Johannes in eremo. Memoirs, relating to the lives, of the ever-memorable, Mr. John Cotton, who dyed, 23.d. 10.m. 1652. Mr. John Norton, who dyed, 5.d. 2.m. 1663. Mr. John Wilson, who dyed, 7.d. 6.m. 1667. Mr. John Davenport, who dyed, 15.d. 1.m. 1670. Reverend and renowned ministers of the Gospel, all, in the more immediate service of one church, in Boston; and Mr. Thomas Hooker, who dyed, 7.d. 5.m. 1647. Pastor of the church at Hartford; New-England. / Written, by Cotton Mather. ; [Three lines of Latin quotation]

COTTONUS Redivivus.

OR, THE LIFE OF Mr. JOHN COTTON.

§. 1. WERE I Master of the Pen, wherewith Palladius em|balmed his Chrysostom, the Greek Patriark, or Posid••nius Eternized his Austin, the Latin Oracle, among the Ancients; Or, were I Owner of the Quil, where|with among the Moderns, Beza celebrated his Immortal Calvin, or Fabius Immortalized his Ve|nerable Beza; the Merits of John Cotton would oblige me to Employ it, in the Embalm|ing his Famous Memory. If Boston be the chief ••eat of New England, it was Cotton that was the

Father and Glory of Boston: Upon which account it becomes a piece of pure Justice, that the Life of Him, who above all men gave Life to his Country, should bear no little Figure in its intend|ed History; and indeed it any Person in this Town or Land, had the Blessedness, which the Roman Historian, long since pronounced Such, even, To do Things worthy to be Writ, and to Write Things worthy to be Read, it was He; who now claims a Room in our Pages. If it were a Com|parison sometimes made of the Reformers, Pome|ranus was a Grammarian, Just••s Jonas was an Orator, Melancth••n was a Logician, but Luther was All: even that Proportion, it may without Envy be acknowledged that Cotton bore to the Rest of our New English Divines; He that, whil'st he was Living had this Virtue Extraordinarily Conspicuous in him, That it was his delight always, to acknowledge the Gifts of God, in other men, must now he is Dead, have other men acknowledge of him, what Erasmus do's of Jerom, In boc uno con|junctum fuit et Eximium, quicquid in al••is partim ad|miramur.

§. 2. There was a good Heraldry in that speech of the Noble Romanus, It is not the Blood of my Progenitors, but my Christian Profession that makes me Noble. But our John Cotton, besides the Advantage of his Christian Profession, had a Descent from Honourable Progenitors, to render him dou|bly Honourable. His Immediate Proginitors being

by some Injustice, Deprived of Great Revenues, his Father Mr. Roland Cotton, had the Education of a Lawyer bestowed by his Friends upon him, in hopes of his being the better capacitated there|by to Recover the Estate, whereof his Family had been wronged; and so the Profession of a Lawyer, was that unto which this Gentleman ap|plied himself all his Dayes. But our John Cotton, in this Happier than Austin, whose Fa|ther was carefuller to make an Orator than a Christian of him, while his Gracious Mother was making him on greater Accounts, A Son of her ma|ny Tears, had a very pious Father in this worthy, Lawyer, as well as a pious Mother, to Interest him in the Covenant of God. That worthy man was indeed very singular in two most Imitable Practices. One was, that when any of his Neigh|bours desirous to Sue▪ one another, addressed him for Counsel, it was his manner, in the most per|swasive and obliging terms that could be, to En|deavour a Reconciliation between both parties; pre|ferring the Consolations of a Peace-maker, before all the Fees, that he might have got by Blowing up of Differences. Another was, that every Night, it was his Custome to Examine Himself, with Re|flections on the Transactions of the Day past; wherein, if he found, that he had not either, Done good unto others, or Got good unto his own Soul, he would be as much grieved as ever the Famous Titus was, when he could complain in

the Evening, Amici Diem Perdidi! Of such Pa|rents was Mr. John Cotton born, at the Town of Derby, on the Fourth of December; in the year 1585.

§. 3. The Religious Parents of Mr. Cotton, were Solicitous to have him indued with a Learn|ed, as well as a Pious Education; and being nei|ther so Rich, that the Mater Artis, could have no Room to do her part, nor so Poor that the Res Augusta D••mi, should clog his Progress, they were well fitted thereby, to bestow such an E|ducation upon him. His first Instruction was under a Good School-Master, one Mr. Johnson, in the Town of Derby: whereon the Intellectu|al Endowments of all sorts, with which the God of our Spirits, adorned him, so discovered themselves, that at the Age of Thirteen, his Pro|ficiency procured him Admission into Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge. Indeed the Proverb, Soon Ripe, Soon Rotten, has often been too Hastily ap|plyed unto Rathe-ripe Wits, in young People; not only O••••••mpadius and M••••ancihon, who Com|menced Batchelours of Arts, at Fourteen years of Age, and Luther, who Commenced Master of Arts at Twenty; but also our Dr. Juel sent unto Oxford, our Dr. Usher sent unto Dublin, and our Mr. Cotton sent unto Cambridge, all at the Age of Thirteen, do put in a Barr to the Universal Ap|plication, of that Proverb. While Mr. Cotton was at the University, his Diligent Head, with Gods

Blessing, made him a Rich Scholar; and his Ge|nerous mind found no little Nourishment by that Labour, which like the Sage Philosopher, he found Sweeter than any Idleness: insomuch that his being Elected Fellow of Trinity Colledge, as the Reward of his Quick-Proficiency, was Diverted by no|thing but this, that the Extraordinary Charges for their Great Hall then in Building, did put by their Election. And there was this Remarkable in the Education of this Chosen Vessel, at the Univer|sity: That while he continued there, his Father's Practice was, by the special Providence of God, augmented so much beyond what it had been before, as was enough to mentain him there: Up|on which Observation Mr. Cotton afterwards would say, 'Twas God that kept me at the Univer|sity! Indeed some have said, That the Great Notice quickly taken of the Eminency in the Son, was one Reason, why his Father, not only came to be complemented on all sides, and Omnes Om|nia Bona dicere, & laudare Fortunas ejus, qui Filium haberet Tali Ingenio praeditum, but also had his Clients more than a little multiplied.

§. 4. Upon the Desires of Emanuel-Colledge, Mr. Cotton was not only Removed unto that Col|ledge, but also Preferred unto a Fellowship in it; in order whereunto, he did according to the Cri|tical and Laudable Statutes of the House, go through a very severe Examen of his Fitness for

such a Station; wherein 'twas particularly Re|marked, that the Poser trying his Hebrew-skill by the Third Chapter of Isaiah, a Chapter which, containing more Hard Words, than any one Pa|ragraph of the Bible, might therefore have puz|zled a very good Hebrician, yet he made nothing of it. He was afterwards, the Head Lecturer, the Dean, the Catechist, in that Famous Colledge; and became a Tutor to many Scholars, who after|wards proved Famous Persons, and had cause to Bless God, for the Faithful, and Ingenious and Laborious Communicativeness of this their Tutor. Here, all his Academical Exercises, whether in Disputations or in Common-places, or whatever else, did so smell of the, Lamp, that the Wit, the Strength, the Gravity, and the Fulness, both of Reason and of Reading in them, caused him to be much Admired by the Sparkling Wits of the University. But One thing among the Rest, which caused a Great Notice to be taken of him, throughout the whole University, was his Funeral Oration upon Dr. Some, the Master of Peter House, wherein he approved himself such a Master of Periclaean, or Ciceronian Oratory, that the Auditors were even ready to have Acclamed, Now Vox Ho|minem Sonat! And that which added unto the Reputation, thus Raised for him, was, an Univer|sity-Sermon, wherein Aiming more to Preach Self, than Christ, he used such Florid Strains, as extreme|ly Recommended him, unto the most, who Relished

the Wisdom of words above the Words of Wis|dom: though the Pompous Eloquence of that Sermon, afterwards gave such a Distast unto his own Renewed Soul, that with a Sacred Indignation he threw his Notes into the Fire.

§. 5. Hitherto we have seen the Life of Mr.Cotton, while he was not yet Alive! Though the Restraining and Preventing Grace of God, had kept him from such Out-breakings of Sin, as Defile the Lives of most in the World, yet like the Old man, who for such a cause ordered this Epitaph to he Written on his Grave, Here lyes an Old Man, who lived but Seven years, he Reckoned himself to have been but a Dead Man, as being Alienated from the Life of God, until he had Expe|rienced that Regeneration, in his own Soul, which was thus Accomplished. The Holy Spirit of God had been at work upon his Young Heart, by the Ministry of that Reverend and Renowned Preacher of Righteousness, Mr. Perkins; but he Re|sisted and Smothered those Convictions, through a vain Perswasion, that if he became a Godly Man 'twould spoil him for being a Learned One. Yea such was the Secret Enmity and Prejudice of a•• Unregenerate Soul, against Real Holiness, and such the Torment, which our Lords Witnesses give t•• the Consciences of the Earthly-minded, that whe•• he heard the Bell toll for the Funeral of M•••• Perkins, his mind secretly rejoyced in his Delive••••|ance,

from that Powerful Ministry, by which his Conscience had been so oft Beleagured: The Remembrance of which thing afterwards, did break his Heart Exceedingly! But he was, at length, more effectually awakened, by a Sermon o•• Dr. Sibs, wherein was Discoursed the Misery of those, who had only a Negative Righteousness, or a Civil, Sober, Honest Blamlesness before men. Mr▪ Cotton became now very sensible of his own Miserable Condition before God; and the Ar|rows of these Convictions, did stick so fast up|on him, that after no less than Three years Dis|consolate Apprehensions under them, the Grace of God made him a throughly Renewed Christian, and filled him with a Sacred Joy, which Accom|panied him, until he went unto the Fulness of Joy for ever. For this cause, as Persons truly Converted unto God have a mighty and lasting Affection for the Instruments of their Conversi|on; thus Mr. Cottons Veneration for Dr. Sibs, was after this very particular and perpetual; and it caused him to have the Picture of that Great Man, in that part of his house, where he ••ight oftenest Look upon it. But so the Yoke ••f sore Temptations and Afflictons and long Spi|ritual Trials, fitted him, to be an Eminently Use|••••l Servant of God in his Generation!

§. 6. Some time after this Change upon the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Mr. Cotton, it came unto his turn again to

Preach at St. Maries; and because he was to Preach, an High Expectation was Raised, through the whole University, that they should have a Ser|mon, flourishing indeed, with all the Learning of the whole University. Many Difficulties had Mr▪ Cotton in his own Mind now, what Course to steer. On the one side▪ he considered, That if he should Preach with a Scriptural and Christian Plainness, he should not only wound his own Fame exceedingly, but also Tempt Carnal men to Revive an Old Cavil, That Religion made Schol|ars turn Dunces, whereby the Name of God might suffer not a little. On the other side, he consi|dered, That it was his Duty to Preach with such a Plainness, as became the Oracles of God, which are intended for the Conduct of men in the Pathes of Life, and not for Theatrical Ostentations and Entertainments, and the Lord needed not any Sin of ours to mentain His own Glory. Hereupon Mr. Cotton Resolved that he would Preach a Plain Sermon, even such a Sermon, as, in his own Conscience, he thought would be most pleasing unto the Lord Jesus Christ; And he dis|coursed Practically and Powerfully, but very so|lidly upon the Plain Doctrine of Repentance. The Vain Wits of the University, Disappointed thus, with a more Excellent Sermon, that shot some Troublesome Admonitions into their Conscien|ces, discovered their Vexation at this Disappoint|ment, by their not Humming, as according to

their sinful and absurd Custome, they had for|merly done; and the Vice-Chancellor for the very same Reason also, Graced him not, as he did o|thers, that pleased him. Nevertheless, the satis|faction, which he enjoyed in his own Faithful Soul, abundantly compensated unto him, the Lo•••• of any Humane Favour or Honour; nor did he go without many Encouragements from so•••• Doctors, then having a Better Sense of Religion upon them, who Prayed him to persevere in the Good way of Preaching, which he had now taken▪ But Perhaps the Greatest Consolation of all, was a Notable Effect of the Sermon then Preached The Famous Dr. Preston, then a Fellow of Queen's Colledge in Cambridge, and of Great Note in the University, came to hear Mr. Cotton with the same Itching Ears, as others were then led withal. For some good while after the beginning of the Sermon, his Frustrated Expectation caused him to manifest his Uneasiness all the ways that were then possible; but before the Sermon was end|ed, like one of Peter's Hearers, he found himself Pierced at the Heart▪ His Heart within him wa•• now struck with such Resentments of his ow•• Interiour state before the God of Heaven, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 could have no Peace in his own Soul, till with Wounded Soul, he had Repaired unto Mr. Cotton from whom he received those Further Assistances wherein he became a Spiritual Father, unto one of the Greatest men in his Age.

