Juftice Mayhew was a gentleman of ftrong powers of mind, of an accurate knowledge of human nature, of diftinguished prudence, and of a commanding addrefs. The general tenor of his conduct thro' a life protracted to an uncommon length, discovered, as far as we learn, a lively and deep fenfe of the infinite importance of Chriftianity-that part of his life efpecially, which was fpent upon the Island. of religion and morality, and in other ways. And when he commenced his miffionary labors, which he view now be to death, and he was well contented with the profpect before him, being full of days, and fatisfied with life, &c. He gave many excellent counfels and ex-ed himself as specially called in hortations to all about him. Like Providence to undertake, with Mofes, he had a vigorous old age; what wisdom, Chriftian zeal, and his memory continued unufually ardor did he profecute them? tenacious; and all his intellectual The toils and hardships attending powers uncommonly good. the work, were no difcouragements. Animated with a glowing love to his bleffed Saviour, and with fervent affection to the poor natives, many of whom were perilhing for lack of vifion, he pursued the work with vigor at an age, which he might have pleaded as an excufe for omitting to carry on fuch extenfive, wearifome, and hard fervices. But God fupported him under all; and long before his departure, gave him the unfpeakable fatisfaction of feeing that his labor of love was crowned with great fuccefs. His zeal in the bleffed caufe, continued unimpaired to the laft; and with aged Polycarp, who fuffered matyrdom at Smyrna, in the fecond century, A. D. 167, could declare, "That tho' I have long ferved Chrift, I have always found him a good master, and therefore I cannot forfake him." He continued full of faith, confolation, and holy joy to the laft. As a magiftrate he was juft, and impartial. The Indians, tho' naturally a jealous people; yet after fome acquaintance, had full confidence in the goodnefs and integrity of his heart; that he had no difpofition to injure them in their perfons, property, or lib. erty; but, on the contrary, was intent upon promoting their intereft: They revered, and loved him as a father. In fome things which he propofed, tho' they might for the prefent, thwart their inclinations; yet they were willing to allow, that even in them, he aimed at their good: And after fome time, were generally fenfible, that he not only intended their benefit, but propofed wife measures to accomplish it. Before he entered upon his miffionary career, he was very helpful to his fon by his advice, by removing prejudices from the minds of the Indians, by his private converfation with them upon the fubjects labor was much increased, by reafon of certain erroneous opinions, which were likely to take root in the Island, unless proper measures were adopted to prevent. After they were fown in fome minds, and pains were taken to fow them in others; he exerts himself, in all fuitable ways, to prevent the evil from fpreading; to check the growth of thofe errors that were implanted, and, if poffible, to eradicate them. Like a rational and candid Chriftian, he attempts their extirpation by fpiritual inftruments. Being a person of fuperior abilities, and acquaintance with the fcriptures, he used to defire fuch as began to receive these principles, to produce their reafons; and, thofe, who wanted to be refolved in their difficulties, to give him the advantage to refolve them in public, that others alfo might receive light and fatisfaction; whereby they came to be more clearly inftructed, and more fully convinced and fatisfied, than in the ordinary way of preaching, which yet always preceded the other. He had fuch an excellent talent for the defence of the truth, against gainfayers, that they, who would have fpread their errors, found themfelves fo effectually oppofed and baffled by the power of his knowledge and piety, and the ftrength of his argumentative genius, that they could make no progrefs in their defigns on the Ifland; and the churches and people, and in them their pofterity, were happily faved from the fpreading of thofe erroneous opinions, and the disturb ance and troubles they would have produced among them.* He purfued a plan of inftruct Matthew Mayhew's Triumphs of Grace-Indian Converts, ing the Indians very fimilar to that of his grandfather, and father. His cuftom was to tarry fome time with them, after the public exercises of prayer, psalmody, and preaching were concluded; allowing them to put queftions to him for their own inftruc tion; and also trying their knowledge, by putting questions to them. This way of tarrying after fermon, and anfwering queftions was generally practifed by the an cient miffionaries, and found, by experience, a very profitable mode of instruction. The Indians would oftentimes ask questions, which naturally occured to their minds from the fubject of the fermon they had juft heard: Some times other questions, which had no relation to the difcourfe which had juft been delivered. The queftions which the Indians fome times afked, were of fuch a nature, that no fmall degree of theological and philofophical knowledge was requifite to refolve them. The other method of asking them queftions might be very profitable, as it would put them upon more close thinking; and the obferva tions made by the millionaries upon their anfwers, might fix the truth more strongly in their minds. Mr. Mayhew was fo well acquainted with their language, that he was able to difcourfe freely with them upon any kind of fub ject; and to preach and pray in their tongue with the greatest readiness; which he must have found of fingular advantage in the various inftructions he gave them. Like the great apoftle of the Gentiles, he took fpecial pains with them more privately; which, we doubt not, he found, by hapPy experience, eminently to fub Mr. Mayhew conftantly preach ed to the English at Tifbury for the fpace of 15 years to his death; and about as long once every week to one or other of the Indian affemblies on the Island. He ferve the blessed cause he had un- | year of his age, and 16th of his dertaken.