old Serpent knowing the time of the passion of Christ and of the baptism of the Apostles with the baptism wherewith he was to be baptized then approaching to indispose the minds of the Disciples thereunto by possessing them with a pleasing but false expectation of a glorious and temporal Kingdom of Christ in this world to be at hand Persecution doubtless had been a more suitable meditation for Iames then to seek great things for himself who notwithstanding his dream of a Kingdom was not long after killed by the sword of Herod Time will shew whether we have more cause to fear the death of the Witnesses yet to come or to conclude the time of their sackcloth to be over His advertisement seemeth weighty that telleth us A credulous security of their death as past if yet Plus siquident ad pietatem valet calamitatis futurae expectatio quà m credula nimis de ea quasi jam transacta securitas Mead Com. Apoc. cap. 11. to come is a more perillous error then the expectation of it as to come though already past An awful waiting for a calamity conduceth more to piety then a secure putting from us the thoughts of the evil day The Disciples not minding the prediction of Christs sufferings but over-minding an external state of glory meeting with the Cross were so offended as that they were not free from sad misgivings of heart concerning their Saviour But we trusted that it had been be that should have redeemed Israel Whereas on the other hand the poor Albigenses fighting the battels of Christ Jesus in defence of the Gospel against Simon Montfort though overcome by him with a great slaughter and upon that advantage of providence taken sollicited by the Bishop of Tholouse then interceding for them that now God having by the event of war determined for the Romanists against them they would return from their Heresie unto the Catholick faith They at such a time having seasonably in their hearts that Prophecie And it was given unto them to make Revel 13. 7. war with the Saints and to overcome them answered That they were the people of God appointed to be overcome Thus they strengthened their faith by being overthrown they overcame the temptation by being overcome and so not accepting of deliverance were all slain to a man Poor Albigenses looking seasonably at calamities to come overcome the Disciples looking unseasonably at a Kingdom to come are overcome Times are in the hands of God and to discern the times is the gift of God Being designed to suffer is not so great an evil as grace to suffer for the Designers sake is good The condition of the Witnesses is higher in the Promises of the great God then it is low in the Street of the great City Their Ascension into Heaven after three days and a half is legible long before their death Athanasius Nubecula est citò praeteribit seeth through the storm and comforteth his Fellow-sufferers that Julian's Persecution is but a little Cloud and will quickly be over That Motto somewhat Post tenebras lux altered by them of Geneva is in this sense as true and as truly alterable concerning every Confessor After darkness we look for light Whether it be an astonishment of heart or the dictate of the Spirit Luther leaveth the cause of Religion howsoever unto Christ I faith he am not much troubled Stupor ne sit an Spiritus viderit christus non valdè turbatus sum c. Mel. Adam in vita Lutheri yea I hope as concerning the Event above what I hoped God is able to raise up the dead God is able to preserve his cause though falling to raise it up again though falne to promote when standing if we be not worthy let it be done by others Jacob foretelling the predetermined and afflicting vicissitudes concerning the tribes of Israel comforts himfelf in a safe issue of all as to Religion and the sincere professors thereof thus I have waited for thy salvation O God! Salvation is a full remedy And then is opportunity for the salvation of God when the Churches tribulation is such as that out of it none but God can save The fixing of a Beleevers eye aright hath a vivifical and marvellous influence upon his heart Christ beholding the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame A Christian runneth cheerfully and undefiledly over the foulest part of the race set before him looking unto Jesus The Council looking on Stephen saw his face as it had been the face of an Angel The reason is Stephen looked stedfastly into Heaven and seeth the Son of man standing at the right hand of God The best of the servants of God have lived in the worst times Noah was not so unhappy that he lived in an unrighteous Generation as he was happy in being righteous in that generation Though the captivity took up so much of Daniels life yet when he shall stand in his lot at the end of days it shall be no griefe of heart unto him that he was both to spend and end his days in Babylon It will be as well with those at that day who fulfilled their course upon earth prophesying in sackcloth as with those who are reserved to live in the glorious times of the Gospel It is not material in what Age we live but that we live as we ought in that Age wherein we live Moriar ego morte justorum sit finis meus sicut illius Collected out of the writings and information Of The Reverend Mr. John Davenport Pastor of the Church at New-Haven The Reverend Mr. Samuel Whiting Pastor of the Church at Linne The Pious Widow of the Deceased and others And compiled by his unworthy Successor Qui A longè sequitur vestigia semper adorans Boston Novemb. 