John Berridge (1 March 1716 − 22 January 1793) was an Anglican evangelical revivalist and hymnist. J. C. Ryle wrote that as one of "the English evangelists of the eighteenth century" Berridge was "a mighty instrument for good."John Charles Ryle, “John Berridge and His Ministry.” The Christian Leaders of the Last Century: Or, England a Hundred Years Ago (T. Nelson and Sons, 1869), 216, 245.
Early life John Berridge was born in Kingston on Soar, Nottinghamshire, on 1 March 1716. His father (also John Berridge) was a wealthy farmer and grazier at Kingston, who married a Miss Sarah Hathwaite, in the year 1714. Berridge was his eldest son; he had three brothers.John Charles Ryle, “John Berridge and His Ministry.” The Christian Leaders of the Last Century: Or, England a Hundred Years Ago (T. Nelson and Sons, 1869), 217.
At age fourteen, Berridge returned home. His father's plan was for Berridge to learn how to operate the family farm.
Knowledge of his "fallen state" Berridge wrote in the epitaph on his tomb his stages of religious development. The first stage was "Remained ignorant of my fallen state till 1730".John Charles Ryle, “John Berridge and His Ministry.” The Christian Leaders of the Last Century: Or, England a Hundred Years Ago (T. Nelson and Sons, 1869) 235. This stage referred to the fact that at age fourteen, Berridge came to believe that "he was a sinner, and must be born again".John Berridge, The Christian World Unmasked (Charles Ewer, 1822), iii.
Cambridge Berridge's father sent him to Cambridge. He matriculated in 1735 where he entered Clare College on 12 June. He graduated BA in 1739 and MA in 1742. Berridge was elected an Exeter Fellow of his college in 1740, then as a Diggons fellow in 1743. Berridge became a foundation fellow in 1748. This allowed him to live in Clare College until 1757. Thus, he lived there throughout his first curacy in Stapleford and for two years into his vicarship at Everton. He gave up his fellowship on 1 June 1764."Berridge, John (1717–1793)," J. S. Reynolds in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online ed., ed. Lawrence Goldman, Oxford: OUP, 2004.
Berridge had a "reputation in the University as a thorough scholar".John Charles Ryle, “John Berridge and His Ministry.” The Christian Leaders of the Last Century: Or, England a Hundred Years Ago (T. Nelson and Sons, 1869), 220.
Ordained ministry Berridge was ordained Deacon in the Church of England on 10 March 1744 and Priest on 9 June 1745. He served from 1750 as Curate of Stapleford, Cambridgeshire (with Tetworth, Huntingdonshire) 1750-1755 and Vicar of Everton, Bedfordshire and Tetworth, Huntingdonshire 1755–93, that is until his death.Cambridge Alumni Date Base.
Curate of Stapleford, 1750-1755 From 1750 to 1755, Berridge served as curate in Stapleford near Cambridge, riding out from Clare College."Berridge, John (1717–1793)," J. S. Reynolds in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online ed., ed. Lawrence Goldman, Oxford: OUP, 2004.
He performed his duties with "a sincere desire to do good". He preached and taught "the importance of sanctification". Yet, as Berridge later reflected, his ministry in Stapleford was fruitless because he neither believed nor preached the gospel of justification by faith.John Charles Ryle, “John Berridge and His Ministry.” The Christian Leaders of the Last Century: Or, England a Hundred Years Ago (T. Nelson and Sons, 1869), 222. Because he believed that he was having "no beneficial effect, spiritual or moral" on his congregation, he resigned."Berridge, John (1717–1793)," J. S. Reynolds in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online ed., ed. Lawrence Goldman, Oxford: OUP, 2004.
Vicar of Everton, 1755-93 On 1 July 1755, Berridge became Vicar of Everton, near Sandy. During the time Berridge continued to live in Clare College, he employed John Jones (1700–1770), a liberal clergyman, as resident curate. A "domestic disagreement" led to Jones resigning. This episode may explain "the degree and nature of Jones's adverse comments on Berridge's character" both then and later."Berridge, John (1717–1793)," J. S. Reynolds in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online ed., ed. Lawrence Goldman, Oxford: OUP, 2004.
Of his ministry in Everton, Berridge later wrote that, for the first two years, he again preached "sanctification and regeneration as vigorously" as he could and again without success. Berridge also reflected that he blamed his lack of success on his hearers rather than on the wrong doctrine he was preaching.Richard Whittingham, Works of the Rev. John Berridge, A.M. with an Enlarged Memoir of his Life (London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co., 1838), 350 Preaching sanctification with the gospel of justification by faith was the second phase of Berridge's religious development that he wrote on the epitaph on his tomb, namely, "Lived proudly on faith and works for salvation till 1754".John Charles Ryle, “John Berridge and His Ministry.” The Christian Leaders of the Last Century: Or, England a Hundred Years Ago (T. Nelson and Sons, 1869), 235.
Conversion About Christmas 1757, Berridge began thinking that he might be preaching wrong doctrine. He was "musing upon a text of Scripture" when what seemed to him "like a voice from heaven" said, "Cease from thine own works." By this epiphany, he realized that his former belief that his salvation depended partly through his works, and "partly through Christ’s mercies" was wrong. Now he was assured that his salvation depended solely on Christ's mercies, to wit, that he was "justified by faith" and that "sanctification follows after justification".Richard Whittingham, Works of the Rev. John Berridge, A.M. with an Enlarged Memoir of his Life (London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co., 1838), 351-354
Berridge does not specify what text of Scripture on which he was musing, but it might well have been Hebrews 4:10 in conjunction with Matthew Poole’s Annotations Upon the Holy Bible (1700). Poole comments that "true Christians have ceased and rested from all their sinful works and labours,"Matthew Poole, Annotations Upon the Holy Bible (Parkhurst, 1700). Annotation on “For he that is entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from his.” Hebrews 4:10.
