S. 1. SUCH is the Natural Tendency, in Humane Minds to Poetry, That, as tis Observed, the Roman Historian, in the very first Line of his History, fell upon a Verse,

So, the Roman Orator, though a very Mean Poet, yet making an Oration for a Good One, could not let his First Sentence pass him, without a per­fect Hexameter,

[Page 2]If, therefore, I were not of all men the most [...]poetical, my Reader might now Expect an Entertainment altogether in Verse; for I am go­ing to Write the Life of that New-English Divine; who had so nimble a Faculty of putting his De­vout thoughts into Verse, that he Signalized him­self by the Greatest Frequency, perhaps, that ever Man used, of sending Poems, to All Persons, in All Places, on All Occasions; and upon this, as well as upon Greater Accounts, was a David un­to the Flocks of our Lord in the Wilderness:

Wherein, if the Curious Relished the Piety some­times rather than the Poetry, the Capacity of the Most, therein to be accommodated, must be Con­sidered. But I intend no further Account of this matter, than what is given by his Worthy Son, (Reprinting at Boston in the year, 1680 the Verses of his Father, upon the Famous Deliverances of the English Nation, Printed at London, as long a­go, as the year 1626) Whose Words are, What Volumns hath he Penned, for the help of Others, in their several Changes of Condition? How was his Heart full of Good Matter? And his Verses past, like to the Handkerchiefs carried from Paul, to up­hold the Disconsolate, & Heal their Wounded Souls? For indeed this is the Least Thing, that we have to Relate of that Great Saint; and accordingly, [Page 3] it is under a more Considerable Character, that I must now Exhibit him, Even, as a Father to the Infant Colonies of New-England.

S. 2. Mr. Iohn Wilson, descending from Eminent Ancestors, was Born at Winsor in the Wonderful Year 1588. The Third Son of Dr. William Wilson, a Prebend of St. Pauls, of Roch­ester and of Winsor, and Rector of Cliff: having for his Mother, a Neece of Dr. Edmund Grindal, the most Worthily Renowned Arch-Bishop of Canterbury. His exact Education under his Pa­rents, which betimes Tinged him with an Aver­sation to Vice, and above all, to the very shadow of a Lye, fitted him to Undergoe the further Education, which he received in Eaton-Colledge, under Udal (and Langely) whom now we may Venture, after Poor Tom Tusser, to call, The Seve­rest of Men. Here he was most Remarkably Twice Delivered from Drowning; but at his Book, he made such Proficiency, that while he was the Least Boy in the School, he was made a Propositor; and when the Duke of Biron Em­bassador from the French King Henry IV, to Queen Elizabeth, Visited the School, he made a Latin Oration, for which the Duke bestowed Three Angels upon him. After four years Con­tinuance at Eaton, he was Removed unto Cam­bridge, between the Fourteenth and Fifteenth year of his Age; and Admitted into Kings Colledge [Page 4] in the year 1602. When he came to stand for a Fellowship in that Colledge, his Antipathy to some Horrid Wickednesses, whereto a Detestable Wretch that had been Acquainted with him, would have betray'd him, caused that Malicious Wretch by Devised and Accursed Slanders to ruin so far the Reputation of this Chast Youth with the other Fellows, that had not the [...], who was a Serious and a Reverend Person, in­terposed for him, he had utterly lost his Privi­ledge; which now by the Major Vote he Ob­tained. But this Affliction put him upon many Thoughts and Prayers before the Lord.

S. 3. He had hitherto been, according to his Good Education, very Civilly and Soberly Dis­posed: but being by the Good Hand of God, Led unto the Ministry of such Holy men as Mr. Bains, Dr. Taylor, Dr. Chaderton, he was by their Sermons Enlightned and Awakened, unto more Sollicitous Enquiries after, The One Thing yet Lack­ing in him. The Serious Dispositions of his Mind, were now such, that besides his pursuance after the Works of Repentance in himself, he took no little pains to pursue it in others; especially the Malefactors in the Prisons, which he Visited with a Devout, Sedulous, and Successful Industry. Nevertheless, being forestalled with Prejudices against the Puritans of those Times, as if they had held, he knew not well what Odd Things, he [Page 5] Declined Their Acquaintance; although his Good Conversarion had made him to be accounted One of them, Himself. Until going unto a Book­sellers Shop to Augment his Well-furnisht Library, he Lit upon that Famous Book of Mr. Richard Rogers, called, The Seven Treatises ▪ which, when he had Read, he so Affected, not only the Mat­ter, but also the Author of the Book, that he took a Journey unto Wethersfield, on purpose to hear a Sermon, from that Boanerges. When he had heard the Heavenly Passages that fell from the Lips of that Worthy Man, Privately, as well as Publickly, and compared therewithal the Writings of Greenham, of Dod, and of Dent, especially The Path way to Heaven, Written by the Author last mentioned, he saw that They who were Nicknamed, Puritans, were like to be the Desirablest Companions, for One that intended his own Everlasting Hap­piness; and pursuant unto the Advice, which he had from Dr. Ames, he associated himself with a Pious Company in the University, who kept their Meetings in Mr. Wilsons Chamber, for Prayer, Fasting, Holy Conference, and the Exercises of true Devotion.

S. 4. But now, perceiving many Good men to Scruple many of the Rites, Practised and Im­posed in the Church of England, he furnished himself with all the Books, that he could find Written on the Case of Conformity, both Pro and [Page 6] Con, and pondered with a most Conscientious Deliberation, the Arguments on both sides pro­duced. He was hereby so convinced of the E­vil in Conformity, that at Length, for his Obser­veable Omission, of certain Uninstituted Ceremo­nies in the Worship of God, the Bishop of Lincoln, then Visiting the University, pronounced upon him the Sentence of Quindenum, that is, That, be­sides other Mortifications, he must within Fifteen Dayes, have been Expelled, if he continued in his Offence. His Father, being hereof Advised, with all Paternal Affection, Wrote unto him to Con­form; and at the same Time, interceded with the Bishop, that he might have a Quarter of a year allowed him; in which time, if he could not be Reduced, he should then leave his Fellow­ship in the Colledge. Hereupon he sent him un­to several Doctors of Great Fame, to get his Ob­jections Resolved; but when much Discourse, and much Writing, had passed between them, he was rather the more confirmed in his Principles a­bout Church Reformation. Wherefore his Father, then diverting him from the Designs of the Mi­nistry, disposed him to the Inns of Court; where he fell into Acquaintance with some Young Gen­tlemen, who associated with him in constant Exercises of Devotion; to which Meetings the Repeated Sermons of Dr. Gouge were a continual Entertainment: and here it was, that he came into the Advantageous Knowledge of the Learn­ed [Page 7] Scultetus, Chaplain to the Prince Palatine of the Rhine, then making some stay in England.

