They wring their hands, their caitiff-hands, Christ pities not your cry; Depart to Hell, there may you yell, The Day of Doom, stanzas 1, 4, 5, 6, 43, 205, ed. 1715. COTTON MATHER. To his Critics. Had not my Heart been Trebly Oak'd and Brass'd for such Encounters as this our History may meet withal, I would have worn the Silk-worms Motto, Operitur dum Operatur, and have chosen to have written Anonymously; or, as Claudius Salmasius calls himself Walo Messalinus, as Ludovicus Molinæus calls himself Ludiomæus Colvinus, as Carolus Scribanius calls himself Clarus Bonarscius, Thus I would have tried, whether I could not have Anagrammatized my Name into some Concealment. . . Whereas now I freely confess, 'tis COTTON MATHER that has written all these hings.. It will not be so much a Surprise unto me, if i should live to see our Church-History vexed with Anie-madversions of Calumnious Writers, as it would have been unto Virgil, to read his Bucolicks reproached by the Antibucolica of a Nameless Scribbler. . The Writer whom I last quoted, hath given us a Story of a young Man in High-Holbourn, who being after his death Dissected, there was a Serpent with divers Tails, found in the left Ventricle of his Heart. I make no question, that our Church-History will find some Reader disposed like that Writer, with an Heart as full of Serpent and Venom as ever it can hold. — Magnalia. General Introduction, § 6, ed. 1702. The Character of John Cotton. He would often say with some regret, after the departure of a Visitant, I had rather have given this Man an handful of Money, than have been kept thus long out of my Study. He was an early Riser, taking the Morning for the Muses; and in his latter Days forbearing a Supper, he turn'd his former Supping time, into a Reading, a Thinking, a Prayingtime. Twelve Hours in a Day he commonly studied, and would call that a Scholar's Day. Once . an humorous and imperious Brother, following Mr. Cotton home to his House, .. rudely told him, That his Ministry was become generally, either dark, or flat: Whereto this meek Man, very mildly and gravely, made only this Answer: Both, Brother, it may be, both: Let me have your Prayers that it may be otherwise. Another time, when Mr. Cotton had modestly replied unto one that would much Talk and Crack of his Insight into the Revelations: Brother, I must confess my self to want Light in those Mysteries. The Man went home, and sent him a Pound of Candles: Upon which Action this good Man bestowed only a silent Smile. He would not set the Beacon of his Great Soul on fire, at the landing of such a little Cock-boat. — Magnalia, Book III., p. 26, ed. 1702. JONATHAN EDWARDS. The Sweet Glory of God in Nature. After this my Sense of divine Things gradually increased, and became more and more lively, and had more of that inward Sweetness. The Appearance of every thing was altered there seem'd to be, as it were, a calm, sweet Cast, or Appearance of divine Glory, in almost every Thing. God's Excellency, his Wisdom, his Purity and Love, seemed to appear in every Thing; in the Sun, Moon and Stars; in the Clouds, and blue Sky; in the Grass, Flowers, Trees; in the Water, and all Nature; which used greatly to fix my Mind. I often used to sit & view the Moon for a long time; and so in the Day-time, spent much time in viewing the Clouds & Sky, to behold the sweet Glory of God in these Things. The Life of Jonathan Edwards, p. 27, ed. 1765. ours. Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes than the most hateful venomous serpent is in O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in : it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in hell. You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it and burn it asunder. The Works of President Edwards, Vol. VII., pp. 170, 171, ed. 1830. SAMUEL SEWALL. A Puritan's Diary. Friday May 22nd. 1685, had a private Fast: the Magistrates of this town with their Wives here. Mr. Eliot prayed, Mr. Willard preached. I am afraid of Thy judgements - Text Mother gave. Mr. Allen prayed; cessation half an hour. Mr. Cotton Mather prayed; Mr. Mather preached Ps. 79, 9. Mr. Moodey prayed about an hour and a half; Sung the 79th Psalm from the 8th to the End: distributed some Biskets, and Beer, Cider, Wine. The Lord hear in Heaven his dwelling place. *** Friday, Nov! 6. . . . Having occasion this day to go to Mr. Hayward the Publick Notary's House, I speak to him about his cutting off his Hair, and wearing a Perriwig of contrary Colour: mention the words of our Saviour, Can ye not make one Hair white or black and Mr. Alsop's Sermon. He alledges, The Doctor advised him to it. *** Monday, Oct. 22 [1688]. Mr. Isaac Walker is buried. : ... Deacon Eliot and I led the young widow, and had Scarfs and Gloves. The Lord fit me, that my Grave may be a Sweetening place for my Sin-polluted Body. * * * April 11th 1692. Went to Salem, where, in the Meeting-house, the persons accused of Witchcraft were examined; was a very great