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have served God on earth; but | ly to study, and the acquisition

if God will choose to have them rather serve him in heaven, I have nothing to object against it; but his will be done."

of knowledge, and the improve-
ment of the mind in other res-
pects. And the same course,
that he pursued himself, he re-
commended to other students,
particularly to young men.
a familiar, pleasant manner he
would call upon them, I pray,
look to it, that you be morning
birds.

In

Three or four years before his own decease, when more than eighty years of age, Mr. Eliot experienced distress of the most poignant kind; his excellent consort, who had been the companion of his youth, the solace of his old age, and an inestimable blessing through life, was removed from him by death. She was a woman very eminent for piety and usefulness. God made her a rich blessing, not only to her family, but also to her neigh-considerable number of other borhood.

Dr. C. Mather observes in the words following: "And when at last she died, I heard, and saw her aged husband, who else very rarely wept, yet now, with tears over the coffin, before the good people, a vast confluence of which were come to her funeral, say, Here lies my dear, faithful, pious, prudent, prayerful wife: I shall go to her, and she shall not return to me."

His emotions upon this occasion were tender. He felt this affliction as a frail man; but endured it as a firm, established Christian; being in dutiful subjection to the Father of Spirits.

Without a strict regard to the diligent improvement of time, it was impossible he should have. accomplished so much as he did. His learning the Indian language, and translating the whole Bible into it, besides a

books, must have been a great and laborious work, and have taken much time. But when we consider his pastoral services, in the performance of which he was very assiduous and faithful; and when we consider what he did as an evangelist among the heathen, or those that were lately so, as has been briefly stated in some preceding numbers; and when we add domestic cares, some share of which fell to his lot in common with other men ; it must be allowed, that he was a pattern of industry, whom not many equalled; and perhaps very few, if any, in his day, exceeded.

Mr. Eliot made great proficiency in the virtues of mortification, and self-denial,-in the government of the appetites and passions.

He was mortified to the plea

Mr. Eliot was very exemplary for the diligent improvement of time; and took pains to inculcate upon others the importance of this talent. As he spent no more time in sleep, than is necessary to recruit the exhaus-sures of this life in an uncomted spirits, and refresh nature; so he rose early in the morning, and immediately applied himself to the business of his calling : he found, by experience, that part of the day peculiarly friend

mon degree. He exercised great and constant self-denial in respect to animal gratifications. The grandeurs of this world were to him very much what they would be to a dying man.

He maintained almost an unparalleled indifferency towards all the pomps, with which mankind is too generally flattered and enchanted.

We have seen his self-denial in respect to sleep. He lived by equally exact rules in regard to meats and drinks; denying himself, where apparent duty required. It was his habitual desire to oppose his inclinations in all instances in which they opposed his duty.

water was more precious, as well as more usual with him, than any of those liquors with which men so frequently spoil their health, and hasten on diseases and death. He readily allowed indeed, (to use his own words,) "Wine is a noble, generous liquor, and we should be humbly thankful for it." He doubtless viewed it as a most valuable cordial and restorative; but was ever careful not to pervert this excellent gift of heaven The meat upon which he liv- to the most base and pernicious ed was a plain but wholesome purposes; nor to use it in any diet. Rich and costly dainties, way inconsistent with the design and poignant sauces came not of the gracious donor. Thus abupon his own table; and when stemious was he; and he found he found them on other men's, that his abstinence had more he rarely tasted of them. He sweetness in it, than any of those made his dinner of one dish, and sweets, from which he abstained. that a plain one.* And when And he was very desirous that invited to a feast, the guests have others should partake with him taken particular notice, that he in those pleasures, which result magnified God for the plenty, from a judicious and well reguwhich his people in this wilder-lated abstinence. Accordingly, ness were, within a few years, when, in his opinion, he has had arisen to; but during the festi- satisfactory evidence, that some val, he would take not more one of his own order has been than a bit, or two of all the dain-deficient in the great duty of ties. self-denial in the government of the appetites, he has, with a becoming majesty, addressed him upon the subject, and given him very plain and weighty advice, in which his error has been implicitly condemned.

And for supper, he had learned of his beloved friend and pattern, the blessed old Mr. Cotton, either to omit it, or to make it extremely light.

