Majority of the Rateable Inhabitants of the Town of Chattam, and requesting our Advice, whether Mr. H[ugh] A[dams] may do well to preach unto them, until the calling of a Council, which they intend, for a further hearing of their Case, which has been already under some Cognisance of a former. And, whether another Council may do well, to vouchsafe such a further hearing unto it.

We are very far from offering our opinion on the Case, that has been heard by our reverend and honoured Brethren, of whom we have such an Esteem, and from whom we are at such a Distance; nor indeed are we so much as willing to Enquire into the Reason of their Judgment. Yett, we hope, we may without offence, in general, say, that an Appeal unto a further Hearing, seems to be a common Right, which cannot well be denied unto an aggrieved Party, who may have many things to offer, which at the first Hearing there might not be opportunity to consider of. And for this further Hearing, it seems to be most natural and rational and suitable, that for the most part (and in the present case,) it should be by them who are as near as may be to the seat of the Difference; It will be but a Brotherly peece, of Charity, for these Neighbours, to accept the Trouble of doing what they can, for the Healing of what is out of order in their Vicinity. And if this Council should happen in any thing to vary from the Judgment of the former, they have the Wisdome and Goodness to carry things with such a Christian Temper, Moderation, and Condescension, that it may be hoped, it will not at all interrupt a good Correspondence between them. All second Hearings must have an everlasting Obstruction upon them, if a variety of Sentiments arising from them should necessarily infer a Disaffection between the Judges. Wherefore, we cannot but wish, that you, Syr, and your adjacent Brethren, would as soon as may be, answer the importunate and irresistible cries of the poor People at Chattam, to take some notice of their Circumstances.

About Mr. H. Adams's preaching in the meantime, we are much at a Loss, what can in Prudence be said unto him. In Justice, it seems, that while the Appeal is depending, and the cause for Suspension is not very criminal, and very evident, a preacher so concerned, may go on in his business. And if a Majority of the Christian Inhabitants, in Chattam, or any other Town, should ask, such a Person to carry on the Exercises of piety among them, we suppose, the Intention of the Civil Government would not be absolutely to forbid it. And it may be, they will not interpret it, as a Transgression of any Law, if such a person, do modestly serve the religious Desires of the Neighbours.

But we apprehend ourselves to be not so proper Directors to him, as you, that are more fully apprised of what may be most prudently proposed unto him.

Upon the whole; if it should be, as those that have been with us do understand it, and represent it, that the Rise of Mr A.s Troubles, is principally owing to the Zeal, with which he has born his Testimonies, against some real Mischiefs,1 his case may deserve the more deliberate and favourable consideration, and the Indiscretions with which it may have been exercised (if there have such) not be too far aggravated.

We commend you to the Conduct of our glorious Lord, and entreat you to communicate these our Thoughts, as you may see Occasion; and subscribe, Sir, Your affectionate Brethren

SIR, Finding myself enabled by an unexpected occurrence, to entertain your Library with a present I now send you a small packett of Books, upon that Intention.

I do it, with an humble Tender of my opinion, that if you would procure, the Medicina Mentis, of the Excellent Langius, to come under the perusal of the Students, and Numbers of the Books to be for that purpose brought into the Shops of our Booksellers, you and they would find their Account in it.

Yea, for the Tutors to expect from their Pupils, an Account of what they have read from time to time, in so rich a Mass of the truest Erudition, I am humbly of opinion, would be of greater use to them, than some other Articles of Study, wherein Time is thrown away.

I am well aware, how impertinent a Thing, it will be for me to offer my Judgment or Advice in your Affaires. But I will not lay aside my Perswasion, that the more effectually the glorious Design of living to God is prosecuted in our Schools, and the more nearly subservient all our Literature is made unto that End, without which is but exalted Folly, and mischievous Madness, the more the Schools are made the true Seats of wisdome.

One of the best of men, in Letters which I have within these few Hours received has a passage, which I heartily subscribe to.

1 It was a dispute over money. Freeman, History of Cape Cod, II. 593, 595. See the advertisements in the Boston News-Letter, May 28 and June 11, 1716. Adams had been indiscreet in speech and in writing. Sewall, Diary, III. 76.

2 See p. 337, supra.

I should be glad, if in my next Communications, unto the most illustrious and flourishing University in the world, whereof Langius is one of the professors, I may be able to say that in America we have Colledges, that very much Espouse their Sentiments, and pursue their Intentions. Perhaps I make too bold with you; but having this occasion; I Praesume so far; and with my humble service to your Praesident and Corporation subscribe,

TO ANTHONY WILLIAM BOEHM.

A.A.S.

[1716?]

REVEREND SR., It was a great Consolation of God, that I received, when I was favoured with your most obliging Letters, and those of the Incomparable Dr. Franckius that accompanied them, and the most acceptable Treatises which were bright satellits to them.

