University of Virginia Library

November ye 12th, 1673.

Doct. Russ preached yesterday, having for his text
1 Corinthians, chap. xiii, verse 5. Charity seeketh not
her own. He began by saying that mutual Benevolence
was a Law of Nature — no one being a Whole
of himself, nor capable of happilie subsisting by himself,
but rather a Member of the great Body of Mankind,
which must dissolve and perish, unless held
together and compacted in its various parts by the
Force of that common and blessed Law. The wise
Author of our being hath most manifestlie framed and
fitted us for one another, and ordained that mutual Charity
shall supplie our mutual Wants and Weaknesses,
inasmuch as no man liveth to himself, but is dependent
upon others, as others be upon him. It hath been said
by ingenious men, that in the outward World all things
do mutually operate upon and affect each other; and
that it is by the energie of this principle that our solid
Earth is supported, and the Heavenly Bodies are made
to keep the rhythmic Harmonies of their Creation, and
dispense upon us their benign favors; and it may be
said, that a Law akin to this hath been ordained for the
moral world — mutual Benevolence being the cement
and support of Families, and Churches, and States,
and of the great Communitie and Brotherhood of Mankind.
It doth both make and preserve all the Peace,

and Harmony, and Beauty, which liken our World in
some small degree to Heaven, and without it all things
would rush into Confusion and Discord, and the Earth
would become a place of Horror and Torment, and
men become as ravening Wolves, devouring and being
devoured by one another.

Charity is the second great Commandment, upon
which hang all the Law and the Prophets; and it is
like unto the first, and cannot be separated from it; for
at the Great Day of Recompense we shall be tried by
these Commandments, and our faithfulness unto the
first will be seen and manifested by our faithfulness
unto the last. Yea, by our Love of one another the
Lord will measure our Love of Himself. Inasmuch as
ye have done it unto one of the least of these my Brethren,
ye have done it unto me. The Grace of Benevolence
is therefore no small part of our meetness for the
inheritance of the Saints in Light; it is the Temper of
Heaven; the Aire which the Angels breathe; an immortal
Grace — for when Faith which supporteth us
here, and Hope which is as an Anchor to the tossed
Soul, are no longer needed, Charity remaineth forever,
for it is native in Heaven, and partaketh of the Divine
Nature, for God himself is Love.

“Oh, my hearers,” said the Preacher, his venerable
Face brightening as if with a Light shining from within,

“doth not the Apostle tell us that skill in Tongues
and gifts of Prophecie, and mysteries of Knowledge
and Faith, doe avail nothing where Charity is lacking?
What avail great Talents, if they be not devoted to
goodness? On the other hand, where Charity dwelleth,
it maketh the Weak strong and the Uncomelie
beautiful; it sheddeth a Glory about him who possesseth
it, like that which did shine on the face of Moses, or
that which did sit upon the countenance of Stephen,
when his Face was as the Face of an Angel. Above
all, it conformeth us to the Son of God; for through
Love he came among us, and went about doing good,
adorning his life with Miracles of Mercy, and at last
laid it down for the Salvation of Men. What heart
can resist his melting entreatie: Even as I have
loved you, love ye also one another!

“We doe all,” he continued, “seek after Happiness,
but too often blindlie and foolishlie. The selfish
man, striving to live for himself, shutteth himself up to
partake of his single Portion, and marvelleth that he
cannot enjoy it. The good things he hath laid up for
himself fail to comfort him; and although he hath
Riches, and wanteth nothing for his Soul of all that he
desireth, yet hath he not power to partake thereof. They
be as delicates poured upon a Mouth shut up, or as
Meats set upon a Grave. But he that hath found

Charity to be the Temper of Happiness, which doth
put the Soul in a natural and easy condition, and
openeth it to the Solaces of that pure and sublime
Entertainment which the Angels doe spread for such
as obey the will of their Creator, hath discovered a
more subtle Alchemy than anie of which the Philosophers
did dream — for he transmuteth the Enjoyments
of others into his own, and his large and open Hearte
partaketh of the Satisfaction of all around him. Are
there any here who, in the midst of outward Abundance,
are sorrowful of Heart — who go mourning on
their way, from some inward Discomfort — who long
for Serenity of Spirit, and cheerful happiness, as the
Servant earnestlie desireth the Shadow? Let such
seek out the Poor and Forsaken, they who have no
homes nor estates, who are the Servants of Sin and
evil Habits, who lack Food for both the Body and the
Mind. Thus shall they, in remembering others, forget
themselves; the Pleasure they afford to their fellow-creatures
shall come back larger and fuller unto their
own Bosoms, and they shall know of a truth how much
the more blessed it is to give than to receive. In Love
and Compassion, God hath made us dependent upon
each other, to the end that by the use of our Affections
we may find true happiness and rest to our Souls. He
hath united us so closely with our Fellows, that they do
make, as it were, a part of our being, and in comforting
them we doe most assuredly comfort ourselves.
Therein doth Happiness come to us unawares, and
without seeking, as the Servant who goeth on his
Master's Errand findeth pleasant Fruits and sweet
Flowers overhanging him, and cool Fountains, which
he knew not of, gushing up by the Wayside, for his
solace and refreshing.”

