and they are brought into subjection to Christ. Unless Christ be thus learned, spiritually and really, ministers will speak the word of God as men speak riddles, and as the priests in former times said their matins, when they hardly knew what they said." Such men as Paul the Apostle, and Augustine, of Hippo, and Martin Luther, and John Bunyan, and Increase Mather, and George Whitefield, could never have proclaimed the gospel as they did, and been the instruments of leading such multitudes to Christ, had they not first waded the deep waters themselves, and learned in their own experience the depth of their necessities, and the efficacy of atoning blood.

Mr. Mather, at the time of his conversion, was a member of college, whence he proceeded, at the same time with his brother Eleazer, in

165-1750. The next year he commenced preaching, when he could not have been more than eighteen years of age. His first sermon was preached at Dorchester, under which his venerable father was so much affected, that he could scarcely pronounce the blessing, for tears.

It will be recollected that Mr. Mather had two brothers, settled ministers in Europe; Samuel at Dublin, and Nathaniel in England. At the

earnest request of his elder brother, he concluded to follow them to that field of labor.

At his departure, his aged father wept over him, and blessed him, and said: "If I hear well of you, and if you prove faithful to Christ, the joy of it will lengthen out my life." His old friend and counselor, Mr. Mitchell of Cambridge, gave him the following parting injunction: "My serious advice to you is, that you keep out of company, so far as Christianity, and civility, and occasions will give you leave. Take this from me: The time spent in your study, you will generally find spent most profitably, most comfortably, and most accountably." This is that Mr. Mitchell of whom Richard Baxter said: "If there could be convened an œcumenical council of the whole Christian world, that man would be worthy to be moderator of it."

Mr. Mather sailed from Boston, July 3d, 1657, and after a voyage of five weeks, was landed in England. His first year abroad was spent as a student at Trinity College, Dublin, where he took his second degree, in 1658. After leaving Ireland, he went to London, where he made the acquaintance of the celebrated John Howe, at this time one of the chaplains of the Protector Cromwell. By the advice and influence of Mr. Howe, he was introduced to a congregation at

Great Torrington, in Devonshire, where he spent the following winter, preaching the gospel to a numerous assembly, and with much accept

ance.

The next spring, Mr. Mather became chaplain to the English garrison on the island of Guernsey. Here he labored to make himself useful, and observing the Lord's day to be much profaned, he preached with such power and success on the fourth commandment, that a considerable reformation was effected in the island.

We next hear of him at St. Mary's in England, preaching in the forenoon in the church, and in the afternoon at the cathedral. His feelings inclined him to settle here; but as the Protector was now dead, and Charles II. was about to be proclaimed, he saw a change of times at the door. Indeed, he publicly warned his people, from Rev. 11: 7, that further sufferings were in store for the faithful witnesses of Christ.

After a few months, he returned to his chaplaincy at Guernsey, and here he remained, till he was driven away by the rigors of conformity. He must either conform to the revived superstitions of the church of England, or leave the Island. In Dorsetshire, he had the offer of a living of four hundred pounds a year, if he

would but conform, and read the common prayer; but he refused. In short, all things around him conspired to admonish him, that there was no longer a field of usefulness open for him in England, and that it was his duty to return to his native land. Wherefore, in June, 1661, he set sail from Weymouth, England, and arrived at Boston about the first of September. He came to Dorchester very unexpectedly on a Saturday evening, to the great joy of his excellent father. Here he had the happiness to meet his brother Eleazer, who had just arrived at the paternal mansion from his settlement in Northampton. "The comforted old patriarch," says Cotton Mather, "had the privilege of having his two sons in his own pulpit, on the following day, while he sat shining between them, like the sun in Gemini."

CHAPTER III.

Mr. Mather's marriage. His children. His settlement at Boston. His temptations. His want of pecuniary support. His diary His plan of study and of life.

MR. MATHER spent the first winter after his return to New England in preaching alternately, one Sabbath for his father in Dorchester, and the other for the new church in the North part of Boston. The following year, he was married to Maria Cotton, only daughter of the distinguished John Cotton of Boston. With this excellent lady he was united more than fifty years, and became the father of ten children; three sons, and seven daughters.

The eldest of these sons, Cotton Mather, was for many years his father's colleague in the ministry, and was, indisputably the most learned man in New England. He was the author of almost four hundred distinct publications, many of them considerable volumes.

Nathaniel Mather, the second son of Increase, died young. He is represented as a very remarkable youth, in respect both to learning and