Stephen Charnock
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Stephen Charnock (1628 - 1680), Puritan divine, was born in the St Katherine Cree parish of London. The events of his life are somewhat vague and have been assembled from his writings and from various accounts of those who knew him.
He studied at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, during which he was converted to the Christian faith, beginning his spiritual journey as a Puritan divine.
After leaving the college, he held a position possibly as a private teacher or tutor, then for a short time as a minister of the faith in Southwark, winning others to the faith.
He then spent some time in New College, Oxford, where he gained a position as senior proctor, after distinguishing himself there by his learning and his labours.
In 1656 he removed to Ireland to become a chaplain. In Dublin, he began a regular ministry of preaching to other believers. Those who came to hear him were from different classes of society and differing denominations, and he became widely known for the skill by which he discharged his duties.
In 1660, the monarchy of England was restored after its brief time as a republic, and Charles II ascended the throne of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Due to new restrictions, Charnock was now legally prevented from practicing public ministry in Ireland, and in England where he returned. Nevertheless he continued to study and to minister in non-public ways.
In 1675 he began a co-pastorship at Crosby Hall in London; this was his last official place of ministry before his death in 1680.
Nearly all of the numerous writings attributed to him were transcribed after his death, one of the most famous of which was preached at Crosby Hall, and is preserved today as The Existence and Attributes of God.
