Summus diligentiae gradus est vehememtissima exactissima diligentia diligence was in the third degree most intense and most exact His measure was a glasse of four hours three of which he would sometime say was a schollars day and after that rate he spent not a few of his days he was always an early riser and in his latter years not eating any Supper he made up the avocations of that day by retiring that time and the rest of the evening to his Study With Solon as he grew Old so was he continually a Learner And with Quintilian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he terminated his life and his reading both together The constant work of his Ministry was great if not too great for one man A Candle may spend too fast And the improvement of the light whilst it is yet burning admits of degrees besides his preaching in season and out of season he was daily pressed if not oppressed with the care and service of the Churches Attendance to personal cases and manifold other Imployments inevitably put upon him both from abroad and at home whence the time remaining which is not a little to be lamented was insufficient to attend doctrinal and especial Polemical scripts such as the cause of the truth occurents of Providence and his peculiar engagements called for He was free to give his judgment when desired but declined arbitration and umpirage in civil differences between man and man as Heterogeneus both to his office and spirit His course like that of Celestical bodies was always in motion but still careful to keep within his proper sphere Calvin was not more sollicitous not to be found idle no man more vigilant to contain himself within his measure It was Religion to him both to run and to run lawfully within the white lines and boundaries of his Agonistical race He was doing and so doing Pliny accounted those happy men who either did things His Piety Equidem beatos puto quibus Deoru munere datum est aut facere scribenda aut scriberc legenda C. Pli. Tacit. vol. 1. worthy to be written or wrote things worthy to be read Christians account those Teachers blessed and blessings who teach both by their light and life in sincerity Those which best knew his goins out and comings in cannot but give a large testimony to his Piety A Saint above many of the Saints manifestly declared in the consciences of the godly amongst whom he walked to be the Epistle of Christ known and read of all meu In his house he walked with a perfect heart He was an example to the flock clothed with love and humility amongst his brethren One of a thousand in respect of his worth but as is reported of Dr. Whitaker as one of the multitude in respect of his facile and companion-like behaviour Both Ability and Modesty in such a degree are not ordinarily to be found in the same man Others with much affection beheld the beauty of his face whilst himself was as one who knew not that his face shined He was a Father Friend and Brother to his Fellow-Elders and a shining Light before men As the being of man so the well-being of humane affairs depends not a little upon Domestick government whence are the seminaries and first societies of mankinde He well Bene non regis si bene non regeris Bern. epist 189. knew a Bishop ought not to be defective in so momentous a duty incumbent upon all Heads of families He must be one that ruleth well his own house In conscience whereof he himself rising betimes in the morning as soon as he was ready called his family together which was also his practice in the evening to the solemn worship of God reading and expounding and occasionally applying the Scripture unto them always beginning and ending with prayer In case of sin committed by child or servant he would call them aside privately the matter so requiring lay the Scripture before them causing them to read that which bare witness against such offence seldom or never correcting in anger that the dispensation of godly discipline might not be impured or become less effectual through the intermixing of humane passion He began the Sabbath at evening therefore then performed Family-duty after supper being larger then ordinary in Exposition after which he Catechised his children and servants and then returned into his Study The morning following Family-worship being ended he retired into his Study until the Bell called him away Upon his return from Meeting he returned again into his Study the place of his labour and prayer unto his private devotion where having a small repast carried him up for his dinner he continued till the tolling of the bell The publick service being over he withdrew for a space to his prementioned Oratory for his sacred addresses unto God as in the forenoon then came down repeated the Sermon in the family prayed after supper sung a Psalm and towards bed-time betaking himself again to his Study he closed the day with prayer Thus he spent the Sabbath continually In his Study he neither sate down unto nor arose from his meditations without prayer whilst his eyes were upon his book his