The drink which he still used was very small. He cared not for wines, or drams. Good clear

In respect to property, it could not be said of him, that he sought great things for himself. What estate he became owner of was from the blessing of God upon the economy and industry of some of his family, rather than from any endeavors of his own. He could not endure unnecessa

* Mr. Addison, after many others, justly observes, "Nature delights in the most plain and simple diet." And with great vivacity, and his usual elegance, remarks; "When I behold a fashionable table, set out in all its magnificence, I fancy that I see gouts and dropsies, fevers and lethar-rily to plunge himself into secugies lying in ambuscade among the lar designs and affairs. siness as a pastor and an evan, gelist left him but little time for $$

dishes."

Spectator, vol. iii. No. 195.
VOL. VI. No. 9.

His bu

secular concerns. And indeed needless, worldly incumbrances were his aversion.

cessive fondness for gaudy
clothing as a low and criminal
passion, to be carefully checked,
and restrained :
And he gave
his advice, or reproofs accor-

It was the usage of most parishes in the country to have an annual rate for the mainte- | dingly. nance of the clergy, adjusted Long hair on men was always commonly by the select men of very hateful to him. He tho❜t, the town; which, though it that for men to wear their hair raised not any superabundant with a luxurious, delicate, feminsalaries for the ministers, who ine length; or for them to prealso seldom received all, that the serve no plain distinction of people had contracted for; ne- their sex by the hair of their vertheless, in many places, it head and face; and much more prevented no small temptations for men thus to disfigure themfrom befalling those, that were selves with hair that is none of laboring in word and doctrine; their own; and most of all for who must else have experienced the ministers of the gospel to the truth of Luther's observation, ruffle it in excesses of this kind, "Duriter profecto, & misere may prove more than we are viverent Evangelii Ministri, si well aware, displeasing to the ex libera populi contributione Holy Spirit of God. The hair essent sustentandi." However, of those, who professed religion, for his part he proposed, that a good while before his death, what stipend he had should be grew too long for him, and he raised by contribution : And would express himself continufrom the same temper it was, ally with a flaming zeal concernthat a few years before his disso-ing it,* till at last he gave over, lution, being left without an

what superstitious in respect to habit; inveighing with such severity against long hair and wigs on men, but doubtless this arose from conviction of mind.

assistant in his ministry, he It is likely Mr. Eliot may, at this pressed his congregation to fur-day, be thought to have been somenish themselves with another pastor; and in his application to them, he told them, "It is possible you may think the burden of maintaining two minis- Probably Mr. Eliot's great zeal aters may be too heavy for you;gainst men's wearing long hair might but I deliver you from that fear; take in interpreting a verse or two in take its rise from a pardonable misI do here give back my salary the eleventh Chap. of the first epistle to the Lord Jesus Christ; and to the Corinthians. He seems to now, brethren, you may fix upon have applied to all times, what might any man, that God shall make a be applicable only to the then present pastor for you." But his church, time, in conformity to the ideas which were then entertained, and the cus with an handsome reply, astoms which then prevailed among peosured him, “That they would ple of sobriety in that part of the count his very presence worth a world, where those lived, to whom salary, when he should be so the epistle was directed. superannuated, as to do no further service for them."

After I wrote this, I found that Mr. Eliot was supported in his zeal

Mr. Eliot was plain in his against men's wearing long hair, by apparel; and viewed an ex

a considerable number of gentlemen of the first distinction in the civil.

with some regret, complaining, | It held a distinguished place "The lust is become insupe

rable."

Charity, in the extensive sense of the word, formed a prominent part of Mr. Eliot's character.

government, within the colony of the Massachusetts, who entered into a formal association against the practice. Gov. Hutchinson observes, + that soon after Gov. Winthrop's death, Mr. Endicott, the most rigid of any of the magistrates, being governor, joined with the other assistants, in an association against long hair, in the words following, viz.

"Forasmuch as the wearing of long hair, after the manner of the ruffians and barbarous Indians, has begun to invade New-England, contrary to the rule of God's word, which says, It is a shame for a man to wear long hair;" as also the commendable custom generally of all the godly of our nation, until within this few years,'

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among his virtues-the objects were numerous, and well-chosen. This grace shone bright

About 30 years after, A. D. 1679, the General Assembly of the Colony of the Massachusetts, in their public acts, ranked wearing long hair among those impious and immoral practices, which exposed the people to the judgments of heaven; and was, in conjunction with other sins which they enumerated, a cause of the public calamities they endured by the Indian war, &c. The court accordingly prohibited this practice by law; and directed "grand jurors to present, and the court to punish all offenders by admonition, fine, or correction, at dis

cretion.'

