affectionately spread before God in most of the Congregations about London as his Three dayes were set apart by Ministers and many other praying friends to seek God in his behalf one in private and two in publick which also were observed much better than such dayes usually have been of late yea in remote Countries besides the ordinary Prayers made for him there were some Fasts kept also with special reference to his afflictions The multitude of people that came to his Funeral with the many weeping eyes did clearly shew how much he was beloved Here might also be remembred the readiness of the London Ministers to supply his place at home and his Lectures elsewhere as also the willingness of his Fellow-lecturers at Westminster to preach for him there when he himself by reason of weakness could not possibly do his own work but its needless for still every where upon the naming of Mr. Whitaker love is some way discovered by such as had any knowledge of him Whilst he was able he never neglected his Minsterial service he hath often gone upon Crutches unto the Congregation of his own people to fulfil his Ministry yea once at least he adventured to preach at Michaels Cornhil when he was scarce able to get into the Pulpit and his Friends with much difficulty holp him out of the Church homewards and at other times when his legs would not serve him he used to ride to Church And when he was by extremity of pains taken off from his Ministry he would sometimes profess to some special friends that the pain felt was not so grievous to his spirit as his inability by reason thereof to mannage his wonted work Indeed it was his meat and drink to be doing the will of his Heavenly Father Many times these were his words If I could but preach I should be much better and he would rejoyce with cheerfulness and thankfulness when in the times of his weakness he found not himself more distempered by his preaching and would mention such experiences as arguments to move and induce his friends to yeeld to his preaching when they disswaded him from it as prejudicial to his health Anno Christi 1654 about the beginning of November the violent pain of the Stone did in such a manner and measure arrest him that from that time he continued Gods prisoner confined to his bed or chamber till he was set free by a long expected and much desired death Most Physiâ—ians in the City were consulted with and were from time to time very ready to serve him with their advice who did unanimously conclude that his sharp pains proceeded originally from an Ulcer in the Kidnies but immediately from an ulcer in the neck of the Bâ—â—dder caused by a continual flux of ulcerous mâ—tter dropping down upon that part and by reason of the acuteness and quickness of the sense there his pains were almost continually in that place though the fountain of them was from the Kidnies About two moneths before his Death his pains grew more extream yet Divine indulgence vouchsafed at some times some mitigation of them and intermission both in the night and day But notwithstanding the long continuance and extremity of them neither his Faith nor Patience did abate yea they much encreased and grew higher and as he grew nearer his end so his longings for death were much increased yet accompanied with holy submission to the good pleasure of his gracious Father These were some of his expressions O my God break open the Prison door and set my poor captive soul free But enable me willingly to wait thy time I desire to be dissolved never aid any man more desire life than I do Death When will that time come that I shall neither sin more nor sorrow more When shall mortality put on immortality When shall this earthly Tabernacle be dissolved that I may be cloathed upon with that House which is from Heaven Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth So great was his love to his God and Saviour that he maintained and expressed high estimations and honourable thoughts of his Majesty when he was under the most tormenting providences He feared nothing more than lest he should do or speak any thing that should redâ—und to the dishonour of his Name These were some breathings of his large love when through pain he was as in the fire or upon the rack Good Lord keep me from dishonouring of thy Name by impatieency Oh who would not even in burnings have honourable thoughts of God! who that knows thee would not fear thee O Lord love thee and honour thee Lord thou givest me no occasion to have any hard thoughts of thee Blessed be God there is nothing of Hell in all this Blessed be his Name for Jesus Christ and the Revelation of the everlasting Gospel Who knows the power of thy wrath If it be so heavy upon thy servant hore how heavy shall it be to all those who shall endure it without mixture Blessed be God for the peace of mine inward man when my outward man is full of trouble This is a bitter Cup but it is of my Father mixture and shall I not drink it yea Lord through thy strength I will This is my burthen and I will bear it Upon any abatements of his excruciating pains he was constantly much in blessing God using these and such like expressions O! what a mercy is it that there is any mitigation any intermission Lord make me thankfull And turning himself towards those that stood by he would bespeâ—k them thus O help me to be thankfull O lift up a Prayer for me that I may be thankful O what a mercy is this How much worse might this affliction have been I might have been distracted or laid roaring under disqueâ—ness of spirit By these and many such like expressions and workings of his spirit who perceiveth not the sparklings of his love to God And to a dear friend he often said Brother through mercy I have not one repiniâ—g thought against God The Sabbath sevennight before God released him though his pains were very sharp yet he bestowed most part of the time of publick Ordinances in prayer together with those that were about him and his Petitions were most in the behalf of Ministers that God would cloath his Ordinances with his own power and enable his Ministers to speak to the souls of his people Then did he also with many tears bewail his detainment from the Sanctuary and Sabbath-opportunities of doing and receiving good which had been his delight Professing also that his being taken off from service was a greater afflâ—ction to him than all his bodily pains And because this apprehension to wit of his present unserviceablness did much afflict him this therefore was often suggested to him which the Lord pleased to make a relief to his spirit viz. that now by the practice
leave a sweet savour and relish upon their spirits and whole converse To give you a true and full Character of his whole deportment in few words He was a good and a faithfull Steward in his Masters house alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord a Pillar in the house of his God never weary of his Lords work but best pleased when he had done most service His conversation was immaculate and unblameable His behaviour uniform and universally pious He was grave without austerity pleasant without levity Courteous without dissembling Free in discourse where he might profit yet reserved where he saw cause He was seldom the first speaker although he was best able to speak He loved usefull discourse but abhorred froth and babling He was witty without vanity facetious without girding or grieving of others He knew his place yet was not insolent Resolute he was but not wilfull He maintained his authority but was not haughty A great Master he was of his own Passions and Affections and thereby abundantly furnished with the more abilities and embellishments that most attract and maintain the dearest love the deepest reverence and highest respect He was a great admirer of Learning and Piety in others though they were far below himself in both His affections were above though he were below He conversed more with Heaven than with earth while he remained on it and is now a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord and a Royall Diadem in the hand of his God as being an ornament unto Heaven it self He lived in the world seventy five years within one moneth in which long race he saw many sad changes and sore storms beating hard upon the Church tossed with tempests and not yet at Anchor But never was David more distressed for his dearest Jonathan than this man of Bowels was for the calamities of the dear Spouse of Christ. He was most incessantly inquisitive after the Churches estate in all Countries A sad lamenter of all her afflictions A daily Orator and mighty Advocate for her at the Throne of Grace and never enjoyed himself but when he descried her under sail towards some Creek or Haven wherein she might find comfort and rest being much in Prayer and Fasting for her full reformation and perfect deliverance Some good hopes whereof he conceived in the prosperous atchievements of the Great Gustavus Adolphus late King of Sweden semper Augustus But when he by the sad and unsearchable providence of the only wise God suddenly and untimely fell in the full carier of his victories and of the Churches hopes and that the Christian world was by his fall hurled from the height of so great expectation he continually mourned over the unhappy setting of that glorious Northern Starre as a sad presage of all the inundations of miseries since befallen and that still are rising higher and higher upon the Church of Christ the quick and deep sence whereof lay close upon his heart to his dying day Neither was he without his sufferings and dangers in our uncivil Civil Wars He was affronted by rude Ruffians and bloody minded Souldiers who tyranized over him in his own house not permitting him quietly to enjoy himself and his God in his private study to which he often retired not only from their insolencies but from their Blasphemies Even thither would they pursue him with drawn swords vowing his instant Death for not complying with them in their bloody engagements Yet it pleased that gracious God whom he had so faithfully served to preserve him for further service and to make that an hiding place for his preservation which they intended for his slaughter house and after all to bring him to his end in peace When he had faithfully served his Generation by the will of God in the Gospel of his Son for above forty seven years he was gathered to his Fathers in a good old Age full of Days and Honour by a blessed and happy Death the certain result of an holy life Decemb. 