expectation was from God He had learned to study because he had learned to pray An able Student a Gospel-Student because unable to study without Jesus Christ The barrenness of his meditation at some times yea though his endeavour were most intense upon a good matter convinced him whence it was that his heart musing upon the same subject at another time his tongue became as the pen of a ready writer As he was not comparatively wanting in Parts Learning or Industry so was he more careful not to trust in them but to fix his dependence totally upon God Herein not unlike unto Bradford of whom we read that he studied kneeling Another Synesius who was wont to divide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syn. ep 57. his life between Prayer and his Book Like unto Paul not sufficient of himself to think any thing as of himself and professing all his sufficiencie to be of God But we will give our selves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word Men of labour and men of prayer As any weighty cause presented it self either in the Church Commonwealth or Family he would set days apart to seek the face of God in secret such were the bowels of this spiritual Father the horsmen and chariots of this Israel He might say with Paul He was in fastings often His conversation upon Earth was a trading in Heaven A demonstration of the praises of him who had called him A practical and exemplary ministery of grace unto the hearer and beholder A temperature of that holiness sweetness and love which continually gained upon the hearts of many spectators The habitual gracious scope of his heart in his whole Ministery is not illegible in that usual subscription of his at the end of all his Sermons
to the light he had received it would be an hindrance to him in his studies which then he had addicted himself unto Therefore he was willing to silence those suggestions and callings he had from the Spirit inwardly and did wittingly defer the prosecution of that work until afterwards At length walking in the field and hearing the Bell toll for Mr Perkins who then lay dying he was secretly glad in his heart that he should now be rid of him who had as he said laid siege to and beleaguer'd his heart This became a cause of much affliction to him God keeping it upon his spirit with the aggravation of it and making it an effectual meanes of convincing and humbling him in the sight and sense of the natural enmity that is in mans nature against God Afterwards hearing Doctor Sibbs then Mr Sibbs preaching a Sermon about Regeneration where he first shewed what Regeneration was not when opening the State of a Civil man he saw his own condition fully discovered which through mercy did drive him to a stand as plainly seeing himself to have no true grace all his false hopes and grounds now failing him And so he lay a long time in an uncomfortable despairing way and of all things this was his heaviest burthen that he had wittingly withstood the meanes and offers of grace and mercy which he found had been tendred to him till it pleased God to let in some word of Faith into his heart to cause him to look unto Christ for healing which word if memory faileth not was dispensed unto him by Doctor Sibbs which begat in him a singular and constant love of Doctor Sibbs of whom he was also answerably beloved That which first made him famous in Cambridge was his His fame in the University Funeral Oration for Doctor Some Master of Peter-house so accurately performed in respect of Invention Elegancy Purity of Style Ornamens of Rhetorick Elocution and Oratorious beauty of the whole as that he was thenceforth looked at as another Xenophon or Musa Attica throughout the University Some space of time intervening he was called to Preach at St Maries where he preached an University-Sermon with high applause of Academical Wits so that the fame of his learning grew greater and greater Afterwards being called to preach in the same place as one Oration of Pericles left the hearer with an Appetite of another so the memory of his former accurate Exercises filled the Colledges especially the young Students with a fresh expectation of such Elegancies of Learning that the Curious and Corinthian Wits who prefer the Muses before Moses who taste Plato more then Paul and relish the Orator of Athens far above the Preacher of the Cross like Quintilians numerous Auditory sufficient to tempt the abilities of the Speaker flock to the Sermon with an Athenian Itch after some new thing as to the Ornaments of Rhetorick and abstruser notions of Philosophy But his Spirit now savouring of the Cross of Christ more then of Humane literature and being taught of God to distinguish between the word of wisdom and the wisdom of words his speech and preaching was not with the enticing words of mans wisdom but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power The disappointed expectation of the Auditory soon appeared in their countenances and the discouragement of their non-acceptance returned him unto his chamber