John Downame
Encyclopedia
John Downame (1571–1652) was an English clergyman and theologian in London, who came to prominence in the 1640s, when he worked closely with the Westminster Assembly
. He is now remembered for his writings.
, bishop of Chester
, and younger brother of George Downame
. He was born in Chester
, and received his education at Christ's College, Cambridge
, as a member of which he subsequently proceeded B.D. On 4 August 1599 he was instituted to the vicarage of St. Olave, Jewry, which he exchanged, 5 March 1601, for the rectory of St. Margaret, Lothbury, then recently vacated by his brother George, but resigned in June 1618. He would seem to have lived unbeneficed until 30 November 1630, when he became rector of Allhallows the Great, Thames Street, a living he held till his death. He was the first, says Thomas Fuller
, who preached the Tuesday lectures in St. Bartholomew's Church behind the Exchange
.
In 1640 he combined with ministers of the city (Cornelius Burgess, Edmund Calamy
, John Goodwin
and Arthur Jackson) in presenting a petition to the privy council
against William Laud
's innovative book of canons. In 1643 he was appointed one of the licensers of the press, granting imprimatur to theological works, a role in which he took a permissive line, one of the works he approved being Judgement of Martin Bucer Concerning Divorce
by John Milton
; his licensing of Eikon Basilike
in 1649 attracted the attention of the Council of State
. In 1644 he was chosen one of the London ministers to examine and ordain public preachers.
He died at his house at Bunhill, in the parish of St. Giles without Cripplegate, and was buried in the chancel of Allhallows the Great.
's Body of Divinitie (attributed), London, 1647.
Downame was commissioned by parliament along with John Ley
, William Gouge
, Meric Casaubon
, Francis Taylor, Daniel Featley
, and John Reading
, to imitate and supplement the 1637 Dutch Annotations on the Whole Bible as a complement to the work of the Westminster Assembly
. With the exceptions of Downame, Casaubon, and Reading, these divines were all members of the Assembly. It is presumed that Downame served as the chief editor and compiler for their work: Annotations upon all the Books of the Old and New Testament, London, 1645. The text came to be known as The Assembly's Annotations or The English Annotations (in distinction from the earlier Dutch).
His own writings comprise:
Westminster Assembly
The Westminster Assembly of Divines was appointed by the Long Parliament to restructure the Church of England. It also included representatives of religious leaders from Scotland...
. He is now remembered for his writings.
Life
He was the younger son of William DownhamWilliam Downham
William Downham was bishop of Chester.Under Mary of England, he was chaplain to her sister Princess Elizabeth. He became bishop of Chester in 1561, shortly after Elizabeth's accession....
, bishop of Chester
Bishop of Chester
The Bishop of Chester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chester in the Province of York.The diocese expands across most of the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, including the Wirral Peninsula and has its see in the City of Chester where the seat is located at the Cathedral...
, and younger brother of George Downame
George Downame
George Downame was a Doctor of Divinity, Lord Bishop of Derry, chaplain to James I and King James VI, and a brother of John Downame....
. He was born in Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, and received his education at Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
, as a member of which he subsequently proceeded B.D. On 4 August 1599 he was instituted to the vicarage of St. Olave, Jewry, which he exchanged, 5 March 1601, for the rectory of St. Margaret, Lothbury, then recently vacated by his brother George, but resigned in June 1618. He would seem to have lived unbeneficed until 30 November 1630, when he became rector of Allhallows the Great, Thames Street, a living he held till his death. He was the first, says Thomas Fuller
Thomas Fuller
Thomas Fuller was an English churchman and historian. He is now remembered for his writings, particularly his Worthies of England, published after his death...
, who preached the Tuesday lectures in St. Bartholomew's Church behind the Exchange
St Bartholomew-by-the-Exchange
St. Bartholomew-by-the-Exchange was a church in the City of London located on Bartholomew Lane, off Threadneedle Street. Recorded since the 13th century, the church was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666, then rebuilt by the office of Sir Christopher Wren. The rebuilt church was demolished in...
.
In 1640 he combined with ministers of the city (Cornelius Burgess, Edmund Calamy
Edmund Calamy the Elder
Edmund Calamy was an English Presbyterian church leader and divine. Known as "the elder", he was the first of four generations of nonconformist ministers bearing the same name.-Early life:...
, John Goodwin
John Goodwin (preacher)
John Goodwin was an English preacher, theologian and prolific author of significant books.-Early life:Goodwin was born in Norfolk and educated at Queens' College, Cambridge, where he graduated M.A. and obtained a fellowship on 10 November 1617. He left the university and married, took orders and...
and Arthur Jackson) in presenting a petition to the privy council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
against William Laud
William Laud
William Laud was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645. One of the High Church Caroline divines, he opposed radical forms of Puritanism...
's innovative book of canons. In 1643 he was appointed one of the licensers of the press, granting imprimatur to theological works, a role in which he took a permissive line, one of the works he approved being Judgement of Martin Bucer Concerning Divorce
Judgement of Martin Bucer Concerning Divorce
Judgment of Martin Bucer by John Milton was published on 15 July 1644. The work consists mostly of Milton's translations of pro-divorce arguments from Martin Bucer's De Regno Christi...
by John Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
; his licensing of Eikon Basilike
Eikon Basilike
The Eikon Basilike , The Pourtrature of His Sacred Majestie in His Solitudes and Sufferings, was a purported spiritual autobiography attributed to King Charles I of England...
in 1649 attracted the attention of the Council of State
English Council of State
The English Council of State, later also known as the Protector's Privy Council, was first appointed by the Rump Parliament on 14 February 1649 after the execution of King Charles I....
. In 1644 he was chosen one of the London ministers to examine and ordain public preachers.
He died at his house at Bunhill, in the parish of St. Giles without Cripplegate, and was buried in the chancel of Allhallows the Great.
Works
Downame published Thomas Sutton's Lectures upon the Eleventh Chapter to the Romans, London, 1632. He also edited his brother George's Treatise of Prayer, London, 1640, the third impression of J. Heydon's Mans Badnes and Gods Goodnes, London, 1647, and Archbishop James UssherJames Ussher
James Ussher was Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland between 1625–56...
's Body of Divinitie (attributed), London, 1647.
Downame was commissioned by parliament along with John Ley
John Ley
-Life:He was born in Warwick 4 February 1583, and received his early education at the free school in that town. On 12 February 1602 he entered Christ Church, Oxford, and graduated B.A. and M.A. . Taking holy orders he was presented to the vicarage of Great Budworth, Cheshire, in 1616. He...
, William Gouge
William Gouge
William Gouge was an English 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:...
, Meric Casaubon
Méric Casaubon
Méric Casaubon , son of Isaac Casaubon, was a French-English classical scholar...
, Francis Taylor, Daniel Featley
Daniel Featley
Daniel Featley, also called Fairclough and sometimes called Richard Fairclough/Featley , was an English theologian and controversialist...
, and John Reading
John Reading (clergyman)
John Reading was an English clergyman of Calvinist views and Biblical commentator.-Life:He was born of poor parents in Buckinghamshire. He matriculated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, on 4 May 1604, and graduated B.A. on 17 October 1607. When he proceeded M.A. on 22 June 1610, he was described as of St....
, to imitate and supplement the 1637 Dutch Annotations on the Whole Bible as a complement to the work of the Westminster Assembly
Westminster Assembly
The Westminster Assembly of Divines was appointed by the Long Parliament to restructure the Church of England. It also included representatives of religious leaders from Scotland...
. With the exceptions of Downame, Casaubon, and Reading, these divines were all members of the Assembly. It is presumed that Downame served as the chief editor and compiler for their work: Annotations upon all the Books of the Old and New Testament, London, 1645. The text came to be known as The Assembly's Annotations or The English Annotations (in distinction from the earlier Dutch).
His own writings comprise:
- Spiritual Physick to Cure the Diseases of the Soul, arising from Superfluitie of Choller, prescribed out of God's Word, London, 1600.
- Lecture on the First Four Chapters of Hosea, London, 1608.
- The Christian Warfare, 4 parts, London, 1609-18. This is his best-known work, and reached a fourth edition, 4 parts, fol. London, 1634, 33.
- Foure Treatises tending to disswade all Christians from the Abuses of Swearing, Drunkennesse, Whoredome, and Bribery, . . . Whereunto is annexed a Treatise of Anger, 2 parts, London, 1613.
- The Plea of the Poore. Or a Treatise of Beneficence and Almes-deeds: teaching how these Christian duties are rightly to be performed, London, 1616.
- Guide to Godliness, or a Treatise of a Christian Life, London, 1622.
- The Summe of Sacred Divinitie Briefly and Methodically Propounded, . . . more largely and cleerly handled, London (1630?).
- A Brief Concordance to the Bible, . . . alphabetically digested, and allowed by authority to be printed and bound with the Bible in all volumes,London, 1631. Ten editions were published during the author's lifetime.
- A Treatise against Lying, London, 1636.
- A Treatise tending to direct the Weak Christian how he may rightly Celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, London, 1645.