USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Cambridge > Lectures on the history of the First Church in Cambridge > Part 7
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We are permitted to recognize the influence of Thomas Shepard upon certain individuals, and from their experience to infer his influence upon others. The narrative of the famous Edward Johnson has become familiar. He came hither for the second time in 1636, a zealous Puritan. It seems probable that he had known Shepard in England, possibly had been instructed by him. He arrived here at the height of the Antinomian controversy, and was nearly beside himself with the commotion and strife. He wandered out from Charles- town till he came to a large plain, where he heard the sound of a drum, and he moved towards it along a broad, beaten way. Meeting a man, he asked what the drum meant, and was told that it was to call people to the meeting-house where Mr. Shepard preached. He found his way to the house, where he stayed till the glass was turned up twice, and he was "metamorphosed, and was fain to hang down his head lest his watery eyes should blab abroad the secret conjunction of his affections." The words of the preacher impressed him, so aptly did he apply the truth, as if he had been Christ's privy councillor. The result was that he resolved to live and die with the ministers of New England. He was a man of learning and property, and had a leading part in the erecting of a church and town at Woburn, and in the administration of public affairs.
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We have another illustration of Mr. Shepard's in- fluence. In 1638 there came from England one Thomas Fuller. He proposed to make a tour of observation, and, when he had gratified his curiosity, to return home. But while in Massachusetts he heard the preaching of Thomas Shepard. Through his influence he became in- terested in the religion of the Puritans, in their methods and purposes, so that he decided to remain here, and bought a large tract of land in New Salem and settled down upon it. He married here, and died sixty years after his coming to the country. He founded a large and eminent family, and his descendants now worship with us in this house of the Lord.
Mr. Shepard's own sons, in their after-career, praise him for his wisdom and fidelity. Thomas graduated in 1653 and became pastor of the church in Charles- town, to be succeeded in the pastoral office by his son. Samuel graduated in 1658, and became pastor of the church at Rowley. Jeremiah graduated in 1669, and was ordained as pastor at Lyme, Conn., and enjoyed a ministry of forty-one years. "These all died in faith."
As we read the names of those who were in college during Mr. Shepard's ministry, we have another in- dication of his influence. His sympathies must have gone out to the youth who came to his humble sanctu- ary to learn the greatest lessons. Out of this happy seminary, says Cotton Mather, "there proceeded many notable preachers, who were made such very much by their sitting under Mr. Shepard's enlightening and pow- erful ministry." Among the young men who listened to him and were to a greater or less degree influenced by him, was William Hubbard, long the most eminent minister in the county of Essex ; a man of learning, a
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superior writer, a good historian ; of a catholic spirit, greatly interested in the Indians, and diligent in his efforts for their good. And Samuel Mather, of that house whose name and deeds are intertwined with our early ecclesiastical history, who was himself one of the first Fellows of Harvard College, afterward a chaplain at Oxford, and Senior Fellow at Dublin, where he was pastor of a church. And Samuel Danforth, Tutor and Fellow of the College, colleague of John Eliot, ac- counted among the first ministers of his day. And William Ames, son of the famous William Ames, the acute controversialist who fled from England to the Continent, where he was Professor of Theology, and for a time was the opponent of John Robinson. The father designed to come to New England, and after his death the mother came with the son, who graduated in the class of 1645, and returned to England, where he preached till he was ejected for nonconformity, and still preached on, filling up a ministry of forty-nine years. And John Brock, the laborious pastor, the shrewd fisher of men, mighty in prayer, full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, toiling with success until, " as the ancients expressed it, he took his journey a little before his body into another country." And John Rogers, president. And Urian Oakes, pastor and pres- ident. And Leonard Hoar, president. And Samuel Phillips, the eldest son of the first minister of Water- town, "an incomparable man, had he not been the father of Samuel"; a man so much respected and beloved by his people that they made provision for the education of his son, who for a long term of years was the minister of Rowley ; who was the ancestor of men able and willing to make the house illustrious by
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founding the academies at Andover and Exeter, and writing the family name upon them. There are still extant notes of the sermons of Mr. Shepard in the handwriting of Samuel Phillips.
