First, the strangely melancholy, and disconsolate, Condition of mind, which my Father has carried with him to Cambridge, (the place, which of all under Heaven, was most abominable to him,) fills me with Fear, what may be the Event. If he would be cheerful, all would be easy; but his Spirit is prodigiously unfram'd, unhing'd, and broken, and if the Lord be not very merciful to Him, the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ will suffer more Dishonour from his Uneasiness, than I am willing to see. Lord, rate off, and Chain up the Tempter, that falls upon my poor Father with such Molestations.

Secondly. I am now left alone, in the Care of a vast Congregation, the largest in all these Parts of the World. I am afraid, lest now they grow foolish, and froward, and lest the Devices of Satan may some way or other prevail to scatter them, or lest some Distemper arise among them. And, I am feeble; and in this Town, I have many Enemies; indeed, all the Enemies of the evangelical Interests, are mine. I need a more than ordinary Prudence, and Patience; and the Defence of Heaven.

On these distressing Occasions, I sett apart,

20 d. 5 m. Satureday. for Prayer, with Fasting, in my Study.

As also, that I might again solemnly commit into the Hands of my Lord Jesus Christ, my Church-History.

Moreover, having seriously considered, how useful it might be, especially to some sorts of People, and wanting a little Book, to leave in the Families of my Neighbours, where I make my pastoral Visits, I was willing to give the Publick, a brief Discourse, demonstrating to Reason, the Truth of the Christian Religion, and how reasonable a thing tis, to conform unto the Præcepts of it, and what worse than bruitish Folly is discovered in Sinning against those Præcepts. Accordingly I gave such a Discourse unto the Bookseller, under the Title of, REASONABLE RELIGION; resolving to disperse the Books where I come, at least after the rate of two per Week.1

To ask a Blessing on what I am sending to the Press, (especially, my Church-History, gone to England!) and on such Occasions as caused me to be this day fortnight before the Lord, I did, on

3 d. 6 m. [August.] Satureday. Cry to the Lord with Fasting and Prayer, in my Study.

9 d. 6 m. Friday. What, what shall I make, of a Thing which this day befel me? God is chastising this poor Land, with a burning Drought: if it proceed a very few Dayes more, we cannot escape the terrible Famine. I call'd for public Fasting and Prayer the last Week; but, alas, thro' the Indisposition of one old Minister thereto, it could not be attended. This Week, I find the Heat, and my Slothe, prevail so far upon me, that I also do not attend what I ought. But I resolved, that I would sett apart this Day for Fasting and Prayer, peculiarly on that Occasion. And when I was this Day pouring out my Supplications before the Lord, I humbly pleaded with Him, that He would, thro' His Christ, accept me, as an Intercessor for His Churches in this Wilderness, inasmuch as I had many wayes apeared for the Defending and Preserving of His evangelical Interests in these Churches and suffered a world of Obloquy, Calumny, and Malignity from an evil World for my doing so. I humbly begged of Him, that He would permitt me to intercede, for the Deliverance of His Flocks, from the Indignation of not being rained upon, inasmuch as I had, especially of late, born a Testimony to the Countrey, against that Sin of Ingratitude and Dishonesty towards their Ministers, which exposed them to this Indignation. I cried unto Him, that he would give me a Token for Good: not without Hopes, that my Cries were heard. Now, behold the Issue! The

1 It was printed by T. Green for B. Eliot, 1700, and reprinted in London, in 1713, with a preface by Dr. Daniel Williams.

Forenoon, afforded as little Prospect of Rain, as perhaps ever was. But at Noon the Clouds gathered; and the Afternoon was all spent in sweet gentle, soaking Showers, which were a plentiful Releef to our languishing and perishing Fields. Quære; What use now, should I make of this Experience? For better, and far more holy, fruitful, useful, and prayerful Christians than I, were elsewhere praying this Day before the Lord, as well as I. And yett it is not amiss for me, humbly to receive the Consolations of God.

After this, the Lord went on still to employ me, and comfort me. The Drought renewing, the Lecture of Boston, was turn'd into a Fast; and the Minister that should then have preached, asked me to take his Turn. Herein I had an Opportunity not only to preach unto a vast Assembly, beyond what would have been on another Opportunity, but also to speak such Things, as else I should never have spoken unto so many People. I enjoy'd a special Presence of the Lord with me, in the Service of the Day: and on the Day following I saw an Answer. Another most encouraging Return of Prayers we had, in most plentiful Showers, for part of the day, and all of the Night ensuing.

Moreover, having preached a Sermon, in my Course on the eleventh Chapter to the Hebrewes, upon the Grace dispensed unto Rahab the Harlot, the Sermon was desired by the Hearers; and I gave it unto some of them, who published it. The Title of it, is, GRACE TRIUMPHANT.

30 d. 6 m. Friday. I sett apart this Day, for Cries unto the Lord; especially on such Matters of Humiliation and Supplication, as have caused me, to be often thus of late employ'd.

But very particularly, that I may obtain the manifold Smiles of Heaven, upon a Journey unto the Northward, which I have the next week before me.

2 d. 7 m. [September.] Munday. This Day, I travelled unto Salem; attended with two young Gentlemen, who kindly offered, as my Sons, to wait upon me. On the Day following, I travelled unto Ipswich, where the Ministers of that Vicinity being then convened, I had an Opportunity to do several Services among them. On the Thursday, I preached the Lecture at Ipswich, to a very great Assembly with a very great Assistence. On Friday I return'd unto Salem. On the Lord's-day, I preached both parts of the Day at Salem, to extraordinary Auditories. On Monday I returned Home. In this Journey (even beyond what in any former one, that I can remember) I have had so much Comfort, and have done so much Service, thro' the good Hand of God upon me, that I have cause to be encouraged forever, in praying over a Journey before I undertake it.

Moreover, Observing how powerfully the Devices of

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Satan are operating, to bring on Apostasies and Innovations upon our Churches; and particularly, a Minister of some Note in the Churches for his Piety, having published a Book of wretched Novelties, which, tho' it be offensive to the generality of good Men, yett is entertain'd with Gladness by a carnal, giddy, rising Generation: I thought it my Duty, to defend the Churches, from these unhappy Attempts against them. Wherefore, I wrote a Discourse, entituled, A DEFENCE OF EVANGELICAL CHURCHES; whereto my Father joined with me, in setting his Name.

And because one of the impious Opinions, advanced by the New-Modellers of our Churches, who most unjustly call themselves Presbyterians, is, that Persons who know themselves ungodly, yett may and should come to the Lord'sTable, I adjoin a savoury little Discourse, of Mr. Quick, a Reverend Presbyterian in London, about A Claim to the Sacrament, as well to confute our pretended Presbyterians, as to promote practical Godliness. Now, to make all the more effectual, I did in my Journey to Salem and Ipswich, obtain the Hands, of many elderly Ministers, in the County of Essex, to approve, and attest my Undertaking. So I gave the Book unto the Bookseller.2

15 d. 7 m. Lord's-Day. This Day among other Irradiations from Heaven upon me, I had my Heart strangely melted in my public Prayer, before the Sermon, (whereat a great Congregation was present,) with a strange and strong Assurance, which I then expressed, that whereas the Religion of the Lord Jesus Christ, thro' the Power and Malice of its Enemies, and the evil Dispositions of its Professors, is in