continually forming 
 Almonimm ofPlet^^from occafional Objeds and 
 Occurrences ; Every Thing about him preached unto 
 him, and he ufually turned the LefTons into Ejacula- 
 tory "-'Prayers. If he ^ound his Mind begin at any 
 Time to ly fallow and empty o£ good "Tho^ti^ he pre- 
 fently rebuked it and renewed them. If any evil 
 7*100' ts began to make thelcail Approach tohisMind^ 
 he prefcntly bewailed it and rcjeded them^ and railed 
 good ones contrary to them. 
 
 He fo took heed againfl Sinning 'uoith his tongue ^ 
 that he did not utter one Word on the Day, but what 
 he tho't he did well to fay. * 
 
 He wrote an Illuflration upon a Text of the/^rrfi 
 Scripture. 
 
 He read a fuitable Portion of the Old ^eftamentifi 
 the Hebrcx Language. Another in the French. And 
 then a iuitable Portion of the Neiv I'ejiament in the 
 Greek. 
 
 Then he made the Morning Grayer of his Study. 
 
 His Breakfaft ( which was as his other Meals flen- 
 der \ being bro*t hinij his Food was received with 
 Praifes to Gor, ,and Meditations on the nobler Pro- 
 vifions which He had made for his better Part. 
 
 With the like Difporitions and Meditations he 
 anon tock the other tzvo MerJs of the Day. 
 
 Hf. went down to his Pamily, fang and frayed 
 with them. 
 
 He gave Charp;es to h\s Family to rememher the 
 Schlath Day and keep it holy. And, to the very 
 imall Children that v/ere to ihy at homc^ he allign'd 
 Untencei of the Bible to be got by Heart. 
 
 Hr 
 
Dif. CoTtoii Mather: i^t 
 
 , He retufned to his Study, and pray'd that the/«^- 
 Ik Sacrifices y to which he was going might be pro- 
 fitably and acceptably carried on. 
 
 He went unto the Public, where his venerable 
 Parent performed the public Miniftrations. The very 
 *BeU put him in Mind of the joyful Sound. Here he 
 gave fuchAttention that not onePaffage of the^^r^^'fr^, 
 not one Head ovTe:<ty and fcarce one Sentence in the 
 Sermon paifed without his Mind m.oving towards 
 Heaven with an adapted Confeffion or ^Petition uport 
 it. And every Vetfe of the 'Tfalm he accompanied 
 ivith a Note and a Grayer deduced from it. 
 
 , When all was finifhedj he fet himrclFto form De- 
 fires for all the Rearers y and the Defires and Relblves 
 ioit his O'vcn Life; and think on thofe Improvements i^ 
 ^iety^ to v/hich tlie Subjed treated on might lead 
 him. ' 
 
 Returning to his Study^ he read over fome Dif- 
 courfes on the great Sabbatifrn- which the Church oF 
 God i5 to look for^ and the glorious 'JThings "which 
 arefpoken ahom the City of GO 2) ^ ajid the"" Prophe- 
 cies relating to the latter Days. 'I^his he did (as he 
 ufuallydid ) bbcaufe he looked on^ the Sabbath as a 
 peculiar 2^r/>^ and Sign o^xht hlc'iiQA Millennium. 
 
 Goi NG to his T'dbhy he kd the SoUls of the Coin- 
 pany with as profitableDlfcourres as he could entertairi 
 them with. 
 
 And he alC) Jreiv out his Soul to the Hnncrrv ; he 
 tho't it a Day proper to difpcnfe KindrelR-s unto the 
 ^oor ; he was careful to have fome luch invited unto 
 his Table. 
 
 After this^ he went on to the Affairs of the 
 great Sabbatifrn. He read a Paragraph. of Scripture 
 referring io it, with his acutcft and moil peh^traring 
 Tho'ts upon it and fuitable Ejaciilations. And he 
 fang an Hymn relating to it. . 
 
 Then proftrate in the Dufljhe poured out affrayer 
 for Zion i/i the 2)ufy ahd for ths Hallening of the 
 Day of God, 
 
 K t Ijfoft 
 
ira 
 
 'The Life of 
 
 Upon this he to^'k tine Sermon He v/as to preacK 
 irn;ncdiately, and run it over iu that his Aiind was 
 formed into piopcr Tempers and Wifties on every 
 Head of tiie berijion. 
 
 He then on hisKneesbewailM before theLoRD fuch 
 Slfjs as the Sermon he was to preach moft called him 
 to )epcnt of ; and pray'd ioi: Grace to do fuch Things 
 hfinlcif, as hi^ Sermon v;as to excite his Hearers to ; 
 and beg'd for the Help of Heaven in the Work before 
 kiin. 
 
 He went unto the public, and fpent about three 
 Hours in carrying on the Services ^there, in a great 
 Ajjumbly with great AlTifl-ancefrom Heaven. 
 
 His Alind_, between the Concluiion of the Services, 
 and hj^jiu firing cj his flahitatiott^ was filled with 
 Prayers that what had palled might make due Im^ 
 preiiions upon the People. 
 
 Excessively tired he drank his beloved 7^^_,with 
 Prailcs t;; the glorious God, and fome Tho'ts on his 
 precious Benefits to which the Water led him. 
 
 He made a Prayer for fuch jBlellings as he was daily 
 to ask fur. 
 
 He went down to \\\^FL%mily ; where he catechized 
 his Children ; and vv«int thro"* the Sermons of the Day 
 in a way of Dialogue with them \ and fang and pray'd 
 with them and the Neighbours that came in to join 
 with them. 
 
 TiTEN hecaufod fuch of his Children as could do 
 fo, to tell him, IVunt ?ie-iv Matter of 'Prayer they 
 ixert nffrehenfive of} And he charged them to re- 
 tire wirh it^before the Lord. 
 
 Having alio ordered one of his Sons to hear the 
 Servants vq^^ <?c fay their Catechifm : he retired unto 
 hi? Study and meditated on that Point ; What have 
 I 'eft unJonc ibnt it \i:ould Oe for my Conflation and 
 Sdti^faBion to do before I dr ? 
 
 p{^ read in a Book of Piety, a Sermon that might 
 ad J r.ntn the HeavtiAy Tin6f ure on his Mind. 
 
 Hr was called to j>'-ay ixiith a Sick 'Perfon^ unto 
 which he v/cnt with Alacrity ^as unto a Duty of rlie 
 
 Sdbbatki, 
 
 He 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather. i-^ 
 
 He went again to his ramilyyand fat with them, 
 while each oi che capable ChiLlren ruccdiivcly read 
 their fcvor^ parts ctTuine ijcok of jDevotlon to the 
 V^hole i-aiaily ; And he took Occafion from the nee 
 to renew his Iqflrud ions to theni.' 
 
 Then h^ langWith his irair.ily his I:v8/Ji/J^^ Hjv:/J. 
 
 H& retimed to his Study, and in Prayer gave 
 Thanks tor the Mercies of the pail Day ; and im-. 
 plored a Parc!6n for the Errors of it^ both of 
 which he fiideavoiircd particularly to enumcinte,' 
 He committed all his Interells into the Hands of his^ 
 dear Saviowe^ and exerted a 'Pri;j:i}4s of G' cce in 
 ^n A61 that was an eiident l^oken of 'Sdli-'ation, 'that 
 iriight alTure him of his Safety ithe'vvcre to dy before 
 the Morrow. 
 
 Flnnlly, He declared before the Lor p, that ahhu; 
 fome had oblerved a Reward of T'empcral 'l^leifuifi^s 
 even in the cnfuing Week to encourage their Sabba- 
 ti'zing, he had been abounding in this Work cf th^ 
 LORiD without the Encouragement of any fuch 
 Expedation. If never ^o much Difappoii.rment (^r 
 Affliction fhould befal him in the Week, or in the reli 
 of his Life, yet he would go on in the Labors cfS'nb- 
 djtizlng to him ; and alFure himfelf that he flioul^ 
 find his Account in, fke llejl. that rern^dn^ for tl.p 
 '^^eople tf GOTi\ but renouncing all Pretence to 
 Merit in his own Performances, 
 
 So he went to Reil. j and iell afleep reading fome 
 divine Author. 
 
 Tms \ ....__,. of Duty ( . ...... , .,.o .:> no I)V hi-ji 
 
 on o;;^ ^^^,^/r2^/? : And aitho' he found himielf.very 
 'zeT^ry^'yet his Spirit found thof: unlpeakable Coiv 
 (olations and Advantages from iuch un-ivefri' 4 Sab^ 
 l?atiz'ing, as carry'd rieii Compeniations with tlKir.. 
 
 - ' WniiN be reaJ t.he Scriptures , he had 
 '^'■' V" and u(eful Praclice in it. 
 
 ^^.is, a Co.urfe of Reaylirrr \\\i\\ fich a H ;- 
 
 -4t:on a5 to fetch" at leafl one Objlrv.ifiofi 
 
 K 5 z.y^ 
 
?54 ^^^ ^^fi ^f 
 
 "s^nd one SuppUcatioff^ ( a Note with a T'Pl'Jb ) out of 
 alinoft every Verfe in the Bible. He had a Profpeft 
 of more than a little Good by it ; he tho't a great 
 deal of Truth and Gr^<;e might pafs thro* his Soul 
 in thus waiting upon God, and his Profped did not 
 4il him.. The Reading the Scriptures ia fuch z 
 Manner and with fuch an Affection proved unto him' 
 a moll glorious Opportunity for Converfing with^ 
 feoD. And he gave more Thanks to Heaven for, 
 teaching him this way of Liviwg than if he had the 
 greateil Earthly Revenues beftowed on hhn. 
 
 And here is a proper Place to relate a Propofal, 
 
 which he drew up in the Manner and Words follow- 
 ing a Viz, 
 
 ^ Let it he a part of my Bufinefe every Day to be 
 ^ applying of the Promises. There are certain ^r^?* 
 ^, mifei that are of continual Ufc in the. Chrijfia»'s 
 ' daily ff^alk ; and I wifh I might every Day have, 
 ^ fome delightful Reflections on feveral of them. 
 
 ' BVBRT Day., I ihall have OccaHoa for a 
 
 * Tromife of a Supply for all my Wants in the Day : 
 ^ Such an one is that in Phil. iv. i$, C O ID "ucill 
 ' fupply all your Needs, 
 
 ' EVERT Day I fhall have Occafion for a 
 ^ ^romife of Grace to manage the Day for the Glory 
 
 * of God. Such an one is that in Zech. x.iz. Iwilf 
 ' flren/then thfm in the LOBJJD, they fiall ivalk up 
 
 * and doivn in his Name faith the LORD. 
 
 ' EV ERT Day I ihall have Occafion for a 
 ^ Tromife of a growing ViBory over ^in. Such an 
 ^ one is that in'Mic. yii. ip. He ^x'ill fuhdue our 
 
 * J/ii^uities, 
 
 ' E VER T Day I ihould have a "Promife of Sue- 
 '^ cefs in my Undertakings. There is one in Pfal. i. 30 
 ^ Whatfoever he doth jfj^l profper. 
 
 ' EVERT Day I Ihould have a "Promife ofTrc^ 
 •^ rr^ffion from Dangers. There is one in Pfal. xci. 10. 
 ' No Evil Ihall befall thee. 
 
 " ^ < EVERT 
 
Dr. Co*:ro« Mather; 13 5 
 
 ^ BVERT Day I fhould have a "PrGmlfe of 
 •^ Comfel in my Difficulties. There is on^ in Pfal. 
 ^ xxxii. 8. Iivillififtru>£ltheey ayid Iivill teach thee 
 ^Jn the Way 'which then fiouldft go. 
 '■■^ EVBRT liay it were good I lliould have g 
 ' ^romife of not being the iiwrfe by whatever hap- 
 ' pens to mc. ''Tis to befound in Rom. viii. i%. Ml 
 ^ things pall *H:ork together for Good. 
 
 *^ EVERT 2)av I can't be without a "Promife of 
 
 * Eternal Happnels at my dying Day. Here it is^ 
 ' Luk. xii, 32. It is your Father's good'Tleafure to 
 5 give you the Kingdo-m. 
 
 ^ Oh i That Irnight often ^-ufr^' 2^^^ be glancing 
 ' at fuch Tromifes as thefc ! It would be Heaven 
 
 * upon Earth to be doing fo ; and it would have a 
 ' charming Efficacy upon me for the perfecting of 
 f Holinefs in the Fear of G 1), '' 
 
 [5.] Th ElDodior had much Exadlnefs in the Me- 
 thods of employing his Mind at the Table of the 
 Lord. — >-- 1 will here t'Tanfcribe only the firft of the 
 many Inllanccs he recorded of his more methodical 
 Troceedures at the facred Table. 
 
 Prayer being finifhcd^ his Mind thus operated ^ 
 
 ^ Do I need the Lord'Jesus Christ ? Yesj in- 
 ^: finitely j but chiefly on two Accounts. 
 
 ^ The Guilt of Sin on me is mountainous ; none 
 ' but HE can remove it : The 'Pc-zver of Sin in me 
 ' is marvellous- none but He can iubSue it. 
 
 *" But am I willing tp have the Lokp Jfsus 
 ■^ Christ ? ---Yes;, moll heartily. 
 
 ^ For there is a drt\-idful Ncceffity that the Klife- 
 ^ riesof my Soul ihould be relieved.-- HE ?,rid none 
 ^ but H-E' can. relieve rhcm. ' 
 
 ^ I capnot find any Thing unlovely- in the Lord 
 
 ' jEsus'CiiiiiST ; all His 'Benefits and Offices are 
 
 ^ defireabVe.— '-' And there<"'Me, Lord, f am wiiling. 
 
 ' ' ART' Thcu fo ?, Tijen take HIM, fays' the 
 
 ''' LoRD^ I give H I M to "Thse, 
 
^y. ^he' Life of 
 
 By this Time the Sacramenttl Srea^w^^zs brought 
 unto HijTi to ^^?i the dxt ^ which He rook [ ancii 
 eat ] accoraiagiy. 
 
 And then he proceeded ; <" The Lord Jesvs is 
 rrine i If I am reauy to queflion it^ I ni«*y now /^^a 
 ^ andfe/l ^ni tafle it^. My Lord and Saviour. L 
 may be fure^ will c igage fo^ aiy Good and pcifedb^ 
 every part of my Suivauon. 
 
 At the Aclminiflration of t/:}e Wine ; and after; 
 Prayer ; — Thui^ 
 
 ^ Thf firft Ccve/jant 15 broken ; It (peaks nothing 
 ^ but Confurion to fallen Man : The gracious Goi> 
 *^ therefore enters into a Ne-iv. Cove/^ant which is of 
 " Grace, In it is tendered all manner of Good for 
 ^ Believers on CuaiST^ the Mediator of than 
 ^ Covenam. 
 
 ^ Am I willing to come under the Wings of this 
 ^ Ccvenant ? — Yes; Lord, Thou hail made mc^ 
 *"■ willing. 
 
 ^ I'll EN, fays the Lord, Here is the New- 
 ' T'eftarjcnr in my 'Blood. 
 
 By iLiib i ..liC the Sacramental Wine came ui)to 
 him ; he drank of it, and thereby he had all the Good 
 of tlie Covenant fealed unto Him. 
 