§. 7. The Well-disposed People of Boston in Lincolnshire, after this, Invited Mr. Cotton, to be|come their Minister; with which Invitation, out of a Sincere and Serious Desire to Serve our Lord in His Gospel, after the Solemnest Addres|ses to Heaven for Guidance in such a Solemn Affair, he complied. At this Time, the Mayor of the Town, with a more Corrupt Partie, hav|ing procured another Scholar from Cambridge, more agreeable to them, would needs have him to Preach before Mr. Cotton: but the Church-Warden pretending to more of Influence, upon their Ecclesiastical matters, over-ruled it. How|ever when the matter came to a Vote, amongst those to whom the Right of Election did by Charter belong, there was an Equi-Vote for Mr. Cotton, and that other Person; Only the Mayor, who had the Casting-Vote, by a strange Mistake pricked for Mr. Cotton. When the Mayor saw his Mistake, a New-Vote was urged and granted; wherein it again proved an Equi-Vote; but the Mayor most unaccountably mis|tooke again, as he did before. Extremely Dis|pleas'd here at, he pressed for a Third Vote; but the Rest would not Consent unto it; and so the Election fell upon Mr. Cotton, by the Involuntary Cast of that very Hand, which had most oppos|ed it. This Obstruction to the Settlement of Mr. Cotton in Boston, being thus Conquered, ano|ther follow'd; For the Bishop of the Diocess,

having understood that Mr. Cotton was infected with Puritanism, set himself immediatly to Dis|courage his being there; only he could Object nothing but, That Mr. Cotton, being a Young man, he was not so fit upon that Score, to be over such a Numerous and such a Factious People. And Mr. Cotton, having Learned no otherwise to value himself, than to Concur with the Apprehensions of the Bishop; intended, therefore, to Return unto Cambridge: But some of his Friends, against his Inclination, knowing the True way of doing it; soon charmed the Bishop, into a Declared O|pinion; that Mr. Cotton was an Honest, and a Learned Man. Thus the Admission of Mr. Cotton unto the Exercise of his Ministry in Boston, was Accomplished.

§. 8. Mr. Cotton found the more Peaceable Reception among the People, through his own want of Internal Peace; and because his continu|al Exercises, from his Internal Temptations and Afflictions, made all People see, that instead o•• Serving this or that Party, his chief care was a|bout the Salvation of his Own Soul. But the Stirs, which had been made in the Town, b•• the Arminian Controversies, then Raging, put him upon Further Exercises; whereof he has him|self given us a Narrative in the Ensuing Words

When I was first called to Boston in Lincolnshire•• so it was, that Mr. Dr. Baron, Son of Dr. Baron, (the Divinity Reader of Cambridge) first broach|ed,

that which was, then, called Lutheranism; since Arminianism: as being indeed himself, Learned, Acute, Plausible in Discourse, and fit to Insinuate into the Hearts of his Neighbours. And though he were a Physitian by Profession (and of a good skill in that Art) yet he spent the greatest Strength of his Studies, in clearing and promoting the Arminian Tenents. Whence it came to pass, that in all the great Feasts of the Town, the chiefest-Discourse at the Table, did ordinarily fall upon Arminian Points, to the Great Offence of Godly Ministers, both in Boston, and Neighbour-Towns. I coming a|mong them, a Young man, thought it a part both of Modesty and Prudence, not to speak much to the Points, at first, among Strangers and Antients: Untill afterwards, after hearing of many Discourses, in Publick Meetings, and much Private Discourse with the Doctor, I had Learned at length, where all the great Strength of the Doctor ••ay. And then Observing (by the Strength of Christ) how to avoid such Ex|pressions, as gave him any Advantage, in the Ex|pressions of Others, I began Publickly to Preach and in Private Meetings to Defend, the Doctrine of Gods Eternal Election, before All Fore-sight of Good or Evil, in the Creature; and the Redemp|tion (ex gratia) only of the Elect; the Effectu|al Vocation of a sinner, Per ••rresist••bilem Gratiae Vim, without all Respect of the Preparations of

Free-Will; and Finally, the Impossibility of the Fall of a Sincere Believer, either Totally or Fi|nally from a Sate of Grace. Hereupon, when the Doctor had Objected many Things; and heard my Answers to those Scruples, which he was wont most plausibly to urge; presently af|ter, our Publick Feasts, and Neighbourly Meet|ings were Silent, from all further Debates about Predestination, or any of the Points, which de|pend thereupon, and all matters of Religion were carried on Calmly and Peaceably.

About half a year after Mr. Cotton had been at Boston, thus usefully employ'd, he visited Cambridge, that he might then and there proceed Batchelour of Divinity; which he did: And his Concio ad Clerum▪ on Math. 5. 13. Vos estis Sal Terrae, was highly esteemed by the Judicious. Nor was he less Admired for his very Singular Acuteness, in Disputation, when he answered the Divinity Act in the ••chools; wherein he had for his Opponent a most A••••te Antagonist, namely Dr. Chappel, who was afterwards Provost of Trinity-Colledge in Dublin; and one unhappily Successful in promoting the New Pelagianism.

§. 9. Settled now at Boston, his Dear Friend, Holy Mr. Bayns; recommended unto him a Pious Gentlewoman, one Mrs. Elizabeth Horrocks▪ the Sister of Mr. James Horrocks, a Famous Minister in Lancashire, to become his Consort in a Ma••••••yed

Estate. And it was Remarkable, that on the very Day of his Wedding, to that Eminently Vir|tuous Gentlewoman, he first Received that As|surance of God's Love unto his own Soul, by the Spirit of God, effectually Applying His Promise of Eternal Grace and Life unto him, which happi|ly kept with him all the Rest of his Dayes: For which cause he would afterwards often say, God made that Day a Day of Double Marriage to me! The Wife which by the Favour of God, he had now Found, was a very Great Help unto him, in the Service of God; but especially upon this, among many other Accounts; That the Peo|ple of her own Sex, observing her more than Ordinary Discretion, Gravity, and Holiness, would still Improve the Freedom▪ of their Address unto her, to acquaint her, with the Exercises of their own Spirits; who acquainting her Husband with convenient Intimations thereof, occasioned him in his Publick Ministry more Particularly and Profitably, to Discourse those things that were of Everlasting Benefit.

§. 10. After he had been three years in Boston, his careful Studies and Prayers brought him to apprehend more of Evil remaining Unreformed in the Church of England, than he had hereto|fore considered; and from this time, he became a Conscientious Non-Conformist, unto the Unscrip|tural, Ceremonies and Constitutions yet mentained

by that Church; but such was his Interest in the Hearts of the People, that his Non-Confor|mity instead of being Disturbed, was indeed Em|braced, by the greatest part of the Town. How|ever, at last, Complaints being made against him unto the Bishops-Courts; he was for a while▪ then put under the Circumstances of a Silenced Mini|ster 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in all which while, he would still give his Presence at the Publick Sermons, though never at the Common Prayers, of the Conformable. He was now offered▪ not only the Liberty of his Ministry, but very great Preferment in it also, if he would but Conform to the Scrupled Rites, though but in One Act, and but for One Time: Nevertheless his Tender Soul, afraid of being thereby Polluted, could not in the least comply with such Temp|tations. A Storm of many Troubles upon him, was now Gathering; but it was very Strangly diverted! For that very man, who had Occa|sioned this Affliction to him, now became hear|tily Afflicted for his own Sin in doing of it; and a Stedfast, Constant, Prudent Friend, Presenting a Pair of Gloves to a Proctor of an Higher Court▪ then appeal'd unto, that Proctor without Mr. Cotton's Knowledge, Swore 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Animam Domini, that Mr. Cotton was a Conformable man: which things Issued in Mr. Cotton's being Restored unto the Exercise of his Ministry.

§. 11. The Storm of Persecution being thus Blown

over, Mr. Cotton enjoyed Rest for many years. In which time he Faithfully employed his great Abilities, not in Gaining, men to this or that Party of Christians, but in Acquainting them with the more Essential and Substantial Points of Christianity. In the space of Twenty years that he lived at Boston, on the Lord's Days in the Afternoons, he Thrice went over the Body of Di|vinity in a Catechistical, way; and gave the Heads of his Discourse to Young Scholars, and others in the Town, that they might answer to his Questions in the Congregation; and the An|swers he opened and applied unto the General Advantage of the Hearers. Whilest he was in this way Handling the Sixth Commandment, the Words of God which he uttered were so Quick and Powerful, that a Woman among his Hearers, who had been Married Sixteen years to a Second Husband, now in Horrour of Conscience, openly Confessed her Murdering her Former Husband by Poison, though thereby the exposed her self to the Extemity of being Burned. In the Forenoons of the Lord's Days, he Preached over the First Six Chapters in the Gospel of John, the whole Book of Ecclesiastes, the Prophesy of Zephaniah, the Pro|phesy of Zechary, and many other Scriptures. When the Lords Supper was Administred, which was once a Month, he Handled the Eleventh Chapter in the First Epistle to the Corinthians, and the Thirteenth Chapter in the Second Book of

the Chronicles; and some other pertinent Para|graphs of the Bible. In his Lectures, he went through the whole First and Second Epistles of John; the whole Book of Solomons Song; the Parables of our Saviour to the Seventeenth Chap|ter of Matthew. His House also was full of Young Students; whereof some were sent unto him out of Germany, some out of Holland; but most out of Cambridge. For Dr. Preston, would still Advise his near-fledg'd Pupils, to go live with Mr. Cotton, that they might be fitted for Publick Service; insomuch that it was grown almost a Proverb, That Mr. Cotton, was Dr. Prestons Seasoning Vessel: and of those, that issued found this Learned Family, Famous, and Useful in their Generation, the well known Dr. Hill, was not the least. Moreover he kept a Dayly Lecture in his House, which, as very Reverend Ear-Wit|nesses have expressed it, He performed with much Grace, to the Edification of the Hearers: And unto this Lecture many Pious People in the Town, would constantly resort, until upon a Suspicion of some Inconveniency, which might arise, from the growing Numerousness of his Auditory, he left it off. However, besides his Ordinary Lecture every Thursday, he Preached thrice more; every Week, on the Week-Days; namely on Wednesdays and Thursdays, early in the Morning, and on Sa|ture-Dayes at Three in the Afternoon. And be|sides these Immense Labours, he was frequently

Employ'd, on Extraordinary Dayes, kept Pro Teni|po••isbus & Causis, whereon he would spend some|times no less than Six Hours, in the Word and Prayer! Fur-thermore, 'twas his Custome, once a year, to visit his Native-Town of Derby, where he was a Notable Exception to the General Rule of, A Prophet without Honour in his own Country; and by his Vigilant Cares, this Town was for many years kept supplied with Able and Faithful Ministers of the Gospel. Thus was this Good man a most Indefatigable Doer of Good.

§. 12. The Good Spirit of God, so Plenti|fully, and Powerfully accompanied the Ministry of this Excellent man, that a Great Reformation was thereby wrought in the Town of Boston. Profaneness was extinguished, Superstition was aban|doned, Religion was Embraced and Practised a|mong the Body of the People; yea, the Mayor with most of the Magistrates were now called P••ritans, and the Satanical party, was become Insignificant. As to the matter of Non Conformi|ty, Mr. Cotton was come to Forbear the Ceremo|nies enjoyned in the Church of England; for which he gave this Account.

The Grounds were two: First, The Significacy and Efficacy put upon 'em, in the Preface to the Book of Com|mon-Prayer; That they were neither Dumb, nor Dark, but apt to stir up the Dull Mind of Man, to the Remembrance of his Duty to God, by some No|table

and Special Signification whereby 〈◊〉〈◊〉 may be Edified; or Words to the like-purpos•• 〈…〉〈…〉 Second was the 〈…〉〈…〉 of the Highest Ap••stolical Comm••••••ion, to the Observation of the Commandments of Christ Matt. 28.20. Which made it appear to me utterly un|lawful for any Church Power to enjoyn the Ob|servation of Indifferent Ceremonies, which Christ had not commanded: And all the Ceremonies were alike 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Commandment of Christ, though they had been Indifferent other|wise; which, indeed Others have Justly pleaded, they were not.