S. 5. When he had continued Three years at the Inns of Court, his Father discerning his Dis­position to be a Minister of the Gospel, permitted his Proceeding Master of Arts, in the University of Cambridge; but Advised him to Address ano­ther Colledge, than that, where he had formerly met with Difficulties. Dr. Cary, who was then Vice Chancellour, understanding his former Cir­cumstances, would not Admit him without Sub­scription: but he refused to Subscribe. In this Dis­tress he Repaired unto his Father, at whose House there happened then to be present, the Countess of Bedfords Chief Gentleman, [...] had Business with the Earl of Northampton, the Chancellour of the University. And this Noble Person upon the Information, which that Gentleman gave him of the matter, presently Wrote a Letter to the Vice Chancellour on the Behalf of our Young Wilson; whereupon he received his Degree, and continued a while after this, in Emanuel-Colledge: from whence he made frequent and useful Visits unto his Friends, in the Counties adjoining, and became further fitted for his Intended Service. But while he was passing under these Changes, he took up a Resolution, which he thus expressed before the Lord; That if the Lord would Grant him a Liberty of Conscience, with Purity of Worship, [Page 8] he would be content, yea, thankful, though it were at the furthermost End of the World. A most Pro­phetical Resolution!

S. 6. At Length, Preaching his first Ser­mon at New Port; he set his Hand unto that Plough from whence be never afterwards Looked Back: not very long after which, his Father lying on his Death Bed, he kneeled, in his Turn, before him, for his Blessing, and brought with him for a share in that Blessing, the Virtuous Young Gen­tlewoman, the Daughter of the Lady Mansfield (Widow of Sir John Mansfield Master of the Minorys and the Queens Surveyor) whom he Designed afterwards to Marry: Whereupon the Old Gentleman said, Ah, John, I have taken much Care about thee, such time as thou wast in the Uni­versity, because thou wouldest not Conform; I would fain have brought thee to some higher Preferment, then thou hast yet attained unto: I see thy Conscience as very Scrupulous, concerning some things that have been Observed and Imposed in the Church: Never­theless, I have Rejoyced to see the Grace and Fear of God, in thy Heart; and seeing thou hast kept a Good C [...]nscience hitherto, and walked according to thy Light, So Do still; and Go by he Rules of Gods Holy Word: The Lord Bless thee, and her, whom thou hast chosen to be the Companion of thy Life! Among other Places, where he now Preached, Moreclake was One; where his Non-Conformity exposed him to [Page 9] the Rage of Persecution; but by the Friendship of the Justice, namely Sir William Bird, a Kinsman of his Wife, and by a Mistake of the Informers, the Rage of that Storm was moderated.

S. 7. After this, he Lived as a Chaplain Successively in Honourable and Religious Fami­lies; and, at last, was Invited unto the House of the most Pious Lady Scudamore. Here Mr. Wilson observing the Discourse of the Gentry at the Table, on the Lords-Day, to be too Disagree­able unto the Devout Frame to be mentained on such a Day, at Length he Zealously stood up at the Table, with Words to this purpose, I will make bold to Speak a Word or Two; This is the Lords Holy Day, and we have been hearing His Word, and after the Word Preached, every One should think, and speak about such Things, as have been Delivered in the Name of God; and not Lavish cut the Time in Discourses about Hawks & Hounds. Whereupon, a Gentleman then present, made this Handsome and Civil Answer, Sir, Wee Deserve all of us to be thus Reproved by you; This is, indeed, the Sabbath-Day, & we should, surely, have better Discourse; I hope, it will be a Warning to us. Notwithstand­ing this, the next Lords-Day, the Gentry at the Table were at their Old Notes; which caused Mr. Wilson again to tell them, That the Hawks which they Talkt of, were the Birds, that Picked up the seed of the Word; after the Sowing of it; and [Page 10] Pray'd them, That their Talk might be of such Things, as might Sanctify the Day, and Edify their own Souls; which caused the former Gentleman to Renew his former Thankfulness for the Ad­monition. But Mr. Leigh the Ladys Husband, was very angry; whereof when the Lady ad­vised Mr. Wilson, wishing him to say something, that might Satisfy him, he Replyed, Good Madam, I know not wherein I have given any just Offence; and therefore, I know of no Satisfaction that I owe: Your Ladyship has Invited me to Preach the Good Word of God among you; and so I have endeavoured according to my Ability: Now such Discourse as this, on the Lords Day, is Profane & Disorderly: If your Husband Like we not, I will be gone. When the Lady informed her Husband how Peremptory Mr. Wilson was, in this matter, he mended his Countenance and Carriage; and the Effect of this Reproof was, that unsuitable Discourse, on the Lords Day, was cured among them.

S. 8. Removing from this Family, after he had been, a while at Henly, he continued for three years together, Preaching at Four Places, by Turns, which lay near one another, on the Edges of Suffolk, namely Bumsted, Stoke, Clare, and Candish. Here, some of Sudbury happening to hear him, they Invited him to Succeed the Emi­nent Old Mr. Jenkins, with which Invitation, he cheerfully complied, and the more cheerfully be­cause [Page 11] of his Opportunity to be near Old Mr. Richard Rogers, from whom afterwards when Dying, he Received a Blessing among his Children; yea, to encourage his Acceptance of this Place, the very Reader of the Parish did Subscribe, with many Scores of others, their Desires of it; and yet he accepted not the Pastoral Charge of the Place, without a Solemn Day of Prayer with Fasting, (wherein the Neighbouring Ministers assisted) at his Election: Great notice was now taken of the Success, which God gave unto his Labours, in this Famous Town; among other Instances whereof, One was this. A Tradesman much given to Stealing, as well as other Profane and Vicious Practices, One Day seeing People flock to Mr. Wilsons Lecture, thought with himself, Why should I Tarry at Home to Work, when so many Go to Hear a Sermon? Wherefore, for the sake of Company, he went unto the Lecture too; but when he came, he found a Sermon, as it were, particularly Directed unto himself, on Eph. 4.28. Let him that hath Stole, Steal no more; and such was the Im­pression thereof upon his Heart, that, from this Time, he became a Changed and Pious man.

