John Austin (1613–1669) facts for kids

John Austin (sometimes spelled Austen) was an English lawyer and writer who lived from 1613 to 1669. He was born in Walpole, Suffolk, England, and later passed away in London. He was also one of the first members, called Fellows, of the important Royal Society.

Life of John Austin

John Austin went to St. John's College, Cambridge, and also studied law at Lincoln's Inn. Around 1640, he became a Catholic. People thought highly of his legal skills. They also admired his writing style, saying he was a master of English.

He spent most of his time reading and writing. He was good friends with many smart people. These friends included scholars like Thomas Blount and John Sergeant.

John Austin's Writings

John Austin wrote several books and pamphlets. Many of his works discussed religion and fairness. He often used a fake name, or pseudonym, when he published his books. This was common at the time.

• The Christian Moderator (published in 1652): This book was published under the name William Birchley. In it, Austin argued that people should not be treated unfairly because of their religion. He tried to show that Catholics did not believe in harmful ideas that some people thought they did. He asked for Catholics to have the same rights as other religious groups.

• The Catholique's Plea (published in 1659): This book was also published using the name William Birchley. It explained what Roman Catholics believed about their church and how they worshipped. It also talked about how they fit into the government. Austin wanted people to think carefully about these ideas.

• Reflections upon the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance (published in 1661): This book was another part of The Christian Moderator series. It was written by "a Catholick Gentleman." In it, Austin discussed important oaths (promises) that people had to make to the government.

• A Punctual Answer to Doctor John Tillotson's book called 'The Rule of Faith'. (unfinished): This was a book Austin was writing to respond to another writer's ideas about faith.

• Devotions, First Part: In the Ancient Way of Offices (first edition date unknown, second in 1672): This was a popular prayer book. It included psalms, hymns, and prayers for each day of the week and for holidays. Later, parts of this book were changed to be used by the Anglican Church. It became a very common prayer book, often called "Hicks' Devotions."

• Devotions, Second Part (published in 1675): This book was published after Austin's death. It took the four Gospels from the Bible and broke them into short lessons. Each lesson had a verse and a prayer. A third part of the "Devotions" was planned but never printed.

Austin also wrote several short, unsigned pamphlets. These were often against the ideas of religious leaders who met at the Westminster Assembly.