 He then proceeded; ^ Noixi I pall have Repsn- 
 «: tiince Ana Rpi-nffion of Sins. . Now ail my Change* 
 *^ will be well^ Ordered for me. My God 'wiil guide< 
 ^ me by Counfel and hringmeto Glory. AH tloe great 
 ^ and prcftGUs Tromlfes of God are my Herit^e and. 
 ^ be the Rejoicu/ig cf wy Heart. 
 
 This one Infbnce may teach us how to manage. 
 cu?,; Stp.crdweutal Meditations much to our fpiritual 
 iiofit.-n^ 1 he Sermons vvhich he heard prepa- 
 jT^iroriir to Communion^, he made very fubfcrvient toi. 
 feii Meditat'ous in this Way of regularly tnarpalling 
 tLcmon rn:;h blciFcc], Occafions. 
 
 «. B-ur 
 
Dr. CpTTON Mather 5^^ 
 
 ' [<^.] But when iho2)o5ior hw^^d{ adminiftred tk^ 
 Eiichariii^ his Devotion ^^as very. ^aaui;ig and his> 
 
 ^)'^j'f/iexjocding1y rervent. 
 
 HiS rrryerSy poured out at the Cekbjcatioa of 
 the Sacrcifiicvp 'lii'ire dtn-atcd^ as Gregory Ni- 
 zi ANZFN' fays or/;/i Fathers^ by the Holy SPIRIT, 
 oj^G O 'D. Hciarely adminiftied on fuch OccaQoos 
 before the "Loi^i:), without lignallrradia^tions of Mind 
 a ;i veiy inj a rgiijig Influences. He could not ^^ as he- 
 tv'lJ rnt-, ^t^c'^'kritten Memorials ofthofc Paflages -^ 
 io:, \\ h\^ £nrplcy-inems were not fo many as to hin- 
 ckr h'irn, it were next to ifiifofjible to recoiled: and 
 exprefs thewarmReque(lSjthe/ro;;g6';7>^, the celeffial 
 E-^oanfioni of his boul when employed in that hea- 
 i.niy Bufmefs. 
 
 I "."{He has often heg'd wbh irrefiiliblelmportunky 
 ^hrce Favors of the glorious God ; in which there 
 is imply 'd all that a Man need defer e and feek afcer. 
 
 Firfl, That Christ might appear to him the 
 inoft glorious o{Oh]Qcks. 
 
 Next, That .S"//; might appear to him the moft 
 cd'ious of Objects. 
 
 -Thirdly, That the heavenly World migi\\, he as 
 real to [xiixi as any Thing u'pon Earth, 
 
 [8."1 I cannot conclude this Chapter more agreably, 
 than with hia Refolut ions fir his Walk, -zvlik GOD: 
 They being the brief and full Recapitulation of what 
 1 have written before concerning hii Conftancy in Re- 
 ligion. 
 
 ' R ESO^L Utl NS for m Wdk -hb GOT) : 
 ^ Lord T&u tliat v^'orkcil in nic Co /r///^ help me^ 
 ^ to refohe. 
 
 «■ I. As to my T'houzjn. . 
 
 \ I. To endeavor that I will keep Uox», Christ 
 < and Heaven nvzch. irf my Tho'cs. 
 
 2. U 
 
 c . 
 
* 2, In a fpecial mann«r to watch and pray againS 
 * all Evil Ttio'ts j efpecially ia th^ Times ot Ds^ 
 5 vDtion. 
 
 * IT. As to my WorJs. 
 
 'I. To be not oF»?/;^j ^Fc^r^li; and w|ien I do 
 <■ ijjcak to do it with 'UMerariion, 
 
 ^ 2. To remember my Obligations to ufc my 
 ^ T'ongue as the Lor d'$ and not my onxn \ and thcre- 
 ' fore to promote /^-yt^^^ry iJijcmrpi if I can whcre^ 
 5 cvtr I come. 
 
 ^ ^» NivER totnfwcrany ^^/^//thatis wf/g^/^. 
 *^ without lifting up my Hearc to God in a Rec^ucit 
 ^ that HE would help me to give a right Anjijcer. 
 
 ^ 4. To ffeak III of no Mm, except on a good 
 f GfQund and for a good End, 
 
 '5. Seldom to make a ^/j^r without contriving^ 
 5 What I may defer G02) m that Vifn ? 
 
 ^ nL As to my daily Courfe of !Duti^s, 
 ' I. To pray at ieaft thrice every Day. 
 
 * 2. To meditate once a Day^aftei a ^oBriml and 
 
 * jipflicatary Manner. - 
 
 * 9. To make a Cu.flom of propounding to my 
 - felf thefe three ^efiio»s at Night before I flcep. 
 
 ' WHA T hath been the Mercy of G01> in the, 
 ^ 2)ay fafl ? 
 
 ^ WHAT hath hen my Carriage before GO 2) 
 I in the !Day fafi ? And 
 
 <■ IF Idy this Night, is my immortal Spirit fafe ? 
 
 ^ 4. To lead a Life of conftant Ejaculations. 
 
 * 5. To be diligent in ohferving illufirious ^ro- 
 ^ vidences. 
 
 ^ But in all to be continually going to the Lord 
 '^ JESUS CHRIST as the only ^P/;;j)yia^?; and Redee- 
 
 * mer of my Soul. 
 
 * ^ LORD, Tho;/ that workefl in me to refohC:^ 
 ^ help me to pirfermc 
 
 Thus I have written, of hi^ Chriftiau Life and 
 Converfation 3 and here conclude this Chapter." ' ' 
 
Dy^ Cotton MATHita^ 13 j 
 
 Chap. Vtl. 
 
 filS latter Days '^ in which his Sentimnts 
 of fame important Things are mentioned^ 
 together with a Relation ofTemper in his laji 
 lllnefs and the Circumftancei of his Death 5 
 und at the End a Catalogue of the Books he 
 publi/hed. 
 
 Sect, i. HIS^wayofLivii^ginhisUtter^ays. 
 
 J, ^ I 1 HE very learned and good Drvsius fays, 
 I that his Old Age ivas better to him tbatt: 
 •A his Touth, So was Dr. Mather's : He 
 was generally more hearty in his latter 
 Years than former ; and^^ altho' he was always very 
 J^»?/)^r^r(?/ ill his later Times he was exceedingly re- 
 gular ; in every Thing but Reading and Writings 
 for he was as conltantly employ'd in thefe^as if he had 
 but uewly taken a Ten or £ook inlo. his Hand. 
 
 2. CicEROjin his Book of Famous Orators^ fptefe- 
 ing of Piso who when he firil fct out got coniider- 
 able Fame, fays, that he maintained his Ground 
 ivhile be could Ixbor and he induftrious, but continues 
 TuLLY, Toflea quantum ds.tr aait ex Studio, tantum 
 amlfit ex Gloria, h. e. As he ceafed from his Study 
 he loft his 6>^J/V. Dr. Mathei^^ as I faid before, 
 did not abate his Studies -, and hence, he had thofe 
 doEli Sales and ih^t grata Senetius whichCLAUDiAM 
 admir'd in Pall ad i us, that is, he rendered himfclf 
 
 in his latter Days he fludioufly avoided Company as 
 much as he could ) and was reforted to by Per ions 
 of all Charadlers ^^01 his Directions^ Advice and In-f' 
 itrudlion. 
 
if4* ^Ms Life of 
 
 5. I mufl relate one Thing by svhich all V^iXtrm, 
 would do well to rcccjve Inllruclion, "'tis this , He 
 ^ould not^ as I more efpecially know in his /. 'sr . 
 fDays, keep a morcfe Carriage towards his Children^ 
 nor at an haughty jDiJfa>u:e horn them ; but forever 
 when they came into hisPrefence he would condefcend 
 ^o the Fnmliarity of an Acquai^itancc • and thus ue 
 would inftrud and edify, thys allure and, ch:.^rm us, 
 thus make us love his Society, ever come into ir with 
 Delight and never leave it but with Soriovv : - — 
 Which Method, I believe, will work more forcibly 
 tipon any Children of common Senfe and more en- 
 
 fage them to love their Parent and cncline them to 
 c good and ycrtuous, than any crabbed i.ookr^ 
 auftere Orders or furly Demands whatever. ' 
 
 2. His Sentiments u^ponfotne important Things. 
 
 1. Altho' he Vv'as a Defend^^'rof the UJcBrimi of 
 Grace ^ as expreiFed in the Articles of the Church of 
 England', and, as to Church ''Ijifcipllney was cf ot/;- 
 gregationfil Trinciples^ which he looked en as mp<l 
 agreable to the Woird of Gop and the Rights of the 
 Chriftian Church \ yet he was very extenfive in his 
 Charity^ being defirous to receive al! whom Christ 
 receives to the Kingdom of Gor, t?/z. All who fec:r 
 GOD and 'ucork Kighteouficf^y all who do not abet 
 Jirrori and indulge 'Pra^ficcs inconiiftent with th^ 
 Chriftian Life : And being of luch a charitable and 
 good Temper, he muft needs be an Enemy to all 
 KPerfecution as he was. He tho'c that a good Subjca 
 and- good Neighbour had a R'tM to Life and the 
 Comforts of itj let his Opinion in Religion be what 
 it will. He early imbib'd this Opinion, grew ftrong 
 in it, left it behind him and to the lafl: was an En- 
 courager of /?M/i/v il^Z/pV^vvithout any bi!;ter Spirip 
 common to this ^arty and that ''iv7c^/^"<?;;. 
 
 2. A$ it is, well known that Dr. M.^ th^.r was.-wtll 
 acquainted with Nje Sacred 'P'rnphcctC'Sy on which l.e 
 formerly writ and printed his Tho'ts -, 'lo iL:may n«^ 
 
 be 
 
Dr. CoTTOM Mather. i^i 
 
 fee amirs to inform my Reader, that, in fever?.! Things 
 relating to the Prr^-hecies, he fuw qauie to alter his 
 MinJ'y particularly v - ^^xxgihe fccond O.min^of 
 CHRIST, the C^n;. i, tb^ Ne-w Reavem and 
 
 Nmv 'Earthy an' i/;/;^ of th9 Je-ws. 
 
 I will here write thofe Sentiments ofthefe Things 
 of which the D'>">or jufl before he ciied had a liira 
 Belief ^rom a ftri-^ Enquiry> long Study and much 
 Prayer ; and, as n^ar as 1 can, 1 will exprcfs his Sen- 
 timents in his own Words m the following Allertions, 
 
 r. Ta-E.fecond Coming of tho»LoRT) will be at ?iv\^ 
 for the Deilru6*ion of the Man of Sin and the Ex- 
 tfnifVion oi the Reman Monetrct^- under the \Papi^ 
 Form oik. He tho't that, alrho' Wife Men have 
 interpreted our Saviour's Ccming in the Clouds ef 
 Heaven and the 'Brightnefs of his Appearance as if 
 it me'nt ^ny Thing befides His ^Perjonai Comings 
 herein they fpoke tbcliihiy and unaccountably. For 
 as their Interpretations leave us deftitute of any Proof 
 that our LOKD will ever come at all, (o they go very 
 ilu- towards a Trefpafs on the third Cinmandwem. 
 
 1. The Conflagration defcrihed by the Oracles of 
 God in flrong Terms, and which \^e are warned of 
 l^y the Afoiith of nil the ^Prophets ; this Co n/Iagr attain 
 will be at th^" fcrond Coming of the LORD. To 
 make the ^etrine Conflagration fignify no more than 
 the laying oS. Jerufalerit and her Daughter in Afhes : 
 And to make the l>leni} Heavens and the ^ew Earth 
 fignify no more than the Church State of the GofpeL 
 — - Thefe are fhameful Hallucinations. And as for 
 the Ne~v Earth, before the Arrival of which no Man 
 can reafonably expect ^^^^ppy 'fimes for the Church of 
 God upon Earth, it is the greatelt Abfurdity to fay 
 that it will take Place before the 'Petrine Ccnfi&gra-^^ 
 sions ; and there is no Profpe<^ of arguing to any 
 Purpofe with fuch as can talk fo very ridiculoully. 
 
 3, Ui'Ors 
 
Uz ^he Life of 
 
 9. Upon fhe Conflagration the glorious GOD wi!! 
 create Ne^x Heavens and a Neiv Earth. In the up- 
 jper Part of our Jtfvrfpkere^ whtre will be the ISlew 
 JJeavenSy there will ue the holy C% which God has 
 prepared for his Pegple. This holy City will be in- 
 habited by the ralfed Saintly attending on our SA- 
 VIOUR there and receiving the inconceivable Re- 
 compences of all their Services <?t Sufferings for Him: 
 The N(p-Tu Earth v/ill be a ^aradifhy prepared for 
 another People & full of the goodnejs of the LOR'D. 
 
 4. It is impoHible to firid any Inhabitants for the 
 Neix) Earthy hut a fetjof People that fhall efcape the 
 Conflagration. It is aThing plainly revealed unto uSy 
 that our dcfccnding Redeemer^, while yet at a further 
 Diftance than he will anon come, when he fets Fire 
 to the Earthy will by his Almighty Voice raife thg 
 tDeady v/hom he intends forBleflcdncfs, To fetch then! 
 to him as to Mng them mth him: As he is going 
 on in his nearer Approaches with his illuftrious Re- 
 tinue to give Order for the tremendous Fire, he will 
 hear the Cries of his chofen, called and faithful ones> 
 and he will fcrld His Angels to do for them as once 
 for Elijah • Thefe Hundred and forty four I'hou- 
 fandStryznts of God and Walkers with Him, that 
 have the Mark of God upon them ;, when iht'^Dpftroyer-s 
 are going to hurt the Earth, fball be caught up to 
 meet the LORD and with Him they fhall be in Satetyi 
 Nvhile they fhall lee the Earth flaming under them. 
 Thefe are they who fhall return to the F^e'vo Earthy 
 poffelsit, and people it; t^ey fhall foon multiply in- 
 to mighty Nations upon it. 
 
 5. THEProcefs of Judgment on the Sheep Sc Goats y 
 in the tnxsenty fifth Chapter o^ Matthe-Wy has not one 
 of the Raifed from the 'Dead concerned in it ; but 
 it is a, quick Divifion dl Decilion made by our Lord 
 among the Chriftians who cry for Mercy ^ when they 
 fee the Fire of GOD ready to fcize upon them, de- 
 termining who fhall be caught uf to meet theLORD^ 
 and who fhall be left to thf Terdition of ungoJly 
 
 Med 
 
 > 
 
Dr. CorvON MatherJ t^^ 
 
 Me^i in the Flames before them ; and there fhall not 
 bne uftgodly Man be left living in the World. 
 
 6. The raifed Smtts in the Neiv Heavens will not 
 marry nor he given in marriage, but be es[Ual "X'ttb 
 the Jlngeh', The changsS Saints on the Ne^uo Earth 
 •jvili toV^ Houfes and inhabit them, plant Vineyards 
 and eat the Fruit of them, and will have anOffspring 
 that ixill be with them the bkjjed of the LOKD^ 
 and if hleffcdy then Jlnlefs and deathUfs". The facred 
 Scriptures have exprcfily declared this Difference 
 between them. 
 
