THOMAS

See also:

• THOMAS EMLYN (1663–1741)

EMLYN (1663–1741)  , English nonconformist divine, was born at Stamford, Lincolnshire . He served as chaplain to the presbyterian Letitia, countess of Donegal, and then to Sir Robert Rich, afterwards (169,) becoming colleague to Joseph Boyse, presbyterian minister in Dublin . From this office he was virtually dismissed on his own confession of unitarianism, and for publishing An Humble Inquiry into the Scripture Account of Jesus Christ (1702) was sentenced to a year's imprisonment and a fine of £1000 . Thanks to the intervention of Boyse he was released in 1705 on payment of X90 . He is said to have been the first English preacher definitely to describe himself as " unitarian," and writes in his diary, "I thank God that He did not call me to this lot of suffering till I had arrived at maturity of judgment and firmness of resolution, arid that He did not desert me when my friends did . He never let me be so cast down as to renounce the truth or to waver in my faith." Of Christ he writes, " We may regard with fervent gratitude so great a benefactor, but our esteem and rational love must ascend higher and not rest till it centre in his God and ours." Emlyn preached a good deal in Paul's Alley, Barbican, in his later years, and died in London in 1741 .