298 Eulogy on President Leverett

    [ca. May 6 1724]

    By the Divine Patience and Goodness the Colledg yet subsists and continues for the propagation of good Literature the advancement of the Honour of God and the benifit of the Church of Christ which he has in a wonderful manner planted in this wilderness. It was a great favour of Christ to our fathers and more especially to their posterity that he put it into their hearts to erect a Society for the institution of Youth in the Liberal88 Arts and Learned Languages otherwise this Land before this time had been in darkness perishing for Lack of Vision and these golden candlesticks which Christ walketh and dwelleth in had been without Lights and Nothing had been left us of that for which our fathers left there pleasenter habitations and better worldly accommodations.

    This College since I have known it and in poor measure served the interests of the Kingdom of Christ in it has been often tossed like ships with the Waves and Tempests of Providence but God by the [ministration?] of [2] his Hoyly Angels the winged Ministers of his strength and pleasure has held it up unto this day as they they did the Ark in the Deluge of the old world. Its dangers and difficultys have been such sometimes that our hearts have even failed us and fainted like the heart of Eli for the Ark of God. The Almighty God has always appeared in the articles of distress and hitherto he has helped us so that at this day by his favour we are what we are and the strong and steady hand of his providence hold us up.

    How many burning and shining Lights in these Churches have received their first inflammations within these walls. The spirit of God began with them here and they sucked in the Holy influence togather with the milk of arts and science and became angels of the Churches for sanctity and knowledge which Christ held in his right hand while upon earth now in heaven they are about his Throne singing the song of the Lamb.

    You Fathers where are they and the former prophets Mitchel Shepherd Oakes Mather Willard Wigglesworth Danforth Leveret Brattle Pemberton [3] who were sons of this House and its fellows its glory and its safety under God its pillars of support in the days of their prophecy which are finished as to some long since as to others more lately. The survivors reap the services of their cares counsels and prayers because their God and the same divine providence stil remaines to take care of us and preside over the affairs and interests of this House.

    That same Divine Providence in whose power and under whose Dominion the being interests concerns affairs of this House are hath lately involved it in a very dark and sable cloud by removing from our head our very reverend and worthy Master and President Mr. John L[everett] who for so many years had served the interests of Learning and religion here a man of uncommon Natural Endowments and no less extraordinary in his acquirements both of vertue and learning.

    This worthy man seemed designed by God from his Youth for the service of the Church and Commonwealth. Unto each he Naturally devoted himself his powers capacitys and Talents and in various posts of honour and service has been the Ornament and Minister of his Country which is much endebted to him on account89 of its Civil and Sacred interests and concerns, for he was unwearyed in his designs and contrivances in his Labours and Endeavours to promote [4] the prosperity safety and welfare of the Country the Church and the College.

    The College he served many years as a Tutor with great application and to very good success and has many Children who rise up at the mention of his Name and call him Blessed. Many Years also he was the head and glory of the College in the Honourable Station of President for which office he was excellently qualifyed and which he executed with great honour to himself and this society and fidelity to God and those under his inspection. He was a person of a truly generous Love, his principles of religion were sound and orthodox not narrow and contracted but such as comprehended and embraced all the true worshipers of Jesus Christ in the arms of an unfeined Charity. The two great Commands of the moral Law which enjoyn sincere love to God and our Neighbour he was an eminent and shining example of.

    Upon all occasions he shewed himself a freind to vertue and an enemy to vice, in a word he was a Schollar a Gentleman a freind and patron.

    [5] He grew weary of the world before he left it and is gone to the peace of rest which remaineth for the servants of God. Blessed are the dead which dy in the Lord for they rest from their labours &c. His Death was suddain and though not less happy for himself yet an awful stroak of providence upon his relations and Freinds and in particular on this Society. Let us all follow him as he followed Christ with the same Dilligence Charity Fidelity and Devotion and all shal come to be where he is not in the Bosom of Abraham but of Jesus Christ who is our Life who when he shal appear we shal also appear with him in Glory.

    [Endorsed:] Eulogy on Harvard College and President Leverett.

    College Papers, 1. 69 (Nos. 145–146). In Tutor Flynt’s handwriting. There were a number of tributes to President Leverett. Tutor Welsteed gave a Latin oration at the funeral on May 6; three ministers, Appleton, Colman, and Wadsworth later preached sermons on the event. If this is Flynt’s own work, it is not known when it was prepared or if it was delivered.