S. 9. But if, they that will Live Godlily must Suffer Persecution, a Peculiar share of it must fall upon them, who are Zealous and Useful Instru­ments to make others Live so. Mr. Wilson had a share of this Persecution; and one A—n, was a [Page 12] Principal Author of it. This A—n had former­ly been an Apprentice in London, Where the Bishops deteined him some years, under an hard Imprisonment, because he Refused the Oath ex Officio, which was pressed upon him to tell, Whe­ther he had never heard his Master Pray against the Bishop? The Charity of Well Disposed People now Supported him, till he got abroad, Recom­mended by his Hard Sufferings, unto the Good Affections of the Puritans, at whose Meetings he became so Conversant, and thereupon such a for­ward and zealous Professor, that, at Length he Took upon him, under the Confidence of some Latinity, whereof he was Owner, to be a Sort of a Preacher among them. This man would Re­verence Mr. Wilson as his Father, and yet upon the Provocation of seeing Mr. Wilson more highly Valued and Honoured, than himself, he not only became a Conformist himself, but also, as Apostates use to be, a Malignant and Violent Persecutor of those, from whom he had Apostatized. By his means, Mr. Wilson was put unto Trouble in the Bishops Courts; from whence his Deliverance was, at Length Obtained by certain Powerful Mediators. And once by his Tricks the most noted Pursevant of those Times, was employed for the Siezing of Mr. Wilson; but though he Siezed upon many Scores of the People coming from the Lecture, he Dismissed the rest, because he could not meet with Mr. Wilson himself, who by a Special Provi­dence, [Page 13] went out of his direct way, to Visit a Worthy Neighbour, and so escaped this Mighty Hunter. Afterwards an Eminent Lady, happen­ing Innocently to make some Comparison be­tween the Preaching of Mr. Wilson, and one Dr. B. of B. the Angry Doctor presently applied him­self unto the Bishop of London, who for a while Suspended him. And when that Storm was over; he with several other Worthy Ministers, came to he wholly Silenced, in another, that was Raised upon Complaints made by one Mr. Bird, unto the Bishop of Norwich against them. Concern­ing this Ill Bird, there happened one passage hereupon, which had in it something Extraordi­nary. Falling very Sick, he had the help of a Famous and Skilful Physician, One Dr. Duke of Colchester; who having left his Patient, in his Opinion, safely Recovered, gave Mr. Wilson a Visit with an Account of it. Recovered! Says Mr. Wilson; You are mistaken Mr. Doctor, He's a Dead man! The Doctor answered, If ever I re­covered a Sick man in my Life, that man is Recover­ed: but Mr. Wilson replied, No, Mr. Doctor, He's a Dead man, he shall not Live; Mark my Words! The Doctor smiled; but for all that, before they parted, the News was brought them, that the man was Dead indeed, and, The Lord known by the Judgment, which He Executed. But at last, Mr. Wilson obtained from the truly Noble Earl of Warwick, to Sign a Letter, which the Earl bid [Page 14] himself to draw up, unto the Bishop, on his be­half; by the Operation of which Letter, his Li­berty, for the Exercise of his Ministry, was again procured. This Bishop was the Well-known Dr. Harsnet, who a Little while after this, Travelling Northward, upon Designs of mischief against the Reforming Pastors and Christians there, certain Ministers of the South set apart a Day, for Solemn Fasting and Prayer to Implore the Help of Hea­ven, against those Designs; and on that very Day, he was taken with a Sore and an odd Fit, which caused him to stop at a Blind House of Entertain­ment on the Road, where he suddenly Dyed.

S. 10. At Last, being Persecuted in One Coun­try, he must Flee into another. The Plantation of a New-English Colony was begun; And Mr. Wil­son, with some of his Neighbours, Embarked themselves in the Fleet, which came over thither in the year 1630. Where he applied himself with all the Vigour Imaginable, to Encourage the poor People, under the Difficulties of their New Plan­tation. This Good People buried near Two Hundred of their Number, within a Quarter of a year after their first Landing; which caused Mr. Wilson particularly to Endeavour their Con­solation; by Preaching on Jacobs not being dis­heartned by the Death of his nearest Friends in the way, when God had called him to Remove. And how Remarkably, perhaps I might say, Ex­cessively, [Page 15] Liberal he was in Employing his Estate for the Relief of the Needy, Every such One so beheld him, as to Reckon him, The Father of them all: Yea, the poor Indians themselves also tasted of his Bounty. If it were Celebrated, as the Glo­ry of Bellarmine, that he would Sell his Goods to convert them into Alms for the poor, yea, that, Quadam Die proprium Atramentarium Argenteolum, ut ditaret Inopes, inter pignorat obligavit, our Mr. Wilson, though a greater Disclaimer of Merit, than Bellarmine was, not only in his Writings, but on his Death-bed it self, yet came not behind Bellar­mine for the Extension of his Charity. To give Instances of his, even over doing Liberality, would be to do it Injuries; for indeed they were In­numerable; He acted as if the Primitive Agree­ment of having All Things in Common, had been of all things the most Agreeable unto him. I shall Sum up all in the Lines of an Elegant Ele­gy, which Mr. Samuel Bache, an Ingenious Mer­chant made upon him, at his Death;

But he was most set upon the Main Business of this New Plantation; which was, To Settle, and Enjoy the Ordinances of the Gospel, and VVorship the Lord Jesus Christ according to His own Institutions; and accordingly, He, with the Governour, and others that came with him on the same Account, combined into a Church-State, with all Conveni­ent Expedition.

