afterwards chosen teacher of a congregational church at Dukinfield in Cheshire, whence he removed to the neighbouring borough of Stockport, where he preached in the free school. In this place he had difficulty with his people, some of whom, says Edmund Calamy, 'ran things to a great height, and grew wiser than their minister'. Upon being silenced in 1662 he attended the ministry of John Angier at Denton, near Manchester, where, it is said, many of his old hearers who had disliked him much while he was their minister 'were wrought into a better temper'. He died at Denton 9 Jan. 1664–5, aged 68, and was buried in the chapel there on the 13th. He left no children. In his funeral sermon he is stated to have suffered not only from the persecution which raged against the silenced ministers, being 'several times brought into trouble and imprisoned,’ but from grievous bodily affliction; he had 'been dying many years.' Works Eaton and his Dukinfield colleague Timothy Taylor entered into sustained controversy with Richard Hollingworth, and Eaton later attacked the theology of both the antitrinitarian John Knowles and the Quakers. Eaton's writings were favourably regarded by the council of state, who, convinced of his 'merit and good affection,’ augmented his stipend on two occasions (ib. 1651, p. 213, 1654, p. 293). (with Timothy Taylor) A Defence of sundry Positions and Scriptures alledged to justifie the Congregationall-way; charged at first to be weak … and unsufficient, by R[ichard] H[ollingworth] M.A., of Magd. Coll. Cambr. in his examination of them; but upon further examination, clearly manifested to be sufficient, etc., 4to, London, 1645. Hollingworth published An Epistle in reply the following year. (with Timothy Taylor) The Defence of sundry Positions and Scriptures for the Congregational-way justified, etc., 4to, London, 1646. This was again aimed at Hollingworth, who replied with A Rejoynder in 1647. The Oath of Allegiance and the National Covenant proved to be non-obliging: or, Three several Papers on that subject; viz. (1.) Two Positions … (2.) An to the said Positions. (3.) A Reply to the said Answer, etc., 4to, London [1 July], 1650, in refutation of a pamphlet which had appeared in the previous February entitled A Vindication of the Oath of Allegiance by 'the Author of the Exercitation concerning Usurped Powers.' A Friendly Debate on a weighty subject; or, a Conference by writing betwixt Mr. Samuel Eaton and Mr. John