6. 1657. FINIS A Catalogue of some Books printed for Lodo. Lloyd and are to be sold at his Shop next to the Castle-Tavern in Cornhill Books in Folio BUrton's Anatomy of Melancholy Mr. John Goodwin's Redemption Redeemed An Historical Description of the East-Indies Jacob Behmen's Mysterium Magnum being an Exposition upon Genesis Life and Death by Durand Hotham Esq Books in Quarto Mr. John Norton's Orthodox Evangelist Life and Death of that deservedly famous Mr. John Cotton of Boston in New-England Mr. Caryls Exposition of the three first Chapters of Job Continuation of his Exposition on the 4 5 6 7 Chapters of Job On the 8 9 10 Chapters of Job Mr. John Goodwin's Divine Authority of Scriptures Answer to Mr. Edwards Theomachia Or The danger of fighting against God Hagiomastix or A Scourge for the Saints Vindication of the Sentence past upon the late King A Reply to A. S. in vindication of the Congregational Way Fresh Discovery of the high Presbyterian spirit Queries concerning Government Vindication of the Change of Government called Peace Protected Disputations concerning the Extent of the Death of Christ with Mr. Powel and Mr. Simpson
the influence of him who succors those that are tempted cleanse as well as smart and this cleansing efficacie remains when the smart is over From the experience of this Archer are the choise Shepherds in Israel Good spirits are much better'd by their conflicts with the worst of spirits Spiritual Preachers are often trained up in the school of temptation so true is that theological maxim Meditation Prayer and Tria faciunt Theologum meditatio oratio tentatio Temptation make a Divine This dispensation of the all-wise God he afterwards found not only to be beneficial to him in preparing his heart for his work but also that it became an effectual means of his more peaceable and comfortable settlement in that place where the people were divided amongst themselves by reason of a potent man in the Town who adhered to another Cambridge-man whom he desired to bring in But when they saw Mr Cotton wholly taken up with his own exercises of spirit they were free from all suspition of his being pragmatical or addicted to siding with this or that Party and so began to close more fully with him And secondly Whereas there was an Arminian party in that Town some of whom were witty and troubled others with disputes about those points by Gods blessing upon his labours in holding forth positively such Truths as undermined the foundations of Arminianism those Disputes ceased and in time Arminianism was no more pleaded for So God disposeth of the hearts of hearers as that generally they are all open and loving to their Preachers in their first times Trials are often reserved until afterwards Epiphanius calleth the first year of Christs ministery the acceptable year The Disciples in their first mission want nothing and return all safe but after his death they met with other entertainment and come short home Young Peter girdeth himself and walks whither he will but Old Peter is girded by another and carried whither he would not For three or four years he lived and preached among them without opposition they accounted themselves happy as well they might in the enjoyment of him both the Town and Country thereabout being much bettered and reformed by his labours After not being able to bear the Ceremonies imposed his Non-conformity occasioned his trouble in the Court of Lincoln from whence he was advised to appeal to a higher Court And imploying Mr Leveret who afterwards was one of the Ruling-Elders of the Church of Boston in New-England to deal in that business and he being a plain man as Jacob was yet piously subtile to get such a spiritual blessing so far insinuated himself into one of the Proctors of that high-Court that Mr Cotton was treated by them as if he were a conformable man and so was restored unto Boston Likewise by the same meanes it was that a Gentleman of Boston called Mr Benner used occasionally afterwards to bring him in again After this time he was blessed with a successful Ministry unto the end of twenty years In which space he on the Lords-day in the Afternoons went over the whole body of Divinity in a Cathechistical way thrice and gave the heads of his discourse to those that were young Schollars and others in the Town to answer his questions in publick in that great Congregation and after their answers he opened those heads of Divinity and finally applyed all to the edification of his people and to such strangers as came to hear him In the morning on the Lords day he preached over the first six Chapters of the Gospel of John the whole book of Ecclesiastes the Prophesie of Zechariah and many other Scriptures and when the Lords Supper was administred which was usually every moneth He preached upon 1 Cor. 11. and 2 Chron. 