Thomas Ridgley was born in London about 1667. He was educated for the ministry in Wiltshire, presumably under John Davison at Trowbridge. In 1695 he was chosen assistant to Thomas Gouge, pastor of the independent church at Three Cranes, Fruiterers' Alley, Thames Street, London. On Gouge's death he succeeded to the pastorate, which he held till his own death, being assisted by John Hurrion and (from 1732) by Samuel Parsons. On the death of Isaac Chauncy in 1712 he was elected divinity tutor to the Fund Academy in Tenter Alley, Moorfields, established by the London congregational fund board in 1696. His coadjutor in classics and science was John Eames. Ridgley had abundance of theological learning, and was a good instructor. His position as a teacher was that of a bulwark of dissenting orthodoxy against the prevalent tendencies to Arian and Arminian laxity. This duty he discharged with great ability and considerable individuality of treatment. Yet his scheme of the Trinity, denuded of the generation of the Son and the procession of the Spirit, is essentially Sabellian, and in easing the difficulties of Calvinism he follows the Socinians in limiting the penalties of Adam's sin to death and temporal discomfort.
In 1719 he took the side of subscription in the Salters' Hall debates, thus ranging himself with the older presbyterians; while Hunt, Lowman, Lardner, and Jennings, his juniors among the learned independents, were for non-subscription. His lectures expository of the larger catechism of the Westminster divines constitute his 'Body of Divinity,' which, issued by subscription in 1731, became a textbook of moderate Calvinism, and gained him the diploma of D.D. from Aberdeen.
Ridgley died on 27 March 1734, aged 66, and was buried in Bunhill Fields. His portrait by Bartholomew Dandridge has been engraved by Vandergucht.
Publicationsedit
He published, besides single sermons, including funeral sermons for Gertrude Clarkson (1701), Elizabeth Bankes (1711), Nathan Hall (1719), Thomas Tingey (1729), John Hurrion (1732), and John Sladen (1733, two editions same year):
The Unreasonableness of the Charge of Creed-making, (1719), (related to the Salters' Hall controversy),
An Essay Concerning Truth and Charity, (1721), (related to the Salters' Hall controversy),
The Doctrine of Original Sin, (1725); two editions same year (two lectures at Pinners' Hall, with postscript)
thomas, ridgley, 1667, 1734, english, dissenting, minister, 1667, 1734, contents, life, publications, references, external, linkslife, edit, born, london, about, 1667, educated, ministry, wiltshire, presumably, under, john, davison, trowbridge, 1695, chosen, a. Thomas Ridgley c 1667 1734 was an English Dissenting minister Thomas Ridgley c 1667 1734 Contents 1 Life 2 Publications 3 References 4 External linksLife editThomas Ridgley was born in London about 1667 He was educated for the ministry in Wiltshire presumably under John Davison at Trowbridge In 1695 he was chosen assistant to Thomas Gouge pastor of the independent church at Three Cranes Fruiterers Alley Thames Street London On Gouge s death he succeeded to the pastorate which he held till his own death being assisted by John Hurrion and from 1732 by Samuel Parsons On the death of Isaac Chauncy in 1712 he was elected divinity tutor to the Fund Academy in Tenter Alley Moorfields established by the London congregational fund board in 1696 His coadjutor in classics and science was John Eames Ridgley had abundance of theological learning and was a good instructor His position as a teacher was that of a bulwark of dissenting orthodoxy against the prevalent tendencies to Arian and Arminian laxity This duty he discharged with great ability and considerable individuality of treatment Yet his scheme of the Trinity denuded of the generation of the Son and the procession of the Spirit is essentially Sabellian and in easing the difficulties of Calvinism he follows the Socinians in limiting the penalties of Adam s sin to death and temporal discomfort In 1719 he took the side of subscription in the Salters Hall debates thus ranging himself with the older presbyterians while Hunt Lowman Lardner and Jennings his juniors among the learned independents were for non subscription His lectures expository of the larger catechism of the Westminster divines constitute his Body of Divinity which issued by subscription in 1731 became a textbook of moderate Calvinism and gained him the diploma of D D from Aberdeen Ridgley died on 27 March 1734 aged 66 and was buried in Bunhill Fields His portrait by Bartholomew Dandridge has been engraved by Vandergucht Publications editHe published besides single sermons including funeral sermons for Gertrude Clarkson 1701 Elizabeth Bankes 1711 Nathan Hall 1719 Thomas Tingey 1729 John Hurrion 1732 and John Sladen 1733 two editions same year The Unreasonableness of the Charge of Creed making 1719 related to the Salters Hall controversy An Essay Concerning Truth and Charity 1721 related to the Salters Hall controversy The Doctrine of Original Sin 1725 two editions same year two lectures at Pinners Hall with postscript A Body of Divinity 1731 References edit nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Lee Sidney ed 1896 Ridgley Thomas Dictionary of National Biography Vol 48 London Smith Elder amp Co External links editWorks of Ridgley at the Post Reformation Digital Library Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas Ridgley amp oldid 1175502005, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
