Constantine Jessop

Constantine Jessop, A. M.—This person was the son of Mr. John Jessop, minister of Pembroke, born in the year 1602, and educated in Jesus college, Oxford. Having passed through a regular course of study in that university, he went into Ireland, and entered Trinity college, Dublin; but after some time returned to Oxford. About the year 1632 he entered into the ministerial office; and, upon the commencement of the civil war, he espoused the cause of the parliament, took the covenant j and succeeded the celebrated Dr John Owen, as minister of Coggeshall in Essex. Having continued his ministerial labours for same time at this place, he removed to Wimborn-Minster in Dorsetshire; in which county he Whs appointed assistant to the commissioners for ejecting ignorant and scandalous ministers and schoolmasters. He did not, however, continue in this situation many years, but became rector of Tyiield in Esst x, where he died about the year 1660, aged fifty-eight years. The Oxford historian denominates him " a learned, faithful, and suffering minister of Jesus Christ."* He was author of "The Angel of the Church of Ephesus, no Bishop of Ephesus," 1(344; and a piece " Concerning the Nature of the Covenant of Grace; wherein is a Discovery of the Judgment of Dr. Twisse in the point of Justification, clearing him therein from Antinomianism," 1655. man, a bower at the name of Jesus, and a conformist to the abominable innovations introduced by Canterbury; that he opposed the remonstrance and the petition of the wellaffected, pleading for a riddance of episcopacy, the ceremonies, and other corruptions; and that he was a rigid arminian, an enemy to free grace, and an antinomian."* Mr. Denne united with his brethren, the baptist ministers in London, in their protestation against Venner's insurrection, and in avowing their unshaken loyalty to the king.+ His death is supposed to have taken place towards the close of the year 1660. After his interment the following lines were put upon his grave-stone:

* Neal's Puritans, vol. iii. p. 351.

+ Walker's Attempt, part i. p. 182—194.

t Granger's Bins;. Hist. vol. ii. p. 187. S Wood's Athens:, To), ii. p. 230.

| Palmer's Noncon. Mem. vol.ii. p. 417. iii. 361.