Cotton, John

Cotton, John an eminent Congregational minister, was born at Derby, Eng., Dec. 4, 1585. He was a student in Cambridge, became fellow of Emmanuel College, and was chosen successively head lecture and dean. In 1612 he was settled as minister at Boston, Lincolnshire. After preaching some few years, he was silenced for nonconformity with some ceremonies which he held to be unscriptural, but after a short time he was reinstated. About 1632, to escape examination before the High Commission Court, he secreted himself in London, and thence sailed for New England, arriving in Boston Sept. 3, 1633. On Oct. 10 he was appointed preacher in the First Church. He died Dec. 23, 1652. He published An Abstract of the Laws of New England (1641): — The Church's Resurrection (1642): — The Pouring out of the Seven Vials (1642): — The Way of Life (Lond. 1641, 4to): — Sermons on Mercy and Justice of God (Lond. 1641, 4to): — Exposition of the Canticles (Lond. 1642, 8vo): — The Covenant of Grace (Lond. 1662, sm. 8vo): — A practical Commentary upon the 1st Epistle of John (Lond. 1656, fol.), with several minor writings. — Sprague, Annals, 1:25.