The new Ministers are Impatient for it. Men of Revolution-Principles in this Island are little regarded; while those of the French Mode are like to carry the Day.

TO SAMUEL PENHALLOW.

M.H.S.

BOSTON 28 d. 5 m. [July.] 1712.

SIR, Tis my Duty to unite my Praises with yours, in an Oblation unto the glorious Lord, who carried you with part of your Family, safe home to your Family; at a time when an Enemy might so easily have intercepted you, and just after did captivate some of our Friends, even between this and Marshfield. But I will add my Advice, that you don't run any more such Ventures. Boston is alwayes a Placentia to me, while you are in it; but I can't consent, that you take Placentia in the Way to Boston, or from it.

We have nothing very remarkable since you left us. Our domestic Intelligence is not worth relating, our Foreign (besides what you have in Johannes Antiquities,) is, what our Agent1 writes, about the Middle of May; that there is great Expectation of a Peace, which will make N[ew] E[ngland] as well as Gr[eat] Britain, easy and happy. But that all Things are carried on with such a Secrecy, as to be understood by none but those that are next the Candle. And Major Handy writes, that a Friend of his, (whom yee ken very well) is to come over shortly, Governor of N[ew] E[ngland] and of Annapolis.

I am, as when you Left me; and alwayes, Syr, Your sincere Friend and Servt. Co. MATHER.

My next Lecture prov'd, as you foretold. A very vast Assembly was, and with no small Assistence from Heaven, then spoken to.2 The Sermon you have here enclosed.

TO SAMUEL PENHALLOW.

M.H.S.

BOSTON, 1 d. 7 m. [September.] 1712.

SIR, We are kept under so rigid a Famine of Intelligence from the other side of the Atlantic, that it has kept me from writing to you, as not having any Thing worthy to be written of. And the Speculations upon this Embargo of our Intelligence, are very various and uncertain.

1 Jeremiah Dummer.

2❝June 12. Dr. C. Mather preaches from [Psalm] 110, ult." Sewall, Diary. II. 350.

But I call to mind, that you desired my Opinion upon a Case of Scandal in a Church, not prosecuted. It is this; Lett the Proofs of the Scandal be gathered, and lett the Brethren furnish the Pastor with them. (Tho' indeed, it his Duty, to look and send after them.) Lett the Brethren, then demand of the Pastor, to go thro' with the instituted and necessary Discipline.

If the Pastor deny to do it, lett them inform him, that they will apply themselves with just Remonstrances to the Neighbour-churches, and procure their Admonitions to him.

Certainly, he will not run the Hazard of such a Proceeding.

May the Glorious Lord, multiply His Blessings on you, and on your whole Family and Interest, both at home and abroad. I am, Syr, Your sincere Servt.

TO SAMUEL PENHALLOW.

Co. MATHER.

M.H.S.

BOSTON, 19 d. 7 m. [September.] 1712.

SIR, - Tho' you have already one of them, yett I now send you eight more, of a good Book, Entituled, A Letter of some Aged N.C.'s1 My Request is, that you would (with the Assistence of good Mr Kaies,) disperse them, where they may best answer the End of them, in your Province. If it be possible, I would have them generally spread, and read, and lent and operative among all your People; especially on the Bank and the Great Island; and that all your Ministers particularly have the perusal of them. The best Thing I can do is to refer all to your Discretion; which I do most heartily. It afflicts me to hear of the Loss you have sustained in your fishing Interest. But God has taught you Patience, and Submission and Fruitfulness, under such Dispensations. And you have no Fear of being well-Provided for.

The Protection which our glorious Lord, has of late given to our Frontiers, notwithstanding some Desolations there, is an observable matter, and calls for our Thankfulness.

I hope, you will find a Time, to perfect the Collection of Occurrences you once gave me some Expectation of.

I will at this Time, with my usual Freedome, request one more Favour from you. I have been told, That some years ago, the People digging a Well, in a Town of your Province: (I think, Dover :) did at an Unaccountable Depth under ground, encounter with Trees, that were

1 This letter, dated August 24, 1701, was printed in a fourth edition, Increase Mather, editor, in 1712.

surprising to them. If you could obtain a more full Account, where the Well; what the Depth; what the Trees; which way they lay; how far from the Sea: I should be able to answer some Obligations that ly upon me, from the other side of the Water; and should with your leave, do myself the Honour, of using your Name in the Communication.