Berridge's conversion was the third in his three stages of religious development that he wrote in the epitaph on his tomb, namely, "Fled to Jesus alone for refuge, 1756".John Charles Ryle, “John Berridge and His Ministry.” The Christian Leaders of the Last Century: Or, England a Hundred Years Ago (T. Nelson and Sons, 1869), 235.
Changed preaching After his conversion to "the true way to salvation," Berridge began to preach it. As he wrote, during his eight years of preaching "sanctification," he "never brought one soul to Christ". But, now, people began to flock "from all parts to hear the glorious sound of the gospel.Richard Whittingham, Works of the Rev. John Berridge, A.M. with an Enlarged Memoir of his Life (London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co., 1838), 355, 357. People not only came to Everton to hear Berridge, by 1759 he itinerated in nearby villages "preaching effectively to country people in field and barn"."Berridge, John (1717–1793)," J. S. Reynolds in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online ed., ed. Lawrence Goldman, Oxford: OUP, 2004. In his itinerant preaching, he covered the counties of Bedford, Cambridge, Essex, Hertford, and Huntingdon.The Evangelical Magazine and Missionary Chronicle. Volume 1 (London: T. Chapman, 1793), 15.
Although Berridge sometimes preached in Whitefield's Tabernacle, Tottenham Court Road, London, for the most part he confined his preaching to "his own district" where he had "more than enough to do".John Charles Ryle, “John Berridge and His Ministry.” The Christian Leaders of the Last Century: Or, England a Hundred Years Ago (T. Nelson and Sons, 1869), 226-227.
Curious physical effects of Berridge's preaching "At times Berridge's preaching produced "very curious physical effects". Some hearers "cried out aloud hysterically, some were thrown into strong convulsions, and some fell into a kind of trance". However, Berridge "never encouraged these demonstrations, and certainly did not regard them as a necessary mark of conversion."John Charles Ryle, “John Berridge and His Ministry.” The Christian Leaders of the Last Century: Or, England a Hundred Years Ago (T. Nelson and Sons, 1869), 228-229.
Health problems Berridge suffered from asthma. After nine years of doing constant itinerant preaching, from 1768 to 1773 he was too unwell to itinerate. Also due to his unwellness, "congregations at Everton began to dwindle". However, a combination of Berridge's improved health and the appointment in 1782 of Richard Whittingham as his curate, the congregations enlarged again."Berridge, John (1717–1793)," J. S. Reynolds in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online ed., ed. Lawrence Goldman, Oxford: OUP, 2004.
Opposition Berridge faced opposition throughout his ministry. Most of the opposition came from "the unconverted clergy of Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Cambridgeshire" where Berridge itinerated.John Charles Ryle, “John Berridge and His Ministry.” The Christian Leaders of the Last Century: Or, England a Hundred Years Ago (T. Nelson and Sons, 1869), 229. They were jealous of Berridge because people gathered "in gigantic throngs" to hear him preach.Alex Jones, “Ayhnum's its a Crime, that the Greatest Preacher Who ever lived is Unkown” [sic] (12/17/11). Accessed April 11, 2016.
Last days, death, and burial Unlike some Methodists, Berridge never married, and lived alone. He had no relatives or connections within traveling distance.John Charles Ryle, “John Berridge and His Ministry.” The Christian Leaders of the Last Century: Or, England a Hundred Years Ago (T. Nelson and Sons, 1869) 216.
Not only was Berridge not married, he advocated clerical celibacy giving as his biblical authority Jeremiah 16:2 in which God told Jeremiah, a fellow-preacher, "you must not marry and have sons or daughters in this place."Bible Gateway, Jeremiah 16:2 (NIV).Hugh Hore, The Church in England from William III, to Victoria, Volume 2 (Parker & Company, 1886), 121.
In January 1793, Berridge became unable to travel and suffered a terminal asthmatic illness. He died in his vicarage in Everton on 22 January. Charles Simeon of Cambridge preached the funeral sermon on 27 January in Everton churchyard."Berridge, John (1717–1793)," J. S. Reynolds in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online ed., ed. Lawrence Goldman, Oxford: OUP, 2004. "An immense concourse of people assembled from all parts of the country" for the funeral. Six clergymen acted as pallbearers.John Charles Ryle, “John Berridge and His Ministry.” The Christian Leaders of the Last Century: Or, England a Hundred Years Ago (T. Nelson and Sons, 1869), 233-234.
Reputation J. C. Ryle wrote in 1867 that "of all the English evangelists of the eighteenth century [Berridge was] above all, . . . a mighty instrument for good." "There were few greater, better, holier, and more useful ministers a hundred years ago than old John Berridge."John Charles Ryle, “John Berridge and His Ministry.” The Christian Leaders of the Last Century: Or, England a Hundred Years Ago (T. Nelson and Sons, 1869), 216, 245.
John Wesley commended Berridge "as one of the most simple as well as most sensible of all whom it pleased God to employ in reviving primitive Christianity."Charles Spurgeon, Eccentric Preachers (Passmore and Alabaster, 1879), 125.