25. Anno Christi 1649. the day formerly used for celebrating the Nativity of his great Lord and Master the Lord Jesus Christ. The last Testimony of the Peoples great love to him must not be forgotten by any that desire to preserve his precious memory in their hearts with honour This amply appeared by their great lamentation and mourning for him in his sickness and at his Death and sad Exequies His Funeral was extraordinarily celebrated not only by the voluntary confluence of the greatest number of people that ever crouded into the spacious Fabrick of that Church and by many hundreds more there assembled about the door which were unable to get in But by multitudes of Gentlemen and Ministers all striving to out-mourn each other standing about his Hearse with tears recounting his excellent Labors his fruitfull Life their great profiting by him as sometimes the widows about Peter weeping and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them every one aggravating their griefs and losses in his gain and striving who should honour him most in bearing his Body to the bed of Rest. The Testimony given him at his Interment by him who performed that last office of love with many tears and which he knowingly spake from his long and intimate acquaintance and conversing with him almost forty years together take with you for a close in that Ministers own words out of the Pulpit Although said he Funeral Orations are commonly either the vain flourishes of mercinary tongues or the weak supports of an emendicated fame and since good mens works shall praise them in the gates it is but to light a candle to the Sun and since bad mens works cannot be covered with so thin a daub It is but to paint arotten Post. Yet some Testimony is due to such as having obtained a more eminent place in Christs mystical Body the Church have also been instruments of more than ordinary good to his Members Samuel died a Judge a Prophet a Great man a Good man in Israel and all the Israelites were gathered together to honour his Obsequies and lamented him and buried him 1 Sam. 25. 1. To say nothing then of so rich a Cargazoon so full a Magazine so rare a subject of all commendable qualities and admirable endowments were a frustrating of your eager expectations To say little were a wrong to him that deserved so much to say much were both a derogation from his merits that may challenge and an imputation upon your Judgements and affections that will acknowledg more due than I can now deliver Nevertheless since the memorial of the Just is a sweet perfume give me leave to strew a few of his own flowers upon his Herse and I will discharge your Patience His holy Life and consciencious courses his constant Labors thrice a week in the Ministery of the Gospel unless in times of sickness or necessitated restraint for the space of
argues a good man For goodness is communicative And such was his Academical dexterity that he could impart as Scaliger speaks the felicities of wit to his hearers so accomodating and insinuating the matter in hand as that his Pupils might both perceive their profiting and taste the sweetness of that wherein they profited Thus by his School-stratagems he won the hearts of his Pupils both to himself and to a desire of Learning they were each to other as the Prophets and the sons of the Prophets his Pupils were honourers and lovers of him and he was a Tutor a Friend and a Father unto them The manner of his Conversion according to his own relation was thus During his residence in the University God began to work upon him by the Ministery of Mr. William Perkins of blessed memory But the motions and stirrings of his heart which then were he suppressed thinking that if he should trouble himself with matters of Religion according to the light he had then received it would be an hinderance to him in his Studies which then he had much addicteâ— himself unto Therefore he was willing to silence those suggestions and inward Callings which he had from Gods Spirit and did wittingly defer the prosecution of that work until afterwards At length as he was walking in the fields he heard the Bell tolling for Mr. Perkins who lay a dying whereupon he was secretly glad in his heart that he should now be rid of him who had as he said laid siege to and beleagured his heart This became matter of much affliction to him afterwards God keeping it upon his Spirit with the aggravation of it and making it an effectual means of convincing and humbling him in the sight and sense of the natural enmity that is in mans nature against God Afterward hearing Dr. Sibs then Mr. Sibs preaching a Sermon about Regeneration wherein he shewed First what Regeneration was not and so opening the state of a meer Civil man Mr. Cotton saw his own condition fully discovered which through Gods mercy did drive him to a stand as plainly seeing himself destitute of true Grace all his false hopes and grounds now failing him and so he lay for a long time in an uncomfortable despairing way and of all other things this was his heaviest burden that he had wittingly withstood the means and offers of Grace and mercy which he found had been tendered to him thus he continued till it pleased God to let in a word of Faith into his heart and to cause him to look unto Christ for his healing which word also was dispensed unto him by the same Doctor Sibs which begat in him a singular and constant love to the said Doctor of whom he was also answerably beloved That which frist made him famous in Cambridge was his Funeral Oration for Doctor Some Master of Peter House which was so accurately performed in respect of Invention Elegancy Purity of Stile Ornaments 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 a University Sermon with high Applause from the Academical Wits insomuch as the fame of his Learning grew greater and greater And afterwards being again called to preach in the same place as one Oration of Pericles left his hearers with an Appetite after another so the memory of his former accurate Exercises filled the Colleges especially the young Students with a fresh expectation of such Elegancies of Learning as made them 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 than 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 now 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 sad thoughts of heart Where yet he had not been long but lo Dr. Preston then Mr. Preston knocks at his Chamber door and coming in acquainted him with his spiritual condition and tells him how it had pleased God to work effectually upon his heart by that Sermon After which Dr. Preston ever highly prized him and both fully and strongly closed with him which real Seal of God unto his Ministery much comforted his soul far above what the present less acceptance of the Auditory had dejected him or their former acceptance had encouraged him His Concio ad Clerum or Latine Sermon which he preached when he proceeded Bachelor of Divinity which was after he had been at Boston about half a year was very much admired and commended His Text was Mat. 5. 13. Vos estis sal terrae quod si sal infatuatus fuerit quo salietur Ye are the salt of the earth but if the salt hath lost its savour wherewith shall it be salted In handling of which Text both the weight of the matter the elegancy of Phrase Rhetorical strains grave sweet and spiritual pronunciation rendred him yet more famous The like did his answering of the Divinity Act in the Schools having a very acute Opponent Mr. William Chappel 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 the Inhabitants of Boston in Lincolnshire made their address saying Come and help us And in that Candlestick the Father of Lights placed this burning and shining Light To whom he removed from Cambridge about the twenty eight year of his Age. At his first coming he met with some obstructions from the Diocesan then Bishop Barlo who told him that he was a young man and therefore unfit to be set over such a divided people Mr. Cotton being ingenious 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 any further trouble and Mr. Cotton was admitted into the place after their manner in those days Two things are here not unworthy our observation which Mr. Cotton 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 And indeed good spirits are much bettered by their conflicts with the worst of spirits Spiritual Preachers are often trained up in the School of temptation So true is that Theological maxime Meditation Prayer and Temptation make a Divine This Dispensation of the All-wise
