William Greenhill

William Greenhill (1591–1671) was an English nonconformist clergyman, independent minister, and member of the Westminster Assembly.

Life

He was born probably in Oxfordshire. At the age of thirteen he matriculated at the University of Oxford on 8 June 1604 and was elected a demy of Magdalen College, Oxford, on 8 January 1605. He graduated B.A. on 25 January 1609, and M.A. on 9 July 1612, in which year he resigned his demyship.

From 1615 to 1633 William Greenhill held the Magdalen College living of New Shoreham, Sussex. He appears to have officiated in some ministerial capacity in the diocese of Norwich, when Matthew Wren was bishop; he got into trouble for refusing to read The Book of Sports. He then moved to London, and was chosen afternoon preacher to the congregation at Stepney, while Jeremiah Burroughes ministered in the morning.

He was a member of the Westminster Assembly of Divines, convened in 1643, and was one of the Independents. In the same year, on 26 April, he preached before the House of Commons of England on occasion of a public fast, and his sermon was published by command of the house, with the title The Axe at the Root. In 1644 he was present at the formation of Stepney Meeting House, the congregational church in Stepney, and was appointed first pastor. In 1649, after the death of Charles, he was appointed by the parliament chaplain to three of the late king Charles's children: James, Duke of York (afterwards James II); Henry, Duke of Gloucester; and the Lady Henrietta Anne.

In 1654 he was appointed by Oliver Cromwell one of the 'commissioners for approbation of public preachers,' known as 'triers.' In 1658 he was on the committee drawing up the Savoy Declaration.^[1] It was also probably by Cromwell that he was appointed vicar of St. Dunstan and All Saints, the old parish church of Stepney, while he continued pastor of the independent church. This post he held for about seven years, till he was ejected immediately after the Restoration in 1660, but he retained the pastorate of the independent church till his death on 27 September 1671. He was succeeded by Matthew Mead.

Works

His chief work is his Exposition of the Prophet Ezekiel, a full commentary. It was published in five volumes between 1645 and 1662. The last volume is said to be scarce, and it is supposed that many copies were destroyed in the Great Fire of London of 1666. The first volume is dedicated to the Princess Elizabeth, second daughter to Charles I, then nine years old. He calls her 'the excellent princess and most hopeful lady.' The connection may have been through his friend Henry Burton, acquainted with the royal family. The whole work was reprinted (with some omissions and alterations) in 1837-9. Greenhill also published (besides editing books by several of his friends) two volumes of sermons, one called Sermons of Christ, His Discovery of Himself, &c., 1656; the other called The Sound-hearted Christian, &c., by W. G., 1670 (in some copies 1671).

Notes

^ Francis J. Bremer, Tom Webster, Puritans and Puritanism in Europe and America: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia (2006), p. 534.

References

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Stephen, Leslie; Lee, Sidney, eds. (1890). "Greenhill, William". Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 23. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

External links

Works by William Greenhill at Post-Reformation Digital Library

[1] Francis J. Bremer, Tom Webster, Puritans and Puritanism in Europe and America: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia (2006), p. 534.

[1]

v t e The Westminster Assembly
Documents	Westminster Confession of Faith Westminster Larger Catechism Westminster Shorter Catechism Directory for Public Worship Form of Presbyterial Church Government
People	John Arrowsmith Simeon Ashe Robert Baillie Thomas Baylie Robert Blair Samuel Bolton John Bond William Bridge Ralph Brownrigg Anthony Burges Cornelius Burges Jeremiah Burroughs Adoniram Byfield Richard Byfield Edmund Calamy Archibald Campbell John Campbell Richard Capel Joseph Caryl Thomas Case Daniel Cawdry William Cecil Francis Cheynell John Clotworthy Thomas Coleman John Conant Edward Conway John Cook Edward Corbet Robert Crosse Robert Devereux Robert Douglas Calybute Downing John Dury John Earle John Elphinstone Daniel Featley Basil Feilding Nathaniel Fiennes William Fiennes Thomas Ford Thomas Gataker George Gillespie John Glynne Thomas Goodwin William Gouge William Greenhill William Grey John Hacket Matthew Hale Henry Hammond Robert Harley John Harris Robert Harris Arthur Haselrig Alexander Henderson Philip Herbert Charles Herle Thomas Hill Richard Holdsworth Edward Howard Joshua Hoyle Archibald Johnston John Ley John Lightfoot Richard Love William Lyford John Maitland Stephen Marshall John Maynard William Mew Edward Montagu George Morley Matthew Newcomen William Nicholson Philip Nye Herbert Palmer Algernon Percy Andrew Perne William Pierrepont John Pym Edward Reynolds Robert Reynolds Henry Rich Francis Rous Benjamin Rudyerd Samuel Rutherford Robert Sanderson Henry Scudder Lazarus Seaman Obadiah Sedgwick John Selden Josias Shute Sidrach Simpson William Spurstowe Edmund Staunton Peter Sterry Oliver St John (1580–1646) Oliver St John (1598–1673) William Strode William Strong Zouch Tate Henry Tozer Anthony Tuckney William Twisse Henry Vane the Elder Henry Vane the Younger Richard Vines George Walker Samuel Ward Thomas Westfield Philip Wharton Jeremiah Whitaker John White Bulstrode Whitelocke John Wilde Henry Wilkinson Walter Yonge Thomas Young
Westminster Abbey Jerusalem Chamber