The tendency to weaken the force of the discipline is obvious,
yet they were led to abandon the safe Biblical precedent, not only by
their own early associations, but by their hatred of anything savoring of
Catholicism.
Men to be great leaders must exalt their cause above themselves; and if so
godly a man as the Rev. Increase Mather can be said to have had a human
failing it was an inordinate love of money and of flattery. The first of
these peculiarities showed itself early in life when, as his son says, he
was reluctant to settle at the North Church, because of "views he had of
greater service elsewhere." [Footnote: _Parentator_, p. 25.] In other
words, the parish was not liberal; for it seems "the deacons ... were not
spirited like some that have succeeded them; and the leaders of the more
honest people also, were men of a low, mean, sordid spirit.... For one of
his education, and erudition, and gentlemanly spirit, and conversation, to
be so creepled and kept in such a depressing poverty!--In these
distresses, it was to little purpose for him to make his complaint unto
man! If he had, it would have been basely improved unto his disadvantage."
[Footnote: _Idem_, p. 30.] His diary teemed with repinings. "Oh! that
the Lord Jesus, who hears my complaints before him, would either give an
heart to my people to look after my comfortable subsistance among them, or
.
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