USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Charlestown > The history of the First church, Charlestown, in nine lectures, with notes > Part 8
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Cotton Mather, who was an intimate friend of Mr. Shepard, and only two years his junior in college, has devoted a some- what extended chapter to his life ; and it will perhaps be the most appropriate conclusion of the present Lecture to derive from this source some account of his early education.1
Mather says, in speaking of the three Shepards of New England, that "there was such a similitude of spirit, descend- ing from the father to the son, and from the son to the grand- son in this holy generation, that albeit they were all of them severally short-lived, the two first not living more than forty, and the last not so much as thirty years, yet there might be a sort of jointed longevity ascribed unto the generation ; for when the father went away, non totus recessit, (he did not entirely depart, ) we had him still surviving to the life in the posterity."
The youngest of the three, and the last of the name, was born in this place on the 3d July, 1658; he is the only one of our ministers who was a baptized child of this church, having received this ordinance on the 4th of the same month, shortly before his father's ordination as the teacher of the church.
1 Magnalia, b. IV. cl.ap. ix.
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The date of his admission to the full communion of the church has not been preserved; for inasmuch as it occurred after his father's death, and while the church were without a minister, there was no officer to keep the records of the church. It was the practice of the earlier days to give a verbal, or more com- monly, a written account of the candidate's experience before approaching the Lord's Supper.
Mather has preserved a portion of his address to the church on this occasion ; and as it is interesting, I will quote the whole of it. " As to the thing of that which is commonly called first conversion or regeneration, I have had many thoughts about it ; but have been afraid, and am still, to deter- mine it unto this or that particular. What I have found by myself, hath made me oftentimes to question, whether the former operations of the Spirit of God about me, were any more than common ; or whether such and such sins were con- sistent with saving grace; that which hath helped me in this case, hath been partly, what I have heard from a reverend man of God, ' that such as are from time to time disquieted with such thoughts, the best, if not the only way to put it out of doubt, that they have true faith is by exercising faith, to con- vert again unto God.' And putting my soul in the way of the breathings of God's Spirit, and then observing the actings thereof, I have by the help of the same Spirit, found something of relief under those doubts. On my childhood and youth, I have too much cause to say (as Solomon of the things of this world ) vanity of vanities, all is vanity ! Yet by the blessing of God on the faithful endeavors, and fervent prayers of my religious parents ; especially on my honored, blessed, and most exemplary father, who of all as the most able to further, so was most solicitous, studious and tenderly careful always about the everlasting well-being of a son, from the very beginning of my days, to the end of his, I do think I was by precept and holy example, imbued with a natural love and liking to the ways of God; though not saving, yet such as whereby a prejudice against religion was prevented."
Young Shepard, while yet a child, was remarkable for his diligence, and love of study ; his inemory was so retentive, that on the evening of the Lord's day he was wont to repeat all the heads of the longest sermons preached in public, and when the
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length, as well as the multitudinous divisions, which characte- rized the pulpit discourses of that period, are remembered, this will be acknowledged a notable instance of attention and memory in a boy.
I must also trespass upon your patience to give briefly a sketch of the paternal counsels given Mr. Shepard upon his admission to college, inasmuch as they will reflect light upon the character of both father and son. Thomas entered college, just as he had completed his fourteenth year; and his father, to secure his beloved and only son from the temptations of a college life, gave him a paper of written instructions, imitating in this particular the example of his own father, Thomas Shepard, of Cambridge. The sum of these instructions to his son was,
1. To remember that the great end of his life was to glorify God through Christ, and of this period of preparation to fit him for the most glorious work of the holy ministry. " For this end, your father hath set you apart with many tears, and hath given you up to God that he might delight in you. And (he wrote) I had rather see you buried in your grave, than grow light, loose, wanton, or profane. God's secrets in the holy Scriptures are never made known to common and profane spirits ; and therefore be sure you begin and end every day, wherein you study, with prayer to God; reading some part of the Scripture daily, and setting apart some time every day (though but one quarter of an hour ) for meditation of the things of God.
