has foretold concerning the Consuming of Ten Kingdomes, is to be accomplished.

May all the Blessings of the Man who deviseth Liberal Things, be your portion in such a period. Yea, your Everlasting portion. With such Wishes, I am, Sir, Your most obliged Friend and Serv't. Boston, N. England, Nov. 5. 1723.1

MY INVALUABLE FRIEND, - The Correspondence with which you have honoured me, has been so very useful and grateful to me, that I beseech you to continue it.

I take this opportunity, to present you with a few of our Latest Publications; But what I now do, is but a præface to a more Copious and agreeable Entertainment, which, I hope, in Two or Three months (if the Gracious Lord please to spare the Barren Tree so long) may be ready for you.

The Occurrences among us, are too small, to be worthy of transmitting to you.

1"12 d. 9 m. [November.]. There was exhibited unto the Church, the Answer of Mr. Joshua Gee, unto the Choice of him unto the pastoral Charge, whereof they had made Report unto him. His Answer declared his Acceptance of their Invitation.

"The Church voted, that as a Provision at present for his comfortable Subsistence, he should have the weekly Allowance of three Pounds out of the Church's Treasury.

"The Committee that were chosen to report unto him the late Act of the Church, were now chosen to be advised by him (with the present Pastor) about a proper Time for his public Ordination."

"25 d. 9 m. The Brethren of the Church voted:

"That Wednesday, the eighteenth of December approaching be the Day for the Ordination of Mr. Joshua Gee, to the pastoral Charge of the Flock.

"That the six Churches of our united Brethren in this Town, and the Church of Roxbury, be addressed for their Delegates to appear with us on that Occasion. "That the Pastor do, the next Lord's-day, sollicit the Assembly to advance in their Contribution on the Lord's-day following, what may support the Expense of that Occasion.

"That Mr. Walter, Mr. Wadsworth, Mr. Colman and Mr. Sewal, be desired to join with the Pastor (from whom they expect the giving of the Charge) in the Imposition of Hands on the Person to be ordained.

"That Mr. Goodwin, and Goldthwaite and February, join with the Deacons in preparing a proper Entertainment for the Delegates." Cotton Mather's MS. Records of the Second Church, III.

A French priest, with Countenance from the Governor of Canada, has instigated our Eastern Indians, to begin a War upon us; animated with an Expectation, that France and the pretender were bringing things to that pass, that would allow all Canada, openly to back them; However, our Merciful GOD has kept more of a Restraint upon them, in their outrages and Incursions, than we could have justly look'd for.

A Faction of unadvised and prejudiced people here, have so disobliged our Governour that he privately withdrew, and has presented a Memorial against our House of Representatives, which has introduced a bad aspect upon our Liberties; But if our charter which is the Hedge about our churches, be on this occasion taken away, the pure and undefiled Religion of this Countrey, will soon feel the bad consequences of it.

A few young Ministers, who have prov'd such Apostates, as to deny and renounce the Ministry of these Churches, and gone home to our Bishop for orders, have made a great Noise at home, as well as here. But they signify very Little, and can draw no Disciples after them, except a few, that are a Scandal and Blemish to the wretched parraselene which they go over to, and serve as a praeservative which antidotes our people against a Church, that have such people for the Only Pillars of it.

Shortly, I may give you a fuller acco't, of these and some other Matters.

In the Meantime, lett the Cry of Peace; peace, among you, be what it will; some of us Live in continual Apprehensions of what the Second Chapter of Daniel, (whereof, the Time, the sett Time, is come,) has very quickly, I say, very quickly to do upon you.

In the Faith and Patience of the Kingdoms, I am, Sir, Your Brother and most hearty Servt.1

1 19 d. 11 m. [January.] 1723-24. Baptised James Cox. The first Baptism administered by Mr. Gee. And, indeed, the first that has been administered by any Hand, but those of Mather (Father and Son) in the Old North-Church, for more than half an hundred Years together." Cotton Mather's MS. Records of the Second Church, III.

The last entry made by Mather in these Church Records was that of a baptism, performed on February 23, 1723-24. With the first entry in March, the writing changes to that of Rev. Joshua Gee, and only so much as relates particularly to Mather is included in this volume.

1724

THE LXII YEAR

12 d. XII m. 1723-24. O wonderful! O wonderful! O the Wonders and Praises with which I am to consider the Favours of the gracious GOD, who hitherto has helped me!

This Day I sett apart for a DAY OF THANKSGIVING, which I kept in my Study before the Lord. And I enjoy'd a most comfortable, yea, and an astonishing Presence of GOD with me in the Exercises of the Day. No Pen can express my Enjoyments and my Elevations.

