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

§. 3. The Religious Parents of Mr. Cotton, were Solicitous to have him endued with a Learned, as well as a Pious Education; and being neither so Rich, that the Matter Artis, could have no Room to do her part, nor so Poor that the Res Augusta D•mi, should clog his Progress, they were well fitted thereby, to bestow such an Education upon him. His first Instruction was under a Good School-Master, one Mr. Johnson, in the Town of Derby: whereon the Intellectual Endowments of all sorts, with which the God of our Spirits, adorned him, so discovered themselves, that at the Age of Thirteen, his Proficiency procured him Admission into Trinity-College in Cambridge. Indeed the Proverb, Soon Ripe, Soon Rotten, has often been too Hastily applied unto Rathe-ripe Wits, in young People; not only O•••mpadius and M••ancihon, who Commenced Bachelors of Arts, at Fourteen years of Age, and Luther, who Commenced Master of Arts at Twenty; but also our Dr. Juel sent unto Oxford, our Dr. Usher sent unto Dublin, and our Mr. Cotton sent unto Cambridge, all at the Age of Thirteen, do put in a Barr to the Universal Application, of that Proverb. While Mr. Cotton was at the University, his Diligent Head, with Gods ⟨p. 5⟩Blessing, made him a Rich Scholar; and his Generous mind found no little Nourishment by that Labour, which like the Sage Philosopher, he found Sweeter than any Idleness: insomuch that his being Elected Fellow of Trinity College, as the Reward of his Quick-Proficiency, was Diverted by nothing but this, that the Extraordinary Charges for their Great Hall then in Building, did put by their Election. And there was this Remarkable in the Education of this Chosen Vessel, at the University: That while he continued there, his Father's Practice was, by the special Providence of God, augmented so much beyond what it had been before, as was enough to maintain him there: Upon which Observation Mr. Cotton afterwards would say, 'Twas God that kept me at the University! Indeed some have said, That the Great Notice quickly taken of the Eminency in the Son, was one Reason, why his Father, not only came to be complemented on all sides, and Omnes Omnia Bona dicere, & laudare Fortunas ejus, qui Filium haberet Tali Ingenio praeditum, but also had his Clients more than a little multiplied.

§. 3. The Religious Parents of Mr. Cotton, were Solicitous to have him indued with a Learned, as well as a Pious Education; and being neither so Rich, that the Mater Artis, could have no Room to do her part, nor so Poor that the Res Augusta Dmi, should clog his Progress, they were well fitted thereby, to bestow such an Education upon him. His first Instruction was under a Good School-Master, one Mr. Johnson, in the Town of Derby: whereon the Intellectual Endowments of all sorts, with which the God of our Spirits, adorned him, so discovered themselves, that at the Age of Thirteen, his Proficiency procured him Admission into Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge. Indeed the Proverb, Soon Ripe, Soon Rotten, has often been too Hastily applyed unto Rathe-ripe Wits, in young People; not only Ompadius and Mancihon, who Commenced Batchelours of Arts, at Fourteen years of Age, and Luther, who Commenced Master of Arts at Twenty; but also our Dr. Juel sent unto Oxford, our Dr. Usher sent unto Dublin, and our Mr. Cotton sent unto Cambridge, all at the Age of Thirteen, do put in a Barr to the Universal Application, of that Proverb. While Mr. Cotton was at the University, his Diligent Head, with Gods