Sebastian Benefield

Sebastian Benefield, D. D.—This learned divine was born at Prcstbury in Gloucestershire, August 12,1569, and educated in Corpus Christi college, Oxford, where he was afterwards chosen fellow. In 1599 he was elected reader of rhetoric to the college, and the year following admitted to the reading of the sentences. In 1608 he took his doctor's degree, and in about five years was chosen Margaret professor to the university. He filled the divinity chair with distinguished reputation for the space of fourteen years, then resigned it, and retired to the rectory of Messey-Hampton in Gloucestershire, where he spent the remainder of his days in great retirement and devotion. Some persons accused him of being a schismatic, most probably on account of his puritanism and nonconformity. But Dr. Kavis, bishop of London, acquitted him of the imputation, declaring him to be free from schism, and abounding in science. Wood says, " he was so excellent a scholar, disputant, and theologian, and so well read in the fathers and schoolmen, that he had scarcely his equal in the university. He was a person of admirable piety, strictness, and sincerity; a lover of the opinions of John Calvin, especially that of pre

destination, and was denominated

Calvinist." He was always fond of a retired and sedentary life, which rendered him less easy and affable in conversa* tion.* He died August 24, 1630, aged sixty-one years.

His Works.—1. Doctritue Christians Sex capita, totidem prelectionibusin ScholaThcol.Oxon pro forma habitis,discussa,etdisceptata, 1610.—2. Appendix ad caput secundum dc conciliis cvangelicis, 1610.—3. Sermon at St. Mary's in Oxon, being K. James's Inauguration day, 1611.—4. Eight Sermons publicly preached in the University of Oxford, 1614.—5. The Sin against the Holy Ghost discovered, and other Christian Doctrines, delivered in twelve sermons upon part of the tenth Chap, of the Epis. to the Hebrews, 1615.— & Commentary or Exposition upon the first Chap, of Amos, delivered in twenty-one Sermons, 1613. Translated into Latin by Mr. Henry Jackson, 1615.—7. Christian Liberty, 1613.—8. A Latin Sermon, on Rev. v. 10., 1616.—9. Prelectiones do Pcrseverantia Sanctorum, 1618. —10. The Havon of the Afflicted, 1620.—11. Commentary or Exposition upon the second Chap, of Amos, 1620.—12. Commentary or Exposition upon the third Chap, of Amos, 1629.