Henry Jeanes

Son of Christop. Jeanes of Kingston in Somersetshire, was born at Allensay in that County, as I have been informed by one of his rural disciples, became a Commoner of New Inn in Midsomer term, in the year 1626 aged 15 years, where pecking and hewing continually at Logick and Physicks, became a most noted and ready Disputant. After he had taken the degrees in Arts, he removed to Hart Hall, took holy Orders, and soon after was cried up for a learned Preacher in the University. In the beginning of Aug. 1635, he was presented by Sir Joh. Windham to the Rectory of Beer-Crocomb and Capland in Somersetshire; and soon after became Vicar of Kingston in the same County. At length, upon the change of the times in 1641, he closed with the Presbyterians, notwithstanding he had before (while he continued in the University) been a scoffer of them, and when Dr. Walt. Raleigh was thrown out of Chedsey near Bridgwater, he became Rector of the Church there: where, during the times of Usurpation, he took into his family divers Youths designed for the University, and read to them (contrary to his Oath) Logick and Philosophy, and had often times set Disputations among them, while he himself moderated. He was a most excellent Philosopher, a noted Metaphysitian, and well grounded in polemical Divinity. He was also a scholastical man, a contemner of the World, generous, free-hearted, jolly, witty, and facetious, and in many things represented the humour of Dr. Rob. Wild the Poet. All which qualities do very rarely or seldom meet in men of the Presbyterian perswasion, who generally are morose, clownish and of sullen and reserved natures. The books that he hath written and published are many, the titles of most, if not all, follow.

Treatise concerning a Christians careful abstinence from all appearance of evil, &c. Oxon 1640. 1660. oct. and qu.

Want of Church-government no warrant for a total omission of the Lords Supper, &c. Lond. 1650. qu. Ox. 1653. oct.

Vindication of Dr. Will. Twysse from the Exceptions of Mr. Joh. Goodwin in his Redemption redeemed. Oxon. 1653. fol.

The Examiner examined: or, a Reply to Mr. Fulwoods Examination of want of Church-Government no warrant for omission of the Lords Supper. Lond. 1653. This Mr. Fulwood is the same with Franc. Fulwood sometimes of Emanuel Coll. in Cambridge, afterwards Minister of West Alvington in Devonshire, Archdeacon of Totness, D. of D. and Canon of Exeter, an eminent Writer of his time.

A mixture of scholastical Divinity with practical, in several Tractates. Oxon. 1656. qu. The titles of those Tracts are (1) Concerning the sinful fear of man. (2) Of Christs incarnation. (3) Of the resurrection of Christ. (4) Concerning the fulness of Christ, and (5) Of the excellency of Praise and Thanksgiving; being all the effect of certain Sermons.

Dr. Hammond’s 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; or, a greater ardency of Christs love of God at one time than another, proved to be utterly irreconcileable with his fulness of habitual grace, and perpetual happiness and impeccability of the Soul. Oxon. 1657. qu. Replyed upon by a third person in a book intit. The Refuter refuted. See in Will. Creed under the year 1663.

Treatise concerning the indifferency of humane actions. Oxon. 1659. qu.

Brief and scholastical discourse touching the nature of Thanksgiving, on Ephes. 5.20. Oxon 1660. qu. Mostly the same mention’d in the fifth head of A mixture of scholastical Divinity, &c.

Of original righteousness, and its contrary concupisence. Oxon. 1660. qu. Written against Dr. Jer. Taylor.

Sermon (enlarged into a Treatise) concerning the last and general judgment, &c. on Rom. 2.16. Oxon. 1660. qu.

Certain Letters between him and Dr. Jer. Taylor concerning a passage of his (Hen. Jeanes) in his farther explication of original sin. Oxon 1660. qu.

Uniformity in humane doctrinal Ceremonies, grounded on 1 Cor. 14.40. Or, a reply to Dr. Hammonds Vindication of his grounds of Uniformity. Oxon. 1660. qu.

Dr. Creed’s voluminous defence of Dr. Hammonds 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 briefly examined, and the weakness thereof fully discovered. Lond. 1661. qu.

Several Sermons, as (1) The work of heaven upon earth, &c. Serm. at Taunton in Somersetsh. 11 May 1648 being a day set apart for the annual commemoration of the deliverance of that Town, by the relief which they received on the 11 of May 1645, on Psal. 92. ver. 1. Lond. 1649. qu. and others (besides what are before mention’d,) as also an Answer to John Milton’s book intit. Iconoclasies, &c. printed 1651. qu. and said to be written by one Jeans, which I have not yet seen. He gave way to fate in the City of Wells some few days before the fatal day of S. Barthelmew, in the month of August, in sixteen hundred sixty and two, and was buried in the Cathedral Church there.1662. At which time one of his perswasion intended to preach a Sermon of Mortality, but Dr. Piers the then Bishop of that place, who had no affection for Jeanes, because he knew him to have been an Heretick and often had call’d him so, examined the Sermon least any thing therein might be spoken in commendation of him and his opinions.