highest reputations for erudition. He soon ren. dered himself famous by his funeral oration for Dr. Some, Master of Peter-House, Cambridge. In this, he discovered a purity of style with the ornaments of rhetorick. The fame of his learning increased from his next publick performance, which was a University sermon, and he was often invited to preach in the same place. When he had been at Boston, in Lincolnshire, some months, he proceeded bachelor of divinity, and preached a Concio ad Clerum, in Latin, which was greatly admired. His text was Mat. v. 13. He appeared also to great advantage in answering a very acute opponent, Mr. William Chappel, who disputed with him.

For several years he preached to his people without any opposition, but when he urged his dislike of the ceremonies, he was brought before the court of the bishop of Lincoln for his non-conformity; from which he was advised to appeal to a higher court, and employing Mr. Leverett (who was af. terwards one of the ruling elders in the church of Boston, New-England) he was, through his means, restored to his church, who had much occasion to rejoice in his labours. He was so much in favour with Dr. Williams, the bishop of Lincoln, that when he was Lord Keeper of the great seal, he went to King James, and begged that a man of so much worth and learning might have liberty of preaching without interruption, though he was a non-conformist.

The earl of Dorchester, also, being at old Boston, was much affected when he heard him deliver a discourse upon civil government, and stood his friend in times of great opposition. These are the times to try and prove friendship. From men of urbanity and good nature the civilities of social life are readily granted; but how few among the rich men of the city, and nobles of a kingdom, think of virtue in distress! There were some, however, among the gentlemen and noblemen in England,

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who exerted themselves to serve worthy Puritan ministers, and kept them from prison and from penury, while bigots ruled the nation, and the vilest aspersions were cast upon all those who were suspected of non-conformity.

Mr. Cotton was not able to stem the tide of party. He was ordered before the high commission court, who were disposed to pour out the bitterness of their wrath upon his head; but they were disappointed of their aim, and, through the influence of those who were well disposed, he escaped and came to New-England. It was observed, that he did not fly from the profession of the truth, but unto a more opportune place for the profession of it.

When Mr. Cotton came over to this country, they were busy in settling the affairs of the churches and commonwealth. In both of which he took an active part. Being requested to preach before the general court, his text was Haggai ii. 4. "Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech 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."

It was a usual thing for the magistrates to consult with the ministers, and Mr. Cotton was appointed, with gov. Winthrop, to draw an abstract of the ju dicial laws of the Mosaick system, so far as they are moral. It was his advice to establish a Theocracy.

Mr. Cotton began the sabbath on Saturday evening. He gave religious instructions, read the scriptures, and then retired into his study. He spent the sabbath day either in his study or in the pulpit. He was a very accomplished preacher; his voice had melody in it, and was sonorous; his sermons pathetick, and his critical acumen uncom

This was discovered in his frequent expo. sitions, and dissertations upon passages and whole books of the scripture. He was considered as a great polemick divine; yet upon two occasions, when his talents were exerted this way, he was under no small disadvantage. In his controversy with Roger Williams, he had an opponent who not only possessed talents which would have made him great in any school, but had bent the force of his strong mind to the very subject which then employed their attention. In England, Mr. Cotton had written in favour of toleration, and against the power of the magistrate in matters of religion. Here he had to oppose the sentiment he had formerly defended, and to write against the principles which the dissenting ministers in England then thought evangelical, and have, ever since, supported; and which are necessary to vindicate their separation.

He was accused of holding a bloody tenet by Williams, and the title of his answer was, The Bloody Tenet washed in the Blood of the Lamb.

In the general commotion of the country concerning the Antinomian sentiments, our celebrated divine lost much of the dignity of his character, and his influence in the churches. He did not go to the extreme which would please his friends; some of them compared him to a light in a dark lantern. The other side were bitter in their animadversions upon his conduct. At the synod, in 1637, he had to oppose the whole body of ministers, and some of them were disposed to vex him. Once he became so unhappy as to threaten to leave the plantation. The latter part of his ministry was Jess irksome. He enjoyed some years of rest after being tossed on the troubled sea. His labours were edifying to the people; his abilities and character were equally respected by the magistrates and his clerical brethren, who all lamented his death when he was sixty-eight years old, and mourned for the loss which the countryas well as his people had sustained. He died Dec. 23, 1652. His disorder was of a pulmonary nature, owing to his passing a ferry and getting wet, and then preaching in a neighbouring church. He was seized while he was de

livering the sermon, and was never afterwards free from the complaint; yet he continued to labour, and a few weeks before his death he took for his subject the four last verses in 2d epistle to Timothy; giving as a reason why he chose several verses, that he should not live to finish them if he were more particular. He dwelt chiefly upon these words, Grace be with you all. When he could preach no longer, he was visited by his pious friends, to whom he administered consolation and good instruction. He died in peace, and the last words he uttered were pious and benevolent wishes to a friend who was endeavouring to soften the pillow of death; and which caused others to say of him, that he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost.

Mr. Cotton married twice, and left a number of children. His descendants have spread over the country, and though no one has appeared equal to him in a rich variety of learning and popular talents, yet several of them have been eminent as preachers, and among the civilians of our country. He published many works; some in Latin. These were printed in London, and they have since been reprinted in New-England. Among them we find milk for babes, and meat for strong men, according to their power of digesting the spiritual food.

Some difference has appeared in the opinions expressed of this celebrated man. It has been suggested, that his character was blazoned beyond its merit; for his biographers were Mr. Norton, his friend, who succeeded him as teacher of the old church, and Cotton Mather, his grandson. But his character was high before he came to this country. We have taken our account from books which were not published by any near relation, nor by men who were much prejudiced in his favour. His learning was allowed by all his contemporaries; his piety and zeal none could doubt, for he sacrificed his ease, his interest, and his country, to enjoy the ordinances of religion. His candid spirit was not al

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ways in exercise. In the phrenzy of his imagination he blamed worthy men, and censured those who had great claim to his respect and affection; yet governour Winthrop, one opposite in sentiment upon politicks and religion, says of him, that he delivered himself in a gentle manner upon a subject which interested his feelings, and though he censures his opinions, speaks with respect of the man. Others, as strong in their own sentiments, allow him candour and forbearance.

man nature.

In those instances where he discovered intolerance and the spirit of bigotry, a zeal for ecclesiastical power, he only manifested the inconsistency of huIt is a true observation, that when men begin to taste of christian liberty themselves, they forget that other men have an equal title to enjoy it.

Such flagrant instances of inconsistency are so evident among christians, of all denominations, that it cannot be imputed as a reproach peculiar to any sect. Instead of disturbing the ashes of our ancestors, by repeating that the " very men who had fled from persecution became persecutors," we had better imitate their virtues, throw a mantle over their failings, let instruction spring from their graves, and hope to meet them in that better world where just men are made perfect.

CRADOCK MATTHEW, one of the principal undertakers of the New England settlements, was an opulent merchant in London; they first chose him their governour, May 23, 1628; but afterwards they determined to choose into office only those, who went to America, with the patent. Therefore he resigned the place to Mr. Winthrop. "He was more forward in advancing out of his substance than any other, being the highest in all subscriptions. continued, divers years, to carry on a trade in the colony, by his servants, but never visited the plantation." Hutchinson.

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