, a very eminent nonconformist minister, was the son of John Aneley,
, a very eminent
nonconformist minister, was the son of John Aneley, of
Hareley, in Warwickshire, where his family were possessed of a good estate, and was born about the year 1620.
In 1635 he was admitted a student in Queen’s college, Oxford, where he took his bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
At the university he was distinguished by extreme temperance and industry. His inclination leading him to the
church, he received holy orders, but it is uncertain whether from the hands of a bishop, or according to the Presbyterian way; Wood inclines to the former, and Calamy
to the latter. In 1644, however, he became chaplain to
the earl of Warwick, then admiral of the parliament’s fleet,
and afterwards succeeded to a church at Clift'e, in Kent,
by the ejectment, for loyalty, of Dr. Griffith Higges, who
was much beloved by his parishioners. On July 26, 1648,
he preached the fast sermon before the house of commons,
which, as usual, was ordered to be printed. About this
time, also, he was honoured with the title of LL. D. by
the university of Oxford, or rather by the peremptory
command of Philip earl of Pembroke, chancellor of the
university, who acted there with boundless authority.
The same year, he went to sea with the earl of Warwick,
who was employed in giving chase to that part of the
English navy which went over to the then prince, afterwards king Charles II. Some time after this, he resigned
his Kentish living, although he had now become popular
there, in consequence of a promise he made to his parishioners to “resign it when he had fitted them for the
reception of a better minister.
” In 1657, he was nominated by Cromwell, lecturer at St. Paul’s; and in 1658
was presented by Richard, the protector, to the vicarage
of St. Giles’s, Cripplegate. But this presentation becoming soon useless, he, in 1660, procured another from
the trustees for the approbation and admission of ministers
of the gospel, after the Presbyterian manner. His second
presentation growing out of date as the first, he obtained,
in the same year, a third, of a more legal stamp, from
Charles II.; but in 1662, he was ejected for nonconformity. He was offered considerable preferment, if he
would conform, but refused it, and continued to preach
privately during that and the following reign. He died
in 1696, with a high reputation for piety, charity, and
popular talents. His works, which are enumerated by
Calamy, consist of occasional sermons, and some funeral
sermons, with biographical memoirs. He was the principal support, if not the institutor, of the morning lecture,
or course of sermons preached at seven o'clock in the
morning, at various churches, during the usurpation, and
afterwards at meeting-houses, by the most learned and
able nonconformists. Of these several volumes have been
printed, and of late years have risen very much in price.
Collectors inform us that a complete set should consist of
six volumes.