Assembly; 'twas awful to see how the afflicted persons were agitated. . . Augt. 19th 1692. . . . This day George Burrough, John Willard, Jn Procter, Martha Carrier and George Jacobs : *** were executed at Salem, a very great number of Spectators being present. . All of them said they were inocent, Carrier and all. Mr. Mather says they all died by a Righteous Sentence. * * * Nov. 6 [1692]. Joseph threw a knop of Brass and hit his Sister Betty on the forhead so as to make it bleed and swell; upon which, and for his playing at Prayer-time, and eating when Return Thanks, I whipd him pretty smartly. When I first went in (call'd by his Grandmother) he sought to shadow and hide himself from me behind the head of the Cradle: which gave me the sorrowfull remembrance of Adam's carriage. *** Second-Day; Jan! 24. 170 I paid Capt. Belchar £8-15-0. Took 24 in my pocket, and gave my Wife the rest of my cash £4. 3-8, and tell her she shall now keep the Cash; if I want I will borrow of her. She has a better faculty than I at managing Affairs I will assist her; and will endeavour to live upon my Salary; will see what it will doe. The Lord give his Blessing. Feria septima, Apr. 3 [1708]. I went to Cous. Dumer's to see his News-Letter: while I was there Mr. Nath' Henchman came in with his Flaxen Wigg; I wish'd him Joy, i.e. of his Wedding. I could not observe that he said a Word to me; and generally he turn'd his back upon me, when none were in the room but he and I. This is the Second time I have spoken to him, in vain, as to any Answer from him. First was upon the death of his Wife, I cross'd the way near our house, and ask'd him how he did: He only shew'd his Teeth. *** 8 I [1720]. . . I went to Madam Winthrop's just at 3. Spake to her, saying, my loving wife died so soon and suddenly, 'twas hardly convenient for me to think of Marrying again;1 however I came to this Resolution, that I would not make my Court to any person without first Consulting with her. . . 8r 6th... A little after 6. p.m. I went to Madam Winthrop's. Madam seem'd to harp upon the same string. Must take care of her Children. I gave her a piece of Mr. Belcher's Cake and Ginger-Bread wrapped up in a clean sheet of Paper. Judith was gon from me and I was more lonesom help to forward one another in our Journey to Canaan. . . took leave about 9 aclock. . . . 8 10th... In the Evening I visited Madam Winthrop, who treated me with a great deal of Curtesy; Wine, Marmalade. . . . 8 12. ... Madam Winthrop's Countenance was much changed from what 'twas on My Daughter might I 1 Mrs. Sewall had died on May 26, only four months before. Judge Sewall was now sixty-eight, and Mrs. Winthrop fifty-six. Winthrop. ... Monday, look'd dark and lowering. . . . I got my Chair in place, had some Converse, but very Cold and indifferent to what 'twas before. Ask'd her to acquit me of Rudeness if I drew off her Glove. . Got it off. I gave her Dr. Preston, The Church's Marriage and the Church's Carriage, which cost me 6o. . . . Told her the reason why I came every other night was lest I should drink too deep draughts of Pleasure. She had talk'd of Canary, her kisses were to me better than the best Canary. . . . 8 19. Visited Madam Was Courteous to me; but took occasion to speak pretty earnestly about my keeping a Coach: I said 'twould cost $100. per añum: she said twould cost but £40. Came away somewhat late. . . . 8 21.... About 6. a-clock I go to Madam Winthrop's; Sarah told me her Mistress was gon out. She presently order'd me a Fire; so I went in, having Dr. Sibb's Bowels with me to read. . . . After a good while and Claping the Garden door twice or thrice, she [Mrs. W.] came in. I ask'd when our proceedings should be made publick: She said They were like to be no more publick than they were already. Offer'd me no Wine that I remember.... Nov 7th... I went to Mad. Winthrop; found her rocking her little Katee in the Cradle. ... She set me an arm'd Chair and Cusheon; and so the Cradle was between her arm'd Chair and mine. Gave her the remnant of my Almonds; She did not eat of them as before. . . . I told her I loved her: She said had a great respect for me. . . Jehovah jireh ! I did not bid her draw off her Glove as sometime I had done. Her Dress was not so clean as sometime it had been. Nov 11th Went not to Mm Winthrop's. This is the 2a Withdraw. Nov 21. Madam Winthrop made a Treat for her Children: knew nothing of it; but the same day abode in the Council Chamber for fear of the Rain, and din'd alone upon Kilby's Pyes and good Beer.-Diary of Samuel Sewall, ed. 18781882 (Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc., Series V., Vols. V.-VII., passim). MADAM KNIGHT. Travelling in Olden Times. Monday, Octb'r. ye second, 1704. About three o'clock afternoon, I began my Journey from Boston to New-Haven. Madm Billings . . . Very kindly went wyth me to ye Tavern, where I hoped to get my guide, And desired the Hostess to inquire of her guests whether any of them would ... |