N00594:252
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.
§. 16. Indeed, if the Picture of this Good and therein Great Man, were to be exactly given Great Zeal, with Great Love, would be the Two Principal Strokes, that joined with Orthodoxy should make up his Portraiture. He had the Zeal of a Phinehas, I had almost said, of a Seraphim, in Testifying against every Thing that he thought Offensive unto God. The Opinionists, which attempted at any Time, to Debase the Scripture, or Confound the Order, embraced in our Churches, underwent the most pungent Animadversions of this his Devout Zeal; whence, when a certain Assembly of People, which he approved not, had set up in Boston, he charged all his Family, that they should never Dare, so much as Once to enter into that Assembly; I charge you, said he, That you do not Once Go to Hear them; for whatsoever they may pretend, they will Rob you of Ordinances, Rob you of your Souls, Rob you o• your God. But though he were thus, like John, a Son of Thunder, against Seducers, yet he was like that Blessed, and Beloved Apostle also, ⟨p. 25⟩all made up of Love. He was full of Affection, and ready to help and Relieve, and Comfort the Distressed; His House was Renowned for Hospitality, and his Purse was continually emptying it self into the hands of the Needy: From which Disposition of Love in him, there once happened this Passage; When he was Beholding a Great Muster of Soldiers, a Gentleman, then present, said unto him, Sir, I'll tell you a Great Thing; here's a mighty body of People, and there is not SEVEN of them all, but what Loves Mr. Wilson; but that Gracious man presently and pleasantly replied, Sir, I'll tell you as Good a Thing as that, here's a mighty Body of People, and there is not so much as ONE of them all, but Mr. Wilson Loves him. Thus he did, by his own Example, notably Preach that Lesson, which a Gentleman found in the Anagram of his Name, With no One […]: And thus did he Continue, to Do Every One Good, until his Death gave the same Gentleman Occasion thus to Elegize upon him:
§. 16. Indeed, if the Picture of this Good and therein Great Man, were to be exactly given Great Zeal, with Great Love, would be the Two Principal Strokes, that joined with Orthodoxy should make up his Pourtraiture. He had the Zeal of a Phineas, I had almost said, of a Seraphim, in Testifying against every Thing that he thought Offensive unto God. The Opinionists, which attempted at any Time, to Debase the Scripture, or Confound the Order, embraced in our Churches, underwent the most pungent Animadversions of this his Devout Zeal; whence, when a certain Assembly of People, which he approved not, had set up in Boston, he charged all his Family, that they should never Dare, so much as Once to enter into that Assembly; I charge you, said he, That you do not Once Go to Hear them; for whatsoever they may pretend, they will Rob you of Ordinances, Rob you of your Souls, Rob you o your God. But though he were thus, like John, a Son of Thunder, against Seducers, yet he was like that Blessed, and Beloved Apostle also,