provisions sent to him and his fellow-prisoners; and is dated the 22nd of the 9th month, 1667, and addressed, "Unto our brethren and friends, in the bonds and bowels of the gospel, whose hands have made them willing, under the bounteous influences of the God of Israel, to comfort the hearts of the unworthy prisoners of the Lord in Plymouth Island by a costly present; and to every one who hath contributed or helped therein to a tender groan, or the value of a cup of cold water, be a large recompence of reward given in grace, and ascertained in glory, by him who is not unfaithful to forget such labour of love shewed to his name." This letter, containing many pious and generous sentiments, is still preserved.

This holy man wrote several religious tracts, some of which were published after his death, entitled, "Words in Season;" to which was annexed the following account of the author:-"If any inquire," says the writer, "what might occasion so much severity as to detain the author a prisoner so many years, and till death? It may suffice to insert here, that he left the state of his case, under his hand, setting forth the illegality and unrighteousness of the proceedings against him. He never, in the former wars, was enlisted in any troop or company under pay; and in the trained-bands of the town where he served, never was accounted worthy of promotion; nor in the corporation, whereof he was a member, ever advanced so high as a constable; and never bettered his estate one farthing by all the propitious advantages that might have given him opportunity of so doing: nor was he conscious to himself of the least desire of adding to what he possessed, by any present or future advantages, to which any favourable overtures of the times might tempt him. He never improved his own interest in any place or office of trust or profit, civil, military, or ecclesiastical; save only for a few weeks, unknown to him, and against his will, he was made a chaplain to the fort, but quickly got himself discharged from it. Never was he concerned in, or truly charged with any plot, mutiny, or tumult, giving the least disturbance, occasion of fear, or jealousy. This then was the only thing that could give colour to such proceedings; that he, being convinced of his duty to his Lord, by the light of scripture, joined himself in a holy covenant, to walk in all the ordinances of the Lord blameless, to the best of his light and power, in fellowship with a poor and despised people."+

* Crosby's Baptists, vol. iii. p. 17-24.

+ Ibid. p. 24-26.

RICHARD MATHER. This excellent divine was born at Lowton in Lancashire, in the year 1596, and educated first at Winwick school in that county, then at Brazen-nose college, Oxford. Afterwards he was chosen minister and schoolmaster at Toxteth-park, near Liverpool. His first sermon was preached November 13, 1618, to a crowded assembly, and with great acceptance. He was ordained by Bishop Morton of Chester, who, at the close of the service, selected him from the rest who had been ordained, intimating that he wished to speak to him alone. Mr. Mather was afraid of some information on account of his puritanism; yet, when the bishop had called him from the rest of the company, he said, "I have an earnest request to make of you, sir, and you must not deny me. I know the prayers of men who fear God will avail much; and you I believe to be such a one. I therefore request that you would pray for me."

Mr. Mather entered upon his sacred charge with great zeal and fidelity. He preached twice every Lord's day at Toxteth, and delivered a lecture regularly at Prescot. This he did without interruption for fifteen years, until the month of August, 1633; when complaints were brought against him, and he was suspended for nonconformity. His suspension did not, however, continue very long; for in November following, by the kind intercession of several worthy friends, he was again restored. This awakened him. to a close examination of the controversy about ecclesiastical matters, the result of which was, that he became more than ever dissatisfied with the established church, and fully persuaded that the principles and government of congregational churches was the model laid down in the New Testament.

This worthy divine did not, indeed, long enjoy his liberty. For, the next summer, Archbishop Neile of York, sending his visitors into Lancashire, he was again brought under the ecclesiastical censure. During his examination before his unmerciful judges, they would not suffer him to speak for himself; but proceeded to suspend him, without hearing what he had to say in his own defence. While his persecutors treated him with so much rashuess and severity, he was enabled to exercise much wisdom,

It is observed that Archbishop Neile taught the people to pray for his predecessor after he was dead, on which account the king very seasonably admonished him for his inclinations to popery.-Mather's Hist of New Eng. b. iii, p. 125.--Clark's Lives annexed to his Martyrologie, p. 130.

prudence, and submission to the will of God. This appears from his own private memorial following:-" I have this to bless God for," says he, "that the terror of their threatenings, their pursuivants, and the rest of their pomp, did not terrify my mind: but I stood before them without being in the least daunted; and answered for myself, when permitted to speak, with that truth and soberness which the Lord put into my mouth, not fearing their faces. This supporting presence of the Lord I count not a much less mercy than if I had been altogether preserved out of their hands." When the pious ecclesiastics inquired how long he had been a minister, and being told fifteen years; they asked how long he had wore the surplice, and being informed that he had never wore it, "What," said one of them, with an oath," preach fifteen years and never wear a surplice! It had been better for him if he had gotten "seven bastards!!!"*

