, an English nonconformist of considerable note, was a native of
, an English nonconformist of considerable note, was a native of Northamptonshire, and educated at St. John’s 'college, Cambridge, where he took the
degree of master of arts. He afterwards received deacon’s
orders from a bishop, and settled at Oakham in Rutlandshire, as assistant to the master of the free school. Being
a man who possessed a lively pleasant wit, he fell into gay
company, but was reclaimed by the admonition of the rev.
Mr. King, a Puritan minister at or near Oakham, whose
daughter he afterwards married; and becoming a convert
to his principles, he received ordination in the presbyterian
way, not being satisfied with that of the bishop, which extended only to deacon’s orders, and he was no longer willing
to conform to the church by applying for those of a priest.
He settled at Wilby, in the county of Northampton,
whence he was ejected in 1662, for nonconformity. After
which he ventured to preach sometimes at Oakham and at
Wellingborough, where he lived; and was once committed
to prison for six months, for praying with a sick person.
The book he wrote against Dr. Sherlock, in a humorous
style, made him first known to the world, and induced Mr.
Cawton, an eminent nonconformist in Westminster, to
recommend him to his congregation, as his successor. On
receiving this invitation, he quitted Northampton, and came
to London, where he preached constantly, and wrote several pieces, which were extremely well received by the public. His living in the neighbourhood of the court exposed
him to many inconveniences, but he had the good fortune
to escape imprisonment and fines, by the ignorance of the
informers, who did not know his Christian name, which he
studiously concealed; and even Anthony Wood, who calls
him Benjamin, did not know it. His sufferings, however,
ended with the reign of Charles II. at least in the beginning
of the next reign, when his son, engaging in treasonable
practices, was frequently pardoned by king James. After this,
Mr. Alsop went frequently to court, and is generally supposed to have been the person who drew up the Preshy terians’
very fulsome address to that prince, for his general indulgence; a measure, however, which was condemned by the
majority of nonconformists. After the revolution, Mr.
Alsop gave very public testimonies of his affection for the
government, but on all occasions spoke in the highest terms
of respect and gratitude of king James, and retained a VI.Tv
high sense of his clemency, in sparing his only son. The
remainder of his life he spent in the exercise of the ministry, preaching once every Lord’s clay; besides which he
had a Thursday lecture, and was one of the lecturers at
Pinner’s hall. He lived to he a very old man, preserved
his spirits to the last, and died May 8, 1703. On grave
subjects he wrote with a becoming; seriousness but where
wit might be shewn, he displayed it to considerable advantage. His funeral sermon was preached by Mr. Slater, and
his memory will always be remembered by his own learned
and elegant writings; the most remarkable of which are:
1. “Antisozzo,
” in vindication of some great truths opposed by Dr. Sherlock, in whose treatise “Concerning
the knowledge of Jesus Christ,
” he thought he discovered
a tendency towards Socinianism, and therefore entitled this
work, which was published in 1675, “Antisozzo,
” from
the Italian name of Socinus. Sherlock and he had been
pupils under the same tutor in the university. Dr. South
allowed Alsop’s merit in this contest of wit, but Wood
undervalues his talent. 2. “Melius Inquirendum,
” in
answer to Dr. Goodman’s Compassionate Inquiry, 1679,
8vo. 3. “The Mischief of Impositions;
” in answer to
Dr. Stillingfleet’s Mischief of Separation, 1680. 4. “Duty
and interest united in praise and prayer for Kings.
”
5. “Practical godliness the ornament of Religion,
”
, an English nonconformist divine, was the son of an eminent citizen
, an English nonconformist divine, was
the son of an eminent citizen of London, from whom he
inherited some property, and was born in 1625. He was
educated under Dr. Gale at St. Paul’s school, and afterwards entered a commoner of Magdalen-bail about the
year 1647. The following year he was created M. A.
by the parliamentary visitors, and was made fellow of
Wadham college. In the latter end of 1650 he was elected
by his society one of the proctors, although he was not
of sufficient standing as master; but this the visitors, with
whom he appears to have been a favourite, dispensed with.
About that time he became a frequent preacher in or near
Oxford, and was preferred by Cromwell to the living of St.
Botolph’s, Bishopsgate- street, but ejected by the rump parliament. Afterwards he was chosen lecturer of Great St.
Helen’s church in Bishopsgate-street According to Wood,
he was not in possession of either of these preferments at
the restoration, but Calamy says he was ejected from St.
Botolph’s. His friend Dr. Wilkins, of Wadham college,
afterwards bishop of Chester, urged him much to conform,
but he was inflexible. He then lived for some time on an
estate he had near Bisseter in Oxfordshire, and preached
occasionally. About 1678 be removed to Newingtoii
Green near London, where he was for many years minister of a congregation of independents. In 1686, being
dissatisfied with the times, he went over to New England,
and became pastor of a church at Bristol. The revolution
in 1688 affording brighter prospects, he determined to
revisit his own country, but in his passage home, with his
family, the ship was captured by a French privateer, and
carried into St. Malo, where he died a few weeks after, in
Nov. 1691. His death is said to have been hastened by
his losses in this capture, and especially by his being kept
in confinement while his wife and children were permitted
to go to England. He was at one time a great dabbler in
astrology, but, disapproving of this study afterwards, he is
said to have burnt many books and manuscripts which he
had collected on that subject. It was probably when addicted to astrology, that he informed his wife of his having
seen a star, which, according to all the rules of astrology,
predicted that he should be taken captive. Mr. Lee’s
other studies were more creditable. He was a very considerable scholar; understood the learned languages well,
and spoke Latin fluently and eloquently. He was also a
good antiquary. He wrote “Chronicon Castrense,
” a
chronology of all the rulers and governors of Cheshire and
Chester, which is added to King’s “Vale Royal.
” Wood
suspects that he was of the family of Lee in Cheshire. His
other works are: 1. “Orbis Miraculum; or the Temple of
Solomon portrayed by Scripture light,
” Lond.
, an English nonconformist, was a native of Sussex, descended of
, an English nonconformist, was a native of Sussex, descended of a genteel family there, and born about 1596. After a proper foundation at the grammarschool, he was sent to Oxford, and entered a commoner of Brazen-nose college in 1615; whence he removed in a little time to Magdalen-hall, for the sake of a puritanical tutor to whom he was greatly attached. He took the degrees in arts in 1619 and 1622; about which time he entered into holy orders, and was, some time in 1620, admitted to officiate, it does not appear in what capacity, in St. Michael’s church, Cornhill, London. Here having disclosed some of those opinions which were hostile to the constitution of the Church of England, he became obnoxious to the censures of the episcopal court; to avoid which, he went, with others of his persuasion, to Holland, in 1633. He continued for the most part at Arnheim in Guelderland, till 1640; when, his party gaining the ascendancy, and he fancying that his services would not only be useful but safe, he returned home, and was soon after made minister of Kimbolton, in Huntingdonshire, by Edward earl of Manchester.