1643 JOHN BRINSLEY. Important "Great Migration" Provenance Puritan on Religious Liberty and Christian Abuses of Political Power.

An incredibly important piece of Puritan, Presbyterian theology with ties to the Great Migration and the ideals of religious liberty in America.  John Brinsley [1600-1665] was a prominent puritan divine. His father was an educator and his father in law was the famed divine and author, Joseph Hall. Educated by his father, he was then admitted to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, at the age of thirteen and a half years. At just 18, he accompanied his uncle, Dr. Hall, who was at that time dean of Worcester, to the Synod of Dort (1618-19) and acted as his amanuensis. On his return to Cambridge, he was elected to a scholarship, graduating B.A. in 1619 and M.A. in 1623). After being ordained, he first preached at Preston, near Chelmsford. In 1625 he was appointed by the corporation of Great Yarmouth as their minister, but his appointment was argued against by the Dean of Norwich. He continued to preach during the many years of legal dispute. By 1632, Brinsley was forbidden from engaging in any mi