At this time I add no more; but commend your Person, Consort, Children at home and abroad, unto the Blessing and Keeping of the glorious One. I am, Syr, Your obliged and faithful Servt,

Co. MATHER.

TO SAMUEL PENHALLOW.

M.H.S.

BOSTON, 22 d. 7 m. [September.] 1712.

SIR,- When my last was dated, I had not received the sad Advice, of the Inroads and Assaults, which the Enemy is making on your Neighbourhood. I exceedingly sympathize with you in the Desolations and the Difficulties, that renew so many Troubles upon you. May the glorious Lord be your Protector; and help us all to hear His Voice in these calamitous Dispensations.

1

You hear of a Peace as good as concluded at home; The Queen, Ministry, Parliament, sett upon it. You hear, that the Allies are very angry; treat us wth much Contempt; carry on their Conquests, and without us, have taken Quesnoy. You hear, that tho' the learned among us, and no doubt in Britain too, cry up the Terms of the Peace, as the most honourable and sufficient that ever were in the World, yet Multitudes of people, think, we are all betray'd; and the Ferments rise to an astonishing Elevation.

We still have, Psal. XCIII. 4. to friend; and there we must leave all.

The Caribbee Islands, it may be feared, they are every one of them lost. The Tidings of what is done there, will have little Tendency to abate the Ferments at home. I am, Syr, Your hearty Servt,

Co. MATHER.

TO SAMUEL PENHALLOW.

M.H.S.

BOSTON, 26 d. 11 m. [January.] 1712-13.

SIR, My Friend, Mr Timothy Thornton (than whom I have not in my whole Neighbour, one more sincere and friendly,) gives me the

1 The Queen's proclamation (dated August 18) for a cessation of hostilities reached Boston, October 24.

agreeable Opportunity, of Conveying to you, a Packett, wherein I renew after my poor Manner, my Testimonies of the Sense which I alwayes retain of the many Obligations you have laid upon me.

Whatever Civilities you shew to this Friend of mine, will be placed unto my Account, and add unto the Number of my Obligations.

To him I refer you, for all matters of Intelligence, after which you may be inquisitive; tho' indeed, I scarce know any that are worth enquiring after.

1

In this Packett, you find a Book written by your Friend, Mr. Reinoles; whereof I make a present unto your Lady; as apprehending it more valuable than any thing of my own composing.

May the glorious Lord multiply His Blessings, on your Person, and Family. I rejoice in His late Favours to Captain Penhallow.2 I am, Syr, Your Sincere Friend and Servt,

Co. MATHER.

I hope, the Packett I sent you (for Bradshaw) cost you nothing For I paid the Post, unto his Satisfaction; and he promised me to make no demand upon you.

1 Probably Thomas Reynolds, Practical Religion. See p. 171, supra.

2 John Penhallow, the younger, who married Ann, daughter of Jacob Wendell.

1713

THE LIST YEAR.

This Year, there have been preached LXXII public Sermons, besides private ones.

Not one Day has pass'd without, some Contrivance to do Good, invented and registred; besides Multitudes of such, not entred in these poor Memorials.

Not one Day has passed, without being able to say at Night, something of my small Revenues dealt out unto pious Uses.

Never any Time spent with any Company without some Endeavour of a fruitful Conversation in it.

A considerable Accession to our Biblia Americana, many more Illustrations than Dayes in the Year.

Seventeen Books præpared for publication, and most of them actually published.

Dayes of Prayer, no more than xx. Vigils, very few.

But, oh! the Sins, the Sins, which this Year has been fill'd withal! Oh! the Slothfulness that has attended me, in the Duties of both my Callings! Oh! the Miscarriages that have accompanied all the little Services that I have endeavoured.

My God, I fly to the Blood of my Saviour, for the Pardon of all.

12 d. 12 m. [February.] 1712 [-13.] Thursday. I have now seen a Jubilee! The Goodness and Mercy and Patience of the glorious GOD, I cannot but exceedingly acknowledge and glorify.

It being this Day, the Time of our public Lecture, and so there being some Necessity of my going abroad, I suffered thereby some

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