 7. While the hoty 'People tsfi the New JEart^ 
 (hall be circumilanced like JldamScEve in^aradife^ 
 in a pure and fpotlefs Manner Living unto God ; the 
 Raijed Saints, being fomewhat more Angelically 
 circumftanccd, will be fent from Time to Timci 
 down from the New Heavens tinto them to ht their 
 teachers and Rulers and have ^ower ever Nations^ 
 and the Will of God v/ill be done on Earth as it is 
 in Heaven^ This Difpcnfation will continue at leaft 
 for a thoufand fears. Whether the Tranfiations 
 from the Ne'w Earth to the Ne^m Heavens will be 
 fucceilively during the thoufand Tears, or all to- 
 gether after it, has not been difcoveredi 
 
 8. The Ne-iv Heavem, in Conjunfflion with the 
 Ns-zvEarrh under the Influence of it, is thztHeavenly 
 Count rey which the Patriarchs looked for. When thd 
 great God promiled them that he would be their 
 GOB and hkfs them, they underftood it of his bring- 
 ing them into this Beathlefs and Sinlefs IVorld. 
 They who exped the Reft promifed for the Church 
 of God upon tarth to be found any whtre but in the 
 Ne'iv Earth, and they who expect any hapfy T^imei 
 fer the Church in a World that hath 2)eath Sc Sin 
 in it, -— ^hcfc do err, not knowing the Serif ture nor 
 the Kingdom of GOD, 
 
^44 
 
 Tbe lije of 
 
 9. Stjcm a Converjion of the JfrasUtifi Nation witK 
 a RetuiYj tc their ancient Seats "in Tdlejlhe, as manf 
 .excellent rerions in latter years C and among the Reft 
 himrclF) have been perfuaded of : He now tbu': in- 
 confiilcnt with the fow/;^^ of the L'ORH) and the 
 ^Burning of the Vv^'orid at the Fdll of Jjuichrijl^ be- 
 fore Vvhich Fall ho body imagines that Convetjion. 
 And indeed how is it confiftent with the 2Jeep Sieep 
 in which the :Di!Uvium Ignis iTinftyas that ot Water 
 did^ furprize the World? The holy \Pecple of the Pro- 
 phecies is found among the Gentiles^ the furrogat^ 
 Ifrael. The Neiv^fefiament feetns to have done with 
 z carnal Tfrael I The jg'/e^g«/^/:? Chapter to the Rem- 
 ans is greatly rnifunuerllood^ where w^e find all Jfrafl 
 faved by a filling up of the Gentiles which v^t mil- 
 tranflate the fulnefs of the Gemiks. The Prophecies 
 of the old ^efiament that feem to have an Afpe^fl: up- 
 on fuch a Nation, are either already accomplilbied un- 
 to that Nation in the Return from the Chaldean Cap- 
 tivity; or they belong tp tnat /;c/>' IP^o^/c w- horn a 
 Succeilion to the Piety of the Patriarchs will render 
 what our Bible has taught us to call them the Jfracl 
 cfGOjD : But the final Fulfilment of them all will 
 be in the World to ccrne^ or the Ne-iv Heavens and tke 
 JN(?w Earth whfere GOX> ti-ill d-zvell laith Men and 
 he their GOT). Of w^hat Advantage to the King- 
 dom of GOT) can the CojFJcrJicn of the Jeivijh Nation 
 Le, any more than the Converfion of any other Nation, 
 except we fliould fuppoic? to remain upon the y(?':r//& 
 Nation after their Convnrfion fomething to dijlinguifo 
 them from the reft of the Chriflian Selievers ? No^ 
 to fuppofe this, would it not be to rebuild Vi'^Partition 
 Tfall that our Saviour has demohlbcd and aboliibed^ 
 \vhich a CbriRian, one would think, would no fooner 
 go to do than to rebuild the fallen Walls of ^cr/V/^^. 
 
 10, By all jufl and flur Computatiotis the t-ivelve 
 hundred and Jisty Tears allowed for the 'Papal irV;- 
 fire muft be rtear, if not ^juire expired. By Gonic- 
 Xjuence the r^np rboiifand three hundred and thirty 
 five Tears, which bring the "Timf. of the £nd when 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather, x^J 
 
 SDameh ^vkh every other good Maij, is to rZ/e ^»<? 
 /?i«/i^^ in kis Lot^ are not likely to extend beyond 
 
 the prefent Century. And for ought any Man. alivs 
 can lay the Alidmght Cry rnay be heard before to 
 Smorrov/ Morning, Thofc awful Things, .which our 
 Lord foretold as the Sigm cfbi^ Cevnng have beew 
 all actually exhibited and fulfilled , We have had 
 them all in all the Terrors of thenij and a flupid 
 World has not underftood them. 
 
 The Dodor was very much difpleafed with thofe^, 
 ivho, propofing rather to carf than tofesrch^ think 
 they have at once routed all Hopes to underftand thf 
 Scriptures and fecured an unintelligible Ohfcurity and 
 Jtmkiguity 10 the IJivine Oracles only by demanding 
 with an Air of Contempt, Where ii'illyou find Gog 
 and Magog} They are not ordinarily capable of re- 
 'ceiving a Rational Anfwer till, they have more.ieri- 
 oully tho't on v/hat is to arrive a tbottfandTears before 
 the Rifing of Gvg and Mag^qg. Suppofe j( what in- 
 deed the Doctor would not allow ) the Queflion:tp 
 be unanfwcrable : He would then ask. Is there nb 
 *^uepion concerning the Raifed "Bodies of the Faith- 
 ful which thefe People will confefs- cannot , yet be an- 
 fwered ? And yet3 continued. he_> they will not re- 
 nouhce thQ Faith ofrbe Refurre^lion, 
 
 The Do(5^orus'd to fay, / 'vcill dfo ^sk ycu cm, 
 
 I'hing^ -which ify.ou,teUmeI'ivillinlikc'Uije trlt 
 you : The ^Bodies o^ihQ Raifed fhall they be furnlfli- 
 cd with J^eeth or no ? Or I will only a^k^ \Vhc'<^ 
 will you find the Nations, over which the P.,^//'v/ 
 Saints (or the Qverromars ) are t;o .have ^o^jcer 'i Tell 
 me that, and I will tell you whereto find G'->g iH-ci 
 Magog. 
 
 And asfor thofe who think it improbable or ifi- 
 credible, that fo dreadful a Thing as a Confi^^grati'^rt 
 fliouldbe ordered for fuch an cvillVorld a^th'S; tlity 
 will do v^cll to think on the E'^Jil oj <in jajid to. re-^ 
 feibmber ciiat the Adtcdi^luvian Vvorid had as ri r^'iy 
 
 i 
 
I4<^ 'tpje Life of 
 
 fine Suildingi, Cities and Artifices in It as, and pro- 
 bably more People than, there are in ours. No more 
 than eight ^erfons were faved out of the Deltrudioii 
 which a FhoJ of Water bro't upon that World ; 
 whereas there will be a great Number, God knows 
 how many Thoufands, faved out of the/ery Flood 
 which we have to look for. 
 
 Thus I have given a brief Account of Dr.MATHER^s 
 latelt Seniiments concerning the facred Prophecies : 
 I have been the more concifc, becauie I hope I fhall 
 procure a Fublicition of His T^riparadifus ; which 
 will give the World a more ample Account as well 
 as Proof, of his Perfualion. 
 
 3. The Do5for's Temper in his hjf BheJ/e solvit k 
 the Circumfiances of his Death. 
 
 I. As He had walked in the Light oj GOD'i 
 
 Countenance thro' the greatell Part of hisLife; fo in the 
 latter Part of it he had more peculiar and lively Dif- 
 plays of the Divine Favor ; particularly in his lail 
 Illn^ffes. ^ 
 
 In one Sicknefs I find he was fure all his Sins were 
 pardoned, that he v/as above the Fear of 2)eath and 
 that he efteemed Patience under Sicknefs to be better 
 than Health it fclf. 
 
 Im this Illriefs I -like^ife met with his Enquiries 
 
 after the Rcafons why moft Men chiife rather to Live 
 
 than to T>y ?* The Caufes why the Generality defire 
 
 Life, nre either becaufe rhey are Afraid to Dy^ orelfe 
 
 bccaufe rhey I^ove Creatures here fo well that they 
 
 arc loth to leave them. Now neither of thefe Reafons 
 
 wer^ufficienc to make the Dodor prefer Life. Not 
 
 the ^tmeVf for he was a Conqueror and more than a 
 
 Con^wrcr over Death thro' Jesus Chr ist \ nor yet 
 
 '■', becaufe he could not be loth to leave the 
 
 to go to the Fountainy he laved the Creator 
 
 nan Creatures, 
 
 And 
 
 1 • 
 
D'r. Oo-yTo'M Ma THE ft.' i.^^ 
 
 Amd as for his jidv ant ages for doi»g Good in thi$ 
 World y whenever God. Ihould pkaic to put an End 
 to them 3 he was fatisficd. 
 
 f^ 1, One Day^ when h-c was kbounng under fomi^ 
 InfirmitieSj I find him writing as follows : 
 
 ^ WnLNlwas pouring out my Prayers uhto the 
 ^ Lor p^ I mentioned the ^Prolongation of m'^ Life 
 
 * to enjoy and improve more Opportunilies of glo- 
 ' rifying Him. In my Prayers^ 1 hunrbl) rcpreienredl 
 ^ to the LoRD^thAt there were two Objedtioris againft 
 *■ my Jj/>g;5which my Flep would be ready to i^ake^ 
 
 * but thro' His Grate I had conquered them. 
 
 ' Firfl, My Fkp pieadt^d that Wit 'Comforh of 
 ^ Earth were too agreabk Things to be eafily forfa- 
 ^ ken. But my Faith is perfwaded and fatisfied that 
 ^ the Delights of Heaven are Tweeter than the Ccm- 
 *■ forts of Earth j and I can freely leave all the En- 
 ^ tertainments of this Evil Worlds that I may be with 
 ^ Christ, where to be is by far the beft o/ d-L 
 
 , *■ Secondly i Mv Fkpj pleaded ^ What ^ill b^xbme 
 ^ ofmy Oj^V/);Y;?^vvhen I ^,m gone ? But my FaiiB 
 *■ is perfuaded and fatisfied^ that Go» wifi be a Fa- 
 *■ ther to my FatherUfs Offspring j and my Lor d 
 '^ Jesus Chr istj whom I hav'e fervid without leck- 
 *■ ing, as many-others v/ould have done, to enrich my 
 
 * felf with a Portion for my Children ^ will marvei- 
 ^ loufly become fu.h ^Guardi^.-Awx^o them> tha^ 
 ' they Ihall not --xant any good T'iing, - 
 
 *■ My Mind being on thefc two a cco*anh thus eafy 
 •^.and yradr to li'i , I then befoughtof the Lor Id ne- 
 ^ vertheler*: tl^at He would yet fpare my Liteito work 
 •^ for Him a little more among his People, 
 
 Tijus \\\t Doctor could Tay^ as Mar tiw ofT^'.^m 
 did. Libera me^ qUdefo^ Dbmine, e^ mrrtali ilio Car^ 
 cere ; Ferur>tar)hn fi adhuc ^Po^ulo Hw/i'.s^f Ns'ceJj[ariU:% 
 Ition Yccufo Labcrcm. 
 
14.8 Tht Life of 
 
 But, Having Writ of his Concern for his Children^ 
 I iec net why 1 may not add^ tho' it may leem out of 
 Place here, what he wrote when fome of his Children 
 •Cverefmall, m-z;. His Injlvumem of Setrufment and 
 Refi^nation for_ his Children^ whi».h he knew not 
 how foon he might leave as Orphans. — The Inftru- 
 ment> which He, prollrate in the Duft, (pread before 
 the Lor d, runs in thefe Terms ^ 
 
 < r\ My great and good SAvrouR, Thou Son of 
 ^^ ^ God, and the Lord in whom the Father^ 
 *■ lefi find Mercy : The principal Satis fadlion^ Con- 
 ' foJation with which I receive tbe Children, which 
 ^ the Lord has gracioully given me, at their Birth 
 ^ into the World is, the Profped: of more Subje6is for 
 *■ my Saviour and the Propagation ^ Continuation of 
 ' His Kingdom in the World. For this purpofe it is 
 *■ my flrong and full Defire to do my Part that my 
 ' Children imy kno-zv their Saviour andy^r-y^HiM 
 *■ 'ivith a perfe^ Heart and willing Mind. And I 
 ^ earneftly cry unto Him to produce a Work of Grace 
 ^ in their Souls and to take them under the perpetual 
 
 • Condud: oUhe Sfirit of Grace, that they may do To. 
 
 ^ Now I firmly believe that the World is under the 
 '^ Go^'fr^/^wg"/;^ of my Saviour, and that he fets at 
 *" the right Hand of God, and that the Affairs of the 
 '^ tDivine^Prcvldence are under his Adminiflration. 
 
 • He does particularly employ the Miniflry of His 
 
 • mighty j4ngeh in governing the Children of Men, 
 '^ and yet more particularly make them the Guardians 
 ^ of His Ihtle cncs : moft of all when in his Provi- 
 *■ dence He makes them Fatherkfs C/dldren. O ! Or- 
 
 • phans well provided for i 
 
 *■ Wherefore, O my Saviour, I commit my 
 ^ Children into thy Fatherly Hands. I pray to Thee 
 ^ that thy gracious Prcvldence may, and I truil in 
 
 • Thee that it will be concerned for them. Oh ! Let 
 ■ nothing be wanting to them thatihall be good for 
 
 them. Caufe them to Fear, to Love Thee, to v^alk 
 
 ' in 
 
Dr. Cotton Mather. 24^ 
 
 ^ in thy ways -, and make ufe of them ^o cJo Good in 
 *■ their Generation. Be Thou their Friend and raifc 
 ^ them up fuch as may be necejfary^ and in aconve- 
 ' nient Manner fupply all their NecefRties. Give thy 
 'Angels a Charge of them ; and when their Fa^ 
 ^ ther and Mother forfakc them, then do Thou take 
 
 * them up. 
 
 * This is the Supplicationj this the Refignation^ 
 
 * this the Depenalance of 
 
 e. MATHER, ' 
 
 5. yam meum^eElus ardn ConfpeElu Vitae JEternady 
 cujus vere fentio in me Liitia, were the dying Wordis 
 of a learned German Phyfician. The fame niig^aC 
 Dodor Mather ule in his two laji SicknelTes". 
 
 I will here recolledl lomc PafFages that occur'd in. 
 thelllnefs before that o£ which he died, which ma-^ 
 nifcft his being ripe Jor Glory and Ihow that thofe^ 
 Words were fulfird unto Him, It pall' tome to ^afs, 
 at Evening 'Time it pall be Light I 
 
 Hf. faid in our Hearing, ^ Lord, Thou art w'th 
 ^ iTie, and do ft enable me to fwg in the dark Valley 
 *■ of the Shadow of Death. I perceive the Signs of 
 *■ i)eath upon me, and^.am I not affrighted ? No^ not 
 ^ at all I I will not fo diponor ray SAVIOUR as to 
 ^ be frighted at any Thing that can befall mc, ivhih^ 
 ^ I am in his blcffed Hands ! 
 