S. 11. Mr. Wilsons Removal to New-England, was rendred the more Difficult, by the Indisposi­tion of his Dearest Consort thereunto; but he hoping, that according to a Dream, which he had before his coming hither, That he saw here a little Temple, rising out of the Ground, which by Degrees increased into very high and large Dimensions, the Lord had a Temple to build in these Regions; Resolved never to be Discouraged from his Un­dertaking. Wherefore, having first sent over an Encouraging Account of the Good Order, both Civil and Sacred, which now began to be Esta­blished in the Plantation, he did himself Return into England, that he might further pursue the [Page 17] Effect thereof; and accordingly he made it his Business, wherever he came, to Draw as many Good men, as he could, into this Country, with him. His Wife remained unperswadeable, till upon Prayer with Fasting before the Almighty Turner of Hearts, he Received an Answer, in her becoming Willing to accompany him over an Ocean into a Wilderness. A very sorrowful Part­ing they now had from their Old Friends in Sudbury, but a Safe, and a Quick Passage over the Atlantic; and whereas the Church of Boston, ob­serving that he Arrived not, at the Time expect­ed, had set apart a Day, of Humiliation on his Be­half, his Joyful Arrival before the Day, caused them to turn it into a Day of Thanksgiving. But Mrs. Wilson being thus perswaded over, into the Difficulties of an American Desart, I have heard, that her Kinsman, Old Mr. Dod, for her Conso­lation under those Difficulties, did send her a Present, with an Advice, which had in it, some­thing of Curiosity. He sent her, at the same Time, a Brass Counter, a Silver Crown, and a Gold Jaco­bus; all of them severally wrapped up: With this Instruction unto the Gentleman who carried it; That he should first of all Deliver only the Counter, and if She Received it with any Show of Discontent he should then take no further Notice of her: but if She gratefully Resented that Small Thing, for the sake of the Hand it came from, he should then go on to deliver the [Page 18] Silver, and so the Gold: But withal assure her, That such would be the Dispensations of God unto her, and the other Good People of New-England: If they would be Content, and Thankful, with such Little Things, as God at first bestow'd upon them, they should in Time, have Silver and Gold Enough. Mrs. Wil­son accordingly, by her Cheerful Entertainment of the Least Remembrance from Good Old Mr. Dod, gave the Gentleman, Occasion to go through, with his whole Present, and the annexed Advice, which hath in a Good measure been accom­plished.

S. 12. It was not long before Mr. Wilsons Return to England once more, was obliged by the Death of his Brother, whose Will, because it be queathed a Legacy of a Thousand Pounds unto New England, gave Satisfaction unto our Mr. Wilson, though it was otherwise Injurious unto himself. A Tedious and Winter Voyage he now had; being Twice forced into Ireland, where first at Galloway. then at Kingsale, afterwards at Bandon Bridge, he Occasionally, but Vigorously and Successfully Served the Kingdom of God. At last, he got safe among his Old Friends, at Sudbury; according to the Prediction, which he had let Fall in his Former Farewel unto them, It may be John Wilson may come and see Sudbury once again. From whence, Visiting Mr. Natha­nael Rogers at Assington, where he Arrived before [Page 19] their Morning-Prayers, Mr. Rogers asked him, to say something upon the Chapter that was Read, which happened then to be the first Chapter, in the first Book of Chronicles: and from a Para­graph of meer Proper Names, that seemed altoge­ther Barren of any Edifying matter, he Raised so many Fruitful and Useful Notes, that a Pious Person then present, amazed thereat, could have no Rest, without going over into America after him. Having dispatched his Affairs in England, he again Embarked for New-England, in Com­pany with Four Ministers, and near Two Hun­dred Passengers, whereof some were Persons of Considerable Quality; but they had all been lost by a Large Leak sprang in the Ship, if God had not, on a Day of Solemn Fasting and Prayer, kept on board for that purpose, mercifully Discover­ed this Dangerous Leak unto them.

S. 13. That Phoenix of his Age, Dr. Ames, would say, That if he might have his Option of the best Condition, that he could Propound unto himself, on this side Heaven, it would be, that he might be the Teacher of a Congregational Church, whereof Mr. Wilson, should be the Pastor. This Happiness, this Priviledge, now had Mr. Cotton in the Church of Boston. But Satan Envious at the Prosperity of that Flourishing Church, raised a Storm of Antinomian and Familistical Errors, which had like to have thrown all into an Irrecoverable [Page 20] Confusion, if the Good God had not Remarka­bly Blessed the Endeavours of a Synod; and Mr. Wilson, for a while, met with hard measure for his Early Opposition to those Errors, until by the Help of that Synod, the Storm was Weathered out. At the Beginning of that Assembly, after much Discourse against the Unscriptural Enthu­siasms and Revelations, then by some contended for, Mr. Wilson proposed, You that are against these Things, and that are for the Spirit and the Word to­gether, hold up your Nands! And the Multitude of Hands then held up, was a Comfortable and Encouraging Introduction unto the other Pro­ceedings. At the Conclusion of that Assembly, a Catalogue of the Errors to be Condemned, was produced; Whereof, when One asked, What shall be done with them? The wonted Zeal of Mr. Wilson made this Blunt Answer, Let them Go to the Devil of Hell, from whence they came! In the midst of these Temptations also, he was by a Lot, chosen to Accompany the Forces, then sent forth upon an Expedition against the Pequod In­dians; which he did with so much Faith and Joy, that he professed himself as fully Satisfied, that God would give the English a Victory over those Enemies, as if he had seen the Victory already obtained. And the whole Country Quickly shared with him in the Consolations of that Remarkable Victory!