The Minister then spake of the Duty of Charity
towards even the sinful and froward, and of winning
them by love and good will, and making even their
correction and punishment a means of awakening them
to Repentance, and the calling forth of the Fruits meet
for it. He also spake of self-styled Prophets and
Enthusiastic People, who went about to crie against
the Church and the State, and to teach new Doctrines,
saying that oftentimes such were sent as a judgment
upon the professors of the Truth, who had the Form
of godliness onlie, while lacking the Power thereof;
and that he did believe that the zeal which had been
manifested against such had not always been enough
seasoned with Charity. It did argue a lack of Faith in
the Truth, to flie into a Panick and a great Rage
when it was called in question; and to undertake to
become God's avengers, and to torture and burn Heretics,
was an error of the Papists, which ill became

those who had gone out from among them. Moreover,
he did believe that manie of these people, who had so
troubled the Colonie of late, were at heart simple and
honest men and women, whose Heads might indeed be
unsound, but who at Hearte sought to do the Will of
God; and, of a truth, all could testify to the sobriety
and strictness of their Lives, and the justice of their
Dealings in outward things.

He spake also somewhat of the Indians, who, he
said, were our Brethren, and concerning whom we
would have an Account to give at the Great Day. The
hand of these heathen People had been heavy upon
the Colonies, and manie had suffered from their cruel
Slaughterings, and the captivitie of themselves and
their Families. Here the aged Minister wept, for he
doubtless thought of his Son, who was slaine in the
Warre; and for a time the words did seem to die in
his throat, so greatlie was he moved. But he went on
to say, that since God, in his great and undeserved
Mercy, had put an End to the Warre, all present unkindness
and hard dealing towards the poore benighted
Heathen was an Offence in the eyes of Him who respecteth
not the Persons of Men, but who regardeth
with an equal Eye the White and the Red Men, both
being the workmanship of His hands. It is our blessed
privilege to labor to bring them to a knowledge of the

True God, whom, like the Athenians, some of them
doe ignorantlie worshipp, while the greater part, as
was said of the Heathen formerlie, doe not, out of the
good things that are seen, know Him that is; neither
by considering the Works doe they acknowledge the
Work-master, but deem the Fire or Wind, or the swift
Air, or the Circle of the Stars, or the violent Water,
or the Lights of Heaven, to be the Gods who govern
the World.

He counselled against Mischief-makers and stirrers
up of Strife, and such as doe desire occasion against
their Brethren. He said that it did seem as if manie
thought to atone for their own Sins by their great heat
and zeal to discover Wickedness in others; and that
he feared such might be the case now, when there was
much talk of the outward and visible doings of Satan
in this place; whereas, the Enemy was most to be
feared who did work privily in the Hearte; it being a
small thing for him to bewitch a dwelling made of
Wood and Stone, who did soe easilic possess and enchant
the precious Souls of men.

Finally, he did exhort all to keep Watch over their
own Spirits, and to remember that what Measure they
doe mete to others shall be measured to them again, to
lay aside all wrath and malice and evil speaking, to
bear one another's burdens, and soe make this Church

in the Wilderness beautiful and comelie, an example to
the World of that Peace and Good Will to men, which
the Angels sang of at the Birth of the blessed Redeemer.

I have been the more careful to give the substance
of Mr. Russ his sermon, as nearly as I can remember
it, forasmuch as it hath given Offence to some who did
listen to it. Dea. Dole saith it was such a Discourse
as a Socinian or a Papist might have preached, for
the great stress it laid upon Works; and Goodwife
Matson, a noisie, talking Woman — such an one, no
doubt, as those busy-bodies whom Saint Paul did
rebuke for Forwardness, and command to keep Silence
in the Church — says the preacher did goe out of his
way to favor Quakers, Indians, and Witches; and that
the Devil in Goody Morse's house was no doubt well
pleased with the Discourse. R. Pike saith he does no
wise marvel at her complaints; for when she formerlie
dwelt at the Marblehead fishing Haven, she was one of
the unruly Women who did break into Thompson's
garrison House, and barbarously put to death two
Saugus Indians, who had given themselves up for safe
keeping, and who had never harmed anie, which thing
was a great Grief and Scandal to all well-disposed
People. And yet this Woman, who scrupled not to
say that she would as lief stick an Indian as a Hogg,

and who walked all the way from Marblehead to Boston
to see the Quaker Woman hung, and did foully
jest over her dead Bodie, was allowed to have her way
in the Church, Mr. Richardson being plainlie in fear of
her ill Tongue and wicked Temper.