John Geree

John Geree, A.M.—He was born in Yorkshire, in the year 1600, and educated in Magdalen college, Oxford. Hit first ministerial labours were at Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire. But, says Wood, he was schismatically inclined, and a nonconformist to certain ceremonies of the church of England, for which he was silenced by Bishop Goodman; yet he was so universally beloved, that, after he had received his lordship's censure, he was supported by his brethren. Under this censure he remained a considerable time; but in the year 1641, he was restored to his cure by the committee of religion. In 1645, he became minister of St. Alban's in Hertfordshire; and, having laboured there about four years, was made preacher at St. Faith's under St. Paul's, London. He was a thorough puritan, and at all these places was much followed by those of his own persuasion.$ He wrote wiih considerable ability against the baptists, was opposed to the war betwixt the king and parliament, and against taking away the life of the king. He died in the month of February, 1649, aged forty-nine years. His death,

• Fuller's Church Hist. b. ix. p. 234.

+ Heylin'i Exameo. Histor. p. 268.

+ Wood's Atocne Oxon. vol. ii. p. 748, \ Ibid. p. 64.

it is said, was occasioned by his extreme grief for the death of King Charles.* Mr. Baxter denominates him " an eminent nonconformist divine."t He died poor; but was so exceedingly beloved by his people, that they settled thirty pounds a year upon his widow for life, and behaved very honourably to his children.{ Mr. Stephen Geree, anodier puritan divine, was his elder brother. Air. Arthur Jackson, one of the ejected nonconformists in 1662, was his successor.^

His Works.—1. Several Sermons, 1641, Sec.—2. Vindicise voti; or, a Vindication or tbe true Sense of the National Covenant, in Answer to the ' Protestant Protested,' 1641.—3. Vindicise Keel. Anglicana:; or, Ten Cases resolved, 1644.—4. Proofs that the King may without Impeachment of his Oath, touching the Clergy, at his Coronation, consent to the Abrogation of Episcopacy, 1646.—

5. Astrologo-Mastix; or, the Vanity of Judicial Astrology, 1646.—

6. Vindiciac Paeclo-Iiaptismi; or, a Vindication of Infant Baptism, 1646.—7. Character of an old English Puritan Nonconformist, 1646. —8. Vindiciae Vindiciarum; or, a Vindication of his Vindication of Infant Baptism, 1647.—9. A Catechism, 1647—10. Touching Supremacy in Causes Ecclesiastical, 1647.—11. An Exercise, 1648.— 12. The Sifter's Sieve Broken, 1648.—13. Answer to John Goodwin's 'Might and Right well met,' 1649.