The Life And Ministry Of John Skepp
J. A. Jones, “Bunhill Memorials: Sacred Reminiscences Of Three Hundred Ministers And Other Persons Of Note, Who Are Buried In Bunhill Fields, Of Every Denomination” (1849):[1]
John Skepp, Baptist. Here lieth interred the body of Mr. John Skepp, late Minister of the Gospel, who departed this life, December the 1, 1721, and in the 46 year of his age.
Head Stone, E. And W. 68,—N. And S. 33.
John Skepp was born about the year 1675. He was originally a member of the Independent Church, at Cambridge, under the care of the famous Joseph Hussey; at what time he became a Baptist is not known. Prior to 1715, he was chosen Pastor of the Baptist Church, at Curriers’ Hall, Cripplegate; that Church of which Mr. Skepp himself says, “Your foundation, was to gospel order, was skillfully laid in the very beginning of troublesome times, by the indefatigable pains and care of that eminent servant of, and sufferer for Christ, Mr. Hansard Knollys; and your walls were beautified by the labours of that evangelistic son of consolation, Mr. Robert Steed. These two were your chief master-builders; by whose blessed ministry you were built, upon the foundation of the prophets and apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.”
Mr. Skepp had not the advantages of a liberal education; but, after he engaged in the public ministry, he acquired, by laborious application, a good acquaintance with the languages in which the Scriptures were written. He excelled in the Hebrew; and obtained a considerable degree of Rabbinical learnin; and, as Dr. Gill, then a young man, and recently settled in London, had taken a great delight in the Hebrew, so his conversation with this worthy minister, rekindled a flame of fervent desire to obtain a more extensive knowledge of it. At Mr. Skepp’s death, the Doctor (Gill) purchased most of his valuable Rabbinical books; which became afterwards of great use to him, in the writing of his gigantic work, “The Exposition of the Bible,” in 9 volumes folio.—At the Ordination of Dr. Gill, March 22, 1720, Mr. Skepp asked the usual questions, and also preached to the Church, from Hebrews 13:17, “Obey them that have the rule over you,” &c. Only twenty-one months from this period, Skepp’s ministerial labours were ended; but Gill’s were continued for more than half a century afterwards. When the servant has done all his mater’s work below, his Lord will call him Home, and give him his glorious reward. Mr. Skepp was not pastor of the Cripplegate Church more than seven years, if so long; but he was doubtless a most excellent servant of Christ. The celebrated Anne Dutton, who was dismissed from the church at Northampton, to join that under Mr. Skepp, says, “Upon my being fixed in London, under the ministry of the late Mr. Skepp, I found the waters of the sanctuary were indeed ‘risen waters;’ which filled my soul with wonder and joy. My fellowship with this church was set. The Lord dwelt in this Zion for me: he abundantly blessed her provision, and my poor soul was satisfied with gospel bread. He clothed also her Minister with salvation; and, with her saints, my soul also did shout for joy. O the glory of God that I saw in this House of His! In this garden of God I sat down under the shadow of my beloved with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste; yea, the enjoyment thereof did quicken my appetite, and set me soul a longing for that happy day, when I should feast upon His glory-fulness, as ‘the Tree of life’ in the midst of the paradise of God.”
We have no account extant of the last days of this man of God upon the earth. His sun went down at noon, or soon after. He died December 1st, 1721, aged forty-six years. He was the author of only one work; and this was not published until after his death. It is entitled, “Divine Energy: or the Efficacious Operations of the Spirit of God upon the Soul of Man, in His Effectual Calling and Conversion: Being an Antidote Against the Pelagian Error.” On the title page is this striking extract from Dr. Owen, “That these things are now despised and laughed to scorn, is no part of the happiness of the present times; as the event will manifest.” Dr. Gill published a second edition of this book is 1751, and prefixed to it a recommendatory preface; in which he says, “The worthy author was personally and intimately known by me, and his memory is precious to me. He was a man of singular talents and abilities; of very quick, strong, natural parts; of great diligence and industry in acquiring useful knowledge; a warm and lively preacher of the gospel; a zealous defender of the special and peculiar doctrines of it:—whose ministry was blessed to many souls.—The subject matter of this Treatise is of the greatest moment and importance.”—The late excellent Mr. James Upton, of Blackfriers, put forth in 1815, a third edition; being urged thereto by his six worthy deacons, whose striking Letter, signed by their names, is inserted in Mr. Upton’s Preface.
After Mr. William Morton, who succeeded Mr. Skepp as pastor of the Cripplegate Church, the Lord blessed them from the year 1730 to 1765, with the invaluable labours of the celebrated John Brine. In 1799, the church removed from Curriers’ Hall, to the Meeting-house in Red Cross Street, and about 1807, or soon after, became extinct.—I. And W.
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[1] The reader is encouraged to visit Bunhill Fields, a nonconformist cemetery located at 38 City Road, London, England.
John Skepp (1675-1721) was a Strict and Particular Baptist preacher. Around the year 1715, he was appointed Pastor of the Cripplegate Church meeting at Curriers’ Hall. Although he died at the age of forty-six, his published teachings continued to enrich the Particular Baptists of successive generations.
