Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Biscoe, John

1311281Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 05 — Biscoe, John1886Arthur Henry Bullen

BISCOE, JOHN (d. 1679), puritan divine, was born at High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, and educated at few Inn Hall, Oxford. In ‘Athenæ Oxonienses’ (ed. Bliss, iii. 1198) Wood states that he was born in 1646, which is probably a literal error for 1606. From the ‘Fasti’ we learn that he took his bachelors degree on 1 Feb, 1626-7. He left the university about two years afterwards, and became a preacher at Abingdon. Having joined the puritan party he was appointed minister of St. Thomas's, Southwark. He served as assistant to the commissioners of Surrey appointed to eject 'scandalous and insufficient ministers.' At the Restoration, being ejected from his living, he preached in conventicles. He died at High Wycombe, where he was buried on 9 June 1679. Biscoe is the author of: 1. 'Glorious Mystery of God's Mercy, or a Precious Cordial for Fainting Souls,' 1647, 8vo. 2. 'The Grand Trial of True conversion, or Sanctifying Grace appearing and acting first and chiefly in their Thoughts,' 8vo, 1655. 3. 'Mystery of Free Grace in the Gospel, and Mystery of the Gospel in the Law,' n.d.

Wood's Athenæ Oxonienses, ed. Bliss, iii. 1198; Wood's Fasti, ed. Bliss, i. 426; Calamy's Nonconformist's Memorial, ed. Palmer, i. 135.]