1716

THE LIV YEAR OF MY LIFE.

12 d. XII m. [February.] 1715-16. Lord's-Day. *12.1 G. D. What! And is the fifty-third Year of my Life this Day finished? A Life so forfeited; a Life so threatened; such a dying Life; yea, and such a barren One! My God, I praise thee; the Display of thy sovereign Grace, is my Admiration, my Astonishment! My SAVIOUR, I bless thee, I love thee, I resolve to serve thee.

I will this Day glorify my SAVIOUR, with Meditations and Acknowledgments, of His having the Keys of the invisible World, and of Death in His glorious Hands, and His having the Souls of Men, and very particularly their Lives, at His Disposal. Yea, I will communicate my Meditations unto my Flock this Day, and invite them to join with me in my Acknowledgments.

13. G. D. I am reviving my Cares to visit the Flock, and I would as soon as I can, gett furnished with my Echo's of Devotion,2 (which is not yet published,) that I may lodge the Book in all the Families where I come.

14. G. D. Unto each of my Children, present my Utilia,3 with my Charges unto them, to make the Book very much their Companion and Counsellor.

15. G. D. There are some Relatives at a further Distance from me, to whom the like Present of my Utilia, will be an agreeable Expression of my Concern for them.

1 He now alters his entries, so as to follow the days of the month instead of the days of the week. The marks the first day of the week.

2 Printed by T. Fleet and T. Crump, 1716.

3 Printed by the same, 1716.

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16. G. D. If I could redeem the Time, now and then to dress up sublime Thoughts in an agreeable Metre, I might in Time, have a Collection, which may prove a profitable and an acceptable Entertainment, unto the Church of God.

17. G. D. A Society of Christians in our Neighbourhood, being disposed for the publishing of some Discourses, I will propose as advantageously to them, as I can.

18. G. D. Releeve a poor Man clothed with Rags, at the South End of the Town: At the same time, rebuke him, and exhort him.

19. G. D. Tho' I have been after a poor Manner living unto God, these many Years, yett methinks, I am not frequent and vigorous and explicit enough on those Thoughts, with which the Life of God is to be carried on.

I would therefore now endeavour a greater Frequency, in forming those Thoughts upon every Turn, which being applied unto my Actions and my Enjoyments, will bring such a Respect unto GOD upon them, that I shall indeed live unto Him.

Upon my ACTIONS. In this Action I propose an Obedience to the glorious GOD; animated with an Apprehension that He knowes what I now do, under the Eye of His Glory; and that on the Account of beloved JESUS, it will find Acceptance with Him.

my

Upon my ENJOYMENTS. What gives a Relish to this Enjoyment, is, that the glorious GOD, showes to me something of His Glory in it; and that by this good Thing I am assisted and comforted in serving of Him.

These Considerations will often require to be made with a particular pause, that shall examine, wherein these Ends are more particularly answered in my Actions, and my Enjoyments. And then, I am so to take my Measures therefrom, that if I do not find the Ends answered, I am to desist from them.

20. G. D. A Sermon of Tokens for Good, may be of good use unto the Flock, whereof I am the Servant.

21. G. D. It may not only be a Service to myself, but also greatly serve the Interests of Piety in my excellent Consort, if I should use, every Morning before I rise, to

read a Chapter in my dear Arndt; and communicate unto her the principal Thoughts occurring on it.

22. G. D. Send the Utilia, and some other Things to an aged Relative, at Medford.

23. G. D. There being some Settlements begun at the Eastward, (particularly Arowsick and Brunswick,) and some devout Persons applying themselves, while they yett want a minister to carry on Exercises of Religion among the people there, I would supply those Christians, with Instruments of Piety, suited unto their Occasions.

And since the Instruction of the Indians has been begun by some good Men there, I would particularly furnish them with Instruments, for that excellent Purpose.

24. G. D. Procure a good Justice, if it may be, to be commission'd, for a destitute place in the countrey, on the behalf whereof I am applied unto.

25. G. D. A poor Drone, must have something done for him, and Employment provided.

And a crack-brained Youth in my neighbourhood, (who also belongs to our Church) must be look'd after.

25 d. XII m. Satureday. This Day I sett apart for Prayer with Fasting, in Secret before the Lord.