 When fome Gentlemen came to f^e him^ he fiidj^ 
 ^ I hope, Ifhall not be found a Fool I but Here l ]y 
 *" and ^ing. Soul, take thine .^afe 'Tpou Joajl' Goodi 
 ^ laid up in Store for rnany^m-any Tears ^ for enilcfs 
 *^ Ages; but another foft 6{ Goods than what this" 
 *^ vain World puts olFits Idolaters with ! 
 
 Therz Vv'cre fcveral other PaOages which I will 
 give my Reader juilas the Dodtor wrote them with 
 liis lick Hani 
 
3>« "J^h^ Life of 
 
 »■ ^: I feel the Life of GOD begun in my Sou!^ and a 
 
 ^ predominant. Re fpe:^ unto, the great God govern- 
 ^ ing of me ^nd enciining me to ackno'-wkage tim 
 '^ in all tny Ways. Here is a Lije begun which 
 <^ can terminate r\o othcrwife ti^an ia an endlefs Life 
 •t \y\th my Got. There is a Well of Wdtcr in me 
 f that. will Spring up to Everlafiing Life. 1)eath^ 
 "^ do thy worft ; there is no ki llln -^ oi thdX Life to 
 5 y^hich my God has begun to raife me. 
 
 ^ Have I had a glorious Christ livijjg^ acting 
 *t ^nd working i^ me, and quicknihg me for livins^ 
 *t unto GOD , and will he ever lofe his Hold of me? 
 5 Np:, No ,; I a,m fure o{li>vi»g ivish him forevermore. 
 
 •^^ By the precioU'S ^ho'ts of my biclled Jesus often, 
 ^ often every day formed in my Mind, have I had 
 ^ hifii dwelling in me ; and fhall I not now go to 
 .5 dwell with him, ? I Ihall 3 aflui-edly I Ihalt 
 
 *, Has a Canforrnicy to CuRTS-i' been the Strain, 
 '^ a,id Sc.lt (^{\Vi^ Life; and have I made it my Study, 
 ■^ ppt only to imitate him in doing akvays theT'hiniir^s 
 ^ that plefife the Father^ but v^^hen my JfjSiiciicm 
 ^- liave been iuch as to refemble his HimlUation^ have 
 *" I not even rejoyced in'Trilpulauon} And fh:ill I not 
 ^ go, to partake with Wixvin Fulucfi of^oy^ andTka-^ 
 '^ fures forevermore { 
 
 * Has my dear Saviour made me ^aSacrificer^ fuch 
 «" a Satrifxer that wot only has my Life been filled 
 •^ with Devotiof^s towardsGoD and 'Benignity towards. 
 '^ Meri which are Siicrifices that God 15 well pleafed 
 ** w^ith thro" Christ ; but alfp have I not look'd on- 
 ' all the cGmfortahle 'Thins:s of this World with a 
 * Sr.c ifiriiig Eye^ and confented thax the Holy One^, 
 ^ if H- pi eafe J, fliouid ^(?/;jy all thefe Things unto me; 
 ^ letHim only befi'ow his Son uporv me and I fhoula 
 •^ be fitisfied ? And iKalH not npw be adniitted :i~ 
 \ inon^, the 'Priefls of GOD and Christ ? Yes in- 
 ^ ticed^2,ad even while I ^b yet zmQugxhcSacrinced 
 
 '^ and-: 
 
"Dr. CoT-roN Mather,' t$i 
 
 ^ and ^ill feparare ySoals under thQyJUar^ 1 Hiall have 
 
 • f/ife White Rohe^ of tloe 'FrteJthooJ g'lYcnto mt. 
 
 *" Has the glorious Jesus even hert fo fu^plied all 
 ' my JVams ^iiith Riches cf Glory in my fenfe of 
 *■ having Him for mine^that I could p?tieijtly,quet]y 
 ! chearfully bear the loj's cf nil Creatures from the 
 
 • view of having ChrisI* concerned for me and 
 ' feeling Him converfing with me? And now I aiti 
 ' going from all Cren tares here btilow^ will He not 
 ^ take me where He will fhew and give Himsi- ui- 
 ^ unto me^ and be unto me infinitely better than all '^ 
 
 ^ Have I^ to animate my felf unto Holi/^f in all 
 ^ Mafimr of Converfatioti ^ in my Contemplations of- 
 ^ ten endeavoured to affect my fclf v»'ith tKe HjAimfs 
 ^ of the purified Sprits in the 'Paradife of* God.; 
 *■ their flaming Dei)otions ; their 'Delight ui God , 
 ^ thai Hatred of Sin^ the Contemp with which they'" 
 
 • look doixn on the high l^hings of this World ; and 
 5 the Goodnefs with which they treat one another ? 
 ^ Done this which earneli: Deiires to be as like them 
 ^ as this mortal State may attain to and will admi:of? 
 ^ And fhall I not now be fetch'd away to join v^'ith 
 ^^ them in the Prailes of God ? 
 
 *■ Has the Angelical Miniflry been what I have 
 *" been thankful for and mindful of? Have I been 
 a Caufe of Joy among the jlngeh by being a Rc- 
 fenting Sinmr ? Have I been deterr'd from doiwg 
 amifs becaufe of the Angels'^. H?.vel hvquently 
 tho't, with what a Zeal cf the LcrJ cf Ho'fs the 
 Angels do burn; how they are upon the //'/>©<" to 
 execute the Commands of our Lord ; with what 
 ^ f^ure Eyes of Deteitation they behold F.vil and look, 
 upon Iniquity.) vvirh Vvhat- '/-/r?t'?//^rtf they do goo.l 
 ^ Offices for /.?^^ Heirs of Salvation} And hav^r I 
 ^ wiili'd and lonj^'d^ Oh I that J^ivere as jar as my 
 ' Ca parity ivould allovj Of'i> like unto tkoj'e Huly 
 ',on's\ And fh ill not my Soul 'now fail into the 
 ^' H.i::d5 of :ho?e x\ •■ ^- -^ G'^n'^^'^^'^' nn-] he carried 
 
 ^ into 
 
iS^ T'l^e Zif0 of 
 
 ^ into the glomus frefence of God mtb exce^difig 
 
 ' Am I willing to be all thac my SAvievft would 
 ^ have me to be ? Am I willing to go wherever 
 *" my Saviour would have me to go ? Am I iviUing 
 *■ to leave all that my Saviour would have mc to 
 f pjrt w^th ? Have I no Jf^iU of my own left now to 
 ? m^c Rel^ellioH in u^q} Now I have ;;or^;;;^ to do 
 '^ hut to dy^ :. Nay^, I have not that to do neither : I 
 ^ am dt^d already ; my Will^ the hardeft Thing to 
 •? be killed in me> is already dead. Lord, thou wilt 
 S fiouo IVonders to the tDe^d ! My Saviour^ I am 
 f comijig to fee thy Wondgrs 1 
 
 *■ Indeed vc^y Heart is. deceitful ahove aU7%i»gs.; 
 ^ what 'if a deceitful Heart Ihould no^N turn me afide 
 ^ and I fhould perifh W//? a L^^ in my Right Hand ? 
 ' But 1 make my Retreat unto the bleffed Jesus, ts 
 '^ the Prophet whofe Office it is^ to fave me from De- 
 ^ luiicns, I W\\\ go up from the iVilidemefs lemming 
 '^ on the 'Beloved, one who has efpeufed my Soul unto ' 
 *■ Himfelf^ To, Hi.Mwhois the T^ruth^l llh up the 
 ^ ardenr Cry of ijiy Soul^, O my, SAVIOUR^ maks 
 ^ my Hs art found in thy Statutes. Let me not he con- 
 *•' founded -ucith the Hope of the Hypocrite. I com-- 
 ^ mit my Soul into thy Hands t / know whom I have 
 ^ Mitvedy T'hoHwiJtkeepwh^t I. commit unto ^kee» 
 
 ^^ Eu.T ! Whfct if after all zScvereign Gqj> will 
 ^^ have me to be a Cajl^away) *nd I fhall be call: 
 
 *^^ into «^n Hell where the ^Divine Juftise will be for 
 ^^ tvcx fcourging ofm.e ?— - Idefcrve it fhould be Co ! 
 <f^ ,^- Faulty ^I'hofs 1 fiery jDarts ! — In the Horror 
 ^ of7)arknefs I now humble my felf asC/^r before the 
 ^ hotter ; ?,r^ I feel my Heart fo filled, with the Love 
 ^ of GOD, Und lo fatisiied m His. doing all Things, 
 ^ right as they fl>ould be donc^ that if it Ihould bclb^ 
 ^ ye{; I defire that no Sc§urg? upon me may produce. 
 ^ any Thing from mc worfethan this, O Ifue and ^ 
 ^' i. ../'; a?sJ fervc the glorious GOJ) ivbo does all cf ^ 
 
 ^ this I 
 
- thisl Let none refifi the Will of the ghrlousGO 2) 
 ^ who Joes all of this ! Let me undergo all of tbis^ 
 ' rather than ever entertain one hard ^bo't of the 
 ' glorious NE !— But my Soul being thus dilpos'd, 
 ^ the Holy Spirit of my God immediately ihoots 
 ' the Rays of Hi* Light into it, and moft powcrftilly 
 *■ fays unto me J ^hi/e Diffofitions were never' made 
 
 * for an Hell^ the Fire whereof is f$r the Enemies of 
 ' GOD. Jf it were foflibk for a Soul to go to' Hell 
 
 * withfuch Difpofitions y it wouU carry Heaven thi- 
 ' ther with it. Noy no; Thou art ^ flea/ant Child 
 ^ unto me '. Iwilljurely ham Mercy on thee I 
 
 'And now, vain Worlds farewell ! Thou haft 
 ' been to mc a very uncafy Wildernefs, Welcome, 
 
 * everlafiihg Life ! The ^Paradife of God ilands 
 '- open tor me. I am juft entring into a World ^wherc 
 ' I ihall be free from Sin and from all Tempations 
 ' to it : a World where I fhall have all Tears wi^ed 
 ^ from my Eyes; a World where I Ihall ht filled with 
 
 * fill thefulnefs of GOD, The i>sft Hour that ever 
 ' I faw is what I am hourly and gladly waiting for !» 
 
 These Paflagesthc Doctor writ ; but many of us 
 heard moft of them from his Lips» 
 
 4. And now I write of his lail Illnefs and the Cir- 
 cumflances of his Death. 
 
 From the Beginning of his lail Illnefs^ which was 
 about the latter end of December i727j,8. He had 
 a flrbng Affurance it would be His Death. He 
 therefore, writing a Note to one of his Phyilcians.told 
 him J " My lafi Enemy is comej I v^^ould fay my h?Jt' 
 Friend ", 
 
 There was nothing He was more defirous of and 
 preired after with more Vehemence in his laH ^)ickners 
 than a Refigned WilL He feveral Times told^ us^ 
 i^hen He fhpuld have his IVill entirely Jwallc-zved rp 
 
 ■'■., , • • ■" ' in 
 
JJ4 ^^^ -^ifi of 
 
 in the Will cfGOT) he Ihould have no more to fay to 
 us. — He had fome Things on the Anvil which he 
 ' would v^iilingly have lived to iinifh^ but, faid he; 
 ^ Ijth9 GQ'I> of my Life has ordered othsr^mife^ I 
 ^ dejire to have no WiH of my own ^ When one of 
 bis Church asksd whether he was defirous to dy r He 
 reply'd, ^ I dare not fay that I am, nor yst that I 
 ' am not 'y I ivould be .entirely reji^^ned unto G02)*, 
 When the Phyiicians hinted unto him that he ^vould 
 dy^Me faid with uplifted Hands & EyeS;, ' Tby Will 
 h$ do9$ on Earth as it is in Heaven \ And a few 
 Hours before his Death he affured thofc who v» ere 
 round his Bed, * Nt/^t- 7 have nothing m'?re to do 
 ' here; my Will ii entirely fjcdloixed uPin the Will 
 f OJG0 2) \ ' 
 
 As thi:o' the Coiirfe of his Life He prooofed the 
 Glory of GOD as His lafl End, He, at the lail c'ays 
 of his Life, was very defirous that GOD migh^ be 
 CX'-eedingly glorified mid gratified by him and his 
 means : when therefore he was told how much many 
 good People prayed for him; He faid, ^ T'he Q^ raver 
 
 * of the Upright is His delight ; and I rejoice in that 
 
 * Sicknefs which, by procuring the Prayers ol iincere 
 
 * Chriftians, procures a Pleafure in the infinite God. ' 
 
 He often expreffed the good hope he had ; His be- 
 ing above the Love of Life and the Fear of Death ; 
 alluring us, that he was going to eat the Tiread and 
 drink the Waters oj Life freely ; that all L^ears would- 
 be foon -wiped from his Eyes i that everyl hing look'd 
 Jmling about him i that it ivas impoffibk Hcfiould 
 be .lofl ; that he had a firong Ccjfolation and tbat his. 
 Vieivs of the Heavenly World li'ere all glorious. 
 
 Many were the Bleliinga he pronounced and the 
 Charges he gave thofe who vv'ere nesi-. him. Hovk 
 did he wifh that the Bleliing of Him in rxbom alt 
 Nations are to be blejjed might reft on the Perfons 
 and Families. ot thofe v,'ho came to fee him 1 How 
 did he wilh a, Christ might be the Portion offc^vcrai^ 
 
 thinking.; 
 
4 
 
 Dr. CotrroN Mathxb. 155^ 
 
 thinking HE was 'BhJJing end" ? The Bleffing he 
 gave MnBYLEshisSifter'*sSon^ is as follows; ' My deat 
 
 * Childj and my Son^ mySon^ I bkfs you ; I blefs 
 f you ; 1 walh you ail manner of Blerfings ! I know 
 ' not what better to wilh you. than this^, that you bo 
 ^, ftrongin the Gr^^^ with, which our Lord Jesus 
 *■ Christ will furnifhyou. I know not what better 
 ' to wifh you than this, that you may be an Inftru- 
 ^ ment of dij playing to others the ^Beauties ^ Glories 
 *■ of our Lord Jesus Christ, I know not what 
 ^ better to wilh you than this, that you may be very 
 
 * fruitful in Projedtions and EjJ'ays to do Good^ that 
 ' it may be your Ambition to b7'4ng forth much of- 
 ' that Fruit by which our Heavenly Father may be 
 5 glorified. You have been acquainted with my poor 
 ' jManner of Livings even in the more fecret Strokes 
 ' of it i follow what you, have found in it agreable to 
 ^ the i^attern of a glorious Christ. My dear Son^ 
 ' I do with all poliible Altedion recommend you to, 
 ' the Bleiling of our dear Lort> Jesus Christ. 
 
 * Take my Hands^ and my Heart fuU of Blellings'. 
 