profession of the truth but unto a more opportune place for the profession of it When Mr. Cotton arrived at New England his manner of entrance unto them was with much blessing For at his first coming he found them not free from troubles about setling the matters both of Church and Commonwealth At which time being requested he preached before the general Court His Text was Haggai 2. 4. Yet now be strong O Zerubbabel saith the Lord Be strong O Joshua the son of Josedek the High Priest and be strong all ye people of the Land saith the Lord and work For I am with you saith the Lord of Hosts And the Lord working mightily by this Sermon all obstructions were presently removed and the spirits of all sorts as one man were excited unanimously and vigorously in the work of the Lord from that very day In order whereunto the Court considering that all the Members of that Republick were also Church Members and therefore to be governed according to the Law of God they desired Mr. Cotton to draw an abstract of the Judicial Laws delivered from God to Moses so far forth as they were of Moral i. e. of perpetual and universal equity which accordingly he did advising them to persist in their purpose of establishing a Theocraty i. e. Gods Government over Gods people From this time it was a usual thing for the Magistrates to consult with the Ministers in hard and difficult cases especially about matters of Religion yet so as notwithstanding occasional conjunction Religious care was had of avoiding confusion of Councils After which time how usefull Master Cotton was to Old England to New England to Magistrates to Ministers to People in Publick in Private by Preaching by Counsel and resolving difficult questions all know that knew him and consequently saw the Grace of God so evidently manifested in him In the course of his Ministry in New Boston by way of Exposition he went over the Old Testament to Isaiah the 30. The whole New Testament once through and the second time to the middle of Hebrews the 7th Upon the Lords Days and Lecture Days he preached through the Acts of the Apostles the Prophesies of Haggai Zechariah Ezra the Revelations Ecclesiastes Canticles the second and third Epistles of John the Epistle to Titus both the Epistles to Timothy the Epistle to the Romans with other Scriptures The presence of the Lord being with him and Crowning his Labours with the Conversion of many Souls and the edification of thousands Besides these aforementioned Labors he hath many pieces in Print which being well known need not be here enumerated His youth was unstained whence he was so much the more capable of being an excellent Instrument in the Church in his elder days He that will do good in the Church must have a good report of them which are without lest he fall into the reproach and snare of the Devil 1 Tim. 3. 7. St. Augustine tels us that A good life is requisite in respect of our selves but a good name is requisite in respect of others We may be good men if we have a good Conscience but we are not like to do much good if we have not a good name He was a general Scholar studious to know all things the want whereof might in one of his Profession be denomitated ignorance and piously ignorant of those things the nescience whereof made him more Learned Deservedly therefore is his praise great in all the Churches that he not only gave himself to the acquiring of Learning but exceeded many that had done vertuously therein He excelled in the greater part of the Encuclopaidia Those which best knew his goings out and his coming in cannot but give a large testimony to his Piety He was 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 men 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 it 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 whilest 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 all men He well knew that a Bishop ought not to be defective in the well government of his Family He must be one that rules well his own house In conscience whereof he himself rising betimes in the morning as soon as he was ready he called his Family together which was also his practice in the evening to the solemn worship of God reading and expounding and occasionally also applying the Scriptures unto them alwayes beginning and ending with Prayer In case of sin committed by child or servant he would call them aside privately the matter so requiring laying the Scriptures before them and causing them to read that part which bore witness against such an offence Seldome or never correcting in anger that the dispensation of godly Discipline might not be impured or become less effectuall through the intermixing of humane passion He began the Sabbath on the Saturday evening and therefore then performed Family duties after Supper being larger then ordinary in Exposition after which he Catechized his children and Servants and then returned into his Study The morning following Family worship being ended he retired into his Study untill the Bell called him away Upon his return from the Congregation 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 toling of the Bell. The publick service being ended he withdrew for a space into his aforementioned Oratory for his sacred addresses unto God as in the forenoon Then came down repeated the Sermon in his Family prayed and after Supper sang 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 Whilest 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 is a Gospel Student because unable to Study without Jesus Christ. The barrenness of his Meditation at some times yea though his endeavour was 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
is given to those who in their life-time were Governours of the Hospital of Bridewell one of which number this worthy Doctor was yea and a Benefactor too to that House As also that he should not affixe any Escocheons to his Herse though he was a Gentleman of an ancient Descent as if he had thought that the poverty of Christ was his Patrimony and Coat of Arms and his interest in him his greatest and best atchievement or as if both living and dead he would be as the Apostle speaks cloathed with Humility He was much in Communion with God and contented not himself only with his constant daily and ordinary holy duties but was also frequent in extraordinary exercises In the Bishops times when it was not permitted to keep Fasts in the publick Congregations he was one of those Ministers who frequently holp private Christians in their more retired Humiliations In times of fears and dangers he with divers others had sometimes monthly yea sometimes weekly Fasts whereof many were kept in his own house and others of them in his Vestry which he was observed to perform with extraordinary reverence awfulness of spirit His Confessions were accompanied with much sense of and sorrow for sin brokenness of heart self-abhorrency judging of the creature and justifying of God His petitions were pertinent judicious spiritual seasonable accompanied with faith and fervency like a true son of Jacob he wrestled with supplications and tears as resolving not to depart out of Gods presence without a blessing But there was none like him in Thanksgiving when a man would have thought that he had spent the last drop of his spirits and strength in Confession and Prayer O! how would he recollect is spirits when he came to the work of Thanksgiving wherein he would be so large particular warm and vigorous that in the end of the day when mens affections grew flat he would so revive and quicken them as if the work had been then but newly begun and as if that had been the onely work of the day and herein indeed he may be a pattern to all his surviving Brethren in the Ministry He was very inquisitive after the state and condition of the Church of Christ both at home and abroad that he might accordingly order his prayers in their behalf of whom he was never unmindful in his addresses unto God And when he heard that it went ill with the Church of God in any place like another Nehemiah he sate him down and wept and mourned and fasted and prayed unto the God of Heaven in their behalf His study was as great to advance Christ as to debase himself He used frequently to say When I look upon my self I see nothing but emptiness and weakness but when I look upon Christ I see nothing but fulness and sufficiency When the hand of his body was weak and shaking that of his soul his faith was strong and steddy When he could not hold the Cup at the Sacrament nor scarce carry it to his own mouth by reason of his Palsie hand yet then with a firme anâ— fixed affiance did he lay hold upon Christ and with a strong and eager appetite applied his blood to his soul and his manner was sweetly to breathe forth joyful Thanksgivings for his refreshment by the blood of Christ when he was returned to his house after the Lords Supper yea when he could hardly creep with his body to the place where it was celebrated and was forced many times to make use of the help of others to support him in his passage thither even then did his faith run swiftly and was upon the wing to carry him to Christ. When worldly suports failed him when health and strength forsook him he made Jesus Christ the staff of his old age often professing as his great misery and impotency without him so his holy and humble recumbency upon him Great was his patience under the visiting hand of God especially in his old age when God exercised him with painful maladies Though by reason of the sharpness and bitterness of his pains occasioned by the stone and acuteness of his urine and that Lethalis arundo as he oft called it that deadly arrow in his side which he knew could never be plucked out but by death I mean his Asthma which he got by an excessive cold in attending upon publick imployments Notwithstanding I say by reason of these he was often heard to groan yet never did he once grumble against the dispensations of God Never did he complain of God for his sufferings though oft of himself for sinning He never cryed out A great sufferer but oft A great sinner and yet he would overtake that expression again with the discoursing of and comforting himself in A great Saviour and in the depth of his torments he would say Well yet in all these there is nothing of Hell or of Gods wrath His sufferings were never so deep but he could see the bottome of them and would say Soul be silent soul be patient It is thy God and Father that thus ordereth thy estate Thou art his clay he may tread and trample on thee as pleaseth him Thou hast deserved much more It is enough that thou art kept out of Hell Though thy pain be grievous yet it is tollerable Thy God affords some intermissions he will turn it to thy good and at length put an end to all none of these can be expected in Hell He used often to make mention of the extent of obedience which he said was not onely to endeavour to do what God requireth but also patiently to bear what Gods will is to lay upon his creature as Christ himself though he were the Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered In his greatest pangs he oft used this speech of holy Job Shall we receive good from the hands of God and not evil He often commended his soul unto Christ and used to say I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day When any of his Friends went about to comfort him in those gifts which God had bestowed on him and works which he had wrought by him he would answer I dare not think of any such thing for comfort Jesus Christ and what he hath done and endured is the only ground of my sure comfort Many that came to visit him in his weakness professed that they went away better than they came by reason of those savoury and gracious speeches and expressions that proceeded from him Though towards his latter end his fits of the stone were frequent and sharp having sometimes four or five of them in an hour yet such was his desire to finish that his so much desired Commentary upon the Epistle to the Hebrews that so soon as the bitter pain of his fit was over he still returned to his work making some further progress therein And thus he
