IV. Prince-Prophecy the Favorite Study of Life

THOMAS PRINCE (1687-1758), Congregationalist clergyman and historian, was born in Sandwich, Massachusetts. In 1709 he was graduated from Harvard, receiving his M.A. degree in 1710, and then for several years studied and traveled in Europe. His learning was widely recognized, and he took courses in law, medicine, and theology. He preached occasionally for a time in England, principally in Suffolk. In 1717 he returned to Boston, was ordained in 1718, and became pastor of the Old South Church in Boston. Prince conceived the plan of a New England Library, and starting in 1703, amassed one of the finest private libraries of colonial times-books and manuscripts on the history of New England and its divines. His collection was partly destroyed and otherwise dispersed at the occupation of Boston by the British (1755-56), but the remainder (1,899 volumes) is now in the Boston Public Library. ^{26Carl L. Cannon, American Book Collectors and Collecting From Colonial Times to the Present, pp. 1-12. Examination of the titles in the 159-page Prince Library Catalog of the Boston Public Library discloses many works on prophecy, a dozen on earthquakes, numerous items on the second advent of Christ, and some on ancient history. Such familiar names as Goodwin, Brightman, Mede, More, and Whitby appear.} (Portrait appears on page 144.)PFF3 171.4

He was the author of several printed sermons. His Earth quakes the Works of God & Tokens of His Just Displeasure (1727) supplanted an earlier volume. Prince was an ardent champion of Whitefield’s evangelism, and made prophecy the Favorite study of his life. ^{27See Joshua Spalding, Sentiments, Concerning the Coming and Kingdom of Christ, Appendix, p. 260.} In his preface to the Life of Cotton Mather he speaks forth his interest in prophecy, and his anxiety that other ministers, like Mather, should aid in preparing the world for the glorious second advent. ^{28Thomas Prince, Preface, p. 6, Samuel Mather, The Life of Cotton Mather.}PFF3 172.1

In his Six Sermons (1785), on the basis of Matthew 24:14, Prince tells of the gospel light to illuminate the earth in the last days, and then the conflagration and the glorious eternal state with no longer a devil to tempt after the resurrection of the saints. ^{29Ibid., Six Sermons, p. 28.} He looked upon Gog and Magog as the wicked raised at the close of the thousand years, whom the devils will inflame to rage against the saints a little season. ^{30Joshua Spalding, op. cit., p. 260. In this he declared his agreement with the contemporary English John Gill (1697-1771).}PFF3 172.2