* miniftry. He furvived his grandfather about eight years. left the Indians in a very orderly way of affembling on the Lord's day for public worship, in four, or five feveral places. Their congregations were fupplied with well inftructed teachers of their own nation, who ufually began with prayer, and after finging And having finished what God, in his Providence, faw meet to employ him in, he deceased on February 3, 1689, in the 37th This, without fcruple, was a wife ftep, whether the Indians, whom he called upon, and vifited, were converted to Christianity, or not, and only willing to pay attention to the evidences of it. Suppofe fome of them to have been still in a state of heathenifm, but yet poffeffed of fo much candor, as to be willing to hear what might be faid in fupport of Chriftianity, great benefit might refult from these private interviews. In this way, a miffionary may engage the affections of those he vifits; gaining this point may be of fpecial benefit to the heathen.-Their prejudices may, in fome degree, be foon removed-better attention may be given to gospel truth, and the evidences, by which it is established. In oral conferences in private, a missionary may oftentimes have a more favorable opportunity to explain the leading doctrines of religion more fully to the understanding of people, than in public difcourfes; to answer objections, remove doubts, and prepare them to attend upon public exercifes to better advantage. And when heathens have received the Christian faith, much good may refult from fuch private vifits; and it is a point of prudence to make them, when circumftances allow, and they do not interfere with public fervices, private ftudies, and devotional exercises. dition of particular perfons, than he can do in his public difcourfes. In this way he may become better acquainted with the fpiritual ftate of profeffors, than in any other. He may know better what fubjects may be most profitable to them in public. He may fometimes have a favorable opportunity of convincing the erroneous-reproving offenders-removing the doubts of the fcrupulous-animating the timorous-, and repreffing the confidence of over-' forward profeffors. Private, perfonal addreffes, when managed with wisdom, will fometimes make a deeper impreffion upon the mind, than public difcourfes, tho' they may contain the fame fentiments, and be delivered with becoming animation. Such private conferences fometimes give a minister a fair opportunity of removing prejudices against himself; and of conciliating the minds of contending people to each other. Dif creetly managed, they tend to cement friendship, and to render his public adminiftrations more useful. They will give people a better opinion of him; that he is heartily engaged to promote their beft interefts: He may alfo, in this way, obtain a more extensive acquaintance with human nature, which is of great moment, in every branch of his duty. However, fuch visits, tho' useful, must have their limits, and not intrench upon other duties, whether public, or private-Whether upon preaching, which is the prime duty of a miflionary; or application to ftudy, in the neglet of which he will be but poorly qualified to difcharge the public, and Every inftrumental duty of religion has its particular benefits. Tho' faith comes by hearing, by the public difpenfation of the divine word; yet private addrees are a good preparative for the reception of the gofpel preached by the ambaffadors of Christ. In private in-private offices of his profeffion. In the terviews a minifter may fpeak more particularly, and adapt himfelf, with greater precision to the flate and con feveral duties of his ftation, circumstances muft determine what proportion of time is to be allotted to each. part of a pfalm, fpake to the auditors from fome portion of faced fcripture. He alfo left an Indian church confifting of one hundred communicants, walking according to the rule of the fcriptures.