Renowned for his erudition and forensic skills, John Norton was one of the most respected figures among the first generation of New England Puritans. As minister, theologian, and polemicist, he placed himself at the service of the Puritan colony and played a major role in its religious and political life. His writings eloquently and forcefully defend the unique brand of theology and politics that define the early decades of the Massachusetts orthodoxy.

He was born in Stortford, Hertfordshire, England, the eldest son of a respectable family. His parents, William and Alice Norton, placed the boy under the tutelage of Alexander Strange in Buntingford, where he distinguished himself in his studies, especially Latin. At fourteen he entered Peterhouse, Cambridge University, where he received his B.A. in 1623 and his M.A. in 1627. Norton was apparently forced to leave the university (it is unclear exactly when), due to financial setbacks...