 It would a little difcover the Vanity of the Writer . 
 as well as the Fondnefs of the 'JParenty if I fhould 
 write all the Doctor (aid to him in the Blcffing 
 He gave him : I Ihall therefore but jult mention 
 the Tenor of it, when on bended Knees his Bleiiing 
 was asked \ *" You have been a dear Son and a pka^ 
 *■ fant Child unto me^ and 1 v;ilh you as ;?/^;;j Blej^ln gs 
 ' as you have done me Services which arc very many. 
 ^. I wilh and pray the God of Abraham, Isaac and 
 ' Jacob may be yours and His BMi;ig reft upon 
 *■ you. I vviib that, as you have a ProfpcA of being ' 
 
 * ferviceable in the World,you ma,y be great and con- 
 *■ fiderable, as the Patriarchs werc^ by introducing a;. 
 ^ Cm R I ST into the World. The Grace of the Lord 
 *^ JE:>US CHRIST be with you. AMEN ! ' 
 
 He informed me then,, what he would have to 
 tedpnc as to his private AiLi'-s (5c Papers ; and when^ 
 
 after 
 
J5<i TH Life cf 
 
 after fevefal i^i//^j cf private Con4uEi given to mf 
 which i lliall not write^ I asked him 'what Sentehce^ 
 or Wordy ivhat Uvt^vov e^ttB' He 'vc&uld have me tbifik 
 en constantly y for I ever defired to have him bef©rc 
 me and he^f him fpcaking to me ? He faid, ^ Rc- 
 «■ member^ only ^hat ohq word FruBucfm \ What I 
 have thus written with relation to my felf happened 
 on the SAhhathy two Days before he died. 
 
 The Day before he died he had (ome Paffages read. 
 to him eutufa Book he printed^ entitulcdi^.^/?/f//r«x, 
 which Paffages he faid He felt ^and if hit had StrengtM_ 
 to ffeak he would ufe the uery Words ; I (hall tran- 
 fcribethem, lor chcy will fuperfede the nicntion of 
 Sffy other Sentences by which He tellified his Tre- 
 farednefs for "Ifeath. They are as follows from^ 
 ffig. 41 of that Book. 
 
 ^ If the Requcft be granted, and the Felicity of 
 ^ having our Saviour gr^cisufiy ijuith us be obtai- 
 *^ ned, what a Strength will the Joy ofths L0R1>^ 
 ' give to us for ourConfiid with the lafi Enemy ? 
 
 * It is a Paffagc in the Prophecies of Jehemi ah con- 
 ^ ccrning the Gofpel Day^ which is to p'i^ from the 
 
 * Dc(lru6lion of the old Jerufalsm to the Arrival of 
 ^ the m'Wy when the LO RT> our GOD (hall come 
 
 * iind all his holy ones 'with him ; Zech. xiv. 7. It 
 *■ jhall ceme to pafs^at Evcning'Time it pall be Lightl 
 ^ O th^ Light y which a glorious Christ prefent 
 
 * with us will give us in the Evening, when we ap- 
 ^"^ prehend our fclves in all the Darkncfs which ws 
 *■ ihould elfe have to terrify us^ when the Curtains oK 
 ^ a Deatb-'Bed are drawn about us / The Light of 
 ' a Soul pailing into ?/57^ Inheritance of the Saints itK 
 *■ Light ! The Light of an open and AbundatJt 
 ' Entrance into the Taradife of GOU i 
 
 ^ May we have our glorious Christ with us^ 
 ^ when we 2lxc pafjing thro' the Fire, we 'hall be as 
 *■ unhurt, as untouch'd^ aseafy as the three Worthies 
 ^ \;ri^\vithQ fiery Fur ?kue. By His good Spi^i':^ 
 
 Hq 
 
Dr. Cotton Mat«erJ 15^ 
 
 ^ He will now fay unto us. Fear thou noty foy lam 
 
 ^ ivitk thee ; ^e not difmai'd, for I am thy Goik 
 
 ^ and SAV^IOUR, I -Ml strengthen thee y yea I 
 
 * mil ajjifi theey yea I mil uphold thee ^jcith th^ 
 
 * Right Ht^nd of my Rightconptefs. Upon the re- 
 ' nouncing of all Dependance on our own Righte- 
 ' oi^te/s, and relying on the Righteoufnefs of the 
 *" perfect Obedience^ which the Son of God ftoop- 
 ^. ing to be our Surety paid unto His own Law irx 
 ' our ftead. He will uphold us mth the Right 
 ^ Hand of His Righteoufntfs, Giving us to fee our 
 ^ fclves furnifh'd andcoverM with a Righteoufnefs ^i 
 '^ more Account than the befl u4ngei in Heavea 
 ^ may pretend unto. He will enable U3 to fay. The 
 ' Gates of Righteoufnefs Ifeefet open for me \ And 
 ' having a Soul feti upon xhtTraiJing of God, greatly 
 ' affeded with the'Praifes of hisCHRisT,and{lrongly 
 " defirous to celebrate and propagate, we ihall b« 
 " able to go on and fay, / will go in at thofe goldm 
 ' Gates ; I have fomething t» do mcithin. J ivillgg 
 ' in andpraife the LORlD ; It is -u^hat I have he^ 
 *" gun to do ; and His Traifc endureth forever : Ne- 
 ^ ver^ Never f J all I give over the 'Doing oj it, 
 
 ^Verily the gracious Trefence of our Saviour 
 ' with us will enable us to Sing /;/ the Vulky of the 
 ^ Shadow of "Death and render it no more than & 
 - Shadow of Death unto us. It will fo fet us above 
 ' the Fears of Death, fo that if perceiving the Signs 
 ' of it upon us, we be asked. Are you not frighted i 
 ' We fhall chcarfully reply^ No, not at all I / miU 
 *■ notfo difjonor a glorious CHRIST as to he af- 
 ^ frighted at any Thing that can befal me, nvhih I 
 "^ .am in His bleffcd Hands ! It will fn mollify the 
 ' fierce Vifigc i^i Death, as that if our Thi^'ts cfthc 
 •^ dying Hour be enquired after, we lliall break forth 
 "" into Triumphs upon it -, O jcyful Hour ! O ivelcotne 
 ' Hour \ Come Lord ^/ESUS, come quickly, ffhy 
 * fs thy Chariot fo long a coming ? 
 
 Ls3 
 
 / 
 
i5S The Li je of 
 
 *" In order to this, T^ks Tower of the LORT> being 
 ^ frefenty He will enable us to read our Evidences 
 ' fer Heaven and fee the evident Tokens of Salvation-^ 
 ^ in which He has marked us for thofe of whom He 
 ' has declared^ T'/^ey foall h mine in the iiay ivheu^ 
 *■ I make up my yenmHs, 
 
 ^ We fhall fee, That thcZoi;^ ofGO^ has caufed 
 ^ us to clofe with it as our BleiTedncfs, and to be 
 
 * ambitious of nothing fo much as this, that we may 
 *■ Be and may Do what may be a grateful SpeBack 
 *■ unto Him, and be afraid ofallowing fo much as in 
 *^ the 'tho'ts Sc Frames of our Hearts, any Thing that 
 ^ He may be difplcafed at, 
 
 ^ Wr Ihallfee, That th^Faith of Christ has not 
 ^ only carried us unto Him,to be made Ri^g^hteous and 
 ^ Holy in the Evangelical Way, and be brought by 
 
 * Him unto the full Enjoyment of God in a death- 
 
 * lefs Sc fmlefs World/ but alfo caulcd as to take up 
 ^ with Him as our Alfufficient 'Portion. 
 
 *■ Wtt fhall fee. That wc have a Spirit of Benignity 
 ^ towards our Neighbour, and rejoice in all the Good 
 ^ that may be done unto him. 
 
 ^Seeing xSxt^c Marks of the Lamh \y^ow us, wc 
 ^ fhall conclude, my S AV 10 UR, I am thine ; 
 ^ and nothing fo all pluck me out of thy glorious Hands \ 
 *■ The Holy Spirit of God helps the Believer firfl 
 ^ in a way of rational Argumentation to take En- 
 *^ couragcment from the 'Things that accompany Sal- 
 *■ vation found upon him. And v.hile he is doing fo, 
 ^ he breaks in upon the Soul of the Believer in a way 
 
 * of m.ore immediate Irradiation and with an over- 
 *■ powering ?c overwhelmingEfHcacy afFures \\\m,T/:e 
 ^glorious G02J has made Thee one of His Children, 
 ** and 'willfurdy do thes Good. 
 
 ^ Hz 
 
Dr. Cotton M'Ather. ijf 
 
 ^ Hii will enable us to feel the Life ofGO^, 
 ^ begun in oui Souli, and a predominant Refpc^ 
 *■ unto the gre^t Cod governing of us andenclining 
 
 * us to ackno'xkge H I M in all our Ways i Wclhall 
 ^ then rail© this Conclufion upon it. Here is a Life 
 
 * begun that can terminate no other'wije than in am 
 ' Endlefs Life iscith my GOD. "there is a Well of 
 *■ Water in me that iviUffring up to everlafling Life. 
 ^ heathy do thy 'worft ; there is no liilling of that 
 ^ Life ixhich my GO 2) has begun to ratfe me to, 
 ^ Have I bad a glorious CHRIS/' living y ailing and 
 *■ 'working in me y and quickening tne for Living unto 
 
 * G02) ; and 'will He ever iofe His hold of me ? 
 ^ NOy no ; lam fur e of Living ivith Him for evermore I 
 
 ^ SUT indeed it is not cafy to recite and reckon 
 ^ all the ravilhing Rcfledlions, wKich a Christ 
 ^ gracioujly prefsnt with a departing Believer may 
 
 * give Him the nofmallConfolationsofGOjDvikhil/* 
 -—I ihould here write on further from the ^6th Page 
 to the 51 ; but I remember a few Pages before I gave 
 ft you. 
 
 Th» Doctor died on February the thirteenth, 
 which 'A'as the Day after his 5*f>r/7-iZ>/!rj'^ in which 
 his fluty nfthYccLV was confummatcd- From the Thurl^ 
 day before to that Time he was dying of an hud 
 Cou^h and a fufFocatmg ^fthnia with a Fever ; but 
 he felt no great Pain ; he had the fwest Comfofure 
 and eafy T>eparturey for which he had entreated fo 
 often and fervently the fovereigrr Diipofcr of all 
 Things. 
 
 "tHUS Lived and thus T^icJ Dr. Mather, 
 to ufe the words of one of our Miniflers in his Dif- 
 courfeon his Death, the Glory of Learning ^ and 
 the. Ornament of Chrijiianity *, 
 
 The Rev. Mr. THACHER o^Bonm- 
 
 H 
 
 ( 
 
i6c "The Life of 
 
 He' Wis hurieJ tht Monday following; when>&fj 
 Church ( which honourably bore the Charge of th^ 
 Funeral ) to tcMy their fuperior Regard for their dcat 
 Paftor;,went hefore the Corpfe ; while the Honourable 
 "Willi A.M Dummer^ our Lieut.Governor and Com- 
 mander in Chiefs the Honourable the Council ancj 
 Refrefentatives of this Province, with a vaft Num- 
 ber of MinifierSy jfupces ef the Teac$^ Merchants, 
 &c. followed the MourHcrs. 
 
 The ^hurfday before the Burial, the Reverend 
 Mr. CoLMAN, preaching Utthe L©durc on Enoch^s 
 ITranJlation^ gave him an handfome Chara(R:er ; and 
 the Sabbath after Mr. Gee conlidcred th% Mourning of 
 Sfrailfor Aaron, and ingcnioufly applied it unto the 
 mournful Occafion prefented unto us.— Mr. Prince 
 alfo preached ^ funeral Sermon on him from Elisha's 
 Lamentation for Elijah, wherein he has done my 
 Father a great deal of Juftice. — Which Three Ser- 
 mons together with a Fourth Preach'd by the Dod:or's 
 Sony in his Father's Pulpit foon after his Death, have 
 been Publiftied among us. 
 
 I fball now clofe the Account of my Father's 
 Life, with a CA'TALOGUE of the Books hf 
 PublilhM. 
 
 Cardan wrote a Book, ^e Libris fropriis ; 
 and, fays he, Imitatus fum in hoc ftrihendi Genere 
 Galenum 6"/- Erasmum, qui ambd Gatalogum Li- 
 l>rorum fuorum fcripferunt.—Dr. Mather like thefe, 
 was obliged to write ^Catalogue of his Works ; and it 
 v^aswell he did ; fcrothervvife I (hould not have been 
 able to have given a complete one to the World.' 
 Me has publilhed three Hundred and eighty t--u:o 
 Books, as [ laid before: The Titles of which with 
 the Tears wherein they were emitted are now to be 
 exhibited and to terminate the Life., as a Friend 
 calls him, ofont ofttemoflfious; kf.rv^d and effec- 
 tive of Mortal!. 
 
A 
 
 C ATALCGUE 
 
 G t T H E 
 
 BOOKS 
 
 Publiftitd by Dr. fipatljCt. 
 
 T 
 
 I 5 8 cr. 
 
 He Call of the Gofpel. 
 Military Duties. A Sermon to the Artiller]? 
 Company in Middlefev:. 
 
 1 6^6 •}, 
 
 Right Tho'ts in fad Hours : on the Death of a firll 
 Born. 
 
 1^88. 
 
 Early Pi'ety exemplified in the Life of his Brother 
 Mr. Nathaniel Mather, with feveral Sermons. 
 
 I d 8 9. 
 
 Small Offers towards the Service of the Taberna'le 
 
 in the Wildernefs. 
 Memorable frovidences reb.iing to Witchcrafts and 
 
 Podellions, witli fome ::.ermons annexed. 
 Soldiers counielled and comforted. 
 AVoik upon the Ark. 
 
 ^rhe woBderfijl Works ofGoT^commcmnrated, with a 
 
 Isrmbti to the Convention. on the way to Profperity. 
 
 fe'e^fuy Repenhtiee iihs^ed : with foine hiit'>ii'-ai 
 
1-^i "The 'Booki "PulHped 
 
 \ 6 ^ Q, 
 
 The prcfent State of New-England conlidered in t 
 
 Difcourre on apublick Spirit. 
 H Companion for Communicants. 
 The Serviceable Man. A Sermon at the Annivcrfarj 
 
 Eledion. 
 Serious Thoughts in dying Times. 
 Addrellcs to old Men, young Men and little ChiU 
 A Scriptural Catcchifm. [drcn. 
 
 The Triumphs of the Reformed Religion in America^ 
 in the Life of Mr. John Eliot. 
 
 1^91. 
 
 TspeClcndct ; or Things to be looked for. 
 
 little Hocks guarded agamlt grievous Wolves j or a 
 
 Dilplay of Quakerifm. 
 Ornaments tor the Daughters of Zien; or the Cha- 
 racter and Happinefe of a virtuous Woman. 
 BlclTed Unions j with the Heads of Agreement be* 
 
 tvvecn the united Brethren. 
 r:iirWcather ;. or a facredExorcifm upon finfnl Difcon- 
 tcntjvvith lomc things annexed to premoteGodlinefs, 
 "Bahamim Vulnerarium e Scriptura ; or the Caufe 
 
 and Cure of a wounded Spirit. 
 lYe^aratoiy Meditations on the Day of Judgment. 
 A ^lidnight Cry ; with an Inflrument of Acknow-' ' 
 legements and Protcftations. 
 
 I <^ 9 2. 
 
 O'^tanJo. : or good Men defcribed and good Thingi 
 
 pi ©pounded. 
 