not without some sadder thoughts of heart Where he had not been long alone but lo Doctor Preston then Master Preston knocks at his door and coming in acquaints him with his spiritual condition and how it had pleased God to speak effectually unto his heart by that Sermon After which Doctor Preston ever highly prized him and both fully and strongly closed with him Which real seal of God unto his Ministry comforted his soul far above what the present lessacceptance of the Auditory had dejected him or their former acceptance encouraged him This brings to mind that celebrated story of the Conversion of the Heathen Philosopher at Nice which God wrought by the means of an antient and pious Confessor plainly declaring unto him the doctrine of Faith after that many Christian Philosophers had by Philosophical disputations laboured in vain Christ evidently held forth is Divine Eloquence the Eloquence of Eloquence God will not have it said of Christ as Alexander said of Achilles That he was beholden to the pen of him that published his Acts. 'T is Christ that is preached not the tongue of the Preacher to whom is due all praise Such instances conclude that Paul is more learned then Plato We must distinguish between ineptness of speech Carnal Rhetorick and Eloquent Gospel-simplicity between Ignorance Ostentation and Learning The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words and words of truth His Concio ad Clerum when he proceeded Bachelor of Divinity after he had been at Boston about half a year was very much admired and commended His text was Mat. 5. 13. Vâ—s estis sal terrae quod si sal infatuarus fuerit quo salietur Ye are the salt of the earth but if the salt have lost its savour wherewith shall it be salted In handling of which both the weight of the matter elegancie of phrase Rhetorical streins grave sweet and spiritual pronuntiation rendred him yet more famous The like did his answering of the Divinity-Act in the Schools having a very acute Opponent Mr William Chappell to dispute with him So that in Cambridge the name of Mr Cotton was much set by Unto this earthen vessel thus filled with heavenly treasure His remove to Boston in Lincolnshire Boston in Lincolnshire made their address saying Come and help us And in that Candlestick the Father of spirits placeth this burning and shining light To whom he removed from Cambridge about the 28. year of his age At the first he met with some obstructions from the Diocesan then Bishop Barloe who told him that he was a young man and unfit to be set over such a divided people Mr Cotton being ingenuous and undervaluing himself thought so too and purposed to return to the College again But some of his Boston-friends understanding that one Simon Biby was to be spoken with who was neer to the Bishop they presently charmed him and so the business proceeded without further trouble and Mr Cotton was admitted into the place after their manner in those days Two things are here not unworthy of observation which he would sometimes speak of to his friends First that in the beginning of his Ministery he was exercised with some inward troubles which much dejected him No sooner had Christ received his mission into his publick ministery but he is led into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil Wise Heman suffered the horrors of God and was laid in the lowest pit The Doctor of the Gentiles stood in need of being buffered by Satan The Tempter is in Christs hand and an instrumental winnower of the Disciples His fiery darts through
different 2. Touching the office of Bishops whether the Scripture-Bishops be appointed to rule a diocesse or a particular Congregation The discussing of these caused much debate between us about the meaning and extent of the second Commandment both in the negative 〈◊〉 the affirmative part of it and a diligent examination of what had been Printed in defence of conformity to the ceremonies imposed viz. Mr Wheatlies arguments in his Care-cloth Mr Byfelds on 1 Pet. 2. 13. and others with such arguments as were either produced or invented and urged by any of our selves Unto all which he answered with great evidence of Scripture light composedness of mind mildness of Spirit constant adhering to his principles and keeping them unshaken and himself from varying from them by any thing spoken ad oppositum When I observed that all this he did not in speech only but also in sundry writings the Copies whereof I have without the help of any book but the Scriptures wherein he was mighty and yet matters that required variety of reading whether for confirmation of the truth or confutation of the contrary fell frequently into discourse inter partes I admired Gods presence with him and assistance of him quickening his apprehension and invention strengthening his memory composing his mind and governing his Spirit far beyond what I had taken notice of any man before him The reason of our desire to confer with him rather then any other touching these weighty points was our former knowledge of his