Lushington Thomas

Lushington Thomas,   whom Luke Milbourn calls "a great patron of Socinianism," was born at Sandwich, in Kent; and matriculated in the University of Oxford, as a member of Broadgates-Hall, in Lent term, 160f, at the age of seventeen. How long he remained there is uncertain: but it is known, that he did not take his degree of Bachelor of Arts, or Master of Arts, till 1618, in which year he was a commoner of Lincoln College. Not long after this, he returned to Broadgates, and was there when it was converted into the College of Pembroke. During his residence at Pembroke College, he spent some time in Theological studies, and took the degree of Bachelor of Divinity; soon after which he was appointed one of the Chaplains of Dr. Corbet, Bishop of Oxford. In June, 1631, he became Prebendary of Beminster Secunda, on Dr. Corbet's promotion to the See of Oxford; and in the year following, proceeding in his Faculty, the Doctor, on his translation to Norwich, bestowed on him the Rectory of BurnhamWestgate, in the county of Norfolk, and obtained for him the appointment of Chaplain to King Charles the First. At the breaking out of the Civil War, he lived in a very retired manner, and maintained himself by writing for the press; but on the Restoration of the Stuart family, in 1660, he was again put into possession of his preferments, and is said to have had the offer of a Deanery made to him. This offer, however, he declined, on account of his infirmities; and he died shortly afterwards, at the advanced age of seventy-two. "He was a learned man," says Walker, "but I wish I could honestly omit him; for his translating the Socinian Comment on the Hebrews plainly shews, that he was infected with that Heresie; and his sermon on the Resurrection (lately reprinted with a Collection of other prophane Pieces, under the title of the Phenix,) shews him, I doubt, to be something worse." Wood designates him "a right reverend and learned Theologist, yet in many matters imprudent, and too much inclined to the opinions of Socinus." The same writer tells us, that his preaching, while he remained in the University, was generally approved of; but that on one occasion his sermon gave great offence. This sermon, the text of which was Matt, xxviii. 13, was delivered at St. Mary's, Oxford, on Easter Monday, 1624. Having, in the course of it, reflected upon the Spanish match, he was called to account for it by the Vice-Chancellor, who required him to recant what he had said. Accordingly, his sermon was repeated the Sunday after, commonly called Low-Sunday, with the omission of the obnoxious passages; and his Recantation Sermon, which was from Acts ii. 1, (latter part,) was preached the day following that on which the Repetitioner had delivered his four Sermons. "The truth is," says Wood, (II. 171,) "this our preacher was a person more ingenious than prudent, and more apt upon most occasions to display his fancy, than to proceed upon solid reason; if not, he would not in his Sermon have discanted on the whole life of our Saviour purposely to render him and his attendants, men and women, objects of scorn and aversion, as if they had been a pack of dissolute vagabonds and cheats. But the best of it was, that though he then assumed the person of a Jewish Pharisee, and persecutor of Christ, yet presently after changing his stile, as became a disciple of Christ, he with such admirable dexterity (as 'tis said) answered all the cavillations and invectives before made, that the loudly repeated applauses of his hearers hindred him a good space from proceeding in his Sermon." At length retiring to some of his relations, living at Sittingbourne, near Milton, in Kent, where he lived for some time in a state of great seclusion, he rendered up his soul to God on the 22^nd of December, 1661, and was buried in the South Chancel of the Church there, where a monument was erected to his memory, of which Wood gives a particular account. The following is a list of his writings, published and in manuscript.

1. A Commentary on the Hebrews. London, 1646-7. Fol. This was published under the capital letters G. M., and was a translation from the Latin of Crellius and Schlichtingius, but not without alterations and additions. The Rev. Richard Porter, B. D., Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, and Prebendary of Norwich, animadverted upon it, in his book, entitled, "God Incarnate; shewing that Jesus Christ is the only, and Most High God, &c. London, 1655," 8vo.

2. A Commentary on the Galathians; London, 1650, Fol.; translated from Crellius.

3. Logica Analytica, de Principiis, Regulis et Usu Rationis Rectae, Lib. iii. Lond. 1650, 8vo. This was dedicated to Thom. Some, Esq., the author's patron; and was published by Nicholas Bacon, the great nephew of Francis, Viscount St. Alban's. There was another part written, under the title, " De Argumentatione," when this was published; but whether it ever saw the light, or not, Wood professes his inability to say.

4. The Resurrection rescued from the Soldiers' Calumnies, in two Sermons at St. Maries in Oxon, on Mat. xxviii. 13, and on Acts ii., latter part of the first Verse. Lond. 1659, 12mo. The former was reprinted, as the Sermon of Thomas Lushington, B.D., 1711, 8vo.; and this is the edition alluded to by Walker, in his "Sufferings of the Clergy." Both were reprinted in the Second Volume of the Phenix, No. 26, (pp. 476—498,) under the name of Robert Jones, D. D. Lord Clarendon, in his "Animadversions on Cressy's Fanaticism," p. 22, says that he was present when the former was preached.

5. Treatise of the Passions, according to Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas. MS.

6. Treatise on the Theology of Proclus. MS.

(Vidend. Luke MUbourn's Mysteries of Religion vindicated. Lond. l692, 8vo. p. 543. Wood's Athen. Oxon. Vol. II. pp. 171—l73. Hist . et Antiq. Univ. Oxon. Lib. ii. p. 235, b. Walker's Attempt towards recovering an Account of the Number and Sufferings of the Clergy of the Church of England. Lond. 1714, Fol. Pt. ii. p. 63. Phenix, l. c. Walchii Bibl . Theolog. T. IV. pp. 701. 738, 739.)

(Vidend. Luke MUbourn's Mysteries of Religion vindicated. Lond. l692, 8vo. p. 543. Wood's Athen. Oxon. Vol. II. pp. 171—l73. Hist . et Antiq. Univ. Oxon. Lib. ii. p. 235, b. Walker's Attempt towards recovering an Account of the Number and Sufferings of the Clergy of the Church of England. Lond. 1714, Fol. Pt. ii. p. 63. Phenix, l. c. Walchii Bibl . Theolog. T. IV. pp. 701. 738, 739.)

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