praying remnant I have access to, to stand in the gap, and earnestly beg you may not despond, nor faint under your many damps. I know your soul is among fierce lions; and I assure you, you want not some here who allow themselves to bear burdens with you, and get leave to do it. I fear the Lord has a peculiar reckoning with the west of Scotland, and we may come as soon to feel the fruit of sin as you. However we are in God's hands, and let us still venture our all upon him. I have presumed once more to pay my duty to your very reverend and excellent parent, and enclosed it in yours. Some years ago, I had the pleasure of reading in the Transactions of the Royal Society, som extracts of your Letters, 1712 and 1713, to Dr. Woodward, in whom I presume to have some interest, and Mr. Waller, which, indeed, raised my appetite rather than satisfied it; and I don't know how, but till this time it still escaped me to write to you anent some of them, of which larger accounts would be extremely satisfying. Some things pointed at there I think I met with in your excellent "Magnalia," and your father's Essay on Remarkable Providences. But such is my Athenian temper, that I covet much to I have some letters lately from New England and Holland, which I must defer till my next. Only let me beseech you by our friendship to write as soon as possible again with all freedom, and to write as frequently as may be; let us at least, while we may, have the satisfaction of un-have many of the things of which we have but bosoming ourselves one to another. Great grace be with you. I am yours most affectionately. LETTER V. To the very Reverend and learned Cotton Mather, D. of D. and Minister of the Gospel at Boston, (N. E.) R. and D. Sir, Your most obliging letter of the 4th day of the 10th month came to my hand some weeks ago, with the valuable packet of what you published since I had the favour of hearing from you. Your "Malachi," with its companions, were most acceptable to my lord Pollock, who returned to his country-seat here some weeks ago, entered into his 70th year, and is very much refreshed with yours to me, and gives his kindest respects to your venerable parent and yourself. He is much weakened through his close and conscientious application to the business of the nation; and I fear we shall be in some little time, may it be late, deprived of this excellent person., It refreshes my spirit to find your hope still continuing, that anon we shall see Joel's prophecy fulfilled. I remember, about the 1713, or thereby, you assured me Obadiah's prophecy was near to its execution upon the highfliers, and in part we have seen it verified; and the great thing we want after such wonderful deliverances, you have so graphically described in your Token for Good, is the downpouring of the Spirit from on high. May it be hastened! O why do the chariot wheels of our Lord tarry! The tendencies in popish countries to shake off the yoke of popery, are indeed very remarkable; and we have strange accounts from France, which, I persuade myself, you have from better hands than mine. Sometimes it's damping to me, that at the appearance of Jansenius, there was no small stir, and the appearances of a break of the day then, yet all was stopped by politicks, which I wish may not be the event of the present commotions there also. scanty accounts, from yourself, when your leisure allows. It is my loss, and that of many others, that we have not the full copies of your valuable Letters referred to in that short abstract. Next to the things accompanying salvation, I have been for some time wishing earnestly for some account of Remarkable Providences; and next to these, the Wonders of God in his Works, as we call them, of Nature. The hints at the maculæ maternæ ; the particular discoveries made in dreams, which the publisher of the abstract of your Letters very much overlooks; the Indians' knowledge of some constellations by the names we use, before the accession of any European knowledge; your peculiar method of finding out the Julian period;-are subjects I would be most fond to have large hints of, but am ashamed to ask them. And especially the inscription on a rock at Taunton, in unknown characters that seem hieroglyphical, and of kin to the Chinese; with your latter remarkables of nature and providence. I have for some time been much endeared to Natural History, and the wonders of our God in his works of creation and providence, and take both to be a noble saggy, and accessory to our more important studies. It is high time I should come to give you some hints of matters with us; and it is but a very melancholy account I can offer in many respects. We have mismanaged our wonderful deliverances, and forgotten God's wonders at the sea, even the Red Sea. Iniquity abounds, and the love of many waxeth cold. Unheard of provocations abound in this country these five or six months past. A flood of impurity and whoredoms prevails in city and country; and since I wrote to you last, there have fallen out, in, and about our neighbouring city, eight or ten mur. ders, and attempts that way; and “blood toucheth blood" in a frequency we have known nothing of since the Reformation. Satan is come down in great wrath. O may his time be short! All societies among us almost are miserably torn, and