 'i'^hc Wonck-rs of the invilibl© World ; v.'ii'h a Dift 
 
 courlc annexed concerning Temptations. 
 
 'Cnivn]scQ£jjuriii}rr,QT awakeningsYor thcUnregcrerate, 
 
 I 6 Q :. 
 
 Vi'arnings from the Dead: SeriT.ons cccafioncd -by 
 tbir.c cnpical ExccutiouSw 'Fh& 
 
hy 2>r. Mather,' "i€^ 
 
 The Day and the Work of the Day* 
 Winter Meditations. 
 
 1594, 
 
 Early Religion with certain Memoirs of feme who as 
 
 their i;cath left Examples of it. 
 The (hurt Hiflory of Ise'w- England. 
 Srcnrologia Sacra : Sermons occafioned by remarka- 
 ble Th nder-Storms. 
 Seven rclc-^ Lcdurcs, 
 Durable Riches . or the true Caufe of loflng, andthd 
 
 right Way of thriving. 
 Help for diflrelFcJ Parents. 
 
 A good Mailer well lerved : or the Properties dc Prac-. 
 ticesof a goodiJervant, with the Duties of aiviaiter* 
 
 t a 9 5- 
 
 Johannes in Eremo : or the Lives of feveral famous 
 
 Divines. 
 Ohfervand^i : or the Life of the late Queen Mary ; 
 and aDifcourfeon the Wheels of DivineProVidencCi 
 A Cry againft Opprelfion. 
 ThcChriitiaa Thank- Offering, 
 
 ^ let as inTatriam t or theLife of SirWi tL t a m Pm 1 p ps . 
 
 Things for a difireired l^eople to think upon ; A Ser-^ 
 mon at the Anniverfary Ekcftion : with fev^rivi 
 Hiltories annexed. 
 
 Great Examples of judgment and Mercy ; with Me- 
 morable^ occurring in the SulFerings of Captives 
 among the Indians; 
 
 Gofpc't for the Pdor. 
 
 The Sot\g5 of tht Redt'emeci r A Book <^^ Hyinh^; 
 
 M i^ McckfuiJ^ei 
 
j^ccle/iaj!es : or the Li/c of Mr. Jonathan Mltcheh 
 Humiliations followed with Deliverances ; to which 
 
 are annexed fome Remarkable Providences. 
 The Way to excel : A Funeral Sermon on Mn 
 
 John 'Baily with Memoirs of his Life ; and tho 
 
 Character of a Chriilian. 
 ^Jensfana in Corf ore fano ; or a Difcourfc upon a 
 Recovery from Sickncfs. 
 
 I 5 5> 8. 
 
 i'he SofionisH Ehenezer ; ^ith a Lcfturc on Houfe- 
 
 hold Religion. 
 Ekutheria. Aii Idea of the Reformation, and an 
 
 Hiflory of Non-Conformity. 
 A Pailoral Letter to the Englifh Captives in Africa. 
 i[)ecemfium LuBuofum. An Hiftory of Remtrkablc 
 
 Occurrences in the long War with the Indians from 
 
 1(588 to \6^% \ with two Lcdlures for the Religious 
 
 Improvement of them. 
 Ti'he lerious Chriflian. Three EHiys, 
 Pillars of Salt. An Hiftory of Criminals executed!; 
 
 witb two Ledtures on Sin punifhcd v^'ith Sin<» 
 
 J 6 9 9- 
 
 Z^ Religion pura : To which is added. La Fe del 
 Chrljltano : An Eflay to convey Religion into th« 
 S^'amp India. 
 The Faith of the Fathers : A Catcchifm for the Jewilli 
 
 Nation. 
 A Family well-ordered : with an Addrefs ad Fratres 
 
 in Eremo. 
 Thirty important Cafes ; publifhed in the Name of 
 
 the Minif^crs meeting at Cambridge. 
 A Letter of AdvJce to the Churches of the Non- 
 
 Conformiih. 
 TheEverLiftlnfrGofpfl ; or the Gofpel ofjuftification. 
 The Relie^ious Marriner. 
 
 The Flocks wi^'-ned againft Wolves in Sheeps Cloath- 
 ing ; with an • l^ftory of Impoft;^r5, apd a Lecture 
 o^ their Occafion. 
 
 I ■'CO. 
 
1700. 
 
 Things that young Pdople fliould think upon. 
 
 A monitory i>nd hortatory Letter to theEngUfh who 
 
 debauch the Indians, 
 An Epifllc ,to the Chriftian Indians ; Englill]i on one 
 
 Page, and Indian on the other. 
 The good Linguill. 
 A monitory Letter concerning the Maintenance of 
 
 the Miniftry. 
 A Pillar o^ Gratitude : 4 Serjnon at the Anniverfary 
 Rcafonable Religion. [ Elciliop- 
 
 Grace triumphant. 
 A Defence of Evangelical Churches. 
 The great Phylician. 
 
 A Token for the Children of Nenv-En^ldnd, in Nar- 
 ratives and Inftances of Piety in Children. 
 American Tears upon the Ruins of the Greek Chur- 
 The young Man's Monitor. [ ches. 
 
 Triumphs over Troubles, 
 The old Principles of Nciv- England, 
 CIprifiianus per Ign^eni \ or a Dilcipfe warming him- 
 felf and owning his Lob,d. 
 
 I 1. o I. 
 
 A Companion for the AfHic^cd. 
 A Let??r coricerning the Sufferings, of our ProtelTant 
 I'he young Man's Preferv^tive. [ Brethren. 
 
 I'hamiatorrapbia Chrif/vana : or tl^e Wonders of hri- 
 Death made eafy 'aVi(S. happy. [ilianity. 
 
 A Chriilian at his Calling. Two Eflays ; One 011 
 
 the general Callirs;, another Giithc perfonaL 
 Chriftianity to the Lile : ADifcoyrfe on the Imita-tion 
 
 of our SAviouf^. 
 Mafchil I or the, faitliful Inlirudlor, ip Memorials of 
 
 Cbriftianity. 
 Advice to the Churches of the Faithful ; reportinc; the 
 
 prcfcnt State of the Church Uiro 'out the World. 
 
 JfJagfLiUa, CUR IS fl Aueucina ; or the, 
 
 Church'Hiftory of NcvJ-jB.'Jgla^i /.^ 
 
 M -; ' 1-7?:. 
 
1702, 
 
 Cares about the Nurferies. 
 
 Much in a little. 
 
 A L^iccer to tac ungofpellizcd Plantations. 
 
 A monitory Letter to them who abfcnt thcmlclve« 
 
 from the publick Worftiip of GOD. 
 A Icafonable Teitiniony to the Do6lrines of Grace 
 
 letcn'u .>ut of the Articles and Homilies of chc 
 
 Church oi England. 
 Tnc l^ortraiture uf a good Mgn. 
 I^ecelTary Admonitions concerning Sins of Omiffion, 
 Wholcfome Words: or^ A. Viiks of Advice toFamilies 
 
 vilited with Sickncfs. 
 Meat jut of the Sater : or Funeral Difcourfes occafi^ 
 
 oned hy the iJeath of feveral Relatives. 
 
 1703. 
 
 The Day which the Lord has made : A Difcourfe 
 concerning the Inflitution and Obferyation of the 
 LoRp's bay. 
 
 The Glory of Goodnefs \ with Remarks on the Re- 
 demption ofCaptivcs rem theCruelties oijjarhary. 
 
 The tS^etircd Chrillian. 
 
 I'hc nigh Attainment : A Difcourfe on Refignation, 
 
 Agreable Admonitions to Young and Old. 
 
 A Fa-nily i^acriiice. 
 
 Leff^is of .}odlinefs for Children of godl^y AncefTors^ 
 
 Great CanO^lat^uns : or a tempced Chriftian trium^ h- 
 ing over his J emptations. 
 
 The Ar nour ..fChriftianity : A Treatife on the Wiles 
 of the Devil. 
 
 Je^Iic-iiah ; or a Favorite of Heaven defcribed. 
 
 Methods d<. Motives ior a Society to fupprefsDif orders. 
 
 iv^y^x, Or a vertu.jus Woman found. An Ellay on 
 the Death of Airs. M(iy\ "Bn-ir}}. 
 
 A Tree pla-ucd by the Rivers of W^ter. An IZllay 
 on the Improvements to be made of our facreJ 
 Baptifm. 
 
 J 7 o 4' 
 
by T>T. Mathkr. fg-y 
 
 1704, 
 
 youth under a good Conduct. 
 
 A weaned Chriltian, 
 
 A faithful Monitor ; with an AL{lra»(fl of the Laws 
 
 againfl punifhablc Wickcdnefs. 
 Zg 'vrai Matron de Saines 'Paroles; defign'd for th^ 
 
 Inflrudlion of our FrencJi Ci^ptivcs. 
 A Servant of the Lord not afliaaied of his Lor\r, 
 Faithful Warnings to prevent fearful JudgiViCnts, 
 The Nets of Salvation ; with a Poem. 
 A Comforter of the Mourners. 
 Z^.\' Mercatoria; or the falie Dealer fairly dcakwith, 
 Nketas] or Temptations to Sin well anlwcred and 
 
 conquered. 
 Sapujtes ; or a Conference about the Subject: and 
 
 Manner of Baptifm. 
 Monica Americana ; or Female Pipty exemplified^ in 
 
 a funeral Sermon for Mrs. Sarah Leventt with au 
 
 Elegy. 
 
 1705, 
 
 A Letter about the prcfent State of Chriflianity 
 among the Indians. 
 
 A faithful Man defcribed and rewarded : A funeral 
 Sermon for Mr. ^t//V/;^Tf/ iViggicjhvG; rh, with Me- 
 morials of Piety extra61ed from his Papers. 
 
 Parental Wilhes and Charges; withaPucm entitle J 
 the Confcnt. 
 
 Family Religion excited and alPilled. 
 
 The Rules of a Vilir. 
 
 Marc ^Pacidaun \ or the. Satisfa5lior»« of" iitHi-.^fc 1 
 
 The Chridian Temple, \ Chrillianity, 
 
 k^i'j^ilantlus ; or the Servant of the Lord found ready 
 for Mis Coming, on the i^each of feven young 
 Minifters, with an Flegy. 
 
 The Religion oftheCloiet^ or theChrii^ian furniJhed 
 * with a Comoanion for Solitude. 
 
 M A 
 
I 7 O (y, 
 
 QoQcl Leffons for Children , in Verfe, 
 
 A young follower of a great SaviouRo 
 
 Free Grace maintained and improved. 
 
 The Negro Chriftianized. 
 
 The good old Way , or Chriftianity as it appeared ;n 
 
 the Lives of the pricnitive Chrifl-ians. 
 Private Alcetin^s animated and regulated. 
 Heavenly Confiderations ; or the Joy of Heaven over 
 
 them that ani'wer the Call of Heaven. 
 Good fetch'd out of Evil : A Collection of Memor- 
 
 ables relating to our Captives. 
 The impenitent Sinner diiarm'd of his Plea for Impe- 
 The belt Ornaments of Youth. [nitcncy. 
 
 Treacle fetch'd out pf a Viper : An Effay upon Falls 
 
 into Sin. 
 The Man of GOD furnifhed with fupplics from tlpe 
 
 Tower of ^avid. 
 An Effay upoa the Charader and Condition of the 
 
 [Covetous. 
 
 X 7 o 7- 
 
 Another Tongue bro't in to confefs our Saviour : or 
 
 Chriftianity in the Tongue of the Iroquois Indians. 
 An EiTay upon profane Cuffing and Swearing. 
 The Soldier told what he fhoufd do. 
 T^K- greatcfl Concern' in the \V6rId. 
 Frontiers well defended : An Effay direding our 
 
 frontiers how to behave themfelveSo 
 The Fall of Babylon. 
 Ornamental Piecv, 
 
 Th" Spirit of Life entring into the SpirituallyDead. 
 ^ .'nlv ChrilTianity. 
 iVuuh'Ofi ''fujui : Mortality conddcred r in aScrmoa 
 
 at the Funeral of J. Winthrop, tiq; 
 
 1708. 
 
 Spber Confideratio^^is on a growing Flood of Inlquityo 
 Yoiith in its brightcft s^io/y. 
 
 Corderi 
 
 Uk 
 
Cor derm jiynericanm. A funeral Sermon on the 
 ' Death of Mr. Bzek. Cheever, sskh art Elegy. 
 A good Evening for the beft of Days. 
 The Temple opening. 
 
 Ni^ftc dimittis briefly defcanted on : A funeralSerm.on 
 on Mr. John Hl^^infon^ with Memoirs of his Life. 
 
 1709. 
 
 The Defires of the Repenting Believer, 
 
 The Bopds of the Covenant. 
 
 The Sailor's Companion and Counfellor. 
 
 Work within Doors. 
 
 A Chriftian Converling with the greateft Myfl:ery of 
 
 AnEifay on theStreets ofthe Holy City. [Chriftianity, 
 
 The Cure of Sorrow- 
 
 The Heavenly Converfation. 
 
 DuiV di Afhes : An gfTay on Repentance to the lafl. 
 
 I 7 I CJr 
 
 Chriftianity demonflrated : An EfTay on the Witnefs 
 
 Within." 
 Bonifaciui : An Eday upon the Good to be devifed 
 
 by thofe who would anfwer the' great End of Life. 
 lEliojcibeth in her holy Retirement. 
 Man eating the Food of Angels : or the Religion of 
 
 the Morning, with the Hiftory of Von Extor. 
 Nehemiab : An Ellay on Divine Confolations. 
 Memorials of Early Piety : The Life dc Death of Mrs. 
 
 jferujha Oliver. 
 
 I T r I. 
 
 '' Orpbafw-tropbium; or Orphans well provided for. 
 CompaiTions call'd for; or profitribie Reflexions' on 
 
 miferable Spe^^acles. 
 The rilherman's Calling. 
 A Chridian Funeral. 
 Tfhe old J'^aths Reltorei. 
 Perruafions from tht* Terror of tl\e I-ord : A Sermon 
 
 c?!th& Day of TudjmeiiT, 
 * Tho*e 
 
THo'ts for the Day of Rain ; or the Golpcl of th« 
 
 Rainbow, ^c. 
 Advice from "taherah ; A Sermon afcer the tcrriblf 
 . Fire in Sojion. 
 A Soul wcH-anchored. 
 Winter Piety. 
 Seafonable Tho'ts on Mortality. 
 
 I 7 I 2. 
 
 Awakening Tho'ts on the Sleep of Death ; with % 
 Debt paid unto the Memory ot .f^i^ie that lleep in 
 
 The Ways <?c Joys of Early Piety. [ Jesus, 
 
 Paftoral Defires. 
 
 The Young Man fpoken to. 
 
 The hard Way of Tra^nfgreirors, 
 
 Reafon fatisfied and Faith eflablilhed ; or the Refur- 
 reiflion of Jesus demonftrated. 
 
 A Town in its trueft Glory. 
 
 Qrata Srevltas : A fhort Effay to demonflrate a few 
 Words may have much comprized in them. 
 
 Repeted Warnings ; with the Remarkable ExpericHf 
 ces of a young Man. 
 