But this was not all; For Mr. Cotton was also come to Believe, That Scripture-Bishops were appointed to Rule no larger a Dio|cess, than a Particular Congregation; and that the Ministers of the Lord, with the Keyes of Ecclesi|astical Government, are given by Him to a Con|gregational Church. It hence came to pass that our Lord Jesus Christ, was now Worshiped in Boston, without the use of the Liturgy, or of those Vestments, which are by Zanchy called Execrabile•• Vestes; yea, the sign of the Cross was laid aside, not only in Baptism, but also in the Mayors Mace, as worthy to be made a Ne••ushtan, be|cause it had been so much abused unto Idola|try. And besides all this, there were some Scores of Pious People in the Town, who more exactly formed themselves, into an Evangelical Church-State, by entring into Covenant with God, and

with one another, To follow after the Lord, in the Purity of his Worship. However the main Bent and Aim of Mr. Cottons Ministry was, To Preach a Crucified Christ; and the Inhabitants of Boston Observed, that God Blessed them in their Secu|lar Concernments, remarkably the more, through his Dwelling among them: For many Strangers, and some too, that were Gentlemen of Good Quality, Resorted unto Boston, and some Remo|ved their Habitations thither, on his Account; whereby the Prosperity of the Place, was very much promoted.

§. 13. As his Desert of it was very High, so the Respect which he met withal was far from Low. The Best of his Hearers Loved him Great|ly, and the Worst of them Feared him, as Know|ing that he was a Righteous & an Holy man. Yea, such was the Greatness of his Learning, his Wis|dom, his Holiness, that Great Men took no little notice of him. A very Honourable Per|sonage Rode Thirty Miles to see him; and af|terwards professed, That he had as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Hear Mr. Cottons Ordinary Exposition in his Family, as any Ministers Publick Preaching that he knew in Eng|land. Whilst he continued in Boston Dr. Preston also would constantly come once a year to visit him; from his Exceeding value for Mr. Cottons Friendship. Arch Bishop Williams did likewise greatly Esteem him, for his Incomparable Parts;

and when he was Keeper of the Great Seal▪ he Recommended Mr. Cotton to the Royal Favour. Moverover the Earl of Dorchester and of Lindsey, had much Regard unto him; which Happened partly on this Occasion: The Earl's coming in|to Lincolnshire about the Dreyning of some Fenny Grounds. Mr. Cotton was then in his course of Preaching on Gal. 2. 20. Intending to Preach on the Duties of Living by Faith in Adversity; but considering that those Noble-men were not much Acquainted with Afflictions, he altered his In|tentions, and so ordered it, that when they came to Boston, he Discoursed on the Duties of Living by Faith in Prosperity: When the Noble|men were so much Taken with what they Heard, that they assured him, If at any time, he should want a Friend at Court, They would Improve all their Interest for him. And when Mr. Cotton did Plainly but Wisely Admonish them, of cer|tain Pastimes on the Lords Day, whereby they gave some Scandal, they took it most kindly from him; and promised a Reformation. But none of the Roses cast on this Applauded Actor, Smothered that Humble, that Loving, that Graci|ous Disposition, which was his Perpetual Ornament.

§. 14. At Length, doubtless to Chastise, the Seldom Unchastised Evils of Divisions, crept in among the Christians of Boston, in pleased the God of Heaven to deprive them of Mr. Cottons

Ministry, by laying a Tertain Ague upon him, for a year together. But being Invited unto the Earl of Lincoln's, in pursuance to the Advice of his Physicians, that he should change the Air, he removed thither; and thereupon he happily Re|covered. Nevertheless, by the same Sickness he then lost his Excellent Wife; who having liv|ed with him Childless, for Eighteen years, went from him now to be For ever with the Lord: whereupon he travelled further a field, unto Lon|don, and some other Places, whereby the Reco|very of his Lost Health was further perfected. About a year after this, he Practically appeared in Opposition to Tertullianism, by proceeding unto a Second Marriage; wherein one Mrs. Sarah Story, a Virtuous Widow, very Dear to his for|mer Wife, became his Consort; and by her he had both Sons and Daughters.

§. 15. Although our Lord had hitherto made the Discretion and Vigilancy of Mr. Thomas Leveret (afterwards a double Honoured El|der of the Church, in another Land) the hap|py Occasion of Diverting many Designs, to molest Mr. Cotton for his Non Conformity, yet when the Sins of the place had Ripened it, for so Dark a Vengeance of Heaven, as the Removing of this Eminent Light, a Storm of Persecution could no longer be avoided. A Debauch'd Fellow in the Town, who had been punished by the

Magistrates for his Debaucheries, Contrived and Resolved a Revenge upon them, for their Justice: and having no more Effectual way to vent the Cursed Malice of his heart, than by bringing them into Trouble at the High Commission Court, up he goes to London, with Informations to that Court, that the Magistrates did not Kneel at the Sacrament, nor observe some other Ceremonies by Law imposed. When some that belonged unto the Court signified unto this Informer, that he must put in the Ministers Name, Nay (said he) the Minister is an Honest man, and never did me any wrong: but it being further pressed upon him, that all his Complaints, would be Insignifi|cant, if the Ministers Name were not in them, he then did put i•• in: And Letters Missive were dispatched Incontinently, to Convent Mr. Cotton, before the Infamous High Commission Court. But before we Relate, what became of Mr. Cotton, we will enquire, what became of his Accuser? The Renowned Mr. John Rogers of Dedham, having been on his Lecture-Day, just before his going to Preach, Advised, that Mr. Cotton, was brought into this Trouble, he took Occasion, to speak of it in the Sermon, with just Lamen|tations for it; and among others, he used Words to this purpose: As for that man, who hath caused a Faithful Pastor, to be driven from his Flock, he is a Wisp, used by the Hands of God, for the Scowring of his People; But mark the words now spoken by a

Minister of the Lord! I am verily perswaded, the Judgments of God, will overtake the Man, that has done this thing: Either he will Die under an Hedge, or something else, more than the Ordinary Death of men shall befall him. Now behold, how this Prediction was accomplished! This miserable man quickly after this, Dy'd of the Plague, un|der an Hedge in Yorkshire; and it was a long Time, e're any could be found, that would Bury him. This 'tis to turn Persecutor!

§. 16. Mr. Cotton, knowing that Letters Missive were out against him, from the High Commission Court; and knowing, that if he ap|peared there, he could expect no other, than to be choaked with such a Perpetual Imprison|ment, as had already Murdered such men as Bates and Udal, he concealed himself as well as he could, from the Raging Pursevants. Ap|plication was made, in the mean time, to the Earl of Dorset, for the Fulfilment of his old Engagement unto Mr. Cotton; and the Earl did indeed intercede for him, untill the Arch-Bishop of Cantebury, who would often Wish, Oh! That I could meet with Cotton! Rendered all his Intercessions both Ineffectual, and Un|seasonable. Hereupon that Noble Person sent Word unto him, that if he had been guilty of Drunkenness, or Uncleanness, or any such Lesser-fault, he could have obtained his Pardon; but

inasmuch as he had been Guilty of Non-Con|formity, and Puritanism, the Crime was unpar|donable; and therefore, said he, You must Fly for your Safety! Doubtless, it was from such unhappy Experiments, that Mr. Cotton afterwards Published this Complaint; The Ecclesiastical Courts are like the Courts of the High Priests and Pharisees, which Solomon by a Spirit of Prophecy Styleth, Dens of Lyons, and Mountains of Leopards. And those who have to do with them, have found them Markets of the Sins of the People, the Cages of Uncleanness, the Forges of Extortion, the Tabler|nacles of Bribery, and they have been contrary to the End of Civil Government, which is, The Punishment of Evil Doers, and the Praise of them which do well.

§. 17. Mr. Cotton, therefore, now, with Supplications unto the God of Heaven for His Direction, joined Consultations of Good men on Earth; and among others, he did with some of his Boston Friends, visit Old Mr. Dod, unto whom he laid open the Difficult case now be|fore him, without any Intimation of his Own. Inclination, whereby the Advice of that Holy man, might have been at all forestalled. Mr. Dod upon the whole, said thus unto him; I am Old Peter, and therefore must stand still, and bear the Brunt; but you being Young Peter may go whether you will, and ought, being Persecuted in one City, to Flee unto another! And when the Boston

Friends urged, That they would Support and Pro|tect Mr. Cotton, though Privately; and that if he should leave them, very many of them would be ex|posed unto Extreme Temptations; he readily an|swered, That the Removing of a Minister, was like the Draining of a Fish-pond; the Good Fish will follow the Water, but Eeles and other Baggage Fish will stick in the Mud: Which things when Mr. Cotton heard, he was not a little confirmed in his Inclination to leave the Land. Nor did he forget the Concession of Cyprian, That a Seasona|ble Flight, is in Effect▪ A Confession of our Faith; for it is a Profession that our Faith is Dearer un|to us, than All the Enjoyments from which we Flie. But that which is further memorable in this Matter, is, That as the Great God often makes His Truth to spread by the Sufferings of them, that Profess the Truth; Four Hundred were Converted by the Death of one ••ersecu+ted Cecilia; And the Scotch Bishop would leave off Burning of the Faithful, because the Smoke of Hamilton infected as many, as it Blew upon; Thus, the Silencing and Removing of Mr. Cotton, which was to him, a thing little short of Martyrdome, was an Occasion of more thorow Repentance in sundry of his Bereaved People, who now began to Consider, that God by taking away their Minister, was Punishing their former Unfruitfulness under the most Fruitful Ministry, which they had thus long

Enjoyed. And there was yet another such Effect of the matter, which is now to be Related.

§. 18. To avoid them, that thirsted for his Ruine, Mr. Cotton, travelled under a Chang'd Name and Garb, with a full purpose of going over for Holland; but when he came near the Place; where he would have Shipped himself, he met with a Kinsman, who Vehemently and Effectually perswaded him to Divert into Lon|don. Here the Lord had A Work for him to Do, which he little thought of! Some Re|verend and Renowned Ministers of our Lord in that Great City, who yet had not seen Sufficient Reason to Expose themselves unto Per|secutions for the sake of Non-Conformity, but Look'd upon the Imposed Ceremonies, as Indifferent and Sufferable Trifles, and Weigh'd not the Aspect of the Second Commandment, upon all the Parts and Means of Instituted Worship; took this Op|portunity for a Conference with Mr. Cotton; be|ing perswaded, That since he was, No Passionate, but a very Judicious man, they should prevail with him rather to Conform, than to leave his Work and his Land. Unto the Motion of a Conference Mr. Cotton most readily yielded; and First, all their Arguments for Conformity, toge|ther with Mr. Byfields, Mr. Whatel••s and Mr. Sprints, were produced; all of which Mr. Cotton answered, unto their Wonderful Satisfaction.

Then, he gave his Arguments for his Non-Con|formity, and the Reasons, why he must ra|ther Forgoe his Ministry, or at least his Country, than Wound his Conscience with unlawful Com|pliances: the issue whereof was, that instead of bringing Mr. Cotton 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to what he had now for|saken, he brought Them off altogether from what they had hither to practised; Every one of those Eminent Persons, Dr. Goodwin, Mr. Nye, and Mr. Davenport, now became all that he was, and, at last, left the Kingdom for their being so. But Mr. Cotton▪ being now at London, there were Three Places, which offered themselves to him for▪ his Retreat; Holland, Barbad••s, and New-England. As for Holland, The Character and Condition which Famous Mr. Hooker had Reported thereof, took off his Intentions of Removing thither. And Barbad••s had not near such Encouraging Circumstances, upon the best Accounts, as New-England; where ou•• Lord Jesus Christ, had a more than Ordinary Thing to be done for His Glory, in an American Wil|derness, and so would send over a more than Ordinary Man, to be employed in the Doing of it. Thither, even to that Religious and Refor|med Plantation, after the Solemnest Applica|tions to Heaven for Direction, this Great Person bent his Resolutions: and Letters procured from the Church of Boston, by Mr. Winthrop the Governour of the Colony, had their Influence on the matter.

§. 19. The God that had carried him through the Fire of Persecution, was now Gra|ciously with him in his Passage through the Water of the Atlantic Ocean; and he enjoyed a Comfortable Voyage over the Great and Wide Sea. There were then, three Eminent Mini|sters of God, in the Ship; namely Mr. Cotton, Mr. Hooker, and Mr. Stone; which Glorious Triumvirate coming together, made the poor Peo|ple in the Wilderness, at their coming, to say, That the God of Heaven had supplied them, with what would in some sort answer their Three Great necessities; Cotton for their Cloath|ing, Hooker for their Fishing, and Stone for their Building: but by one or other of these Three Di|vines in the Ship, there was a Sermon Preached every Day, all the while, they were aboard: Yea, they had Three Sermons, or Expositions, for the most part every Day; Of, Mr. Cotton in the Morning, Mr. Hooker in the Afternoon, Mr. Stone after Supper, in the Evening. And after they had been a Moneth upon the Seas▪ Mr. Cotton received a Mercy, which God had now for Twenty years denyd unto him, in the Birth of his Eldest Son; whom he called Sea-born, in the Remembrance of the never-to-be-Forgotten Blessings, which he thus enjoyed up|on the Seas. But at the end of Seven Weeks, they arrived at New-England, September 〈◊〉〈◊〉. in

the year 1633. Where he put a Shore at New-Boston, which in a few years by the Smile of God; especially upon the Holy Wisdom, Con|duct and Credit of our Mr. Cotton, upon some Accounts of Growth, came to exceed Old Boston in every thing that Renders a Town Considerable. And it is Remarkable, that his Arrival at New-England, was just after the People there, had been by Solemn Fasting and Prayer seeking unto God, that in as much, as they had been en|gaging to walk with Him in His Ordinances, ac|cording to His Word, He would mercyfully send over to them, such as might be Eyes unto them in the Wilderness, and strengthen them in Dis|cerning and Following of that Word.