approved Godliness excellent learning sound judgment eminent gravity candor and sweet temper of Spirit whereby he could placidly bear those that differed from him in their apprehensions All which and much more we found and glorified God in him and for him So equal a contention between Learning and Meekness is seldom visible in any one person Of Moses we thus read Now the man Moses was very meek above all the men that were upon the face of the Earth The Consciences of those that knew him appealed to he will be acknowledged amongst the meekest of the Earth in his days I am forced here to make a pause So conspicuous was this grace in him that multitudes beheld it not without making extraordinary mention therof 'T is true he had an advantage above many in his natural constitution and its influence from his education heightned intellectuals and moralities was not inconsiderable but that which gave the being of meekness which sanctified perfected all was the grace of Christ He was of an acute apprehension therefore easily sensible of but so little in his own spirit that he was not easily provoked by an injury Sensibleness of dishonor done to God by sin or of what the offender had done unto himself by sinning left such impressions upon him as that his taking notice of any injury done unto himself was not usually taken notice of He had well learned that lesson of Gregory It is better oftentimes to flie from an injury by silence then to overcome it by replying It was Grynaeus manner to revenge wrongs Gloriosius est injuriam tacendo fugere quà m respondendo superare with Christian taciturnity Melancthon overcomes Luther's anger and his own grief with mildness patience and prayer The non-resistance and softness of the Wooll breaks the force of the Cannon and so saveth both the bullet and it self If Inferiors expostulated unnecessarily with him he would patiently hear them and give them a brotherly account pacifying their minds with a gentle grave and respective answer Take one instance of that kind in stead of many unto one of his Hearers then sick of singularities and less able to bear sound doctrine following him home after his publick labors in the Assembly and in stead of better encouragement telling him that his Ministry was become either dark or flat He gently answered Both Brother without further opening his mouth in his defence choosing rather to own the imputation then to expostulate with the Imputer Disputations are great trials of the spirits of intelligent men Hooper and Ridley were patient Martyrs yet somewhat impatient Disputers The Synod held at Cambridge as matters were then circumstanced was unto this good man an hour of temptation above what ordinarily had befallen him in his pilgrimage yet such was his eminent behaviour throughout as argued in the conscience of the spectators singular patience and left him a Mirror for the temperament mildness and government of his spirit Pious meekness fits for Church-society It was he than whom was not a meeker man upon earth who continued Israel in Church-communion and continued in communion with Israel notwithstanding their manners in the wilderness To institute and preserve instrumentally Church-communion Gospel-fellowship society and purity in the exercises that accompany the removal of as it were a Nation out of a Nation Change of Ecclesiastical government with the many temptations of this Desart called for another Moses Neither the spirit of separation nor pollution can attain it To hold communion with men that are sinners without having communion with their sin is the only sociable spirit To extend communion where the rule commands and to deny communion where the rule forbids qualifieth us to live with God and man They that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak Pillars must be bearers else the building falls The infirmities of the weak brethren are the trials and burdens of those whieh are strong It fareth ill with the little one when the frowardness of the Child exceeds the patience of the Nurse Those things in nature which cannot suffer cannot mixe Timber that will not endure cutting is unfit for jointing The sword that is good metal will bow to the hilts and yet come strait again No metal more solid then gold no metal more yielding under the hammer The same Heaven hath the name of Firmament for its stability and of the Expanse for its being stretch'd out like a curtain and compassing about the residue of the Creation The sinews which are the members of most strength are also members flexible every way for the better motion of the whole body Denial of regular communion is injurious to the body Rigor is schismatical Indulgence is defiling both are scandalous and destructive Piety and meekness preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Eccius sometimes acknowledged unto Melancthon that his mildness and Pontanus his good language had been very beneficial to the Protestant cause Yet though he was so gentle meek and flexible that men might perswade him above what could be usually expected from men of his worth in the things of God he was stedfast and unmoveable Moses the meekest of men in the cause of God would not yield in the least Our cattel also shall go with us there shall not an hoof be left behind Paul who pleaseth all men in all things in a matter fundamental giveth not place no not for an hour Charity so endureth all things as that the
