Nathaniel Vincent
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Nathaniel Vincent (?–1697) was an English nonconformist minister, ejected in 1662 and several times imprisoned.


Life

He was probably born in
Cornwall Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...
about 1639, son of John Vincent (1591–1646), who was nominated by the committee of the
Westminster Assembly The Westminster Assembly of Divines was a council of Divinity (academic discipline), divines (theologians) and members of the English Parliament appointed from 1643 to 1653 to restructure the Church of England. Several Scots also attended, and ...
to the rectory of
Sedgefield Sedgefield is a market town and civil parish in County Durham, England. It had a population of 4,986 in the 2021 census. It has the only operating racecourse in County Durham. Etymology The name ''Sedgefield'' is of Old English origin. It ...
,
Durham Durham most commonly refers to: *Durham, England, a cathedral city in north east England **County Durham, a ceremonial county which includes Durham *Durham, North Carolina, a city in North Carolina, United States Durham may also refer to: Places ...
. Nathaniel, the third son, entered Oxford University as a chorister on 18 October 1648, aged 10. He matriculated from Corpus Christi College on 28 March 1655, graduated B.A. from
Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...
on 13 March 1656, M.A. on 11 June 1657, and was chosen chaplain of Corpus Christi College. He was appointed by
Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...
one of the first fellows of his
Durham University Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament (UK), Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by r ...
, but never resided there. At twenty he was preaching at
Pulborough Pulborough is a village and civil parish in the Horsham district of West Sussex, England, with some 5,000 inhabitants. It is located almost centrally within West Sussex and is south west of London. It is at the junction of the north–south A29 ...
,
Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...
, and at twenty-one was ordained and presented to the rectory of
Langley Marish Langley may refer to: People * Langley (surname), a common English surname, including a list of notable people with the name * Dawn Langley Simmons (1922–2000), English author and biographer * Langley Wakeman Collyer (1885–1947), one ...
,
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. He was ejected in 1662, after which he lived three years as chaplain to Sir Henry and Lady Blount at
Tyttenhanger House Tyttenhanger House is a 17th-century country mansion, now converted into commercial offices, at Tyttenhanger, near St Albans, Hertfordshire. It is a Grade I listed building. History The Tyttenhanger estate was owned by the Abbey of St Albans unti ...
,
Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and one of the home counties. It borders Bedfordshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Essex to the east, Greater London to the ...
. About 1666 Vincent went to London. There his preaching at once attracted attention, and a meeting-house was built for him in Farthing Alley,
Southwark Southwark ( ) is a district of Central London situated on the south bank of the River Thames, forming the north-western part of the wider modern London Borough of Southwark. The district, which is the oldest part of South London, developed ...
, where he gathered a congregation. In spite of fines and rough handling by soldiers sent to drag him from his pulpit, he continued preaching. In July 1670, soon after his marriage, he was confined in the
Marshalsea prison The Marshalsea (1373–1842) was a notorious prison in Southwark, just south of the River Thames. Although it housed a variety of prisoners—including men accused of crimes at sea and political figures charged with sedition—it became known, ...
. He was removed to the
Gatehouse, Westminster Gatehouse Prison was a prison in Westminster, built in 1370 as the gatehouse of Westminster Abbey. It was first used as a prison by the Abbot, a powerful churchman who held considerable power over the precincts and sanctuary. It was one of the pr ...
, on 22 August. He remained six months in prison. In 1682 he was again arrested, brought before magistrates at
Dorking Dorking () is a market town in Surrey in South East England about south-west of London. It is in Mole Valley, Mole Valley District and the non-metropolitan district, council headquarters are to the east of the centre. The High Street runs ro ...
, and sentenced to three years' imprisonment, after which he was to be banished the country. A flaw in the indictment meant after the section expenditure of £200. Vincent was released, but weakened by illness. He was again arrested in February 1686, this time on a charge of being concerned in
Monmouth's rebellion The Monmouth Rebellion in June 1685 was an attempt to depose James II, who in February had succeeded his brother Charles II as king of England, Scotland and Ireland. Dissident Protestants led by James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, eldest ill ...
. Some of his books were written in prison. Vincent died suddenly on 22 June 1697, in the fifty-ninth year of his age. He was buried at
Bunhill Fields Bunhill Fields is a former burial ground in central London, in the London Borough of Islington, just north of the City of London. What remains is about in extent and the bulk of the site is a public garden maintained by the City of London Cor ...
. His
funeral sermon A Christian funeral sermon is a formal religious oration or address given at a funeral ceremony, or sometimes a short time after, which may combine elements of eulogy with biographical comments and expository preaching. To qualify as a sermon, it sh ...
was preached by Nathaniel Taylor. His wife Anna and six children were living in 1682. A daughter Anna married, on 4 December 1695, Dennis Herbert, jun., of London.


Works

He wrote: * 'The Conversion of a Sinner Explained and Applied,' London, 1669; with which was published 'The Day of Grace' (same date). * 'A Covert from the Storm,' London, 1671, (written in prison). * 'The Spirit of Prayer,' London, 1674; republished, 1677; 5th edit. 1699; other edits. Saffron Walden, ed. J. H. Hopkins, 1815, London, 1825. * 'A Heaven or Hell upon Earth,' London, 1676. * 'The Little Child's Catechism, whereunto is added several Short Histories,' 1681. * 'The True Touchstone,' London, 1681. * 'The More Excellent Way,' London, 1684. * 'A Warning given to secure Sinners,' London, 1688. * 'The Principles of the Doctrine of Christ: a Catechism,' London, 1691. * 'A Present for such as have been Sick' (sermons preached after his recovery from sickness), London, 1693. * 'The Cure of Distractions in attending upon God.' * 'The Love of the World cured.' * 'Worthy Walking.' (The dates of the last three do not appear.) Sermons by Vincent are in
Samuel Annesley Samuel Annesley (c. 1620 – 1696) was an English Puritan and nonconformist pastor, best known for the sermons he collected as the series of '' Morning Exercises''. Life Annesley was born in Haseley, England, in 1620 and christened on 26 March. ...
's ''Continuation of Morning Exercises'', London, 1683, and in his ''Casuistical Morning Exercises'', London, 1690; reprinted in vols. iv., v., and vi. of Nichols's edition, London, 1814–5. Vincent was much in request for preaching funeral sermons; five or six were printed in quarto. He edited the ''Morning Exercise against Popery'' (London, 1675), twenty-five sermons preached in his pulpit at Southwark by visiting divines.


References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Vincent, Nathaniel 1639 births 1697 deaths Ejected English ministers of 1662