Isaac Chauncy
Encyclopedia
Isaac Chauncy was an English dissenting minister.
, and was born on 23 August and baptised at Ware, Hertfordshire, on 30 August 1632. He went as a child to New England
with his father, and was entered at Harvard University
in 1651, where he studied both theology and medicine, but, coming to England, completed his education at Oxford University, where he proceeded M.A. Before 1660 he was given the rectory of Woodborough, Wiltshire, where he resided until ejected by the Act of Uniformity
in 1662. Thereupon he removed to Andover, Hampshire
, where he took charge of a congregational church. On 5 July 1669 he was admitted an extra-licentiate of the College of Physicians.
‘Having,’ says Calamy, ‘quitted Andover some time after the recalling of Charles's Indulgence, he came to London with a design to act chiefly as a physician’. On 30 September 1687 he was induced to accept the pastorate of an independent meeting-house in Bury Street, St. Mary Axe, over which he presided for fourteen years. Chauncy, although a learned man, was not a popular preacher, and being somewhat bigoted, he so tormented his hearers with incessant declamations on church government ‘that they left him’. He therefore resigned his charge on 15 April 1701, and was succeeded by Isaac Watts
, who had been his assistant for two years previously. During the whole period of his ministry he had also practised medicine.
He afterwards became divinity tutor to the newly founded Dissenting Academy in London, an office which he held until his death. Chauncy died at his house in Little Moorfields on 28 February 1712. By his wife, Jane, he had three sons and a daughter.
Life
Chauncy was the eldest son of Charles ChauncyCharles Chauncy
Charles Chauncy was an Anglo-American clergyman and educator.He was born at Yardleybury , Hertfordshire, England and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he later was a lecturer in Greek. After serving as a pastor in England at Marston St. Lawrence, Northamptonshire , he emigrated to...
, and was born on 23 August and baptised at Ware, Hertfordshire, on 30 August 1632. He went as a child to New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
with his father, and was entered at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1651, where he studied both theology and medicine, but, coming to England, completed his education at Oxford University, where he proceeded M.A. Before 1660 he was given the rectory of Woodborough, Wiltshire, where he resided until ejected by the Act of Uniformity
Act of Uniformity
Over the course of English parliamentary history there were a number of acts of uniformity. All had the basic object of establishing some sort of religious orthodoxy within the English church....
in 1662. Thereupon he removed to Andover, Hampshire
Andover, Hampshire
Andover is a town in the English county of Hampshire. The town is on the River Anton some 18.5 miles west of the town of Basingstoke, 18.5 miles north-west of the city of Winchester and 25 miles north of the city of Southampton...
, where he took charge of a congregational church. On 5 July 1669 he was admitted an extra-licentiate of the College of Physicians.
‘Having,’ says Calamy, ‘quitted Andover some time after the recalling of Charles's Indulgence, he came to London with a design to act chiefly as a physician’. On 30 September 1687 he was induced to accept the pastorate of an independent meeting-house in Bury Street, St. Mary Axe, over which he presided for fourteen years. Chauncy, although a learned man, was not a popular preacher, and being somewhat bigoted, he so tormented his hearers with incessant declamations on church government ‘that they left him’. He therefore resigned his charge on 15 April 1701, and was succeeded by Isaac Watts
Isaac Watts
Isaac Watts was an English hymnwriter, theologian and logician. A prolific and popular hymnwriter, he was recognised as the "Father of English Hymnody", credited with some 750 hymns...
, who had been his assistant for two years previously. During the whole period of his ministry he had also practised medicine.
He afterwards became divinity tutor to the newly founded Dissenting Academy in London, an office which he held until his death. Chauncy died at his house in Little Moorfields on 28 February 1712. By his wife, Jane, he had three sons and a daughter.