[Page 21] S. 14. In the Wilderness, he met with his Difficulties; For besides the Loss of Houses, Di­verse Times by Fire, which yet he bore with such a Cheerful Submission, that Once One that met him on the Road, informing of him, Sir, I have sad News for you; while you have been abroad, your House is burnt! His first Answer was, Blessed be God: He has burnt this House, because He intends to Give me a Better! (which accordingly came to pass;) he was also put upon Complying with the Inclinations of his Eldest Son to Travel; who accordingly Travelled, first into Holland, then into Italy, where he proceeded a Doctor of Physick, and so Returned into England, Excellently well Adorned with all the Accomplishments of a most Pious and Useful Gentleman. But this Worthy Person Dyed, about the year 1658. And this hastned the Death of His Mother, e're the year came about; which more than Doubled the Grief of his Father. And these Afflictions were yet further Embittered by the Death of his Eldest Daughter, Mrs. Rogers, in Child-bed with her first Child; at whose Interment, though he could not but Express a deal of Sorrow, yet he did it with so much Patience, that, In Token, he said, of his Grounded & Joyful Hopes, to meet her again in the Morning of the Resurrectin, and of his Willingness to Resign her into the Hands of Him, who would make all Things work together for Good, he himself took [Page 22] the Spade, and threw in the First Shovelful of Earth upon her. And not long after, he buried Three or Four of his Grand-Children by another Daughter Mrs. Danforth (yet Living with her Worthy Son-in-Law Edward Bromfield Esq. in Boston) Whereof One Lying by the Walls, on a Day of Publick Thanksgiving, this Holy man then Preached a most Savoury Sermon, on Job 1.21. The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away, Blessed be the Name of the Lord. The next Child, although so Weakly, that all Despaired of it's Life, his Prophetical Grand-Father, said, Call him, John, I Believe in God, he shall Live, and be a Prophet too, and do God Service in his Genera­tion! Which is, at this Day, fullfilled in Mr. John Danforth, the present Pastor to the Church of Dorchester. Encountring with such, and ma­ny other Exercises, his years Rolled away, till he had Served New-England, Three years before Mr. Cottons Coming over, Twenty years with him; Ten years with Mr. Norton, and Four years after him.

S. 15. In his Younger Time, he had been used Unto a more Methodical way of Preaching, and was therefore Admired above many, by no Less Auditors than Dr. Goodwin, Mr. Burroughs, and Mr. Bridge, when they Travelled from Cambridge into Essex, on purpose to observe the Ministers in that County; but after he became a Pastor, joined with such Illuminating Teachers, he gave [Page 23] himself a Liberty, to Preach more after the Pri­mitive Manner; without any Distinct Propositi­ons, but Chiefly in Exhortations and Admonitions, and Good wholesome Councils, tending to Excite Good Motions, in the Minds of his Hearers; (but upon the same Texts that were Doctrinally hand­led by his Colleague instantly before:) and yet sometimes his Pastoral Discourses had such a Spirit in them, that Mr. Shepard would say, Me­thinks I hear an Apostle, when I hear this Man! Yea, even One of his Ex Tempore Sermons, has been since his Death, counted worthy to be Pub­lished unto the World. The Great Lecture of Boston, being disappointed of him, that should have Preached it, Mr. Wilson Preached that Lecture, on a Text occurring in the Chapter that had been read that Morning in his Family; Jer. 29.8.— Neither hearken to you [...] Dreams, which you cause to be Dreamed; from whence he gave a Seasonable Warning, unto the People against the Dreams, wherewith sundry Sorts of Opini­onists, had been Endeavouring to Seduce them. It was the Last Boston Lecture that ever he Preached (Nov. 16. 1665.) and one, who writ after him, in Short hand, about a Dozen years after Published it. But his Last Sermon he Preached at Roxbury Lecture, for his most Wor­thy Son in Law, Mr. Danforth; and after he had read his Text, which was in the Beginnings and Conclusions of sundry of the Last Psalms, with a [Page 24] Seraphical Voice, he added, If I were sure this were the Last Sermon that ever I should Preach, and these the Last Words that ever I should Speak, yet I would still say, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord! Thus he Ended his Ministry on Earth, thus he Began his Possession of Heaven, with Hallelujahs.

S. 16. Indeed, if the Picture of this Good, and therein Great Man, were to be exactly given, Great Zeal, with Great Love, would be the Two Principal Strokes, that joined with Orthodoxy, should make up his Pourtraiture. He had the Zeal of a Phineas, I had almost said, of a Seraphim, in Testifying against every Thing that he thought Offensive unto God. The Opinionists, which attempted at any Time, to Debase the Scripture, Confound the Order, embraced in our Churches, underwent the most pungent A­nimadversions of this his Devout Zeal; whence, when a certain Assembly of People, which he approved not, had set in Boston, he charged all his Family, that they should never Dare, so much as Once to enter into that Assembly; I charge you, said he, That you do not Once Go to Hear them; for whatsoever they may pretend, they will Rob you of Ordinances, Rob you of your Souls, Rob you of your God. But though he were thus, like John, a Son of Thunder, against Seducers, yet he was like that Blessed, and Beloved Apostle also, [Page 25] all made up of Love. He was full of Affection, and ready to help and; Relieve, and Comfort the Distressed; His House was Renowned for Hospita­lity, and his Purse was continually emptying it self into the hands of the Needy: From which Disposition of Love in him, there once happened this Passage; When he was Beholding a Great Muster of Souldiers, a Gentleman, then present, said unto him, Sir, I'l tell you a Great Thing; here's a mighty body, of People, and there is not SEVEN of them all, but what Loves Mr. Wilson; but that Gracious man presently and pleasantly replyed, Sir, I'l tell you as Good a Thing as that, here's a mighty Body of People, and there is not so much as ONE of them all, but Mr. Wilson Loves him. Thus he did, by his own Exemple, notably Preach that Lenon, which a Gentleman found in the Anagram of his Name, Wish no One Ill: And thus did he Continue, to, Do Every One Good until his Death gave the same Gentleman Oc­casion thus to Elegize upon him:

S. 17. He was One, that Consulting not only his own Edification, but the Encouragement of the Ministry, and of Religion, with an Indefa­tigable [Page 26] Diligence Visited the Congregations of the Neighbouring Towns, at their Weekly Lectures, until the Weaknesses of Old Age rendered him Uncapable. And it was a delightful Thing, then to see upon every Recurring Opportunity a large Company of Christians, and even Magistrates and Ministers among them, and Mr. Wilson in the Head of them, Visiting the Lectures in all the Vi­cinage, with such Heavenly Discourses on the Road, as caused the Hearts of the Disciples, to Burn within them: and indeed it was Remark'd, That though the Christians Then Spent Less Time, in the Shop, or Field, than they do Now, yet they did in Both prosper more. But for Mr. Wilson, I am saying, That a Lecture was a Treasure unto him; he Priz'd it, he Sought it, until Old Age at Length brought with it a Sickness, which a Long while confined him. In this Illness, he took a Solemn Farewel of the Ministers, who had their Weekly Meetings, at his Hospitable House, and were now come together from all parts, at the Anniversary Election for the Government of the Colony. They asked him, to declare Solemn­ly, what he thought might be the Sins, which provoked the Displeasure of God against the Country. Whereto his Answer was, I have long feared several Sins; Whereof, One, he said, was Corahism; ‘That is, when People rise up as Corah against their Ministers, as if they took too much upon them, when indeed they do but [Page 27] Rule for Christ, and according to Christ; yet it is nothing for a Brother to stand up and Oppose, without Scripture, or Reason, the Word of an Elder, saying [ I am not Satisfied!] And hence, if he do not like the Administra­tion (be it Baptism or the Like) he will turn his back upon God and His Ordinances, and Go away. And for our Neglect of Baptising the Children of the Church, those that some call Grand-children, I think God is provoked by it. Another Sin ( said he) I take, to be the making Light of, and not Subjecting to the Authority of Synods, without which the Churches cannot long Subsist.’

S. 18. Afterwards, having Solemnly with Prayer, and Particularly and very Prophetically Blessed his Relations and Attendants, he now thus comforted himself, I shall e're Long be with my Old Friends, Dr. Preston, Dr. Sibs, Dr. Taylor, Dr. Gouge, Dr. Ames, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Norton, my Inns of Court Friends, and my Consort, Children, Grand children in the Kingdom of God. And when some then present, magnified God, for making him a Man of such Use, and Lamented themselves, in their own Loss of him, he replied, Alas, Alas; Use no such Words concerning me; for I have been an Unprofitable Servant, not worthy to be called a Servant of the Lord: but I must say, The Lord be merciful to me a Sinner, and I must say, Let Thy [Page 28] Tender Mercies come unto me, O Lord, Even Thy Salvation according to Thy Word. The Evening before he Dyed, his Daughter asking him, Sir, How do you Do? he held up his Hand, and said, Vanishing Things! Vanishing Things! But he then made a most affectionate Prayer, with and for his Friends; and so Quietly Fell Asleep on August 7. 1667. in the Seventy ninth year of his Age. Thus Expired that Reverend Old man: of whom, when he left England, an Emi­nent Personage said, New-England, shall Flourish, free from all General Desolations, as long as that Good man Liveth in it! Which was Comfortably accomplished. He was Interr'd with more than Ordinary Solemnity; and his Neighbour, Mr. Richard Mather of Dorchester, thereat Lamented the Publick Loss in his Departure, with a Sermon upon Zech. 1.5. Your Fathers where are they and the Prophets, do they Live for ever?

S. 19. Being a Man of Prayer, he was very much a Man of God; and a certain Prophetical Afflatus, which often directs the Speeches of such men, did sometimes Remarkably appear in the Speeches of this Holy Man. Instances hereof have been already given. A few more shall now be added.

Beholding a Young man, Extraordinarily Du­tiful in all possible wayes of being Serviceable, unto his Aged Mother, then Weak in Body, and Poor [Page 29] in Estate, he, declared unto some of his Family what he had Beheld; adding therewithal, I charge you to take notice of what I say; God will certainly Bless that Young man; John Hull (for that was his Name) shall grow Rich, and Live to do God good Service in his Generation! It came to pass accordingly, That this Exemplary Person, became a very Rich, as well as Emphatically a Good Man, and afterwards Dyed a Magistrate of the Colony.

When one Mr. Adams, who waited on him from Hartford unto Weathersfield, was followed with the news of his Daughters being fallen suddenly and doubtfully Sick, Mr. Wilson, looking up to Heaven, began mightily to Wrestle with God for the Life of the Young woman: Lord ▪ (said he) wilt thou now take away thy Servants Child, when thou seest he is attending on thy Poor unworthy Ser­vant in most Christian Kindness; Oh! do it not! And then turning himself about unto Mr. Adams, Brother (said he) I trust your Daughter shall Live, I believe in God She shall Recover of this Sickness! And so it marvellously came to pass, and She is now the fruitful Mother of several desireable Children.

A Pequ [...]t Indian, in a Canoo, was espied by the English, within Gun-shot, carrying away an English-Maid, with a Design to Destroy her or Abuse her. The Souldiers, fearing to kill the Maid if they shot at the Indian, asked Mr. Wilsons [Page 30] Counsel; who forbad them to Fear, and assured them, God will direct the Bullet; They Shot ac­cordingly; and killed the Indian, though then moving swiftly upon the Water, and saved the Maid free from all harm whatever.

Upon the Death of the first and only Child (being an Infant) of his Daughter Mrs. Dan­forth, he made a Poem, wherein were these Lines among the rest,

And behold, as if that he had been a Vates, in both Senses of it, a Poet, and a Prophet, it pleas'd God afterwards, to give his Daughter, a Second, a Third, and a Fourth Child, and then to take them all away at once, even in one Fortnights [Page 31] Time; but afterwards, happily to make up the Loss.

Once passing over the Ferry unto a Lecture, on the other side of the Water, he took notice of a Young man in the Boat, that Worded it very unhandsomely unto his Aged Father: whereat this Faithful Seer, being much Troubled, said un­to him, Young man, I advise you to Repent of your Undutiful Rebellious Carriage towards your Father; I expect else to [...], that God has cut you off, before a Twelve month come to an End! And before this time expired, it came to pass, that this unhappy Youth, going to the Southward, was there Hack'd in pieces, by the Pequod Indians.

