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English cleric, theologian, and reformer (1606 – c. 1660)
Henry Denne (1606 – c. 1660) [1] was an English Puritan cleric, divine (theologian), itinerant preacher, and religious reformer of Baptist views. Denne was a notable preacher and apologist throughout England by propagating baptism of believers only in contrast to the baptism of infants. He was pastor at the Coleman Street General Baptist church, London, and vicar of Eltisley, Cambridgeshire. Denne was also sometime soldier for the Parliament and chaplain to Oliver Cromwell in the Civil War.
Chapel Court of Sidney Sussex CollegeHenry Denne was born on 1606 to David Denne in Ickham, county of Kent, in the Kingdom of England, as his youngest son. His father David was a gentleman of Kent. Denne was educated at Latton, Essex, under his uncle Thomas Denne, then vicar of Latton. He was admitted to Cambridge by Thomas, where he was matriculated as a sizar at Sidney Sussex College in May 1621. Denne graduated B.A. in 1625 and M.A. in 1628.[1][2]
In 1630, Denne was ordained in the Church of England by Theophilus Feild, Bishop of St David's, and soon, in 1631, he became curate of Pirton, Hertfordshire, a preaching office he held for about 10 years. Denne's son, John Denne, was baptised in 29 May 1633. In 1641, Denne was selected with other clerics by the committee of the House of Commons for ecclesiastical preferment. He delivered a controversial sermon at Baldock at the visitation held there, giving offence by attacking the vices of the clergy. His sermon was subsequently published as "The Doctrine and Conversation of John Baptist", in 1642, and circulated throughout England.
Theological changes[edit]Soon after the outbreak of the Civil War, Henry Denne became convinced of the baptism of believers only in constrast with the baptism of infants. Denne went to London and allied with the Baptists, being baptised by immersion into the Coleman Street church, in 1643. He left the office in Pirton, but didn't resign his ordination and preaching license in the Church of England. He was soon chosen to pastorate the church along with Thomas Lambe and Samuel Oates, who "preached universal grace, the Arminian tenets". He continued his ministry preaching in the parish churches throughout England by now persuading to reform on baptism. Denne was considered a "great Arminian" by Thomas Edwards.[4]
His change of opinion regarding baptism brought persecution, and in 1644 he was apprehended in Cambridgeshire, by order of the "committee" of the county, for preaching against infant baptism. After he had lain in Cambridge gaol for a time, his case, through the intercession of friends, was referred to a committee of the House, and he was sent to London, where he was confined in Lord Petre's residence in Aldersgate Street. After his case was investigated, the committee ordered his release. Among his fellow-prisoners was Dr Daniel Featley, an opponent of Baptists, who wrote The Dippers Dipt. His book was brought to Denne's notice.
Shortly after his release, Denne challenged Featley to a disputation. Featley, pleading the danger of publicly disputing without a license, declined to continue with it. Denne then wrote The Foundation of Children's Baptism discovered and rased; an answer to Dr Featley, &c. (1645), which was recognized as a standard authority by the English Baptists.
Church of St Pandionia and St John the Baptist, where Henry Denne became parish priestAfterwards, Denne was appointed to the vicarage of Eltisley, in Cambridgeshire, by the Parliament of England, leaving the pastorate in Coleman Street, and, though opposed both Presbyterians and Prelatists, managed to retain the new office for several years. Denne was appointed to preach a lecture at St Ives, however, the committee of Cambridgeshire endeavoured to prevent him. On being interrupted while preaching, he left the church, and going into a neighbouring churchyard, continued to preached from under a tree to the large crowd.
In June 1646, Denne was apprehended by the magistrates at Spalding, Lincolnshire, for administering a baptism in River Welland, but was released. He was, however, persecuted by neighbouring ministers. Denne, then, temporarily resigned his living and became a soldier and chaplain to the Parliament's army. There, he gained a ‘great reputation’ for zeal and courage. At the conclusion of the Civil War, he returned to his ecclesiastical office. He went to Canterbury in 1655.
In 1658, Denne held a public dispute, lasting two days, concerning infant baptism with Peter Gunning in St Clement Danes church.
In 1660, Denne published an open letter addressing criticisms to the violation of freedom of conscience in the prisons of England. He died in the same year.
Although a partisan, Denne's views were moderate: he preached Arminian tenets, according to some, but others, in bad faith, tried to libel him as antinomian. Besides the works already mentioned, he wrote:
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