The time being now come, wherein God purposed to superadd unto what had formerly been, a practical and more notable testimony against the intermixing of humane inventions with institutions divine, and to the gospel church-worship and politie in their purity, he in his All-wise providence transplants many of his faithfull servants into this vast wilderness, as a place in respect of it's remoteness so much the fitter for the fuller inquiry after, and free exercise of all his holy ordinances, and together therewith for the holding forth a pregnant demonstration of the consistency of civil-government with a congregational-way. God giveth Moses the pattern of the tabernacle in the wilderness. Ezekiel seeth the formes of the house in exile. John receiveth his revelation in Patmos. Jotham upon mount Gerizim is bold to utter his apologue: and David can more safely expostulate with Saul, when he is gotten to the top of the hill a far off, a great space between them. The Parthians having learned the art of shooting backwards,* made their retreat more terrible then their onset to their adversaries. The event soon shewed the wisdom of God herein, the people in a short time clearly understanding that truth in the practice, which by dispute they could not in a long time attain unto. In order hereunto, the God of the spirits of all flesh, stirreth up many of his faithful ones to leave that pleasant land, their estates, their kindred, their fathers houses, and sail over the Atlantic-Ocean unto this vast Jeshimon. Amongst whom this choice-servant of God, with may others graciously fitted for such a work, are sent over to set up the worship of Christ in this desart. A service, of which the Apologetical brethren (may we be permitted to transcribe their apprehension thereof) speak thus. "Last of all we had the recent and "later example of the ways and practices (and those im"proved to a better edition, and greater refinement by all "the forementioned helpes) of those multitudes of godly men of our own nation, almost to the number of another "nation, and among them some as holy and judicious diI vines as this kingdom hath bred; whose sincerity in their way hath been testified before all the world, and will be "to all generations to come, by the greatest undertaking (but that of our father Abraham out of his own "country, and his seed after him) a transplanting "themselves many thousand miles distance, and that by Sea, into a wilderness, meerly to worship God 66 6.6 * Terga conversi metuenda Parthi. Seneca. 66 66 more purely, whither to allure them there could be no other invitement." Exilium causa ipsa jubet mihi dulce videri, Bereaved Exiles ought not to repine, When as the cause presents an Anodine. The persons spoken of in this transcript, in the recital thereof distinguish between the act and the agents. This testimony whilst they crave leave to present unto the reader in way of defence for their undertaking, so far as to be of God; they are ashamed of themselves the agents, as most unworthy. They here read their duty, what they ought to be; and are not insensible of the goads of the wise, provoking them to be according to their duty: in the mean while confessing and lamenting their too manifest unanswerable walking unto their profession, and their brethrens expectation. The cause of his departure was this: The corruption of the times being such, as would not endure his officiating any longer in his station without sin; and the envy of his maligners having procured letters-missive to convent him before the high-commission, which a debauched inhabitant of that town (who not long after died of the plague) undertook to deliver to him, according as he had already done to some others: Mr. Cotton having intelligence thereof, and well knowing that nothing but scorns and imprisonment were to be expected; conformably to the advice of many able heads and upright hearts (amongst whom that holy man Mr. Dod of blessed memory had a singular influence) he kept himself close for a time in and about London, as Luther sometimes at Wittenberg, and Paraus afterwards at Anvilla. Neither was that season of his recess unprofitable: but as Jerom retired to his den at Bethlehem was an oracle unto many in his time, so addresses during that interim were made unto him privately by divers persons of worth and piety, who received from him satisfaction unto their consciences in cases of greatest concernment. His flight was not like that of Pliny's mice, that forsake a house foreseeing the ruine of it; or of mercenaries, who flie from duty in time of danger: but Providence Divine shutting up the door of service in England, and on the other hand opening it in New-England, * Beza Eleg. 2. he was guided, both by the word and eye of the Lord. And as David yielded upon the perswasion of his men, to absent himself from danger, so he suffered himself to be perswaded by his friends to withdraw from the lust of his persecutors, for the preservation of so precious a light in Israel; after the example of Jacob, Moses, the prophets which Obadiah hid in the caves, Polycarp, Athanasius, yea and Christ himself; When they persecute you in one city, flie unto another. Cyprian implieth, that a tempestive flight is a kinde of confession of our faith; it being an open profession, that our faith is dearer to us then all that we flie from, for the defence thereof. It was not a flight from duty, but from evident, and regularly evitable danger; not from the evil of persecution, but from the evil of obstruction unto serviceableness. It was not a flight from duty, but unto duty; not from the profession of the truth, but unto a more opportune place for the profession of it. Thus, this infant and small commonwealth being now capacitated, both in respect of civil and church estate, to walk with God according to the prescript of his word, it was the good hand of the Lord unto his servants who had afflicted their souls to seek of him a right way for themselves, their little ones, and their substance, to send unto them (amongst many others) this man of understanding, that might be unto them as eyes in this wilderness. His manner of entrance unto them was with much blessing. For at his first coming, he found them not without some troubles, about setling the matters of the church and commonwealth. When Mr. Cotton (being requested) preaching before the general court out of Haggai 2. 4. Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord, be strong, O Joshua 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: as Menenius Agrippa sometimes by his oration healed that then-threatning breach between the fathers and the people of Rome* so through the Lord's 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 day. In order whereunto the court considering; that, that people of God, all the members of which republick were church-members, were to be governed conformably to the law of God, * Liv. Histor. lib. 2. cap. 32, C VOL. V,-NO, 9. desired Mr. Colton to draw an abstract of the judicial laws delivered from God by Moses, so far forth as they were of moral (i. e. of perpetual and universal) equity. Which he did, advising them to persist in their purpose of establishing a Theocraty (i. e. God's government) over God's people. It was an usual thing henceforth, for the magistrate to consult with the ministers in hard cases, especially in matters of the Lord: yet so, as notwithstanding occasional conjunction, religious care was had of avoiding confusion of counsels: Moses and Aaron rejoiced, and kissed one another in the mount of God. After which time, how useful he was to England, to N. E. to magistrates, to ministers, to people, in publick and private, by preaching, 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 ministery in New-Boston, by way of exposition, he went through the Öld-Testament unto Isa. 30. the whole New-Testament once through, and the second time unto the middle of Heb. 11. Upon Lord's days and lecture-days, he preached through the Acts of the Apostles, Haggai, Zechary, Ezra, the Revelation, Ecclesiastes, Canticles, the second and third epistles of John, the epistle of Titus, both the epistles of Timothy, the epistle to the Romans, with other scriptures: the presence of the Lord being mighty with him, and crowning his labours to the conversion of many souls, and the edification of thousands. Besides these labours forementioned, he hath many pieces in print, which being well known, need the less to 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 after-age. Many do that evil whilst they are young, which makes them unable (at least comparatively) to do so much good when they are old. He must have a good report of them that are without,* lest he fall into the reproach and snare of the devil. Satan catcheth at the scandals of such who are in the ministery, as fittest materials to make snares unto the prejudice both of the gospel, and of souls. ́ Augustine, to whom God in this respect shewed peculiar mercy, upon his (ordinarily) uparallel'd repentance, telleth us, A good life is requisite in respect of ourselves, but a good name is requisite in respect of others. The gratefulnese of the most excellent liquor unto the stomach, depends in part upon the quality of the vessel. We may be good men, if we * 1 Timothy 3. 7. ↑ Aug. de bono viduitat. c. 22. have a good conscience; but we are not like to, do much good, if we have not a good name. Our religion, our report, and our eye, must not be plaid withal. It is a smart admonition mentioned by Sturmius in his classical epistles, when upon such an one reading out of Tully's Offices, who himself was not of an unblemished life, his hearer objects, Docet officium, non facit officium; he teacheth duty, but he doth not do his duty. A divine freedom did open Samuel's mouth to testifie against the sins of the people, whilst they were compelled to testifie unto the innocencie of Samuel. To be long at sea, and not meet with one storm, is unusual: to live long, and to lead a godly life all-along without offence, is not a little wonder, and a special favor both to ourselves and others.* He was a general scholar, studious to know all things, the want whereof might in one of his profession be denominated ignorance; and piously ignorant of those things, the nescience whereof made him more learned.† One man is not born to all things. No calling (besides divine requisites) calleth for more abilities, or a larger measure of humane knowledge then the ministery; deservedly therefore is his praise great in all the churches, that he not only gave himself thereunto, but exceeded many that had done virtuously therein. The greater part of the Encuclopaideia he excelled in. Those arts which the university requireth such a proficiency from her graduates in, he both digested and refined by his more accurate knowledge of them. He was a good Hebrician, in Greek a critick, and could with great facility both speak and write Latine in a pure and elegant Ciceronian stile, a good historian, no stranger to the fathers, councils, or school-men: abundantly exercised in commentators of all sorts. His library was great, his reading and learning answerable, himself a living and better library. Though he was a constant student, yet he had not all his learning out of his books. He was a man of much communion with God, and acquaintance with his own heart, observing the daily passages of his life. He had a deep sight into the mystery of God's grace, and man's corruption, and large apprehensions of these things. It was wont to be said, Bonus textuarius est bonus Theologus: A good text-man is a good divine; if you look upon him in that notion, he was an expositor (without offence be it spoken) not inferior to any of this more * Miraculi instar vitæ iter, si longum, sine offensione percurrere. Marian. 1. 1. de morte et immortal. cap. 6. + Non necessaria discendo, necessaria ignoramus, Sen, |