When he was of Brazen-nose College, he1 had familiar acquaintance with one Mr. Anderton his country-man, and sometime his school-fellow, a very good scholar, but a strong Papist, and now a Popish Priest, and2 one of the *learnedest amongst them: This man well knowing the good parts that were in Mr. Bolton, and perceiving that he was in some outward wants, took this advantage, and used many arguments to persuade him to be reconciled to the Church of Rome, and to go over with him to the English Seminary, telling him he should be furnished with all necessaries, and should have gold enough (one of the best arguments to allure an unstable mind to Popery). Mr. Bolton being at that time poor in mind and Purse, accepted of the motion, and a day, & place was appointed in Lancashire, where they should meet, and from thence take shipping ⟨image 15⟩and be gone. Mr. Bolton met at the day and place, but Mr. Anderton came not, and so he escaped that snare, and soon after returned to Brazen-nose, where falling into the acquaintance of one Mr. Peacock Fellow of that House, a learned and godly man, it pleased GOD by his acquaintance to frame upon his soul that admirable workmanship of his repentance and conversion to eternal life, but by such a way of working as the LORD seldom useth but upon such strong vessels which in his singular wisdom he intendeth afterward for strong encounters, and rare employments. The first news he heard of GOD was not by any soft and still voice, but in terrible tempests and thunder, the LORD running upon him as a giant, taking him by the4 neck and shaking him to pieces, as he did Job; beating him to the very ground, as he did Paul, by laying before him the ugly visage of his sins which lay so heavy upon him, as he roared for grief of heart, and so affrighted him, as I have heard him say, he rose out of his bed in the night for ⟨image 16⟩very anguish of spirit. And to augment his spiritual misery, he was exercised with foul temptations, horribilia de DEO, terribilia de fide, which Luther called Colaphum Satanae, for as he was parallel with Luther in many things as I shall show anon:
When he was of Brasen-nose Colledge, he1 had familiar acquaintance with one Mr. Anderton his country-man, and sometime his schoole-fellow, a very good scholler, but a strong Papist, and now a Popish Priest, and2 one of the *learnedest amongst them: This man well knowing the good parts that were in Mr. Bolton, and perceiving that he was in some outward wants, tooke this advantage, and used many arguments to perswade him to be reconciled to the Church of Rome, and to go over with him to the English Seminary, telling him he should be furnished with all necessaries, and should have gold enough (one of the best arguments to allure an unstable mind to Popery). Mr. Bolton being at that time poore in minde and Purse, accepted of the motion, and a day, & place was appointed in Lancashire, where they should meet, and from thence take shipping ⟨image 15⟩and be gone. Mr. Bolton met at the day and place, but Mr. Anderton came not, and so he escaped that snare, and soone after returned to Brasen-nose, where falling into the acquaintance of one Mr. Peacocke Fellow of that House, a learned and godly man, it pleased GOD by his acquaintance to frame upon his soule that admirable workmanship of his repentance and conversion to eternall life, but by such a way of working as the LORD seldome useth but upon such strong vessels which in his singular wisdome he intendeth afterward for strong incounters, and rare imployments. The first newes he heard of GOD was not by any soft and still voice, but in terrible tempests and thunder, the LORD running upon him as a gyant, taking him by the4 necke and shaking him to peeces, as he did Iob; beating him to the very ground, as he did Paul, by laying before him the ugly visage of his sins which lay so heavy upon him, as he roared for griefe of heart, and so affrighted him, as I have heard him say, he rose out of his bed in the night for ⟨image 16⟩very anguish of spirit. And to augment his spirituall misery, he was exercised with fowle temptations, horribilia de DEO, terribilia de fide, which Luther called Colaphum Satanae, for as he was parallell with Luther in many things as I shall shew anon:
- 19
- 2His connersion
- *He was for his eloquence called Golden mouthed Anderton when he was but a Scholar.He was for his eloquence called Golden mouthed Anderton when he was but a Schollar.
- 4Job 16. ver. 1•, 13, 14.Iob 16. ver. 1•, 13, 14.
