John Ley facts for kids
John Ley (born February 4, 1583 – died May 16, 1662) was an English clergyman. This means he was a religious leader. He was also a member of the important Westminster Assembly. This group helped shape religious practices in England during a time of big changes.
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A Life of Faith and Change
John Ley was born in Warwick, England. He went to school there when he was young. In 1602, he started studying at Christ Church, Oxford, a famous university. He earned his first degree in 1605 and a master's degree in 1606.
After his studies, John Ley became a priest. He was given a church job in Great Budworth, Cheshire, in 1616. Later, he held other important church roles in Chester. For example, he became a sub-dean and a prebendary at Chester Cathedral. These were positions of leadership within the church.
The English Civil War and Parliament
A big war broke out in England in 1642. This was the First English Civil War, fought between King Charles I and the Parliament. John Ley chose to support Parliament. He became an important figure in their religious plans. He also wrote many pamphlets, which were like short books or essays, to share his ideas.
In 1643, he agreed to the 'Solemn League and Covenant.' This was an agreement to support Parliament and change the Church of England. He was then chosen to be a member of the Westminster Assembly of Divines. This was a group of religious experts who met in Westminster Abbey to discuss and reform the Church of England. John Ley regularly attended their meetings.
He had important roles in the Assembly. He was an examiner for Latin and led two important committees. In 1645, he became the president of Sion College, a place for London clergy. He also took over church positions in London and Surrey. Later, he became the rector of churches in Ashfield and Astbury in Cheshire.
In 1648, he helped write the 'Cheshire Attestation.' This was a document signed by many ministers in Cheshire who supported the Parliament's religious views. His name was the first on the list of 59 signers.
Later Years and Retirement
In 1653, John Ley was chosen as one of the 'triers.' These were people who approved new ministers to make sure they were suitable for their roles. He later became the rector of Solihull, Warwickshire.
After some years, his health began to fail. He decided to leave his church jobs and moved to Sutton Coldfield. He passed away there on May 16, 1662. He was buried in the church in Sutton Coldfield.
His Writings and Contributions
John Ley was a busy writer. He wrote many books and pamphlets about religious topics. His works often discussed important religious debates of his time.
Some of his notable writings include:
- An Apology in Defence of the Geneva Notes on the Bible (written around 1612).
- Sunday a Sabbath, or a preparative Discourse for discussion of Sabbatary doubts (1641).
- The Christian Sabbath maintained, in Answer to a book of Dr. Pocklington styled "Sunday no Sabbath." (a reply to another writer).
- 'A Discourse concerning Puritans' (1641).
- 'A Monitor of Mortality' (1643), which included two sermons given at funerals.
- 'Fury of War and Folly of Sin' (1643), another sermon.
- 'Elaborate Annotations on the Pentateuch' (1651).
- 'A Learned Defence for the Legaluty of Tithes' (1653).
He also played a big part in creating the Westminster Annotations (published in 1645). This was a major project where many scholars worked together to write explanations and notes for all the books of the Old and New Testaments. He collaborated with other important scholars like Meric Casaubon and William Gouge on this significant work.
