152 LIVES OF 'THE PURITANS. of his awakening, and of leading him to the knowledge of Jesus Christ; yet he laboured three years under the most disconsolate and painful apprehensions, before he expe- rienced joy and peace in believing. Atter this JIM. portant change, Mr. Cotton had to preach at St. Mary's church, when the wits of the various colleges expected a sermon flourishing with all the learning of the university ; but, to their great disappointment and mortification, he preached a judicious and impressive discourse on repent- ance, shooting the arrows of conviction to their consciences. And though most of the collegians manifested their disap- probation, this sermonwas instrumental, under God, in the conversion of the celebrated Dr.. Preston, then tellow of Queen's college. From this time, the greatest intimacy and affection subsisted betwixt these two learned divines. Mr. Cotton,: upon his leaving the university, was chosen minister of Boston in Lincolnshire; but Bishop Barlow, suspecting him to be infected with puritanism, used his utmost endeavours to prevent his settlement. The learned prelate could openly object nothing, only "that Mr. Cotton was young, and, on this account, not suitable to be fixed among so numerous and factious a people." Indeed, Mr. Cotton had so much modesty, and so low an opinion of himself, that he at first agreed with his lordship, and intended to havereturned to Cambridge ; but his numerous friends, anxious to have him settled among them, persuaded the bishop of his great learning and worth, who at length granted his institution.. Mr. Cotton met with a more favourable reception than could have been expected. From the convictions and distress under which he laboured-, all the people clearly saw, that, instead of serving any particular party, his great concern for some time was about his own salvation. But, afterwards, the troubles in the sown, occasioned by the arminian controversy, became so great, that he was obliged to use his utmost endeavours to allay them. And he is said to have so defended the scripture doctrines of election, par- ticular redemption, effectual calling, and the final perse- verance of the saints, that, by the blessing of God upon his efforts, the foundations of arminianism were destroyed, those disputes ceased, and the arminian tenets were heard of no more. t Mr. Cotton married Mrs. Elizabeth Horrocks, sister to . Mather's Hist. of New England, b. iii. p. 14-16. f Ibid. p. 17.-Clark's Lives annexed to his Martyrologie, p. 220.
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