blood which extinguisheth the fire of thine anger O that it might allay my burning pains I am in a fiery Furnace Lord be with me as thou wast with the tâ—ree Children and bring me out refined from sin when I have sailed through the Ocean of these pains and look back I see that none of them can be wanting I flye unto thee O God hide me under the shadow of thy wings till these terrible storms be overpast 5. God added Humility as a Crown to all his other Graces which yet shone bright in the eyes of all that were acquainted with him Indeed he was cloathed with Humility And hence it was that he would converse so familiarly with the poorest Christians and with them who were of the lowest parts for knowledge even with babes in Christ. This his ordinary expression of himself before God did clearly demonstrate his great humility Poor worm Sinful wretch O pardon my transgressions for they are very great Hereupon he would weep much when he was told how much he was prayed for wondring at Gods goodness that so sinful a wretch and worthless a creature should have so much interest in the hearts and prayers of the people of God And his language in his Will speaks how little he was in his own eyes the words are these I desire that at my Funeral there may be no pomp but that so poor a worthless wretch may be privately laid in the ground And as his Graces were many so were his Comforts many and great which God vouchsafed as singular manifestations of his love to this his dear Servant and Childe O what Kisses of Christs Mouth and what imbraces from the Arms of his Love were bestowed upon this Saint of the most High He enjoyed all along his afflicted condition an uninterrupted assurance of Gods Fatherly love in Christ. In his addresses unto God he constantly claimed propriety in God calling him my God and my Father His inward peace and joy were the support of his heart under all his grievous and grinding pains he was confident of mercies mixtures with all his greatest distempers not at all doubting of the sanctification of them to him through Grace Thus he spake many times in his applications unto God Consider and save me for I am thine How long how long Lord shall I not be remembred yea I am remembred blessed be thy Name This is a fiery Chariot but it will carry me to Heaven Blessed be God that hath supported me hitherto and he that hath delivered will yet deliver Thou Lord never forgettest them that put their trust in thee Alwayes when the extremity of pain was over he would with smiles speak of Gods mercies Though trembling took hold upon him when his violent pains began yet would he with confidence say Now in the strength of the mighty God I will undergo these pains O my God put under thine everlasting Arms and strengthen me Many times he told a bosome friend of his that notwithstanding all his rentings and roarings from which he expected no deliverance but by death he would not for a thousand worlds change estates with the greatest man on earth whom he looked upon as in a way of sin and enthraled thereto And this much bespeaks Gods Fatherly indulgence towards him that Satan could never shake his confidence nor assault his hopes all the time of his irksome irksome distemper And this was further very remarkable that he counted all these inward cheerings the fruits of Prayers that were made for him though God saw cause to deny that ease and recovery to his body which was so much begged and withall he valued those spiritual cordials and refreshings far beyond deliverance from the Gout and the Stone yea and Death it self These things are the rather mentioned to prevent that discouragement or offence which some may be too apt to take at the violence and continuance of his wasting and tormenting pains notwithstanding his own godliness and the uncessant prayers both ordinary and extraordinary which were made unto God in his behalf for he found the sweet fruits of them in his own bosome even when he felt the continuance and increase of his bodily grief Another thing very remarkable in holy Mr. Whitaker was his love to his fellow Christians he was a man made up as it were of love His delight was in the Saints upon earth whom he esteemed most excellent and their society was a constant cordial to his spirit His frequent visits of them that were in trouble and his stirring up of others to the like practice were testimonies of this his cordial love which indeed was not verbal but real He was also abundant in works of charity few men of his estate did equalize him therein He would often say It is a brave thing when a man together with a full estate hath a charitable heart Sometimes upon special occasions he hath given away all the money that he had in the house It was not unusual with him to give twenty shillings to a poor Saint and he had many experiencences of Gods gracious returns in such cases By his last Will he gave twenty pounds to the godly poor of his own Parish There were two Cases wherein his loves were most enlarged to the people of God whereof you may take these two Instances The one when the sufferings were publick He often told an intimate friend of his that Englands late breach with Scotland and the blood that was shed together with other sad consequences thereof had taken such impression upon his heart that the sorrow would never be removed till his death and the sufferings both in Holland and in England in our late Sea-sights were an heavy burden upon his spirit The other Case was in respect to the inward perplexity of such as were afflicted in minde having moved a special friend of his the week before his death to bestow a visit upon one in that condition the very morning before his death when speech was grievous to him in respect of his great weakness he asked him whether he had remembred the party that was troubled in spirit which was a remarkable evidence of his strong love to such And besides what hath already been mentioned I might here set down his many wrestlings with God to prevent the flood or troubles which he apprehended the Protestant Churches were now in danger to be overflowed withall as also his compassionate respect to Congregations in the Country which were like sheep wandring upon the barren mountains without a Shepherd And as his love sâ—owed forth to the Saints so was theirs no less towards him Not to speak of the many frequent and friendly visits of godly men and women in the Neighbourhood round about him there was scarce ever heard of any man that was so much prayed for both in publick and in private both upon ordinary and extraordinary occasions as he was There was no particular case so frequently so
Thus whilst he condescended to them and they submitted to him both parties were gratified Though he had a numerous issue yet through Gods blessing upon his estate he disposed of them to no mean imployments Many he sent to the Universities some to Merchandise c. To his Sons whom he bred in the University his Rule was Study work more than wages To those whom he bred in the City he would say Do not waste a halfpenny and you will not want a penny And truly so well did they all improve as his advice so their own time and parts that they became Masters of their particular Callings which ministred unto him no small comfort He acknowledged it a great mercy to his dying day that none of his children were blemished either in their bodies or in their reputations He was one of them in whose children that Popish slander concerning the ungraciousness of the children of the married Clergy received a real confutation Many of his Sons he buried in their prime some at home others in forreign parts and some dyed shortly after himself yet all of them gave comfortable hopes to conclude upon a rational charity both by the pious Letters of those which dyed abroad and from that particular account which they gave of themselves who dyed at home that they all meet in Heaven they which survive need not this attestation Amongst the dead there was Mr. Tho. Harris of Magdalen College in Oxford who was eminently learned beyond his age an Ornament to that Noble Foundation whereof he was a member once the joy of his friends and still their sorrow and probably this arrow from Gods hand stuck deep in the Fathers heart to his dying day For his servants there are some yet living that served him in his younger dayes who still bless God that ever they came under his roof where they received the beginnings of Grace and such a measure of knowledge as kept them from warping in the late giddy times Whilst he remained with his antient Flock his constant manner was to keep a Religious Fast before his administration of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper And after he came to his small College he so prudently managed all his affairs that he was both feared and loved Indeed his government there was such as caused a wonder For whereas that College before was famous for factions during his time there was never any complaint made to any Visitors and no marvel for the Foundation there honoured him as a Father and he looked upon and loved them as his Children and accordingly he scaled up his love to them in his last Will and Testament He called Gifts Bribery and hated the very shadow of it Examples are known in the College of Gratuities refused long after faire and free Elections But look upon him as a Schollar and there we have him in his proper Element Though he left the University early and preached constantly yet being of a retired disposition a constant student and endowed with great parts he became Master of all manner of Learning to qualifie a Divine In the sacred Languages especially in the Hebrew he was very exact His Conciones ad Clerum declare him to have been a pure and Polite Latinist His first which was preached and printed long since hath undergone the test and gained the approbation of all knowing men in that Language the younger by full forty years is of as good a complexion