30. per totum and some other Scriptures concerning that Subject On his Lecture days he preached thorough the whole First and Second Epistles of John the whole book of Solomons Song the Parables of our Saviour set forth in Matthews Gospel to the end of Chapter 16. compairing them with Mark and Luke He took much pains in private and read to sundry young Schollars that were in his House and some that come out of Germany and had his house full of Auditors Afterwards seeing some inconvenience in the Peoples flocking to his house besides his ordinary Lecture on the 5 day of the Week he preached thrice more in publick on the Week days On the fourth and fifth days early in the morning and on the last day at three of the clock in the afternoon Only these three last Lectures were performed by him but some few years before he had another famous Colleague He was frequent in duties of Humiliation and Thanksgiving Sometimes five or six hours in Prayer and opening of the Word so undefatigable in the Lords work so willing to spend and to be spent He answered many Letters that were sent far and near wherein were handled many difficult cases of Conscience and many doubts cleered to great satisfaction He was a man exceedingly loved and admired of the best and reverenced of the worst of his hearers He was in great favour with Doctor Williams the then Bishop of Lincoln who much esteemed him for his learning and according to report when he was Lord keeper of the great Seal went to King James and speaking of Mr Cottons great learning and worth the King was willing notwithstanding his non-conformity to give way that he should have his liberty without interruption in his Ministry which was the more notable considering how that Kings spirit was carried out against such men Also the Earl of Dorcester being at Old-Boston and hearing Mr Cotton preaching concerning if memory fail not Civil-Government He was so affected with the Wisdom of his words and Spirit that he did ever after highly account of him and put himself forth what he could in the time of Mr Cottons troubles to deliver him out of them that his Boston might enjoy him as formerly but he found spiritual wickednesses in high places too strongly opposite to his Desires About this time he married his second Wife Mris Sarah Story then a Widow He was blessed above many in his marriages both his Wives being pious Matrons grave sober faithful like Euodias and Syntyche Fellow-Laborers with him in the Gospel by the first he had no Children the last God made a Fruitful Vine unto him His First-born she brought forth far off upon the Sea He that left Europe childless arived a joyfull Father in America God who promiseth to be with his servants when they passe through the Waters having caused him to embrace a Son by the way In memorial whereof he called his name Seaborn to keep alive said he in mee and to teach him if he live a remembrance of Sea-mercies from the hand of a gracious God He is yet living and now entred into the Work of the Ministry A Son of many prayers and of great expectation The time being now come
eating thereof they must die a lingring death for want of food And the same day that their Pastor preached to them it being the Lords-day out of Psal 23. 1. The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want At such a time the good hand of the Lord brought this succor to them from afar To give quickly doubleth but to give to the Saints in a time of need trebleth the gift Whilst he was in England his eminent piety success of his His sufferings from men labors interest in the hearts of both superiors inferiors and equals drew much envy upon him and his Non-conformity added thereunto delivered him in a great degree unto the will of his Adversaries whose hour and the power of darkness being come spared not to shoot at him and grieve him not giving over until they had bereaved him of much of his livelihood his liberty Country and therewith of the sweet society of lovers friends and many ways endeared Acquaintance much more precious to him then life it self Yet the measure of the afflictions of Christ in this kind appointed to be suffered by him in the flesh was not fulfilled But lo in the time of his Exile some Brethren we do not say they were not of us being willing to hope better things provoked by the Censure of Authority though justly and not without tears inflicted upon them single out him as a chief object of their displeasure who though above other men declining irregular and unnecessary interesting of himself in the actions of the Magistrate and while opportunity lasted endeavouring their healing yet must now be requited evil for good and that by some of them who were formerly companions with