Exposition on Rom. IX Catabaptism in vindication of Infants Baptism proving not only its lawfulness but Divine institution Goodwin's Pagans Debt and Dowry Agreement and Distance of Brethren Defence of the true meaning of Rom. 4. 3. 5. 9. in Answer to Mr. Walker Of Justification Water-dipping no firm footing for Church-communion Mr. William Allein's Baptismal Abuses Doubt Resolved or Satisfaction to the Seekers Mr. Tombs Antipedobaptism Gospel-Liberty by Mr. Walter Cradock Jacob Behmen's three Principles of the Divine Essence Threefold life of man Forty Questions of the Souls Original and Nature On the two Testaments Baptism and Supper Mercurius Teutonicus Tree of Faith Consideration of Infants Baptism by Mr. Horn. The Doctrine of Justification asserted and vindicated in Answer to Mr. William Eyre and Mr. Baxter Monarchy or no Monarchy in England by Mr. William Lilly British and Outlandish Prophecies most of above 1000 years the rest very antient wherein is his Highness lineal descent from the antient Princes of Britain cleerly manifesting that He is the Conqueror they so long prophesied of The Prophecie of Daniel explained by Ephraim Huit Pastor of the Church at Windsor in New-England The Saints Daily Exercise by Dr. John Preston Mr. John Cotton's Pouring out of the seven Vials Power of the Keyes Resurrection of the Churches The Saints Humiliation by Samuel Torshel Abbot on Job On the Sabbath The Works of Dr. Stoughton Marrow of Sacred Divinity by Dr. Ames An Exposition on the Canticles by Tho. Brightman Reformation sure c. by Sam. Faircloth The Spirit convincing of Sin by Peter Sterrey The Spaniards Cruelty and Treachery in the time of Peace and War The Quakers Quaking Principles by Ellis Bradshaw Expositions with Observations on several Scriptures by Isaac Pennington Esq Some Prophetical Prognosticks of the Wars of Christendom written in High-Dutch by Paulus Felyenhore Now made English Several Sermons and Discourses by Mr. William Dell Master of Gonvil Caius Colledge Camb. Books in 8o. large and small The Institutions or Fundamentals of the whole Body of Physick by that great and learned Physitian D. Sennertus Doctor And Four Books of Agues and Fevers their Causes Signs and Cures by the same Author Philosophy Reform'd and Improved in two Books the one being a Translation of Crollius Kingly Chymists the other Paracelsus Philosophy to the Athenians Divine Opticks or A Treatise of the Eye discovering the vertues and vices thereof by R. Dingley Mr. of Arts. Astraea or True Love's Mirror by Leon. Willan Gent. The Mystery of GOD Incarnate by Sam. Eaton A Vindication of the Godhead of Christ by Sam. Eaton An Universal and Perpetual Almanack by Jo. Catchet Silex Scintillans or The bleeding Heart Sacred Poems The second Edition enlarged with a second Part added thereunto by Henry Vaughan Sillurist Magia Adamica or The Antiquity of Magick and the Descent thereof from Adam downwards proved Lumen de lumine or A new Magical light discovered and communicated to the world both written by E. Philalethes The Garden Inclosed by Paul Hobson Resignation or Self-denial plainly and fully set forth to such as earnestly desire to become the Disciples of Jèsus Christ by Valentine Wigelius An English-Greek LEXICON containing the Derivations and various Explanations of all the Words in the New-Testament A Work exceeding useful for private Christians and recommended to the Churches by several eminent Ministers of Christ in London By Tho. Cockyn late of C. C. in Oxford Books in 12o. large and small The Christians Daily Walk in holy Security and Peace by Mr. Scudder The Godly Man's Choice by the same Author The Anatomy of Conscience by Mr. Ephraim Huit The right receiving of Christ by Mr. Jer. Dyke A Treatise of Faith by Ezekiel Culverwell The Doctrine of Faith by Mr. John Rogers Martyrs Flowers by Clement Cotton Signs of a Godly man by Mr. Byfield Saints Nosegay by Samuel Clark The Anchor of Hope for Gods tossed ones by John Wells Golden Sands with some few short Hints about the Riches of Grace by John Bachiler The Protestants Practice or The Compleat Christian containing the Sum of Christian Divinity by a Reverend Father of the Church The Chymists Key to shut and to open or The true doctrine of Corruption and Generation by that judicious and industrious Artist Henry Nollins Short Arithmetick or The old and tedious way of Numbering reduced to a new and short method by Ed. How 's Schola Cordis or The Heart of it self gone away from God gone back again to him and instructed by him in 47 Emblems Jacob Behmen's Way to Christ discovered whereunto is annexed A Treatise of the Complexions FINIS