William Bridge (c. 1600 – 1670) was a leading English
Independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
minister, preacher, and religious and political writer.
Life
A native of
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs.) is a Counties of England, county in the East of England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and North ...
, the Rev. William Bridge was probably born in or around the year 1600. He studied 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 mon ...
, receiving an M.A. in 1626.
For a short time in 1631, he was a lecturer (preacher) at
Colchester
Colchester ( ) is a city in Essex, in the East of England. It had a population of 122,000 in 2011. The demonym is Colcestrian.
Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum, the first major city in Roman Britain and its first capital. Colches ...
, put in place by
Harbottle Grimstone and
Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick
Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick (5 June 158719 April 1658), Lord of the Manor of Hunningham,Hunningham, in A History of the County of Warwick: Vol. 6, Knightlow Hundred, ed. L F Salzman (London, 1951), pp. 117–120. was an English colonial ad ...
; this was very much against the wishes of
William Laud
William Laud (; 7 October 1573 – 10 January 1645) was a bishop in the Church of England. Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury by Charles I in 1633, Laud was a key advocate of Charles I's religious reforms, he was arrested by Parliament in 1640 ...
, then
Bishop of London
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
, who complained of the influence then held by
Richard Sibbes
Richard Sibbes (or Sibbs) (1577–1635) was an Anglican theologian. He is known as a Biblical exegete, and as a representative, with William Perkins and John Preston, of what has been called "main-line" Puritanism because he always remained in ...
and
William Gouge
William Gouge (1575–1653) was an English Puritan clergyman and author. He was a minister and preacher at St Ann Blackfriars for 45 years, from 1608, and a member of the Westminster Assembly from 1643.
Life
He was born in Stratford-le-Bow, Mi ...
, clerical leaders of the
Feoffees for Impropriations
Impropriation, a term from English ecclesiastical law, was the destination of the income from tithes of an ecclesiastical benefice to a layman. With the establishment of the parish system in England, it was necessary for the properties to have an ...
. From 1637, he lived in
Norwich
Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...
as Rector of
St Peter Hungate, Norwich and
St George's Church, Tombland, Norwich
St George's Church, Tombland, Norwich is a Grade I listed parish church in Norwich.
History
The church is medieval dating from the 15th century. Legacies were left for the building of the tower in 1445.
Organ
The church contained an organ whi ...
. He came into conflict with
Matthew Wren
Matthew Wren (3 December 1585 – 24 April 1667) was an influential English clergyman, bishop and scholar.
Life
He was the eldest son of Francis Wren (born 18 January 1552 at Newbold Revell), citizen and mercer of London, only son of Cuth ...
,
bishop of Norwich
The Bishop of Norwich is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Norwich in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers most of the county of Norfolk and part of Suffolk. The bishop of Norwich is Graham Usher.
The see is in the ...
, for
Nonconformity. He went into exile in
Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"N ...
, taking the position left vacant by
Hugh Peters
Hugh Peter (or Peters) (baptized 29 June 1598 – 16 October 1660) was an English preacher, political advisor and soldier who supported the Parliamentary cause during the English Civil War, and became highly influential. He employed a flamboyant ...
.
Charles I of England
Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until Execution of Charles I, his execution in 1649. He was born into the House of Stuart as the second son of King James VI of ...
upon hearing from Archbishop Laud that Rev. Bridge had "gone to Holland", "...rather than
hat
A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
he will conform" replied, "Let him go: we are well rid of him."
He returned to
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth (), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside town and unparished area in, and the main administrative centre of, the Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of Norwich. A pop ...
and became a member 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 ...
. There he was one of the
Five Dissenting Brethren, the small group of leading churchmen who emerged at the head of the Independent faction, opposing the
Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
majority, and who composed
An Apollegeticall Narration in 1643.
In 1643, he preached in front of
Charles I of England
Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until Execution of Charles I, his execution in 1649. He was born into the House of Stuart as the second son of King James VI of ...
, making a direct attack on the Queen.
He was Minister at the Old Meeting House Norwich for several years right up until his death.
Works
*''A Lifting Up for the Downcast'', reprinted by the
Banner of Truth Trust
The Banner of Truth Trust is an Evangelical and Calvinist, Reformed non-profit[" ...](_blank)
His main point here is that faith is the help against all discouragements, and that Christ's blood is the object of faith, and faith brings peace. When believers are discouraged, they are to exercise their faith in Christ's blood and righteousness.
*''The Wounded Conscience Cured, the Weak One Strengthened and the Doubting Satisfied by Way of Answer to
Doctor Ferne'' (1642)
*''Ioabs covnsell and King Davids seasonable hearing it'' (1643), Fast Sermon for February 22
*''The truth of the times vindicated'' (1643)
The truth of the times vindicated whereby the lawfulnesse of Parliamentary proceedings in taking up of arms, is justified, Doctor Fernes reply answered, and the case in question more fully resolved [WorldCat.org]
/ref>
*The righteous man's habitation in the time of plague and pestilence : being a brief exposition of the XCI. Psalm (1835)
**https://archive.org/details/righteousmanshab00brid
*The refuge : containing the righteous man's habitation in the time of plague and pestilence : being a brief exposition of the 91st Psalm (1832)
**https://archive.org/details/refugecontaining00brid
*The works of the Rev. William Bridge (Volume 1)
**https://archive.org/details/worksofrevwillia01bridiala
**https://archive.org/details/theworksofrevbri00briduoft
*The works of the Rev. William Bridge (Volume 2)
**https://archive.org/details/worksofrevwillia02bridiala
**https://archive.org/details/theworksoftherev02briduoft
*The works of the Rev. William Bridge (Volume 3)
**https://archive.org/details/worksofrevwillia03bridiala
**https://archive.org/details/theworksoftherev03briduoft
*The works of the Rev. William Bridge (Volume 4)
**https://archive.org/details/worksofrevwillia04bridiala
**https://archive.org/details/bridgesworks04briduoft
*The works of the Rev. William Bridge (Volume 5)
**https://archive.org/details/worksofrevwillia05bridiala
**https://archive.org/details/bridgesworks05briduoft
A large collected ''Works of the Rev. William Bridge'' was published in 1845, and reprinted in 1989 in five hardback volumes by ''Soli Deo Gloria Publications''.
References
* Peter King, ''Bishop Wren and the Suppression of the 'Norwich Lecturers', The Historical Journal, Vol. 11, No. 2 (1968), pp. 237–254
* Beeke, Joel R. and Pederson Randall J., ''Meet the Puritans (With a Guide to Modern Reprints)'', (Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2006)
The works of William Bridge & Biography
fro
A Puritan's Mind
website
Notes
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bridge, William
1600s births
1670 deaths
Alumni of Emmanuel College, Cambridge
17th-century English Anglican priests
Westminster Divines
English independent ministers of the Interregnum (England)
People from Cambridgeshire
English Calvinist and Reformed theologians
17th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians