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Richard Mather
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Richard Mather (1596 – 22 April 1669) was a New England Puritan minister in colonial Boston. He was father to Increase Mather and grandfather to Cotton Mather, both celebrated Boston theologians.

Key Information

Early life and education

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Mather was born to Thomas Mather and Margaret Abram in Lowton in the parish of Winwick, Lancashire, England, into a family that was in reduced circumstances but entitled to bear a coat of arms.[1]

He studied at Winwick grammar school, of which he was appointed a master in his fifteenth year, and left it in 1612 to become master of a newly established school at Toxteth Park, Liverpool. After a few months at Brasenose College, Oxford, he began in November 1618 to preach at Toxteth, and was ordained there, possibly only as deacon, early in 1619.[1]

Career

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Illustration of Richard Mather by John Foster, c. 1675

Between August and November 1633 he was suspended for nonconformity in matters of ceremony; and in 1634 was again suspended by the visitors of Richard Neile, archbishop of York, who, hearing that he had never worn a surplice during the fifteen years of his ministry, refused to reinstate him and said that "it had been better for him that he had begotten seven bastards".[1]

He had a great reputation as a preacher in and about Liverpool; but, advised by letters of John Cotton and Thomas Hooker, he was persuaded to join the company of pilgrims in May 1635 and embarked at Bristol for New England.[2]

On 4 June 1635, Richard, wife Katherine, and children Samuel, Timothy, Nathaniel, and Joseph, all set sail for the New World aboard the ship James.[3][4] As they approached New England, a hurricane struck and they were forced to ride it out just off the coast of modern-day Hampton, New Hampshire. According to the ship's log and the Journal of Richard Mather. 1635: His life and death. 1670 by Increase Mather, the following was recorded;

At this moment,... their lives were given up for lost; but then, in an instant of time, God turned the wind about, which carried them from the rocks of death before their eyes. ...her sails rent in sunder, and split in pieces, as if they had been rotten ragges... (ibid, p.29.)

They tried to stand down during the storm just outside the Isles of Shoals, but lost all three anchors, as no canvas or rope would hold, but on 17 August 1635, torn to pieces, and with not one death, all one hundred plus passengers of the James managed to make it to Boston Harbor. (ibid, p.34.)

As a famous preacher "he was desired at Plimouth, Dorchester, and Roxbury".[5] He went to Dorchester, where the Church had been greatly depleted by migrations to Windsor, Connecticut; and where, after a delay of several months, in August 1636 there was constituted by the consent of magistrates and clergy a church of which he was "teacher" until his death.[5] As pastor, he oversaw the baptism of Dorcas ye blackmore, one of the first African American Christians in New England, and Mather worked to help free her.[6]

Death

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He died on 22 April 1669 in Dorchester.[5]

Mather was buried in the Dorchester North Burying Ground.[7]

Personal life

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In 1624, Mather married Katherine Hoult (or Holt) who died in 1655, then re-married the following year to Sarah Hankredge (died 1676), the widow of the Rev. John Cotton. Of six sons, all by his first wife, four were ministers:[5]

Horace E. Mather, in his "Lineage of Richard Mather" (Hartford, Connecticut, 1890), gives a list of 80 clergymen descended from Richard Mather, of whom 29 bore the name Mather and 51 other names, the most common being Storrs and Schauffler.[5]

The American rapper Eminem, Marshall Bruce Mathers III, is a distant descendant of Peter Mathers, of Buffalo Cross Roads, Pennsylvania (1785–1845).[9]

According to a claimed genealogy, Peter Mathers had changed his name from Mather to Mathers and was the first of his branch of the Mather family to emigrate from Britain to the United States, being a descendant of Richard Mather through his son Samuel Mather (1626-1671), grandson Samuel Mather (born 1657 in Lancashire, England) and great-grandson Samuel William Mather (1716–1741).[citation needed] However, while Samuel Mather (1626–1671) married and had four or five children, the Oxford Dictionary of Biography states that all his children except for one daughter died while still minors.[10]

Works

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He was a leader of New England Congregationalism, whose policy he defended and described in the tract Church Government and Church Covenant Discussed, in an Answer of the Elders of the Severall Churches of New England to Two and Thirty Questions (written 1639; printed 1643),[5] an answer for the ministers of the colony to 32 questions relating to church government that were propounded by the general court in 1639.[11] He drew up the Cambridge Platform of Discipline,[11] an ecclesiastical constitution in seventeen chapters, adopted (with the omission of Mather's paragraph favouring the "Half-Way Covenant", of which he strongly approved) by the general synod in August 1646.[5] His Reply to Mr Rutherford (1647) is a polemic against the Presbyterianism to which the English Congregationalists were then tending.[5]

With Thomas Welde, Thomas Mayhew and John Eliot he wrote the "Bay Psalm Book", or, more accurately, The Whole Booke of Psalmes Faithfully Translated into English Metre (1640), probably the first book printed in the English colonies.[5] He was the author of Treatise on Justification (1652). Many of Mather's works were printed by Boston printer John Foster, Boston's first printer.[12]

See also

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Notes

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References

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Further reading

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Richard Mather

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from Grokipedia

Richard Mather (1596–1669) was an English Puritan clergyman who emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Great Migration, serving as the teacher of the church in Dorchester from 1636 until his death and contributing significantly to the establishment of Congregational polity in New England.
Born in Lowton, Lancashire, Mather was educated locally and ordained as vicar of Toxteth, where his nonconformist practices led to suspension by Anglican authorities under Archbishop William Laud, prompting his departure from England in 1635 aboard the ship James with his wife Katherine and four sons. In Massachusetts, he co-authored the Bay Psalm Book (1640), the first book printed in the British North American colonies, which provided metrical psalms for congregational singing, and drafted the foundational Cambridge Platform (1648), a key document codifying church discipline and governance adopted by the Cambridge Synod.
Mather's influence extended through his progeny, including son Increase Mather, whom he tutored and who later became president of Harvard College, and grandson Cotton Mather, a prominent minister and author; his writings, such as a catechism and defenses of church order, underscored his commitment to reformed theology amid colonial challenges. He died in Dorchester on 22 April 1669, leaving a legacy as a foundational figure in American Puritanism.

Early Life in England

Birth and Family Origins

Richard Mather was born circa 1596 in , a chapelry in the parish of Winwick, , . He was the son of Thomas Mather, a local or small landholder, and his wife (also recorded as Margarite or Margery), née Abraham or Abram. The family resided in modest circumstances, with Thomas Mather's holdings reflecting the status of a minor gentry or yeomanry lineage in rural , though not affluent enough to avoid financial constraints. Mather's paternal grandfather was John Mather, also of , who represented the family's longstanding roots in the area, tracing back through local records to at least the early . The Mathers were part of the broader Puritan-leaning Protestant community in , where nonconformist sentiments were emerging amid the religious tensions of the late Elizabethan and Jacobean eras, though specific details on Thomas and Margaret's religious affiliations prior to 's ministry remain undocumented in primary sources. Despite their reduced means, the parents prioritized education for Richard, enabling his attendance at a local , which set the foundation for his clerical path.

Education and Initial Religious Influences


Richard Mather attended Winwick Grammar School in during his youth, where his scholarly aptitude led to his appointment as a master at age fifteen. In 1611, local Puritan farmers established a school in Park near and selected Mather to serve as its inaugural master, a position he held for several years while deepening his engagement with the community's nonconformist leanings. Seeking advanced preparation for ministry, Mather entered , on May 9, 1618. However, after only a few months, he departed the university at the urging of Toxteth parishioners to assume preaching duties at the Ancient Chapel there, commencing in November 1618. Yielding to congregational pressure despite his Puritan scruples against episcopal ordination, Mather was ordained—likely as deacon only—by Bishop William Morton of early in 1619. Mather's initial religious formation occurred amid the Puritan ethos of Park, a region known for its resistance to Anglican ceremonies retained from Catholic traditions. As a teenager, he underwent a profound personal conversion typical of Puritan , marked by intense self-examination and assurance of salvation through faith alone. His early immersion in the nonconformist preaching house at Toxteth, built by Puritan sympathizers, reinforced his commitment to scriptural purity over ritualistic forms, shaping his lifelong advocacy for reformed worship.

Early Ministry and Encounters with Persecution

In November 1618, Richard Mather commenced his ministry at the Ancient Chapel of Park, near , responding to the congregation's request amid growing Puritan sentiments in the area. He was ordained, likely as a , early the following year by the Bishop of Chester, despite his reluctance to conform fully to Anglican rites, marking the beginning of a 15-year tenure focused on preaching reformed doctrines emphasizing scriptural purity over ceremonial traditions. Mather's nonconformist stance intensified under the ecclesiastical policies of , who enforced uniformity through the reintroduction of ritualistic elements like the . In August to November 1633, church authorities suspended him for refusing such ceremonies, viewing them as "inventions of men" extraneous to worship. Though briefly restored to preaching, he faced a second suspension in 1634 by visitors dispatched under , , explicitly for declining to wear the during services—a symbol of popish residue in Mather's estimation. These suspensions effectively silenced Mather from public ministry, confining him to private instruction and exacerbating the pressures on nonconformists amid broader Anglican crackdowns that saw dozens of Puritan clergy similarly disciplined. Unable to preach openly and facing potential further reprisals, Mather resolved by early 1635 to seek refuge in , where Puritan settlers could practice without such interference.

Emigration to New England

Motivations for Leaving England

Richard Mather's tenure as vicar of Toxteth Park Chapel in Lancashire, beginning in 1618, was marked by his adherence to Puritan principles, which led to escalating tensions with Anglican authorities enforcing ceremonial uniformity. As a nonconformist, Mather rejected practices such as wearing the surplice and other rituals retained from pre-Reformation traditions, viewing them as incompatible with scriptural worship. These convictions aligned with broader Puritan resistance to the Arminian and high-church policies promoted under King Charles I, particularly after William Laud's appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1633, which intensified suppression of dissent through visitations and suspensions. In August 1633, Mather was suspended from his ministry until November for refusing conformity in ceremonial observances, a decision upheld despite local support for his preaching. Reinstated briefly, he faced a second suspension in 1634 imposed by representatives of Archbishop Richard Neile of , effectively silencing him from public preaching and depriving him of livelihood. Friends urged him to depart to avoid further harassment, as the foreshadowed wider civil unrest and oppression. Silenced and unable to exercise his calling in England without compromising conscience, Mather determined to join the Puritan exodus to , seeking a jurisdiction where reformed worship could flourish unhindered by state-imposed ceremonies. This decision mirrored that of earlier migrants fleeing Laudian , driven by the causal link between nonconformity and professional ruin under the Caroline regime. In June 1635, Mather, his wife Katherine, and their four sons embarked from aboard the James, enduring a stormy two-month voyage to arrive in on August 17.

The Voyage and Arrival in 1635

Richard Mather departed from , , on April 16, 1635, traveling with his wife and their children toward , where they boarded the ship James on May 23 at King Road. The vessel carried over 100 passengers, including other Puritan families seeking refuge in amid . The voyage lasted 12 weeks and 2 days, marked by delays at ports such as Lundy Island for three days and for 12 days before crossing the Atlantic. Passengers endured sea-sickness, shortages of hay and water for , and multiple storms, including a severe on August 3 and another on August 15 that tore sails, lost anchors, and threatened the ship's survival as it approached the coast. The James sailed in with other vessels, such as the Angel Gabriel, which Mather visited twice during the journey; that ship later wrecked off Pemaquid Point during the same tempestuous weather. Mather documented these trials in his journal, attributing their deliverance to , noting the Lord's preservation amid perils that could have ended the expedition. His family included sons and others, such as young , who suffered the hardships alongside him. The James anchored safely in on , 1635, after navigating the gale's fury just days prior. Upon arrival, Mather and his family remained in for several months, joining the local church before relocating to , where his reputation as a had already drawn invitations to minister. This successful passage, despite the Great Colonial Hurricane's onset, exemplified the perils faced by Great Migration settlers and Mather's resolve in establishing Puritan life in the .

Initial Settlement in Dorchester

Richard Mather arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, on August 17, 1635, aboard the ship James after a 12-week voyage from , , that began on May 23, 1635, and covered approximately 3,000 miles with no fatalities among the roughly 100 passengers or . Following his landing, Mather, accompanied by his wife Katherine and their children, proceeded to , a settlement founded in 1630 by migrants from seeking religious freedom. Dorchester's church had been left without a settled minister after ' dismissal earlier that year due to theological disputes, creating a vacancy that Mather initially filled by supplying the pulpit. In August 1636, congregation formally gathered a new church covenant and elected Mather as its , a role emphasizing doctrinal instruction alongside the pastor's practical duties, with his occurring according to Puritan congregational practices involving public . This position marked the beginning of his nearly 33-year tenure leading the church, during which he helped stabilize and expand the community's religious life amid the challenges of frontier settlement, including establishing household governance and mutual support among families. Mather's early months in involved adapting to New England's harsh conditions while integrating into the tight-knit Puritan society, where was prerequisite for full civic participation; he quickly became a central figure, drawing on his prior experience of in to reinforce the colony's commitment to nonconformist worship free from Anglican oversight. His settlement solidified 's role as a key outpost in the , contributing to the migration's goal of building a "" through disciplined communal and ecclesiastical order.

Ministerial Career

Establishment as Pastor in Dorchester

Richard Mather arrived in Boston on August 15, 1635, aboard the ship James after departing , , in June of that year as part of the Puritan Great Migration. He initially settled in , where the local congregation had been significantly depleted by the relocation of many members and early ministers to , in the preceding months. In August 1636, church reorganized by gathering a , prompting the election of Mather as its teacher—a role centered on doctrinal preaching, scriptural exposition, and theological instruction within Congregational . This installation, dated to August 23, 1636, marked his formal establishment as the primary minister, a position he held without interruption until his death on April 22, 1669. As teacher, Mather supplied the regularly, guiding the church through its formative years and emphasizing Puritan amid the challenges of frontier settlement. His tenure solidified as a of congregational , with no recorded assistant ministers sharing preaching duties for decades.

Daily Pastoral Duties and Community Influence

As teacher of the Dorchester church from August 23, 1636, until his death on April 22, 1669, Richard Mather conducted regular preaching duties consisting of two sermons every , supplemented by a fortnightly and occasional additional sermons on specific texts. His expositions covered systematic treatments of biblical books, including Genesis through chapter 38, the entirety of Zechariah, , Matthew's through chapter 26, 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, and 2 Peter, with his final sermon drawn from 2 Timothy 4:6-8. These efforts emphasized plain, zealous instruction aimed at conversion and doctrinal fidelity, contributing to the of congregants in a settlement. Mather's pastoral routine extended beyond the pulpit to include catechizing youth and adults, addressing practical cases of conscience, and administering in line with Congregational principles derived from Reformed authorities such as Thomas Cartwright and William Ames. He authored a outlining core Christian doctrines, which served as a tool for lay instruction and reinforced standards for requiring visible evidence of regeneration. Personal devotion marked his daily life, with extended periods spent in study and , often whole days secluded in his chamber, alongside attendance at lectures in neighboring congregations until age limited his mobility. Through these labors, Mather exerted profound influence on Dorchester's community, fostering a cohesive body governed by a 1639 church covenant he helped draft and upholding strict discipline against moral lapses, which sustained the settlement's Puritan amid hardships. His ministry not only gathered and nurtured the initial church body but also modeled humility, patience, and holiness, earning him recognition as a spiritual patriarch whose preaching converted many and whose guidance extended to advising surrounding churches on polity and practice. This local leadership laid groundwork for enduring Congregational structures, evident in the church's longevity and the ministerial vocations of his descendants.

Leadership in Synods and Church Governance

Richard Mather emerged as a key architect of Congregational church governance in , advocating for independent congregations governed by their own covenants and elders rather than hierarchical presbyteries. His writings and synodal contributions emphasized the autonomy of local churches while permitting advisory councils for resolving disputes, reflecting a rooted in biblical precedents of gathered churches. This approach contrasted with the Presbyterian model favored by some English reformers, prioritizing visible saints' consent in church affairs. In 1643, Mather authored Church-Government and Church-Covenant Discussed in a Debate, a tract defending Congregational principles against Presbyterian critiques, which laid groundwork for later synodal reforms by articulating the covenantal foundation of church authority and the of officers by members. The work argued for synods as consultative bodies without coercive power over congregations, influencing s on order amid growing colonial diversity. Mather's leadership culminated in the Cambridge Synod of 1646–1648, convened by authorities to codify church practices in response to inconsistencies and external pressures from . As one of three ministers—alongside John Cotton and —tasked with drafting a model platform, Mather produced the primary document that the synod adopted on September 4, 1648, known as the Cambridge Platform. This 14-chapter statement delineated church officers, membership requirements, worship forms, and synodal roles, affirming congregational discipline while endorsing the Westminster Confession's doctrines. Through these efforts, Mather helped entrench a system where served advisory functions, such as in the 1662 addressing the , though his direct role there was lesser; his earlier governance model endured, shaping New England's theocratic balance until the colonial charter's revocation. His insistence on rigorous elder oversight and member regeneration ensured churches remained bastions of Puritan orthodoxy against tolerationist encroachments.

Key Contributions to Puritan Institutions

Co-authorship of the Cambridge Platform

The Cambridge Platform of 1648, officially A Platform of Church-Discipline Gathered out of the Word of God, and agreed upon by the Elders and Messengers of the Churches assembled in the Synod at in N.E., established the foundational principles of congregational church governance in colonial , emphasizing independent congregations with mechanisms for mutual counsel and discipline while rejecting both episcopacy and rigid . The document arose from the Cambridge Synod, convened from 1646 to 1648 to address inconsistencies in church practices amid growing settlements, with delegates from , , and New Haven colonies participating in debates over polity. Richard Mather, serving as pastor in Dorchester since 1636, emerged as a principal architect by preparing and submitting a draft known as A Model of Church Government, which drew from earlier Puritan treatises and his experiences in ecclesiastical disputes. Among three competing drafts presented to the synod—including one by Ralph Partridge of Duxbury—Mather's version garnered the strongest support and was adopted in substance following revisions finalized over two and a quarter days of deliberation in September 1648. The final text, comprising 17 chapters, affirmed core Congregational tenets such as the autonomy of visible saints in covenantal churches, officer qualifications, and synodal associations for resolving disputes without hierarchical coercion, reflecting Mather's advocacy for ordered liberty rooted in scriptural exegesis. While Mather's handwriting appears in the preserved original manuscript, the platform's intellectual framework also incorporated contributions from John Cotton of , whose earlier writings on church order influenced its , and other elders like , underscoring a collaborative process amid the synod's broader assembly of about 20 ministers and messengers. Mather's draft notably proposed mechanisms for church associations to enforce discipline, a provision debated but retained to prevent , though it omitted his initial broader stance on baptizing children of non-full members, aligning instead with stricter standards favored by the majority. This co-authored effort codified New England's via media between separatism and presbyterianism, influencing subsequent church manuals until the of 1658.

Involvement in the Bay Psalm Book

Richard Mather served as one of the principal translators of The Whole Booke of Psalmes Faithfully Translated into English Metre, commonly known as the , the first book printed in the British North American colonies. The project arose from Puritan dissatisfaction with prevailing English metrical psalms, such as those by Thomas Sternhold and John Hopkins, which were viewed as deviating from the Hebrew originals in favor of poetic rhythm over literal fidelity. In response, a committee of approximately 30 ministers, including Mather, John Eliot, and Thomas Weld, undertook a new translation directly from Hebrew sources, prioritizing scriptural accuracy for congregational singing during worship services. The were divided among , with Mather responsible for substantial portions: Psalms 18–48, 51–65, 71–77, 86–89, 103–106, 108–110, 118–119 (opening sections), 121–124, 129–130, 133–134, 137–139, and 144–150. His prior study of Hebrew in equipped him for this task, enabling a version intended to supplant imported English psalters and foster self-sufficiency in colonial religious practice. The completed work, printed by Stephen Daye at the press starting in 1639 and issued in , totaled around 300 pages and an initial run of approximately 1,700 copies, though it contained numerous typographical errors stemming from the press's inexperience. The , emphasizing "fidelity rather than ," underscored ' commitment to doctrinal precision over aesthetic appeal. This endeavor reinforced Mather's influence in shaping Puritan , as the became the standard hymnal in churches for over a century, reflecting the colonists' emphasis on unadorned biblical worship. Mather retained personal ownership of at least one copy, which later passed through notable collections. While the translation's metrical irregularities drew criticism for awkward phrasing, its role in establishing independent printing and scriptural interpretation in underscored Mather's contributions to institutional autonomy.

Other Writings and Theological Outputs

Mather produced several treatises defending Puritan congregational principles, notably Church-Government and Church-Covenant Discussed (London, 1643), co-authored with other New England elders in response to thirty queries from English divines on ecclesiastical practices; the work affirmed independent church governance, covenantal membership, and separation from state interference, drawing directly from biblical precedents. Integral to this publication was An Apologie of the Churches in New-England for Church-Covenant (also 1643), which elaborated on the covenant as a voluntary league between believers and God, essential for maintaining doctrinal purity and mutual accountability among congregations, countering Presbyterian critiques of perceived separatism. These texts emphasized first-hand scriptural exegesis over hierarchical traditions, positioning New England churches as models of reformed worship. On sacramental theology, Mather contributed Propositions Concerning the Subject of and Consociation of Churches (c. 1660s, circulated in synodal contexts), compiling arguments from Scripture to uphold for children of visible saints while advocating limited church consociations for resolving disputes without compromising local autonomy; this reflected his role in the 1662 addressing debates, prioritizing covenant continuity over expansive membership. In polemical exchanges, Mather authored A Disputation Concerning Church-Members and Their Children (1657), rebutting Richard Baxter's twenty-one theses that challenged strict visible saint standards; Mather argued for requiring personal profession of faith for adult membership while retaining rights, grounding his position in Old and parallels to preserve discipline. He further defended independency in A Modest and Brotherly Answer to Mr. Herle (1650), critiquing Herle's advocacy for national church uniformity as unbiblical and prone to corruption. Mather's later outputs included pastoral documents like The Covenant and Declaration of Faith of the Second Church of Christ in Dorchester (1660), outlining local church commitments to orthodoxy and moral rigor, and a farewell exhortation upon health decline (c. 1669), urging perseverance in covenant faithfulness amid spiritual declension. These writings, often collaborative yet bearing Mather's distinctive emphasis on covenantal rigor, reinforced Puritan against English conformist pressures, influencing subsequent synods.

Positions on Theological and Social Controversies

Role in the Antinomian Controversy

Richard Mather emerged as a steadfast opponent of the antinomian faction during the theological crisis of 1636–1638, which challenged core Puritan doctrines on grace, , and ministerial authority. As the recently installed of Dorchester's church since February 1636, Mather upheld the orthodox preparationist position, which stressed a preparatory process of conviction of sin and humiliation as prerequisites to receiving , against antinomian claims—championed by and —that salvation came through immediate personal , rendering preparation a form of legalistic "covenant of works." This stance aligned Mather with fellow ministers like Thomas Shepard and John Wilson, who viewed antinomian teachings as undermining ecclesiastical order and promoting enthusiasm over scriptural discipline. Mather played a direct role in the convocation of the Synod of 1637, held at Newtown (present-day ) from August 30 to September 22, where approximately eighty ministers and elders gathered to address the spreading errors. The synod systematically examined doctrinal disputes and condemned eighty-two specific antinomian opinions, including denials of the visible saints' covenant and assertions of infallible revelations superior to Scripture. Mather contributed to the proceedings, with records of the synod's outputs preserved in his handwriting among extant manuscripts, reflecting his commitment to documenting and refuting the heterodox views. The synod's resolutions bolstered civil authorities in prosecuting antinomian sympathizers, leading to Wheelwright's conviction for and banishment on November 9, 1637. Following the synod, Mather supported the ecclesiastical trial and excommunication of on March 18, 1638, after her civil examination revealed continued adherence to antinomian principles, such as direct divine illuminations overriding clerical preaching. In the controversy's aftermath, he helped reaffirm lay participation in edification—such as public —within strict congregational bounds, countering antinomian excesses that elevated lay revelations above ordained ministry. Mather's later defense of ecclesiology in An Apologie of the Churches in New-England (1643) explicitly addressed lingering antinomian critiques, arguing for disciplined church admission based on visible evidence of grace rather than subjective claims. His efforts reinforced the colony's commitment to covenantal , preventing broader and shaping subsequent Puritan governance.

Advocacy for Strict Church Membership Standards

Richard Mather championed strict standards for , insisting that admission be limited to "visible saints" who could demonstrate evidence of personal regeneration through public testimony of their conversion experience. This approach, central to the Way, required candidates to declare the manner and soundness of their conversion, profess in core doctrines, enter a solemn church covenant promising obedience to Christ's rules, and receive congregational approval following examination of their , , and godly conversation. Such requirements distinguished Congregational churches from the established and even some presbyterian models, where alone often sufficed for ongoing membership without adult profession. In his 1643 treatise Church-Government and Church-Covenant Discussed, Mather defended these standards against inquiries from English ministers who questioned the exclusivity of practices. He argued that churches consist solely of believers united by covenant, drawing on scriptural precedents like Acts 9:26–28, where the apostles examined Paul's testimony before admitting him, and emphasized that mere without visible holiness risked admitting hypocrites, as in the cases of (Acts 5). Mather contended that public relation of a work of grace ensured members were "saints by calling," capable of partaking worthily in sacraments like the Lord's Supper, and warned that lax admission would corrupt the church body, likening it to leaven spreading through dough (1 Corinthians 5:6). This work, responding to 32 questions from English clergy, affirmed the church's power to trial candidates under the "rod" of examination ( 20:37) to maintain purity and order. Mather implemented these principles directly in founding the church. On August 23, 1636, after an initial essay toward gathering on failed due to neighboring messengers' dissatisfaction with some candidates' qualifications, the church was constituted through a formal and , admitting only those deemed fit after . This process reflected Mather's broader rationale for emigrating to : to establish "purer" churches free from the corruptions of the , where strict and membership vetting enabled the full enjoyment of God's ordinances. His views influenced the 1648 Cambridge Platform, which he co-authored, codifying that particular churches comprise "saints by calling" whose regeneration must be visibly manifested for admission, with children included in covenant benefits but full privileges tied to personal profession. Later, in the 1657–1662 debates leading to the , Mather supported baptizing children of non-communicant but baptized parents—provided those parents owned the covenant—while upholding strict testimony requirements for full membership, communion, and voting rights, as outlined in his 1659 Concerning Church-Members and Their Children. This position balanced continuity of covenant signs with safeguards against unqualified access to the ordinances, though it drew opposition from stricter separatists who feared any broadening eroded original standards.

Views on Toleration and Church-State Relations

Richard Mather rejected broad religious toleration, viewing it as a threat to the purity of the church and the stability of the commonwealth. In line with New England Puritan principles, he supported the suppression of doctrinal errors and public immorality through civil enforcement, as evidenced by his leadership in synods addressing heresies like Antinomianism, where dissenters faced excommunication and banishment. His writings and influence emphasized that allowing unchecked diversity in belief undermined the covenantal foundation of society, a position echoed in contemporary accounts decrying toleration as a "Trojan Horse" perilously introducing profane elements into the community. Central to Mather's framework for church-state relations was the 1648 Cambridge Platform, which he co-authored with John Cotton to codify Congregational governance amid pressures from English Presbyterians. The Platform delineated a complementary relationship: churches retained in electing officers, admitting members, and administering , explicitly barring civil magistrates from such ecclesiastical functions to prevent Erastian overreach. Yet it affirmed the magistrate's duty to protect orthodox worship by punishing Sabbath profanation, contempt for the ministry, and disturbances to public religion, thereby positioning as an ally in fostering a godly society rather than a neutral overseer. This balance reflected Mather's conviction, drawn from scriptural precedents, that while church power was spiritual and inward, the state's coercive role was essential for external conformity to divine law. Mather's defenses of New England practices, such as in his 1643 Church-Government and Church-Covenant Discussed, further underscored this interdependence, arguing against hierarchical impositions while endorsing civil sanctions against schismatics to preserve communal unity. In practice, under his pastoral tenure in Dorchester from 1636 to 1669, church membership remained a prerequisite for full civic participation, reinforcing that religious fidelity was integral to political order rather than a private matter. These views prioritized empirical maintenance of orthodoxy over abstract liberties, aligning with causal reasoning that societal decay followed from unchecked pluralism.

Family and Personal Relationships

Marriages and Household

Richard Mather married Holt, daughter of Edmund Holt of Bury, , , on 29 September 1624. The couple resided initially in , where Mather served as a and , before his emigration to in 1635 aboard the James with and their four surviving sons at that time. died on 13 June 1655 in Dorchester, Massachusetts, after two decades in the colony supporting Mather's pastoral duties. In 1656, Mather wed Sarah Hankredge (also recorded as Hawkredd or Story), widow of the prominent Puritan minister John Cotton of , thereby forging a significant clerical alliance through shared step-relations, as Cotton's daughter married Mather's son Increase. Sarah, who brought her own children from her prior marriage into the blended household, outlived Mather and died in 1676. Mather's households in both and exemplified Puritan domestic structure, centered on clerical authority and familial piety, with managing early family logistics amid and Sarah contributing to extended networks among New England divines. The parsonage served as a hub for ministerial activities, accommodating growing progeny and occasional boarders typical of colonial homes, though specific inventories remain sparse in records.

Children and Parental Influence

Richard Mather and his first wife, Katherine Holt, whom he married in 1624, had six sons born between 1626 and 1639: (1626–1671), Timothy (c. 1628–1685), Nathaniel (1630–1693), Joseph (1631–1668), (1637–1669), and Increase (1639–1723). Four of these sons—, Timothy, , and Increase—entered the ministry, reflecting the family's deep commitment to Puritan clerical . Mather's second marriage in 1656 to Sarah Story, widow of Rev. William Story, produced no additional children recorded. The youngest son, , born on June 21, 1639, in , , exemplified the family's trajectory by graduating from at age 18 and later serving as its president from 1685 to 1701, while also becoming a leading Puritan minister and author. Increase and four of his brothers followed their father's ministerial path, guiding moral and ecclesiastical affairs in congregations. As a devout Puritan minister who emphasized scriptural and , Richard Mather exerted significant parental influence by modeling rigorous piety and providing early religious instruction to his children, fostering an environment where ministerial service was a familial norm rather than exception. His household, centered in Dorchester's parsonage, prioritized education in Latin, Greek, and , preparing sons like Increase for Harvard and perpetuating a clerical dynasty that spanned generations, with Increase fathering (1663–1728), another influential minister. This legacy stemmed from Mather's conviction in virtuous offspring, evident in his will's provisions for family piety amid evolving practices.

Connections to Other Prominent Puritans

Richard Mather's decision to emigrate to in 1635 was influenced by correspondence from established Puritan ministers John Cotton and , who encouraged him to join the colonial venture amid increasing persecution of nonconformists in . These letters highlighted the opportunities for unhindered Puritan worship in , aligning with Mather's own commitment to congregational church governance. Upon arrival, Mather settled in Dorchester and quickly integrated into the network of clerical leaders, including Cotton in and Hooker, who founded . Mather's personal connections extended through marriage, particularly after the death of his first wife, Katherine Holt, in 1655. In 1656, he wed Sarah Hankredge, the widow of , thereby linking the Mather family directly to the Cotton lineage of Puritan influencers. This marriage not only provided emotional and practical support in his later years but also facilitated deeper ties, as Mather's son Increase later married Cotton's daughter Maria, creating a blended dynastic alliance that amplified their collective theological influence across generations. Among other prominent , Mather maintained collegial relationships with figures like Thomas Shepard of and John Davenport of New Haven, collaborating on efforts to standardize church practices and defend orthodoxy against emerging . Hooker's regard for Mather was particularly noted, with the minister reportedly calling him "a mighty man" in reference to his preaching prowess and steadfastness. These associations underscored Mather's role as a bridging figure in the first-generation Puritan clergy, fostering unity in doctrine and polity despite geographical separations.

Later Years and Death

Health Decline and Continued Activity

In the early 1660s, Richard Mather's eyesight began to deteriorate, with vision failing in one eye around 1662, seven years prior to his death. Despite this impairment, Mather enjoyed sustained physical vigor and robust health well into his seventies, having never consulted a physician for acute illness nor missed a single preaching during over fifty years of ministry at . Mather persisted in his pastoral responsibilities, serving as teacher of the Dorchester church until his final days and contributing to synods and writings. In May 1664, at age 68, he delivered the election sermon before the , demonstrating his ongoing intellectual and rhetorical capacity. This period of resilience underscored his dedication, as contemporaries noted his plain, direct preaching style remained effective amid personal frailties.

Deathbed Concerns and Passing in 1669

In the spring of 1669, Richard Mather suffered a severe illness stemming from a stone, which progressed to uremic and caused him prolonged agony over several days at his Dorchester home. Despite his physical decline, Mather remained spiritually resolute, though he uttered few words to family or visitors during this period, adhering to Puritan traditions of introspective preparation for death through silent covenant renewal and rather than extended discourse. His deathbed reflections centered on the future of congregation, with particular emphasis on safeguarding the spiritual nurture of the younger members amid emerging challenges to Puritan in . Mather explicitly commended the care of the to the church's elders and members, urging vigilance against doctrinal laxity as a final exhortation drawn from his lifelong commitment to ecclesiastical purity. Mather died on April 22, 1669, at age 72 or 73. His son delivered the funeral sermon, highlighting his father's exemplary piety and influence, after which he was interred in Dorchester's North Burying Ground.