The historian observes; "In every age indifferent things have been condemned as sinful, and placed among the greatest immoralities. The text against long hair in Corinthians, as contrary to the custom in the apostle's day, induced our ancestors to think it criminal in all ages, and all nations, and to look upon it as one of the barbarisms of the Indians."

"We, the magistrates, who have subscribed this paper (for the showing of our own innocency in this behalf) do declare and manifest our dislike and detestation against the wearing of such long hair, as against a thing uncivil and unmanly, whereby men do deform themselves, and offend sober and modest men, and do corrupt good manners. We do therefore earnestly entreat all the elders of this jurisdiction, (as often as they shall see cause) to manifest their zeal against it in their public administra-conforming ministers in England; tions; and to take care that the members of their respective churches be not defiled therewith; that so, such as shall prove obstinate, and will not reform themselves, may have God and man to witness against them."

"In England, perriwigs came into use soon after the restoration. In

New-England, they were an eye sore for thirty years after, and did not generally obtain, till about the time of the revolution in 1688: And even then, the example and authority of Dr. Owen, Dr. Bates, Mr. Alscp, Mr. Mede, and other (celebrated) non

Joseph Endicott, Gov.
Tho. Dudley, Dep. Gov.
Richard Billingham,
Richard Saltonstall,
Increase Nowell,
William Hibbins,
Thomas Flint,
Robert Bridges,
Simon Bradstreet.

The third month, 10th day, 1649.

History, vol. i. p. 151.

besides Spanhemius, and other foreign, protestant divines, who wore wigs, were necessary to remove all scruples concerning them."S Our ancestors had their failings-were in some instances superstitious ; but they excelled in piety and virtue.

Superstition is not the characteristic of the present age. From appearances our greatest danger is from libertinism-this is prevalent in too many places; and if not checked, there is danger of its having an extensive spread, and of producing most per nicious effects.

Hutchinson's Hist. vol. i. p. 320. $ Hutchinson's Hist. vol. i. p. 152.

through life; and like the great luminary of heaven diffused its rays far and wide.

But beside these more substantial expressions, he made the odors of that grace yet more fragrant to all that were about him by that pitifulness, and peaceâ. bleness, which rendered him further amiable. If any of his neighbors were in distress, he was, like a brother, born for their adversity; he would visit and comfort them, with a most fraternal sympathy: Yea, it is not easy to recount, how days of prayer and fasting he has induced his neighbors to keep with him, on the behalf of those, whose calamities were such as tenderly affected him.

many

whole

It was an extreme satisfaction to him, that his wife had attain

His liberality to pious uses whether public or private went much beyond the proportions of his little estate in the world. Many hundreds of pounds did he freely bestow upon the poor ; | and he would, with a very forcible importunity, press his neighbors to join with him in such benefactions. With wonderful cheerfulness he embraced all opportunities of relieving any that were miserable. How of ten, with what ardors, with what arguments did he become a beggar to the people of his charge for collections, in their assemblies to support such nee-ed to a considerable skill in physdy objects, as had fallen under his observation? The poor counted him their father, and repaired to him with a filial confidence in their necessities; and many scores received their portions of his bounty, Yet, after all his benefactions, he would say, like one of the most charita ble persons, that ever lived in the world, "That looking over his accounts, he could no where find the God of heaven charged a debtor there." He did not defer his charity to be put in his last will, as many, who therein shew too strong an attachment to their property, and an unwillingness to part with any of it as long as they can hold it No; he was beneficent through a long life; and no question is to be made, that at his death, his happy soul was received, and welcomed into the everlasting habitations, by many scores, arrived there before him, of such as his charity had been li

beral to.

ic and chirurgery, which enabled her to dispense many safe, good, and useful medicines to the poor, who had occasion for them; and some hundreds of sick, weak, and maimed people owed praises to God for the benefit, which, in this way, they | freely received of her. She was, of her own accord, abundantly forward thus to be doing good to all; and the good gentleman, her husband would strongly recommend to her to be ser viceable to the worst enemies he had in the world. Scarcely had any man fewer enemies than he. But once having delivered something in his ministry, which displeased one of his hearers, the man did passionately abuse him for it; reviling him both with speeches and writings. It happening not long after, that this man gave himself a very dangerous wound. Mr. Eliot immediately desires his wife to attend upon him, and endeavor to cure him-She did accordingly; and succeeded. When the man

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