would but conform, and read the common prayer; but he refused. In short, all things around him conspired to admonish him, that there was no longer a field of usefulness open for him in England, and that it was his duty to return to his native land. Wherefore, in June, 1661, he set sail from Weymouth, England, and arrived at Boston about the first of September. He came to Dorchester very unexpectedly on a Saturday evening, to the great joy of his excellent father. Here he had the happiness to meet his brother Eleazer, who had just arrived at the paternal mansion from his settlement in Northampton. "The comforted old patriarch," says Cotton Mather, "had the privilege of having his two sons in his own pulpit, on the following day, while he sat shining between them, like the sun in Gemini.”

CHAPTER III.

Mr. Mather's marriage. His children. His settlement at Boston. His temptations. His want of pecuniary support. His diary His plan of study and of life.

MR. MATHER spent the first winter after his return to New England in preaching alternately, one Sabbath for his father in Dorchester, and the other for the new church in the North part of Boston. The following year, he was married to Maria Cotton, only daughter of the distinguished John Cotton of Boston. With this excellent lady he was united more than fifty years, and became the father of ten children; three sons, and seven daughters.

The eldest of these sons, Cotton Mather, was for many years his father's colleague in the ministry, and was, indisputably the most learned man in New England. He was the author of almost four hundred distinct publications, many of them considerable volumes.

Nathaniel Mather, the second son of Increase, died young. He is represented as a very remarkable youth, in respect both to learning and

piety. A memoir of him was published by Cotton Mather, which went through several editions, on both sides of the water. A considerable part of the first edition was purchased by good old Philip Henry, for charitable distribution. To the fourth edition, a highly characteristic preface was prefixed by Matthew Mead, author of the "Almost Christian." "I could not read the book," says Mr. Mead, "without great reflection and shame. For, thought I, God will not gather his fruit, till it is ripe; therefore, I live so long. Nor will he let it hang till it is rotten; therefore, Nathaniel Mather died so soon. We Te are not sent into the world, merely to fill up a number of years, but to fill up our measure of grace; and whenever that is done, our time is done; we have lived to maturity. And so did this dear youth. Though he died at nineteen, he came to his grave in full age, and fell like a shock of corn in his season."

Samuel Mather, the third and youngest son of Increase, went to England with his father, when he was a child, and seems never to have returned. He became "a faithful and useful 'minister of the gospel, at Wilney, in Oxfordshire." He was the author of several valuable treatises; among which his "Vindication of the Doctrine of the Trinity," his "Vindication of

the Deity of the Holy Spirit," and his "Vindication of the Sacred Scriptures," were the most considerable.

The seven daughters of Increase Mather, (with the exception of one who died in infancy,) all lived to be settled in the world, to have families, and to give decisive evidence of true piety. The whole family were united in the service of Christ in this world, and have long since gone to be forever united around his throne in hea

ven.

With this brief account, (by way of anticipation) of the family of Increase Mather, we now return to his personal history. He was not inclined, at the first, to be settled over the new church in Boston, nor could his aversion be soon or easily overcome. After an invitation had been extended to him, the people were kept in suspense for more than two years. At length, the brethren of the church carried the matter more publicly and formally to God. They kept a day of fasting and supplication to Him who has all hearts in his hand, imploring that he would turn the heart of the youthful pastor elect, and incline him to accept their invitation. This measure was altogether in accordance with the feelings of Mr. Mather, and an encouragement to him to comply with the

people's wishes. He shortly after signified his consent to their proposals, and in May, 1664, was ordained their pastor. And in this situation he continued, serving the Lord "with many tears and temptations, and keeping back nothing that was profitable unto them," for more than sixty years.

In the very commencement of our Saviour's public ministry, he was "led of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil." And not a few of his faithful disciples have had a similar experience. In the beginning of their ministry, they have suffered bitter temptations from the great adversary. So it was with John Bunyan. "Whole floods of blasphemies," says he, "against God, and Christ, and the holy Scriptures, were poured upon my spirit, to my great confusion and astonishment. These blasphemous thoughts were such as stirred up questions in me against the very being of God, and of his beloved Son; as whether there were, in truth, a God, or Christ, and whether the holy Scriptures were anything more than a cunning story, a fable."*

Those who are familiar with the memoirs of the excellent Dr. Payson, will remember that he

Ivimey's Life of Bunyan, p. 64.