N00594:120
Johannes in eremo. Memoirs, relating to the lives, of the ever-memorable, Mr. John Cotton,…
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]
Boston : Printed for and sold by Michael Perry, at his shop, under the west end of the Town-House., 1695
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. 26. How vast a Treasure of Learning […] laid in the Grave, which was opened, on this, Occasion, can Scarce Credibly and Sufficiently be Related. 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 Perpetual Use of his Church. The Hebrew he understood so exactly, and so readily, that […] was able to Discourse in it. In the Greek, he was a Critic, so Accurate, and so Well-Versed, th•• he needed not, like Austin, to have Studied […] in his Reduced Age. Thus, i• many of the Ancients committed Gross mistakes, in their Interpretations 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 Ciceronian Elegance, Exemplified in […] Published Composure. Next, for his Logic, […] was completely furnished therewith to Encounter the Subtlest Adversary of the Truth. […] although he had been Educated in the Per•• patetick way, yet like the other Puritans of the ⟨p. 53⟩times, he rather affected the Romaean Discipline; and chose to follow the Methods of that Excellent 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 Aristotle derived unto us, through the Mangling Hands of the Apostate Porphyry, have Disposed his Disciples. Lastly, for his Theology, 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 Admired 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 Public Sermons, yet he hath sometimes Preached most Admirably, without any Warning at all;