My Errands to Heaven were, to obtain the Pardon of my Miscarriages; greater Measures of Piety and Sanctity; the divine Conduct and Blessing to my Ministry in every Part of it; a Smile on the Offers made by my Pen unto the Public; the good State of my Family; the Welfare of my Son abroad; the Rescue of my Daughter-in-Law from her unhappy Circumstances; the comfortable Disposal of my Daughters in the married Life; the Favour of Heaven to my Flock, to the Land, and to the British Nations, and my dear Brethren, that are at work for God in the Lower Saxony; and other Matters.

I enjoy'd most gracious Visits from Heaven to me, in my Devotions.

I pray'd in the Name of my Saviour, and even with a Nature and a Temper conformed unto His, and I prevailed.

When I perceived by the Breathing of my Soul, that I began to live unto God, oh! the Triumphant Joy, that I was filled withal, to

think, that now I am assured of everlasting Life. This Life of God, is what never can be killed!

March. 1716. 1. G. D. It may be of great Use to our Ministers, and our Colledges, if I can procure the Medicina Mentis, of the Excellent Langius,1 to be much studied among them. I would use all due Methods to bring it about.

2. G. D. I would exhibit a little Summ of Money, to be bestow'd upon such Lads at the School, as gett by heart, the Maxims of the Everlasting Gospel, in the, Lapis e Monte.

3. G. D. A miserable Man in the Prison, cries to me for my Compassions. I must clothe him, and help him, what I can.

* 4. G. D. That Sort of prayer or that Elevation of the Mind in Prayer, which is in the Verus Christianismus called, Supernatural Prayer, is what I would exceedingly aspire unto, and grow more experienced in. I would soar towards it, in great Essayes at the sacrificing-Stroke, which with a Self annihilation will bring me on towards an Union with God, and an Acquiescence in Him, and in His Will; and when I feel in this way GOD becoming All in All unto me, I would be entirely swallowed up in Him.

5. G. D. Lett the public Prayers, in the Hearing of the Flock, take a pathetic Notice of the Value and Longing which our People gone abroad, express in their Letters to us, for the New England-Sabbaths. Manifold may be the good Use of this Intimation.

6. G. D. Very much inculcate on the Children the Lessons of Thankfulness to the glorious God, for His having provided so marvellously for them, when He had made them Orphans; and now bestowing an excellent Mother upon them.2

7. G. D. Not only must Relatives abroad be prayed

1 Johann Lange (1485–1565), of Silesia. See p. 405, infra.

* Mather had married July 5, 1715, Lydia, daughter of Rev. Samuel Lee. See pp. 302, 322.

for, but also their Wives at Home, in their Absence, have the Duty of Resignation much recommended unto them, and so a Preparation for all Events.

7 d. 1 m. [March.] Wednesday. This Day I devoted, (and what sinner on Earth has more Cause to do so?) unto the Exercises of a Secret THANKSGIVING unto the glorious GOD.

I began the Day with considering and acknowledging my answering the Character of a meer Shadow before GOD; sensible that I am nothing, have nothing, do nothing, but in an entire Dependence upon Him.

I confessed before the Lord, my exceeding Unworthiness of all His Favours; and how unworthy I am to be accepted or assisted in His Praises. I went over the Articles of my Vileness, with all SelfAbasement.

I entertained my Family with Meditations on the CXXXVIII Psalm. And with them I celebrated the Favours of Heaven to my Family; especially in the excellent Mother that He has bestow'd upon it.

Ah! quam deceptus!1

I distinctly adored the divine perfections; and breathed after such Dispositions and Behaviours in myself, as they call for.

I beheld each of the three Persons in the Godhead, shining with all those Perfections; and very particularly the God-man, who is my Saviour; and I triumphed in the Enjoyment of such a Saviour.

I made Recognition of my Obligations to live unto this glorious GOD; and be entirely for Him; and I proposed the Methods, wherein I desired forever to glorify Him: ascribing at the same Time unto my Saviour, the Glory of accomplishing my Desires.

Having expatiated upon these Things, in the Afternoon, I went on to recapitulate the former Vouchsafements of a gracious God unto me, in the Course of my Life; and then the Enjoyments wherewith I am this Time favoured of the Lord; more particularly; the strange Prolongation of my Life, with my Health restored and Strength renewed; my Employment in the Ministry of the Gospel, and in so large an Auditory, (yea, notwithstanding the late Swarm therefrom :) And with an Utterance bestow'd in such a wondrous Manner upon me; my marvellous Opportunities to be serviceable unto the King

1 These words were written in the margin.