John Heylyn (1685 – 11 August 1759) was an Anglican divine, who had a major influence on religious thought in eighteenth century England. Because of his interest in mysticism he was known as the Mystic Doctor.
Heylyn was the son of John Heylyn, a saddler of London, and his wife Susanna Sherman. The Heylyn family originally came from North Wales. He was born in Westminster and educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge.[1] In 1724 after serving at Haslingfield near Cambridge and various parishes in London, he became the first rector of the rebuilt St Mary-le-Strand, London. He gained a Doctor of Divinity in 1728. Heylyn was also rector of Sunbury-on-Thames Middlesex, a prebendary of St Pauls Cathedral and a chaplain in ordinary to George II. In 1729 he was chosen Lecturer of All Hallows Lombard Street. He published a large amount of Theological work and from his indulgence in mysticism was known as the Mystic Doctor.
Heylyn was an influence on John Wesley as early as the Oxford Methodist days. According to Wesley’s diaries, on May 19, 1738 (Whitsunday) Wesley heard Heylyn "preach a truly Christian sermon on 'They were all filled with the Holy Ghost'--and so, said he, may all of you be." In 1739 Wesley heard Heylyn give a sermon on feigned and hypocritical repentance, and as a result, declared that he (Wesley) had been a hypocrite for twenty years. Heylyn’s “Theological Lectures” was used as a source in Wesley's compilation of the Explanatory Notes on the New Testament. In 1743 Heylyn was installed prebendary of Westminster Abbey where he was buried in 1759.
Heylyn was married twice and his only surviving son John followed in the footsteps of Edward Heylyn, brother of the above, as a merchant of Bristol and London.