* Rev. John Mayhew was a perfon of a clear judgment, great prudence, and of an excellent fpirit: And the Indians very much reforted to his houfe for advice and instruction, and alfo for relief in their wants: And as he was perfuaded that many of them were truly religious, he would fometimes fay, "That tho' he had but little reward from men (having but about five pounds a year for his labors among them, excepting the two laft years) yet if he might be inftrumental in faving any, he fhould be fully fatisfied, and think himself to be fufficiently recompenfed." The whole of what was allowed him for his inceffant labors both among the Indians and English, put together, would scarcely amount to ten pounds a year, except the two laft years of his life. With juftice he could adopt the words of the apoftle, and addrefs the people of his charge," I feek not yours, but you." After the honorable commiffioners came to be acquainted with him, and the eminent fervices he did, they fettled upon him thirty pounds a year, the two laft years of his life. He walked in his houfe with a perfect heart, having his children and domeftics in all fubjection, they both loving and revering him; and being frequently and seriously instructed by him. In his laft ficknefs, he expreffed a defire, if it were the Divine will, that he might live a while longer to have feen his children more ripened in age before he died; and to have done more fervice for Chrift on the earth: But with refpect to his own ftate before God, he enjoyed a great ferenity of mind, having a lively apprehenfion of the mercy of God, thro' the merits of Chrift: Far from being afraid to die, having hopes, thro' grace, of obtaining eternal life, by Jefus Chrift our Lord. He counfelled, exhorted, and encouraged his relatives, and others, who came to vifit him: And with refpect to himself, among other things, faid, "He was perfuaded, that God would not place him with thofe after his death, in whofe company he could take no delight in his life time." Thus expired this third fucceffive preacher to the Indians of this worthy family, after he had fet another illuftrious example of fervent zeal for the glory of God, a lively faith in the invifible and eternal world, and a generous, great, and unremitting concern for the falvation of all about him. It is needless to say, that the lofs of him in the meridian of life, and especially fo foon after his grandfather's decease, was deeply regretted both by English and Indians. If we measure life by a man's piety, benevolence, great activity, and eminent usefulness, we may fay, with ftrict propriety, that Mr. Mayhew lived to an advanced period. The words of an ancient Jewish writer may be applied to him, with as much juftice, as to moft men of a fimilar age; "Honorable age is not that, which ftandeth in length of time; or that is measured by a number of years: But wifdom is the grey hair unto man; and an unspotted life is old age.' (To be continued.) The work of God perfe&. (Contin. from Vol. II. p. 465.) NUMBER III. AVING in my fecond num evidence of this great truth, That none is good but one, God, in the work of creation-in God's difpenfation towards the angels in his general plan of mercy towards fallen man and in one particular branch of this plan, the events of his common providence: I proceed to trace the evidence of the fame truth, the difpenfation of his grace, proceeds on this rule to the intent that none may glory in his prefence, and that the tranfcendant glory which God will beftow on creatures the moft worthlefs, guilty and forlorn, men, might appear to be all of God. Thus as the old creation muft have appeared more glorious and divine when contrafted with the chaos out of which it was formed; fo the new creation, the end and perfection of all God's works, will appear more glorious and divine when contrafted with the shapeless and vile materials out of which it was formed, and will be more to the glory and praise of all his perfections. Again, Though the election of grace is confined to men, yet it is a most folemn truth, that it does not embrace all men, fome will be left to their own chofen way, and under the dominion of that carnal mind which is enmity against God, will choose the way to death. The difference in temper, character and ftate between them and the faved, is wholly of God, who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. The faved are born of the Spirit, regeneration then is the work of the Spirit, known unto God are all his works from the foundation of the world; and if known then decreed. Where God has decreedto work, he has decreed to fave, and where he has decreed not to work, he has decreed not to fave. The heart of enmity cannot enjoy God or heaven; on the contrary, it is the forerunner and certain fource of endlefs woe. No man can 2. In the objects of divine mercy. These were finning men and not finning angels. Had the latter and not the former been the objects of divine mercy, the imperfect views of creatures might fuggeft the doubt whether God, in choofing them, might not have had refpect to their fuperior greatnefs and excellence in their first formation. But he that calleth things that are not as though they were, faw fit, in the choice he made, to fhow otherwise. Man was not chofen because his fin was venial, or because he was lefs guilty than the finning angels; he deferved condemnation as much as they. His election of God was an act of fovereign goodnefs; ftill there are good reafons for all God's acts; he does not will and act because he will; but he wills and acts as he does, rather than otherwife, because it is fit. It would be prefumption to decide with confidence on all the reasons of the divine conduct in any cafe; but in the cafe before us, it is apparent, that God has ordained, according to a known maxim of his kingdom, That the firft fhall be laft, change his own heart, or act upon and the laft firft; and it feems rea-higher principles than he has. fonable to fuppofe, that God in He cannot by an act of the will |