While a tutor, he prepared himself for the ministry, and before his father's death he had preached several times. He was invited, probably in the autumn of 1654, to settle at Malden, as the successor of Rev. Marmaduke Matthews, but owing to long-continued sickness was not ordained there till 1656. The precise date of his ordination is not known, but it must have been subsequent to August 25, 1656, for his letter of dismission from the church at Cambridge bears that date. This letter, addressing the "Church of Christ at Maldon," states that "the good hand of Divine Providence hath so disposed that our beloved and highly esteemed brother, Mr. Wigglesworth, hath his residence and is employed in the good work of yᵉ Lord amongst you, and hath cause to desire of us Letters Dismissive to your church, in order to his joining as a member with you."
The ill health which had delayed his ordination at Malden returned soon after his settlement there, and interrupted his ministry several years. He took a voyage to Bermuda, sailing Sept. 23, 1663, and being absent about seven months and a half. But the tedious and stormy voyage seems to have impaired his health so much that the change of climate afforded him little relief, and he returned much discouraged. He met with a very cordial welcome from his friends and parishioners.
While he was thus withheld from his ministry, he employed his time in literary labors. His Day of Doom was published about 1662, the year before his voyage to Bermuda. The first edition consisting of 1,800 copies, was sold, with some profit to the author, within a year, which considering the population and wealth of New England at that time, shows almost as remarkable a popularity as that of Uncle Tom's Cabin.
While absent on his voyage in search of health, Dec. 9, 1663, Rev. Benjamin Bunker was ordained pastor of the church at Malden. It seems that a distinction was observed at this time in New England between pastor and teacher. Wigglesworth calls Bunker "pastor" in some verses composed on his death, while on the title-page of this work he calls himself "teacher." After Wigglesworth became sole minister, he was probably considered the pastor. Bunker held this office over six years, till his death, Feb. 3, 1669-70. In the elegy on the death of his colleague, Wigglesworth highly extols Bunker's piety and usefulness. The next colleague of our author was Rev. Benjamin Blackman, settled about 1674. He supplied the desk four years and upward, and left in the year 1679. His next colleague was Rev. Thomas Cheever, son of his early teacher, the celebrated New England schoolmaster, Ezekiel Cheever, author of Latin Accidence. These three ministers were all educated at Harvard College, Bunker having graduated in 1658, Blackman in 1663, and Cheever in 1677. Mr. Cheever began to preach at Malden Feb. 14, 1679-80, was ordained July 27, 1681, and was dismissed May 20, 1686.
Wigglesworth, though long prevented by sickness from officiating, never resigned his ministerial charge, as appears from a letter which he addressed to Samuel Sprague, July 22, 1687. He was now left alone as minister of the church. He had, however, recovered his health in a measure about this time, which had suffered for nearly twenty years, and for the remainder of his life he continued in public usefulness.
He died on Sunday morning, June 10, 1705, in the 74th year of his age. The epitaph on the last page of this work is believed to have been written by Cotton Mather, as it appears in the appendix to his funeral sermon as by "one that had been gratified by his Meat out of the Eater and Day of Doom."
Mr. Wigglesworth had at least three wives: Mary, daughter of Humphrey Reyner, of Rowley; Martha, whose maiden name was probably Mudge; and Sybil, widow of Dr. Jonathan Avery, of Dedham, and daughter of Nathaniel Sparhawk, of Cambridge.
By his first wife he had (1) Mercy, b. Feb., 1655-6; m. 1st, [Samuel?] Brackenbury, by whom she had at least one son, William; m. 2d, [Rev. Samuel?] Belcher.
By his second wife, Martha, who d. 11th Sept., 1690, a. 28, he had:—(2) Abigail, b. 20th March, 1681; m. Samuel Tappan, 23d Dec., 1700;—(3) Mary, b. 21st Sept., 1682; unm. in 1708;—(4) Martha, b. 21st Dec., 1683; m. —— Wheeler;—(5) Esther, b. 16th April, 1685; m. 1st, John Sewall, June 8, 1708, who d. 1711; m. 2d, Abraham Tappan, Oct. 21, 1713;—(6) Dorothy, b. 22d Feb., 1687-88; m. 2d June, 1709, James Upham;—(7) Rev. Samuel, b. 4th Feb., 1689-90, d. 3d Sept., 1768.
By his third wife, Sybil, who d. 6th Aug., 1708, a. 53, he had:—(8) Prof. Edward, D.D., b. about 1692, d. Jan. 16, 1765.