John Cotton shaped the doctrine, worship, and discipline of a fledgling society striving to live fully under God’s Word. With clarity, conviction, and pastoral warmth, he addressed both the great ecclesiastical questions and the intimate personal wrestlings of his time.
The Works of John Cotton gathers his most important treatises and sermons in a newly edited, cloth-bound set. It recovers a vital link in the chain of Reformed thought and reintroduces a voice that helped shape the American church before it had a name.
Volume 1: Puritan Piety
Explore Cotton's powerful practical writings.
Collects John Cotton's writings on the Christian life, including his commentary on Ecclesiastes
Encourages and instructs believers in their walk with Christ from conversion to glorification
Introduction—Puritan Piety
1. The Way of Life, or God’s Way and Course in Bringing the Soul in, Keeping It in, and Carrying It on the Ways of Life and Peace
2. A Brief Exposition with Practical Observations upon the Whole Book of Ecclesiastes
3. God’s Mercy Mixed with His Justice, or His People’s Deliverance in Times of Danger
4. Milk for Babes, Drawn Out of Both Testaments, Chiefly for the Spiritual Nourishment of Boston Babes in Either England, but May Be of Like Use for Any Children
5. Treatise of Faith; Twelve Fundamental Articles of Christian Religion; A Doctrinal Conclusion; Questions and Answers upon Church Government
6. Some Treasure Fetched Out of Rubbish
7. God’s Promise to His Plantation
8. Prefatory Epistle in John Norton, Responsio ad totam quaestionum syllogen à clarissimo viro domino Guilielmo Apollonio
9. Prefatory Epistle in John Norton, The Orthodox Evangelist, or A Treatise Wherein Many Great Evangelical Truths Are Briefly Discussed, Cleared, and Confirmed
10. Prefatory Epistle in Arthur Hildersham, Lectures upon the Fourth of John
Volume 2: Antinomian Controversy
Explore Cotton's rich commentary on 1 John and the nature of true faith.
Collects John Cotton's writings on antinomianism, including his expositions on 1 John
Helps today's Christians pursue true holiness in an era filled with misunderstandings of God's law and ungodliness
Introduction—Antinomian Controversy
1. A Practical Commentary, or an Exposition, with Observations, Reasons, and Uses upon the First Epistle of John
2. Gospel Conversion, Discovering (1) Whether Any Gracious Conditions or Qualifications Are Wrought in the Soul before Faith in Christ, (2) How the Assurance of a Man’s Salvation Is to Be Evidenced, and (3) the Manner of the Soul’s Closing with Christ
3. Several Questions of Serious and Necessary Consequence, Propounded by the Teaching Elders, unto Mr. John Cotton of Boston in New England with His Respective Answer to Each Question
4. Rejoinder
5. The Covenant of God’s Free Grace, Most Sweetly Unfolded and Comfortably Applied to a Disquieted Soul from the Text of 2 Samuel 23:5
Scripture Index
Subject Index
Volume 3: Religious Liberty
Explore the fullest account of John Cotton's distinctive covenant and political theologies.
Collects John Cotton's writings on political theology, including his most complete thoughts on the relationship between church and state
Helps today's Christians think biblically about the government and religious liberty
Introduction—Religious Liberty
1. Christ, the Fountain of Life, or Sundry Sermons on Part of the Fifth Chapter of the First Epistle of John
2. A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace, as It Is Dispensed to the Elect Seed Effectually unto Salvation, Being the Substance of Divers Sermons Preached upon Acts 7:8
3. A Sermon Preached by the Reverend Mr. John Cotton, Teacher of the First Church in Boston, New England, Delivered at Salem, 1636
4. The Controversy Concerning Liberty of Conscience in Matters of Religion, Truly Stated, and Distinctly and Plainly Handled
5. A Letter of Mr. John Cotton’s, Teacher of the Church in Boston, New England, to Mr. Williams, a Preacher There
6. The Bloody Tenet, Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb. Whereunto Is Added a Reply to Mr. Williams’s Answer
7. A Discourse about Civil Government in a New Plantation Whose Design Is Religion
8. An Abstract of the Laws of New England, as They Are Now Established
Volume 4: Congregational Polity
Explore Cotton's insights on governance and practice in Christ's church.
Collects John Cotton's writings on the church, including his definitive works on Puritan congregationalism
Helps today's Christians understand what the church is and how it should be governed
Introduction—Congregational Polity
1. The True Constitution of a Particular Visible Church, Proved by Scripture
2. The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and Power Thereof, according to the Word of God
3. The Way of the Churches of Christ in New England, or The Way of Churches Walking in Brotherly Equality or Coordination, without Subjection of One Church to Another
4. The Way of Congregational Churches Cleared, in Two Treatises. In the Former, from the Historical Aspersions of Mr. Robert Baillie’s Book Called A Dissuasive from the Errors of the Time. In the Latter, from Some Contradictions of Vindiciae Clavium, and from Some Misconstructions of Learned Mr. Rutherford’s Book Entitled The Due Right of Presbyteries
5. The Holiness of Church Members, in Two Treatises
6. Certain Queries, Tending to Accommodation and Communion of Presbyterian and Congregational Churches
7. A Modest and Clear Answer to Mr. Ball’s Discourse of Set Forms of Prayer
8. Singing of Psalms: A Gospel Ordinance, or A Treatise wherein These Particulars Are Handled: The Duty Itself, the Matter to Be Sung, the Singers, the Manner of Singing