" 2. Remember that these are times of much knowledge, and therefore one had almost as good be no scholar, as not to excel in knowledge ; wherefore abhor one hour of idleness, as you would be ashamed of one hour of drunkenness. Though I would not have you neglect seasons for recreation a little before and after meals, and though I would not have you study late in the night usually, yet know that God will curse your soul, while the sin of idleness is nourished, which hath spoiled so many hopeful youths, in their first blossoming in the college. Hence don't content yourself to do as much as your tutor sets you about, but know, that you will never excel in learning, unless you do somewhat else in private hours, wherein his care cannot reach you."
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3. He gave him several directions " to make his studies as pleasant and fruitful as could be," telling him that "reading without meditation will be useless ; meditation without reading will be barren. But here I would not have you forget a speech of your blessed grandfather to a scholar, that complained to him of a bad memory, which discouraged him from reading, ' Lege, lege, aliquid hærebit.' That sentence in Proverbs, (xiv. 23,) deserves to be written in letters of gold upon your study table, ' In all labor, there is profit.' Pray much not only for heavenly but also human learning ; for remember that prayer at Christ's feet, for all the learning you want, shall fetch you in more in an hour, than possibly you may get by all the books, and helps you have otherwise, in many years.">
4. In the fourth place, he exhorted him to be grave and kind in his carriage towards all the scholars ; and warned him against certain vices of many scholars.
" 5. Remember to intreat God with tears, before you come to hear any sermon, that thereby God would powerfully speak to your heart, and make his truth precious to you. Neglect not to write after the preacher always in handsome books, and be careful always to preserve and peruse the same. And upon Sabbath days, make exceeding conscience of sanctification ; mix not your other studies, much less vain and carnal discourses with the duties of that holy day, but remember that command, Lev. xix. 30, ' Ye shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary, I am the Lord.'
" 6. Remember that whensoever you hear, read, or conceive any divine truth, you study to affect your heart with it, and the goodness of it. Take heed of receiving truth into your head, without the love of it in your heart, lest God give you to strong delusions. If God reveal any truth to you, be sure you be humbly and deeply thankful."
These excellent instructions his father concluded with these words. " My son ! if thine heart be wise, my heart shall re- joice,-even mine."
The solicitudes and labors of a father, thus wise and faithful, were not in vain. Mather says, that no part of his friend's character was more conspicuous than this, A reverence for the person and advice of his father ; and that the whole of his academic life may be abridged into this brief account, that he
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did make the heart of his worthy father to rejoice by his con- scientious and exemplary attendance upon these instructions. Whenever he had occasion to speak of them, it was in these terms, " My, next to Christ, most beloved father's advice."
Such, my hearers, was the character of the father and son, under whose joint ministry, of about twenty-five years, this church and town were guided into the green pastures and be- side the still waters of salvation. They were men, we have reason to believe, faithful to God and to their generation ; long since have they ceased from their ministry, and entered upon their reward. They are now in heaven with the seals of their ministry and the crowns of their rejoicing. They are now before the throne of God above ; and there they have been together, father and son, pastors and people, for more than one hundred and fifty years ; but oh ! how short a period is this to be in heaven !
And how glorious a place is heaven ! When we look upon it as the present residence of the living spirits of those, who in every age have loved the cause of God, and man's salvation, how desirable its society ! It would be delightful to meet with them now, as they were when they left the carth ; but what a change has passed over their minds and spirits since ; they are indeed the same persons, who were born, renewed, and dis- ciplined here on earth, but all else how changed ! There every tear is wiped away, there the source of tears is dried up, igno- rance is dispelled in the light of heaven, the crooked made straight, every imperfection and every infelicity of temper chased away like clouds before the sun. To meet such minds now, to receive the fellowship and communion of hearts thus rich in the experience of centuries in heaven ; what joy, what completion of all our hopes and aspirations ! Blessed be God, for the comfortable doctrine of the communion of saints; and everlasting thanks, that by faith and patience through the same Saviour, we may tread in their footsteps, and rise to their in- heritance of glory !