 Grace defended j with a DilTcrtation about the peni- 
 tent Thief. 
 
 A fiyingRoll to enter theHoufe Sc Hand of the Thief. 
 
 ffalpffha Rediviva : The good Works of a vertuous 
 Woman defcribed^ commended ;, with fomc Juilic^' 
 to the Memory of xMrs. JE!iiz>. HutclJuijo}), 
 
 171;. 
 
 Adverfus Llhertlnos \ or Evangelical Obedience dei^ 
 cribed and demanded. 
 
 A Teftimony againft fome evil Cuflomcs, 
 
 A Man of his Word. 
 
 Things to be tho't upon. 
 
 The A. B. C. of Religion. 
 
 Golgotha : A lively Defcription of Death; with Me- 
 morials of an hopeful Young Man. 
 
 A Prefent of Summer Fruit. TI19 
 
The curbed Sinner ; A Sermon occaiioned by a Ser^* 
 tence of Death on a young Man tor Murder. 
 
 What Ihould be moft of all tho't upon 
 
 An Eflay upon a Soul at eafe ; a funerai Sermon for 
 Mrs. Mary Ruk. 
 
 The Will of a Father fubmitted to. 
 
 ^he Religion of the Crofs \ occalioncd by the Death 
 of Mrs. Elizabeth Mi t her. 
 
 Hezeki<i/^ ; A Chriftian armed with Strength for aDay 
 
 The bell way of Living. [ of Advcrfity. 
 
 I 7 I 4. 
 
 A perfe^b Recovery ; exhibited after a fickly Winter. 
 A Life of i^iety refolvcd on: Upon the Death of Mrs. 
 
 Sara/j Ting, 
 Vita brevis , an Eilay upon withering Flowers. 
 Maternal Confolations , on the Death of Mrs. Maris 
 The ^acrilicer. ^ L ^^^'^^^■^^''^ 
 
 Infanabilia : An EHay upon incureables. 
 A fhort Life, yet not a vain one : occaiioned by fome 
 
 Infbances of Mortality. 
 Vcrbci vivi;ica : ibme \VorJs of Life^ produced by the 
 
 Death of £ome young Perfons 
 The glorious Throne : A Sermon on the Succeffion of 
 
 theT^ntilhCrovvn to the illuitriousHoiifc oUIanover. 
 OL)uoder.enniU'-' luthiofum : The Hiilory of a War with 
 
 the Indians from the Year 17^.2, to i' 14- 
 A Monitor for Communicants. 
 Death Approaching. 
 
 'Pcfcentius : An hiFav how to live in hard Times. 
 Verba of^porfium : The Circumli-ap.cs (^): 'B^ofton con- 
 
 lideredj wich frefh IncHlcations oi early Piety. 
 
 Juff Commemorations; the De;^- i^ '>t gooa Men con- 
 iklcred with the Char? 'ter of fome. 
 
 bo .'Id e Tirrrn loniiriqiici : An Account of lomc 
 
 g(vjd ^ad JT'Cnt Thing:, clone in I::^} oj-e. 
 
 A 
 
I7i ^h8 Seeks "PuhUjhed 
 
 A Sorrowful SpecSbacle : Sermons occafioned by a Sen- 
 tence of Death on a Murderer. 
 A Monitor for the Children of the Covenant. 
 The Echoes of Devotion. 
 The grand Point of Sollicitude ; or an EfTay upon 
 
 Divine Defcrtions. 
 Good Men defcribed with the Charatfler and Hiitory 
 
 of Mr. T'homas Bridge. 
 Shaking Difpenfations with Remarks on the Death 
 
 of the French King. 
 Zapis e Monte excijus : The Stone cut out of the 
 
 Mountain ; a Treatife in Englifh and Latin. 
 Parent alia : The Blelfings and Comforts for pious 
 
 Children after the Death of their good Parents. 
 Succeffive Generations : Remarks on the Changes of 
 
 a dying World. 
 Vital Religion fervcd with eight Eflays. 
 Fair Dealing between Debtor and Creditor. 
 The Servants of Abraham; with Motives for the In- 
 
 ftrudion of Servants. 
 Life fwiftly pafling and quickly ending; on the Death 
 
 of Mrs. Mehitabel Gerrijb. 
 The City of Refuge. 
 The Chriftian Cynick. 
 
 1715. 
 
 The Refort of Piety. 
 
 Piety demanded. 
 
 Direv^ions how to fpend theLoRT^'s Day Evening. 
 
 A brief Eday on Tokens for Good. 
 
 The Thankful Chriftian. 
 
 ViElorifi'a : A Sermon on the Deceafe of Mrs. Katbd- 
 
 rin AlathcTy with a further Account. 
 Zelotes : A Zeal for the Houfe of GOD blown up: 
 
 A Sermon at the opening of a new Church. 
 
 171 7, 
 Xhe Cafe oi^ troubled Mind, 
 
 Iconockjles 
 
ly 2)r. Mathep. ij^ 
 
 JcoHOclnftes : An Eflay upon Idolatry too often com- 
 mitted under the moft Reformed Chriflianky. 
 
 The Voice of theDove ; with Memoirs of Mr. Robert 
 Kitchen. 
 
 TheEverlaflingGofpel to be preach'd unto theNation5. 
 
 The Valley oi Hinnom : The Terrors of Hell demon- 
 ftrated in the hearing of a murderous Malefador. 
 
 Tebrif upturn : AnEfTay for the Cure of ungodlyAnger^ 
 
 Jlnaftafjus : The Refwrreftion oi Lazarus improved. 
 
 The Tribe of Aper : A Sermon at the Baptifm of 
 a Grand Child. 
 
 Piety and Eauity united, i. The Defires of Piety. 
 2. The Meafures of Equity. 
 
 The Divine Sovereignty difplayed and adored ; otx 
 the Death of Mrs. Hannah Senuall 
 
 Ilddes lookM into : The Power of our Saviour 
 over the invifible World ; at the Funeral of l^ait 
 Wifithorf Efq; with an Elegy and Epitaph. 
 
 Inftrujftions to the Living from the Condition of the 
 Dead : Remarkables on the Fate of Pirates ^ and i 
 Sermon on their Occaffon. 
 
 Faith encouraged ; with a Relation df the Jewirfi 
 Children at 'Berlin. 
 
 Raphael : The Bleffmgs of an healed Soul confidered 
 
 I 7 I 8. 
 
 An Effay to do good unto the Widow. 
 
 The obedient Suiiercr. 
 
 Brethren dwelling together in Unity: A Sermon at 
 
 the Ordination of a Baptift Minifter. 
 ^Pfnlterium Americanum : The Book of 'Pfalms in 
 
 Blank Verfe, with liluftrations. 
 A Man of Reafon. 
 An Eflay on theCondition of Man known inhisPlace 
 
 no more : A funeralSermon ^ox^r Srhomas'B arnard , 
 Providence affej ted and adored : A Sermon occafioncci 
 
 by the Deiith of feveral who were drowned. 
 The Religion of an Oach. 
 
 i^ 
 
ij4 "^he ^ooks "Publijhed 
 
 17x9. 
 
 A ^iftfeffed People entertained with Propofals fot 
 
 the Relief of their DiflrelFes. 
 A new Year well begun : An EfTay offered on a New 
 Genethlia fia : Thot's for a Birth Day. [Years Day* 
 ;^/^/7///^*i orthe Awakencr. 
 Youth advifed : An Eflky ott the Sins of Youth. 
 A glorious ErpoufaL' 
 jDeJiJerius : A defireable Man defcribed with a' Com* 
 
 memoration of Mn James Keith, 
 An Heavenly Life. 
 
 The Salvation of the Soul confidered. 
 The Tried ProfefTor. 
 An Effay on fcafonable Interpofitions of Divine Pro* 
 
 vidence, on the 5th of iV'"y^^<^^^r. 
 The Righteous Man defcribed, and affertcd as the 
 
 excellent Man : A Sermon on Mr Jofepb Ger}ifh. 
 An Account of an tincommon Appearance in the 
 
 Heavens, with Remarks npon it. 
 A Year and a Life well concluded : A Sermon on 
 
 the lafl Day of the Year. 
 Sincere Piety defcribed, »& theTrial of Sincerety affifted* 
 
 1710. 
 
 A Brother's Duty : An EiFay on every Man his Bro* 
 
 thers Keeper. 
 The quickned Soul; or the Withered Hand revived. 
 Cobekth : A Soul upon Recolledion coming into 
 
 incontcftible Sentiments of Religion. 
 Undoubted Certainties: A certain Profped of Death; 
 
 A Sermon on Mrs. Abig;ail SeivaU. 
 The Right way of fhaking off a Viper. 
 The Chrilli^n Philof.phcr. 
 The Ambalilicor's Tears. 
 The accomplilh'd Singer. 
 Americaij^ Scatin\entj on the Arian Gontrovcrfy. 
 ■'^ 
 
I y z I, . 
 
 India Chrijiidna : An Account of the Propagation of 
 
 Chriflianity in the Eaft as well as JVeft-Indies. 
 
 Hontfta ^arfmoma ; or Time fpenc as it Ihould bc» 
 
 What the pious Parent wiihes for* 
 
 A Vifion in the Temple ; or the Lord of Hof1:3 
 adored. 
 
 The dreadful Sound in the Ears of the Wicked. 
 
 The World Ahrm'd. 
 
 Genuine Chriftianity : A funeral Sermon for Mr5, 
 Fra^ices Webb. 
 
 Sikmiarius : An Eflay on the Patience and Silcnc« 
 with which fad Things arc to be entertained ; On 
 the Death of Mrs. Ahigail JVilUrd. 
 
 An Account of the McthcDd and Succefs of Inoculat- 
 ing the Small'^ox. 
 
 1722. 
 
 Love triumphant : A Sermon at the gathering a new 
 Church and Ordaining their Paflor. 
 
 Sethiah ; Or the Glory which adorns the Daugh- 
 ters of GOD. 
 
 The Minifter ; A Sermon at the Annivcrfary Con- 
 vention of Minillers. 
 
 Doves flying to the Windows of their Saviour. 
 
 An Effay on the vain Prcfumption of Living and 
 Thriving ; On the premature Death of a Young 
 Gentleman. 
 
 ^fs ^Defuhrla; Or the fmoking Flax raifed into a' 
 facred Flame. 
 
 Nifmatb'Cbajim, the probable feat of all Difeafcsi 
 and a general Cure tor them. 
 
 Divine Afliations : An Effay to dcfcribe the gracious 
 Influences of tlie Holy Spirit. 
 
 The Soul upon the Wing : An Eilay on the State of 
 the Dead. 
 
the Voice of GOD in the Tempeft. 
 JEuihanaJia ; or fudden Death made cafy and happy ; 
 
 A funeral Sermon. 
 Coelepimis : A Convcrfation in Heaven quickncd and 
 
 alfifted. 
 Some feafonablc Enquiries upon Epifcopacy. 
 A Walk with GOD characflerized : A Sermon on 
 
 Mr. jfofefh Sekher. 
 The Lord high Admiral of all the Seas adored, 
 Valerius ; or Profpcrity of the Soul defcribcd. 
 A Father departing; A Sermon on Dr. I»creAf6 
 
 Mather, 
 An Eflay on Rcmarkables in ttic Way of wicked Men. 
 The pure Nazarite. 
 ^arentator : Memoirs of the Life of Dr. Increafs 
 
 MatJoer, 
 
 1724. 
 
 Propofals for Religious Societies, with a Sermon. 
 The Converted Sinner^ upon the Execution of fomc 
 
 Pirates. 
 Stimulator ; Or the Cale of a Soul walking in 
 
 Darknefs. 
 The true Riches : Art Eflay on the unfcarchabld 
 
 Riches of Christ. 
 The Nightingale : An Eflay on Songs among Thorns, 
 Light in Darknefs ; with an Example of a Young 
 
 Perfon meeting Death with Triumphs over it. 
 A fhort Effay on Troubles to be looked for. 
 A Funeral Sermon for Governor Saltonstal, 
 Une grand Vci:< du del a la Frafice. 
 Three Sermons on the Death of a Son. ^ 
 
 A good Reward of a good Servant : on Mr. l^hofhus 
 
 Walter, 
 
 1725. 
 
 The Palm-bearers : A Relation of patient <5c joyfulSuf- 
 
 fcrings in thcGhurch iAScotl^nd from iCCo to 1^88. 
 
 ■ Virtue 
 
i^ ^r. Matniri tj 
 
 Virtue in it's Vtrdure : A funeral Sermon for Mrs 
 
 Abigail Srowfje. 
 1lep«at«d Admonitions about the Maintenance of tht 
 
 .Minillry. 
 All fupplicd in ah all-fufficient Saviour : a funeral 
 
 Ser^^on. 
 The Waters of Marah fweetnei ; on the Death of A 
 . young Gentleman. 
 
 The Gofpel of the trazen Sofpcnt* , ^ 
 
 2> lEtrs Nobifium i a brief Effay on the Enjoyment 
 
 of GOD. . . 
 
 HefjMtus : or a Soul paffing Trofn Death to Life. 
 The Choice of Witdom. 
 diluvium Igkis. 
 
 Dirccf^ions for a Candidate of the Miniltry. . ^^ 
 
 Vital Chriili^ityi or the Life of God in tlie Soul of 
 
 Man. 
 
 1 ) a. e. 
 
 Ratio 2)ifciflift(e Tratnm 'N&v-Attglorum. 
 
 A good old Age : The, Glory of Aged Piety. 
 
 Som€ feafonablc Advfce io the Poor* . :. 
 
 The Condition to which the Protefiant Religion le 
 
 . reduced. . . 
 
 Ecchfia Menilia : The Trcafure of the Almighty 
 King opened, with Memoriah of Mrs.£//2/. CtrroK 
 
 A Vial poured out on the Sea : occafioned by th« 
 
 . Execution of fomc Pirates. ^ . . . ,. 
 
 An EiTay to befpcak early Piety ; on the Departure 
 of Mrs. £liz;. Cooper. 
 
 T^erra beata : An Effay on the BkiTmg of Abraham. 
 
 The Inftrudlor. ^. , . v, 
 
 AVi, Effay on tli'e Ltghc which good K^en have in dark 
 Hours. . 
 
 The Comforts of one walking thro' the Valley of the 
 Shadow of Death. 
 
 j^ Soul bound up in the Bundle of Life* 
 
 ISiails fafien'cd. ,^, , . . 
 
 ■ignoranria rdentljica ': 1^-nSiTay on Min'i not know- 
 ing hi« Time; ^- 
 
"tht Books fulUpek 
 
 17 a 7- 
 
 ifhe evident Tokens of Salvation. 
 
 The fealcd Servant tff God appearing withav^'cil- 
 
 teililicfd Adoption. 
 The Marrow of the Gofpel : or the Union between 
 
 Gh»p.ist and the Believer. 
 Refiitutus : A Difcourfc made upon a Recovery 
 
 from Sicktieii. 
 ^gricola ; or the Rcliffioiis Husbandman. 
 Ghrifti^ii Loyalty^, on the Death of King George L 
 
 and Acceffion of King George IL 
 An happy Departure ; on the Death of Mr. Willinm 
 
 Waldroff. 
 The Balance of the Sanctuary. 
 The Y^^oke born In Youth ; with an Account of a 
 
 Young Perfon. 
 The Terror of the Lord; with Remarks on th® 
 
 E^ARTH^AlCES. 
 
