N00594:360
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. With what Ability and Fidelity be acquitted himself in his Fellowship, it was a Thing sensible unto the whole University. And it was while he was in this Employment, that the more Effectual Grace of God, gave him the Experience of a true Regeneration. It pleased the Spirit of God very Powerfully to break into the Soul of this person, with such a Sense of his being Exposed unto the Just Wrath of Heaven, as filled him with most unusual Degrees of Horror and Anguish, which broke not only his Rest, but his Heart also, and caused him to cry out, While I suffer thy Terrors, O Lord, I am Distracted! While he long had a Soul Harassed with such Distresses, he had a singular Help in the Prudent and Piteous Carriage of Mr. Ash, who was the Sizer, that then waited upon him; and attended him, with such Discreet and Proper Compassions, as made him afterwards to Respect him highly all his Days. He afterwards ⟨p. 6⟩gave this Account of himself, That in the time of his Agonies, he could Reason himself to the Rule, and Conclude that there was no way but Submission to God, and Lying, at the Foot of his Mercy in Christ Jesus, and waiting humbly there, till He should please to persuade the Soul of his Favour: nevertheless when he came to apply this Rule unto himself in his own Condition, his Reasoning would fall him, he was able to Do nothing. Having bin a considerable while thus Troubled with such Impressions from the Spirit of Bondage, as were to fit him for the Great Services and Enjoyments, which God intended him; at length he Received the Spirit of Adoption, with well grounded Persuasions of his Interest in the New-Covenant. It became his manner, at his Lying down for Sleep in the Evening, to Single out some certain Promise of God, which he would Repeat, and Ponder, and Keep his Heart close unto it, until he found that satisfaction of Soul wherewith he could say, I will Lay me down in Peace, and Sleep; for thou, O Lord, makest me Dwell in Assurance. And he would afterwards Counsel others to take the same Course; telling them, That the Promise was the Boat, which was to carry a Perishing Sinner over unto the Lord Jesus Christ.
§ 3. With what Ability and Fidelity be acquitted himself in his Fellowship, it was a Thing sensible unto the whole University. And it was while he was in this Employment, that the more Effectual Grace of God, gave him the Experience of a true Regeneration. It pleased the Spirit of God very Powerfully to break into the Soul of this person, with such a Sense of his being Exposed unto the Just Wrath of Heaven, as fill'd him with most unusual Degrees of Horror and Anguish, which broke not only his Rest, but his Heart also, and caused him to cry out, While I suffer thy Terrors, O Lord, I am Distracted! While he long had a Soul Harassed with such Distresses, he had a singular Help in the Prudent and Piteous Carriage of Mr. Ash, who was the Sizer, that then waited upon him; and attended him, with such Discreet and Proper Compassions, as made him afterwards to Respect him highly all his Dayes. He afterwards