LECTURE V.
ZECHARIAH . 5.
YOUR FATHERS, WHERE ARE THEY ! AND THE PROPHETS, DO THEY LIVE FOREVER !
Ix the conclusion of the last Lecture, some account was given of the early education of the Rev. Thomas Shepard, third, and his ordination to the pastoral office over this church. Before proceeding to detail the few events we possess respecting his brief life and ministry, it is necessary to call your attention to the synod of 1679 and 80, the fourth and last General Council held by the Churches of this Commonwealth. The causes that gave occasion to the calling of this synod, were the severe and repeated judgments of God, which reminded the people of their departures from the strict principles and practices of their fathers.
The labors of the husbandman had been signally unpro- ductive, in consequence of worms or droughts which oc- curred for many successive years ; and the principal grains had almost perished under an unaccountable blast. Boston, and the chief seats of trade. had greatly suffered by fires; and by sea, great losses had befallen the merchants from shipwrecks, and the attacks of enemies upon their vessels and sailors; the small-pox also, and other pestilential diseases had occasioned great mortality among the people ; and, besides all this, hun- dreds of the inhabitants of the frontier towns had been butchered by the Indians.
These multiplied frowns of Divine Providence, led the people to inquire into the causes of their sufferings. The clergy dwelt much, in their public discourses. upon the prevailing sins of the times ; many of the churches renewed their covenant with God
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and each other; and the General Courts enacted laws to pro- mote the work of reformation. But, as is usual in such cases, there was a great diversity of opinion in respect to the cecasions or moral canses of the divine inflictions under which they suf- fered. Many gave very strange reasons for the plagues of the country ; each man's opinion being formed in accordance with his private interests and views of religion.
To determine this question, therefore, and unite the minds of the people, a synod was convened at Boston, September 10, 1679; a general fast having been first kept by the churches, to seek the blessing of God upon their deliberations. The synod proceeded to consider the two following questions :
1. What are the evils that have provoked the Lord to bring his judgments on New England ?
2. What is to be done that so these evils may be reformed ?
In answer to the first question, the synod enumerated the evils to be found among them-sins which had been aeknow- ledged before the Lord on days of humiliation appointed by authority, and yet not reformed; many of which were not punished or punishable by men, and were therefore (the synod judged ) punished by God. It is not within my present limits to detail all the moral delinquencies which the synod mentioned under thirteen general heads. But it will cast light upon the moral aspect of that period, to notice the more prominent.
To sum up, then, as briefly as possible, the answer of the synod,1 to the first question, they declared :
(1.) That there was a visible decay of the power of godli- ness amongst many professors in these churches.
(2.) That pride abounded in New England, as evidenced in a refusing to be subject to order, according to divine appoint- ment ; in contention, and in respect of apparel. Servants, and the poorer sort of people are notoriously guilty in this matter, who (too generally ) go above their estates and degrees, thereby transgressing the laws both of God and man. Also, many not of the meaner sort, have offended God by strange apparel, not becoming serious Christians, especially in these days of afflic- tion and misery.
1 Magnalia, II 273.
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(3.) That church fellowship, and other divine institutions are greatly neglected. Many of the rising generation are not mind- ful of that which their baptism doth engage them unto, viz : to use utmost endeavors that they may be fit for, and so par- take in all the holy ordinances of the Lord Jesus. Nor is there so much of discipline extended towards the children of the covenant, as we are generally agreed ought to be done. On the other hand, human inventions and will-worship have been set up even in Jerusalem.
(4.) That the holy and glorious name of God hath been pol- luted and profaned amongst us, by oath and irreverent behavior in the solemn worship of God. It is a frequent thing for men (though not necessitated thereunto by any infirmity ) to sit in prayer-time, and some with their heads almost covered, and to give way to their own sloth and sleepiness, when they should be serving God with attention and intention, under the solemn dispensation of his ordinances. We read of but one man in Scripture, that slept at a sermon, and that sin had like to have cost him his life. Acts xx. 9.
