John Bryan (minister)
Encyclopedia
Life
Bryan was educated at Emmanuel College, CambridgeEmmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...
, and held the rectory of Barford
Barford
Barford could be a reference to:Placesone of the following settlements in England:*Barford, Hampshire*Barford, Norfolk*Barford, Warwickshire*Barford St. John, Oxfordshire*Barford St Martin, Wiltshire*Barford St...
, near Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
, but left it to go to Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, as vicar of Trinity Church, in 1644. Bryan was appointed by Parliament, and was not cordially welcomed by the vestry.
In 1646 Bryan, assisted by Obadiah Grew
Obadiah Grew
-Life:Grew was born at Atherstone, Warwickshire on 1 November 1607, the third son of Francis Grew and Elizabeth Denison. He was baptised the same day at the parish church of Mancetter, Warwickshire. Francis Grew was a layman, originally of good estate but impoverished by prosecutions for...
, vicar of St. Michael's, held a public disputation on infant baptism
Infant baptism
Infant baptism is the practice of baptising infants or young children. In theological discussions, the practice is sometimes referred to as paedobaptism or pedobaptism from the Greek pais meaning "child." The practice is sometimes contrasted with what is called "believer's baptism", or...
in Trinity Church with Hanserd Knollys
Hanserd Knollys
-Life:He was born at Cawkwell, Lincolnshire, about 1599. He was educated privately under a tutor, was for a short time at Great Grimsby grammar school, and afterwards matriculated at St Catharine's College, Cambridge in 1627 or 1629. Leaving the university, he became master of the grammar school at...
, the baptist. Though Coventry was a stronghold of puritanism, it was not so well content as were some of its preachers to witness the subversion of the monarchy. Bryan, at the end of 1646, touched upon this dissatisfaction with the course which events were taking in a sermon which was printed. The vestry in 1647 agreed to raise his stipend. In 1652 and 1654 his services were sought by Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
, and the churchwardens stirred themselves to keep him; but the citizens were less interested in discharging their promises for the support of their clergy. Nevertheless, the puritan preachers remained at their posts until the Act of Uniformity 1662
Act of Uniformity 1662
The Act of Uniformity was an Act of the Parliament of England, 13&14 Ch.2 c. 4 ,The '16 Charles II c. 2' nomenclature is reference to the statute book of the numbered year of the reign of the named King in the stated chapter...
ejected them.
Bryan took very much the same view as Richard Baxter
Richard Baxter
Richard Baxter was an English Puritan church leader, poet, hymn-writer, theologian, and controversialist. Dean Stanley called him "the chief of English Protestant Schoolmen". After some false starts, he made his reputation by his ministry at Kidderminster, and at around the same time began a long...
: to ministerial conformity he had ten objections, but he was willing to practise lay conformity and did so. Bishop John Hacket
John Hacket
John Hacket was an English churchman, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry from 1661 until his death.-Life:He was born in London and educated at Westminster and Trinity College, Cambridge. On taking his degree he was elected a fellow of his college, and soon afterwards wrote the comedy, Loiola , which...
tried to overcome his scruples, and offered him a month to consider, beyond the time allowed by the act; but Bryan gave up his vicarage, and was succeeded by Nathaniel Wanley
Nathaniel Wanley
Nathaniel Wanley was an English clergyman and writer, known for The Wonders of the Little World.-Life:He was born at Leicester in 1634, and baptised on 27 March. His father was a mercer. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, and graduated B.A. in 1653, M.A. in 1657. His first preferment...
, of the ‘Wonders of the Little World’ (1678). Bryan continued to preach whenever and wherever he had liberty to do so; and in conjunction with Grew he founded a presbyterian congregation, which met, from 1672, in licensed rooms. Bryan also educated students for the ministry, though the dissenting academy as a recognised institution dates from Richard Frankland
Richard Frankland (tutor)
Richard Frankland was an English nonconformist, notable for founding the Rathmell Academy, a dissenting academy in the north of England.-Biography:...
and his Rathmell Academy
Rathmell Academy
Rathmell Academy was a Dissenting academy set up at Rathmell, North Yorkshire, in the north of England by Richard Frankland from 1670.-Preparations:...
(1670). Bryan was very ready in controversy, and occasionally an extempore preacher. He was fond of George Herbert
George Herbert
George Herbert was a Welsh born English poet, orator and Anglican priest.Being born into an artistic and wealthy family, he received a good education that led to his holding prominent positions at Cambridge University and Parliament. As a student at Trinity College, Cambridge, Herbert excelled in...
's poems, and himself wrote verse. A tithe of his income he distributed in charity. He died at an advanced age on 4 March 1676. His funeral sermon, by Wanley, is a generous tribute.
Works
Bryan published:- ‘The Vertuous Daughter,’ 1640, 4 (sermon, Prov. xxxi. 29, at St. Mary's, Warwick, at funeral, on 14 April 1636, of Cicely, daughter of Sir Thomas Puckering; at the end is ‘her epitaph by the author’ in verse).
