Thomas Bennet
Encyclopedia
Thomas Bennet was an English
clergyman, known for controversial and polemical writings, and as a Hebraist
.
, England
, on 7 May 1673. and was educated at the free school there. He entered St John's College, Cambridge
in 1688, before he was fifteen, took the degrees of B.A. and M.A. (1694), and was chosen Fellow of his college. In 1700, by chance, he went to Colchester
on the death of a clergyman friend there, John Rayne, and was called on to preach the funeral sermon; and was appointed to succeed him. He was instituted 15 January 1701.
He left Colchester at the end of the decade, and became deputy chaplain to Chelsea Hospital. He preached a funeral sermon at St Olave's Church, Southwark, and was chosen lecturer there. He was appointed morning preacher at St Lawrence Jewry
under John Mapletoft
, and was also presented by the dean and chapter of St Paul's Cathedral
to St Giles Cripplegate. The presentation, however, involved him in disputes over a tithe on peas and beans.
In 1711, he was created D.D. In 1717 he married Elizabeth Hunt of Salisbury, and by her had three daughters. He died on 9 October 1728. Thomas Emlyn
praised him for his ‘small respect to decrees of councils or mere church authority.’
were printed in the university collection. His first major publication was ‘An Answer to the Dissenters Plea for Separation, or an Abridgment of the London Cases’ (1699, 5th edition 1711).
In 1701 appeared ‘A Confutation of Popery’ in three parts. In 1702 he followed up his ‘Answer’ by ‘A Discourse of Schism. Shepherd of Braintree answered this work, and Bennet replied in 1703. But Bennet found another antagonist in a fellow clergyman in ‘A Justification of the Dissenters against Mr. Bennet's charge of damnable Schism, &c. … By a Divine of the Church of England by Law established,’ 1705.
Bennet's next book is ‘Devotions, viz. Confessions, Petitions, Intercessions, and Thanksgivings, for every day in the week, and also before, at, and after the Sacrament, with Occasional Prayers for all Persons whatsoever.’ In 1705 Bennet also published ‘A Confutation of Quakerism.’ B. Lindley answered this in 1710.
In 1708, stung apparently by passing gibes at his own printed prayers, he published: ‘A brief History of joint Use of precomposed set Forms of Prayer,’ and ‘A Discourse of Joint Prayer,’ and later in the same year ‘A Paraphrase with Annotations upon the Book of Common Prayer, wherein the text is explained, objections are answered, and advice is humbly offered, both to the clergy and the laity, for promoting true devotion to the use of it.’ In 1710 these were tacitly vindicated by Bennet in ‘A Letter to Mr. B. Robinson, occasioned by his Review of the Case of Liturgies and their Imposition,’ and in a ‘Second Letter to Mr. Robinson’ on the same subject (also 1710). In 1711 he published ‘The Rights of the Clergy of the Christian Church; or a Discourse shewing that God has given and appropriated to the clergy authority to ordain, baptize, preach, preside in church-prayer, and consecrate the Lord's Supper. Wherein also the pretended divine right of the laity to elect either the person to be ordained or their own particular pastors is examined and disproved.’
In 1714, he published ‘Directions for Studying.’ In 1715 appeared his ‘Essay on the XXXIX Articles agreed on in 1562, and revised in 1571, … and a Prefatory Epistle to Anthony Collins
, Esq., wherein the egregious falsehoods and calumnies of the author of “Priestcraft in Perfection” are exposed.’ In 1716, he assailed the extruded churchmen of the nonjuring schism
in ‘The Nonjurors Separation from the Public Assemblies of the Church of England examined and proved to be schismatical upon their own Principles.’ In 1718, he published ‘A Discourse of the ever-blessed Trinity in Unity, with an Examination of Dr Clarke's Scriptural Doctrine of the Trinity.’ Like all his books, these were answered. His idea of the Trinity was Sabellian
. In 1726, he gave to the world a small ‘Hebrew Grammar.’
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
clergyman, known for controversial and polemical writings, and as a Hebraist
Hebraist
A Hebraist is a specialist in Hebrew and Hebraic studies. Specifically, British and German scholars of the 18th and 19th centuries who were involved in the study of Hebrew language and literature were commonly known by this designation, at a time when Hebrew was little understood outside practicing...
.
Life
He was born at SalisburySalisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, on 7 May 1673. and was educated at the free school there. He entered St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
in 1688, before he was fifteen, took the degrees of B.A. and M.A. (1694), and was chosen Fellow of his college. In 1700, by chance, he went to Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
on the death of a clergyman friend there, John Rayne, and was called on to preach the funeral sermon; and was appointed to succeed him. He was instituted 15 January 1701.
