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BIOGRAPHY.

A BRIEF SKETCH OF THE LIFE, CHARACTER, AND
WRITINGS OF JONATHAN MAYHEW D. D. PAS-
TOR OF THE WEST CHURCH IN BOSTON.

IT is not always true, that men eminent for their eru

dition, or professional rank acquire that applause from contemporaries, or that fame from posterity, to which their learning and talents entitle them. Dr. Mayhew indeed did not die unnoticed, or unlamented by his friends or the public. His fathers and brethren in profession paid to the memory of the man, whom they so much loved and respected, that tribute of affection, which the death of such a luminary in the church demanded. * It will not howover be deemed impertinent, even after this long interval, to notice the character of Dr. Mayhew, which at this day is not sufficiently known and respected, and make some remarks on his writings, which are not sufficiently sought after and perused.

Jonathan Mayhew was born at Martha's Vineyard October 8th. 1720. His father,† Experience Mayhew, was a mis

* Reference is had particularly to Dr. Charles Chauncy of Boston and the Rev. Ebenezer Gay of Dedham, from whose Sermons, on the death of Dr. Mayhew, the writer has derived some benefit in this biographical me, moir.

†The genealogy of the Mayhews deserves here to be noticed. Thomas, the first of whom we have any knowledge, obtained a grant of land in Massachusetts in the year 1641, and soon afterward became Governor of Martha's Vineyard. His son, Thomas Mayhew, was the first, who labored in the Indian service. He was lost on a voyage to England in the year 1657, the 37th of his age. His youngest son, John Mayhew, born in 1652, was the next in the family, who devoted himself in ministerial labors to the Indians. He died Feb. 3d, 1689. His eldest son, Experience Mayhew, who was born 1672, succeeded him in this work. After his death he was followed in this eme ployment, by Zechariah Mayhew, his son, who is still living.

sionary among the Indians, and ministered in that capacity at Martha's Vineyard. To use the language of the son, "he was a good man, who spent a long life and his patrimo ny in the humble and laborious, though apostolical employ ment of preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ to poor Indians and one, as I suppose, now at rest from his labors with the spirits of the just made perfect."

As the circumstances of Mr. Mayhew were but scanty, his son was originally designed for the employment of a fare mer. But it was soon discovered, that he had a genius, which fitted him for a higher sphere. He was from his youth uncommonly inclined to reading and study. To gratify this disposition, his father sold a portion of his estate, that he might be enabled to give him a public education. He pursued his studies under the tuition of his father, and entered the University in Cambridge in the year 1740, the 20th of his

age.

While a member of the University, he made uncommon proficiency, was respected by his fellow students for his exemplary morality, and esteemed by his instructors for his assiduity and literary progress.

Having in view the profession of Divinity, he attended to theological studies in connexion with his collegiate pursuits. On the 17th of June 1747 he was ordained a pastor over the west church in Boston. He lived in this endearing relation until the 9th of July 1766, when God in his wisdom was pleased to call him to another world.

Few

"The Father of spirits, in his distinguishing goodness, favored Dr. Mayhew with superior mental powers. surpassed him either in quickness of apprehension, clearness of perception, readiness of invention, brightness of imagination, comprehension of understanding, or soundness of judgment.”* They, who are familiar with his writings, will scarcely deem this exaggerated praise, but will acquiesce in so ample a testimony of a friend and intimate.

Chauncy's discourse on the death of Dr. Mayhew. The writer cannot forbear selecting from this discourse a few expressions, testifying the regard,

"He was endued with a singular greatness of mind and fortitude of spirit." He was therefore too upright to impose on others, and too independent to suffer imposition on himself.

With an uncommon vigor of mind, he had a disposition more ardent, than most men. As he himself acknowledges, his natural temper was too warm; and the reader may sometimes need this acknowledgment, as an apology for some appearances of asperity in his writings, and to render the severity of his satire less censurable.

*

If Dr. Mayhew sometimes disciplined too' severely those, whom he thought proper subjects of discipline, he was on the other hand constant and warm in friendship. He was behind none in affection to those, whom he thought deserving of his esteem, or, in general acts of benevolence to mankind. One, who professed himself "religiously careful neither to flatter the dead, nor deceive the living," has summed up his domestic and social character, in the following manner. "Those, acquainted with Dr. Mayhew, must have observed his amiable behavior in the several relations of life. As a husband, he was faithful and kind; as a father, tender and affectionate; as a master, just and equal, knowing, that he had a master in heaven. As a friend, he was true to his professions, and to be trusted with confidence. As a neighbor, he was ready to all the offices of love and goodness; instead of being deficient, he rather exceeded in acts of liberality and charity.”

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In the relations of a minister, "he was diligent, laborious, and skilful; constructing his discourses so, as to inform the mind and touch the heart, so, as to entertain and profit both "The friendship

which these distinguished characters bore to each other. between us began upon his first commencing a preacher, and has continued ever since with mutual esteem, confidence, and delight. I will therefore mourn in secret places God's putting far from me so good a friend, his remov ing so dear an acquaintance into darkness. This melancholy occurrence has, I am ready to think, excited in my breast like sensations of grief, with those, which David felt on the death of his beloved Jonathan.”

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the learned and illiterate, the polite and the uncultivated hearer. Few were able to compose their sermons with so much ease, and yet so much pertinence; and few preached with greater constancy, or took occasion more frequently, from occurrences in the conduct of providence, to make seasonable and profitable reflections for the improvement of his hearers."

Dr. Mayhew lived in an age of puritanism and bigotry, in a time, which, if it were more free from licentiousness, had less of catholicism, than the present day. In consequence of this, that freedom of inquiry, which he indulged in religious speculations, and that independence of opinion, which he exercised, gained him some enmity and much opposition. At a period, in which charity formed a more conspicuous part of the christian character, his doctrines would not have been reprobated, as dangerous, nor the supporter of them stigmatized, as a heretic.

Dr. Mayhew was a firm believer in the Divinity of Christ; and ascribed all that efficacy to the atonement, ;* for which the most rigid trinitarians contend. He was convinced and aimed to convince others of the corruption of human nature, the necessity of reformation of heart and life, and of faith toward God and the Savior. His discourses were in a high degree practical and persuasive; calculated to instruct the understanding and to move the heart. He depended less on the manner of delivery to captivate his audience, than on the truth of his instructions and the motives,

* Dr. Mayhew differed however from those, who have commonly been reputed orthodox, in his construction of the doctrine of the trinity. He insisted with great freedom on the unity of God; but never with a design to detract from the merit of Christ's sacrifice.

"Two or three years ago, a pamphlet appeared under the name of an obscure person, wrote either by himself or a certain officious lay gentleman of his acquaintance ashamed to be known, as its author, in which Dr. Mayhew was represented, as an enemy to the atonement by Jesus Christ. The real writer of that piece knew little of the Dr. or the true meaning of his works. He might as well have taxed any minister of the town, or province upon this head; for there was no one, who was more firm and steady in his faith, as to this doctrine of the gospel. He never had the least doubt about

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by which he enforced them. In his extemporaneous per formances there was less fluency, than propriety; and more devotion, than captivating elocution. In fine, he was a preacher more interesting to the judicious, than to weaker minds, and more pleasing to the enlightened, than to the ig

norant.

The piety of Dr. Mayhew, although it had been uncharitably questioned by some, was, before his death, very generally, if not universally, acknowledged. His exemplary life and his zeal for religion teck from his enemies all cause to speak reproachfully of him. His piety was never doubted by his familiar friends; nor scrupled, but by those, who were hostile to his sentiments, or thought him deficient in the number, or construction of his articles of faith. His opinions on religious subjects appear to have been formed on the most free and independent inquiries, and to have been em ́braced in the full integrity of his heart. If he were mistaken in any points of Christianity, it cannot fairly be imputed to his indifference to truth, or neglect of diligent researches ; for none have more strenuously advocated the necessity of distinguishing between right and wrong, or with more sincerity adopted, what in the result was conceived to be true.

In literary attainments Dr. Mayhew was distinguished. In this country certainly he had not many equals, and few if any superiors. To natural talents very far above mediocrity he added, by his industry, an uncommon stock of acquired knowledge; and, to use the language of one of his panegyrists, "it would have been an honor to Oxford to have it said, this man was educated there."

In classic learning the Dr. is said to have held an eminent rank. For examples of deep investigation, for proofs of a mind capable of the most metaphysical inquiries and the nicest moral distinctions, for specimens of profound knowledge in the science of theology, we need only appeal to his

In this connexion might be mentioned several latin odes, composed by Dr. Mayhew, which have been somewhere published, but, which the writer of this memoir has not been able to find.

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