Johannes in eremo. Memoirs, relating to the lives, of the ever-memorable, Mr. John Cotton,…

And although the chief Ground of his Readiness to be Gone, was from the unutterably Sweet and Rich Entertainments, which he did by Fore-taste, 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 considered the Saints, whose Company and Communion he was Going unto; Particularly Perkins, Ames, Preston, Hildersham, Dod, and others, which had been peculiarly Dear unto himself; besides the Rest, in that General Assembly.

And although the chief Ground of his Readiness to be Gone, was from the unutterably 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 Magistrates, the Ministers, of the Country, and Christians of all Sorts, Resorted unto him, as unto a Public Father, full of sad Apprehensions, at the withdraw of such a Public Blessing; and the Gracious Words, that Proceeded out of his Mouth, while he had Strength to utter the profitable Conceptions of his Mind, caused them to Reckon these their Visits, the Gainfullest that •ver they had made. Among others, the then ⟨p. 50⟩President of the College, with many Tears, desired 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 Apostolical Direction, Prayed over him, he Exhorted them to Feed the Flock over which they were Overseers, and increase their Watch against those Declensions, 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 Colleague Mr. Wilson, took his Leave of him, with a Wish, that God would Lift up the Light of His Countenance upon him, he instantly Replied, God hath done it already, Brother! 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 Applications 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. Entering 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