George Swinnock (1627–1673) was an English
nonconformist clergyman and writer.
Early life
Swinnock was born at
Maidstone
Maidstone is the largest Town status in the United Kingdom, town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town, l ...
in Kent in 1627, the son of George Swinnock of Maidstone, whose father was mayor of the borough. Owing to the death of his father, George Swinnock, jun., was brought up in the house of his uncle Robert, a zealous
puritan
The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to rid the Church of England of what they considered to be Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should b ...
. He was educated at
Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay, Chancellor of the Exchequer to Elizabeth I. The site on which the college sits was once a priory for Dominican mo ...
, whence he removed on 7 October 1645 to
Jesus College (Addit. MS. 5820, f. 162); he graduated B.A. in 1647–8, and then proceeded to Oxford to obtain preferment, entering as a commoner at
Magdalen Hall
Hertford College ( ), previously known as Magdalen Hall, is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. It is located on Catte Street in the centre of Oxford, directly opposite the main gate to the Bodleian Library. The colle ...
.
Church career
On 19 January 1648–9 Swinnock became chaplain at
New College, and on 6 October following he was made a fellow of
Balliol College
Balliol College () is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1263 by nobleman John I de Balliol, it has a claim to be the oldest college in Oxford and the English-speaking world.
With a governing body of a master and ar ...
by the parliamentary visitors. He was incorporated B.A. on 29 November 1650, and graduated M.A. on the next day. In the same year he resigned his fellowship, and was appointed vicar of
Rickmansworth
Rickmansworth () is a town in south-west Hertfordshire, England, located approximately north-west of central London, south-west of Watford and inside the perimeter of the M25 motorway. The town is mainly to the north of the Grand Union Canal ( ...
in Hertfordshire.
In 1655 he was appointed to St. Leonard's chapel at
Aston Clinton
Aston Clinton is a historic village and civil parish in the Vale of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England. The village lies at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, between the Wendover and Aylesbury arms of the Grand Union Canal. Surrounding towns i ...
in Buckinghamshire, and on 10 January 1661 was presented to the vicarage of
Great Kimble
Great may refer to:
Descriptions or measurements
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* Artel Great (bo ...
in the same county by Richard Hampden, to whom he was then chaplain. In the following year he was ejected for nonconformity, both from St. Leonard's and from Great Kimble, and took up his abode with the Hampden family at
Great Hampden
Great may refer to:
Descriptions or measurements
* Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size
* Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent
People
* List of people known as "the Great"
* Artel Great (bo ...
.
Upon the issue of the Declaration of Indulgence in 1672 he retired to Maidstone, where he became pastor to a large congregation. He died on 10 November 1673, and was buried in the parish church. He was survived by his wife and nine children.
Swinnock has been described as "a man of good abilities, and a serious, warm, and practical preacher."
Writings
Swinnock was the author of:
*The Door of Salvation Opened, London, 1660, 8vo and 4to; 3rd edition, 1671.
*The Christian Man's Calling, London, 1661–5, 4to.
*Heaven and Hell Epitomised, London, 1659, 8vo.
*The Incomparableness of God, London, 1672, 4to.
*The Sinner's last Sentence, London, 1675, 8vo.
*Life of Thomas Wilson, 1672, 8vo.
A collective edition of Swinnock's 'Works' was published in 1665, London, 4to, containing "The Christian Man's Calling" and "Heaven and Hell Epitomised", as well as several shorter treatises and sermons. This five volume set of Swinnock's works is now made available by
.
References
*
*Beeke, J. R., Pederson, R. J. (2006). Meet the Puritans: Reformation Heritage books: ISBN 978-1-60178-000-3
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swinnock, George
1627 births
1673 deaths
English writers
People from Maidstone