Magnalia Christi Americana

Cotton Mather's tremendous work Magnalia Christi Americana: The Ecclesiastical History of New-England was published in 1702. Separated into seven parts, the Magnalia's topics range from "wonderful providences" to Indian wars to the university at Cambridge, and, perhaps most famously, biographies of governors and pastors.  I read the Life of John Winthrop, entitled Nehemias Americanus, and found it a helpful transition because of its links to the ideas I've already studied.

In the sermons, I had noted the generational split that resulted in sermons like Danforth's Errand, reminding the lukewarm children of original settlers of their calling and covenant.  Magnalia serves the same function as those sermons.  Through a different medium, it exhorts the second generation Puritans to live virtuously and "godlily" (Increase Mather's term, I believe) to fulfil the errand for which great men of the first generation labored.  "Let posterity consider with admiration," Mather writes. 

Mather wants his readers to not only admire, but copy Winthrop.  Bercovitch classes the John Winthrop piece in the genre of "exemplary biography," that is, the featured individual is an example for readers to follow in their own lives.  It has elements of hagiography as well--saintly Winthrop is the ideal Christian leader. "The wisdom, courage, and holy zeal of his life were an example well worthy to be copied by all that shall succeed in government."  Winthrop certainly led by example.  He lived out the generosity described in his famous sermon--he was, himself, a living "model of Christian charity," giving to the poor, even seeking out needy people to help. 

The "you" of the sermons is only implied, but just as present, as if he were writing: "You, my reader, are the posterity. You are the heir of this great man, and to you he has entrusted the continuance of his life work. Be like him, therefore, in virtue, faith, humility, and charity, and New-England will continue to be great."  A call to self-examination is also implied.  Readers are to compare themselves against Winthrop, who is presented above all as a ruler who governed himself.  When he recounts Winthrop's death, Mather exalts Winthrop's "overcoming of himself" above all the other triumphs of his life.