The life and death of that Reverend man of God, Mr. Richard Mather, teacher…

Wherefore before, and for some years after his accepting ⟨p. 25⟩Office Relation in Dorchester, he was in much Spiritual distress by reason of uncertainties concerning his own Eternal estate. He did (as in wisdom he was bound to) keep these troubles secret from men, only he revealed the distress of his Soul to that great Divine Mr. Norton, then Teacher to the Church in […] unto whom (under Christ) God gave the tongue of the Learned to speak a word in season, whereby his Soul was Comforted; the Lord giving him to see that he was […] to Heaven in the same way that David, Asaph, Heman […] had gone before him.

Wherefore before, and for some years after his accepting ⟨p. 25⟩Office Relation in Dorchester, he was in much Spiritual distress by reason of uncertainties concerning his own Eternal estate. He did (as in wisdome he was bound to) keep these troubles secret from men, onely he revealed the distress of his Soul to that great Divine Mr. Norton, then Teacher to the Church in 〈…〉 unto whom (under Christ) God gave the tongue of the Learned to speak a word in season, whereby his Soul was Comforted; the Lord giving him to see that he was 〈…〉 to Heaven in the same way that David, Asaph, Heman 〈…〉 had gone before him.

During the time of his Pilgrimage in New-England he under went not so many Changes, as before that he had done; […] he never removed his Habitation out of Dorchester, albeit […] had once serious thoughts that way, by reason that his […] people in Toxteth, after that the Hierarchy was deposed in England sent to him, desiring his return to them: But Dorchester was in no wise willing to forgo their interest in him, therefore he left them not. Nevertheless, he die in New England, (as in a Wilderness might be expected) experience many trials of his Faith and Patience. That which of out[…] Afflictions did most aggrieve him, was the Death of his dear Wife, who had been for so many years the greatest outward Comfort and Blessing which he did enjoy: Which Affliction was the more grievous, in that the bring a Woman of singular Prudence for the Management of Affairs, had taken off from her Husband all Secular Cares, so that he wholly devoted himself to his Study, and to Sacred Employments. After he had continued in the state of Widowhood a year and half, he again changed his Condition, and was Married to the pious widow of that deservedly Famous Man of God Mr. John Cotton; and her did God make a Blessing and a Comfort to him during the remainder of his days.