- ‘A Discovery of the probable Sin causing this great Iudgement of Rain and Waters, viz. our Discontentment with our present Government, and inordinate desire of our King,’ 1647, (sermon, 1 Sam. xii. 16–20, at Coventry, on 23 Dec. 1646, being the day of public humiliation; dedication issued ‘from my study in Coventry’ on 26 December 1646).
- ‘The Warwickshire Ministers' Testimony to the Trueth of Jesus Christ, and to the Solemn League and Covenant; as also against the errours, heresies, and blasphemies of these times, and the toleration of them; sent in a letter to the Ministers of London, subscribers of the former testimony,’ 1648, (signed by Bryan, Grew, and John Herring as ministers of Coventry).
- ‘A Publick Disputation sundry dayes at Killingworth [Kenilworth] in Warwickshire between John Bryan, &c. and John Onley, pastor of a church at Lawford, upon this question, Whether the parishes of this nation generally be true churches. Wherein are nine arguments alleged in proof of the affirmative of the question, with the answer of I. O. thereunto, together with Dr. B.'s reply, &c.’ 1655, (this discussion was criticised in ‘Animadversions upon a Disputation, &c.,’ 1658, by John LeyJohn Ley-Life:He was born in Warwick 4 February 1583, and received his early education at the free school in that town. On 12 February 1602 he entered Christ Church, Oxford, and graduated B.A. and M.A. . Taking holy orders he was presented to the vicarage of Great Budworth, Cheshire, in 1616. He...
). - ‘Dwelling with God, the interest and duty of believers, opened in eight sermons,’ 1670, (epistle to the reader by Richard BaxterRichard BaxterRichard Baxter was an English Puritan church leader, poet, hymn-writer, theologian, and controversialist. Dean Stanley called him "the chief of English Protestant Schoolmen". After some false starts, he made his reputation by his ministry at Kidderminster, and at around the same time began a long...
). - Prefatory letter to ‘Sermon,’ 2 Cor. v. 20, by S. Gardner, 1672.
- ‘Harvest-Home: being the summe of certain sermons upon Job 5, 26, one whereof was preached at the funeral of Mr. Ob. Musson, an aged godly minister of the Gospel, in the Royally licensed rooms in Coventry; the other since continued upon the subject. By J. B., D.D., late pastor of the Holy Trinity in that ancient and honourable city. The first part being a preparation of the corn for the sickle. The latter will be the reaping, shocking and inning of that corn which is so fitted,’ London, printed for the author, 1674. (The British MuseumBritish MuseumThe British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
has two copies, both with author's corrections; ‘Ob.’ on the title-page is corrected to ‘Rich.’ (Richard Musson was ejected from the rectory of Church Langton, LeicestershireLeicestershireLeicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
.)
Family
He left three sons:- John, M.A., vicar of Holy Cross (the abbey church), Shrewsbury, 1652; minister of St. Chad's, Shrewsbury, 27 March 1659; ejected 1662; minister of the presbyterian congregation meeting in High Street, Shrewsbury; died on 31 August 1699; buried in St. Chad's churchyard.
- Samuel, fellow of Peterhouse, vicar of AllesleyAllesleyAllesley is a civil parish on the northwestern edge of the City of Coventry, West Midlands, England, about 3 miles west of Coventry city centre. According to the 2001 census. the parish had a population of 805. Until recently it contained to a factory belonging to the car maker, Jaguar...
, WarwickshireWarwickshireWarwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
; ejected in 1662; imprisoned six months in Warwick gaol for preaching at BirminghamBirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
; household chaplain at Belfast CastleBelfast CastleBelfast Castle is set on the slopes of Cavehill Country Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland in a prominent position above sea level. Its location provides unobstructed views of the city of Belfast and Belfast Lough.-History:...
to Arthur, 1st Earl of Donegal (who left him £50 a year for four years, besides his salary, in his will, dated 17 March 1674); died out of his mind, according to Edmund Calamy. - Noah, fellow of Peterhouse; ejected from a living at StaffordStaffordStafford is the county town of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It lies approximately north of Wolverhampton and south of Stoke-on-Trent, adjacent to the M6 motorway Junction 13 to Junction 14...
in 1662; according to Calamy died about 1667.
Bryan was succeeded as presbyterian minister at Coventry by his brother Gervase (or Jarvis), appointed to the rectory of Old Swinford, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, in 1655; ejected 1662; lived at Birmingham till 1675, died at Coventry on 27 Dec. 1689, and was buried in Trinity Church. The liberty to meet in licensed rooms was withdrawn in 1682; but in 1687, after James II's declaration for liberty of conscience, Grew and Gervase Bryan reassembled their congregation in St. Nicholas Hall, commonly called Leather Hall.