Magnalia Christi Americana by Cotton Mather

It has been a matter of some reflection, that amoung the pretended successors of Saint Peter, there never was any Pope that would pretend unto the name Peter; but if any of them had been christened by that name at the font, they afterwards changed it, when the came unto the chair. No doubt, as Raphael URBINE, the famous painter, being taxed, for making the face in the picture of Peter too red replied, He did it on purpose, that he might represent the apostle blushing in heaven to see what successors he had on earth; so these infamous ajpostates might blush to hear themselves called Peter, while they are conscious unto themselves of their being strangers to all the vertues of that great apostle. But the denomination of Peter might be with an everlasting agreeableness claimed by our eminent BULKLY, who, according to the spirit and counsel of Peter, "fed the flock of God among us, taking the oversight thereof not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a willing mind."

He was descended from an honourable family, in Bedfordshire; where for many successived generations the names of Edward and Peter were alternatively worn by the heirs of the family. His father was Edward BULKLY, D.D., a faithful minister of the gospel; the same whom we find making a supplement unto the last volume of our books of martyrs. He was born at Woodhll (or Odel) in Bedfordshire, Januaryu 31st 1582.

His education was answerable unto his original; it was learned, it was genteel, and, which was the top of all, it was very pious; at length it made him a Batchellor of Divinity and Fellow of Saint John's Colledge in Cambridge: the colledge whereinto he had been admitted, about the sixteenth year of his age; and it was while he was but a junior batchellor that he was chosen a fellow.

When he came abroad in the world, a goood benefice befel him, added unto the estate of a gentleman, left him by his father; whom he succeeded in his ministry at the place of his nativity; which one would imagine temptions enough to keep him out of a wilderness. .

Nevertheless, the concern which his renewed soul had for the pure worship of our Lord Jesus Christ, and for planting of evangelical churches to exercise that worship, caused him to leafe and sell all, in hopes of gaining the "pearl of great price" among those that first peopled New-England upon those glorious ends. It was not long that he continued in conformity to the ceremonies of the church of England; but the good Bishop of Lincoln connived at his non-conformity, (as he did at his father's,) and he lived an unmolested non-conformist until he had been three prentice-ships of years in his ministry. Towards the latter end of this time, his ministry had a notable success, in the conversion of many unto God; and this was one occasion of a latter end for this time. When Sir Nathanael BRENT was Arch-Bishop Laud's General, as Arch-Bishop Laud was another's complaints were made against Mr. BULKLY, for his non-conformity, and he was therefore silenced.

To New-England he therefore came, in the year 1635; and there having been for a while at Cambridge, he carried a good number of planters with him, up further into the woods, where they gathered the twelfth church then formed in the colony, and called the town by the name of Concord.

Here he buried a great estate, while he raised one still for almost every person whom he employed in the affairs of his husbandry. He had many and godly servants, whom, after they had lived with him a fit number of years, he still dismissed with bestowing farms upon them and so took others after the like manner, to succeed them in their service and his kindness. Thus he cast his bread both upon the waters and unto the earth, not expecting the return of this charity to a religious plantation, until "after many days."

He was a most excellent scholar, a very well-read person and one who, in his advice to young students, gave demonstrations that he knew what would go to make a scholar. But it being essential unto a scholar to love a scholar, so did he; and in token thereof endowed the library of Harvard-Colledge with no small part of his own.

And he was therewithal a most exalted Christian; full of those devotions which accompany a "conversation in heaven"; especially, so exact a Sabbath-keeper, that if at any time he had been asked, whether he had strictly kept the Sabbath?" he would have replied, Christianus sum, intermitere non possum.1 And conscientions, even to a degree of scrupulosity. That scrupulosity appeared particularly in his avoiding all novelties of apparel, and the cutting of hair so close, that of all the famous namesakes he had in the world, he could have least born the sir-name of that well known author, Pertus Crinitus.2

It was observed that his neighbors hardly ever came into his company, but whatever business he had been talking of, he would set fall some holy , serioud, divine, and useful sentences upon them, ere they parted: an example many ways worthy to be imitated by every one that is called a minister of the gospel.

In his ministry he was another FAREL, Quo nemo tonuit fortius;3 he was very laborious, and because he was, through some infirmities of body, not able to visit his flock, and instruct them from house to house, he added unto his other publick labours on the Lords day, that of constant catechising; wherein, after all the unmarried people had answered, all the people of the whole assembly were edified by his expositions and applications.