This glance at some of the men who came within the range of Shepard's preaching and personal influence will convince us how effective and enduring his work was. It is worthy of our boasting, that, from the beginning to our own time, so goodly a portion of our congregation is always enrolled in the catalogue of Harvard College.
There was one other student of whom special mention must be made. This carries forward the history we are reading. At the head of the names of the class of 1647 stands Jonathan Mitchel, Mr., Socius. Once again the history of our church springs from Yorkshire, England, where Mitchel was born in 1624. He was the son of pious and wealthy parents, who sought " to make him learned by a proper education." When he was about eleven years of age, in feebleness of body because of a recent illness, his parents were compelled to leave England on account of the persecutions there, and they sailed for this country in company with many other Puritans. After a perilous voyage they reached Boston in the summer of 1635. The family soon settled in Connecticut. Because of the feeble health of the son, troubles with the Indians, contentions in the community, and severe domestic misfortunes, the studies of young Mitchel were suspended for seven years, and he was employed in secular affairs. But his studies were resumed at his own desire, and the earnest advice and entreaty of friends who marked his great capacity for learning. He seems to have been mature even in his youth. "He had a clear head, a copious fancy, a solid
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judgment, a tenacious memory, and a certain discretion without any childish levity in his behavior, which com- manded respect from all that viewed him; so that it might be said of him, they that knew him from a child never knew him any other than a man." His severe sickness seems to have made him serious. The sudden death of a servant, who "instead of going to the lecture at Hartford, as he had been allowed and advised, would needs go fell a tree for himself," and was killed by the falling of a bough, did much stir the heart of the youth, and set him upon repentance. He entered college in 1645, and came at once under the influence of Mr. Shepard. Concerning the impression made upon him during his student life by that godly minister, Mitchel testified, " Unless it had been four years living in heaven, I know not how I could have more cause to bless God with wonder, than for those four years." While in college, and afterwards, he kept a brief diary in Latin, from which Mather makes copious extracts. These reveal a close watch of his spiritual state, a deep humility and abase- ment of soul, and a strong desire to walk with God. Sometimes on Saturday he would retire into the neigh- boring woods and there spend a great part of the day in self-examination and mourning and praying. He had done this even when a school-boy. After graduating, he was made one of the Fellows of the College, and for a time was Tutor. His learning, gravity, and piety commended him to all. He used his offices well, and to the customary instruction of his scholars added diligent efforts for their spiritual good. While residing at college he wrote to his brother, who sought the counsel, what Mather calls "that golden letter," wherein he showed how well fitted he was, both by study and experience, for the ministry of the gospel.
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Several churches sought to make him their pastor. " The Church of Hartford sent a man and horse above an hundred miles to obtain a visit from him, in expecta- tion to make him the successor of their ever-famous Hooker." With much shrinking he went to Hartford and preached his first sermon from the text, "He endured, as seeing Him who is invisible." He was greatly dissatisfied with himself, but the church on the next day "concluded to give him an invitation to settle among them." They offered to allow him to remain at the College another year, and to advance him money to procure a library. But Mr. Shepard and the principal persons here had been before them, and had prayed him to come back as free as he went up, " insomuch as he did upon divers accounts most belong to Cambridge, and Cambridge did hope that he would yet more be- long unto them." When this was first mentioned to him by Mr. Shepard, he wrote in his diary, " I wondered at this matter ! What is it that the people of God sees in me ? I left the whole business to the Divine man- agement." On the 12th of August, 1649, he preached here. In the evening Mr. Shepard told him " this was the place where he should, by right, be all the rest of his days." Mr. Shepard inquired of some good people " how Mr. Mitchel's first sermon was approved among them. They told him, very well. Then, said he, my work is done." In less than a fortnight, Shepard was called to his rest ; "so that the unanimous desire of Cambridge for Mr. Mitchel to be their pastor was hastened, with several circumstances of necessity for him to comply with their desire." On the 21st of August, 1650, he became the minister of this church. The neighboring pastors ordained him. John Cotton
