There are many who have (and some to good purpose) Endeavoured to Collect the Memorable Passages that have occurred in the Lives of Eminent men, by means whereof Posterity has had the knowledge of them. Hierom of old, wrote De Viris illustribus: The like has been done by Gennadius, Epiphanius, Isidore, Prochorus, and other Ancient Authors. Of Later Times, Schopfius, his Academia Christi; Meurs•us, his Athenae Batavae; Verheiden, his Elogia Theologorum, Melchior Adams, Lives of Modern Divines, have preserved the Memories of some that did worthily, and were in their day Famous. There are two Learned men who have very lately engaged in a Service of this nature, Viz. Paulus Freherus, who has Published two Volumes in Folio, with the Title of, Theatrum virorum Eruditione clarorum, ad haec usque Tempora. He proceeds as far as the year 1680. The other is Henningus Written, who has Written, Memoriae Theologorum nostri seculi. It is a Trite (yet a true) Assertion, that Historical Studies are both Profitable and Pleasant. And of all Historical Narratives, those which give a Faithful account of the Lives of Eminent Saints, must needs be the most Edifying. The greatest part of the Sacred Writings are Historical; and a Considerable part of them is taken up in relating the Actions, Speeches, Exemplary Lives, and Deaths, of such as had been choice Instruments in the Hand of the Lord, to promote His Glory in ⟨p. 6⟩the World. No doubt but that the Commemoration of the Remarkable Providences of God towards His Servants, will be some part of their Work in Heaven for ever, that so He may have Eternal Praises for the Wonders of His Grace in Christ towards them. It must needs therefore be in it self, a thing pleasing to God, and a special act of Obedience to the Fifth Commandment, to Endeavour the Preservation of the Names and Honour of them, who have been Fathers in Israel. On which account, I cannot but Rejoice in what is here done. Although New England has been favoured with many Faithful and Eminent Ministers of God, there are only Three of them all, whose Lives have been as yet Published, Viz Mr. Cotton, whose Life was Written by his Immediate Successor Mr. Norton: and my Father Mather, whose was done by another Hand, and is Republished in Mr. Sam. Clark's last Volume: and Mr. Eliot, whose was done by the same Hand, which did these, and has been several Times Reprinted in London.
There are many who have (and some to good purpose) Endeavoured to Collect the Memorable Passages that have occurred in the Lives of Eminent men, by means whereof Posterity has had the knowledge of them. Hierom of old, wrote De Viris illustribus: The like has been done by Gennadius, Epiphanius, Isidore, Prochorus, and other Ancient Authors. Of Later Times, Schopfius, his Academia Christi; Meurs•us, his Athenae Batavae; Verheiden, his Elogia Theologorum, Melchior Adams, Lives of Modern Divines, have preserved the Memories of some that did worthily, and were in their day Famous. There are two Learned men who have very lately ingaged in a Service of this nature, Viz. Paulus Freherus, who has Published two Volumns in Folio, with the Title of, Theatrum virorum Eruditione clarorum, ad haec usque Tempora. He proceeds as far as the year 1680. The other is Henningus Witten, who has Written, Memoriae Theologorum nostri seculi. It is a Trite (yet a true) Assertion, that Historical Studies are both Profitable and Pleasant. And of all Historical Narratives, those which give a Faithful account of the Lives of Eminent Saints, must needs be the most Edifying. The greatest part of the Sacred Writings are Historical; and a Considerable part of them is taken up in relating the Actions, Speeches, Exemplary Lives, and Deaths, of such as had been choice Instruments in the Hand of the Lord, to promote His Glory in ⟨p. 6⟩the World. No doubt but that the Commemoration of the Remarkable Providences of God towards His Servants, will be some part of their Work in Heaven for ever, that so He may have Eternal Praises for the Wonders of His Grace in Christ towards them. It must needs therefore be in it self, a thing pleasing to God, and a special act of Obedience to the Fifth Commandment, to Endeavour the Preservation of the Names and Honour of them, who have been Fathers in Israel. On which account, I caneot but Rejoyce in what is here done. Although New England has been favoured with many Faithful and Eminent Ministers of God, there are only Three of them all, whose Lives have been as yet Published, Viz Mr. Cotton, whose Life was Written by his Immediato Successor Mr. Norton: and my Father Mather, whose was done by another Hand, and is Republished in Mr. Sam. Clark's last Volumn: and Mr. Eliot, whose was done by the same Hand, which did these, and has been several Times Reprinted in London.
