bridge, 1647, the Boston church would send no messengers till they heard Mr. N. preach a lecture upon the nature of councils, the power of the civil magistrate to call such councils, and the duty of the churches in regarding their advice; they then chose 3 delegates to accompany their elders, who had taken their seats at the synod. Upon the death of Mr. Cotton their eyes were turned to him, therefore, as the most proper person to supply the place of that great man. Our ecclesiastical annals, compiled by Cotton Mather, relate the difficulties in obtaining him, and mention also Mr. Cotton's dream, that "he saw Mr. Norton coming into Boston upon a white horse, which actually took place afterwards;" but it may suffice for this account to say, that Mr. Norton left Ipswich by the advice of council, and that having accepted the invitation of the Boston people, it pleased the great head of the church to add lustre to his character, and give success to his ministry. Had he confined himself to his spiritual concerns, his sun would have set without a cloud; but he meddled with the affairs of government, and mingled the character of the politician with the divine, which gave a sudden blaze to his reputation, but thick darkness succeeded. Cotton Mather says, "that New England, being a country whose interests were remarkably enwrapped in ecclesiastical circumstances, ministers ought to concern themselves in politicks ;" and he was a lively example of his own advice. He says, likewise, that had Mr. Norton done nothing more than to prevent hostilities between the English people and the Dutch, at Manhadoes, it had been worth his coming into the station he held in Boston. Norris of Salem, as good a man, was of a different opinion; and Dr. Trumbull, a modern historian of excellent parts and character, has represented the conduct of Massachusetts in not assisting the other colonies at the time, as most base and treacherous. Mr. Norton rendered himself so popalar by his interference in this business, that the

general court afterwards chose him joint agent with Simon Bradstreet to present the address to his majesty, Charles II. It was a most delicate and diffi. cult business to transact. It required so much art and dissimulation, that a minister of the gospel ought not to have been concerned in it. Cromwell was the friend of New England. Our clergy had justified every circumstance of the usurpation, and publickly announced the piety, as well as justice of the court, which had brought their monarch to the scaffold. Men who had grown grey in practising political devises would have been puzzled to make an address to his son and successor, and conceal their own hypocrisy. The conduct of our agents, the unkind treatment they received from those in whom they trusted, especially the resentment of the fierce republican spirit of this new world, which may be compared to Hercules in his cradle, have been related in the histories of Massachusetts. Mr. Hutchinson gives the most particular account. They all agree that Mr. Norton's death was the consequence. This, however, is always said of a man, who dies suddenly, after meeting with trouble. But often the cause is taken for the effect. A man has bodily complaints from the melancholy disposition of his mind, but it more frequently is the case, that a man becomes melancholy and wretched from diseases of the body. Mr. N. was of a sickly constitution, and died of an apoplexy. It was imputed to chagrin and grief on account of the treatment he received. The other agent lived to be 95 years old. He was more unpopular, for the blame was imputed mostly to him. He was, however, always conversant with state affairs, and could calculate upon the fickleness of the people, and the vexation of office. We have only then to learn this lesson, that every man should mind his own business. He died, April 5, 1663. He was preparing the afternoon exercises when he was taken out of the world. Many, who had enjoyed the benefit of his labours, bewailed his departure.

Their honest hearts were wounded, and they moist ened his grave with their tears.

Mr. Norton was distinguished as a writer às much as he excelled in preaching. When a youth he was one of the finest scholars at the university. While he cultivated his master's vineyard, he studied every branch of divinity. In his retired situation, when he was teacher of the church of Ipswich, he was unanimously chosen to answer the questions concerning church government, which Apollonius, by request of the divines of Zealand, had sent over to the divines of New England. This was written in pure elegant latin, A. D. 1645. To judge of its merit we may quote the words of Mr. Fuller in his church history; "of all the authors I have perused concerning those opinions, none to me was more informative than John Norton, one of no less learning than modesty, in his answer to Apollonius, pastor of the church in Middleburgh." Mr. Norton also advised, modelled, and recommended the Cambridge platform, 1647.

Another book he wrote by desire of the general court in answer to one entitled, "the meritorious price of man's redemption." He was likewise the author of a famous work," the orthodox evangel. ist," highly recommended by Mr. Cotton.

After he came to Boston he wrote the life of his predecessor Mr. Cotton, which was reprinted in England. He also wrote, at the desire of the gene. ral court, "a tract, on the doctrines of the Quakers."

