OCTOBER, 1822. Memoirs of the Life of the Rev. John Cotton, formerly of Boston, in New England. [Concluded from Vol. V. p. 21.] PLINY accounted those happy men, who either did things 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 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 to 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, whilst himself was 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 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 * Equidem beatos puto, quibus Deorum munere datum est aut facere scribenda, aut scribere legenda. C. Pli. Tacit. vol. 1. + Bene non regis, si bene non regeris. Bern. epist. 189, 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 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 horsemen and chariots of this Israel. He Μερίζειν τὸν βίον ἔυχη και βίβλῳ. Syn. ep. 57. 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, Tibi, Domine, unto thy honor, O Lord!* As disputation is well called the sieve of truth,† so in his polemical labors he was a seeker thereof in love, his scope was the glory of God, unity of the churches, and the editication of men, not the ostentation of wit. It was his holy ambition not to seem to be learned, but indeed to be bettered: a sincere seeker of light, not of victory. Witness his brotherly acceptance of Dr. Twisse his examination of Mr. Cotton's treatise of predestination; from whom he acknowledged that he received light thereby, and was ready to attest the great abilities of the Doctor, that star (if any of this age) of the first magnitude. 'Tis true, Mr. Cotton's mind was then exercised concerning the point of reprobation: touching the point of election, 'tis sufficiently known he was not only orthodox, but also clear. As there were of old that pretended the predestinarian heresie to have had its rise from Austin; and Grevinchovius of late, blushed not to say of the famous Dr. Ames, that Arminianorum malleus, Amesius Pelagianizat, Ames Pelagianizeth. So the wonder is less, if this sound and judicious divine hath not escaped the imputation of Arminianism from some, notwithstanding the redundant testimony of his doctrine, and generally of all that knew him, to the contrary; yea, that occasionally he hath been heard to say by testimony yet alive, and above exception; that he looked at Arminianism as another gospel, and directly contrary to the tenor of the covenant of grace. What Melancthon (our ordinary parallel) sometimes said of himself to Eccius, may here be truly applied to him: Mr. Cotton in his disputations sought not his glory, but *We here omit two Poems, entitled, "A thankful Acknowledgment of God's Providence," and "Another Poem made by Mr. Cotton (as it seemeth) upon his removal from Boston to this Wilderness," and we do it because, as a versifier, if we may judge from these specimens, it may truly be said of Mr. Cotton, that "Sternhold himself he out-Sternholded." + Cribrum veritatis. EDIT. God's truth.* So able an opponent was rare; so candid an opponent more rare. He that fell into his hands was likely to fall soft enough ordinarily (except through his own default) not likely to lose any thing besides his error. The A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine. He had a happy, a quick, comprehensive, and benign understanding, as having received the manifestation of the Spirit, for the service and profit of others. To discover the mind of God, and therewith the sentence of judgment, in matters too hard for inferior judges, was no small part both of the worth and uséfulness of him that was to minister before the Lord. Queen of Shiba proved Solomon with hard questions. There is scarce any gift that more approximates the receiver unto that which the learned call a divine, then an ability in some measure to send away religious casuists, as the wise-man did that renowned questionist, which communed with him of all that was in her heart,' And Solomon told her all her questions; there was not any thing hid from the king that he told her not.' It seemed good unto the Father of lights to make this happy instrument, not only to excell his brethren, but in many respects, upon this account to excell himself: a grace so far acknowledged in him, as that all sorts, both the magistrate and private persons, learned and unlearned, exercised with their respective cases of conscience, waited under God in special manner upon his lips for knowledge, and sought the law at his mouth. Hear to this purpose the testimony of Mr. Davenport, that eminent and reverend man of God, the faithful pastor of the church at NewHaven, (a witness above many) in his own words, as followeth : "His forced flight from Boston to London for his safety, "from pursuit of the pursevants sent to apprehend him, I "well remember; and admire the special providence of "God towards myself and some others in it, amongst whom "safe retirement and hiding places were provided for him, "in and about London. For some of us agreed together to "improve that opportunity for a conference with him, about "the grounds of his judgment and practice, whereby the "Church was in danger to be deprived of him, and of the "benefit of his precious gifts, hoping that God might blesse "the same, for the communicating of further light, either "to him or to us. Two points were the principal subject "of our discourse. 1. Touching the limitation of church Mi Doctor, non quæro meam gloriam in hoc negotio, sed veritatem. |