Neighbourhood which our over-stockt Charity-Schole will not well entertain; I would myself pay for their Schooling. 7. G. D. When any Persons, and much more, when any Orders of Persons, fall into Errors and Evils, and great miscarriages, I must keep a Guard of Meekness and Wisdome, on the Expressions of my Zeal on such Occasions; violent, boisterous, intemperate Expressions on such Occasions will not work the Righteousness of God. I am afraid lest I am sometimes too vehement.

1. [June 14.] G. D. The Lord is very gracious unto me, in helping me, to treat our swarming Brethren, in a suitable and obliging Manner; the best Thing I can do, to prevent the Wiles of Satan, and procure the Smiles of Heaven, is to hold on this Conduct; for which therefore I must continually look up unto God.

2. G. D. I would have a strict Enquiry instituted among my Children, and each one of themselves to prosecute the Enquiry, By what evil Custome any of them, in any Point may have their welfare incommoded or endangered?

3. G. D. I have a Kinsman, who is a Member of the General Assembly. I would make use of him, as an Instrument of Good, as well there, as at home.

4. G. D. It will be a Testimony for God, and for Truth, and it will be for the service and Honour of the Countrey, if I bear the Testimony, to take my late Lecture on Fidelity, and in the way of the Press publish it and scatter it.

(IV.) Accordingly, I give the Sermon to the Bookseller; entituled, A MAN OF HIS WORD. A very brief Essay on Fidelity in keeping of Promises and Engagements; Declaring How and Why a Good Man will be as Good as His Word. With a Touch upon some weighty Cases relating to it. Uttered at Boston-Lecture. 11 d. 4 m. 1713. And now published, that it may be employ'd among other Instruments, to keep Truth alive in the Land.1

II

1 Printed by John Allen for N. Boone, 1713.

5. G. D. I have several Services in View, for the Indians at Punkapoag, which I would prosecute at my next Interview with the Commissioners.

6. G. D. Just as I was going to look out and write down an object for Compassion, a Woman of Windsor comes to me, with Extreme Distress, for a little Money, to redeem her son out of misèrable Circumstances; with which accordingly I accommodate her.

7. G. D. Rise earlier!

Last Night, in a wicked Book, I readd a fling at Clergymen, as a revengeful Generation of men, who never forgive such as have offended them. I do not remember, for my own part, that ever I designed the Revenge of an Injury in my Life. However, this venemous Fling, shall quicken my Watchfulness, upon this Article.

20 d. 4 m. Satureday. I sett apart this Day, for Prayer with Fasting before the Lord, on the usual Occasions.

But especially to cry unto God, for His poor Church in Scotland; which is in a miserably distracted Condition.

I. [June 21.] G. D. I would preach a Sermon to my Flock, wherein I may collect and offer those Maxims of Piety, which People of the lowest Capacity and even little Children may take notice of. The Death of such in the Neighbourhood, will cause the more Notice to be taken of

them.

21 d. 4 m. Lord's-Day. At the Lord's Table, I first beheld the Lord, as purchasing and præparing an Heavenly Kingdome for His People. Then I look'd unto His great Sacrifice, for the Pardon of the Sin, which is the only Thing that can shutt me out of the Kingdome; and look'd unto His Righteousness to be pleaded by me, as my Claim unto it. Hereupon, I took up Resolutions to have a Conversation in Heaven, and think very often about it, and also do all possible Services for the Kingdome of Heaven, and bring as many as I can into it.

My second Action, was, to behold the Blood of my Saviour, as purchasing Abundance of Grace for me. Which I was now willing and wishing to receive. I begg'd it of Him, as being furnished with it for me; especially the Grace of much Patience under Sufferings from God, and much Meekness under Injuries from Men. I therewithal reflected on the Exemple of such Grace, in the Life of my Saviour. And I particularly sought for the Grace that might enable me, wisely to encounter the Difficulties and the Temptations, of the new church arising in my Neighbourhood.

2. G. D. Preaching a Sermon, on Lessons relating to the Fear of God, which People of the lowest Capacity, and our very Children, might soon be sensible of, I instil these Maxims into my own Children, and expressly take their consent unto them all, and charge them never to forgett them.