His first sermon ws on Rom. 1:16 "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ." At Odel he preached on part of the prophecy of Isaiah, and part of Jonah, and a great part of the gospel of Matthew, and of Luke; the Epistles to the Philippians and of Peter and of Jude; besides many other scriptures. At Concord he preached over the illustrious truths about the person, the natures, the offices of Christ; [what would he have said, if he had lived unto this evil day, when 'tis counted good advie for a minister of the gospel, "not to preach much on the person of Christ?"] the greatest part of the book of Psalms: the conversion of Zacheus; Paul's commission in Acts 26:18. His death found him handling the commandments; and John 16:7-9. He expounded Mr. Perkins his six principles whereto he added a seventh, and examined the young people, what they understood and remembered of his exposition.

Moreover, by a sort of winning, and yet prudent familiarity, he drew persons of all ages in his congregation to come and sit with him, when he could not go and sit with them; whereby he had opportunity to do the part of a faithful pastor, in considering the state of his flock.

Such was his pious conduct that he was had much in reverence by his people; and when at any time he was either hasty in speaking to suchas were about him, whereto he was disposed by his bodily pains, or severe in preaching against some things, that others thought were no way momentous, whereto the great exactness of his pietyinclined him; yet those little stinginesses took not away the interests which he had in their hearts; they "knowing him to be a just man, and an holy, observed him."

And the observance which his own people had for him was also paid him from all sorts of people throught the land; but especially form the ministers of the country, who would still address him as a father, a prophet, a counsellor, on all occasions.

Upon his inportunate pressing a piece of charity, disagreeable to the willo of the ruling elder, there was occasioned an unhappy discord in the church of Concord; which yet was at last healed by their calling in the help of a council, and the ruling elder's abdication. Of the temptations which occurrred on these occasions, Mr. BULKLY would say, "He thereby came----1, To know more of God; 2, To know more of himself; 3, To know more of men." Peace being thus restored, the small things in the beginning of church there, increased in the hands of their faithful BULKLY, until he was translated into the regions which afford nothing but concord and glory; leaving his well-fed "flock in the wilderness" unto the pastoral care of his worthy son, Mr. Edward BULKLY.

It is remarked, that a man's whole religion is according to his acquaintance with the new covenant.If then, any person would know that Mr. Peter BULKL was, let him read his judicious and savoury treatise of the gospel covenant; which has passed through several editions, with much acceptance amont the people of God. Quickly after coming into this country, he preached many sermons on Zech. 9:11 "The blood of the covenant." The importunity of his congration prevailed with him to preach this coctrine of the covenant over again in his lectures, and fit it for the press. he did accordingly; and of that book the well-known Mr. SHEPARD of Cambridge, has given this testimony:

"The church of God is bound to bless God, for the holy judicious,
and learned labours of this aged, experienced, and precious servant
of Jesus Christ, who hath taken much pains to discover, and that not
in words and allegories, but in the demonstration and evidence of the
spirit, the great mystery of godliness wrapt up in the covenant; and
hath now fully opened many knotty questions concerning the same, which
happily have not been brought so full to light until now; which cannot
but be of singular and seasonable use to prevent apostasies from the
simplicity of the covenant and gospel of Christ."

Having offered this particular account of a book, which is to be reckoned among the first-born of New-England, I may not forbear doing my country the service of extracting from it one paragraph, which my reckon the dying charge of a Moses to an Israel in a wilderness:

"And thou, New-England, which art exalted in priviledges of
the gospel above many other people, know thou the "time of thy
visitation," and consider the great things the Lord hath done for
thee. The gospel hath free passage in all places where thou dwellest;
Oh! that it might be glorified also by thee! Thou enjoyest many
faithful witnesses, which have testified unto thee the gospel of the
grace of God. Thou hast many bright stars shining in thy firmament,
to give thee the 'knowledge of salvation from on high, to guide thy
feet in the way of peace.' Be not high-minded because of thy
priviledges, but fear because of thy danger. The more thou hast
committed unto thee, the more thou must account for. No people's
account will be heavier than thine, if thou do not walk worthy of
the means of thy salvation. The Lord looks for more from thee than
from other people: more zeal for God, more love to his truth more
justice and equity in thy ways: thou shouldest be a special people,
an only people none like thee in all the earth. Oh! be so, in loving
the gospel, and the ministers of it, having them in 'singular love
for their work's sake.'

Glorifie thou the word of the Lord, which has glorified thee.
Take heed least for neglect of either, God 'remove thy candlestick'
out of the midst of thee; lest being now 'as a city upon the hill,'
which many seek unto, thou be left 'like a beacon upon the top of a
mountain,' desolate and forsaken. If we walk unworthy of the gospel
brought unto us, the greater our mercy hath been in the enjoying
of it, the greater will our judgement be for the contempt."

