3. G. D. Still my aged Parent must be the Object of my Cares. To make him easy, under his Resentments of the Proceedings about our new Church; and to procure him Releefs against bodily Distempers that somewhat incommode him; and to gett his Mind raised unto the Points of Resignation to God and Satisfaction in His Will, which become us in the Suburbs of the heavenly World.

4. G. D. I have in View, a special Service for the Kingdome and People of God at Newbury; and so in all our Churches, which I must endeavour this Day to prosecute in the General Assembly.

5. G. D. I would make certain Presents of Books, not only among the Students in Harvard-Colledge, but also in the University of Glasgow; Books peculiarly adapted unto them, and unto the Interests of Piety among them.

6. G. D. There are some young Gentlemen, (the Sons of Ministers,) who are out of Employment, and in destitute Circumstances. I must look out very sollicitously, to find Employment for them.

7. G. D. God calls me, in an extraordinary Manner, to be armed for the Trials, which I may undergo in a Church, breaking all to peeces, thro' the Impertinencies of a proud Crue, that must have Pues for their despicable Families; a Church so forsaken of God, that there are no Men appearing in it, who consult or desire the Prosperity of it; a Church that seems to be ripe for something little short of a miserable Dissolution. O my God, and my Saviour; Help me to look up unto thee, for sufficient Measures of Grace, to encounter these uneasy Circumstances!

28. d. 1. m. Satureday. This Day I also sett apart for Prayer with Fasting before the Lord; and I humbled myself before Him in a sense of all my Sins, particularly those which may have provoked Him to bring me into very humbling Circumstances, relating to the Church, whereof I have been the Servant. Having obtained the Pardon of

my sinful Miscarriages, thro' and from the Mediation of my Saviour, I therewithal cried unto Heaven for Grace, and Help to behave myself wisely on this Occasion which I have before me. I did also committ the whole Affair of our boisterous, ambitious, ill-bred Company, in the Hands of the glorious Lord, the Head of the Church; casting upon Him the whole Care of a good Issue to it. I did likewise present my Supplications on the Behalf of my aged Parent, who is greatly wounded in his Mind by what is now adoing; that he may be supported, comforted, made easy under it.

On this Day, I called my Son Increase to me, and having discoursed unto him, about his interiour State, I then pray'd with him; and with Tears besought of the Lord, that the Spirit of Grace and of Supplications may fall upon him.1

1. [March 29.] G. D. The poor Church, whereof I have been hitherto the unprofitable Servant, seems to have near unto it, a dreadful Convulsion, and something of a Dissolution. Satan seems to have obtained a Commission to sift the Church, and shake it wonderfully, and bring it into very diminutive Circumstances. I would now keep a very watchful Guard on all my own Steps and Words, that I may not contribute in the least unto the Satanic Devices. And I would employ many Dayes of Prayer with Fasting before the Lord, that the Satanic Energies may be restrained, and conquered, and over-ruled. I would also make a Sacrifice of the Flock, and of all my Opportunities to do Good, and of whatever my glorious Lord may call me to putt into my Resignation.

29. d. 1. m. Lords-Day. At the Lord's-Table, I celebrated the Love of God unto His peculiar People; and endeavoured those Dispositions and Exercises which might be Demonstrations of my Share in His peculiar Love.

But a singular Errand on which I went thither, was,

1 Five lines are here struck out.

that I might obtain the Grace, to glorify God, by a wise, patient, humble Conduct, and an incomparable Resignation, under the miserable Desolations, which are threatned unto the poor Church, whereof I have been the unprofitable Servant.

2. G. D. A more early Rising in the Morning for every one in my Family, would be of unspeakable Advantage unto us all; and particularly befriend the Interests of Piety among us; I would give the Exemple, and oblige the rest unto it.

3. G. D. Still my aged Parent, hastening to the better World, lies much upon my Heart; and I am extremely sollicitous, that his Life prolonged unto us, may be made easy and cheerful, and that he may be kept from every Step or Word that may cause any Confusion in the Flock; and that when the Time of his Death arrives, it may be attended with all the good Circumstances, that he may wish for. My Prayers for such Things must be incessant and importunate.