and of as vigorous a constitution as its elder brother and it s hoped that in due time it may be made as publick What his abilities in Disputation were hath upon several occasions been made to appear in that College Exercises in the Chappel where oft-times in the unexpected absence of the Opponents himself would ex tempore take up the Cudgels and make good their ground In which Exercises he approved himself a subtle clear and ready Disputant without any grains of allowance either for his age or discontinuance Indeed his chiefest Learning lay where he made least shew of it in publick viz. in Chronology Church-History Councils Case-Divinity and his insight into the Fathers But his parts were best seen in the pulpit His gifts in Prayer were much more than ordinary wherein his affections were warm and fervent his Petitions pithy and substantial his language pertinent unaffected and without Tautologies Oh how would he raise up a dull and sinking spirit How would he warm a cold and frozen heart How would he carry a man out of himself and by degrees mount the soul heaven-ward His Sermons in Print are well known to the world and his works praise him in the Gates The particular excellencies of Nazianzen Basil Chrysostome Austin Ambrose Bernard seemed all to conâ—enter in him He taught Rhetorick to speak in our Mother-tongue and without falshood or flattery he may be stiled The English Orator His Doctrines carried light with them and his Uses heat His Reproofes were weighty and his Exhortations powerful But enough of this lest we hear as he did who spake much in commendation of Hercules Quis unquam vituperavit who ever dispraised him yea what either Christian or Schollar but approved or commended him If you would know the worth of his Sermons read them though read they come short of what they were when preached yea read them again and again and endeavour to read them with the same spirit they were preached and you cannot but acknowledge an excellency in them Amongst other his excellencies in preaching which were many these were not the least that he could so cook his meat that he could make it relish to every pallate He could dress a plain discourse so as that all sorts should be delighted with it He could preach with a learned plaineness and had learned to conceal his Art He had clear Notions of high Mysteries and proper language to make them stoop to the meanest capacity His way in contriving and penning his Sermons was this 1. He so contrived the parts of his Text and points of Doctrine as might afford him most scope in his Application wherein his and indeed a Sermons excellency doth consist and therefore he used to say That in a Sermon he contrived the Uses first He did often handle the same Texts and the same Points and yet still would pen new Applications which might be most suitable to the quallity and condition of the Auditory 2. In penning when he once began he would never take Pen from paper nor turn to any Book till he had written all All his younger dayes for about twenty years together he wroâ—ght all and could without much difficulty preach the same verbatim He was wont to say That he had a fluid and waterish memory I can said he quickly remember any thing of my own and as quickly fâ—rget it again Yet questionless his memory was vast and tenacious for though sometimes he had but short Notes in his Bible and that
if he should go out of Denmark he might lose all there and get nothing but blows abroad he commands his Governour in the Isle of Gothland to relieve the Danes in Sueden as occasion should require in pursuance whereof he repairs thither and after one repulse suffered he relieved the Castle of Steckburg besieged by Arvidus and then changing the Garrison he committed the keeping of it to one Bernard de Milen Gustavus considering that the siege of that place would prove dangerous to Arvidus if the Country and neighbourhood were not assured to him he sent to the Bishop of Hincopen and having prevailed with him by his advice he summoned a meeting of all the States of East and West Gothland Smalland Vermeland and of the Dales and when they were assembled he prayed them to take into consideration the condition of their Country that the misery thereof was occasioned onely through their divisions and variety of interests and the Government having been of late in the hands of Forreigners the Publick weal hath thereby been much endamaged He said he should not need to enlarge upon the particular burdens which they felt and groaned under The great business which he desires them to take into consideration was to advise and conclude upon the means of redress As for himself he would deliver his opinion freely and cleerly viz. That no means on earth could cure these evils but a speedy and effectual unanimity and joynt endeavour to restore the old principles of Government by one supreme Governour and a free Parliament of the States as formerly had been used But if they had any further advice therein he earnestly desired to be informed by them assuring them that whatsoever they should judge meet to be done in order to a settlement he would endeavour the accomplishment of the same though to the sacrificing of his life and all that was dear to him This Speech being ended there was a joynt acclamation and assurance given that they all fully and freely assented to his opinion and were ready to assist him therein to the utmost withall giving him great thanks for his undertaking their rescue out of the Tyrants hands earnestly requesting him to proceed till he had perfected the same whereunto they would constantly contribute their prayers to God for his gracious assistance and for the protection of his person and for his further assurance they do not only acknowledge and promise submission to him as their lawful Governour but they pray that it may not seem grievous to him to take upon him the place and title of their lawful Lord and King To this Gustavus answered That he took up Arms against the common enemy of his Country not aiming at Rule but at the peoples liberty from the iron yoke of the Danish Tyranny under which themselves their wives and children lay bound day and night That he called not himself to the work but onely offered his assistance therein That he was invited to command by the Transilvanian Suedes of the Dales That his detestation of that abhorred Butchery at Stockholme wherein not onely many Personages fit to do their Country service but many of his own blood lost their lives and estates did enrage his spirit to it so that he thought nothing dangerous for him to adventure so that he might take vengeance for it which made him yeeld to the invitation of the men of the Dales and if you also said he will joyn your aid in this work and can conside in my command I will not refuse to be your Captain and Governour untill the enemy be fully vanquished and our Country cleared from them But as touching the making of a King you may take that into consideration when the War shall be fully finished For then whomsoever the States of Sueden shall elect to be King or Governour his will I be to serve in any condition This Speech was received with joyful acclamations and an unanimous vote that Gustavus should be accepted for their Lord and Governour and accordingly all that were present sware Fealty to him and faithful obedience next under God This was a little Parliament of part of the Nation and chiefly intended to assure those places where the War was and to unite them in a more vigorous prosecution thereof and the success was answerable For hereupon many Towns and Castles of West-Gothland and Small and readily surrendred and submitted to Gustavus whose Deputies being sent to the Council and convinced in their judgements of the justness of the cause the people had obliged themselves to stand to what their Deputies should conclude Hereupon Gustavus finding less need of imploying so many Souldiers in these neighbouring parts he sends a party into Finland to which many of the people joyned Amongst whom was one Grabb a valiant man and skilful Sea-Captain who having armed a few ships with them assaulted such places upon the Coast as held for the Dane sometimes in one part sometimes in another surprising Towns slaying many doing all by night and before the next morning he was gone no body knew whither nor which way This caused the Enemies to divide their Forces to guard so many places at once and in the mean time the Suedes sat down before Abbo though they were there hard matched and sometimes overmatched by the Danes for as yet that part of the Country had not felt the Danish cruelty though if they had prospered they should not long have escaped the same The Castle of Steckburg after above half an years siege was taken by Arvidus the Governour whereof being committed to Prison after he had lain there two moneths he submitted to Gustavus and sware Fealty to him The Governour of the Isle of Gothland being ignorant of these passages came with a Fleet well provided to relieve the Castle but when he came to the Promontory he was suddenly assailed by the Suedish ships which lay behinde the same and after the loss of six hundred of his men he was glad to betake him to his wings Shortly after Arvidus was sent with part of his Army to block up Calmar the rest being sent to the Camp before Stockholme For the Danish Admiral after the late defeat having repaired his losses with a new supply of men and ships came to the relief of them in Stockholme and the Danes being strengthened by this recruit sallied out of the City and beat up one of the Suedish Quarters so that for a moneths space the City remained disingaged Gustavus now finding by experience that Stockholme was a morsel too big for him to swallow without further strength he bent his principal industry for the recovery of other places Garrisoned by the Danes and amongst other places the City of Nicopen was at length yeelded up to him by the Governour Henry Canzow with whom Letters were found from the Danish Tyrant which required him to put to death all the Suedes that came into his power especially those of