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gave him the right hand of fellowship. Thenceforth he filled the office in which he had been set by Christ and the Church. Of this ministry I must speak more particularly at another time. But the great reputation which he acquired, and the high estimate set upon his talent and success, are abundantly proved by the tes- timonies published after his decease. Morton pro- nounces it an eminent favor of God to this church to have had the vacancy made by Shepard's death filled " with a man of so much of the spirit and principles of the former pastor, and so excellently qualified with re- spect to the College." " For," he continues, "reason and prudence requireth that the minister of that place be more than ordinarily endowed with learning, gravity, wisdom, orthodoxness, ability, sweet and excellent gifts in preaching ; that so the scholars which are devoted and set apart, in order to be preachers of the gospel, might be seasoned with the spirit of such an Elijah ; in which regard this holy man of God was eminently furnished, and his labors wonderfully blessed ; for very many of the scholars, bred up in his time, do savor of his spirit, for grace and manner of preaching, which was most attractive." It is pleasant to see how im- portant this position was considered, and how well fitted to occupy it Shepard and Mitchel were found.
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This second pastor, like the first, was a student; " an over-hard student," one says, imperilling his health by sparing no time for recreation ; yet "from a principle of godliness he used himself to bodily exercise." His advice to another illustrates his own feeling in regard to his work. "My serious advice to you is, that you keep out of company, as far as Christianity and civility will give you leave ; take it from me ! the time spent
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in your study you will generally find spent the most profitably, comfortably, and accountably." His sermons cost him pains. "He ordinarily meddled with no points," says Cotton Mather, " but what he managed with such an extraordinary invention, curious disposition, and copious application, as if he would leave no material thing to be said of it by any that should come after him." He took a prominent part in the concerns of the College. " The College was nearer unto his heart than it was to his house, though next adjoining to it." " He loved a scholar dearly ; but his heart was fervently set upon having the land all over illuminated with the spirit of a learned education. To this end he became a father to the College which had been his mother." He was actively engaged in the general ecclesiastical affairs. In all places he acquitted himself well. Pres- ident Chauncy said, "I know no man in this world that I could envy so much as worthy Mr. Mitchel, for the great holiness, learning, wisdom, and meekness, and other qualities of an excellent spirit, with which the Lord Jesus Christ hath adorned him." Richard Baxter said of him, "that if there could be convened an (Ecumen- ical council of the whole Christian world, that man would be worthy to be the Moderator of it."
In person Mitchel was at first slender, but afterwards grew corpulent. Or, in the words of an old biographer, " of extream Lean, he soon grew extream Fat." The fever in his tenth year settled in his arm, so that as it grew it kept a little bent, and he could never stretch it out right. His manner of preaching was peculiarly effective and pleasing. His fame was in all the re- gion. From the neighboring towns people flocked to his monthly lecture, and listened to his exposition of the
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grandest truths of duty and destiny. It is said that " his utterance had such a becoming tunableness and vivacity to set it off as was indeed inimitable ; though many of our eminent preachers, that were in his time students at the College, did essay to imitate him. And though he were all along in his preaching as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, yet, as he drew near to the close of his exercises, his comely fer- vency would rise to a marvellous measure of energy. He would speak with such a transcendent majesty and liveliness, that the people would often shake under his dispensations, as if they had heard the sound of the trumpet from the burning mountain, and yet they would mourn to think that they were going presently to be dismissed from such an heaven upon earth." " He wrote his sermons very largely, and then used with enlarge- ments to commit all to his memory, without once look- ing into his Bible after he had named his text, and yet his sermons were scriptural." He had "a very clear style," and was careful in his use of words. "Though he preached long sermons, the people were never weary of hearing them." From these descriptions of the man, we can see with what reason President Mather exhorted the members of the College, " Say each of you, Mitchel shall be the example whom I will imitate."
