John Milton: his life and times, religious and political opinions

Joseph Ivimey (1773 - 1834) Joseph Ivimey was born 22 May 1773 in Ringwood, Hampshire, England. He was a Baptist historian. Ivimey was 'saved' after being convicted of 'sin' during his youth and he followed his father's trade, that of a tailor, at Lymington and Portsea. He later became a church- member in and was baptised on the 16 September 1790, an itinerant minister in 1794, assistant minister at Wallingford, Berkshire, in 1803; and pastor of the Baptist church in Eagle Street, Holborn, London, in 1805. He was then ordained pastor of the Eagle Street church, Red Lion Square, London on 16 January 1805 and he also was able to baptise his own mother and father. He was a pronounced opponent of Roman Catholicism, and so denounced the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts; he was also interested in the abolition of slavery and in missionary operations. His chief significance is as historian of his denomination, by his History of the English Baptists (4 vols., London, 1834), which, however, is criticized as to be used with caution on account of its mistakes. He wrote on other subjects quite voluminously, his works including 'Brief Sketch of the History of Dissenters' (1810), and 'John Milton, his Life and Times' (1833). He was a leading Particular Baptist pastor, especially during the decades right after the death of key leaders like Abraham Booth and Andrew Fuller. He was a defender of foreign mission efforts, close communion, and denominationalism. Among his works were a biography on John Bunyan and 'History of the English Baptists'. Ivimey died in London on the 8th February 1834.