of God against it Thou shalt not take the Name of God in vain And another of them reasoning with his fellows about God and the Devil professed that he had rather be in hell with God than in heaven with the Devil And a third who by reason of her age could not speak distinctly said in some discourse with her Father that God Almighty would not bless them who tell Fibbs meaning Lies and that she had rather dye than tell a Fibb so far had their Mothers instructions prevailed with them She was eminent for a charitable and bountifull spirit she was another Dorcas full of good works and Alms-dâ—eds That high Elogium that Solomon gives a vertuous woman may properly be applied unto her Many Daughters have done vertuously but she excelled them all Prov. 31. 29. Many there are that come far short of her but very few that went beyond her in the acts of Charity God gave her a liberal and plentifull estate and that was a great mercy but it was a far greater mercy that he gave her a liberal heart to do good and to distribute To cast her bread on the waters and to honour God with her substance That protestation which Job makes for his own vindication may fitly be applied unto her Job 31. 16 19. He would not with-hold the poor from their desire nor cause the eyes of the widow to fail He would not see any to perish for want of cloathing nor any poor without covering The whole Country round about where she dwelt will bear her witness that she visited and relieved the sick and cloathed the naked fed the hungry and healed the wounded Her purse her hand her heart were all open for their relief She bought many precious Drugs and cordial waters She made several precious salves and gave them all away to such as were in need of them She spared not her best pains being never aweary of well doing insomuch that in the extremity of her greatest sickness such bowels of compassion yearned in her she compounded several Medicines with her own hands and applied them Thus will her works praise her in the Gate and being dead she yet speaketh Prov. 31. 31. Heb. 11. 4. For her precious name liveth The Lord will have the name of the Righteous to be in everlasting remembrance Psal. 112. 6. and the memory of the just is blessed Prov. 10. 7. And precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal. 116. 15. Now this rare Gentlewoman reaps the fruit of her serving of God and the whole harvest whereof she received onely the first fruits in this present world The usual saying is All is well that ends well Come we therefore to speak of her end Her life was holy and therefore her death must needs be happy It pleased the Lord to exercise her with a long and lingring sickness and amidst the weakness of the outward man God gave her great strength in her inward man though her limbs and outward strength failed her yet God was her strength and portion and he never failed her A few dayes before her distemper waxed high her Husband being from home she sent for all her Family both young and old to come in unto her chamber with whom she prayed near two hours with such pathetical heavenly Scripture-language as drew admiration and tears from those that were present She blessed her children counselled her servants heartily and affectionately commended her Husband unto God she wept and prayed and prayed and wept and could not easily part with the company nor yet leave off praying and weeping Upon the encrease of her distemper her spirit was much disturbed and some impertinent speeches did fall from her yet in the middest of all her impertinences Grace and the Spirit of God did eminently declare their Power and Sovereignty in her by many savoury and choice speeches and sweet breathings of her soul some of which are these that follow I was in the Devils claws but Jesus Christ the sweet Bridegroom of my soul the sweet Bridegroom of my soul these words she often reiterated the sweet Bridegroom of my soul hath delivered me At another time I am safe for Jesus Christ is at my heart and I would not part with him for ten thousand worlds Again Come Lord Jesus the Captain of my salvation ride on gloriously conquering and to conquer for me Satan Sin Hell Death and all mine enemies Afterwards again I was in Hell but now I am in Heaven I am in Heaven indeed indeed I am in Heaven I am in Heaven eternally I am in Heaven the habitation of Gods glory unto all eternity Much of this nature she did speak even when her understanding was so disturbed that she scarce did know her near Relations and those who did attend upon her in her Chamber And now all these things are worthy to be transmitted unto posterity and to be had in perpetual remembrance She was an eminently godly Gentlewoman being but little above Eight and twenty years of age when she dyed which was in the beginning of March Anno Christi 1656. But though she was young in years yet was she old in Grace She had lived long in a little time She was a mirror of her age and a renown of her sexe a pattern worthy of imitation She was the beloved faithfull wife of as an intirely loving and faithfull Husband She was a tender affectionate Mother to her own and no less carefull of those pledges committed to his charge She was a most dear Sister an affectionate Mistress carefull both of the bodies and souls of her servants that they should neither want corporal nor spiritual food Her profession was with Joshua Chap. 24. 15. Choose you this day whom you will serve But as for me I and my house we will serve the Lord. She was not onely a friend to her friends but a friend to her enemies even unto such as despitefully used her All the Country round about could not but look upon her whilst living as a publick gain and when dead as a publick loss She was very usefull whilst she lived and will be much missed now she is dead Two things were very eminent in her Setledness in Religion and holiness of conversation By her death the poor have lost a liberal Almoner the sick 〈…〉 a good Physitian the wounded have lost a 〈◊〉 Chirurgion the Husband hath lost a faithful Wife the children a tender Mother the servants a gracious Mistress and not any that knew her of all her neighbours and friends but they will finde a great loss and miss of her All that knew her loved her but onely such whose love is not worth the having She lived much desired and dyed much lamented For her to live was Christ and to die was gain Phil. 1. 21. She was honoured in her life and she was honoured at her death by a confluence of many persons of quality of the Gentry
Ministry and Neighbourhood round about who by their concourse at her Funeral shewed plainly in what an high estimation she was amongst them and that her good Name was like a precious Oyntment powred forth The hope of Glory was that sovereign Cordial which abundantly revived and satisfied her spirits whilst she lived and now her hope is turned into fruition and her faith into vision All her sorrows and sighings are turned away and her imployment is without the least tediousness without interruption and intermission to sing Hosannahs and Allelujahs to him that sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever more This Life was drawn up by my Reverend and worthy Friend Dr. Henry Wilkinson principal of Magdalen Hall Oxon. The Life and Death of Mrs. Elizabeth Wilkinson who dyed Anno Christi 1654. Mrs. Elizabeth Wilkinson was born of godly Parents of an ancient and well reputed Family of the Gentry in Devonshire Her Father was Mr. Anthony Gifford her Mother Mrs. Elizabeth Cottle and by them she was religiously educated during her minority After which she lived with an Aunt an old Disciple above twenty yeares together where she had many prizes put into her hands to get wisdome even many spirituall advantages for her eternall good But considering that no helps of education nor any means could prove effectuall without divine influences it pleased the Lord out of the riches of his mercy in a signall manner to vouchsafe a blessing to all those helps for the good of her soul and to crown all endeavours in order thereunto with good success She was observed from her childhood to be very docile very willing to learn industrious in reading of and swift to hear the Word of God preached She was very carefull to remember what she heard and took much pains in writing Sermons and collecting speciall Notes out of practicall Divines She had the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit with that she was eminently adorned She looked not as too many do upon gaudy and vain dresses as any ornament She neither liked them nor conformed to them but went in a grave decent and sober attire She was humble gentle tender-hearted and full of bowels of compassion remembring such as were in bonds as if she had been bound with them Heb. 13. 3. She was of so affable sweet and courteous a disposition that she gained abundance of love and respect from all those that conversed with her and by this means she was the greater gainer by all good conferences It was her usuall custome to move good discourse and ofttimes she turned the stream of other impertinent talk into something which was solid and tended unto edification and that ministred grace to the hearers She kept a Diary of Gods dealings with her soul and of other various dispensations that she met withall She was much busied in prayer meditation and self-examination She would often desire her Husband and others of her acquaintance to deal plainly and impartially with her For said she I would not be deceived with a formall profession nor with a temporary faith Perhaps through affection you may judge far better of me than I deserve wherefore I desire you to sift and search me throughly for I like such plain dealing best of all and those are my best friends which deal most plainly with me In process of time after a carefull watching over her heart and frequent addresses made unto the Throne of grace she found returns answerable to her prayers and desires God gave her a large measure both of parts and graces She was able not only to assert the truths of God but to convince gainsayers She abounded in love faith meekness humility and the rest of the graces of the Spirit insomuch as she became a Christian of the higher Form a tall Cedar of Libanus a grown solid and excellent Christian It pleased God for the triall of her graces to exercise her very much in the School of affliction Insomuch as ten years before her death she was one time reckoned