(V.) I now sent unto the Press, a little Book of Lessons relating to the Fear of God, adapted unto Children, and People of the lowest Capacity; with a Design to disperse it in Schools and Families. Tis entituled, THE A. B. C. OF RELIGION. Lessons relating to the Fear of God, fitted unto the youngest and lowest Capacities; And Children suitably instructed in the Maxims of Religion.1

3. G. D. I am informed of some Relatives, about Hadley, which I was not aware of. I would endeavour, with Books of Piety, to discharge my Duty to them.

4. G. D. I propose to do some good, in a Journey to Maldon, and a Lecture there.

24 d. 4 m. Wednesday. And I took this Journey, and enjoy'd a most gracious Presence of God in it; all the Circumstances of it, having much Mercy and Comfort in them.

5. G. D. There are knotts of riotous Young Men in 1 Printed by Timothy Green, 1713.

the Town. On purpose to insult Piety, they will come under my Window in the Middle of the Night, and sing profane and filthy Songs. The last night they did so, and fell upon People with Clubs, taken off my Wood-pile. 'Tis hightime, to call in the Help of the Government of the Place, for the punishing and suppressing of these Disorders. 6. G. D. A poor Family at Cambridge, which I am acquainted withal; wanting a Supply of Corn.

7. G. D. In walking to a Funeral, I would be forever careful, that the Gentleman whom I walk withal shall be Entertained with some Communication, that shall be instructive to him, and assist our Præparation for the future State.

1. [June 28.] G. D. Two young Persons have newly died in our Neighbourhood, and were buried within half an Hour one of another: a young man, who had been a candidate of the Ministry, and was become the Master] of our Grammar Schole; and a young Woman, who had been one of a sober and vertuous Character.1 I would on this Occasion renew my public Discourses with the greatest Pungency, on a early Mortality, and on early Religion.

2. G. D. Before my Evening-Prayer in my Family, I would still consider, what remarkable Occurrence of Providence has happened in the Day; either in Mortality or on any other Account; and make my Remarks upon it in my Discourse unto my Family, and in the Prayer also take notice of it.

3. G. D. I have a Kinswoman at Dorchester, to whom I would convey some Instruments of Piety..

4. G. D. To procure that suitable Books be gott into the Hands of the Students at the Colledge, may be a Service of great Consequence. I would endeavour it.2

1 Recompence Wadsworth and Mrs. Sarah Smith. A "Short Memorial" of Wadsworth is appended to Mather's sermon Golgotha, p. 222, infra.

2 Doubtless his presence at commencement on the previous day reminded him of the field that demanded his attention.

The Case of Newbury1 also calls for a speedy and earnest Consideration.

5. G. D. Several Proposals of good Consequence, to be laid before the Commissioners for the Indian-Affaires. Particularly, the publication of an Instrument, for the Maintaining of houshold Piety among the Indians.

6. G. D. One that once lived in my Family, is now sick, and very poor. I must endeavour to releeve her, and make her Condicon comfortable.

7. G. D. 'Tis a Question, which I would require of myself a most serious and exact Answer to; What is necessary to render me ripe for the heavenly world? And what Points of Ripeness am I most sensibly defective in?

4 d./5. d. 5 m. [July.] Satureday./Lord's-day. I kept a Vigil, and prostrate in the Dust before the Lord, I did, with extended Supplications cry unto Him; on sundry and pressing Occasions; After that I had exceedingly humbled and loathed and judged myself, on the Account of the abominable Impurities, which my Life had been filled withal, and pleaded the Blood of my Saviour, that I might obtain my Pardon. From the Depths I cried unto the Lord, for His Grace to be given unto my Children; particularly my Son Increase; and the Direction of Heaven in disposing of him: For a Recovery to be granted unto a dear Youth in my Neighbourhood who lies dangerously sick: For a Smile of Heaven on all the Circumstances of a Journey for the Service of the Glorious One, to Marblehead, which I propose the next Week; For gracious Assistences to be given me, in the Work of the next ensuing Lord's-Day, and Lecture; For some happy Returns from England, of the Packetts I have sent thither several Months ago; the Miscarriage whereof I have some Reason to fear; but entirely submitted

1 These references to Newbury probably concern the attempt to set up an Episcopal Church in that place. Sewall's Diary 11. and Letter Book, 1. 416, contain not a little on the controversy.