Mitchel was to have married Sarah, the daughter of John Cotton. When he " addressed himself unto the venerable old Mr. Cotton for leave to become his son- in-law," Mr. Cotton, " prognosticating the eminency which he would arrive unto, gave leave unto it." " But the immature death of that hopeful young gentlewoman " prevented " so desirable a match." In November, 1650, he married Margaret Shepard, second of that name, the
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young gentlewoman whom his predecessor had wedded near the close of his life. The students celebrated the marriage with epithalamiums, expressing the satisfaction of all the good people in the vicinity at the union of the minister whom they loved with one whom, for her own excellences and the honor of her name, they held in high regard. Upon the ancient Steward's book is an entry in Mitchel's account whereby he is debtor " by commones and sisinges and a super on his weedinge night." Upon the records of the General Court is the confirmation of a deed " wherein is conveyed to Mr. Jonathan Mitchel, now husband of Margaret, the relict of the said Mr. Shepard, a dwelling-house, yards, orcharde, and seven acres of land adjoining thereunto, in behalf of his said wife." The inventory of Mitchel's estate was nearly £ 800. Two sons, Samuel and Jonathan, both of whom graduated at the College, and one daughter, Margaret, gladdened his home.
In the summer of 1668, " in an extream hot season," after he had been preaching from the words, " I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house ap- pointed for all living," a putrid fever arrested him with a mortal malignity, and on the 9th of July "it pleased God to take him to rest and glory," in the eighteenth year of his ministry, and the forty-fourth year of his age. His departure caused a great mourning and lamentation here among his own people, and through- out the churches. " The chief remaining pillar of our ministry," as Hull ventured to designate him, had fallen, Only one sentence has come down to us from his last hours. To a young man standing by his bed he said, " My friend, as a dying man, I now charge you that you don't meet me out of Christ in the day of Christ." In
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our ancient church records is an entry of £ 8 13s. 6d., paid in silver, by the appointment of the committee for the minister's house, unto the Deputy-Governor, Mr. Francis Willoughby, for the discharge of Mr. Mitchel's funeral.
There are a few expressive lines, signed "J. S.," which stands, probably, for the Rev. John Sherman of Water- town. They are entitled, " An Epitaph upon the de- plored Death of that Super-eminent Minister of the Gospel, Mr. Jonathan Mitchel."
" Here lyes the Darling of his time, Mitchell, Expired in his prime ; Who four years short of Forty seven Was found full Ripe and pluck'd for Heaven. Was full of prudent Zeal and Love, Faith, Patience, Wisdome from above : New England's stay, next Ages Story ; The churches Gemme ; the Colledge Glory. Angels may speak him ! Ah ! not I, (Whose worth 's above Hyperbole) But for our Loss, wer't in my power, I'de weep an Everlasting Shower."
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LECTURE V.
" SO HE FED THEM ACCORDING TO THE INTEGRITY OF HIS HEART; AND GUIDED THEM BY THE SKILFULNESS OF HIS HANDS." - Psalm lxxviii. 72.