A Company of People in this Country, were mighty not upon a Project of Removing to Pro­vidence, an Island in the West Indies; and a Vene­rable Assembly of the Chief Magistrates, and Mi­nisters in the Colony, was addressed for their Counsil about this undertaking; which Assembly hid before the Company very weighty Reasons to Disswade them from it. A Prime Ringleader in that Business, was One Venner a Cooper of Sa­lem, the Mad Blade, that afterwards perished in a Nonsensical Uproar, which he, with a Crue of Bedlamites, possessed like himself, made in London. This Venner, with some others, now stood up, and said, That notwithstanding, what had been Offer­ed, they were clear in their Call to Remove: Where­upon, Mr. Wilson stood up and answered, Ay, Do [Page 32] you c [...]me to Ask Counsel in so weighty a matter as this, and to have Help from an Ordinance of God in it? and are you aforehand Resolved, that you will Go on? Well, you may Go, if you will; but you shall not prosper. What? Do you make a Mock of Gods Ordinance? And it came to pass accordingly; The Enterprize was, not long after, dashed in pieces; and Venners precipitating Impulses, after­wards carried him to a miserable End.

A Council sitting at a Town, where some Eccle­siastical Differences called for the Assistances of the Neighbours to Compose them, there was one man, observed by Mr. Wilson, to be extreamly perverse, and most Unreasonably Troublesome, and Mischievous, to the Peace of the Church there; Whereupon Mr. Wilson told the Council, he was confident, That the Jealousy if God would set a Mark upon that Man, and that the Ordinary Death of men should not befall him. It happened shortly after, that the man was barbarously Butchered by the Salvages!

While Mr. Wilson was Minister of Sudbury in England, there was a Noted Person, who had been absent, for some while among the Papists. This man Returning Home, Offered himself to the Communion; whereat Mr. Wilson, in the open Assembly Spoke unto him after this manner; ‘Brother, you, here, present your self, as if you would partake in the Holy Supper of the Lord. You cannot be Ignorant of what you [Page 33] have done in withdrawing your self from our Communion, and how you have been much conversant, for a Considerable while, with the Papists, whose Religion is Antichristian. There­fore, though we cannot so absolutely Charge you, God knows, who is the Searcher of All Hearts; and if you have Defiled your self with their Worship and Way, and not Repent­ed of it, by offering to partake, at this Time, in the Holy Supper with us, you will Eat, and Drink your own Damnation; but if you are clear, and have nothing wherewith to charge your self; you your self know; upon this Account you may Receive.’ The man did then partake at the Lords Table, professing his Innocency. But as if the Devil had entered into him, he soon went and Hanged himself.

In the Circumstances of his own Children, he saw many Effects of an Extraordinary Faith.

His Eldest Son, Edmund, while Travelling into the Countries, which the Bloody Popish Inquisiti­on, has made a Clime too Torrid for a Protestant, was Extreamly Exposed: but the Prayers of the Young Gentlemans continually Distressed Father, for him, were answered, with Signal Preservati­ons. When he was under Examination by the Inquisitors, a Friend of the Chief among them, suddenly arrived; and the Inquisitor not having [...]een this Friend for many years before, was [Page 34] hereby so diverted and mollified, that he car­ried the Young Mr. Wilson to Dinner with him; and, though he had passed hitherto Unknown by his True Name, yet this Inquisitor could now call him, to his great Surpize, by the Name, of Mr. Wilson, and report unto him the Character of his Father, and his Fathers Industry in Serv­ing the Hereticks of New-England. But, that which I here most of all design, is an Account of a thing yet more Memorable and Unaccounta­ble. For, at another Time, his Father Dream't himself Transported into Italy, where he saw a Beautiful Person in the Sons Chamber, Endea­vouring, with a thousand Enchantments to debauch him; whereupon the Old Gentleman made, and was by his Bed-fellow overheard making, first, Prayers to God full of Agony, and then Warnings unto his Tempted Son, to Beware of Defiling himself with the Daughter of a Strange God. Now, some Considerable while after this, the Young Gentleman Writes to his Father, that on such a Night, (which was upon Enquiry found the very same Night,) a Gentlewoman had caressed him, thus and so (just according to the Vision,) and that his Chastity had been Conquered, if he had not been Strongly Possessed with a Sense of his Fathers Prayers over him, and Warnings unto him, for his Escape from the Pits, whereinto do fall the Abhorred of the Lord.

His other Son, John, When a Child, fell upon [Page 35] his Head from a Loft, Four Stories high, into the Street; from whence he was taken up for Dead, and so battered and bruised and bloody with his Fall, that it struck Horror into the Be­holders: but Mr. Wilson had a Wonderful Re­turn of his Prayers, in the Recovery of the Child, both unto Life, and unto Sense; inso­much, that he continued unto Old Age, a Faith­ful, Painful, Useful Minister of the Gospel; and but lately went from the Service of the Church in Medfield, unto the Glory of the Church Tri­umphant.

After Mr. Wilsons arrival at New-England, his Wife, who had Left off bearing of Children for many years, brought him another Daughter; which Lamb, was indeed unto him, as a Daughter; and he would present her unto other Ministers, for their Blessing, with Great Affection, Saying, This is my New-England Token! But this Child, fell Sick of a Malignant Feaver, wherein She was gone so far, that every one despaired of her Life; Except her Father, who called in several Ministers, with other Christians, unto a Fast, on that Occasion; and hearing the Prayers of Mr. Cotton for he, found his Heart so Raised, that he Confidently declared, While I heard, Mr. Cot­ton at Prayer, I was Confident the Child should Live! And the Child accordingly did Live; yea, She is to this Day alive, a very Holy Woman, Adorned, like them of Old Time, with a Spirit of Great Price!

[Page 36]The Blessings Pronounced by Mr. Wilson, upon many Persons and Affayrs, were observed so Prophetical, and especially his Death-bed Blessings upon his Children and Grand-children were so, that the most Considerable Persons in the Coun­trey, thought it not much, to come from far, and bring their Children with them, for the En­joyment of his Patriarchal Benedictions. For which cause, Mr. Thomas Shepard, in an Elegy upon him, at his Death, Pathetically thus Ex­pressed it;

These were Extraordinary Passages; Many of them, are Things, which Ordinary Christians may more safely Ponder, and Wonder, than Expect, in Our Dayes! Though sometimes Great Re­formers, and Great Sufferers, must be Signalized with them. I know very well, what Livy sayes, Datur haec Venia Antiquitati, ut miscendo Humana Divinis, Primordia Urbium Augustiora faciat: but I have been far from Imposing the Least [Page 37] Fable upon the World in Reporting such Extra­ordinary Passages of Mr. Wilson, or any other Great Confessor, by whom the Beginnings of this Country were made Illustrious; there are Wit­nesses Enough, yet Living, of them.