(5.) There is much Sabbath-breaking, by absence from public worship, by not keeping a seventh part of the time holy, in consequence of different apprehensions about the beginning of the Sabbath ; by walking abroad and travelling on the Sab- bath ; by attention to servile callings and employments after the Sabbath is begun, or before it is ended ; and by worldly and unsuitable discourses.
(6. ) They allege that most of the evils that abound amongst us, proceed from defects as to family government. There are many families that do not pray to God constantly, morning and evening ; and many more, wherein the Scriptures are not daily read, that so the word of Christ might dwell richly in them. Children have not been kept in due subjection, and thus Christian parents have been like the Indians; and hence they have, in God's righteous providence, been punished by the Indians.
(7.) They complain of inordinate passions, sinful heats and hatreds among church members themselves, who abound with evil surmisings, uncharitable and unrighteous censures, back- bitings, hearing and telling tales-few that remember and duly observe the rule, with an angry countenance to drive away the
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tale-bearer-reproachful and reviling expressions, sometimes to, or of one another.
(8.) There is much intemperance. That heathenish and idolatrous practice of health-drinking, is too frequent. Train- ing days, and other public solemnities, have been abused; and not only English, but Indians have been debauched by those who call themselves Christians, who have put their bottles to them, and made them drunk also. This is a crying sin, and the more aggravated in that the first planters of this colony did (as is in the patent expressed ) come into this land with a design to convert the heathen unto Christ; but if instead of that they be taught wickedness, which before they were never guilty of, the Lord may well punish us by them.
(9. 10.) They complain of a want of truth amongst men, and inordinate affection unto the world. There hath been, in many professors, an insatiable desire after land and worldly accommodations; yea, so as to forsake churches and ordinances, and to live like heathen, only that so they might have elbow room enough in the world. Farms and merchandisings have been preferred before the things of God. In this respect, the interest of New England scemeth to be changed. We differ from other outgoings of our nation, in that it was not any worldly considerations that brought our fathers into this wil- derness, but religion, even so that they might build a sanctuary unto the Lord's name ; whereas, now, religion is made subser- vient unto worldly interests. Wherefore, we cannot but sol- emnly bear witness against that practice of settling plantations without any ministry amongst them, which is to prefer the world before the Gospel.
(11. 12. 13.). They also complained of opposition to the work of reformation, a want of public spirit, and of impenitency and unfruitfulness under the means of grace.
In answer to the second question, " What is to be done?" it was recommended among other things, that the present genera- tion should declare their adherence to the faith and order of the Gospel, and that the churches should solemnly renew their covenants, maintain discipline, especially towards the children of the church, by which the disputes respecting the subjects of baptism would be comfortably issued. It was also recommended to the churches, to use their utmost endeavors to obtain a full
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supply of officers, according to Christ's institution. The defect of these churches is very lamentable, there being in most of the churches only one teaching officer for the burden of the whole congregation to lie upon. The Lord Jesus Christ would not have instituted pastors, teachers, ruling elders, if he had not seen there was need of them for the good of his people ; and there- fore, for men to think they can do well enough without them, is both to break the second commandment, and to reflect upon the wisdom of Christ as if he did appoint unnecessary officers in his church. Where there are great congregations, it is im- possible for one man, besides his labors in public, fully to attend to personal instruction and discipline. Notwithstanding this recommendation, however, the distinction between pastor and teacher was gradually lost sight of, although the practice of having two ministers was still adhered to by many of our churches.
The synod, to carry out their first recommendation, assembled again in the spring of the following year, May 12, 1680. The result of this synod was a confession of faith, drawn up in the language of the Westminster confession, with a few variations from that of the Savoy. They chose to express themselves in the words of those reverend assemblies, (to use their own lan- guage) " that so they might not only with one heart, but with one mouth, glorify God and our Lord Jesus Christ."
