Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Ives, Jeremiah
IVES, JEREMIAH (fl. 1653–1674), general baptist, came of a family afterwards connected with Norwich, but originally of Bourn, Lincolnshire. Probably he is the ‘brother Ives’ whom Henry Denne [q. v.] and Christopher Marriat sought in vain at Littlebury, Essex, on 8 Nov. 1653, in order ‘to require satisfaction of him concerning his preaching at that place.’ He was at this time, if Crosby's vague statement may be trusted, ‘pastor of a baptised congregation’ which met somewhere in the Old Jewry. Crosby says he held this office ‘between thirty and forty years.’ A self-taught scholar, he exercised his remarkable controversial powers in defence of adult baptism and against quakers and sabbatarians. For a time he shared the quaker objection to oath-taking. For refusing in January 1661 the oath of allegiance he was thrown into prison in London, whence he wrote a letter to two of his friends reproaching them for taking the oath. After five days' incarceration he took the oath himself, and published a book to prove some oaths lawful, though not all. Later he held a disputation with a ‘Romish priest’ at the bidding and in presence of Charles II. Ives was habited as an anglican clergyman, but his opponent, finding at length that he had to deal with ‘an anabaptist preacher,’ refused to continue the argument. Among his own people he was highly esteemed. His latest known publication is an appendix to a report of discussions held on 9 and 16 Oct. 1674, and he is supposed to have died in the following year.
He published: 1. ‘Infants-baptism Disproved,’ &c., 1655, 4to (in answer to Alexander Kellie). 2. ‘The Quakers Quaking,’ &c., 1656? (answered by James Nayler [q. v.] in ‘Weaknes above Wickednes,’ &c., 1656, 4to). 3. ‘Innocency above Impudency,’ &c., 1656, 4to (reply to Nayler). 4. ‘Confidence Questioned,’ &c., 1658, 4to (against Thomas Willes). 5. ‘Confidence Encountred; or, a Vindication of the Lawfulness of Preaching without Ordination,’ &c., 1658, 4to (answer to Willes). 6. ‘Saturday no Sabbath,’ &c., 1659, 12mo (account of his discussions with Peter Chamberlen, M.D. [q. v.], Thomas Tillam, and Coppinger). 7. ‘Eighteen Questions,’ &c., 1659, 4to (on government). 8. ‘The Great Case of Conscience opened … about … Swearing,’ &c., 1660, 4to. 9. ‘A Contention for Truth,’ &c., 1672, 4to (two discussions with Thomas Danson [q. v.]). 10. ‘A Sober Request,’ &c., 1674 (broadside; answered by William Penn). 11. ‘William Penn's Confutation of a Quaker,’ &c., 1674? (answered in William Shewen's ‘William Penn and the Quaker in Unity,’ &c., 1674, 4to). 12. ‘Some Reflections,’ &c., appended to Thomas Plant's ‘A Contest for Christianity,’ &c., 1674, 8vo. The British Museum Catalogue suggests that Ives wrote ‘Strength-weakness; or, the Burning Bush not consumed … by J. J.,’ &c., 1655, 4to.
[Sewel's Hist. of the Quakers, 1725, pp. 504 sq.; Crosby's Hist. of the Baptists, 1739 ii. 308, 1740 iv. 247 sq.; Wilson's Diss. Churches of London, 1808, ii. 302, 444 sq.; Ivimey's Hist. of Engl. Baptists, 1814, ii. 603 sq.; Wood's Hist. of Gen. Baptists, 1847, p. 140; Records of Fenstanton (Hanserd Knollys Society), 1854, xxvi. 77; Smith's Bibliotheca Anti-Quakeriana, 1873, pp. 243 sq., 362.]