§. 20. There were Diverse Churches Gather|ed in the Country, before the Arrival of Mr. Cotton; but upon his Arrival, the Points of Church-Order, were with more of Exactness Re|vived, and Received in them, and further Ob|served in such as were gathered after them. He found the whole Country in a perplexed, and a Divided Estate, as to their Civil Consti|tution, but at the Publick Desires, Preaching a Sermon on those Words Hag. 2. 4. Be Strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be Strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech the High Priest; and be Strong all ye People of the Land, saith the Lord, and Work; for I am with you, saith the Lord of Hosts.

The Good Spirit of God by that Sermon had a mighty Influence, upon all Ranks of men, in the Infant-Plantation; who from this time, carried on their Affairs▪ with a New-Life, Satis|faction, and Unanimity. It was then, requested of Mr. Cotton; that he would, from the Laws, where-with God Governed His Ancient People, form an Abstract of such as were of a Moral and a Lasting Equity; which he performed, as Ac|ceptably; as Judiciously. But inasmuch as very much or an Athenian Demacracy, was in the Mould of the Government, by the Royal Charter, which was then Acted upon, Mr. Cotton Effectu|ally recommended it unto them, that none should be Electors nor Elected therein, except such as were Visible Subjects of our Lord Jesus Christ; personally Confederated in our Churches. In these, and many other ways, he Propounded unto them, an Endeavour after a Theocracy, as near, as might be, to that which was the Glory of Israel, the Peculiar People.

But the Ecclesiastical Constitution of the Country, was that on which, he Employ'd his Peculiar Cares; and he was one of those Olive Trees, which afforded a Singular measure of Oyl, for the Illumination of our Sanctuary. Now that the World may know the First Principles of New-England, it must be known, That until the Plat|form of Church Discipline, Published by a Synod in the year 1648 and Composed (chiefly) by

Mr. Richard Mather, Next unto the Bible, which was the Professed, Perpetual, and only Directo|ry of these Churches; they had no Platform of their Church Government; more Exact, than their famous JOHN COTTONS Well-known Book of, THE KEYES; which Book, Endeavours to lay out the just Lines and Bounds of all Church-Power, and So defines the matter; That as in the State, there is a Dispersion of Powers into Several Hands, which are to Concur in all Acts of Common Concernment; from whence a|rises the Healthy Constitution of a Common-Wealth: in like sort, he assigns the Powers in the Church unto the several Subjects, wherein the United Light of Scripture and of Nature, have placed them, with a very Satisfactory Distribution He Asserts, That a Presbyterated Society of the Faith|ful, hath within it self; a Compleat Power of Self-Reformation, or if you will; of Self-Preserva|tion, and may within it self manage its own Choices of Officers, and Censures of Delinquents. Now, a Special Statute Law of our Lord having Excepted Women and Children from Enjoying any part of this Power, he finds only Elders and Bre|thren to be the Constituent Members, who may Act in such a Sacred Corporation; the Elders he finds the First Subject Entrusted with Government, the Brethren Endowed with Priviledge, insomuch that though the Elders only are to Rule the Church, and without Them, there can be no

Elections, Admissions, or, Excommunication••▪ and they have a Negative upon the Acts of the Fra|ternity, as well as 'tis They only that have the Power of Authoritative Preaching, and Administring the Sacraments 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Yet: the Brethren have such a Liberty, that without their Consent, nothing of Common Con••••••rnment, may be Imposed upon them. Nevertheless because Particular Churches, of Elders and Brethren, may abuse their Power, with manifold miscarriages, he asserts the Ne|cessary Communion of Churches in Synods, who have Authority to Determine, Declare, and Enjoyn, such things as may Rectify the Male Admini|stations, or any Disorders, Dissensions, and Con|fusions, of the Congregations which fall under their Congnizance. But still so, as to leave unto the Particular Churches themselves, the For|mal Acts, which are to be done pursuant unto the Advice of the Council; upon the Scanda|lous and Obstinate Refusal whereof, the Council may Determine, To withdraw Communion from them, as from those who will not be Counsello•••• against a Notorious Mismanagement of the Juris|diction which the Lord Jesus Christ has given them. THIS was the Design of that Judicious Treatise, wherein was contained, the Substance of our Church Discipline; and whereof I have one Remarkable thing to relate as we go along. That Great Person, who afterwards proved one of the Greatest Scholars, Divines, and Writers, in

this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 then under the Prejudices of Conversa|tion, for, himself to Write a Confutation of this very Treatise, OF THE KEYES▪ but having made a Considerable Progress in his Undertak|ing, such was the Strength if this Unanswerable Book, that instead of his Confuting it, it Con|quered him; and this Book of, The Keyes, was happily so Blessed of God for the Conveyance of Congregational-Principles into the now Opened Mind of this Learned man, that he not only Wrote in Defence of Mr. Cotton, but also Exposed himself to more than a little Sorrow and Labour, all his Dayes for the mentaining of those Principles. Upon which Occasion, the Words of the Doctor [OWEN, in his, Review of the true Nature of Schism] are, This way of Im|partial Examining all things by the WORD, and laying aside all Prejudicate Respects, unto Persons, or present Traditions, is a course that I would Ad|monish all to beware of, who would avoid the danger of being made (what they call) Independents. Having said thus much, of that Book, all that I shall a••d concerning it, is, That the Eminent Mr. Rutherford himself, in his Treatise, Entituled, A Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist, has these Words, Mr. COTTON, in his Treatise of the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven, is Well Sound in our way; if he had given some more Power to Assembles; and in some lesser Points.

§. 21. The Churches now had Rest, and were Edified; and there were daily added unto the Churches, those that were to be Saved. Now, though the poor People were fed with the Bread of Adversity, and the Water of Affliction, yet they counted themselves abundantly compensated by This, That their Eyes might see such Teachers, as were now to be seen among them. The Faith and the Order in the Churches, was gene|rally Glorious, whatever little Popular Confusions, might in some few Places, Eclipse the Glory. But the Warm Sun Shine will produce a Swarm of Insects; whilst matters were going on thus Pros|perously, the Cunning and Malice of Satan, to break the Prosperity of the Churches, brought in a Generation of Hypocrites, who crept in unawares, turning the Grace of our God into Lasciviousness. A Company of Antinomian and Familistical Secta|ries, were strangely crouded in among our more Orthodox Planters; by the Artifices of which busy Opinionists, there was a Dangerous Blow given, first unto the Faith, and so unto the Peace of the Churches. In the Storm thus Raised, it is Incredible, what Obloquy came to be cast upon Mr. Cotton, as if he had been the Patron of these Destroyers; meeirly because, they, willing to have a Great Person, in Admira|tation, because of Advantage, falsely used the Name of this Great Person, by the Credit thereof to

Disseminate and Dissemble their Errors; and because the chief of them in their Private Con|ferences with him, would make such fallacious Professions of Gospel-Truths, that his Christian and Abused Charity, would not permit him to be so Hasty, as many others were, in Censuring of them. However the Report given of Mr. Cotton, on this Occasion, by one Baily a Scotch man, in a most Scandalous Pamphlet, called, A Disswasive, written to cast an Odium on the Churches of New England, by Vilifying him, that was one of their most Eminent Servants, are most hor|rid Injuries. For, there being upon the Encou|ragment of the Success, which the Old Nicene, Constan••inop••litane, Ephesine and Chalcedonian Coun|cils had, in the Extinguishing of several Successive Heresies, a Council now called at Cambridge, Mr. Cotton after some Debates with the Reverend Assembly, upon some Controverted Points of Justification, most Vigorously Joined with the other Ministers of the Country; in Testifying against the Hateful Doctrines, whereby the Chur|ches had been Troubled. Indeed there did hap|pen Paroxysms in this Hour of Temptation, between Mr. Cotton and some other Zealous and worthy Persons, which though they did not amount unto the Heat and Heighth, of those that happened between Chrysostom and Epiphanius, or between Hierom and Ruffinus, yet they Inclined him to me|ditate a Removal into another Colony. But a

certain Scandalous Writer, having Publickly Re|proached Mr. Cotton, with his former Inclination to Remove, there was thereby provoked his Pub|lick and Patient Answer; which being a Sum|mary Narrative of this whole Business, I shall here transcribe it.

There was a Generation of Familists, in our own and other Towns, who under Pretence of Holding forth, what I had taught, Touching Union with Christ, and Evidencing that Union, did Secretly vent Sundry and Dangerous Er|rors and Heresies, denying all Inherent Righte|ousness, and all Evidencing of a Good Estate there|by in any sort, and some of them also Deny|ing, the Immortality of the Soul, and the Resur|rection of the Body. When they were question|ed by some Brethren about those things, they carried it, as if they had Held forth nothing, but what they had Received from me: where|of, when I was Advised, to cleer my self, I Publickly Preached against those Errors. Then, said the Brethren to the Erring Party, See, Your Teacher declares himself cleerly to differ from you▪ No matter (say the other) what he saith in Pub|lick, we understand him otherwise, and we know what he saith to us in Private. Yea, and I my self could not easily Believe that those Er|ring Brethren and Sisters, were so Corrupt in their Judgments as they were Reported; they seeming to me forward Christians, and utterly

Denying any such Tenants, or any thing else but what they received from my self. All which bred in Sundry of the Country, a Jea|lousy, that I was in Secret, A Fomentor of the Spirit of Familism, if not Leavened my self that way. Which I discerning, it wrought in me, thoughts (as it did in many other sincerely Godly Brethren of our Church) not of a Se|paration from the Churches, but of a Removal to Newhaven, as being better known to the Pastor, and some others there, than to such as were, at that time Jealouse of me here. The true Ground whereof was an Inward Loathness to be Troublesome unto Godly Minds, and a Fear of the Unprofitableness of my Ministry there, where my way was suspected to be Doubtful and Dangerous. I chose therefore rather to meditate a Silent Departure, in Peace, than by Tarrying here, to make way for the Breaking forth of Temptations. But when, at the Synod, I had discovered the Corruption of the Judge|ment of the Erring Brethren, and saw their Fraudulent pretence of Holding forth no other, but what they received from me (when as in|deed they pleaded for Gross Errors contrary un|to my Judgment) I thereupon did bear Witness against them; and when in a private Confe|rence with some Chief Magistrates, and Elders, I perceived, that my Removal upon such Diffe|rences was Unwelcome to them, and that such

Points needed nor to Occasion any Distance (neither in Place no•• in Heart••••y) amongst Bre|thren, I then Rested Satisfied in my Abode amongst, them; and so have Continued, by the Grace of Christ, unto this Day.

Tis true, such was Mr. Cottons Holy Ingenuity, that when he perceived the Advantage, which Erroneous and Heretical Persons in his Church, had, from his Abused Charity; taken to spread their Dangerous Opinions; before ••he was awa••••t of them, he did Publickly sometimes with Tea••s bewail it▪ That the Enemy had sown so many Tares whilest be had been Asleep. Nevertheless tis as true, that nothing ever could be Baser than they Dis|ingen••i••y of those Pamphlet••eers, who took Ad|vantage hence, to catch these Tears in their Vene|mous Ink horns, and employ them for so many Blots upon the Memory, of a Righteous Man, worthy to be had in Everlasting Remembrance.

