Thomas Cole (1628–1697) was an English Independent minister.

Life

Cole was a native of

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, born in 1628. His father William Cole owned property, and sent him to

Westminster School Westminster School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Westminster, London, England, in the precincts of Westminster Abbey. It descends from a charity school founded by Westminster Benedictines before the Norman Conquest, as do ...

, from where, in 1646, he was elected student of

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

. He proceeded B.A. in 1649, and M.A. 8 July 1651, and in 1656 became principal of St. Mary Hall. As a tutor he had pupils including

John Locke John Locke (; 29 August 1632 (Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.) – 28 October 1704 (Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.)) was an English philosopher and physician, widely regarded as one of the most influential of the Enlightenment thi ...

. The Restoration of Charles II led to the ejection of Cole from his position at Oxford. He then opened a

dissenting academy The dissenting academies were schools, colleges and seminaries (often institutions with aspects of all three) run by English Dissenters, that is, Protestants who did not conform to the Church of England. They formed a significant part of educatio ...

Nettlebed Nettlebed is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire in the Chiltern Hills about north-west of Henley-on-Thames and south-east of Wallingford. The parish includes the hamlet of Crocker End, about east of the village. The 2011 Census r ...

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

, where one of those under his charge was James Bonnell.

Samuel Wesley Samuel Wesley may refer to: * Samuel Wesley (poet, died 1735) (1662–1735), English poet and churchman * Samuel Wesley (poet, died 1739) (1691–1739), English poet and churchman, son of the above * Samuel Wesley (composer, born 1766) (1766–1837 ...

attacked the character of Cole, based on reports from Bonnell;

Samuel Palmer Samuel Palmer Hon.RE (Hon. Fellow of the Society of Painter-Etchers) (27 January 180524 May 1881) was a British landscape painter, etcher and printmaker. He was also a prolific writer. Palmer was a key figure in Romanticism in Britain and p ...

defended Cole in his '' Vindication of the Dissenters''. In February 1674 Cole succeeded

Philip Nye Philip Nye (c. 1595–1672) was a leading English Independent theologian and a member of the Westminster Assembly of Divines. He was the key adviser to Oliver Cromwell on matters of religion and regulation of the Church. Life Philip Nye was bo ...

as minister of the Independent congregation at Silver Street meeting-house, London. He was also one of the ministers of the merchants' lecture at Pinners' Hall. His church, after leaving Silver Street, met at Tallow Chandlers' Hall, Dowgate Hill, and then at Pinners' Hall, where he preached his last sermon 22 August 1697. Cole was buried in the upper ground of

Bunhill Fields Bunhill Fields is a former burial ground in central London, in the London Borough of Islington, just north of the City of London. What remains is about in extent and the bulk of the site is a public garden maintained by the City of London Cor ...

, but the precise spot is not known.

Works

As well as three sermons in the ''

Morning Exercises ''Morning Exercises'' refers to a religious observance by Puritans in London which started at the beginning of the English Civil War. Origins As most of the citizens of London had either a near relation or friend in the army of the Earl of Essex, ...

'', 1674, and one in the ''Casuistical Morning Exercise'', 1690, his writings are: * ''The old Apostolical Way of Preaching: a funeral sermon for Rev. Edward West'', London, 1676. * ''Discourses on Regeneration, Faith, and Repentance'', London, 1689. * ''The Incomprehensibleness of imputed Righteousness for Justification by Human Reason, till enlightened by the Spirit of God'', London, 1692. * ''Discourses on the Christian Religion'', London, 1700. A manuscript copy of some of his sermons, including his last, with an account of his deathbed conversation, is described by Walter Wilson. Verses by him were prefixed to William Cartwright's poems in 1653, and there is another poem in the Oxford collection on the peace in 1654.

References

Attribution: * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cole, Thomas 1628 births 1697 deaths Writers from London Ejected English ministers of 1662 People educated at Westminster School, London Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Principals of St Mary Hall, Oxford English religious writers 17th-century English writers 17th-century English male writers 17th-century Protestant religious leaders Burials at Bunhill Fields