with another at least half the time sick But God ordered this sickness of her body to be a medicine for her soul. For the spirit of prayer was much set on work hereby and her faith love and patience did appear and shine the more eminently Out of the Furnace she came forth as gold purified seven times so that the rod and staff correction and instruction went together and by these fatherly chastisements her soul did thrive more abundantly When she was able she neglected not the frequenting of the publick Assemblies they were her delight and she was a professed adversary to the withdrawing from the publick Congregations of the Saints Both them and the godly and Reverend Ministers of the Gospel she had in high esteem and reverenced them all her dayes And when she was not able to go to the publick Congregations she used to spend her time in reading prayer and meditating at home and imployed her friends to read to her and pray with her Such as were stable and sincere Christians were her delight Those she accounted more excellent than their neighbours She would often say that She valued no friends like to those who were friends to her soul. Concerning her deportment and carriage to her Relations for such as are reall Saints shew it in their severall capacities never was a Wife more full of sincere love and respect to an Husband whom she loved entirely and was as entirely beloved by him Her affection to her children was very tender She was carefull to Catechize instruct and to train them up in the fear of God and upon her Deathbed amongst many other excellent counsels and instructions she added this charge as from a dying Mother that they should remember that they had a Mother who would not allow them in any sin She was carefull also to instruct her servants and to teach them the fear of the Lord. Indeed she was ready and willing as opportunity was offered to do good unto all and as need required gave unto them both corporall and spirituall food She had a large heart and improved it to do a great deal of good in a little time Insomuch as the poor the sick the afflicted and the unexperienced to whom she was very mercifull and usefull whilest she lived had a very great miss of her when she was dead In brief she was one of those Worthies of whom the world was not worthy And yet to give a further Character of her I will here set down a Narrative copied exactly out of her own hand-writing of Gods gracious dealing with her soul as it follows word for word It pleased the Lord out of the riches of his grace to remove me from an ignorant place where I was born and to bring me very young into a Religious Family And when I was about twelve years of age upon the reading in the Practice of Piety concerning the happy estate of
the godly and the miserable condition of the wicked in their death and so for ever unto all eternity it pleased the Lord so much to affect my heart with it as from that time my heart was wrought over to a desire to walk in the wayes of God But at that time I fear I did not go upon a right principle for I then did not eye the glory of God in it but only my own safety that it might be well with me for ever But quickly after that I had but begun to set my face towards Sion I was set upon with many temptations and perplexities in my thoughts which were very troublesome to me at all times but especially when I was alone the consideration whereof brought such an horrour upon my conscience insomuch as I did not know what to do That little I had whether from education or from the light of Nature caused a striving in me continually against those thoughts of Atheisme which were most terrible unto me I was sensible that it was a fearfull sin to have any such thoughts to lodge within my brest but I desired from my soul to be freed from them and had continuall reasonings within me against them and yet still for a long time I was troubled but could not acquaint any with my condition I did not think that it was so with any other as it was with me In this strait when I knew not which way to turn me even there did the Lord extend his compassion towards me in my greatest extremity in directing me to read Calvins Institutions and especially that part that treats of the Creation Whereupon the Lord was pleased to give in such satisfaction to my soul concerning those things about which I was troubled as that from that time forwards I was not violently assaulted in that kind But no sooner was I freed from that trouble but new ones sprang up For the very remembrance of that horrid sin of Atheisme left such a terrour upon my spirit as made me fear that I had committed that sin against the Holy Ghost and so my condition seemed to be not only for the present but in my apprehension then for ever most miserable All other sins though never so great I knew upon true repentance were pardonable but this sin that I lay under the fear of I knew out of the Word of God should never be pardoned which caused many sad fears upon my spirit known to God alone For the removall of these fears the Lord in mercy directed me to the reading of Mr. Scudders Works where are laid down the marks of that sin Upon perusall whereof the Lord was pleased to satisfie my misgiving heart by a clear manifestation to my soul that I had not committed that sin and so assured me that though my sins were great yet were they pardonable which put me more chearfully upon the use of such means as the Lord had directed me unto And having satisfaction given in concerning this particular there was a great burden taken off from my spirit Although I found no grace in my heart nor discovery of the love of God unto my soul yet in that there was but a possibility there was a ground of comfort administred to my heart which I formerly feared that I should be shut out from But still my fears remained that I was not one of those in particular for whom Christ died The more I looked into mine own heart the more I saw of sin and Satan discouraging me from having any hope that the Lord should accept of such a vile sinfull wretch as I was who had entertained such sinfull thoughts I likewise thought how small the number was of those that should be saved in comparison of others and my repentance I feared came short of that which was required in the Gospel As for faith I could not find the least measure of it in my soul with many other sad discouraging thoughts But when I was most perplexed with fears and doubts even then did the Lord graciously dart in some beams of his reconciled countenance as I was reading something in Mr. Scudders Christian daily Walk c. which the Lord set home upon my soul and brought into my soul so much joy and comfort at the present as neither my tongue nor Pen can express But this joy remained not long for I quickly lost the sense of it yet the remembrance of it was sweet unto me at all times But after this all my former fears returned afresh again upon my heart only I had a door of hope opened that when God saw it best for me he would return and renew his reconciled countenance unto my soul in the clear light and apprehension thereof and this was when I was about sixteen years of age After which time the Lord did exercise me with various dispensations For for two years space I was by providence cast upon a place where I heard very little powerfull preaching small helps for the good of my soul but what the Lord was pleased to give in by the use of private means But his power and abundant mercy was much seen in that time that though I had not much comfort yet the Lord was pleased to keep up my spirit in a way of depending upon him and my fears were less at that time than formerly when I had more helps So gracious was tâ—â— Lord unto me in keeping me alive in a time of famine After this through Gods goodness I was sometimes under the preaching of a powerfull Minister Mr. Bateman of Ockingam who was Crowned with the conversion strengthening and building up of many souls unto whose preaching the Lord gave me such a blessing as I seldome if ever went away from hearing him without comfort Though I came to hear him with many doubts upon my spirit yet the Lord so ruled and directed him as if his Sermons had been only concerning my particular and he fully acquainted with the whole condition of my soul. Sometimes the Lord directed me to some supporting Promises upon which I relied But those Promises which were made to Believers though I highly prized them yet I durst not apply them to my self fearing that I had no interest in them But that Promise Prov. 28. 13. He that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy And that 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness And the Promise is 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but for the sins of the whole world and the Invitation Isa. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price together with
