Nye, Philip

Nye, Philip an English theologian, was born about 1596, in Sussex. He studied at Oxford. entered the Church, and was at first settled at St. Michael, and later at St. Bartholomew's, London, where he was very popular as a pulpit orator. Having ventured to oppose the doctrines of the Established Church, he was obliged to retire for some years to Holland. Appointed pastor of Kimbolton in 1640, he was one of the most zealous advocates of Presbyterianism, and afterwards joined the Independents, when they were in the ascendency. In December, 1647, he was sent by the leaders of the army, together with Marshall, to the castle of Carisbrooke, to inform the king of the vote deposing him from the throne. At the Restoration he was deprived of all office, but left at liberty. He died at London Sept. 27, 1672. Wood and Calamy represent him as a violent, dangerous man; but Stoughton, himself an Independent, pays him high tribute, and says that Nye, though one of the ablest and most active of the denomination, had no power to serve the cause of his sect, as he was suspiciously regarded by the Royalists, and even by Parliament. Nye wrote some controversial works. See Wood, Athenae Oxon.; Calamy, History of Dissenting Churches; Hook, Eccles. Biog. s.v.; Stoughton, Eccles. Hist. of England (Ch. of Restor.), 1:45, 91, 194, 297; Fletcher, Hist. of the Independents, 3:187; 4:31. (Jo H. W.)