PEARSON, JOHN ( 1613-86 ) . An English prelate of high celebrity. He was horn on Feb ruary 2S at Great Snoring, in Norfolk. fie was educated at Eton and King's College. Cambridge, where he took the degree of M.A. in 1639. and in the same year took orders, and was collated to a prebend in Salisbury Cathedral. In 1640 he was appointed chaplain to Sir John Finch, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, and on the outbreak of the Civil War became chaplain to Lord Goring, and afterwards to Sir Robert Coke, in London. In 1654 lie was appointed minister of Saint Clement's, Eastcheap, London ; and in 1659 pub lished the great work by which he is now re Anembered. An Exposition of the Creed (new ed.. 2 vols., 1890-91). During the same year Pear son published The Golden Remains of the Ever Memorable Mr. John Hales of Eton. At the Restoration honors and emoluments were lav ishly showered upon him. Before the close of 1660 lie received the rectory of Saint Christo pher's, in London ; was created D.D. at Cambridge:
installed Prebendary of Ely and Archdeacon of Surrey: and made master of Jesus College. Cam bridge. in 1661 he obtained the Margaret pro fessorship of divinity, and was one of the most prominent commissioners in the Savoy Confer ence; in 1662 he was made master of Trinity, Cambridge, and in IC73 was consecrated Bishop of Chester. In 1672 lie published his Vindiciw Epistolarum S. Ignutii, iu answer to Dans, who bad denied the genuineness of the Epistles. In 1684 appeared his Annalcs Cyprianici. He died at Chester, July 16, 1686. Pearson's Opera Post huma chronologica were published by Dodwell (London, 1688, 3 parts), and his Orationcs, Con cioncs ct Dcterminationes Thcologicw contain much valuable matter. Consult Churton's memoir prefixed to Pearson's Minor Theological Works (2 vols., Oxford, 1844).