THE METHODIST MAGAZINE, FOR DECEMBER, 1801. The LIFE of the Rev. Dr. COTTON MATHER. AM well aware the account which has been given of Dr. I Mather's abundant labours, may appear to fome perfons almost incredible. They will hardly think it poffible for any man to find time, to do what he did. But the account which has been just given of his redeeming, even his dreffing time, and improv ing it to the grand purposes of his life, begins to clear up the mystery. He had no loofe and leisure hours, in which such a vast portion of time is wafted by most people; but every moment, in a manner, was watched and improved. Were we thus careful to improve every little portion of time, and to let none run waste, how much more might be done, than most of us do! Dr. Mather was an illuftrious example of that good husbandry of time, which the excellent Mr. BOYLE fo happily recommends in his Occafional Reflections, (pa. 9,) "Betwixt the more ftated employments, and more important occurrences of human life, fays he, there ufually happen to be interpofed certain intervals of time, which, tho' they are wont to be neglected, as being fingly, or within the compass of one day inconfiderable, yet in a man's whole life, they may amount to no contemptible portion, Now these uncertain parenthefis', if I may fo call them, or interludes, that happen to come between the more folemn paffages, whether bufineffes or recreations, of human life, are wont to be loft by most men, for want of a value for them, and even by good men, for want of skill to preserve them. But, as tho' grains of fand and afhes be a part but,of a defpicable finallness, and very eafy and liable to be scattered and blown away, yet the skilful artificer, by a vehement fire, brings numbers of thefe to afford that noble fubftance, glafs; by whofe help we may both see ourfelves, and our blemishes, lively reprefented, as in looking-glaffes, and difcern celeftial objects, as with telescopes, and with the funVOL. XXIV. Dec. 180r. beams THE METHODIST MAGAZINE, FOR DECEMBER, 1801. The LIFE of the Rev. Dr. COTTON MATHER. AM well aware the account which has been given of Dr. Mather's abundant labours, may appear to fome perfons almoft incredible. They will hardly think it poffible for any man to find time, to do what he did. But the account which has been just given of his redeeming, even his dreffing time, and improv ing it to the grand purposes of his life, begins to clear up the mystery. He had no loose and leisure hours, in which such a vast portion of time is wafted by most people; but every moment, in a manner, was watched and improved. Were we thus careful to improve every little portion of time, and to let none run waste, how much more might be done, than most of us do! Dr. Mather was an illuftrious example of that good husbandry of time, which the excellent Mr. BOYLE fo happily recommends in his Occafional Reflections, (pa. 9,) "Betwixt the more stated employments, and more important occurrences of human life, fays he, there ufually happen to be interpofed certain intervals of time, which, tho' they are wont to be neglected, as being fingly, or within the compafs of one day inconfiderable, yet in a man's whole life, they may amount to no contemptible portion, Now these uncertain parenthefis', if I may fo call them, or interludes, that happen to come between the more folemn paffages, whether bufineffes or recreations, of human life, are wont to be loft by most men, for want of a value for them, and even by good men, for want of skill to preferve them. But, as tho' grains of fand and afhes be a part but,of a defpicable fmallness, and very eafy and liable to be scattered and blown away, yet the skilful artificer, by a vehement fire, brings numbers of thefe to afford that noble fubftance, glafs; by whofe help we may both fee ourselves, and our blemishes, lively reprefented, as in looking-glaffes, and difcern celestial objects, as with telescopes, and with the funVOL. XXIV. Dec. 1801. beams beams kindle difpofed materials, as with burning-glaffes: Sa when thefe little fragments or parcels of time, which, if not carefully looked to, would be diffipated and loft, come to be managed by a skilful Chriftian, and to be improved by the celestial fire of devotion, they may be fo ordered as to afford us both lookingglaffes to drefs our fouls by, and perfpectives to discover heavenly wonders, and incentives to inflame our hearts with charity and zeal: And fince gold-fmiths and refiners are wont, all the year long, carefully to fave the very fweepings of their shops, because they may contain in them fome filings, or duft, of thofe richer metals, gold and filver; I fee not why a Chriftian may not be as careful not to lose the fragments and leffer intervals of a thing, incomparably more precious than any metal, time; especially when the improvement of them, may not only redeem fo many portions of our life, but turn them to pious ufes, and particularly to the great advantage of devotion." This frugality of time Dr. Mather had learned and practifed; which enabled him to do more in the fervice of God, and his generation, than we are ready to think is poffible to be done, becaufe we have never tried. We have seen how he began every day with devifing good, and it, in part, appeared from what has been already related, how he filled up the enfuing hours in a clofe imitation of his glorious PATTERN, whofe whole defign and bufinefs in life was to do good. As a further inftance of his uncommon diligence, it is proper to mention his writings of various kinds. He published in his life-time, three hundred and eighty-two books. Tho' many of them are indeed but small volumes, as fingle fermons, effays, &c. yet there are feveral among them of a much larger fize.. The true motive that prompted him to write and publish so great a number of books, appears from the motto that he wrote on the outfide of the catalogue, which he kept of his own works, viz. John xv. 8. "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit." It is no wonder that Dr. Mather's fuperior abilities and usefulnefs, drew on him the envy of fome perfons, and the malice of others; which occafioned a great many fcurrilous letters being fent him; all which he tied up in one bundle, and wrote on the outfide, "Libels. Father, forgive them." But whatever ill ufage, of this fort, he met with, was far more than ballanced by the honours that were juftly paid him, in foreign countries, as well as in his own nation. In 1710, the Univerfity of Glasgow, conferred on him the highest academical degree, viz. the Doctorate in Divinity; for which they fent him his Diploma, under the feal of the University. In 1714, the Royal Society in London, chofe him one of their fellows. He received thefe honours with a grate |