§. 22. When the Virulent and Violent Ed|wards, had been after a most Unchristian manner, bespattering the Excellent Burroughs, That Reviled Saint, in his Answer, had that Passage; The Ex|treme, Eagerness of some to asperse our Names, makes us to think, that God hath made more use of our Names, than we were aware of,—We see by their Anger even almost to Madness, bent that way, that they had little Hope, to prevail with all their Arguments against the Cause we profess, till

they could get down our Esteem (such as it was) in the Hearts of the People—But our Names are not in the Power of their Tongues and Pens; they are in the Hands of God, who will Preserve them so far, as he hath use of them; and further, we shall have no use of them our selves. That Bitter Spirit in Baily, must for such causes expose the Name of the Incomparable Cotton unto Irreparable Injuries: For, from the meer Hear says of that Unchari|table Writer, hastily Published unto the World, the Learned and Worthy Dr. Hoornbeck, not much less against the Rules of Charity, Printed a Short Account of Mr. Cotton, whereof an Inge|nious Author truly sayes, There were in it, Quot fere Verba; tot Errores famosissimi; neque tantum quot Capita, tot Carpenda, sed quot fore Sententiaru•••• punctula, tot Dispungenda. That Scandalous Ac|count, it is Pity, it should be Read in English, and greater Pity that ever that Reverend Person, should make it be Read in Latin; but this it was; Cottonus, horrore Ordinis Episcopalis, in Aliud Extremum prolapsus, Omnia plebi absque Vinculo Ec|clesiarum concedebat.—Cottonus iste, primum in Anglia, alteri••••s Longe Sententiae fuerat, unde, et plurimorum Errorum Heresiumque Reus, Maximu•• Ordinis istius, vel potius ATAXIAS, promotor•• extitit; habuitque secum, quemadmodum Montanus olim Maximillam, Saam Hutchinsonam, de qua, vari•••• & prodigiosa multa referunt. From these miserable Historians▪ who would Imagine what

a Slur has been abroad cast upon the Name of as Holy, as Learned, as Orthodox, and Emi|nent a Servant of our Lord, in his Reformed Chur|ches, as was known in his Age! Among the Rest, it is particularly Observable how a Labo|rious and Ingenious Forreigner, in his Bibliotheca Anglorum Theologica, having in his Index mentioned a Book of this our Mr. Cottons, under the Style of Johannis Cottoni, Via Vitae, Liber Utilissimus, pre|sently adds, Alius Johannes Cottonus malae Notae Homo: whereas 'twas only by the Misrepresentati|ons of Contentious and Unadvised men, that John Cotton, the Experimental Author, of such an Use|ful Book, must ••e branded with a Note of Infamy. But if the Reader will deal justly, he must joyn these Gross Calumnies upon Cotton, with the Fables of Luthers Devil, Zuinglius's Dreams, Gal|vin's Brands, and Junius's Cloven-Foot. If Hoorn|beck ever saw Cottons mild, but full Reply to Baily, which as the Good Spirited Beverly sayes, would have been esteemed a Sufficient Refutation of all these wretched Slanders, Nisi Fratrum quo|rundam aures erunt ad veritatem, tanquam Aspidum, obtura••••ae, tis Impossible to excuse his wrongful Dealings with a Venerable Minister of our Lord! Pray, Sir, charge not our Cotton, with an Horror Ordinis Episcopalis; until you have chastised your Friend Honorius Reggius, that is Georgius Hor|nius, for telling us, as Voetius quotes it; Multo|rum Animos Subiit Recordatio illius, quod Venerabilis

Beza, non sine Prophetiae Spiritu, olim rescripsit Knoxo, Ecclesiae Scoticae Reformatori: Sicut E|piscopi Papatum pepererunt, ita Oculis poene ipsis jam cernitur, Pseudo-Episcopos, papatus Reliquias, Epicureismum Terris Invecturos. Atque haec prae|mittere Visum, ut eo manifestius esset Britanniam diutius Episcopos non potuisse ferre, nisi in Papis|mum & Atheismum Labi vellet. Charge not our Cotton with an, Omni•• Plebi absque Vinculo Aliarum Ecclesiarum concedebat; until, besides the whole Scope and Scheme of his Ecclesiasti|cal Writings, which allow no more still unto the Fraternity, than Parker, Ames, Cartwright; and advance no other than that Aristocrasie, that Beza, Zanchy, Whitaker, Bucer and Blondel pleaded for; you have better construed his Words in his Golden Preface to Nortons Answer unto the Sylloge Quaes••i••num, Neque nos Regimen proprie dictum, alibi quam penes Presbyteros stabi|liendum Cupimus: Convenimus ambo in Subjecto Regiminis Ecclesiastici: Convenimus etiam in Re|gula Regiminis, ut Administrentur Omnia Juxta Canonem Sacrarum Scripturarum: Convenimus etiam in Fine Regiminis, ut Omnia Transigantur ad Edificationem Ecclesiae, non ad Pompam aut Luxum Seculare••: Synodos nos, una Vobiscum, cum opus fuerit, et Suscipimus & veneramur. Quan|tillum est, quod Restat, quod Distat! Actus Regiminis, quos vos a Synodis peragi Velletis, ••os a Synodis porrigi Ecclesits, et ab Ecclesi••s, ex

Synodali DIORTHOSEI peragi peteremus. Charge not our Cotton with an, ATAXIAS Promotor Extitit, until you, your self, Doctor, have Revoked your own two Concessions, which are all the Ataxies that ever could, with so much as the least Pretence, be im|puted unto this Renowned Person; Ecclesia particularis quaelibet Subjectum est Adaequatum & proprium plen•••• potestatis▪ Ecclesiasticae; nec Congrue dicitur ejus a Synodo Dependentia, And, Neque enim Synodi in alias Ecclesias potestatem habent Imperantem, quae Superiorum est, in Inferiores sibi Subditos; Non-Communionis Sententia Potestatem Summam denotat. As for the, Cottonus Plur••mo|rum Errorum Hoeresiumque Reus, were Old Austin alive, he would have charged no less a Crime than that of Sacriledge upon the Man, that thus without all Colour, should Rob the Church of a Name which would justly be Dear unto it; for as the Great Caryl hath expressed it, The Name of Cotton is as an Oyntment poured forth. But for the Top of all these Calumnies, Cottoni Hutchinsona, instead of a Resemblance therein to Montani Maximilla, the truer Comparison would have been, Mulier ista, quae per Calum|niam notissimam Objiciebatur Athanasio; All the Favour, which that Prophetess of Thyatira had from this Angelical Man, was the same, that the provoked Paul show'd unto the Pythoniss. In fine, The Histories, which the World has had of

the New-English Churches, under the Influence of Mr. Cotton, I have sometimes thought much of a piece, with what we have in the Old Histories of Lysimachus; That when a Leprous, and Scabby fort of a People were Driven out of Egypt, into the Wilderness, there was a certain man call'd Moses, who counselled them to March on in a Body, till they came to some Good Soyl. This Moses commanded them to be Kind unto no man; To give Bad Advice rather than Good, upon all Occasions; and to Destroy as many Temples as they could find; So, after much Travail, and Trouble, they came to a Fruitful Soyl, where they did all the Mis|chief that Moses had recommended, and built a City, which was, at first, called Hier••syla, from the spoiling of the Temples: but afterwards, to shun the Disgrace of the Occasion, they changed it into Hierosolyme, and bore the Name of Hierosolymitans. But thus must a Bad Report, as well as a Good Report follow such a man as Mr. Cotton, whose only Fault af|ter all, was that, with which, that memora|ble Ancient Nazianzen was taxed sometimes; namely, the Fault of Mansuetude.

§. 23. These Clouds being thus happily blown over, the Rest of his Dayes were spent in a more settled Peace; and Mr. Cottons Grow|ing and Spreading Fame, like Josephs Bough, Ran

over the Wall of the Anlantic Ocean, unto such a Degree, that in the year 1641. Some Great Persons in England, were intending to have sent over a Ship, on purpose to fetch him o|ver, for the sake of the Service, that such a Man as He, might then Do to the Church of God, then, Travelling in the Nation. But al|though their Doubt of his Willingness to Remove, caused them to forbear that Method of obtain|ing him, yet the Principal Members in both Houses of Parliament Wrote unto him, with an Importunity for his Return into England; which had prevailed with him, if the Dismal Showres of Blood, quickly after breaking upon the Na|tion, had not made such Afflictive Impressions upon him, as to prevent his purpose. He continued, therefore, in Boston, unto his Dying Day; Counting it a great Favour of Heaven un|to him, that he was Delivered from, the Unset|tledness of Habitation, which was not among the least of the Calamities, that Exercised the A|postles of our Lord. Nineteen Years and odd Months, he spent in this Place, doing of Good, Publickly, and Privately, unto all sorts of men, as it became, a Good Man, full of Faith, and of the Holy Ghost. Here in an Expository way, he went over the Old Testament once, and a Second Time as far as the Thirtieth Chapter of Isaiah; and the whole New Testament, once, and a Second time, as far as the Eleventh Chapter to the He|brews.

Upon Lord's-Dayes, and Lecture-Dayes, he Preached thorow the Acts of the Apostles; the Prophesies of Haggai, and Zechariah; the Books of Ezra, the Revelation, Ecclesiastes, Canticles, the Second and Third Epistles of John•• the Epistle to Titus, both Epistles to Timothy; the Epistle to the Romans; with Innumerable other Scrip|tures on Incidental Occasions. Though he had also, the most Remarkable Faculty, perhaps of any man living, to Meet every Remarkable Oc|casion, with pertinent Reflections, what ever Text, he were upon, without ever wandring out of sight from his Text: and it is possible there might sometimes be a particular Operation of Providence, to make the Works, and Words of God, meet in the Ministry of this His Holy Servant. But thus did he Abound in the Works of the Lord!

§. 24. At Length, upon Desire, Going to Preach a Sermon at Cambridge, (which he did, on Isa. 54. 13. Thy Children shall be all Taught of the Lord; and from thence gave many Excellent Counsils, unto the Students of the Colledge there) he took Wet, in his Passage over the Ferry; but he presently felt the Effect of it, by the falling of his Voice in Sermon time; which ever until now, had been a clear, neat, audible Voice, and easily-heard in the most Capacious Auditory. Being found So Doing, as it had often been his De••l7rarod Wish, That he

might not out live his Work! his Illness went o•••• to an Inflammation in his Lungs; from whence he grew somewhat Asthmatical; but there was a Complication of other Scorbutic Affects, which put him under many Symptoms of his approach|ing End. On the Eighteenth of November, he took in Course for his Text, the Four Last Verses of the Second Epistle to Timothy, giving this Reason for his Insisting on so many Verses at once, Because else (he said) I shall not Live to make an End of this Epistle; but he chiefly Insisted on those Words, Grace be with you all. Upon the Lords Day following, he Preached his Last Sermon, on Joh 1. 14. About that Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, from the Faith to the Sight whereof, he was now Hastening. After this in that Study, which had been Perfumed with many such Dayes before, he now spent a Day in Secret Humiliations and Supplications, before the Lord; seeking the Special Assistences of the Holy Spirit, for the Great Work of Dying, that was now before him. What Glorious Transactions might one have Heard passing between the Lord Jesus Christ, and an Excellent Servant of His, now coming unto Him, if he could have had an Hearing Place behind the Hangings of the Cham|ber, in such a Day! But having finished the Duties of the Day, he took his Leave of his Beloved Study, saying to his Consort, I shall Go into that Room, no more! And he had all along

Presages in his Heart, that God would by his Present Sickness, give him an Entrance into the Everlasting Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, Setting his House in Order, he was now so far from unwilling to Receive the Mercy-Stroke of Death, as that he was Desirous to be with Him, With whom to be, is, by far, the Best of All. And although the chief Ground of his Readiness to be Gone, was from the unutter|ably Sweet and Rich Entertainments, which he did by Fore-tast, as well as by Promise, know that the Lord had Reserved in the Heavenly Regions for him, yet he said, it contributed unto this Readiness in him, when he consider'd the Saints, whose Company and Communion he was Going unto; Particularly Perlins, Ames, Preston, Hildersham, Dod, and others, which had been peculiarly Dear unto himself; besides the Rest, in that General Assembly.