the anger of the Lord hath divided We are biting and devouring one another, and like to be consumed one of another. In our neighbouring city of Glasgow, where, since the Revolution, unity and harmony, and consequently vital religion, flourished, now, heat and strife, and every evil work abound. The University is split and broken. The magistrates and ministers are at present in no good terms: and in other societies through this nation we are but too much in the same circumstances; and what of this sin and shame is in our most elevated societies, no doubt you have the melancholy accounts. These open a door for new attempts of our enemies, and the Jacobites have *aken new life from those favourable symptoms as to them. Multitudes of them are returned from abroad, and they are meditating new disturbances; and the clemency of the government is so far from moving them, that the rebels are more uppish than before this last attempt. Such things among us call aloud for your sympathy and prayers, and it is for this end I lay before you what otherwise I would choose to draw a veil over. I know we have had your deep concern, when formerly brought low for our iniquity, and now we need it as much as ever. Dear Sir, I rejoice matters are in better bearing among you. May the kingdom of our Lord be upon the growing hand, and may the accounts you shall be in case to send support me and others under our sorrows here. May the Lord preserve you long for eminent services, and strengthen you more and more for them. this providence to the dear churches of New England, I have now for several years since I had the honour of writing to you and your son promised myself a share in your prayers and sympathy. I should take it as a peculiar favour to have another line from you with your directions and advices, and your ripe and mature thoughts upon the present appearances of providence as to the Reformation, and the state of things through all the protestant churches, and your hopes of the coming kingdom of our Lord, before you get to heaven. We have many melancholy appearances among us in this country; and as to these I have unbosomed myself in part in mine to your son. I could add much to you. In short, serious piety among us is under a sensible cloud, and our God is in a great measure removed from us. O! importune him to return with healing under his wings! The controversy 'twixt the bishop of Bangor and his adversaries is what hath made much noise, and is like to make more in our neighbouring nation; and as the Bishop's papers are sensibly inclining to some of the worst parts of popery, so amidst many excellent advances towards liberty, and against persecution, I am mightily apprehensive the Bishop's tenets flow from, or incline to, libertinism, and smell rank to me of the author of the "Rights of the Christian Church." No doubt you have the papers pro and con, and I would most willingly have your sentiments upon it. I hear likewise Whiston's abominable heresy spreads mightily in England. But I fear I may be consuming your valuable time, which you employ so well; and must break I'll presume to hope you'll take all occasions which offer to this country, and oblige me with as large notices of matters with you, and com. munications from your learned and extensive correspondence, and favour me with the produc-off with my earnest requests, that your comfort tions of Boston from time to time. Meanwhile believe that I am, reverend and very dear Sir, your very much obliged, and most affectionate brother and servant, R. W. April 8, 1718. LETTER VI. To the very Reverend and Venerable Mr. Increase Mather, Minister of the Gospel at Boston. Very Reverend Sir, It was with a great deal of pleasure that by your son the doctor's last kind letter, I find that you are still labouring in our Lord's vineyard, and bringing forth much fruit in your old age; and I could not but once more presume to acquaint you how much I take myself to be indebted to our common Lord for his preserving in his churches such old disciples and faithful ministers, who have seen the glory of the former house; as you, through grace, are. And besides the valuable blessing there is in and usefulness may be as the path of the just, still growing more and more until the perfect day, that you may be long a burning and a shin.. ing light. It will be a great comfort to me to hear from you while you are able. Any thing you have published since your last valuable present, of which you have doubles by you, will be most acceptable; and if you will lay your commands upon me as to any thing in this country wherein I can serve you, you'll extremely oblige me. I am, reverend and very dear Sir, your most humble and very much obliged, R. W. now understand more of the constitution of the | gow our neighbouring city. In the first named church of Holland than ever. Their Synods are delegate meetings, like our General Assemblies; and they have delegates of delegates, like our commission, which I own is the branch of our constitution most liable to exception. Let me know how many Presbyteries, or classes, there may be in every Synod. Are there ruling elders from every congregation in their classes? Do their parochial Sessions agree with ours? Do their appeals lie from the Deputati Synodi to the next Synods? Let me