In the Morning, under a deep Sense that I am Nothing, deserve Nothing, avail Nothing; I behold my SAVIOUR offering to enter and possess me by His holy SPIRIT, and come to act as a Principle of Life in me, for my Living to GOD; I accepted His offer and resigned my self up unto Him. The Consequence of which was, that I was carried beyond myself in all the Devotions of the Day, and was quickened unto Strains of Piety, which being left unto myself, I should not have arriv'd unto.

Having celebrated the infinite Perfections of God the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit; I proceeded then to acknowledge the Blessings of GOD unto me, all, how undeserved, how Distinguishing! in the whole Course of my Life to this Day! And I especially made this a Time of Thanksgiving for my having arrived unto this great Age, free from the grievous Diseases, which carry Horror with them.

Anon, I went on to praise Him, for the Discipline of Afflictions, with which my Conformity to my SAVIOUR has been carried on. And for the Answers of Prayers wherein He has often granted my Petitions unto Him.

I finally, and above all, gave Thanks for the spiritual Blessings in the heavenly Places, which my SAVIOUR has given me the Inchoation and the Expectation of. Adding, my Thanks for the Benefit of that Ministry, in which His good Angels have so often brought His Kindnesses unto me.

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During the whole Day, I intermixed ejaculatory Thanksgivings, on all Occasions and Occurrences.

And I sang agreeable Passages in the Psalms, before the Lord. And I settled the Points in which I must now more than ever be, the Lord's.

But, O the Expansions of a Soul mounting up to Heaven, as with the Wings of Eagles, and united unto GOD in my SAVIOUR, which He brought me to!

And, O the Assurances, of Mercies reserved for me, which my Desires have been much carried forth unto!

My Pen is not able to relate them!

12. G. D. A Family of remote Relatives in Dorchester; Lett me do something to serve the Cause of Piety in it. Unto my Father's Life I add an elegant EPITAPHIUM. 13. G. D. In a neighbouring Town, the Widows have been lately and greatly multiplied. I purpose to purchase a little Number of my Book entituled A Visit to the Widow, and send them (undiscovered from whence they come) unto the Minister of the Place, to be by him dispersed among them.

It may be, I shall do so, for some other Places.

14. G. D. The Mischief which the Anabaptists are doing in my Neighbourhood, putts me upon abetting and assisting, the Design of some to reprint my Baptistes,1 and scatter it where there may be Occasion for it.

I sett apart this Day for Supplications, carrying the Concerns of my Soul, and my Ministry, and my Family, and of this poor People unto the Lord.

It was a Day, wherein I found the implored and expected Spirit of my Jesus, enabling me to call upon the Lord, and comforting me with Assurances of Blessings and Mercies reserved for me.

But none of the Devotions in the Day, were more full of the divine Life, than a Prayer made as a Præface to my following Petitions; Wherein I declared unto the Lord, that I did not so much come to ask for good Things, as to express myself willing to go without them; having my Will entirely swallowed up in His. I was more

1 Printed by T. Fleet for J. Phillips, 1724.

sollicitous to be a Sacrificer, and be satisfied in going without whatever my Father and my Saviour will have to be denied unto me, than to come at the good Things, which my Desires would carry me forth unto. I esteemed a Mind so conformed and united to GOD, as better than any of the good Things whereof I was ready to be desirous. All that I would insist upon should be a glorious CHRIST appearing in the most holy Place for me, and Visiting me with Discoveries of Himself, and Influences that should bring me to be continually feeding and living upon Him.

15. G. D. A young Gentleman, to be preserved from Infection by the Daughter of Babylon.

* 16. G. D. In all Events, to keep continually acknowledging the Providence of my GOD and SAVIOUR, disposing of all, and acquiesce in His Will in the Disposal. But therewithal take Delight in such an Exercise of Piety, (yea, and in the Occasion for it,) as more desireable, than the Things which I would have desired, but which are denied unto me: This is a way of Living, which I have long, long been used unto. No doubt, my Memorials have here and there Touches upon it; which I remember not. But it being at this Time in a singular Vigour with me, I am willing again to mention it.

17. G. D. More various, exquisite, powerful Projections that the baptismal Prayers may answer a great Variety of good Intentions.

18. G. D. A new Servant is yesterday come to sojourn in my Family. I will do what I can, that she may devote herself to the Service of her Saviour; and learn the Ways of Piety by coming to us.

19. G. D. My dear Sister (as I must call her) Mrs. Brown, seems to be in a declining State, and as if she were hastening to the Period of her Pilgrimage. I would accordingly, in as exquisite Ways as I can, assist her præparations.

20. G. D. My large Work, entituled, THE ANGEL OF BETHESDA, is now finished. If my glorious Lord will please to accept of it, it may prove one of the most useful Books,