N00594:26
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.
Here the Reader has presented to him Five of them who were amongst the chief of the Fathers, in the Churches of New England. The same Hand has done the like Office of Love and Duty, for many others who were the Worthies of New-England, not only in the Churches, but in the Civil State, whom the Lord Christ saw meet to use as instruments in Planting the Heavens and Laying the Foundation of the Earth, in this New ⟨p. 7⟩World. If These find a Candid Acceptance, Those may possibly see the Light in […].
Here the Reader has presented to him Five of them who were amongst the chief of the Fathers, in the Churches of New England. The same Hand has done the like Office of Love and Duty, for many others who were the Worthies of New-England, not only in the Churches, but in the Civil State, whom the Lord Christ saw meet to use as instruments in Planting the Heavens and Laying the Foundation of the Earth, in this New ⟨p. 7⟩World. If These find a Candid Acceptance, Those may possibly see the Light in 〈…〉.
Whether what is herewith Emitted and Written by my Son, be as to the Manner of it, Well performed, I have nothing to say, but shall leave it unto others to judge as they shall see cause; only as to the Matter of the History, I am ascertained that things are truly related. For although I had Little of personal acquaintance with Mr. Cotton, being a Child not above Thirteen years old when he Dyed, I shall never forget the last Sermon which he Preached at Cambridge, and his particular Application to the Scholars there, amongst whom I was then a Student newly admitted; and my Relation to his Family since, has given me an Opportunity to know many observable things concerning him. Both Bostons have reason to Honour his Memory; And New England-Boston most of all, which oweth its Name and being to him more than to any one Person in the World: He might say of Boston, much what as Augustus said of Rome, Lateritiam reperi, mar••oream rliqui: He found it Little better than a Wood or Wilderness, but ft it a Famous Town with Two Churches in it. I remember, Dr. Lghtfoot in Honour to his Patron Sir Roland Cotton, called one of his Sons, Cotton: It doth not repent me, that I gave my Eldest Son, that name in Honour to his GrandFather;