have the minister's name, and subject of the book at Rotterdam that hath made such noise. Give all you can further recover as to Fagel's Testament, and the foundations alleged for patrons. It seems, being so very late, they cannot found on the old claim, Patronum faciunt dos edificatio donum. I would likewise know their method of calls; if heads of families consent, and the Session call; if they have written and signed calls; if there be presentations by the magistrates or the Ambachtsheers in write. Give me the state of the Universities; the balance 'twixt Cocceians and Voetians, the state of real religion in the provinces; the success of the East India Company in propagating Chris- | tianity; the method of dispensing the Sacrament of the Supper; if at tables, the minister speaks at the time of communicating; if the words of institution are pronounced at the distribution; the accounts of the care of the poor; their correction houses; if any societies for reformation of manners, or charity schools; and what ever you remarked singular in their civil policy and economy; their present divisions, and the strength of the Barnevelt and Arminian party. You'll have heard of Mr. Anderson's affair at Dumbarton, and that he was countenanced. am yours most affectionately. LETTER VIII. I To the Reverend Mr. Benjamin Coleman, Minister of the Gospel at Boston, N. A. (afterwards President of Harvard College.) R. Dear Sir, place, our brethren go entirely into the ill habit, and have brought themselves under no small toil; under which I sympathize very little with them. In Glasgow our brethren stand firmly out against this innovation, and baptize no children but in the church, or at public teaching; however, some ministers come in from the country and do it in private houses. Except in these two cities, we know nothing of private baptism. Through this national church we have witnessed against it since the reformation, and since the revolution we have a standing act of Assembly against it, which I am sorry is in any measure disregarded. The great pretext some make use of for complying is, that if we refuse to baptize in families, people will go to the tolerated party and the exauctorate episcopal clergy, and leave our communion; but really by our compliance with their humours we have brought this yoke upon ourselves; and had we all stood our ground, there could have been no hazard this way, but many times we raise difficulties, and then turn them over into arguments against plain duty. I am sorry to add, that we have got a greate. irregularity among us than even those private baptisms, and that is, especially in cities, parents are not dealt with in private, and admonished and exhorted before they be permitted to present their children, and ministers in our principal towns know not who are to be admitted to that solemn ordinance till the name be given up after sermon is over. This is quite wrong, and what I have been regretting for several years. Other sponsors I cannot away with, when parents mediate or immediate can be had. But enough of this. I hope it will raise your sympathy with us, and accent your prayers for us. You have reason to be very thankful to God, for the free choice the Christian people among you still enjoy with respect to their pastors. When we had this before the miserable turn of affairs 1712, I cannot say we improved it as we should. There were parties and combinations sometimes of the heritors and people of rank against the meaner people in a parish. And sometimes these last would oppose a worthy entrant, because people of sense were pleased with him; yet I must say, these were but rare. But now, if the Lord open not a door of relief, we are in the utmost hazard of a corrupt ministry; and our noblemen and gentlemen, members of the British parliament, being all patrons, we are in the worst case possible, for our judges are parties. With great satisfaction I received yours of the 9th of December, transmitted by Mr. Erskine to me, and with grief I perceive that your favour to me hath lost its way; for nothing ever came to my hand but the note Dr. Mather sent me, else I had not failed to have acknowledged it. * * * There is too much occasion in one place or two, for the accounts have been given you, of the un- For several years I have had very little save frequency of public baptism among us. In general accounts of the state of religion in the dear Edinburgh, I mean, there is a scandalous com- churches in New England, from my very worthy pliance with a custom, I don't know how, come friend Dr. Mather. His correspondence is very down to us from the South, of baptizing the in- extensive, and I reckon myself extremely in his fants of most people of fashion in their houses debt for the short hints he favours me with, and and this method is creeped in too much in Glasthe notices he refers me to in some of his printed sermons. But I earnestly beg you'll favour me with every thing you'll please to think, were you here and I at Boston, you would wish to have; the success of the gospel; the state of real vital religion; the number of your churches; the progress of Christianity among the Indians; the order and method of teaching in the college; the number of students; remarkable providences; conversions, and answers of prayer; and