N00594:166
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.
§. 3. In his Youth, he was Accustomed unto some Youthful Vanities; especially unto Card-Playing; an Evil which he did first Ponder and Reform upon a Serious Admonition, which a Servant of his Father's gave unto him. When he came to Consider that a Lot, is a Solemn Appeal unto the ⟨p. 3⟩God of Heaven, and even by the Rudest Gentiles counted a Sacred Thing, he thought that Playing with it, was a Breach of the Third Commandment in the Laws of our God; It should be used, he thought, rather Prayerfully, than Sportfully. He considered, that the Papists themselves do not allow these Games in Ecclesiastical Persons, and the Fathers do Reprove them with a Vehement Zeal in all sorts of Persons. He considered, that when the Roman Empire became a Christian, severe Edicts were made against these Games, and that our Protestant Reformers have Branded them with an Infamous Character; Wherefore Inclining now to follow Whatsoever Things are of a Good Report, he would no longer meddle with Games that had so much of a Scandal in them.
§. 4. An Extreme Disaster befalling his Fathers Estate, he left the University; and became at once Usher to the School, and Curate in the Church, at Starford: Where a Lecture being maintained by a Combination of several Godly and Able Ministers, he, on that Occasion, fell into Acquaintance with several of them; especially Mr. Jeremiah Dyke of Epping, by whose Ministry the Holy Spirit of God, gave him a Discovery of his own Manifold Sinfulness and Wretchedness in an Unregenerate State, and Awakened him unto such a Self-Examination, as Drove him to a Sorrow little short of Despair: but after some, time, ⟨p. 4⟩the same Holy Spirit, enabled him to Receive the Christ and Grace, tendered in the Promises of the Gospel, with an Unspeakable Consolation. Where upon he thought himself concerned in that Advice of Heaven, When thou art Converted, Strengthen thy Brethren!
§. 4. An Extreme Disaster befalling his Fathers Estate, he left the University; and became at once Usher to the School, and Curate in the Church, at Starford: Where a Lecture being mentained by a Combination of several Godly and Able Ministers, he, on that Occasion, fell into Acquaintance with several of them; especially Mr. Jeremiah Dyke of Epping, by whose Ministery the Holy Spirit of God, gave him a Discovery of his own Manifold Sinfulness and Wretchedness in an Unregenerate State, and Awakened him unto such a Self-Examination, as Drove him to a Sorrow little short of Despair: but after some, time,