was himself a stranger to that faith, repentance, and conversion. which he pressed upon others. He trembled lest his own heart was not duly impressed with those pathetic expressions by which he affected and moved others. His affliction was increased by not having any serious friend in that part of the kingdom, to whom he could communicate the spiritual trouble of his mind. So deeply was his heart wounded, that he resolved to take a journey into Essex county to consult with a cousin, who was minister at Dedham. When he arrived, it was a lecture day. Entering the assembly, he to his surprise found the sermon perfectly adapted to his state of mind; all his doubts were as fully resolved, as if he had previously laid his heart open to the preacher. His fears vanished, and he returned to his ministry with new courage, and remarkable success attended his labours.

His animated discourses often exhausted his strength, for though his spirit was lively, his body was feeble. This led him to the study of physic, in which he had considerable skill. By the violent motion of riding on horseback he once burst a blood vessel, but by retiring to his chamber, and avoiding all company for about two months, he recovered.

After a public ministry at Rowley of about 20 years, like many other good ministers, he was deprived of his pulpit, and his people of him, by the arm of authority. A number of his neighbours being on the wing for New-England, he joined with them, and arrived in 1638, and notwithstanding the pressing invitations he received from his Yorkshire friends, who had previously settled in Connecticut, he chose to fix his residence near his kinsman Rogers, who lived at Ipswich.

Five years after his settlement at Rowley, in Massachusetts, he was appointed to preach the election sermon; this rendered him famous through the Commonwealth.

While he was praised abroad, he was venerated at home; his ministry was highly approved and greatly successful among his own people. Regeneration and union to Jesus Christ by faith, were the great points on which he principally insisted in his preaching. When speaking on these topics, he had a remarkable talent of penetrating the souls of his hearers, and unveiling the very secrets of their hearts. His sermons and his prayers often remarkably expressed the feelings and exercises of his people. Amazed they heard their minister represent with exactness their thoughts, their desires, their motives, and their whole characters. They were sometimes almost ready to exclaim, Who hath told him all this?

His conversation with his people was serious and instructive. With the youth he took great pains, especially with those, who had been commended to him by their dying parents. He was a tree of knowledge laden with fruit, which children could reach. Sometimes a dozen of them would visit him together, when he would admit them singly into his study, and examine them, how they walked with God, how they spent their time, what religious books they read, whether they faithfully prayed to God. Then would he admonish them carefully to avoid those temptations to which they were most exposed, and dismiss them. If he heard of any contentions, among his people, he would send for the parties, and examine the grounds of their complaints; so great was his influence, that he generally quenched the sparks of discord before they burst forth in open flame. A traveller, passing through the town, inquired of him, if he were the person who served there. He replied, "I am, sir, the person, who rules here."

The latter part of this good man's life was a dreary winter of sufferings. He buried his wife, and all his children. A second wife was soon snatched from his arms. The night

of his third marriage, his house was burned with all his goods, and an excellent library, which he had brought from England. Having rebuilt his house, he soon after fell from his horse, and so bruised his right arm, that it became entirely useless; he afterwards wrote with his left hand. His great spirit spoke in the style of lamentation. In a letter to a minister in Charlestown, two or three years before his death, after inquiring respecting the success of his ministry, and the piety of his children and household, he mourns that his young people are little affected, that they strengthened one another in evil by example and counsel. He says, "I tremble to think what will become of this glorious work, which we have begun, when the ancients shall be gathered unto their fathers." "I fear grace and blessings will die with them. All is hurry for the world, every one for self, and not for the public good. It hath been God's way not to send sweeping judgments, when the chief magistrates are godly. I beseech all the Bay ministers to call earnestly upon the magistrates; tell them their godliness is our protection. I am hastening home; I am near home; you too are not far off; O the weight of glory that is ready waiting for us, God's poor exiles. We shall sit next to the martyrs and confessors. Cheer up your spirit with these thoughts, and let us be zealous for God and Christ."

He closed his labours and life, Jan. 23, 1661, in the seventieth year of his age.* His library he gave to Harvard college; his house and lands he gave to the town for the support of the gospel ministry. A part of the land was bequeathed on the condition his people supported a pastor and teacher according to the early custom of the country; but they have long since neglected to do this, and the corporation of Harvard college, to whom the land was forfeited,

• Mather.

made their rightful claim, and obtained it. So that Mr. Rogers is numbered among the distinguished benefactors of the university. Still in the first parish of Rowley the rent of the lands, left them by Mr. Rogers, has lately been more than the salary of their minister. The west parish of Rowley, and about half of Byfield, which belonged to Rowley, received their proportion of the donation, when they were incorporated in separate societies.

CHAP. XV.

Emigration ceased; settlement of Woburn; Confederation of the colonies; Eastham settled; character of Mr. Treat; Gov. Winthrop's speech; his character.

IN 1640, in consequence of a change of affairs in the mother country, emigration to New-England ceased. It was estimated at the time, that about 4000 families, consisting of 21,000 souls, had arrived in 298 ships, and settled in this new world. Since this period, the current of emigration has been from New-England. The expense of removing these families was estimated at £192,000 sterling, which, including what they paid to the council of Plymouth and to the sachems of the country, was a dear purchase of their lands.

In 1642, the town of Woburn was settled. As a specimen of the manner in which other towns were settled, we give a more particular account of this. The town was laid out four miles square, and granted to seven men, "of good and honest report," on condition that they, within two years, erected houses there, and proceeded to build a town. These seven men had power to give and grant lands unto persons desirous of sitting down with them. Each one had

meadow and upland granted him, according to his stock of cattle, and capacity of cultivating the soil. The poorest man had six or seven acres of meadow, and twenty-five of upland; an eye being had to future settlers, for whom lands were reserved. No man was refused on account of his poverty, but after receiving his portion of land, had assistance in building a house. But such as were of a turbulent spirit, were not allowed to "enjoy a freehold, till they should mend their manners." The seven men, to whom the town was granted, laid out the roads as might best accommodate the lands, as to civil and religious privileges. Accordingly, those who received land nearest to the meetinghouse, had a less quantity at home, and more at a distance, In this manner about sixty families first settled in Woburn.

Equally circumspect and wise were their religious ar rangements. As soon as they had a competent number to support a minister, they considered themselves as "surely seated, and not before, it being as unnatural for a right NewEngland man to live without an able ministry, as for a blacksmith to work his iron without a fire." This people, there fore, like others, laid their "foundation stone" with earnestly seeking the blessing of heaven in several days of fasting and prayer. They then took the advice of the most orthodox and able christians, especially the ministers of the gos pel, not rashly running into a church state before they had a prospect of obtaining a pastor to feed them with the bread of life. They chose to continue as they were, in fellowship with other churches, enjoying their christian watch, till they had the ordinances administered among them. But they soon obtained "Mr. Thomas Carter of Watertown, a reverend, godly man, apt to teach the sound and wholesome truths of Christ," to preach for them. They then formed into a church, on the 24th of the 6th month, after Mr. Symes of Charlestown "had continued in preaching and prayer about the space of