§. 25. While he thus Lay Sick, the Ma|gistrates, the Ministers, of the Country, and Christians of all Sorts, Resorted unto him, as unto a Publick Father, full of sad Apprehensions, at the withdraw of such a Publick Blessing; and the Gracious Words, that Proceeded out of his Mouth, while he had Strength to utter the pro|fitable Conceptions of his Mind, caused them to Reckon these their Visits, the Gainfullest that ••ver they had made. Among others, the then

President of the Colledge, with many Tears, de|sired of Mr. Cotton, before his Departure, to bestow his Blessing on him; saying, I know in my Heart, they whom you Bless, shall be Blessed. And not long before his Death, he sent for the Elders of the Church, whereof, he himself was also an Elder; who, having, according to the Aposto|lical Direction, Pray••d over him, he Exhorted them to Feed the Flock over which they were Over|seers, and encrease their Watch against those De|clensions, which he saw the Professors of Religion, Falling into: Adding, I have now, through Grace, been more than Forty years a Servant unto the Lord Jesus Christ, and have ever found Him a good Master. When his Collegue Mr. Wilson, took his Leave of him, with a Wish, that God would Lift up the Light of His Countenance upon him, he instantly Replyed, God hath done it already, Bro|ther! He then, called for his Children, with whom he left the Gracious Covenant of God, as their never Failing Portion: and now desired, that he might be left Private, the Rest of his Minutes, for the more Freedom of his Applica|tions unto the Lord. So, Lying Speechless a few Hours, he Breathed his Blessed Soul into the Hands of his Heavenly Lord; on the Twenty third of December 1652. Entring on the Sixty Eighth year of his own Age: And on the Day, yea, at the Hour, of his constant Weekly Labours in the Lecture, wherein, he had been so long

Serviceable, even to all the Churches of New-England. Upon Tuesday the Twenty eighth of December, he was most Honourably Interred, with a most Numerous Concourse of People, and the most Grievous and Solemn Funeral, that was ever known perhaps upon the American Strand; and the Lectures in his Church, the whole Win|ter following, performed by the Neighbouring Ministers, were but so many Funeral-Sermons, upon the Death and Worth of this Extraordinary Person: Among which, the First, I think, was Preached by Mr. Richard Mather, who gave unto the bereaved Church of Boston, this great Cha|racter of their Incomparable COTTON, Let us Pray, that God would Raise up some Eleazer to Succeed this Aaron: But you can hardly Expect, that so large a Portion of the Spirit of God should dwell in any one, as dwelt in this Blessed man! And ge|nerally in the other Churches through the Coun|try, the Expiration of this General Blessing to them all, did Produce Funeral-Sermons full of Honour and Sorrow; even as many Miles above an Hun|dred, as Newhaven was distant for the Massachu|set-Bay, when the Tidings of Mr. Cottons Decease arrived there, Mr. Davenport, with many Tears bewailed it, in a Publick Discourse on that in a Sam. 1. 26. I am Distressed for thee, my Brother Jonathan, very Pleasant hast thou been unto me. Yea, They speak of Mr. Cotton in their Lamentations to this Day!

§. 26. How vast a Treasure of Learning 〈◊〉〈◊〉 laid in the Grave, which was opened, on this, Oc|casion, can Scarce Crediby and Sufficiently be Re|lated. Mr. Cotton, was, indeed, a most Universe Scholar, and a Living System of the Liberal 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and a Walking Library. It would be Endless 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Recite, all his particular Accomplishments, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 only Three Articles of Observation, shall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 offered. First, For his Grammar, he had a very Singular Skill in those Three Languages, th•••• Knowledge whereof was by the Inscription o•••• the Cross of our Saviour, proposed unto the Per|petual Use of his Church. The Hebrew he un|derstood so exactly, and so readily, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was able to Discourse in it. In the Greek, he was a Cri••ick, so Accurate, and so Well-Versed, th•••• he needed not, like Austin, to have Studied 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in his Reduced Age. Thus, i•• many of the An|cients committed Gross mistakes, in their Inter|pretations of the Scriptures, through their want skill in the Originals, Mr. Cotton, was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Qualified for an Interpreter. He both Wrote Spoke Latin also with great Facility; and with most Ciceroman Elegancy, Exemplified in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Published Composure. Next, for his Logic, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was compleatly furnished therewith to Encoun|ter the Subtilest Adversary of the Truth. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 although he had been Educated in the Per•••• patetick way, yet like the other Puritans of the

times, he rather affected the Romaean Discipline; and chose to follow the Methods of that Ex|cellent Ramus, who like Justin of old, was not only a Philosopher, but a Christian, and a Martyr also; rather than the more Empty, Trifling, Altercative Notions, to which the Works of the Pagan A|ristotle derived unto us, through the Mangling Hands of the Apostate Porphyrie, have Disposed his Disciples. Lastly, for his Theologie, There 'twas that he had his Greatest Ex••••••ordinariness, and most of all, his Textual Divinity. His Abilities to Expound the Scriptures, caused him to be Ad|mired by the Ablest of his Hearers. Although his Incomparable Modesty would not permit him to speak any more than the Least of Himself, yet unto a private Friend he hath said, That he knew not of any Difficult Place in all the whole Bible, which ••e had not weighed, somewhat unto Satisfaction. And hence, though he Ordinarily bestowed much pains upon his Publick Sermons, yet he hath some|times Preached most Admirably, without any Warning at all; and a New Note upon a Text ••fore him, occurring to his mind, but just as he was going into the Assembly, has taken up his Discourse for that Hour, so Pertinently and Judiciously, that the most Critical of his Auditors, imagined nothing Extemporaneous. Indeed his Library was vast, and vast was his Acquaintance with it; but although amonst his Readings, he had given a Special Room, unto the Fathers, and

unto the School-men, yet, at last, he preferr'd one Calvin among them all. If Erasmus, when offered a Bishoprick to Write against Luther could answer, There was more Divinity in a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Luther, than in all Thomas Aquinas; T•• no wonder that Salmasius could so Venera•••• Calvin, as to say, That he had rather be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Author of that One Book, The Institutions written by Calvin, than have written all that was ev•••• done by Gro••i••s. Even such a Calvinist 〈◊〉〈◊〉 our Cotton! Said he, I have read the Fathers 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the School men, and Calvin too; but I find, Th•• he that has Calvin, has 'em all. And being asked why in his Latter Dayes, he Indulged Noctur•••••• Studies, more than formerly, he pleasantly Re|plied, Because I Love to Sweeten my mouth with piece of Calvin, before I go to sleep.

§. 27. Indeed in his Common Preaching, did as Basil reports of Ephrem Syrus, Pluri•••• distare a Mundana Sapientia; and though were a Great Scholar, yet he did Conscientious forbear making to the Common People any Osten|tation of it. He had the Art of Concealing Art; and thought with Sohnius, Non minus Virtus Populariter quam Argute Loqui, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Dod, That Latin for the most part was Flesh in Sermon. Accordingly, when he was Handle the Deepest Subjects, a Speech of that Import 〈◊〉〈◊〉 frequent with him, I desire to speak so, as to

understood by the meanest Capacity! And he would sometimes give the same Reason for it, which the Great Austin gave, If I Preach more Scholasti|cally, then only the Learned, and not the Unlearned, can so Understand as to Profit by me; but if I Preach plainly, then both Learned, and Unlearned, will un|derstand me, and so I shall profit all. When a Golden Key of Oratory would not so well open a Mystery of Christianity, he made no stick to take an Iron One, that should be less Rhetorical. You should hear few Terms of Art, few Latinities, no Exotic or Obsolete Phrases, obscuring of the Truths, which he was to bring unto the People of God. Nevertheless his more Judicious and Observing Hearers, could by his most Untrim'd Sermons perceive that he was a man of more than Ordinary Abilities. Hence when a Dutch|man of Great Learning, heard Mr. Cotton Preach at Boston, in England, he professed, That he never in his Life saw such a Conjunction of Learning and Plainness, as there was in the Preaching of this wor|thy man. The Glory of God, and not his own Glory, was that, at which he aimed in his Labours; for which cause, at the End of his Notes, he still Inserted that Clause, Tibi Domi••e: Or, For thy Glory, O God! For his Delivery, though it were not like Farels, Noisy and Thundring, yet it had in it a very awfull Majesty, set off with a Na|tural and Becoming Motion of his Right Hand; and the Lord was in the Still Voice at such a Rate,

that Mr. Wilson would say, Mr. Cotton Preaches with such Authority; Demonstration, and of Life, that methinks, when he Preaches out of any Prophet, or A|postle, I hear not him; I hear that very Prophet & Apostle; yea, I hear the Lord Jesus Christ Himself speaking in my Heart. And the Success which God gave to these Plain Labours, of His Faith|ful, Humble, Deligent Servant, was beyond what most Ministers in the Country ever did Experience; There have been Few that have seen so many and mighty Effects, given to the Travels of their Souls.

§. 28. He was even from his Youth to his Age, an Indefatigable Student, under the Consci|ence of the Apostolical Precept, Be not Sloath|ful in Business; but Fervent in Spirit Serving the Lord. He was careful to Redeem his Hours, as well as his Dayes; and might lay claim to that Character of the Blessed Martyr, Sparing of Sleep, more Sparing of Words, but most Sparing of Time. If any came to visit him, he would be very Civil to 'em, having Learn'd it as his Duty, To use all Gentleness towards all Men: and yet he would often say with some Regret, after the Departure of a Visitant, I had rather have given this Man an Handfull of Money, than have been kept, thus long, out of my Study: Reckoning with Pliny▪ The Time not spent in Study for the most part, Sweel'd away. For which cause, he went not

much Abroad; but he judged Ordinarily that more Benefit was obtain'd, according to the Ad|vice of the Wise King, by conversing with the Dead [in Books] than with the Living [in ••alks:] and that Needless Visits do commonly Unframe our Spirits, and perhaps disturb our Comforts. He was an Early Riser, taking the Morning for the Muses; and in his Latter Dayes forbearing a Supper, he turn'd his former Supping-Time, into a Reading, a Thinking, a Praying-Time. Twelve-Hours in a Day he commonly Studied, and would call that, A Scholars-Day; resolving to wear out rather with Using, than with Rusting. In Truth, had he not been of an Healthy and Hearty Constitution, and had he not made a Careful though not Curious Diet serve him, in|stead of an Hippocrates, his continued Labour must have made his Life, as well as his Labour, to have been but of a Short Continuance. And, indeed, the Work which lay upon him, could not have been performed, without a Labour more than Ordinary: For besides his constant Preach|ing more than Once, every Week, many Cases were brought unto him far and near, in Resol|ving whereof, as he took much Time, so he did much Good: being a most Excellent Casuist. He was likewise very Deeply concerned in Peace|able and Effectual Disquisitions of the Contro|versies about Church-Government, then Agitated in the Church of God. And though he chiefly

gave himself to Reading and Doctrine and Exhor|tation, depending much on the Ruling Elders to Inform him, concerning the State of his Particu|lar Flock, that he might the Better Order him|self in the Word and Prayer, yet he found his Church-Work, in this Regard also, to call for no little Painfulness, Watchfulness, and Faithfulness.

§. 29. He was One so Clothed with Humi|lity, that according to the Emphasis of the Apo|stolical Direction, by this Livery his Relation as a Disciple to the Lowly Jesus, was notably dis|covered; and hence he was Patient and Peacea|ble, even to a Proverb. He had a more than Common Excellency in that Cool Spirit, which the Oracles of Wisdom describe as, The Excel|lent Spirit in the Man of Understanding; and there|fore Mr. Norton would parallel him, with Moses among the Patriarchs, with Melancthon among the Reformers. He was rather Excessive, than Defective in Self-Denial, and had the Nimia Humilitas, which Luther sometimes blamed in Staupicius: yea, he was, at last, himself sensible that some fell very Deep into the Sin of Corah, through his Extreme Forbearance, in matters re|lating to his own Just Rights in the Church of God. He has, to a Judicious Friend, thus ex|pressed himself, Angry men have an Advantage above me; the People dare not set themselves against such men, because they know, it wont be born; but

some care not what they say or do about me, because they know I went be angry with them again. One would have thought the Ingenuity of such a Spi|rit should have broke the Hearts of Men, that had indeed, the Hearts of Men in them; yea, that the hardest Flints would have been broken, as is usual, upon such a Soft Bag of Cotton! But, alas! he found it otherwise, even among Some, who pretended unto High Attainments in Christianity. Once particularly, an Humourous and Imperious Brother, following Mr. Cotton home to his House, after his Publick Labours, instead of the Grateful Respects with which these Holy Labours, were to have been encouraged, Rudely told him, that his Ministry was become Generally, either Dark, or Flat: whereto this Meek man, very mildely and gravely, made only this Answer, B••••th, Bro|ther, it may be, both; Let me have your Prayers that it may be otherwise! But it is Remarkable, that the Man Sick thus, of Wanton Singularities, afterwards Dyed of those Damnable Heresies, for which he was deservedly Excommunicated Another time, when Mr. Cotton had modestly Replyed unto one that would much Talk and Crack of his Insight into the Revelations; Brother I must confess my self to want Light in those Mysteries the man went home, and sent him A Pound 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Candles; upon which Action, this Good Ma•• bestowed only a Silent Smile; he would not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Becon of his Great Soul on Fire, at the Lan••|ing

of such a Little Cock-boat. He Learned the Lesson of Gregory, It is better, many times, to fly from an Injury by silence, than to overcome it by Re|plying; and he used that Practice of Grynaeus, To Revenge Wrongs, by Christian Taciturinty. And it may pass for a Branch of the same Temper in him, That he extremely hated all Allotri••-Episco|pacy, and though he knew, as practically, as most men in the World, That we have a Call to do Good, as often as we have Power & Occasion, yet he was very Slow of Apprehending any Occasion of meddling At all, though he might have had never so much Power to meddle For Good, any where but within the Sphere of his own proper Calling. As he understood that Leontius blamed Constantine, for Interposing too far in Ecclesiastical Affairs, thus Mr. Cotton, on the Other side had a Great Aversion from Engaging in any Civil Ones; he would Religiously Decline taking into his Cognisance all Civil Controversies or Um|pirages, and whatever Looked Heteroge••••ous to the Calling of One, whose whole Business 'twas, To Feed the Flock of God. Nevertheless in the Things of God, of Christ, of Conscience, his Condesending Temper did not hinder him, from he most Immoveable Resolution. He would not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Follow Peace with all men, as to abandon or rejudice, one Jot, the Interests of Holiness.