S. 20. There is a certain Little Sport of Wit, in Anagrammatizing the Names of Men; which was used as long ago at Least as the Dayes of Old Lycophron: and which sometimes has afforded Reflections very Monitory, as Alstedius by his just Admirers changed into Sedulitas, or very Satyrical, as when, Satan Ruleth me, was found in the Transposed Name of a certain Active Persecutor: and when, Lo, a Damned Crew, was found in the Name of One that made a Fi­gure, among the Popish Plotters against the Na­tion. Yea, Tis possible, that they who affect such Grammatical Curiosities, will be willing to plead a Prescription, of much Higher and Elder Antiquity for them; Even the Temurah, or, Mu­tation, with which the Jewes do Criticise upon the Oracles of the Old Testament. There, they say, You'l find the Anagram of our First Fathers Name Ha adam, to express Adamah, the Name of the Earth, whence he had his Original. An Ana­gram, of a Good Signification, they'l show you [Gen. 6.8.] and of a Bad one [Gen. 38.7.] in those Glorious Oracles; and they will Endeavour to perswade you, that Maleachi in Exodus is Ana­grammatically [Page 38] grammatically Expounded Michael, in Daniel. But of all the Anagrammatizers that have been Trying their Fancies, for the Two Thousand years which have Run out, since the Dayes of Lycophron, yea, or for the more than Five Thou­sand, since the Dayes of our First Father, I be­lieve there never was Man, that made so many, or so nimbly, as our Mr. Wilson; who, together with his Quick Turns, upon the Names of his Friends, would Ordinarily Fetch, and rather than Lose, would even Force, Devout Instructions out of his Anagrams. As once, upon Hearing my Fa­ther Preach a Sermon about, The Glories of our Lord Jesus Christ, Mr. Wilson immediatly gave him that Anagram upon his Name, Crescentius Matherus, Anagr. En! Christus Merces tu [...]: So, there could Scarcely occurr the Name of any Remarkable Person, at least, on any Remarkable Occasion unto him, without an Anagram Raised thereupon; and he made this Poetical, and Peculiar, Disposition of his Ingenuity, a Subject whereon he Grafted Thoughts far more Solid and Solemn and Useful, than the Stock it self. Wherefore methoughts, it Looked like a Piece of Injustice, that his Own Funeral produced (among the many Poems afterwards Printed) no more Anagrams upon his Name, who had so often thus Handled the Names of Others; and some Thought the Muses Look'd very much Dissa­tisfied, when they saw these Lines upon his Hearse.

There was a Little more of Humour, in the Fancy of Mr. Ward, the Well-known Simple Cob­ler of Agawam, as that Witty Writer Styled him­self, who observing the Great Hospitality of Mr. Wilson, in Conjunction with his Meta-grammatising Temper, said, That the Anagram of JOHN WIL­SON was, I PRAY, COME IN, YOU ARE HEARTILY WELCOME.

To make up this Want, I might conclude the Life of this Good man, with an Anagram, which he Left on, and for himself.

[Page 40] S. 21. But it, is to the Last Place in our History of this Worthy Man, that I reserve that part of his Character, which lay in his Dispo­sition to allot unto Himself the Last Place among all Worthy Men; for his Low Opinion of him­self, was the Top of all his other Excellencies. His Humility not only caused him, to prefer the Meanest of his Brethren, above himself, but also to Comply with the meanest Opportunities of being Serviceable: Hence t'was, that when his Voice in his Age did so fail him, that his Great Congregation could be no longer Edified by his Publick Labours, he Cheerfully and Painfully set himself to do all the Good, that he could by his Private Visits; and such also, as he could not reach with Sermons, he often found with Verses: Hence t'was, that when that plea was used with the Church of Ipswich to resign Mr. Norton unto the Church of Boston, after the Death of Mr. Cotton; Because it was said, Let him that hath two Coats give to him that hath None; and a Person of Quality replied, Boston hath One, [mean­ing Mr. Wilson:] this Good man answered; Who? Me! I am Nothing! Yea, Hence t'was, that when Malefactors had been openly Scourged upon the Just Sentence of Authority, he would presently send for them to his House, and having first expressed his Bounty to them, he would then bestow upon them such gracious Admoni­tions [Page 41] and Exhortations, as made them to become, instead of Desperate, remarkably Penitent. Indeed, I know not whether his Humility, might not have some Excess, in some Instances charged up­on it; at least Once, when he had Promised unto a Neighbouring Minister, to Preach a Sermon for him, and after his Promise came in Season to that Minister, saying, Sir, I told you, that I would Preach for you, but it was rashly done of me; I have on my knees begg'd the Pardon of it, from the Lord; That I should offer thus to deprive His People, of your Labours, which are so much better than any of mine can be: Wherefore, Sir, I now come Seasona­bly to tell you, that I shall fail you! And accor­dingly, there was no perswading of him to the contrary.

But from the like Humility it was, That a Good kinsman, of his, who deserves to Live in the same Story, as he now Lives in the same Hea­ven with him, namely Mr. Edward Rawson, the Honoured Secretary of the Massachuset-Colony, could not by all his Intreaties perswade him, to let his Picture be drawn; but still refusing it, he would reply, What! Such a Poor, Vile Creature as I am! shall my Picture be drawn? I say, No; it never shall! And when that Gentleman in­troduced the Limner, with all things ready, Vehemently importuning him to gratify so far the Desires of his Friends, as to sit a while, for the taking of his Effigies, no Importunity [Page 42] could ever obtain it from him. However, being bound in Justice to Employ my Hand, for the Memory of that Person, by whose Hand I was my self Baptised, I have made an Essay, to draw his Picture, by this Account of his Life; wherein if I have missed of doing to the Life, it might be made up, with several Expressive Passages, which I find in Elegies Written and Printed upon his Death: Whereof there were many Composed, by those, whose Opinion was well Signified by one of them:

But Waving the rest, Let the following POEM, never before Printed, Offer some ODOURS, for the Readers further Entertainment.