Stephen Lobb
Encyclopedia
Stephen Lobb was an English nonconformist minister and controversialist. He was prominent in the 1680s as a court representative of the Independents to James II, and in the 1690s in polemics between the Presbyterian and Independent groups of nonconformists. His church in Fetter Lane
is supposed to be the successor to the congregation of Thomas Goodwin
; he was the successor to Thankful Owen as pastor, and preached in tandem with Thomas Goodwin the younger.
, Mill Park, Warleggan
, and Tremethick, St. Neots, Cornwall. In 1681 he settled in London as pastor of an independent congregation, first in Swallow Lane, and moving in 1685 to Fetter Lane. He was accused of being concerned in the Rye House plot
, and with another minister named Casteers was arrested in Essex and committed to prison in August 1683.
After James II had issued his declaration for liberty of conscience (4 April 1687), Lobb was one of the ministers selected by the independents to present an address of thanks to him. He became somewhat isolated because of his stance towards James; his frequent attendance at court, for which he was sometimes called the 'Jacobite Independent,' led the church party to accuse him of promoting a repeal of the Test Act
.
When on 23 September 1688 Grocers' Hall was opened by the lord major, Lobb preached the sermon. In 1694 he was chosen to fill one of the vacancies, occasioned by the exclusion of Daniel Williams, among the lecturers at the Pinners' Hall. He died on 3 June 1699.
, Lobb wrote in 1680 an Answer ... by some Nonconformists to a sermon preached by Edward Stillingfleet
on the ”mischief of separation”. Stillingfleet replied the same year in The Charge of Schism Renewed. Lobb and Humfrey thereupon retorted with a Reply to the Defence of Dr. Stillingfleet.
Lobb took a prominent part in the controversy between the presbyterian and independent denominations occasioned by the republication of Tobias Crisp
's Works with Additions in 1690. To counteract what he considered to be Crisp's erroneous doctrine, Daniel Williams
published in 1695 A Defence of Gospel Truth. Lobb joined issue with Williams in A Peceable Enquiry into the nature of the present controversie among our United Brethren about Justification, (1693). Williams having briefly replied, Lobb published A Vindication of the Doctor, and myself (1695). Lobb next wrote A Report of the present state of the differences in Doctrinals between some Dissenting Ministers in London (1697). This was answered during the same year by Vincent Alsop
in A Faithful Rebuke to a False Report. Lobb rejoined with a Defence of his Report and Remarks on Alsop's Rebuke which was in turn castigated by Williams in The Answer to the Report, &c. (1698). At length Lobb sent forth An Appeal to Dr. Stillingfleet and Dr. Edwards concerning Christ's Satisfaction (1698), in which he insinuated that Williams and Richard Baxter
favoured Socinianism
. Stillingfleet in a reply said that the dispute in his opinion was idle and profitless. Lobb, however, still pursued the controversy in A further Defence of his Appeal, and it was closed by Williams in a pamphlet called An End to Discord. An anonymous disciple of Baxter dealt with Lobb's accusation in A Plea for the late Mr. Baxter, 1699.
Chapel, Cornwall, and vicar of Milton Abbot; Theophilus Lobb, a physician; and Samuel (d. 1760), who also conformed and obtained the rectory of Farleigh
, Hungerford
, Wiltshire
. Mrs. Lobb died in 1691.
Fetter Lane
Fetter Lane is a street in the ward of Farringdon Without in London England. It runs from Fleet Street in the south to Holborn in the north.The earliest mention of the street is "faitereslane" in 1312. The name occurs with several spellings until it settles down about 1612. There is no agreement...
is supposed to be the successor to the congregation of Thomas Goodwin
Thomas Goodwin
Thomas Goodwin , known as 'the Elder', was an English Puritan theologian and preacher, and an important leader of religious Independents. He served as chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, and was imposed by Parliament as President of Magdalen College, Oxford in 1650...
; he was the successor to Thankful Owen as pastor, and preached in tandem with Thomas Goodwin the younger.
Life
He was the son of Richard Lobb, M.P., of LiskeardLiskeard
Liskeard is an ancient stannary and market town and civil parish in south east Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.Liskeard is situated approximately 20 miles west of Plymouth, west of the River Tamar and the border with Devon, and 12 miles east of Bodmin...
, Mill Park, Warleggan
Warleggan
Warleggan is a civil parish on the southern edge of Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.The parish is roughly oblong in shape with hamlets near the church and at Mount. The River Warleggan, a tributary of the River Fowey, runs through the parish, forming its western boundary in places...
, and Tremethick, St. Neots, Cornwall. In 1681 he settled in London as pastor of an independent congregation, first in Swallow Lane, and moving in 1685 to Fetter Lane. He was accused of being concerned in the Rye House plot
Rye House Plot
The Rye House Plot of 1683 was a plan to assassinate King Charles II of England and his brother James, Duke of York. Historians vary in their assessment of the degree to which details of the conspiracy were finalized....