the rest of the Chapter all those places the Lord often made a stay unto my soul And afterwards the Lord so blessed one means or other unto me insomuch as I was kept from sinking and falling into such horrour as many of the people of God sometimes fell into But yet my fears and doubts were so many as that my comfort never lasted long If the Lord did but hide his face I was troubled No longer could I beleeve then I found new strength given in that the Lord would ever have mercy upon my soul. The sense of Original sin and Actual transgressions in their filthiness and guiltiness caused my fears yet to remain upon my spirit my faith then seemed very small if I had any which I much questioned I durst not then say Lord encrease my faith but I could cry earnestly Lord work faith in me I found much dulness and deadness manifold distractions in duties so that God might justly have withdrawn himself from me for ever yet notwithstanding all my uneven walking with God he was graciously pleased to manifest his mercy unto my soul. When I was stricken with such weaknesses as I apprehended might quickly have ended my life I fell into a great fear At the first finding my heart to sink the Lord was pleased to gâ—ive me so much respite as to pour out my soul before him desiring strength and support from him to keep up my spirit and to make me willing to submit to his dispensations and the Lord graciously answered my prayers in that he removed all my former doubtings and fears all the time of that sickness which was long and so dangerous that neither I nor others expected my life The Lord then cleared up my evidences for Heaven and gave me in so much comfort against the apprehension of death as I never had in all my life before Other like trials of the Lords love I found still when I was in the greatest extremity and stood most in need of help from him insomuch as at such times I have hoped that I should never again have questioned the love of God to my soul But I have found it otherwise by sad experience For when these impressions were worn of I have been ready to call all in question again concerning my poor soul. It made me oft to think of that which was laid to Solomons charge that he forgat the Lord that had appeared to him twice I found it the hardest thing to believe that ever I went about But this wavering condition could not satisfie my soul for the Lord giving me sometimes a glimpse of his love made me long after fuller enjoyments of it so that I was carried out with a restless impatience to beg that the Lord would take away the heart of unbelief from me which did both dishonour him and hinder me from that peace which the Lord was willing that his people should enjoy My heart then being brought unto that frame I was more willing than ever I was before to impart my condition unto some spiritual Friends whom I desired to deal impartially with me acquainting them with the whole condition of my soul how far the Lord had carried me on and at what I stuck and still as new objections did arise I laboured to get satisfaction Being convinced that I had too much prejudiced my self in that I had not sooner made my condition known to some who were able to give me advice This way of communicating my condition I found the Lord blessed unto my soul insomuch that my hopes were more confirmed my fears more removed my faith more strengthned and by the hearing of such Sermons and reading such Books as came closest unto the conscience and were most for trial of ones spiritual condition I found the greatest benefit by and received the most comfort from them Formerly I had many fears that I was not one of them who had an interest in the Election of Grace But the Lord afterwards put into my heart to enquire whether I had those Graces of his Spirit wrought in me which none but his own elect people could have Upon the strictest searching into mine own heart the Lord was pleased after many years of fear at last to evidence unto my soul that there was a change wrought in my heart will and affections notwithstanding the remainders of sin and corruption which still encompassed me about being confident that he that had begun this good work would not leave it unfinished unto the day of Jesus Christ and the Lord was pleased to set home divers Promises for the strengthning of my faith to wit those which set down the Everlasting Covenant 2 Sam. 23. 5. The Everlasting love of God Jer. 31. 3. Joh. 11. 13. The certainty of the Foundation 2 Tim. 2. 19. The certainty of the Promises 2 Cor. 1. 20. They are all in Christ Yea and Amen and that the children of God have eternal life promised unto them and that none shall be ever able to pluck them out of Christs hands Joh. 10. 28. Then for divers years the Lord was pleased to stay me to lead and guide me till he had set my feet upon that Rock which is higher than I from whence I trust that I shall never be removed And now my hearts desire is to ascribe that measure of hope and comfort which the Lord hath given me at any time onely unto the praise of the glory of his Grace who hath made me accepted in his Beloved which is so great a mercy as I can never be thankfull enough for nor walk answerable thereunto I know when I look into my heart there is matter of fear that the Lord will withdraw the influences of his comforts from me But that which I rest upon is the free mercy of God in Christ expecting performance of his Promises made Rom. 6. 16. Sin shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the Law but under Grace And Ezek. 36. 25. that he will sprinkle clean water upon me and that he will give me a new heart and put a new spirit within me that he will take away my stony heart and give me an heart of flesh being perswaded that the Lord will keep me by his own Power through faith unto salvation And now that I may have all the Graces of the Spirit strengthened and encreased in me which I finde that I stand in continual need of It is the desire of my soul to be a partaker of the Lords Supper which through the blood of Christ onely I have right unto This is the particular account of Gods gracious dealing with this godly Gentlewoman considering there was no administration of the Sacrament in that Parochial Congregation where she lived and used formerly to receive it nor any Pastor at all to officiate there she being desirous to enjoy that great Ordinance and that after a pure way of administration sent this aforementioned Narrative
God he afterwards found not only to be beneficiall unto 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 would faign have brought in But when he saw Mr. Cotton wholly taken up with his own exercises of spirit he was free from all suspition of his being Pragmatical or addicted to siding with this or that party and so both he and his party began to close more fully with him 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 the Tenets of Arminianism were no more pleaded for Thus God disposeth of the hearts of hearers as that generally they are all open and loving to their Preachers at their first entrance For three or four years he lived and preached amongst them without opposition They accounted themselves happy as well they might in the enjoyment of him both the Town and Country thereabouts being much bettered and reformed by his Labours But after he was not able to bear the Ceremonies imposed his Non-Conformity occasioned his trouble in the Bishops Court at Lincoln from whence he was advised to appeal to an 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 like Jacob being a plain man 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 After this time he was blessed with a successfull Ministry unto the end of twenty years In which space he on the Lords Dayes in the afternoons went over the whole Body of Divinity in a Catechistical way thrice and gave the heads of his Discourse to those that were yong Scholars 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 applied all to the edification of his people and of such strangers as came to hear him In the morning of the Lords Dayes he preached over the first six Chapters of the Gospel of St. John the whole Book of Ecclesiastes the Prophesie of Zachariah and many other Scriptures and when the Lords Supper was administred which was usual every monâ—th he preached upon 1 Corinth 11. 2 Chron. 30. the whole Chapter besides some other Scriptures concerning that subject On his Lecture days he preached through 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 the 16th comparing them with Mark and Luke He took much pains in private and read to sundry young Scholars that were in his House and to some that came 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 Thursdays he preached thrice more in publick on the week days viz. on Wednesdays and Thursdays early in the morning and on Saturdays at three a 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 he continued five or six hours in Prayer and opening the Word So indefatigable was he in the Lords Work so willing to spend and be spent therein Besides he answered many Letters that were sent him far and near wherein were handled many difficult Cases of Conscience and many doubts cleared to great satisfaction He was a man exceedingly beloved and admired of the best and reverenced of the worst of his Hearers He was in great favour with Dr. Williams the then Bishop of Lincoln who much esteemed him for his Learning and when he was Lord Keeper of the Great Seal he 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 in his Ministry without interruption which was the more remarkable considering how that Kings Spirit was carried out against such wayes Also the Earl of Dorchester being at Old Boston and hearing Mr. Cotton preaching about 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 so his Boston might still enjoy him as formerly but his desires were too strongly opposed to be accomplished About this time he married his second Wife Mistriss Sarah Story then a Widow He was blessed above many in his Marriages both his Wives being pious Matâ—ons grave sober and faithfull By the first he had no children the last God made a fruitfull Vine unto him His first-born was brought forth far off upon the Sea in his passage to New England So that he being childless when he left Europe arrived a joyfull Father in America In memorial whereof he called his name Sea-born to keep alive said he in me and to teach my Son if he live a remembrance of Sea-mercies from the hand of a gracious God He is yet living and entred into the Work of the Ministry A Son of many Prayers and of great expectation The corruption of the times being now such that he could not continue in the exercise of his Ministery without sin and the envy of his maligners having now procured Letters Missive to convent him before the High Commission Court which Letters a debauched Inhabitant of that Town undertook to serve upon him who shortly after died of the Plague Mr. Cotton having intelligence thereof and well-knowing that nothing but scorns and imprisonment were to be expected from them according to the advice of many able heads and upright hearts amongst whom that holy man of God Mr. Dod of blessed memory had a singular influence he kept himself close for a time in and about London as Luther sometime did at Wittenberg and Paraeus since at Anvilla Yet was not that season of his recess unprofitable For addresses during that time were made unto him privately by divers persons of worth and piety who received satisfaction from him in their Cases of Conscience of greatest concernment And when he went into New England it was not a flight from duty but from evident danger and unto duty Not from the