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The Life of John Flavel

John Flavel

John Flavel (c. 1630-1691) was a Nonconformist preacher and theologian in England. He was born in Worcestershire and was given a religious education by his father before studying at Oxford. In 1650 he became curate (a kind of assistant pastor), and later rector (head of the parish), of Deptford. In 1656 he was called to the larger parish of Dartmouth, where he served before being deprived of his position by the Uniformity Act of 1662 (for "nonconformity" to the established Church of England). The Oxford "Five Mile Act" in 1665 drove him out of Dartmouth altogether (to Slapton, 5 miles away), though he continued to preach and to care for many in his parish. He returned to Dartmouth in 1671, but was not able to serve in complete safety until the penal laws were repealed by James II in 1687. Throughout his life Flavel preached, ministered and wrote voluminously, striving both for evangelical ideals and church unity.

A short life of John Flavel, written by an anonymous author

This is a biographical sketch of John Flavel, written by an anonymous author, which is prefixed to the collected edition of Flavel's Works (the standard modern edition of which was published in London in 1820). The Life covers Flavel's birth in Broomsgrove, Worcestershire, to his death at Exeter in 1691, with an overview of his time as minister of Dartmouth, and his conflict (his "nonconformity") with the established Church of England. A funeral notice is included, as well as several interesting anecdotal stories testifying to the effect Flavel had on various persons who encountered him.

Church History

Biography