His first wife was the daughter of Mr. Thomas ALLEN, of Goldington: a most vertuous gentlewoman, whose nephew was the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Thomas ALLEN. By her he had none sons and two daughters. After her death, he lived eight years a widdower, and then married a virtuous daughter of Sir Richard CHITWOOD; by whom he had three more sons and one daughter.

Age at length creeping on him, he grew mich afraid of outliving his work; and his fear he thus expressed in a short Epigram, composed March 25, 1657:

Piga senectutis jam venit inutilis aetas,
Nil aliud nunc sum quam fere pondus iners.
Da tamen, Alme Deus, dum vivam,vivere laudi
Aeternun sancti Nominis usque Tui.
Ne vivam (moriar Potius!)nil utile Agendo:

Finiat opto magis, mors properata Dies.
Vel doceam in Sancto Caetu tua verba salutis,
Caelestive canam Cantica sacra Choro;
Seu vivam, moriarve, tuus sim, Christe quod uni
Debita mea est, debita morsque tibi,4

He was Ill, as well as old, when he writ these verses; but God granted him his desire. He recovered, and preached near two years after this, and then expired, Merch 9, 1658/9, in the seventy-seventh year of his age.

The Epigram newly mentioned, invites me to remember that he had a competently good stroke at Latin poetry; and even in his old age affected sometimes to improve it. Many of his composures are yet in our hands. One was written on his Birth-day June 31st, 1654:

Ultimus iste Dies Mensis, Mihi primus habetur;
Quo caepi lucem cernere primus erat.
Septuaginta duos Annos exinde peregi.
Atque tot Annorum est Ultimus iste Dies.
Practerito Veteri jam nunc novus incipit Annus
O utinam mihi sit mens nova, vita nova.5

Another of them was written on an Earthquake, October 29, 1653:

Ecce dei nutu tellus pavefacta tremescit,
Terra Tremens mota est sedibus ipsa suis,
Nutant Fulcra Orbis, nundi compago soluta est;
Ex vultu irati contremit ille Dei.
Contremuit tellus, imis concussa Cavernis
Ponderibus quanquam sit gravis illa suis.
Evomit ore putres magno cum murmure ventos,
Quos in visceribvus clauserat ante suis.

Ipsa tremit Tellus scelerum gravitate vivorum,
Sub sceleris nostri pondere Tera tremit.
O nos quam duri! Sunt ferrea pectora nobis;
Non etenim genimus com gemit omne solum,
Quis te non metuit quem Fabrica mundi
Quemque timent coeli, terraque tota tremit.
Motibus a Tantis nunc tandem terra quiescat.
Sed cessent potius crimina nostra precor.6

The rest we will bury with him under this EPITAPH

Obiitjam qui jamdudum abieerat BULKLAEUS;
Nec Patriam ille mutavit, nec paenevitam;
Eo ivit, quo ire consueverat, et ubi jam erat.7
This concludes the account written by Rev. Cotton MATHER.

1 I am a Christian; I cannot swerve from duty.

2 Peter the Long Haired.

3Than whom no one thundered louder.

4

I've reached the evening of my mortal day;
A sluggis mass of clay is this my frame;
Yet grant, O God, that while I live, I may
Live to the glory of Thy holy name.
And if in life I may not honour Thee,
From such dishonour may death set me free.

Whether within Thy holy courts below
I preach salvation unto dying men---
Or in Thine Upper Temple, with the flow
Of angel-quirings blend my raptured strain---
Living or dying, Thine I still would be;
My life and death alike are due to Thee.
5

This last day of the month is first to me,
For with it dawning life began to be.
Nor have its mild returns been slow or few;
Of Seventy-two long yearsthis is the last;
A new year now begins, the old year passed:
Oh may my heart and life be also new!
6

The solid earth, before an angry God,
Shakes at the terrors of His awful nod.
The balance of the mighty world is lost---
Its vast foundations, in confusion toss'd,
Through all the hollows of its deepest caves
Rock like a vessel foundering in the waves.
Volumes of sulphurous air, with booming sound,
Burst through the gorges of the parted ground.

The earth doth heave, with groanings of sistress,
Beneath the weight of human sinfulness.
Shall not our eyes dropo penitential rain,
When all creatrion travaileth in pain?
Great God! who shall not fear Thee in the hour
When heaven and earth are trembling at Thy power!
Father, to nature's tumult whisper peace,
And bid the wickedness of man to cease!
7

BULKLY hath left us for a happiers shore---
Nay, rather lingers where he was before.
He ne'er slept beneath this humble sod,
For both in life and death he was with God.