 An Effay to prcferve and Hrehgthem the good Im- 
 
 preiKons made by Earthquakes. 
 An EiTay towards a Religious Improvement of Bap- 
 . tifm, at the fight of Adminiftration. 
 The Chambers of GOD opened and viflted; on the 
 • Death of Air. Teter Ttacher. — N.B. STto iJca^ th8 
 
 lafl Sermon my -Father dgUver'd from the 'Pul~ 
 
 fit : and truly fuch a Sermcn as a good Minister 
 
 'wou'd defire Jhou\4 l>s his loft. 
 
 Since his Deceafe there have been two Sermons^ 
 which he left prepared for the Prefsj publifhcd ; 
 their Titles are, 
 
 Tke Widow of Maif;f, 
 The Myflical Marriage. 
 
 These tivo mzkQ the Number of his Bookt t4 
 
 %€ fkim Ibi-^idred find iight^- \hr^^ 
 
 After 
 
'y^ 2)r. Mather, 
 
 ^79 
 
 After thi$ C^T^JtZOGUJE, I will here take 
 the Liberty of borrowing two or three Lines from 
 Buchanan's Eficedium on Calvin and applying 
 them to the Dodor. 
 
 Hunc ergo in ^ or turn ccek. fiaudente receftum^ 
 Su Ucet in flacida tranquUlus 'Pace quiejcas; 
 No» tamen omnino fotuit mors invida totum 
 jTolkre Mather-um t err is j Mterna maMbunt 
 Ingenii Monument a fm j et llvoris iniqui 
 JLanguida fattlatim cum Flamma refederit^ cmhe\ 
 Religio qua fur a iiitet fe fundet in Or as 
 Fama tut >■■■ ■ ■ ■ 
 
 Which: Lines Ihave Englilhed after this mariner^ 
 
 . Tho* Heaven rejoice you're of your Port poffei^ 
 And you may now in Peace and Safety reft : 
 Yet envious Deaths ivbich hitn reduced tp. Oayl 
 Our Mather could not wholly urge away : 
 No, No ; Eternal muil his Works remain ; 
 Tho rich Productions of his Fruitful Brain ! 
 When by Degrees^ as a weak Flame of Fire^, 
 Curs'd Envy Ihall with trembling Flirts empire > 
 Then where there's any pure Religion founds .,.» 
 Mat«kii> thy Name fhall reach, thy Fame ilisi! 
 
 FIN! 
 
t.8o] 
 
 \!iV!WVlVil**#tlVli»**liVII**»HV*ll»*»llVIW*ft 
 THE 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 nrHK Introdudioft to th« Do£^or's Life. pitg. 9b 
 
 Chap. I. 
 
 His more private Hiilory- 5I 
 
 i. His Birth and Family. ihid. 
 
 4. His Education, Eagcrnefs and Progrefs in 
 
 Learning ; wkh early ravers. 4. 
 ^. His Early Religion. S;, 
 
 4. M^riagcs and Children with his Methods 
 
 of Educating them. tu 
 
 5. His private ConducfV. ijii 
 
 c H A ?. n. 
 
 His public Appearances and fignil Services* 16^ 
 
 1. HisMiniflry with what relates to it* dl^id. 
 
 2, Being concerned in other Affairs ; 
 
 I- Inllrufrion of Scholars. 40* 
 i. An Account of the Revolution in 2^.-&. 41. 
 
 3. Witchcrafts in N. E. 44. 
 
 4. Giving Advice at home. 47. 
 
 5. Writing beyond Sea. ihiS^ 
 *. Societies related unto, 48 
 •). Evan,2;elical Treafary. ibid, 
 %. inoculation. ibid. 
 
 ^, Services 
 
•Jl 
 
 e o N r js N r s. is 
 
 5. ServicM jkbroad. O^IJ. 
 
 10. Learning Ltnguigcs^ 49. 
 
 11. His. Chanty. <^#V 
 II. Continual Scrviceablcnefs. il^fJ, 
 
 Chap. III. 
 
 Hu Experiences and DcUvcrances. 60. 
 
 2. Temptations Conquered i ^'^{/^i 
 a. Dangers Efcaped. /^;V- 
 
 3. Tho'ts in Sicknefs and Exemptions 
 
 from it. 61 
 
 4. CarritgC when Evil Tongues and. 
 
 Pens attacked kim. 6y 
 
 CaAP. IV. 
 
 His VariouiWritingi and their Chara^er. ^7- 
 
 Books Publilhed. 69^ 
 
 Books in Manufcript., 7'- 
 
 Tho't^ on preparing them. ? 3 • 
 
 Cm A p. V. 
 
 His Foreign Honors Sc CorrcIpoi)dencic$. 74. 
 
 I. His Foreign Honors. ili^^. 
 
 1. Do6:oratc of Divinity. fi^/V/ 
 
 2. Fellowlhip of the Royal Society, 
 
 3. Worldly Honors dcfpifcd. 
 a. His Forj^iga Corrcfpondencie- 
 
 Chap. VI. 
 
 His Pracflice of Mety. 
 
 T. Chufmg God, ConverKng with, rclign- 
 
 ing to and Delighting i-i Hi ^. ^;/^- 
 
 N .^ /" 2. Clonng; 
 
 77^ 
 
 79. 
 
z C i^ ^ I' E jsr !t. s. ' 
 
 a. Clofing with Christ, Accepting Hig 
 Rightcoufnefs, Loving his Glolry^ and 
 Living by Faith in Him- 8(j. 
 
 .5. Occafional Tho'ts and Ejacujal^ory 
 
 Prayers. ' larr ion 
 
 4. Fafls^ Thanksgivings, Vigils and 
 
 Self-Eximinations, 10^. 
 
 5. His Morning Tho'ts and other pious 
 
 Exercifcs. ' * ^;;" 128 
 
 I. Morning Tho'ts. ilptd, 
 
 x» Way of {pending Saturday Aftern()€>rv. ibld^ 
 
 5. Method of Sabbatizing. Z29. 
 
 4. Pleading Scriptures ^ Application of 
 
 Promifes. 13 5.' 
 
 5, 6, Imploymcnt of Mind dc Prayers at ; , 
 
 the Lord's Table, , I35>i57- 
 
 jK Three fpecial Favors defir'd, 157. 
 
 8. Rcfolutions for aWalfe with Gop, dl^fd, 
 
 CHiLF. VIL 
 
 His latter Days. 
 
 X. His Way of Living, ^ 1 55- 
 
 2. His Sentiments upon fome importantThiligs.140. 
 ^. His Temper in his laft Illnefs with the. 
 
 Circumllanccs of his JD^^th. ' i/^€, 
 
 ^ Catalogue of his Socks. i^i- 
 
 I ^ I 5L 
 
 ^. ^ eg 
 
 r 
 
 ) 
 
1 185 ] 
 
 Advertifement 
 
 HAVING before fpokcn of the. 
 S TB L I A A MEH I C AN,A,_ 
 (fgig.'].'^.)^Xi(\ at thefame.timcproinircd that 
 I would give the World a more dillinct 
 and particular Account of that Work, I 
 had laid afide the Tho'cs of faying any Thing fur- 
 ther about it for fomc time : But being advifcd by a. 
 Gentleman of the facred Order for whofe Judgment' 
 I havea great Value, to delineate and delcribe h^re. 
 shat Performance, it's Excellency and Ufefulncfi, 
 that fo it^s inviting Character, being more pubiick- 
 ly expofed, may excite Gentlemen^ Divines aivi 
 others Co countenance the Publication of it ; and Leinj 
 withal convinced that thcPropofal is good 8<, piopcr i 
 I have therefore determined here to add an exacl: ^^c 
 count of the 
 
 B IB L I A AMERICANA. 
 
 O R, 
 
 Xhe Sacred Scriptures of the Old and New- 
 
 Teftament Illustrated : 
 
 In v^'hich, bclides the many Thoufands of cnrioi* 
 Notes that lliinc. in yhjclt/U &i AhJjr/i Writers of 
 nliPeriixilions, and (ome Edays to exphrin manyf ^^^ 
 i-'atfages ti(Mn the ObXcryiicions of C/j nlH-n n lUp emf^^ "'"''%* 
 |i;crc are.tliC foilo\ung l^hings obliirvajj^lc; 
 
 N A I Tb'£. 
 
/ 
 
 L The facred ScriptMres of the Old and New- 
 Tcftament exhibited. In the Order of 'Time ^ wherein 
 ^hc fevcral and fiicceHivc Occurrences may dire6t to 
 the Placing and Reading of them : which i^xhibi- 
 %\ov* aLohc will greatly inlighten. thcm^ arji do the 
 Se:;vicc of a valuable Commeritary. 
 
 //. An Emendation of our prefens Vcrlion \ fron^ 
 ^hc Difcoveries of the mod learned Philologifts fronx 
 t]iC earli eft, Ages of facred Literature, down to Bochsrty 
 Calmit. 'and ^Parker i and a particular notice ot thoie 
 rnan,y Inftances wherein our greateft Maliers of the 
 Original Languages have exprefsM their wifties to fee 
 the common X'ranllacion amended and refined. 
 
 II Ti A rich Cotlec^ion of Antiqjxities whkh 
 i:cfie6t a Light on the Heavenly Oracles ,• efpecially 
 ^hofe wherein the Idolatry ^ Oeeonomicks, ^oUtkkSs 
 Jl^i^ricukurei JlrcJfite5iure^ TaEliekSy Mufick, Habits^ 
 Tiieii^ Sec. in former Ages may have foincRcfeireacc in 
 the facred Pages to thcmo 
 
 /n The Laws of the. Ifr deli tip Nation inter- 
 preted, and refcued from the Mifmterpretations that; 
 fbme famous Writers have plit upon them : contrary 
 t,o the real Origiml and tru^ Intention of them. 
 
 K TuR Types of the Bible accommodated with 
 their Antitypes \ by which a wondrous Mixture of 
 facred Profit 4nd ^leafure arifes from thof« Para- 
 graphs^ which fcemed to be the leaft Inftrudivc. 
 
 F'L Remarks as well for t}ie Illuftration of the 
 Old TeffamcHt as for the Confirmation of the Nezv^ 
 ^rawn oat ortrhorc very unpromifing heaps^thc Tal- 
 MUjjs and other JewijH tVritingSo 
 
 7^1 f, N V T u R At, P n z L OS o p n Y brought t o fe«re 
 nvp.s.hd Rellpon.' The fairefb Hypot/jefes offered 
 rf thofr grand Revolutions, the Crcatin^^ 2Jroivf)in;r 
 Artd^^uiviirtfT of tl\e World ^ together with the ^j'iro- 
 
jifDVERTlSBMnNr. A^ 
 
 ^mical AfiairSj the Me^eerSy Mngrals, Vegetables^ 
 jiHlmalSy tDifeafeSy AaatomUal Curiofities, and what 
 relate* to the Invifiblc World of Good or Evil Spi- 
 rits, mentioned in thefe Divine Pagcs^ as they are 
 reprcfcntcd in the leji Tho'fsof our J'imes. 
 
 VIII. The Chronology of the Bible every 
 vfhcre cleared of vC\ Difficulties — with the moft 
 ^curate Hamony ofths Gfif^eh that has yes been 
 offered. 
 
 IX. Tm5 facred Geography ; in which there arc 
 the (ituatioh of ^Paradife and Tal<ejiine ; with an 
 Account how the Earth has been peopled ; and 4. 
 Colleftion of thofe many inftruAivc Things, which 
 Travellers of unfpottcd Veracity have contributed for 
 our illumination. 
 
 X. An el2!,bprate fi^nd entertaining HiHory of the 
 IsRAELZTiSH Nation in cvcry Place; cfpccially 
 from the Birth ©four great Redeemer to this vi:ry. 
 Day ; with a particular Hiflory of the City Jesitsa- 
 LEM under it's wonderful Viciffitudes from the Dav^, 
 ofMELCHi2.EDEK dovm to oufs ; of the ancient Sei'^s 
 among the X^-wi ^d their pt^ej em. wij^^ched State, the 
 Relicks of tjie 'Z^;/ as well as the T^ivo "Tribes and 
 Inhere they arc now dilpericd. 
 
 XI. Ths HiSTORiESof all Ages called in tofliov^. 
 ' * how the. Prophecies of the Divine Oracles have had 
 0, their moil punctual Acc:ompUilimcnt ; wherein tl-p 
 
 Reader will find anintire.Body ofEccleiiaftical Hi|h)- 
 ly : and modcft, but ilrongly cflablilh'd ConjcBures 
 on fuch as yet remain to be fulfdled, and the State of 
 the Church and World in future Ages to the End of 
 Tiire. ' 
 
 XI L The true Doctrine of the Sabbatical Chi- 
 li An, which more opens and breaks in en themortj 
 confidcrate^Inquirers as the Day am:)roa:hcs, brought 
 ,, in as a Key to vcrv much of the Wcalc'i which the 
 JfcjM^rth i)fGoD poffcffes in thisBook of the Kip-;Jcrn : 
 ^l|Pta|the cleareft Tho'ts of the moil pcricti/it '••.■• Wr?- 
 ters on the Apocalypfl-, rcfcued from the hkmc arbi- 
 trary and indcfer.libie Conceits of ilipcriicial btudcnts 
 ia the facred FroDheiies. ,-' 
 
 i THE 
 
THE ufuai Method for the. Publication of fuch » 
 Work^ ha$ been b; SUBSCRIPTIONS, and in 
 «jic Propor-j.Is to give a computation of the number of 
 •^ beets J and the price of the Books to Subfcribers in^ 
 Quiws, and when Eound : But in the prefent Cafe 
 the precife Number pf Sheets cannot cafily be known c, 
 which will occafion fomcthing of uncertainty^ 
 However, 
 15* 2$ fuppofed that the Work will be contained 
 in IJoree Volumns in Fot.10, and may be afforded for 
 between 7'hree dc Four bounds Sterling ; and in 
 J^eiU" England Money according, as the Exchange 
 fhall then be. Whoever ihall. Subfcribe and Pay for 
 'Ten Sets ihall. have One Gratis, which will con- 
 (Gderably reduce the price. And ^s a farther Motive., 
 it may be faid. That this Performance will not. inter-" 
 fere with the Works of the Excellent Pool^ Bur kit, 
 or Henry : It being the conilant ftudy of the Au- 
 thor to avoid it, and in this to add whatever other 
 curious things have yet been publilh'd on the facred 
 Scriptures. 
 
 Subscriptions will. be taken by SantuelGerrlfi^ 
 Daniel Henchman and Thomas Hancock Book fellers,' 
 ' in Softan ; and as foon.as there fhall appepr iufficient 
 Encouragement, the 'Ma?iufcripts Will be fent to 
 London to be Printed there, with all convenient;, 
 Expedition, and Care will be taken of the Paper, 
 Printing and Bindings that it bs fuitable to fuch aj 
 Work. * 
 
 The E N D,' 
 
 •0 ^-A 
 
 ,f#^^ 
 
 **