Legacy and Historical Assessment

Foundational Impact on Congregationalism

Richard Mather played a pivotal role in articulating and defending the principles of Congregational church polity through his authorship of Church-Government and Church-Covenant Discussed in 1643, a response co-authored with other elders to 32 questions posed by English divines on ecclesiastical organization. This treatise emphasized the autonomy of individual congregations bound by voluntary covenants, rejecting hierarchical presbyterian structures in favor of congregational where members elected officers and exercised collectively. Mather's arguments drew on biblical precedents, such as the early Christian churches described in the , to assert that true church order derived from covenantal consent rather than imposed authority from synods or bishops. As the primary drafter, Mather shaped the Cambridge Platform of Church Discipline, adopted by the Synod of Cambridge in 1648 after sessions from 1646 to 1648, which codified Congregational practices across churches. The platform outlined eight chapters on church formation via covenant, officer election, membership requiring a credible , and mutual watchfulness for discipline, while endorsing the for doctrine but adapting it to independent congregational governance. This document standardized disparate local practices, ensuring uniformity in polity without central control, and served as a foundational text that influenced subsequent Congregational assemblies. Mather's efforts reinforced Congregationalism's emphasis on visible sainthood—restricting full membership and sacraments to those demonstrating regeneration—distinguishing it from broader inclusive models and fostering a disciplined religious society in Massachusetts Bay Colony. By prioritizing covenant theology and congregational discipline over external coercion, his writings and the platform laid enduring groundwork for New England Puritanism's ecclesiastical independence, impacting church orders until the 18th century despite later challenges from revivalism and toleration debates.

Long-term Influence through the Mather Dynasty

Richard Mather's emigration to Massachusetts in 1635 initiated a clerical dynasty that dominated Congregational leadership in New England for nearly a century. Four of his six sons entered the ministry, with Increase Mather (1639–1723) emerging as the most prominent, serving as pastor of Boston's North Church from 1664 and president of Harvard College from 1685 to 1701. This lineage perpetuated Richard's emphasis on covenant theology and church autonomy, as outlined in the Cambridge Platform of 1648, which he co-authored. Increase Mather extended his father's legacy through over 125 publications defending Calvinist orthodoxy and negotiating colonial charters, including the 1691 charter that preserved Congregational influence amid royal shifts. He moderated Puritan practices, such as supporting the for partial church membership and halting excesses in the 1692 via his treatise Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits (1693). His Harvard presidency secured the institution's Puritan governance, fostering education aligned with Congregational principles and amassing a library that supported scholarly defenses of the faith. Cotton Mather (1663–1728), Increase's son, amplified the dynasty's reach with over 400 published works spanning theology, history, and science, entering Harvard at age 11 and graduating in 1678. He integrated empirical observation into Puritan thought, promoting in 1721 based on trials that reduced mortality, thus bridging faith and nascent American science. While initially supporting prosecutions, Cotton later critiqued procedural flaws, contributing to the trials' end. The Mather dynasty's collective output—spanning Richard's foundational , Increase's institutional stewardship, and Cotton's prolific scholarship—entrenched Congregationalism as New England's dominant polity until the 1730s . Their resistance to Anglican impositions and emphasis on educated influenced subsequent generations, laying groundwork for evangelical revivals while preserving Puritan moral and theological frameworks in colonial society.

Balanced Evaluation of Achievements and Criticisms

Richard Mather's primary achievement lay in his instrumental role in codifying Congregational church governance through the Cambridge Platform of 1648, a document he largely authored that delineated principles of congregational autonomy, elder authority, and synodal oversight, thereby providing a stable framework for Puritan churches amid theological disputes. This platform reconciled presbyterian influences from with independent congregational practices, influencing ecclesiastical structure for over a century and enabling the colonies to maintain doctrinal purity without episcopal hierarchy. Additionally, Mather contributed to the (1640), the first book printed in English America, which standardized metrical psalmody and reinforced Reformed worship norms. Critics, however, highlight Mather's defense of strict orthodoxy during the (1636–1638), where as a Dorchester minister he supported the clerical consensus that led to Anne Hutchinson's civil trial, , and banishment for promoting a covenant of grace interpreted as downplaying sanctification and civil order. This stance exemplified the Puritan establishment's intolerance for doctrinal deviation, prioritizing communal cohesion over individual conscience and contributing to a theocratic system that suppressed dissenters, including later , through fines, whippings, and executions—measures Mather implicitly endorsed via his advocacy for ecclesiastical discipline. Such rigidity, while preserving short-term stability, is faulted for fostering an exclusionary society that echoed the Anglican persecutions Mather had fled in 1635, inverting victimhood into enforcement without reciprocal toleration. In historical assessment, Mather's efforts succeeded in transplanting a viable Reformed to the New World, averting the ecclesiastical chaos seen in other colonies, yet the accompanying doctrinal enforcement limited intellectual diversity and sowed seeds for later backlash against Puritan hegemony, as evidenced by the debates he opposed in the 1660s. His legacy thus embodies the trade-offs of confessional communities: empirical endurance through enforced unity versus the causal risks of pluralism in fragile settlements.

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