Michael Wigglesworth
Michael Wigglesworth was a notable seventeenth-century pastor, physician, and poet, born in England in 1631. He emigrated to the American colonies with his family in 1638, eventually settling in New Haven, Connecticut. After receiving a robust early education from a private tutor, Wigglesworth briefly interrupted his studies to care for his ill father, later enrolling at Harvard College, where he earned his M.A. in 1652. He began his preaching career in Boston and was ordained in Malden, Massachusetts, in 1656. Unfortunately, he faced a chronic illness that limited his ability to preach, leading him to turn to writing to minister to his congregation. His most famous work, "The Day of Doom," published in 1662, became a significant text for New England children, emphasizing Puritan doctrines. After years of suffering, Wigglesworth experienced a remarkable recovery in 1685, allowing him to return to active ministry and marry Martha Mudge, with whom he had six children. He continued to write and preach vigorously until his death in 1705 at the age of seventy-three.
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Michael Wigglesworth
Poet
- Born: October 18, 1631
- Birthplace: Probably Yorkshire, England
- Died: June 10, 1705
- Place of death: Malen, Massachusetts
Biography
Michael Wigglesworth, a seventeenth century pastor, physician, and poet, was born in England in 1631. His parents, Edward and Esther Wigglesworth, left Yorkshire, England, and moved the family to the American colonies in 1638, eventually settling in New Haven, Connecticut. Wigglesworth received most of his early education from a private tutor named Ezekiel Cheever. Under Cheever’s instruction, Wigglesworth excelled in literature and began writing compositions.
At the age of nine, Wigglesworth put his education on hold in order to care for his ill father. He resumed his education five years later and within three years was able to enroll at Harvard College. In 1652, he earned his M.A. degree from Harvard. After receiving his degree, Wigglesworth remained at Harvard College as a fellow lecturer and tutor.
In 1653, Wigglesworth began to occasionally preach in the Boston area. His reputation as a preacher spread, and in 1655 he was invited to minister in Malden, Massachusetts, where he was ordained a minister in 1656. After serving at the Malden church for one year, Wigglesworth was stricken with a painful chronic disease. Due to this debilitating illness, he shared his congregational duties with his colleagues Benjamin Bunker, Benjamin Blackman, and Thomas Cheever.
After several years spent suffering with pain, Wigglesworth sailed to Bermuda in search of a cure. There, he became interested in medicine and studied to become a physician. Failing to find a cure in Bermuda, Wigglesworth returned to Malden. Still too impaired from his illness to preach, he turned to writing as a method of ministering the gospel to his congregants.
At this time, Wigglesworth composed his most noted work, The Day of Doom: Or, A Description of the Great and Last Judgment, with a Short Discourse About Eternity (1662). He wrote the poem in order to help New Englanders remember the Puritans’ doctrines. The Day of Doom sold more than 1,800 copies during its first year of publication and became required reading for New England children. Wigglesworth was also noted for his poem Meat Out of the Eater: Or, Meditations Concerning the Necessity, End, and Usefulness of Afflictions unto God’s Children. . . (1670). This introspective work served as a guide for Christians enduring pain and suffering.
In 1685, Wigglesworth’s life underwent a drastic change when, after thirty years of frailty and illness, his health suddenly improved. His recovery enabled him to return to the pulpit and resume full responsibility of the Malden congregation. He also married Martha Mudge, who was twenty-five years his junior, and began a family, which eventually included six children. For the remainder of his life, Wigglesworth sustained good health and maintained an incredible level of energy. He continued to preach three to four times a week while maintaining a medical practice. Wigglesworth also returned to writing, creating numerous works that reflected his devotion to the Puritan faith. Wigglesworth died in Malden, Massachusetts, in 1705, at the age of seventy-three.