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

§. 5. Hitherto we have seen the Life of Mr.Cotton, while he was not yet Alive! Though the Restraining and Preventing Grace of God, had kept him from such Out-breakings of Sin, as Defile the Lives of most in the World, yet like the Old man, who for such a cause ordered this Epitaph to he Written on his Grave, Here lies an Old Man, who lived but Seven years, he Reckoned himself to have been but a Dead Man, as being Alienated from the Life of God, until he had Experienced that Regeneration, in his own Soul, which was thus Accomplished. The Holy Spirit of God had been at work upon his Young Heart, by the Ministry of that Reverend and Renowned Preacher of Righteousness, Mr. Perkins; but he Resisted and Smothered those Convictions, through a vain Persuasion, that if he became a Godly Man 'twould spoil him for being a Learned One. Yea such was the Secret Enmity and Prejudice of a• Unregenerate Soul, against Real Holiness, and such the Torment, which our Lords Witnesses give t• the Consciences of the Earthly-minded, that whe• he heard the Bell toll for the Funeral of M•• Perkins, his mind secretly rejoiced in his Delive•• ance, ⟨p. 8⟩from that Powerful Ministry, by which his Conscience had been so oft Beleaguered: The Remembrance of which thing afterwards, did break his Heart Exceedingly! But he was, at length, more effectually awakened, by a Sermon o• Dr. Sibs, wherein was Discoursed the Misery of those, who had only a Negative Righteousness, or a Civil, Sober, Honest Blamelessness before men. Mr▪ Cotton became now very sensible of his own Miserable Condition before God; and the Arrows of these Convictions, did stick so fast upon him, that after no less than Three years Disconsolate Apprehensions under them, the Grace of God made him a throughly Renewed Christian, and filled him with a Sacred Joy, which Accompanied him, until he went unto the Fullness of Joy for ever. For this cause, as Persons truly Converted unto God have a mighty and lasting Affection for the Instruments of their Conversion; thus Mr. Cottons Veneration for Dr. Sibs, was after this very particular and perpetual; and it caused him to have the Picture of that Great Man, in that part of his house, where he ight oftenest Look upon it. But so the Yoke f sore Temptations and Afflictions and long Spiritual Trials, fitted him, to be an Eminently Usel Servant of God in his Generation!