1 THE Lord " chose the tribe of Judah, the Mount Zion which he loved. He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds. From fol- lowing the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart ; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands." The sin- gular favor with which God regarded his ancient people, his continual care for their interests, and the prosperity they enjoyed under his rule, have a parallel in the early history of our own land, in the Divine watchfulness and guidance granted to our fathers, in the abundant success which crowned an enterprise undertaken in his name, through love of his truth, with the hope of extending his kingdom. We may well confess that a generous portion of God's favor has been given to this church, if our study of its history shall confirm and extend the judgment of President Mather, that " there have been few churches in the world so lifted up to heaven, in respect of a succession of super-eminent ministers of the gospel." The line of my predecessors in this office, long in years, yet compassing few names, is one of which we may gratefully boast ourselves a little. When we read what men thought of Thomas Shepard, and repeat the
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sounding epithets with which the minister and his ministry were described, we are hardly prepared to turn from his early grave to find another standing in his place, carrying forward his work, winning as lofty ad- miration, wielding as wide an influence, seeming again to impoverish the language in the demand for laudation made by his character and work in his own and later times. The sketch of the life of Jonathan Mitchel in the Magnalia, under the title " Ecclesiastes," begins in this way : " It is reported concerning the ancient Phrygians, that, when a priest expired among them, they honored him with a pillar ten fathom high, whereon they placed his dead body, as if he were to continue, after his death, from thence instructing the people. Nor can a minister of the gospel have any more honorable funeral than that by which his instruction of the people may be most continued unto the people after his expiration. But I may, without any danger of mistake, venture to affirm, that there cannot easily be found a minister of the gospel in our days more worthy to have the story of his life employed for the instruction of mankind after his decease than our excellent Mitchel. And therefore I shall now endeavor to set him on as high a pillar as the best history that I can give of his exemplary life can erect for that worthy man; for whom statues of Corinthian brass were but inadequate acknowledgments." It is both honorable and profitable for us to cherish the memory and influence of one to whom we are so closely related, to whom is assigned a position so conspicuous. To some extent we have already surveyed his personal history and character. It remains for us now to examine his ministry with this church. We have seen that he was a Yorkshire boy who, at eleven years of age, came
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to this country with his parents, who are described as pious and wealthy persons ; that he graduated at our College in 1647, and three years later was ordained and installed as pastor of this church. It was greatly to the joy of the church that he consented to become their minister, and it comforted the last hours of Mr. Shepard that he was to leave his beloved flock in so good hands. Mr. Mitchel's own feelings, as he entered upon his work, were those most becoming a man in his position. For his predecessor he cherished the utmost reverence. I have already repeated his words in which he expressed his estimate of Mr. Shepard's influence. Speaking of the time he spent at the College, he said, " Unless it had been four years living in heaven, I know not how I could have more cause to bless God with wonder than for those four years." It is well that a pastor should highly esteem his people. Of those committed to his charge, Mitchel testifies " that they were a gracious, savoury- spirited people, principled by Mr. Shepard, liking an humbling, mourning, heart-breaking ministry and spirit; living in religion, praying men and women. Here I might have occasion of many sweet heart-breakings before God, which I have so much need of." The new minister was a man of great talent, of deep and various learning, a diligent student, an eloquent preacher, a " most intense and faithful " pastor. He was of a very humble spirit. He wondered what the people of God saw in him, that they so much desired his labors among them. He meditated much upon his own character and the ways of God with him. He wrote in his diary, " O that I could remember this rule, never to go to bed until I have had some renewed, special communion with God." He sought to improve his trials. He would
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say, " When God personally afflicts a man, it is as if he called unto the man by name, and jogged him, and said, ' O, repent, be humbled, be serious, be awakened.'" Like his predecessor, he traced a connection between his faults and his trials. Kept from preaching by a hoarse cold, he made this record : " My sin is legible in the chastise- ment ; cold duties, cold prayers (my voice in prayer, i.e. my spirit of prayer, fearfully gone), my coldness in my whole conversation, - chastisement with a cold ; I fear that I have not improved my voice for God formerly as I might have done, and therefore he now takes it from me." " He wrote whole pages of lamen- tations " at the death of several lovely children in their infancy ; but he humbled himself under the mighty hand of God, and was exalted in due time. When death summoned him, he was ready to abide or to depart, as it should be appointed for him. In near view of dying, he " fell to admiring the manifold grace of God unto him, and exclaimed, 'Lord, thou callest me away to thee ; I know not why, if I look to myself ; but at thy bidding I come.' " When he died, there was general mourning throughout all the churches. " It was feared there would be few more such rich grapes to be seen growing in this unthankful wilderness."
With great promise of success, he entered upon what was to form an eventful ministry. To attempt to state the truth as he preached it would be to restate the views of his predecessor. The truth which Thomas Shepard preached has been the staple of the preaching in this pastorate for almost two centuries and a half, and there is no likelihood that it will cease to be preached and heard until our Lord Christ cometh in the clouds of heaven. How close was the agreement between your
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