4. G. D. Tis hardly possible for me to do a greater Service than to publish unto the World, the Maxims, which are to unite the People that the glorious God will form for Himself, and that will quickly be the Stone growing into a great Mountain, which the whole Earth shall be filled withal. There is a mighty Tendency to Reformation, which has been long working in the Minds of Multitudes and Millions of People, both among the Romanists and Protestants. The Efforts made by this Inclination in the Souls of Men, have hitherto, thro' the Temptations of the Day, been generally encumbred with Errors, and Follies, and with naughty Superfluities. But when the pure Maxims of Truth, and of real, vital, spiritual Religion, and manly Christianity, are sett before the People of God, who can tell, what may be done in some new, and the next Essayes, to bring on the Kingdome of God? The proposing of an

agreeable Name for that People, who shall combine upon these Maxims, may be of some use also for the main Intention; and that which I have thought upon it, the Immanuelian People, because they are to be the People of our Immanuel, and God with us, is to be their peculiar Character. In my Treatise of, Things to be more thought upon, I sett myself to serve all these Designs.

1

5. G. D. I am writing to my Friend, the Agent of this Countrey, at London; and I would sett myself to think on as many services to good Interests as I can, whereto I may excite him to apply himself. And indeed, I would have this Intention to be prosecuted in all my Correspondences. When I write unto any Person of any Capacity, I would often think, what good may this Person be capable of doing if he be minded of it? and putt him in Mind of it accordingly.

6. G. D. A poor Child going to be cutt for the Stone, I must contribute unto the Expence of the Operation; and be as helpful as I can, on the Occasion.

The Minister going to be settled at Needham,2 is in very needy Circumstances; and needs Encouragements. I will procure a Present unto him.

7. G. D. There is one Point in my Conversation, wherein I must press after much greater Sanctity and Purity; and have my Behaviour in it more governed by that Reflection, The Eye of the Great God is now upon me; Am I guilty of no Irregularity, which He may be displeased at? And I must go mourning to my Grave, in the Sense of the Miscarriages, in this Point, wherewith His Holy Eyes have seen me chargeable.

1. [April 5.] G. D. I shall have an unhappy Occasion this day, to bring the Censures of the Church, on a poor 1 Jeremiah Dummer.

2 The meeting-house at Needham was not yet constructed. March 16, 1713, David Deming was invited to settle, but he does not appear to have accepted, as two months later a like invitation was extended to Samuel Terry.

Man, fallen into a Trade of Drunkenness.1 On this Occasion I may speak many Things unto the Brethren of the Church, which may be of great Consequence unto them: especially, dispense faithful Warnings unto some others, whom the same Vice may have ensnared.

2. G. D. When any domestic Affair is carrying on my Family which takes up so much of our People's Time, as to make it fall under a little Notice, I would be led unto some spiritual Meditation and Supplication, which I may profitably putt into the Family-Sacrifices.

E. g. When BREWING; Lord, lett us find in a glorious Christ, a provision for our thirsty Souls. And, Lord, bring us to drink of the River of thy Pleasures.

When BAKING. Lord, lett a glorious Christ be the Bread of Life unto us. And, Lord lett us not Labour for the Food that perisheth, but for that which endures to everlasting Life.

When WASHING. Lord, lett us be washed and made clean, by the Blood of a glorious Christ applied unto us; and in the Methods of a repenting Faith be cleansed from the Sin, which would not by Sope and much Nitre be cleansed away. Oh! wash us throughly from our Sin; Oh! Take away our filthy Garments from us!

Thus, when Gardening; when laying in Provisions, etc., etc., etc.

3. G. D. My Kindred at Charlestown, do need some Advice that they may not sin against God and one another. I must visit them, and advise them.

4. G. D. I have now litt upon an hopeful young Man, who is willing to travel into the southern Colonies, and labour for Christ in any Field that shall be assign'd, for him there. This is what I have much wished for. Accordingly, I accommodate this young Man, with my Letters and Commendations thither, and help him to bear the Expences of his Journey.

1"5 d. 2 m. Ezekiel Needham, having been convicted of being scandalously overtaken with Drunkenness and of being accustomed unto a Trade of excessive Drinking, he was this Day laid under the Admonition of the Church and suspended from the Communion." Cotton Mather's MS. Records Second Church, II.