The amiable Piety breathing in your excellent Writings, has endeared you to me beyond Expression; and by the Communications which I have made thereof, your Endearment unto other Servants of God in this Countrey, is what, I hope, you will take pleasure to find me mentioning. For, tho' you have dy'd unto self, and you behold and enjoy every thing, as in relation to the Glorious GOD, yett, when we perceive that God makes us the Instruments to convey something of Himself unto His people, tis what may very well be very pleasing to us.

Happening to be just now in some uncommon Hurries, my Letters to my excellent Franckius are more unpolished and unfinished than otherwise they should have been. However such as they are, I leave them and the Packetts which I have enclosed them, open for your Perusal; and I entreat that when you have perused them, you would seal them up, and send them away with the bitts of Gold in them, unto the Marvellous Man, unto whom I have directed them.

In the Packetts, there are some Duplicates; with which I happen to be furnished, at the time of my writing, and on such, you will find your dear Name inscribed, that you may reserve them, for your own Disposal.

My lovely Friend, will give me leave to observe unto him, that, it is vital Piety embracing the Maxims of the everlasting Gospel, (and your Arndtian and Franckian Charity,) which must unite the People of God. And a more explicit union being produced on those Maxims, the Papal Empire will fall before it, and the Kingdome of

God will come on. Until this Union be accomplished, and for the accomplishment of it, God will go on to Distress the Nations, and vex them with all Adversity, and make them suffer Concussions and Convulsions, and Confusions to be trembled at.

I was just thinking, — while I was in the Midst of these Thoughts, your Letters, with those of my admirable Franckius, arrived unto me, and with an agreeable Surprize give me a Confirmation of my Apprehensions, and a Demonstration of the Terms, which will forever produce the closest Union among the true Children of God.

For the rest I need only to refer you unto what you will find in my Packetts, for a full Information in all those Points, wherein you would have expected any satisfaction from us. Having done this, I have nothing at this time to add, but my hearty Prayers that your Life and Health may be prolonged, and your holy Studies to advance the Kingdome of God, graciously directed and prospered.

In these Prayers, and in the most friendly Salutations, there concurr, my valuable Collegues. But in a very particular manner, my highly esteemed Friend and Brother, Mr. Benjamin Coleman, who has been singularly gratified and edified, with your holy Writings, which I have communicated unto him.

TO THE HONOURABLE, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOUR, AND COUNCIL AND THE REPRESENTATIVES IN THE GENERAL COURT NOW ASSEMBLED; A MEMORIAL OF COTTON MATHER.

He that now humbly offers this Memorial, has been informed that the last General Assembly gratefully ordered the Summ of Three hundred pounds, for some of their Agents, who were employ'd for two years in the public Service, as in Acknowledgment of their Endeavours to serve the Countrey: and he takes a share in the Satisfaction that good Men have to see them who lay themselves out for the public Service, duely acknowledged.

But he does not understand, that any such Notice was then taken of the Person, who served with very much Toil, a much longer Time, in the Affaires of the Countrey, that were then in very difficult and critical Circumstances, and is well-known to have been the principal Instrument of obtaining the valuable Priviledges of the present

1 See p. 353, supra.

Charter, when the Recovery of the former was no longer to be hoped

for.

We read of one, That God Extended favour to him, before the King and his counsellours.

And he hopes, he may without any Trespass upon Modesty, say that it is well-known, that his Parent was bless'd of God, with Favour before King William, of glorious Memory, and before His great Ministers of State, and that the Effects were such as turned unto the Advantage of his Countrey; yea, in one Article thereof, the Countrey received of a royal Bounty upon his Petition, as much as the Expence of all his Agency. It is well-known that with indefatigable Industry unblemishable Fidelity and unexceptionable Discretion, he employ'd all his Talents and Interests four Years together, for the good of his people. Heaven and Earth were Witnesses: He returned with ample and honourable Testimonials.

He counts it but a filial Duty, to represent it on the behalf of his Parent, that tho' he never asked any Reward in this World, yett for him to be rewarded with a total Neglect when others are not so may carry an Imputation upon him, and may neither be pleasing above, nor contributed unto the Esteem of the Country, with many that wish well unto it, abroad in the World as well as here at home. Having been led into this Action, by what has been so generously done on the behalf of other Agents, one who never did ask any thing for himself of any Society since he came into the world, apprehends it but a proper Thing, that he should on the behalf of his aged Parent, ask to have this Matter taken into a just Consideration.

SIR,It will doubtless be an Honour unto our Countrey, that it has been equal to the best in the World, for the Justice exercised in paying the Debts of the public; and a sensible Addition is made unto its honourable Character, when there are done such things as are done in the present Session, and unto Justice there is added Gratitude.

Good men are pleased, when they see the Countrey grateful, unto those worthy Gentlemen, who ventured over the Atlantic Ocean in a dangerous Time, and underwent the Inconveniencies of an Absence from their Families and Businesses, in an Agency for us.

But I perceive, many good Men, do express their Wishes with