He left Colchester at the end of the decade, and became deputy chaplain to Chelsea Hospital. He preached a funeral sermon at St Olave's Church, Southwark, and was chosen lecturer there. He was appointed morning preacher at St Lawrence Jewry
St Lawrence Jewry
St Lawrence Jewry is a Church of England guild church in the City of London on Gresham Street, next to the Guildhall.-History:The church was originally built in the twelfth century and dedicated to St Lawrence The church is near the former medieval Jewish ghetto, which was centred...
under John Mapletoft
John Mapletoft
-Life:His father was Joshua Mapletoft, vicar of Margaretting and rector of Wickford, Essex, and his mother Susanna, daughter of John Collet by Susanna, sister of Nicholas Ferrar of Little Gidding. She afterwards married James Chedley, and, dying on 31 October 1657, was buried at Little Gidding....
, and was also presented by the dean and chapter of St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
to St Giles Cripplegate. The presentation, however, involved him in disputes over a tithe on peas and beans.
In 1711, he was created D.D. In 1717 he married Elizabeth Hunt of Salisbury, and by her had three daughters. He died on 9 October 1728. Thomas Emlyn
Thomas Emlyn
Thomas Emlyn , English nonconformist divine.-Life:Emlyn was born at Stamford, Lincolnshire and served as chaplain to the presbyterian Letitia, countess of Donegal, and then to Sir Robert Rich, afterwards becoming colleague to Joseph Boyse, presbyterian minister in Dublin...
praised him for his ‘small respect to decrees of councils or mere church authority.’
Works
In 1695, Hebrew verses by him on the death of Queen MaryMary II of England
Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
were printed in the university collection. His first major publication was ‘An Answer to the Dissenters Plea for Separation, or an Abridgment of the London Cases’ (1699, 5th edition 1711).
In 1701 appeared ‘A Confutation of Popery’ in three parts. In 1702 he followed up his ‘Answer’ by ‘A Discourse of Schism. Shepherd of Braintree answered this work, and Bennet replied in 1703. But Bennet found another antagonist in a fellow clergyman in ‘A Justification of the Dissenters against Mr. Bennet's charge of damnable Schism, &c. … By a Divine of the Church of England by Law established,’ 1705.
Bennet's next book is ‘Devotions, viz. Confessions, Petitions, Intercessions, and Thanksgivings, for every day in the week, and also before, at, and after the Sacrament, with Occasional Prayers for all Persons whatsoever.’ In 1705 Bennet also published ‘A Confutation of Quakerism.’ B. Lindley answered this in 1710.
In 1708, stung apparently by passing gibes at his own printed prayers, he published: ‘A brief History of joint Use of precomposed set Forms of Prayer,’ and ‘A Discourse of Joint Prayer,’ and later in the same year ‘A Paraphrase with Annotations upon the Book of Common Prayer, wherein the text is explained, objections are answered, and advice is humbly offered, both to the clergy and the laity, for promoting true devotion to the use of it.’ In 1710 these were tacitly vindicated by Bennet in ‘A Letter to Mr. B. Robinson, occasioned by his Review of the Case of Liturgies and their Imposition,’ and in a ‘Second Letter to Mr. Robinson’ on the same subject (also 1710). In 1711 he published ‘The Rights of the Clergy of the Christian Church; or a Discourse shewing that God has given and appropriated to the clergy authority to ordain, baptize, preach, preside in church-prayer, and consecrate the Lord's Supper. Wherein also the pretended divine right of the laity to elect either the person to be ordained or their own particular pastors is examined and disproved.’
In 1714, he published ‘Directions for Studying.’ In 1715 appeared his ‘Essay on the XXXIX Articles agreed on in 1562, and revised in 1571, … and a Prefatory Epistle to Anthony Collins
Anthony Collins
Anthony Collins , was an English philosopher, and a proponent of deism.-Life and Writings:...
, Esq., wherein the egregious falsehoods and calumnies of the author of “Priestcraft in Perfection” are exposed.’ In 1716, he assailed the extruded churchmen of the nonjuring schism
Nonjuring schism
The nonjuring schism was a split in the Church of England in the aftermath of the Glorious Revolution of 1688, over whether William of Orange and his wife Mary could legally be recognised as King and Queen of England....
in ‘The Nonjurors Separation from the Public Assemblies of the Church of England examined and proved to be schismatical upon their own Principles.’ In 1718, he published ‘A Discourse of the ever-blessed Trinity in Unity, with an Examination of Dr Clarke's Scriptural Doctrine of the Trinity.’ Like all his books, these were answered. His idea of the Trinity was Sabellian
Sabellianism
In Christianity, Sabellianism, is the nontrinitarian belief that the Heavenly Father, Resurrected Son and Holy Spirit are different modes or aspects of one God, as perceived by the believer, rather than three distinct persons in God Himself.The term Sabellianism comes from...
. In 1726, he gave to the world a small ‘Hebrew Grammar.’