# Cotton Mather



## VirginiaHuguenot (Feb 12, 2005)

Cotton Mather, one of the most well-known American Puritans, was born on February 12, 1663 and died on February 13, 1728. 

His _magnum opus_ was _Magnalia Christi Americana_ (1702), but he wrote on many different subjects and preached many great sermons. 

He was a graduate of Harvard and lived his whole life in Boston. He was the son of Increase Mather and the grandson of John Cotton and Richard Mather. He advocated smallpox innoculations, and discouraged the use of "spectre evidence" in witchcraft trials. 

The Cotton Mather home page has more on his remarkable life and works: http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/mather.htm


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## cupotea (Feb 12, 2005)

See, here's an occasion where swearing is acceptable: I'm such a *%$&! I completely forgot it was his birthday til Andrew reminded me! Well, there's egg on my face!


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## gwine (Feb 12, 2005)

> I'm such a *%$&!



Actually I think you meant to say *#*(%.

But (%()^ would work, too. :bigsmile:


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## cupotea (Feb 13, 2005)

Oh %*^&, how $*%&# of me 

As an aside, today is Cotton Mather's death day, which I didn't forget!


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## Scott (Feb 14, 2005)

Was Magnalia Christi Americana an exposition of God's special providences in forming the new colonies in America? In other words, did Mather "interpret" providence?


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Feb 14, 2005)

I think the answer to this excellent question would be "yes."

Here is a noteworthy example which deals with the remarkable providence of how it came to pass that Squanto knew English and was thus able to befriend the Pilgrims:

"The Story of Squanto" 
from Magnalia Christi Americana 
Written @ 1698 

by Cotton Mather, D.D. 


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A most wicked shipmaster being on this coast a few years before, had wickedly spirited away more than twenty Indians; whom having enticed them aboard, he presently stowed them under hatches, and carried them away to the Streights, where he sold as many of them as he could for Slaves. This avaritious and pernicious felony laid the foundation for grievous annoyances to all the English endeavors of settlements, especially in the Northern parts of the land for several years ensuing. The Indians would never forget or forgive this injury. . . But our good God so ordered it, that one of the stoln [sic] Indians, called Squanto, had escaped out of Spain into England; where he lived with one Mr. Slany, from whom he had found a way to return unto his own country, being brought back by one Mr. Dermer, about half a year before our honest Plymotheans were cast upon this continent. This Indian having received much kindness from the English, who generally condemned the man that first betrayed him, now made unto the English a return of that kindness: and being by his acquaintance with the English language, fitted with a conversation with them, he very kindly informed them what was the present condition of the Indians; instructed them in the way of ordering their Corn; and acquainted them with many other things, which it was necessary for them to understand. But Squanto did for them a yet greater benefit than all this: for he brought Massasoit, the chief Sachim or Prince of the Indians within many miles, with some scores of his attenders, to make our people a kind visit; the issue of which visit was, that Massasoit not only entred [sic] into a firm agreement of peace with the English, but also they declared and submitted themselves to be subjects of the King of England; into which peace and subjection many other Sachims quickly after came, in the most voluntary manner that could be expressed. It seems that this unlucky Squanto having told his countrymen how easie [sic] it was for so great a monarch as K. James to destroy them all, if they should hurt any of his people, he went on to terrifie [sic] them with a ridiculous rhodomantado, which they believed, that this people kept the plague in a cellar (where they kept their [gun]powder), and could at their pleasure let it loose to make such havock among them, as the distemper had already made among them a few years before. . . Moreover, our English guns, especially the great ones, made a formidable report among these ignorant Indians; and their hopes of enjoying some defence by the English, against the potent nation nation of Narraganset Indians, now at war with them, made them yet more to court our friendship. This very strange disposition of things, was extreamly [sic] advantageous to our distressed planters: and who sees not herein the special providence of the God who disposeth all?


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## LawrenceU (Feb 14, 2005)

I am actually very good friends with a direct descendant of Cotton Mather. His last name is Mather, too. We've enjoyed reading C. Mather's work together. It is excellent.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Oct 14, 2005)

I can't wait to get my hands on Cotton Mather's Biblia Americana.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Feb 7, 2007)

VirginiaHuguenot said:


> I can't wait to get my hands on Cotton Mather's Biblia Americana.



Update from the editor on the status of the _Biblia Americana_ project:



> The Biblia Americana project will take a few more years; I have finished editing and annotating Mather's commentary on Genesis, which turned out to be the most difficult book and amounts to c. 1,200 typed pages (with annotations).


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Feb 12, 2007)

Cotton Mather was born on February 12, 1663 and died on February 13, 1728.


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