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that you will take this matter into your [consideration.] If Mr. McNish or any others can send any thing that may afford matter of further Remonstrance to the Society we pray they will do it with all expedition, and with authentique Testimonies. I was in hope by your Letter to have had an Opportunity before this of paying my respects to your Son, but inquiring after him I find he is gon to pay his first Visits to his Uncle your Brother at Witney in Oxfordshire. Upon his Return he will favour me I doubt not with [ him know my readiness to show him all [ Character and to a Son of the [ for the Interest of his [

1 let

] to his worthy ] May God preserve you long

has made use of] you for further eminent ] Gifts and

[services]. Go on to honour your Posterity [ Graces to brighten their Father and [

I may the Name

of Mather be in everlasting Remembrance in the Churches of [ 1, I am with much affection, Rev'd Sir, Your respectful Brother and humble Servt.

THO: REYNOLDS.

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HONOURED BRETHREN,

BOSTON, 20 d. 4 m. [June.] 1715. Before ever we were any of us addressed from you, on the late Occasion, we were many of us fill'd with distress for the dear Church of Newhaven, under your very great Bereavement;1 we were concerned that you might be supplied with a Pastor who might in some Degree be a suitable Successor to that excellent person of whom you have been bereaved; and we were employ'd even to Agony, in Supplications to our ascended Lord that He would graciously provide such a supply for you.

You may then well wonder at it, that after such an Address as we have received from you, there should roll on so long a Time, ere any of us return any thing of an Answer to it. But for the same Reason that all Answer hath been hitherto delay'd, what now comes, is not from us in Conjunction, nor any other than my own single Report. What I have to report unto you is, that I cannot find we are any other, than very much at a Loss, for any Candidate of the Ministry among ourselves, who may be of a Character promising enough to prove such a burning and shining Light as the conspicuous Candlestick at New-haven may call for. Except perhaps those who may be under some Engagements, already lying on them.

1 The death of Rev. James Pierpont, which occurred in November, 1714.

We have not laid aside our most sollicitous Look-out on your behalf; and if any thing occur worthy of your Notice, before you are otherwise determined, you shall hear of it.

Some of us, have been very much of the opinion, that if your Church can see a Person of Eminency, already station'd in some lesser Charge, he might with the Advice of a Council from the Neighbouring Churches, be translated from his present Station, and the Church whereof he is now the Servant, may do well to hearken unto the Direction so given them, that a general Interest may be accommodated.

If this method be not thought adviseable, we are not without Hopes, that you may find sons of your own Education, who may prove rich Blessings unto you.

A young person really a Candidate, who evidently is filled with the Love of God, and the Faith of the Son of God, and a Zeal to do Good, and an hearty Desire to advance the Kingdome of God, and is of competent Abilities, tho' short of what you have lost: such an one, embraced in the Arms of your tender Affection, and carried by you continually unto the glorious Head of the Church who gives Gifts unto Men; would, no doubt, so improve in all that belongs to a faithful and able Minister of the N. T. that it would not be long before you should be sensible of cause to bless God, that ever you saw one another.

In the mean time, it is impossible for us to express the Sollicitude upon our Mind that you may not fall into Contentions, which will produce Confusions, and every Evil work. Satan your grand Adversary, is doubtless watching and waiting for leave to break in upon you, and raise those Disturbances among you, which will be Bitterness in the latter End; but being once begun, tis unknown when they will come unto an End.

It is hoped, that you will be much in prayer to the God of Peace, that Satan may be kept bruised under your Feet; and that whole Dayes of prayer for that purpose, and for the obtaining of the mercy you want from the Lord of the Harvest, will be repeted among you.

It is also hoped, that every man will be afraid of being drawn into any one rash Act or Word, which may bring him under the Mark of them that cause Divisions: but that you will all unite in a Resolution, that you will take no Steps of Importance in your Affair, without first Consulting certain men of worth in your Vicinity, whom you shall jointly pitch upon, as your Counsellours; for most certainly, with the well-advised is Wisdome.

At this time, I add no more, but my hearty Wishes, that you may be of one mind, and live in Peace and have the God of Love and of Peace to be with you. And that in all your Proceedings, the twelfth to the Romans and the Tenth, may be alwayes remembred with you. I am, Honoured Sirs, Your Brother and Servt.

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SIR, A week ago I did myself the Honour of writing to you. At which time I was not apprised, as I now am, that you have a Son of your own Colony and Colledge, of whom it is hoped by some that he may prove a considerable Blessing unto N. Haven, if the glorious Lord incline you to him, and bestow him upon you.

The person intended is, one whose Name is, Mr. Noyes;1 the Son of that excellent Man of God, who has been such a long and rich Blessing to Stonington.

If he may in his Day, be like his valuable Father, you will have a precious Gift of Heaven in him; and tho' I am a stranger to him, I have heard what is very Encouraging to hope that he may be so.