He preached the election sermon in 1661, Jer, xxx. 17, this was published after his death, with two other sermons, one on John xiv. 3, the last sermon he ever preached. The other was a sermon he preached at Thursday lecture.

To these sermons was annexed, a translation of the famous letter he wrote in latin to Mr. Dury,*

* John Dury makes some figure in the early annals of Massachusetts on account of the famous letter, written to the divines of

who began about the year 1635 to labour in a work which none were ever able to accomplish, viz. the pacification of all the reformed churches. Mr. Norton's letter was signed by more than 40 ministers of New England.

NOWEL INCREASE was appointed a magistrate of the province of Massachusstts Bay, in the year 1629; and came over with gov. Winthrop in the Arabella.

He was nephew to Alexander Nowel, dean of St.

New England. This makes part of a large plan he had in view of reconciling the different sects of protestants. The same thing had been attempted by the early reformers of Germany. But those who adhered to the Ausburgh confession and the Calvinists could never agree. When men of liberal minds endeavoured to form a union, the spirit of bigotry operated upon some, who would throw firebrands in the way; and the fire being kindled they separated in anger, and wrote with zeal. Sometimes the princes of Europe discovered their schemes of policy; and the virtue of priests yielded to the pride of opinion. It is said, that Dury shewed more activity and perseverance in the work of charity, than any man of that, or the preceding age. Amidst many vexations, and opposition that required the most intrepid and invincible patience, he wrote, exhorted, prayed and disputed. He employed all the means which human wisdom could suggest to put an end to the dissentions and animosities, which were excited among christians of different denominations: He travelled in all the countries of Europe, and endeavoured to accommodate himself to the prejudices of the several parties. He addressed magistrates and ministers, sovereigns and princes; painted in lively colours the advantages, the utility, and importance of the scheme he had formed, hoping to interest the wise and good in his cause; but his hopes and expectations were all frustrated.

Though many commended his design, and admired his candour, he found few disposed to assist him. And he was often deceived by those, who soothed him with their smiles, without any view of aiding him by their credit and their counsels.

He had enemies, who ascribed wrong motives to his zeal, and the Lutherans returned invectives often to his kind advice. He was at last beat from his labours and oppressed with injurious treatment, and was obliged to acknowledge, that he had undertak en what was impracticable. He ended his days in repose and retirement at Cassel.

He was a native of Scotland.

The letter of the ministers of New England was penned by Mr. Norton. It contains high commendations, without any pledge or promises of their aid in the coalition.

Paul's, in queen Elizabeth's reign, or else the dean was his great uncle. This we learn from Mr. Hutchinson, who says, that he was a worthy, pious man. When our fathers planted their church in Charlestown, they chose him ruling elder. He acted in this capacity, until a difference of opinion arose among the people, and a question was agitated, "whether an officer of the church could act as a civil magistrate ?" It was decided that the offices were inconsistent. He resigned the eldership, therefore, and was a very active and useful person in the civil affairs of the province. For many years he was employed in publick life, and succeeded Mr. Bradstreet, as secretary of the colony. For many years he was assistant. His name with Endicott, Dudley, and other magistrates, appears in an association, 1649, against wearing the hair long, as a thing which tended to corrupt good manners. He also joined, with several other counsellors, in calling a special meeting of the commissioners of the united colonies, April, 1653, when the country was so much alarmed by the machinations of the Dutch with the Indians. He was one of the magistrates who put the question to Ninnegret, Pessicus and Mixam, sachems of the Narragansetts. The result of this meeting has been considered in another place.*

NOWEL SAMUEL, supposed to be the son of secretary Nowel, was employed in several publick offices. He was one of the assistants in 1681; of the high republican party, who adhered to the old

The names of our magistrates for the year 1629 were, John Winthrop, governour, Thomas Dudley, deputy governour, Matthew Cradock, Thomas Goff, sir Richard Saltonstall, Isaac Johnson, Samuel Aldersley, John Venn, John Humphrey, Simon Whercomb, Increase Nowel, Richard Percy, Nathaniel Wright, Samuel Vassal, Theophilus Eaton, Thomas Adams, Thomas Hutchins, George Foxcroft, William Pinchon, John Pocock, Christopher Corolson, William Coddington, Simon Bradstreet, Thomas Sharp; 1730, were added, Roger Ludlow, Edward Rossiter, John Endicot; 1632, John Winthrop, jun,