him in the tribulations of this Patmos Respecters of him had taken sweet counsel together and walked in the house of God as friends Hence is he with pen and tongue blasphemed by them for whom he formerly intreated and for whom he both then and afterwards wept and put on sackcloth Such buffetings of Satan though sharp are medicinal at times to the excellent upon earth who by reason of the body of death indwelling must be kept weak that they may be made strong Since this time also some reverend learned and godly men haply in zeal against the Congregational-way sharpened their style against him Which if it be the truth as we believe it is their speaking so much ad hominem especially to such a man whose love to any good man much exceeded their displeasure to him argueth too much of man Howsoever he was then a sufferer for the Truth In which respect the pious and ingenuous spirit of learned Mr. Rutherford though in pursuance of the Truth he disputes ad idem and with strength which is his praise and acceptable yet he professedly carrieth it as to a Brother not to an Adversary There is an excess in too much salt and not a little to be complained of in personal and causeless aspersions from good men That smarts these defile That makes less comfortable these tend us to make us unprofitable Roses are not without their pricks The Archers have sorely grieved him and shot at him and were displeased with him but his Bowe abode in strength the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob From thence is the Shepherd and the Stone of Israel An honest-minded man Plutarch de capienda ex hostibus utilitate libellus saith Xenophon gets by enmity And Plutarch writes a Treatise concerning benefiting by our Enemies adorning his discourse with that of Jason of Thessaly whose Enemy stabbing him and intending his death only opened an ulcer otherwise incurable and so saved his life If men without God in the world having only star-light and scarce so much as seeing men walk like trees only feeling after the Lord have thus spoken we see the greater encouragement why Christians who are made light by the Father of Light and know Him that is Love may through grace not only speak better but also practise accordingly Job can turn the book written against him by his adversaries into a crown Joseph feeling the benefit of the Patriarchs unkindness is the more readily disposed to forgive that wrong whereby he finds himself made a great gainer He was a good Accomptant who esteemed the reproaches of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt Paul takes pleasure in reproaches for Christs sake The best and most peaceable spirits cannot hope to fulfill their course in a Pacifique sea The way of the most excellent lieth through evil report and good report through honor and dishonor To avoid the fouler part of the passage is not in the power of man To walk clean through it To do well and approve himself as a Minister of Christ in suffering ill is all that can be expected from a man of God Erasmus acknowledging some men to do well in In hoc uno 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut aiunt conjunctum fuit eximium fuit quicquid in aliis per partes miramur Erasm epistnuncupat praefixa tom 3. epist. Hieron some things will have Hierom to excell in all It was a great Encomium which the German Phenix sometimes gave to Luther I saith he speaking of himself am a Logician Pomeranus is a Grammarian Justus Jonas is an Orator but Luther is all Let it suffice to be said of Mr. Cotton that he was a famous Light in his generation a glory to both Englands and such an one in whom was so much of what is desireable in Man as is rarely to be seem in one Person As concerning any Tenet wherein he may seem singular Remember he was a man and therefore to be heard and read with judgment and haply sometimes with favour Scio me aliter habere apostolos aliter reliquos tractatores c. Hier. ep to 2. ep tua Hierom makes a difference between reading the writings of the Apostles and the Tractates of other Authors They saith he always spake the truth These as men in some things erre Let him but receive with some proportion to the measure that he gave and he will be found no debtor upon that account No man did more placidly bear a Dissentient The Jews unto their own question Why Asa and Iehoshaphat removing the Idols in high places took not also away the Brazen-serpent give this answer The father 's left a place for Hezekiah to exercise his zeal That great Conqueror vainly feared that his Father Philip's victories would deprive the Son of an opportunity to improve his magnanimity Much of the wisdom of God both in the Scripture and Creature is still unseen and it hath been judged but meet that each Age should contribute somewhat toward the fuller discovery of Truth But this cannot be except men of a larger Acumen and greater industry may be permitted to communicate their notions especially whilst as Austin in Non tanquam affirmator sed tanquam scratator Aug. Psal 85.