I now write, only on my own separate Sentiments, not having Lately discoursed with any of my Brethren on the Subject. But you will give me Leave to shew you mine Opinion; which is, that if you can have a Son of your own Education, it will be very much to your Advantage; and a zeal to overlook such, with a præference to others perhaps not superiour to them, at a greater Distance from you, is either unintelligible, or, too easy to be understood.

What I write, I show to the Doctor, whom I still have the Honour and pleasure to call my Father, and he allowes me to tell you, that he has the same Sentiments.

Now may the great Shepherd look in much mercy on His dear Flock among you, and give you a Pastor after His own Heart, by whom you may be led in the Pathes of Righteousness, I am, Sir, Your sincere Friend, and hearty servt.

TO THOMAS CRAIGHEAD?

SIR,

- I am now There.

A.A.S.

[July, 1715?]

But remembring my vast obligations to you, for the many good services you did me with so much sincerity and Alacrity in my grand

1 Rev. Joseph Noyes, son of Rev. James Noyes. He was chosen in July.

affair, and believing the share of satisfaction, which your hearty Friendship will dispose you to take in my Fellicity; I thought it my Duty to inform you, that the fifth of July is the brightest Day in my Kalender.1

Then it was, that one whom you love, saw himself invested with a constellation of Blessings, which you do not imagine me capable of Language Enough, to sett off in their proper Lustre.

Instead of making a vain Essay to declare my just Sentiments of Gratitude unto Heaven, upon so illustrious an occasion, I shall only ask, that you would go on to oblige me with your supplications to the glorious One whom I have in this most Joyful Experience found, a prayer-hearing Father, that I may by a Vast Improvement in Sanctity and Industry and usefulness, walk in some degree worthy of the Great Things which have been done for me, when I have so obtained Favour of the Lord.

I Long to take a Walk with you in an upper-room of an House, which I hope to see illuminated the next week, with the presence of one that shines forever with a thousand Lovelinesses.

In the mean time, I am præparing to entertain on the Lord's-day approaching a Church which I am robbing of an Invaluable Treasure and Beauty, with a Discourse on, 1. Sam. 1.27.

And I am at all times, my dear Friend, Yours in Bonds never to be forgotten.

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DEAR BROTHER, -An undesigned courtesie has put me to a great Expence, I mean my name being mentioned with some London Ministers, has occasioned a needless journey to London.

Your son is with me I must keep a pretty strict eye over him for if left to himself he will not escape sinne in a place of Temptation. He told me his grandfather was coming over and that you intended to send him a remittance by him which made me the more willingly invite him to stay with me till the next spring. His Grandfather's not coming makes his affairs to be in a puzled state. He came with but ten shillings in his pocket to Witney. I sent to Capt. Pamele to remitt what he had also to answer a Bill that he drew upon them which I doubt not but that you would have paid at sight, and Coz. Increase was positive would be paid by the Capt'n. But 'twas rejected. He had but one shirt and was so bare in every respect that I was perfectly ashamed. I take care to let him have credit with

1 His marriage with Mrs. George.

our Countrey Shopkeepers at Witney that he may have Linnen and Woollen suitable and handsome. I propose that you make a genteel remittance to Him, but let the Money come into Mr Sodens hands to manage it for him. I perceive he is infected with the disease which is the blemish of the Family viz. to spend inconsiderately and take no thought about providing against future unavoidable occasions. If I can I will cure him. I design to keep him at Witney 'till just the Instant of his going off to N. England again lest the Snares of London should occasion his returning to His Father with a worse Character then he had when he came. I enclose a three and six penny piece of paper. I am afraid some packets which have come from N. England to some of your Friends have cost them as much.

I have enquired concerning Vertues price for an head He has five guineas and an half guinea for Engraving such an octavo picture as White Engraved for my Father. I am

London, July 23, 1715.

[SAMUEL MATHER]

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CHILD, Sollicitous I am, that you may return unto me, as fast as you can: and come into new Methods as soon as may, to qualify you for usefulness in the world:

But much more sollicitous, that you may Return unto God, and be witheld from Sinning against Him.

A Thing, for which it is impossible for me, to express the pain of mind, wherein you have long held me distressed.

You know not the Child upon Earth, which has been more pray'd for, and more talk'd to, that he might be converted unto God and unto all the former means for your Good; there have now been added the Admonitions of a pious uncle.

God forbid, that you should be so infinitely unhappy, as you must be, if all these be lost upon you.

I hope, you lett not a Day pass you, without prayers to the glorious God; And that all the Vices of Dishonesty, Debauchery, and False-speaking are abominable to you.

1 Robert White (1645-1703), who made some four hundred prints, comprising most of the public and literary characters of the day. His plate of Increase Mather may have been intended for one of his printed volumes. A coarse woodcut was made from it by Thomas Emmes, in 1701, and appeared in Increase Mather's Ichabod, issued by Nicholas Boone, in 1702.

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