Joseph Hussey facts for kids

Portrait of Joseph Hussey

Joseph Hussey (right) and Francis Holcroft in the former Emmanuel United Reformed Church, Cambridge

Joseph Hussey (1660–1726) was an English minister. He followed the Calvinist and Congregationalist faiths. He was known for his strong beliefs and writings about Christian ideas.

Early Life and Education

Joseph Hussey was born in 1660 in Fordingbridge, a town in Hampshire, England. He studied with Robert Whitaker, a minister who had been "ejected" (removed from his church) because of his beliefs. Later, Joseph went to a special school called a dissenting academy run by Charles Morton in Newington Green. These academies were places where people could study if they didn't agree with the official Church of England.

In 1686, Joseph Hussey felt a strong personal change in his faith. He believed this happened after he read a book called The Existence and Attributes of God by Stephen Charnock. This book helped him understand his religious path better.

Becoming a Minister

In 1688, Joseph Hussey officially became a minister in a Reformed church. He first served as a pastor in Hitchin. Then, in 1691, he moved to Cambridge to lead a church there. Stephen Scandrett gave a sermon as Hussey started his new role.

At that time, the church met at the Hog Hill church. Land for this church had been bought in 1687, thanks to a special rule called the Declaration of Indulgence. This rule allowed some religious groups to worship more freely. The church became known as the "Great Meeting."

From 1694, Hussey's church in Cambridge became a Congregational church. This meant that each church group made its own decisions. However, in 1696, some members who followed Presbyterian beliefs left. They started their own meeting in Green Street.

In 1719, Joseph Hussey moved to London. He began a new ministry in an area called Petticoat Lane.

His Writings and Beliefs

Joseph Hussey wrote several books about his religious ideas. These included:

• The Gospel Feast Opened (1693)
• The Glory of Christ Unveil'd or the Excellency of Christ Vindicated (1706)
• God's Operations of Grace but No Offers of His Grace (1707)

His last two books were important in shaping a specific type of Calvinism called hyper-Calvinism in England. This view had very strong ideas about God's power and grace.

Hussey's beliefs included:

• Supralapsarianism: This is a complex idea about God's plan. It suggests that God decided who would be saved and who wouldn't, even before the world was created.
• Irresistible Grace: This means that if God chooses to give someone His grace (His special help), that person cannot refuse it.
• Christology: This refers to his understanding of Jesus Christ. His ideas on this were partly influenced by another theologian named Thomas Goodwin.

Some people who followed Joseph Hussey's strong religious views included William Bentley, John Skepp, and Samuel Stockell.