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Mr. Mather being again deprived of his liberty, and all means of obtaining his restoration proving ineffectual; and having no prospect of deliverance from the tyrannical sentence in future, he resolved to remove with his family to New England. He accordingly drew up his reasons, and presented them to his friends, who justified his conduct; and even his friends at Toxteth, who dearly loved and valued him, could not oppose the design. By transporting himself to the new continent, he said, " He should remove from a corrupt to a purer church :-from a place where the truth, and the professors of it, are persecuted, to a place of greater quiet and safety :-From a place where all the ordinances of God cannot be enjoyed, to a place where they may be enjoyed :-From a place where the discipline of the Lord Jesus Christ is wanting, to a place where it may be practised:-From a place where the ministers of God are unjustly prohibited from the exercise of their functions, to a place where they may freely execute the same:-And from a place where there are fearful signs of desolation, to a place where one may have a well-grounded hope of God's protection."+

He was further encouraged in the undertaking by letters which he received from Mr. Hooker and others, already settled in the new colony. In one of these letters, Mr. Hooker gave him the most flattering account, saying, "If I speak my own thoughts freely and fully, though there

* Clark's Lives, p. 130.-Mather's Hist. b. iii. p. 122-125. + Ibid.

are many places where men may expect and obtain greater worldly advantage; yet, I do believe, there is not a place on the face of the earth where a person of a judicious head and a gracious heart may receive greater spiritual good to himself, and do more temporal and spiritual good to others." Therefore, after taking leave of his numerous friends, he travelled to Bristol in disguise, to escape the hungry pursuivants, who sought to apprehend him; and sailed from thence May 23, 1635, and arrived at Boston the 17th of August following. Thus he was delivered from the persecution with which he was exercised while in his native country.

When the ship in which he sailed arrived on the coast of New England, they were involved in a most tremendous hurricane, and in the utmost danger of being lost. Mr. Mather, in his journal of the 15th of August, after giving a circumstantial and very affecting account of the danger, observes: "In this extremity and appearance of death, we cried unto the Lord, and he was pleased to have mercy upon us. By his overruling-providence, he guided the ship, and assuaged the violence of the sea and the wind. The Lord on that day granted us as wonderful a deliverance, I think, as ever any people enjoyed; and the seamen confessed they never knew the like. I hope we shall not forget it to our dying day. During the whole of the storm my fear was the less when I considered the clearness of my call from God. In some measure, the Lord gave us hearts to be content and willing that he should do with us and ours as he pleased, and as, might be most for his glory : and here we rested. But when the news was brought that the danger was over, oh! how our hearts did melt within us. We burst into tears of joy and love to our gracious God, and in admiration of his marvellous deliverance."

The year after his arrival, Mr. Mather was chosen pastor of the church newly formed at Dorchester, where he continued all the rest of his days. He was a man of most exemplary piety and diligence. His excellent spirit and character may be seen from the following instrument, - which, about this time, he drew up or renewed for his own private use:+

"Promises made to God, by me, Richard Mather. 1. "Touching my ministry. That I will be more painful + Ibid. p. 127.

* Clark's Lives, p. 130.-Mather's Hist. b. iii. p. 126.

and diligent in private preparation, by reading, meditation, and prayer. That in and after preaching I will earnestly strive against inward pride and vain-glory.-That before and after preaching I will seek unto the Lord for his blessing upon his word, more carefully than in time past.

2. Touching my family.-That I will be more frequent in religious discourse with those in my house, and be more careful in catechizing my children.

3. "Touching myself. That I will strive more against worldly cares and fears, and the inordinate love of worldly things. That I will be more frequent and regular in private prayer. That I will practise more seriously and frequently the duty of self-examination.-That I will strive against carnal security and excessive sleeping.-That I will strive against vain jangling and the misspending of time.

4. "Touching others.-That I will be more careful and zealous to do good to their souls by private instructions, exhortations, and reproofs.-That I will be ready to do offices of kindness and love, not for the praise of men, or to purchase commendation, but out of conscience to the command of God.

"Renewed with a profession of my own inability, and a desire that I may fetch power from Christ, to live upon him, and act from him in all spiritual duties. June 15, 1636.

"RICHARD MATHER."

Such were the promises and engagements into which this pious divine entered. He was resolved, by the help of the Lord, to devote his time, his talents, and his all, to the honour of his God and the welfare of immortal souls. Mr. Mather preached his last sermon from 2 Tim. iv. 6-8. The time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course, &c. He was presently after seized with a total obstruction of urine. Though he laboured under extreme pain, he was a pattern of patience to all beholders. He never murmured, and seldom groaned, but resigned himself to the will of God. Being asked how he did, he meekly answered, "Far from well, yet better than mine iniquities deserve." When his son reminded him of the Lord's goodness and faithfulness towards him all his days, he immediately replied, "Yes, I must acknowledge the mercy of God hath been very great towards me all my life; but I must also acknowledge, that I have had many failings, and the thoughts of them abaseth