§. 30. His Command over his own Spirit, was

particularly Observable in his Government of his Family, where he would never Correct any thing in a Passion; but, first, with much Deliberation show what Rule, in the Holy Word of God, had been Violated, by the Fault lately committed. He was, indeed, one that Ruled well his own House! He therein Morning and Evening, Read a Chap|ter, with a Little Applicatory Exposition, before and after which, he made a Prayer; but he was very Short in all, accounting as Mr. Dod, Mr. B••ins, and other great Sainte•• ••••id before him, That it was a Thing inconvenient 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wayes to be Tedious in Family Duties. He also Read constantly a Portion of the Scripture alone, and he Prayed over what he Read; Pray'd, I say; For he was very much in Prayer, a very Man of Prayer; he would rarely sit down to Study; without a Prayer over it, referring to the Presence of God, accompanying what he did. It was the Advice of the Ancient, Si vis esse Semper 〈◊〉〈◊〉 De••, Sem|per Ora, Semper Lege; and agreeably hereunto, Mr. Cotton might say with David, Lord, I am still with Thee! But he that was with God, all the Week, was more Intimately with Him, on His Own Day, the Chief Day of the Week; which he Observed most Conscientiously. The Sab|bath, he began, the Evening Before; for which Keeping of the Sabbath from Evening to Evening, he Wrote Arguments before his coming to New-England; and I Suppose, 'twas from his Reason

and Practice, that the Christians of New-England have Generally done so too. When that Even|ing arriv'd, he was usually Larger in his Expo|sition in his Family, than at other times; He then Catechised his Children and Servants, and Prayed with them, and S••ng a Psalm; from thence he Retired unto Study, and Secret Prayer, till the Time of his going unto his Repose. The next Morning, after his Usual F••mily-Worship, he betook himself to the Devotions of his Retirements 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so unto the Publick. From thence tow•••••• Noon, he Repaired again to the like Devotions, not permitting the Inter|ruption of any other Dinner, than that of a small Repast carried up unto him. Then to the Publick, once more; from whence Returning, his first Work was Cl••••set-Prayer, then Prayer with Repetitions of the Sermons in the Family. After Supper he still Sang a Psalm; which he would conclude with Uplifted Eyes and Hands, uttering this Doxology,—Blessed ••e God in Christ, our Saviour! Last of all, just before his going to Sleep, he would once again go into his Prayerful Study, and there Briefly Recommend All to that God, Whom he Served with a Pure Conscience. These were his Ordinary Sabbaths. But he also kept Extraordinary Ones, upon the Just Occasions for them. He was in Fasting often, and would often keep whole Dayes by Himself, wherein he would with Solemn Hu|miliations

and Supplications Implore the Wanted Mercys of Heaven: yea, he would likewise, by himself, keep whole Dayes of Thanksgiving unto the Lord: besides the many Dayes of this Kind, which he Celebrated in Publick Assem|blies with the People of God. Thus did this Man of God Continually!

§. 31. Without Liberality and Hospitality, he had been Really as Underserving of the Character of a Minister of the Gospel, as the Sa|crilegious Niggardliness of the People dos•• often endeavour to make Ministers Uncapable of answer|ing that Character. But Mr. Cotton was most Exemplary for this Virtue; wherein there are of his Children, that have also Learned of him. The Stranger and the Needy were still Enter|tained at his Table, Episcopaliter & Benigne, as was the Phrase Instructively used for a, Cha|ritable Entertainment, of old. It might be said of him, as once it was of the Generous Cor|inthian, Semper Aliquis in Cottoni Domo, He was ever Shewing of Kindness to Some-body or o|ther. What Posidonius relates of Austin, and what Peter Martyr affirms of Bucer, was very true of our Cotton; His House was like an Inn, for the Constant Entertainment, which he gave upon the Account of the Gospel; and he would say, If a man want an Heart for this Charity, it is not fit, such a Man should be Ordained a Minister: con|senting

therein to the Great Canonist, Hospitali|tas usque adeo Episcopis est Necessaria, at si ab ea inveniantur alieni, Jure prohibentur Ordinari. While he lived Quietly in England, he was noted for his Bountiful Disposition; especially towards Mi|nisters driven into England, by the Storms of Persecution then Raging in Germany; for which cause Libingus, Saumer, Tolner, and others of the Germane Sufferers, in their Accounts of him, would Style him, Fautor Doctissimus, Cla|rissimus, Fidelissimas, plarimumque Honorandus. It was Remarked, that he never omitted Inviting unto his House any Minister Travelling to or through the Town, but only that One man, who perfidiously Betray'd Mr. Hildersham, with his Non Conformist Associates, into the Hands of their Enemies. And after he came to New-England, he changed not his Mind with his Ai••; but with a Quantum ex Quantillo! continued his Beneficence upon all Occasions, though his Abilities for it were very much Diminished; which brings to mind a most Memorable Story. A Little Church, whereof the worthy Mr. White was Pastor, being by the Strange and Strong, Malice of their Prevailing Adversaries, forced off Barmudas in much Misery, into a Desart of America, the Report of their Distresses came to their Fellow-Sufferers, though not now Alike|Sufferers, at New-England. Mr. Cotton Immedi|ately applyed himself to obtain a Collection, for

the Relief of those Distressed Saints; and a Col|lection of about Seven Hundred Pounds, was im|mediately obtained, whereof Two Hundred was Gathered in that One Church of Boston, where there was no man, who did Exceed, and but one man who did Equal, this Deviser of Liberal Things, in that Contribution. But Behold the Wonderful Pro|vidence of God! This Contribution arrived unto the Poor People on the very Day•• after they had been brought unto a Personal Division of the little Meal, then Left in the Barrel; upon the Spending whereof, they could foresee nothing but a ••ing••ing Death; and on That very Day, when their Pastor had Preacht unto them, upon that most suitable Text, Psal. 23. 1. That Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

§. 32. The Reader, that is Inquisitive after the Prosopography of this Great Man, may be In|formed, That he was of a Clear, Fair, Sanguine Complexion, and like David of a Ruddy Counte|nance. He was rather Low than Tall, and rather Fat than Lean; but of a Becoming Mediocrity▪ In his Younger years, his Hair was Brown, but in his Latter years, as White, as the Driven Snow▪ In his Countenance there was an Inexpressible sort of Majesty, which Commanded Reverence from all that approched him; This Cotton was indeed, the Cato of his Age, for his Gravity, but had a Glory with it which Cato had not. I cannot,

indeed, say, what they Report of Hilary, that Serpents were not able to Look upon him; neverthe|less it was commonly Observed, that the worser sort of Serpents, would from the awe of his Pre|sence keep in their Poisons. As the Keeper of the Inn, where he did use to Lodge, when he came to Derby, would profanely say to his Com|panions, That he Wished Mr. Cotton, were gone out of his House, for, he was not able to Swear white that man was under his Roof: So, other wicked Persons could not show their Wickedness, whilest this Holy and Righteous man was in the Company. But the Exacter Picture of him, is to be taken from his Printed Works, whereof there are many, that Praise him in the Gates; though few of them were Printed with his own Knowledge or Consent. The Children of New-England are to this Day most usually Fed with his Excellent Catechism, which is Intituled, Milk for Babes. His well known Sermons on the First Epistle of John, in Folio, have had their Ac|ceptance with the Church of God: though being Preached in his Youth, and not Published by himself, there are some Things therein, which he would not have Inserted. There are also of His abroad, Sermons on the Thirteenth of the Revelations, and on the Vials, and on Rev. 20. 5, 6. and 2 Sam 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Last, in Quarto; as also a Savory Treatise Entituled, The way of Life; The Reverend Prefacer whereto saith, Ever since I had any Know|ledge

of this Judicious Author, I have Lookt upon him▪ as one Entrusted with as Great a part of the Churches Treasure, as any other whatsoever. Several Volumnes of his Expositions upon Ecclesiastes and Canticles, are also Published in Octavo; As like|wise A Treatise of the New-Covenant, which being a Posthumous Piece, and only Notes written after him, is accordingly to be Judged of. And there have seen the Light, an Answer to Mr. Bal••, a|bout Forms of Prayer: A Discourse about the Grounds and Ends of Infant Baptism: A Dis|course about Singing of Psalms, proving it a Gospel-Ordinance: An Abstract of Laws in Christs Kingdom for Civil Government: A Treatise a|bout the Holiness of Church Members, proving that Visible Saints are the matter of a Church: Another Discourse upon Things Indifferent, proving that no Church Governours have Power, to Impose In|different Things upon the Consciences of Men. Add hereto, The Way of the Churches in New-England: And that Golden Discourse of, The Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven; In a Written Copy whereof, yet in our Hands, there were some Things, which were never Printed, men|taining, that in the Government of the Church, Authority is peculiar to the Elders only, and an|swering all the Brownistical Arguments to the Contrary. But whereas there may Occur a Passage in his Book of The way of the Churches, which may have in it a little more of the Morellian

Tang, Reader, 'Twas none of Mr. Cottons; Mr. Cotton was Troubled when he saw such a Passage, in an Imperfect Copy of his Writings, exposed unto the World, under his Name, against his Will: and he took an Opportunity, in the most Publick manner, to Declare as much unto the World. He was also sometimes put upon Writ|ing yet more Polemically. Indeed there was one Occasion of so Writing, which he Declined med|dling withal; and that was this. Mr. Cotton, having in his Younger years, Written to a Pri|vate Friend some Things, tending (at his Desire) to Clear the Doctrine of Reprobation, from the Exceptions of the Arminians; and this Manus|cript falling into Dr. Twiss's Hand, that Learned man Published it, with his own Confutation of certain Passages in i••, which did not agree so well with the Doctor's own Supralapsarian Scheme. Now, when Mr. Cotton saw himself Reviled for this Cause by Baily, as being a Pelagian, he only made this meek Reply; I hope God will give me Opportunity e're long to Consider of this, the Doctors Labour of Love. I Bless the Lord, who has taught me to be willing to be Taught, of a far meaner Dis|criple, than such a Doctor, whose Scholastical Acuteness, Pr••••gnancy of Wit, Solidity of Judgment, and Dexte|rity of Argument, all Orthodox Divines do Highly Honour, and whom all Arminians and Jesuites do sall down before, with Silence. God forbid I should shut my Eyes against any Light brought to me by him.

Only I desire I may not be Condemned as a Pelagian or Arminian before I he heard. Moreover, Mr. Cawdry fell hard upon him; to whom he prepa|red an Answer, which was afterwards Published and Seconded by Dr. Owen. But besides these, he was twice compelled unto some other Eristical Writings: Once in Answer to Baily; another time in Answer to Williams: In both of which, like Job, he Turned the Books, which his Adversaries had written against him, into a Crown. I believe, never any meer Man, under such open and hor|rid Injuries as these two Reporters heaped upon Mr. Cotton, did Answer with more Christian Pa|tience; his Answer are indeed a Pattern for all Answerers to the World's End. But it was par|ticularly remarkable, that, in this matter, certain Persons, who had fallen under the Censures of the Civil Authority in the Country, Singled out Mr. Cotton for the Object of their Displeasure, although he had, most, of all men, declined Inter|esting himself in the Actions of the Magistrate, and had also done more than all men to obtain Healing and Favour for those ungrateful Delin|quents. However if Mr. Cotton would from his own profitable Experience, have added Another Book unto this Catalogue, it might have been on the Subject Handled by Plutarch De Capienda ex Hostibus Utilitate. This is the Elenchus of Mr. Cottons Published Writings; whereupon we might make this Conclusion.

Digna Legi Scribis, Facis et Dignissima Scribi; Scripta probant Doctum, Te, Tua, Facta, probum.

§ 33. The Things, which have been Re|lated, cause us to Account Mr. Cotton an Extra|ordinary Person.