This confession shows that our fathers held to the catholic faith of the Christian church, it being substantially the same as the confessions of all the reformed churches of Europe. It is an exposition of the theological doctrines of New England Con- gregationalism, as the Cambridge Platform is of its discipline and government. The sentiments and practice of our churches differ in certain particulars from both of these documents ; but with their general and characterizing principles they still harmonize.
We proceed now with our history of Mr. Shepard's ministry. He was, at the period of his ordination, a very young man, not yet twenty-two years of age ; but his mind and character seem to have been precociously mature. The most judicious of his people were constrained to admit that he was no novice, and such was the purity and dignity of his example, that he let no man despise his youth. The gravity of his deportment kept
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up his authority among all classes, while his courtesy won their affection. His outward circumstances being easy-for his father left a good estate for those days-he was distinguished for the charity of his purse, as well as the benevolence of his feelings. As might be inferred from his parentage and educa- tion, he was conservative in his sympathies, a zealous promoter of the measures recommended by the reforming synod, and a strict adherent to the theology of the Puritan fathers. Mather says, " There were none dearer to him than the good old peo- ple ; those holy, devout, aged souls, who had grown well towards ripe for heaven under his blessed father's ministry ; he was much in their company, and he valued their prayers for him, and their serious, and savory, and heavenly communica- tions at no ordinary rate. Nor shall I ever forget the consolation which he told me he had received from the words which one of those plain old saints used unto him, when he was under discouraging fears how he should go through his work : Sir, said he, if you'll give up yourself to do the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, never fear but he will help you to do yours."
In his domestic relations he appears to have been very exem- plary. He performed the worship of his family by reading morning and evening a portion of Scripture, and offering a prayer founded upon it; on Saturday nights he chose to repeat a sermon, commonly one which had been preached at some lecture the foregoing week, or one of his deceased father's;1 and on Sabbath evening he repeated the sermon of the day. He was a laborious student, and his study was a beloved place. He not only had "a fine, large, and continually growing library," but his books bore evidence of having been carefully perused, con- taining in his own handwriting, a summary of their contents, and memoranda of the most remarkable passages. Indeed, his health appears to have suffered in consequence of his severe ap- plication. His habits of study also, were remarkably devout. " He thought that he should never do any great things in feed- ing his flock, if he did not great things in fasting by himself." Accordingly he set apart one day in every month, for private fasting, to examine his own spiritual condition, and implore blessings upon his people.
2 Note 36.
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In the preparation of his discourses for the pulpit, he began with prayer ; and then read over his text in the original, and fixed upon its meaning. He drew forth his doctrines and the other heads of his discourse in the beginning of the week, that he might avail himself of his occasional thoughts. He arranged his own meditations before consulting other authors ; and when he had finished his composition, he concluded with a thanks- giving to the Lord, his helper. In the delivery of his sermons he appears not to have excelled ; but he felt what he spoke, and spoke what he felt.
In the course of his ministry, he discussed in a series of dis- courses, a variety of subjects. In reference to the calamities and prevailing iniquities of the time, he preached forty-five sermons on the prayer of Jonas; the last of which, he delivered about a month before his death. At the same time, but on another part of the Lord's day, he preached upon the evils con- demned by the synod. In concluding these two courses, he delivered two sermons, the first, to awaken the obstinate, from Jer. xiii. 17. " If ye will not hear, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride." And the other, to encourage the peni- tent, from Matt. xi. 28. " Come to me all ye that labor, and I will give you rest." " And he was never after heard speaking in the name of the Lord."
So faithful were his endeavors to discharge his duty as a pas- tor-watching for souls as one that must give account-that, Mather says, " Methinks I hear him give up this account unto the Judge of all. 'Gracious Lord, I watched that I might see what sort of temptations did most threaten my flock, and I set myself to strengthen them against those temptations. I watched that I might see what sort of afflictions did most assault my flock, and I set myself to comfort them under those afflictions. I did watch to learn what sort of duties were most seasonable to be recommended to my flock, and I vigorously recommended them in the seasons thereof. I did watch to see what souls of my flock did call for my more particular addresses, and I often addressed one or other of them. Yet not I, but the grace which was with me .???
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