Mr. Mather, on this occasion. "Whatever opinions we may be compelled to entertain concerning his measures and motives at other times, his conduct, in this great crisis of his country, entitles him to unqualified approbation. It is scarcely possible for a public agent to be placed in circumstances more trying and critical, nor could any one have exhibited more sagacity and devotedness to the true interests of his constituents. By his wisdom and firmness in acceding to the new charter, and thus assuming a responsibility of the weightiest kind, in opposition to his colleagues in the agency, he saved his country, apparently, from a rebellion, or a revolution, or from having a constitution imposed by the will of the transatlantic sovereign, and possibly at the point of the bayonet."-(Vol. I, p. 123.)

While Mr. Mather was abroad, he rarely omitted preaching on the Sabbath; for which he would accept no compensation, other than to engage the ministers to perform good offices for his country. He was particularly attached to the celebrated Dr. Bates of Hackney, for whom he preached regularly once a month, and with whose church he statedly partook of the Lord's. supper.

He became intimately acquainted, also, with Mr. Baxter, now an old man, and had the satis

faction to visit him on his death-bed. In proof of the estimation in which he was held by Mr. Baxter, it may be mentioned, that this venerable man dedicated to him one of his latest publications, and in generous confidence made this request of him: " : "If, sir, you find errors in any of my writings, I charge you to confute them, after I am dead."

During Mr. Mather's absence from Boston, his ministerial duties were faithfully discharged by his son and colleague, Cotton Mather. At the same time, the college, of which he was president, was committed to the care and instruction of Mr. John Leverett, and Mr. William Brattle, tutors.

CHAPTER VIII.

Mr. Mather writes on the subject of Witchcraft. Opposes innovations in church order. His exertions for Harvard College. His connection with it dissolved. His character as President. Farewell address to the students.

MR. MATHER and Governor Phipps arrived in this country, in the midst of the famous excitement respecting witchcraft. The delusion had now been in progress several months, many were suffering from the supposed witches, while other many had been accused and imprisoned as the authors of the mischief. One of the first acts of the new governor was to institute a court for the trial of the accused; and one of the first acts of Mr. Mather was to write a book, with a view to allay the excitement, to expose false tests of innocence or guilt, and to refute a kind of spectral evidence, on which many were likely to be put to death. I shall have occasion to refer to Mr. Mather's agency in this matter, in another place. Suffice it to say here, that the publication which he issued was eminently seasonable, and was followed with the best results.

Upon the appearance of it, says his son, "the governor pardoned such as had been condemned, the confessors came, as it were, out of a dream wherein they had been fascinated, and many of the afflicted grew easy."

Mr. Mather was a strenuous supporter of the established faith and order of the New England churches; and when innovations were at any time attempted, they met from him a determined resistance. Near the close of the seventeenth century, an attempt was made to do away with the established practice of requiring of persons admitted to the Lord's table a particular account of their religious experience. The Rev. William Brattle, of Cambridge, was one of the promoters of this innovation. It was followed in a little time by the doctrine, openly promulgated by Mr. Stoddard and others, that evidence of re- · generation is not to be required of candidates for the holy supper. This, Mr. Mather regarded as a very dangerous error, and opposed to it the whole weight of his influence and exertions. He wrote a preface to his son's life of Mitchell, in which he not only says, but proves by a variety of argument, that "doctrinal knowledge and outward blamelessness are not sufficient qualifications for admission to the church; but that practical confessions, or some relation of the work

of conversion, are necessary." He would not have churches shut themselves up to this or that particular manner of obtaining satisfaction. It may be done orally, or in writing. It may be done by question and answer, or by a continuous narrative. But satisfaction should, in some way, be obtained. "Churches are bound in duty to inquire, not only into the knowledge and orthodoxy, but into the spiritual estate of those whom they receive to full communion in all the ordinances of Christ." At a later period, Mr. Mather engaged in controversy with Mr. Stoddard* on the terms of communion, or of admission to the church of Christ, showing, with great clearness and force, the unscriptural character of the views he advocated, and their dangerous bearing on the churches of New England.

Time has abundantly verified the correctness of Mr. Mather's conclusions, in relation to this subject. The doctrine and practice of Mr. Stoddard prevailed extensively for a season, till they were encountered and refuted, a hundred years ago, by his successor and grandson, President Edwards. The churches which then adopted the Edwardean views, or (which is the same,) came back to the ground of the early fathers of New England, together with those

* Mr. Stoddard, it will be recollected, was Mr. Mather's brother-inlaw, having married his brother Eleazer's widow. See chap. I.