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

§. 4. But now, perceiving many Good men to Scruple many of the Rites, Practised and Imposed in the Church of England, he furnished himself with all the Books, that he could find Written on the Case of Conformity, both Pro and ⟨p. 6⟩Con, and pondered with a most Conscientious Deliberation, the Arguments on both sides produced. He was hereby so convinced of the Evil in Conformity, that at Length, for his Observable Omission, of certain Uninstituted Ceremonies in the Worship of God, the Bishop of Lincoln, then Visiting the University, pronounced upon him the Sentence of Quindenum, that is, That, besides other Mortifications, he must within Fifteen Days, have been Expelled, if he continued in his Offence. His Father, being hereof Advised, with all Paternal Affection, Wrote unto him to Conform; and at the same Time, interceded with the Bishop, that he might have a Quarter of a year allowed him; in which time, if he could not be Reduced, he should then leave his Fellowship in the College. Hereupon he sent him unto several Doctors of Great Fame, to get his Objections Resolved; but when much Discourse, and much Writing, had passed between them, he was rather the more confirmed in his Principles about Church-Reformation. Wherefore his Father, then diverting him from the Designs of the Ministry, disposed him to the Inns of Court; where he fell into Acquaintance with some Young Gentlemen, who associated with him in constant Exercises of Devotion, to which Meetings the Repeated Sermons of Dr. Gouge were a continual Entertainment: and here it was, that he came into the Advantageous Knowledge of the Learned ⟨p. 7⟩Scultetus, Chaplain to the Prince Palatine of the Rhine, then making some stay in England.

§. 4. But now, perceiving many Good men to Scruple many of the Rites, Practised and Imposed in the Church of England, he furnished himself with all the Books, that he could find Written on the Case of Conformity, both Pro and ⟨p. 6⟩Con, and pondered with a most Conscientious Deliberation, the Arguments on both sides produced. He was hereby so convinced of the Evil in Conformity, that at Length, for his Observeable Omission, of certain Uninstituted Ceremonies in the Worship of God, the Bishop of Lincoln, then Visiting the University, pronounced upon him the Sentence of Quindenum, that is, That, besides other Mortifications, he must within Fifteen Dayes, have been Expelled, if he continued in his Offence. His Father, being hereof Advised, with all Paternal Affection, Wrote unto him to Conform; and at the same Time, interceded with the Bishop, that he might have a Quarter of a year allowed him; in which time, if he could not be Reduced, he should then leave his Fellowship in the Colledge. Hereupon he sent him unto several Doctors of Great Fame, to get his Objections Resolved; but when much Discourse, and much Writing, had passed between them, he was rather the more confirmed in his Principles about Church-Reformation. Wherefore his Father, then diverting him from the Designs of the Ministry, disposed him to the Inns of Court; where he fell into Acquaintance with some Young Gentlemen, who associated with him in constant Exercises of Devotion, to which Meetings the Repeated Sermons of Dr. Gouge were a continual Entertainment: and here it was, that he came into the Advantageous Knowledge of the Learned