multitudes of other things I need not name; and let me know wherein I can satisfy you, in any thing relative to this church, and I shall not be wanting, in as far as my information goes, to give you the state of matters with us. I bless the Lord with all my heart for the new set of worthy young ministers God is sending o his vineyard among you. It's certainly one of the greatest tokens of good you can possibly have. I thank you for the printed account you sent me, a copy of which, in manuscript, I had sent me from London about a year and a half ago, with a letter, which came along with it to your friends at London, whereat with pleasure I observe my dear brother Coleman's hand. Please to accept my most hearty thanks for the valuable sermons you send me. I have read them with delight, and should I speak my sentiments of them, perhaps you would suspect me of flattery; and I shall only pray that there may be a blessing upon them, and upon your further labours in the pulpit and press. I had none of them before, but I take care to communicate what of this kind I receive to my dear brethren in the neighbourhood; and you'll favour me very much if you send me any other thing. Since my last I mind very little published in this country, unless it be the three letters I with this send you, designed against a set of people which withdraw from our communion, because of ministers their taking and holding communion with such as have taken the oath of abjuration. I beg you'll let me know wherein I can serve you in this country. for which I return my most hearty thanks; and I am satisfied that my last came to hand. At the close of it, I remember I did express my fears with respect to new flames in this church upon any new stir about the reimposition of the oaths. I thought I had expressed myself with all softness in this matter; and if I have erred, in running to any excess upon it, I am heartily sorry for it, but I thought I had let a word falj upon it on.y by the by. I own, my Lord, it was my opinion, and still is, till I see ground to alter it, that were matters let alone among us, our miserable rents would very soon dwindle to nothing; and if we that are ministers be not such fools as to mix in with parties in the state, and political differences that lie not in our road, we shall very soon be entirely one. When I say this, I hope your Lordship will not think I in the least mean we should not appear against the pretender and Jacobitism in all the shapes of it. I reckon he does not deserve the name of a protestant, and ought not to be in the holy office of the ministry, who will not renounce, and declare in the strongest terms against the popish pretender, and all papists whatsomever their claim to any rule over these reformed nations; and I know of no presbyterian minister of this church, (if there be any, sure I am they ought to be thrown out) who do not in the greatest sincerity own and acknowledge our only rightful and lawful sovereign king George, and pray for him in secret and in public, and bear all the love and regard for him that the best of kings deserves from the most loyal subjects. But the longer I live, the more I grow in the thoughts, that ministers should closely mind their great work, and keep themselves at distance from all parties, save protestants and papists, and the friends to king George, and his enemies. For my own share, if my heart deceive me not, I have no other views before me but the peace and unity of this poor church, from which, if we swerve, we counteract the divine law and weaken this church, and sink her reputation in the eyes of such who wait for our halting; and I join heartily with your Lordship in blaming any who run to excesses, affect strictness beyond others, or instil notions to their people which all their interest cannot remove again, and as far as I am conscious to myself, I have still abhorred such courses. I have very lamentable accounts of the pre-our great work as ministers, and extremely valency of Cocceianism and Roel's opinions in Holland; and from France of the affairs of the constitution, its being turned to a politick. But of those matters, I doubt not, you have better accounts than I can pretend to. I beg you'll miss no occasion you have coming to Scotland without giving me the pleasure of hearing from you, and you may expect the like from, reverend and very dear brother, your very much obliged and most affectionate brother and servant, April 8, 1718. LETTER IX. London. R. W. Yet, my Lord, when I wrote last, and still, I cannot altogether get free of my fears, though I wish I may be mistaken in them. Whenever a bill is brought in relative to our church, I cannot help being afraid that some clause or other To the Right Honourable my Lord Rosse at may be cast up that may be choking to severals, even though at first the bill may be framed in the best way that friends can propose it. When My Lord, I have the honour of yours of the 9th instant, the reference is taken out which so many stick at, I cannot but be concerned lest something may be put in its room that may be straitening, not only to such as did not formerly qualify, but even to some who did take the oaths. And I have heard some of them say very publicly, that if the reference were removed, they would have a difficulty, because