commencement following, he took the chair and conferred the degrees; but as his church were unwilling to grant him a dismission, the office was at length declined.

In the year 1684, Mr. Mather had another severe fit of sickness, during which (as before,) much prayer was offered up to God for him, and he was favored with a calm serenity of mind, rejoicing in hope of the glory to be revealed. His first sermon after his recovery was from Is. 38: 18, 19. "The grave cannot praise thee. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day." The leading sentiment of the discourse was this: "The servants of God, whilst living in the world, have many opportunities and advantages to glorify him, which the saints in heaven have not." Among other particulars, this was noticed; "they have the opportunity to suffer for him."

It was during this year, that Mr. Mather had the satisfaction of receiving his son, Cotton Mather, as his colleague in the work of the ministry. The son was ordained May 13, 1684, when his father preached. Messrs. Allen and Willard, in connection with his father, imposed hands, and the venerable Eliot expressed the fellowship of the churches. The connection thus formed between father and son was contin

ued, with the utmost harmony, (except that the father was occasionally absent,) for almost forty

years.

After the death of President Rogers, in 1685, Mr. Mather was again requested "to act as President of the college, until a further settlement be made;" with the understanding that he was to reside and preach in Boston, and spend a portion of his time at Cambridge during the week. In this way, his official connection with the college commenced; and it continued without any material alteration (except that he afterwards became, not merely the acting, but the actual President) for a period of about sixteen years. Up to this time, the classes at Cambridge had usually consisted of from two, three, or four students up to eight or ten. But during the presidency of Mr. Mather, the number increased, so that the classes often consisted of more than twenty. In the year 1682, a new college edifice was erected, denominated Harvard Hall, which stood till it was destroyed by fire, in 1764. The sixteen years of Mr. Mather's presidency was a deeply interesting period, not only to the college, but also to the colonies, to both of which he sustained the most important relations. A review of it will be undertaken in the following chap

ters.

CHAPTER VI.

The charter of Massachusetts demanded. Mr. Mather dissuades from surrendering it. Rage of his enemies. The charter taken away. Death of Charles II., and accession of James. Provisional government established. Administration of Sir Edmund Andros. Mr. Mather sent to England on an agency for the colony.

It was

We have heard already of the Reforming Synod of 1679,-of its occasion, and results. hoped that a reformation and return to God so general and entire would be effected, that the tokens of his displeasure against the people of New England might be removed. But it was soon manifest that his holy hand was stretched out still, and that trials and perils more formidable than any that our fathers had yet encountered were before them.

From the accession of Charles II. to this time, a period of some ten or twelve years, there had never been a good understanding between him and the New England colonies, more especially that of Massachusetts. From time to time, he had been pressing claims upon the colonists, which they had endeavored to evade, and had

been making encroachments upon their chartered liberties, which they were determined to resist. Prejudiced individuals (foremost among whom was the notorious Edward Randolph,) were also filling the royal ears with complaints against the colonies, and increasing the causes of irritation, by every method in their power. At length, in October, 1683, Randolph came over with a message from the king, that unless the people of Massachusetts would make a full submission and entire resignation of their charter to his pleasure, a Quo Warranto against it should be prosecuted. The question before the people was, whether they should voluntarily surrender their charter, or have it forcibly taken from them. This question was submitted to Mr. Mather, who in his answer demonstrated that they would act the part, neither of true Englishmen nor of good Christians, if, by any act of theirs, they became accessory to the plot then in progress to produce a general shipwreck of their liberties. This answer was instantly and widely circulated, and with great effect; and in proportion to its effects was the rage of Randolph, and those who acted under his influence. In the fullness of their spite, they customarily spoke of Mr. Mather as the Mahomet of New England. Still, the good man was not to be terrified or deterred from

discharging what he believed his duty. Accordingly, when the freemen of Boston came together to give instructions to their deputies to the general court, he was desired to be present, and to favor them with his thoughts on the case of conscience that was to come before them. The speech which he made in the town-house on that occasion is preserved, and is verbatim as follows: "Gentlemen, as the question is now stated, whether you will make a full submission and entire resignation of your charter, and the privileges of it, unto his majesty's pleasure, I verily believe we shall sin against the God of heaven, if we vote an affirmative to it. The Scripture teacheth us otherwise. We know what Jephthah said, 'That which the Lord our God has given us, shall we not possess it?' And though Naboth ran a great hazard by the refusal, yet he said, God forbid that I should give away the inheritance of my fathers.' Nor would it be wisdom for us to comply. We know that David made a wise choice, when he preferred to fall into the hands of God, rather than into the hands of men. If we make a full submission and entire resignation to the king's pleasure, we fall directly into the hands of men. But if we do it not, we still keep ourselves in the hands of God. We trust ourselves with his providence; and