NYE (PHILIP), an English Nonconformift, was a na tive of Suffex, defcended of a genteel family there, and born about 1596. After a proper foundation at the grammar fchool, he was fent to Oxford, and entered a commoner of Brazen-Nofe college in 1615; whence he removed in a little time, to Magdalen-hall, for the fake of a puritanical tutor. He took the degrees in arts in 1619 and 1622; about which time he entered into holy orders, and was, fome time in 1620, curate of St. Michael's church in Cornhill, London: till, refolving to reject the conftitution of the church of England, he became obnoxious to all the cenfures of the epifcopal court; to avoid which, he went, with others of his perfuafion, to Holland, in 1633. He continued for the most part at Arnheim in Guelderland, till 1640; when, the power of the Parliament beginning to prevail over the king, he returned home, and was foon after made minifter of Kimbolton in Huntingdonshire, by Edward lord Kimbolton, then earl of Manchester.

In 1643, he was appointed one of the affembly of divines, became a great champion of the Presbyterians, and a zealous affertor of the folemn league and covenant; and, having married the daughter of Stephen Marfhall, was fent with his father-in-law into Scotland, the fame year, to expedite the taking of their covenant. Accordingly, he harangued that people, in fome fpeeches on the occafion; in which he told them, among other things, that they were entered into fuch a covenant and league, as would never be forgotten by them and their posterity, and both would have occafion to remember it with joy; that it was such an oath, for matter, perfons, and. other circumftances, that the like had not been in any age, fufficiently warranted both by human and divine ftory: for, as God did fwear for the falvation of men and kingdoms, fo kingdoms muft now fwear for the prefervation and falvation of kingdoms, to establish a Saviour Jefus Chrift in England, &c. [A]. After his return, both houfes of Parliament took the covenant, the fame year; at which time our author preached a fermon in defence of it, fhewing its warrant from Scripture, and was rewarded for his good service with the rectory of Acton near London, in the room of Dr. Daniel Featley, who was ejected from it.

However, Nye, not long after, difliking the proceedings of the faid affembly of divines, diffented from them; oppofed the difcipline intended to be fettled by them; and, clofing

[A] Merc. Aulicus in Octob. 1643, p. 610.

with the Independents, when they became the reigning faction, paid his court to the grandees of the army, who often made ufe of his counfel. Dec. 1647, he was fent by them, with Stephen Marfhall, to the king at Carisbrook-castle, in the ifle of Wight, in attendance upon the commiffioners then appointed to carry the four dethroning votes [B], as they are now called; for which fervice they were rewarded with no less than 500l. a-piece. About the fame time alfo Nye was employed by the fame masters to get fubfcriptions from the apprentices in London, &c. against a personal treaty with the king, while the citizens of that metropolis were petitioning for one. April the next year, he was employed, as well as Marshall and Jofeph Caryl, by the Independents, to invite the fecured and fecluded members to fit in the house again, but without fuccefs. In 1653, he was appointed one of the triers for the approbation of public preachers; in which office he not only procured his fon to be clerk, but, with the affiftance of his father-in-law, obtained for himself a living of 400l. a year. In 1654, he was joined with Dr. Lazarus Seaman, Samuel Clark, Richard Vines, Obadiah Sedgwick, Jofeph Caryl, &c. as an affiftant to the commiffioners appointed by Parliament to eject such as were then called fcandalous and ignorant minifters and fchoolmafters in the city of London. After Charles II's restoration in 1660, it was debated by the healing Parliament, for feveral hours together, whether he and John Goodwin fhould be excepted for life: but the refult was, that if Philip Nye, clerk, fhould, after the 1st of Sept. in the fame year 1660, accept, or exercife any office, ecclefiaftical, civil, or military, he should, to all intents and purposes in law, ftand as if he had been totally excepted for life. Nov. 1662, he was vehemently fufpected to be engaged in Tongue's plot; but nothing was proved against him.

He died in the parish of St. Michael's Cornhill, London, in Sept. 27, 1672, and was buried in the upper vault of the faid church. Wood reprefents him to have been a dange- Athen. Ox. rous and feditious perfon, a politic pulpit-driver of independency, an infatiable efurient after riches, and what not, to raife a family and to heap up wealth. He left two fons, James and Henry, who feem to have been bred to literature, by the books mentioned below [c].

[B] Thefe were, 1. To acknowledge the war raifed against him to be just. 2. To abolish epifcopacy. 3. To fettle the power of the militia in perfons nominated by the two houfes,

4. To facrifice all thofe that had ad-
hered to him. Salmon's Chron. hift.
under 1647.

[c] We shall here give a lift of his
works, as follows: 1, "A Letter from
Scotland,