Divis eras Donis, etiamque Fidelis in Usu, Lucratus Domino multa Talenta tuo. Multus eras Studiis, multusque Laboribus, uno Te, Fora, Templa, Domus, Te; cupiere frui. Multa Laborabas Scribendo, Multa Docendo, Invigilans Operi, Nocte Di••que, Dei. Multa Laborabas Scribendo, Multa Ferendo, Quae nisi Cottono, vix Subeunda forent. Tu non unus eras, sed Multi; Multus in Uno, Multorum Donts praeditus Unus eras. Uno Te amisso, Multos Ami••••mus in Te, Sed neque per Multos Restituendus eris.

These were some of the Lines, which the Renowned Bulkly, justly wept upon his Grave. Yea, we may, on as many Accounts as These Dayes will allow, Reckon him to have been a Prophet of the Lord: and when we have Entertain'd ou•• selves with a Memorable Demonstration of it, in One Surprising and Stupendous Article of our Church History, we will put a Period unto This part of it.

At the Time, when some unhappy Persons were just going from hence to England, with cer|tain Petitions, which had a Tendency to Disturb

the Good Order of Things in both Church and State, then settling among us, Mr. Cotton in the Ordinary Course of his Lectures on the Canticles, Preached on Cant 2. 15. Take us the Foxes, the Little Foxes, which Destroy the Vines. Having thence ob|served, That when God has Delivered his Church from the Dangers of the Persecuting Bear & Lyon, then there were Foxes that would seek by Policy to Under|mine it; and, That all those who Go by a Fox like Policy to Undermine the Churches of the Lord Jesus Christ, shall be taken & overtaken by his Judgments; he came at Length to his Application, where with a more than Ordinary Majesty, and Fervency, he after This manner, expressed himself.

First, Let such as Live in this Country Take Heed, how they go about in any Indirect Way or Course to Prejudice the Churches of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Land, or the Government of the Land. If you Do, The Keeper of Israel, who neither Slumbereth nor Sleepeth, will not Take it well at your Hands. He that brought this Peo|ple hither, and preserved them from the Rage of Persecution, and made this Wilderness an Hiding|place for them, whilst he was Chastising our Nation, with the other Nations round about it, and has manifested his Gracious Presence in the midst of these His Golden Candlesticks, and secured us from the Plots of the Late Arch Bishop, and his Confederates abroad, and from the Plots of the Heathen here at home; there is no Question

but He will Defend us from the Underminings of False Brethren, and such as are Joined with them. Wherefore, let such know, That this is, in many Respects Immanuels Land, and they shall not Prosper that Rise up against it, but shall be Taken every One of them in the Snares they lay for it. This I speak as a Poor Prophet of the Lord, according to the Word of His Grace now Be|fore us! But in the Second Place, whereas ma|ny of our Brethren are Going to England, Let me Direct a Word unto Them also. I desire the Gracious Presence of our God may Go with you, and ••••is Angels Guard you, not only from the Dangers of the Seas, while you are thereupon, but also from the Errors of the Times, when you arrive. Nevertheless, If there be any among you, my Brethren, as tis Reported there are, that have a Petition to prefer unto the High Court of Parliament, that may Conduce to the Distracti|on and Annoyance of the Peace of our Churches, and the Weakning the Government of the Land where we Live, Let Such Know, the Lord will never Suffer them to Prosper, in their Subtil, Malicious, Desperate Undertakings against His People, who are as Tender unto Him as the Apple of His Eye. But if there be any such among You, who are to Go, I do exhort you, and I would advise you, in the Fear of God, that when the Terrors of the Almighty shall Beset the Vessel wherein you are, when the Heavens shall frown

upon you, and the Billowes of the Sea, shall swell above you, and the Dangers of Death shall Threaten you, as I am verily perswaded they will, I would have you then to Consider your Wayes. I will not give the Counsel, that was taken con|cerning Jonas, to cast such a Person into the Sea; God forbid! But I Counsel such to come then unto a Resolution in themselves to Desist from their Enterprises, and Cast their Petitions into the Sea. It may be, that Hardness of Heart, and Stoutness of Spirit may cause you to Persist, and yet in Mercy to some Gracious Persons a|mong you, the Lord may Deliver the Ship from Utter Destruction for their sakes. But the Lord hath further Judgments in Store; He is the God of the Land, as well as of the Sea. I speak this also, as an unworthy Prophet of the Lord!

These Things were then uttered by a Person, that was as Little of an Enthusiast, as most men in the World. Now attend the Event!

That Ship, after many Stresses of Weather in the Harbour, puts out to Sea; but at Sea, it had the Terriblest Passage, perhaps, that ever was Heard of; The Marriners not being able to take any Observation of either Sun or Star, for Seven Hun|dred Leagues together. Certain Well Disposed Persons aboard, now Calling to Mind the Words of Mr. Cotton, thought it necessary to Admonish the Persons, who were carrying over their Malig|nant Papers against the Country; and some of those

Papers were by them, thereupon Given to the Sea-men, who immediately cut them in Pieces, and threw them over board. The Storm forthwith Abated; however there afterwards, came up New Storms, which at last Hurried the Ship a|mongst the Rocks, of Silly; where they yet Re|ceived a Deliverance, which most of them that Consider'd it, pronounced Miraculous. When the Rude Cornish men saw how Miraculously the Ves|sel had escaped, they said, God was a Good Man to Save them So! But the more Instructed and Obliged Passengers, kept a Day of Solemn Thanks|giving to God; in which, even the Profanest Persons on Board, under the Impression of what had Happened, then bore a part. However, the Corn-fields of New-England, still stood Undisturb|ed, notwithstanding the Various Names Affixed unto the Tailes of Petitions against their Liberties. For, as Mr. Cotton Elegantly expressed it, God then R••cqued Three Nations, with Shaking Dispensations, that He might procure some Rest unto His People, in this Wilderness!

§. 34. This was Mr. Cotton! What more he was, Let these Lines, taking no License but from the Real Truth, Delineate.

Upon the Tomb of the most Reverend Mr. John Cotton, Late Teacher of the Church of Boston in New-England.

HERE lies Magnanimous Humility; Majesty, Meekness; Christian Apathy On soft Affections; Liberty in Thrall; A Noble Spirit, Servant unto All; Learnings Great Master-piece, who yet would sit As a Disciple, at his Scholars Feet; A Simple Serpent, or Serpentine Dove, Made up of Wisdom, Innocence, and Love: Neatness Embroider'd with It self alone, And Civils Canonized in a Gown; Embracing Old and Young, and Low and High, Ethies Imbodyed in Divinity; Ambitious to be Lowest, and to Raise His Brethrens Honour on his own Decays; (Thus doth the Sun Retire into his Bed, That being Gone the Stars may shew their Head) Could Wound at Argument without Division, Cut to the Quick, and yet make no Incision: Ready to Sacrifice Domestick Notions To Churches Peace, and Ministers Devotions: Himself, indeed (and Singular in That) Whom All Admired He Admired not: Liv'd Like an Angel of a Mortal Birth, Convers'd in Heaven while he was on Earth: Though not, as Moses, Radiant with Light Whose Glory Dazelld the Beholders Sight, Yet so Divinely Beautifi'd, you'ld Count He had been Born, and Bred upon the Mount: A Living Breathing Bible: Tables where Both Covenants, at Large, engraven were;

Gospel and Law in's Heart, had Each it's Columne; His Head an Index to the Sacred Volumn; His very Name a Title Page; and next, His Life a Commentary on the Text. O, what a Monument of Glorious Worth, When, in a New-Edition, he comes forth, Without Errata's, may we think he'l be In Leaves and Covers of Eternity! A Man of Might, at Heavenly Eloquence, To Fix the Ear, and Charm the Conscience; As if Apollos were Reviv'd in Him, Or he had Learned of a Seraphim: Spake Many Tongues in One: One Voice and Sense Wrought, Joy and Sorrow, Fear and Confidence: Rocks▪ Rent before him, Blind Receiv'd their Sight; Souls Levell'd to the Dunghill, stood Upright: Infernal Furies, Burst with Rage to see Their Prisoners Captiv'd into Libertie: A Star that, in our Eastern England, Rose, Thence Hurry'd by the Blast of Stupid Foes, Whose Foggy Darkness, and Benummed Senses, Brookt not his Daz'ling Fervent Influences: Thus did he move on Earth, from East to West; There he went down, and up to Heaven for Rest. Nor from himself, whilst living, doth he vary, His Death hath made him an Ubiguitary: Where is his Sepulchre is Hard to say, Who, in a Thousand Sepulchres, doth lay (Their Hearts, I mean, whom he hath Left Behind, In Them) his Sacred Reliques, now, Enshrin'd.

But Let his Mourning Flock be Comforted, Though Moses be, yet Joshua is not Dead: I mean Renowned NORTON; worthy he, Successor to our Moses, is to be. O Happy Israel in AMERICA, In such a MOSES, such a JOSHUA!

B. Woodbridge.

§ 35. Three Sons, and Three Daughters, was this Renowned Walker with God, Blessed withal.

His Eldest Son, did Spend 〈◊〉〈◊〉 End his Dayes, in the Ministry of the Gospel at Hampton: being esteemed a thorough Scholar, and an able Preach|er; and though his Name were Sea-born, yet none of the Lately Revived Heresies were more Abominable to him, than that of his Name sake, Pelagius [or, Morgan] of whom the Witness of the antient Poet is true,

Pestifero Vom••••t col••••••er Sermone Britannus.

His Second Son, is at this Day, a Faithful Mi|nister of the Gospel, at Plymouth; and one by whom, not only the English but also the Indians, of America, have the Glad Tidings of Salvation, in their own Language carried unto them.

Of his Two Younger Daughters, the first was Married unto a Merchant of Good Fashion, whose Name was Mr. Egginton; but She did not long Survive the Birth of her first Child, as that Child also did not Survive many years after the Death of her Mother. The next is at this Time,

Living, the Consort of One Well known in both Englands, namely Increase Mather, the President of Harvard Colledge, and the Teacher of a Church in Boston.

The Youngest of his Sons, called, Roland, and the Eldest of his Daughters, called, Sarah, both of them Dyed rear together, of the Small Pox, which was raging among the Inhabitants of Boston, in the Winter of the Year, 1649. The Death of those two Lovely Children, Required the Faith of an Abraham, in the Heart of their Gracious Father; who indeed most Exemplarily Expressed what was Required. On this Occasion, I find, that on a Spare Leaf of his Almanack, he Wrote in Greek Letters these English Verses;

In Saram

Farewel, Dear Daughter Sara; Now Thou'rt gone, (Whither thou much desiredst) to thine Home: Pray, my Dear Father, Let me now go Home! Were the Last Words thou Spak'st to me Alone. Go then, Sweet Sara, take thy Sabbath Rest, With thy Great Lord, and all in Heaven Blest.

In Rolandum.

Our Eldest Daughter, and our Youngest Son, Within Nine Dayes, both have their full Race run. On th' Twentieth of th' Eleventh, Dyed She, And on the Twenty Ninth Day Dyed He. Both in their Lives, were Lovely and United, And in their Deaths they were not much Divided.

Christ gave them Both, and He takes both again To Live with Him; Blest be His Holy Name.

In Usrumque.

Suffer, Saith Christ, Your Little Ones, To Come forth, Me unto, For of such Ones my Kingdom is, Of Grace and Glory too. We do not only Suffer them, But Offer them to Thee, Now, blessed Lord, Let us Believe, Accepted, that they be: That Thou hast Took them, in Thine Arms▪ And on them Pat thine Hand, And Blessed them with, Sight of Thee, Wherein our Blessings Stand.

But he has at this Day, Five Grandsons, all of them Employed in the Publick Service of the Gospel; whereof, Let the Reader, count him the Meanest, that is the Writer of this History; and accept further one Little Piece of History, relating hereunto.

The Gathering of the Second Church in Boston, was evidently very much to the Disadvantage of Mr. Cotton, in many of his Interests. But he was a JOHN, who reckoned his Joy ful|filled in This, That in His own Decrease the Interests of the Lord Jesus Christ would In|crease;

and therefore, with an Exemplary Self-Denial, Divesting himself of all carnal Respects, he set himself to Encourage the Foundation of that Church, out of Respect unto the Ser|vice and Worship of our Common Lord. Now, it has Pleased the Lord so to Order it, That many years after his Decease, that Self Denial of His Holy Servant, has turned unto some Account, in the Opportunities which That very Church has given unto His Children, to Glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Conduct of it: His Son in Law has been for more than Thrice Ten Years, and his Grandson for more than Twice Seven Years, the Ministers of the Gospel, in That very Church, accom|modated with Happy Opportunities, To Serve that Generation.