, and with another minister named Casteers was arrested in Essex and committed to prison in August 1683.
After James II had issued his declaration for liberty of conscience (4 April 1687), Lobb was one of the ministers selected by the independents to present an address of thanks to him. He became somewhat isolated because of his stance towards James; his frequent attendance at court, for which he was sometimes called the 'Jacobite Independent,' led the church party to accuse him of promoting a repeal of the Test Act
Test Act
The Test Acts were a series of English penal laws that served as a religious test for public office and imposed various civil disabilities on Roman Catholics and Nonconformists...
.
When on 23 September 1688 Grocers' Hall was opened by the lord major, Lobb preached the sermon. In 1694 he was chosen to fill one of the vacancies, occasioned by the exclusion of Daniel Williams, among the lecturers at the Pinners' Hall. He died on 3 June 1699.
Controversial writings
In conjunction with John HumfreyJohn Humfrey
John Humfrey was an English clergyman, an ejected minister from 1662 and controversialist active in the Presbyterian cause.-Life:...
, Lobb wrote in 1680 an Answer ... by some Nonconformists to a sermon preached by Edward Stillingfleet
Edward Stillingfleet
Edward Stillingfleet was a British theologian and scholar. Considered an outstanding preacher as well as a strong polemical writer defending Anglicanism, Stillingfleet was known as "the beauty of holiness" for his good looks in the pulpit, and was called by John Hough "the ablest man of his...
on the ”mischief of separation”. Stillingfleet replied the same year in The Charge of Schism Renewed. Lobb and Humfrey thereupon retorted with a Reply to the Defence of Dr. Stillingfleet.
Lobb took a prominent part in the controversy between the presbyterian and independent denominations occasioned by the republication of Tobias Crisp
Tobias Crisp
Tobias Crisp D.D. was an English clergyman and reputed antinomian. In the end he proved a divisive figure for English Calvinists, with a serious controversy arising from the republication of his works in the 1690s.-Life:...
's Works with Additions in 1690. To counteract what he considered to be Crisp's erroneous doctrine, Daniel Williams
Daniel Williams (theologian)
The Revd. Dr. Daniel Williams was a Welsh Presbyterian benefactor, minister and theologian.-Early ministry:Williams was born in Wrexham, Denbighshire, and was a cousin of Stephen Davies, minister at Banbury...
published in 1695 A Defence of Gospel Truth. Lobb joined issue with Williams in A Peceable Enquiry into the nature of the present controversie among our United Brethren about Justification, (1693). Williams having briefly replied, Lobb published A Vindication of the Doctor, and myself (1695). Lobb next wrote A Report of the present state of the differences in Doctrinals between some Dissenting Ministers in London (1697). This was answered during the same year by Vincent Alsop
Vincent Alsop
Vincent Alsop was an English Nonconformist clergyman.-Life:Alsop came from Northamptonshire and was educated at St John's College, Cambridge. He received deacon's orders from a bishop, and settled as assistant-master in the free school of Oakham, Rutland. The Rev. Benjamin King took him under his...
in A Faithful Rebuke to a False Report. Lobb rejoined with a Defence of his Report and Remarks on Alsop's Rebuke which was in turn castigated by Williams in The Answer to the Report, &c. (1698). At length Lobb sent forth An Appeal to Dr. Stillingfleet and Dr. Edwards concerning Christ's Satisfaction (1698), in which he insinuated that Williams and 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...
favoured Socinianism
Socinianism
Socinianism is a system of Christian doctrine named for Fausto Sozzini , which was developed among the Polish Brethren in the Minor Reformed Church of Poland during the 15th and 16th centuries and embraced also by the Unitarian Church of Transylvania during the same period...
. Stillingfleet in a reply said that the dispute in his opinion was idle and profitless. Lobb, however, still pursued the controversy in A further Defence of his Appeal, and it was closed by Williams in a pamphlet called An End to Discord. An anonymous disciple of Baxter dealt with Lobb's accusation in A Plea for the late Mr. Baxter, 1699.
Family
By the daughter of Theophilus Polwhele, nonconformist minister at Tiverton, Devonshire, he had three sons, Stephen (d. 1720), who conformed and became chaplain of PenzancePenzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
Chapel, Cornwall, and vicar of Milton Abbot; Theophilus Lobb, a physician; and Samuel (d. 1760), who also conformed and obtained the rectory of Farleigh
Farleigh
Farleigh may mean, in the United Kingdom:* Farleigh, Somerset* Farleigh, SurreySee also:* Farleigh Wallop, Hampshire* Farleigh School, Hampshire* Farleigh Hungerford, Somerset** Farleigh Castle at Farleigh Hungerford...
, Hungerford
Hungerford
Hungerford is a market town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, 9 miles west of Newbury. It covers an area of and, according to the 2001 census, has a population of 5,559 .- Geography :...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. Mrs. Lobb died in 1691.