it was then an illimited oath. Besides, in conversation I have had occasion to observe several persons of great worth, and as firm friends to the government as in the kingdom, and no enthusiasts either, who want not their difficulties as to all public oaths in this degenerate age, as being no real tests of loyalty to the king and government; and no proper marks of distinction 'twixt the king's friends and foes; neither necessary for such who every day attest their loyalty by their hearty prayers for king George and his family; and I need not add their thoughts of an unnecessary oath. Those and many other things I have observed now these six years since our breaches began upon this head, too long to trouble you with, will lessen your Lordship's surprise, that I was afraid of new flames, and in my own mind wished that there were no reimposition, but our differences suffered to die away. I know the strait with regard to the Jacobite nonjurors in the north, of the Episcopal way. But the difference is vast, and the laws we have against such who don't pray for king George nominatim, (or if the laws be not plain, they may be made clearer) do effectually reach them; and there is not among that set who will pray for his majesty, but will take the oaths too; though that is not the case of the west and south, or of any presbyterian nonjurors that I know of. My great ground of expressing my fears in the event of reimposition was, that after I have considered this matter as far as I could, I did not perceive that form of an oath, but what would divide the real and hearty friends of the king in their practices, and so endanger the peace of the church, while at present, as far as I can judge, if mixing in with different state parties do not prevent it, we are upon the point of healing among ourselves, and all differences will be buried. I am very sensible, my Lord, how tender a point this is that I have presumed to write upon, and should not have ventured upon it if your Lordship had not signified your desires, which shall still be commands upon me, to have full accounts from me upon this head. What the reverend moderator of the commission writes to your Lordship, that we are all agreed in the draught sent up from the commission, I make no doubt, is according to the information he hath; and I do not doubt, but the form sent up from the commission will satisfy the greatest part of such who did not formerly qualify; and if this tend to the healing of the rent of this poor church, as I am persuaded it is designed, can say I am as heartily for it as any minister of the church of Scotland; though some few should be brought to hardship under a government they heartily love, and bless God for. But I cannot go so far as to think that we are all agreed in what is desired. And your Lordship will bear with me when I lay before you some matters of fact which I know are true, otherwise I would not presume to write them. There are about ninety or a hundred who have signified their assent to what is sent up from the commission; and your Lordship will remember that there were upwards of three hundred formerly who did not qualify. You'll further notice, that all who signify their consent to what the commission have sent up expressly, and in so many words, desire there may be no reimposition; but if there be one, that it may be in the manner proposed. And further, probably, by this time, your Lordship will know, that another form of an oath was proposed to the commission from a considerable number of ministers in Fife and Perth, met at Kinross, with some restrictions and explications which the reverend commission did not think fit to go into. And as I think I hinted to you when I had last the honour to converse with your Lordship, in October, we had, what is now sent up by the commission before our Synod at Glasgow, and all the Presbyteries considered it; as far as I know, it was the unanimous opinion of each Presbytery, that we should lie still, and make no application that might draw down new difficulties upon us; and in our Presbytery all our brethren were as one man against it. These facts I lay before you not to counter any information sent you, which I dare not doubt was according to the view matters appeared in there; but to give you a full state of the matter as it stands; and after all, as I said just now, and my friend colonel Erskine has informed you, I do sincerely think, that what the commission has sent up will satisfy the most part of those who stood out; but fearing that severals may remain under their difficulties, not in renouncing the pretender, or in owning the king's only lawful and rightful title, but from their apprehensions of homologating the laws about patronages, and other burdens on this church, by engaging in public oaths, and their doubts of their being proper tests of loyalty, and I did express my concern to your Lordship lest new flames might arise. Thus, my Lord, I have wearied you, I fear, upon this subject; what I write is only for your Lordship's information; and it's my earnest prayer to the Lord, that you and all concerned may be under the Divine conduct, and led to such an issue in this matter as may be for the union and peace of this church, and the interest of true religion; and then, I am sure, the king's in |