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

And the Success which God gave to these Plain Labours, of His Faithful, Humble, Diligent 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.

And the Success which God gave to these Plain Labours, of His Faithful, 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 Conscience of the Apostolical Precept, Be not Slothful in Business; but Fervent in Spirit Serving the Lord. He was careful to Redeem his Hours, as well as his Days; 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 Learned 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 Handful 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 ⟨p. 57⟩much Abroad; but he judged Ordinarily that more Benefit was obtained, according to the Advice 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 Days forbearing a Supper, he turned 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, instead 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 Preaching more than Once, every Week, many Cases were brought unto him far and near, in Resolving whereof, as he took much Time, so he did much Good: being a most Excellent Casuist. He was likewise very Deeply concerned in Peaceable and Effectual Disquisitions of the Controversies about Church-Government, then Agitated in the Church of God.