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

§. 19. When COTTON, that Man of God, Lay S••k, of the Sickness whereof he Dyed, his Church desired that he would Nominate, and Recommend a fit Person to succeed him; and he Advised them to Apply themselves unto Mr. Norton, hoping that the Church of Ipswich being Accommodated with such another Eminent Person as Mr. Rogers, would, out of Respect unto the General Good of all the People of God throughout the Land, so far Deny themselves, as to Dismiss him from themselves. That which gave Encouragement unto this Business, was not a Dream of Mr. Cottons; though it was, indeed, a Strange Thing, that Mr. Cotton in his Illness, being Solicitous what Counsel to give unto his Church, he Dreamt, that he saw Mr. Norton Riding unto Boston, to Succeed him, upon a White Horse, in Circumstances, that were exactly afterwards Accomplished: but it was a Design which Mr. Norton ⟨p. 21⟩had of Returning for England; A Design which he had so laid before his People, as to obtain their Grant, that if upon staying a Twelve Month Longer among them, there did Occur no Occasion for him, to alter his purposes, they would not Oppose his Going. Now, when the Agents of the Church at Boston, made this Motion to the Church of Ipswich, there was much Debate about it; Wherein at Length an Honest Brother made this Proposal, Brethren, A Case in some things like to This, was once that Way determined, We will call the Damsel, and Enquire at her Mouth; Wherefore I propose, that our Teacher himself be Enquired of, whether he be Inclined to Go? They then put that Question to Mr. Norton himself, who being Troubled at the Offer of the Question unto him, answered, That, if they Judged such Reasons as caused his Removal from Europe into America, now called for his Removal from Ipswich to Boston, he should Resign himself; but he could not be Active. However, at Length, they consented, that he should for the present, go sojourn at Boston, to Try, and see how far the Will of God about this matter, might be afterwards Discovered; but after Mr. Norton was gone, many of the People fell into a very unreasonable Indisposition towards Mr. Rogers, as if he had not been Active enough, although he had, indeed, been as Active, as he well could be, to Retain his Colleague among them. The Melancholy Temper of Mr.

§. 19. When COTTON, that Man of God, Lay S••k, of the Sickness whereof he Dyed, his Church desired that he would Nominate, and Recommend a fit Person to succeed him; and he Advised them to Apply themselves unto Mr. Norton, hoping that the Church of Ipswich being Accommodated with such another Eminent Person as Mr. Rogers, would, out of Respect unto the General Good of all the People of God throughout the Land, so far Deny themselves, as to Dismiss him from themselves. That which gave Encouragment unto this Business, was not a Dream of Mr. Cottons; though it was, indeed, a Strange Thing, that Mr. Cotton in his Illness, being Sollicitous what Counsel to give unto his Church, he Dreamt, that he saw Mr. Norton Riding unto Bston, to Succeed him, upon a White Horse, in Circumstances, that were exactly afterwards Accomplished: but it was a Design which Mr. Norton