Thomas Horton (Gresham College)

Thomas Horton D.D. (died 1673) was an English clergyman, Professor of Divinity at Gresham College in London, and President of Queens' College, Cambridge.

Life

A native of London, he was son of Laurence Horton, merchant, and a member of the Mercers' Company. He was admitted a pensioner of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, 8 July 1623, proceeding B.A. in 1626, was elected a Fellow of his college, and commenced M.A. in 1630.^[1] From 12 July 1638 until 28 November 1640 he was minister of St. Mary Colechurch, London, a donative of the Mercers' Company. He was elected professor of divinity in Gresham College, London, on 26 October 1641.^[2]

In 1644, Horton was one of the association of divines appointed by the parliament to ordain ministers in and near the city of London, and in the year following he subscribed the petition of the ministers of the province of London to the parliament, in which they prayed for the speedy establishment of the Presbyterian government in Congregational, classical, and national assemblies. He was a member of Gray's Inn, and from 18 May 1647 until 1657 was preacher there.^[2]

He was made President of Queens' College, Cambridge, in 1647.^[3] In 1649 he was created D.D. at Cambridge. In 1649 he was chosen vice-chancellor, and with the heads of houses carried new regulations for the government of the presses and printers of the university. About 1651 he married, and although he procured from the committee of parliament for reforming the universities an order that his marriage should not disqualify him for his professorship, the Gresham committee, acting in accordance with the founder's will, declared the place vacant. The committee did not proceed to a new election until 19 May 1656, when George Gifford was chosen, but Horton obtained a new dispensation from Cromwell, and remained in possession until the Restoration. Charles II granted him a temporary respite in 1660, but in 1661 Gifford took his place.^[2]

On 9 August 1652 Horton was incorporated D.D. at Oxford, and in 1658 he was nominated one of the triers or commissioners for the approbation of young ministers. In 1654 he was appointed by Oliver Cromwell one of the visitors of the university of Cambridge. On 5 November in that year he preached at St. Paul's Cathedral before the lord mayor and court of aldermen, and his sermon was printed.^[2]

At the Restoration (England), on 2 August 1660 he was removed from the presidency of Queens' College, Cambridge, to make room for Edward Martin, who had been ejected in 1644. Horton withdrew with good grace. When the Savoy Conference was appointed, Horton was nominated an assistant on the side of the Presbyterians, though, according to Richard Baxter, he never joined in the deliberations. He was one of the divines who were silenced by the Bartholomew Act in 1662, but he conformed soon afterwards, On 13 June 1666 he was admitted to the rectorship of Great St. Helen's in Bishopsgate Street, London, and held it until his death. He was buried in the chancel of that church (29 March 1673), leaving a widow, but no children.^[2]

His biographer, John Wallis, who had been under his tuition at Cambridge, says he was "a pious and learned man, an hard student, a sound divine, a good textuary, very well skilled in the oriental languages, very well accomplished for the work of the ministry, and very conscientious in the discharge of it".^[2]

Works

He published eight single sermons and left many others prepared for the press. After his death were published: 1. Forty-six Sermons upon the whole Eighth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, London 1674, fol., edited by Dr. William Dillingham. 2. A Choice and Practical Exposition upon the 4, 47, 51, and 63 Psalms, London 1675, fol. 3. One Hundred Select Sermons upon Several Texts: Fifty upon the Old Testament, And Fifty on the New, London 1679, fol., with the author's life by John Wallis.^[2]

He and Dillingham prepared for press a treatise written by Dr. John Arrowsmith entitled Armilla Catechetica, Cambridge, 1659, 4to.^[2]

Notes

^ "Horton, Thomas (HRTN623T)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Cooper, Thompson (1891). "Horton, Thomas (d.1673)" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 27. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
^ "The colleges and halls: Queens' | British History Online".

References

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Horton, Thomas (d.1673)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

Academic offices
Preceded by Richard Holdsworth	Gresham Professor of Divinity 1641–1647	Succeeded by George Gifford
Preceded by Herbert Palmer	President of Queens' College, Cambridge 1647–1660	Succeeded by Edward Martin
Preceded by Anthony Tuckney	Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge 1649–1650	Succeeded by Benjamin Whichcote

[1] "Horton, Thomas (HRTN623T)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.

[DNB-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Cooper, Thompson (1891). "Horton, Thomas (d.1673)" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 27. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

[3] "The colleges and halls: Queens' | British History Online".

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15th century	Thomas Ashwell Henry Stockton Nicholas de Swaffham Nicholas Gay William Millington John Roclyffe Thomas Stoyle William Uttyng William Smyth Edmund Conisborough Thomas Stoyle William Towne Thomas Tuppin John Riplingham John Camberton William Rawson William Stockdale John Dolman Henry Rudd John Smith John Smith Henry Babington
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19th century	Joseph Proctor Humphrey Sumner Martin Davy John Torkington Joseph Turner William Pearce Francis Barnes Edward Pearson Isaac Milner Philip Douglas Thomas Browne John Davie Robert Cory William Chafy George Thackeray John Kaye James Wood William Webb George Neville William Frere Christopher Wordsworth William French Henry Godfrey John Lamb Thomas Le Blanc Joseph Proctor Christopher Wordsworth Martin Davy Gilbert Ainslie William Chafy George Thackeray John Graham William Webb Joshua King William French George Archdall Gilbert Ainslie Thomas Worsley William Hodgson Ralph Tatham John Graham George Archdall William Whewell William Hodgson Robert Phelps Ralph Tatham Henry Philpott Robert Phelps Henry Wilkinson Cookson James Cartmell George Corrie Richard Okes James Pulling Thomas Geldart Edwin Guest William Whewell Henry Philpott William Henry Bateson Latimer Neville George Phillips Edward Atkinson Henry Wilkinson Cookson James Cartmell William Hepworth Thompson Edward Atkinson John Power Henry Wilkinson Cookson Samuel Phear Edward Atkinson John Power Edward Perowne James Porter Norman Macleod Ferrers Charles Swainson Charles Taylor Charles Edward Searle Henry Montagu Butler John Peile Augustus Austen Leigh Charles Smith Alexander Hill William Chawner
20th century	Adolphus Ward Frederic Chase Edward Beck Ernest Stewart Roberts Arthur James Mason Robert Forsyth Scott Stuart Alexander Donaldson M. R. James Thomas Fitzpatrick Arthur Shipley Peter Giles Edmund Pearce Albert Seward George Weekes Thomas Fitzpatrick Allen Beville Ramsay Will Spens J. F. Cameron Godfrey Wilson Henry Roy Dean Ernest Alfred Benians John Archibald Venn Thomas Hele Henry Thirkill Charles E. Raven Sydney Castle Roberts Sir Lionel Whitby Henry Willink Brian Downs Edgar Adrian Herbert Butterfield Ivor Jennings John Boys Smith Arthur Armitage Eric Ashby Owen Chadwick William Alexander Deer Jack Linnett Rosemary Murray Alan Cottrell Peter Swinnerton-Dyer Harry Hinsley John Butterfield Richard Adrian, 2nd Baron Adrian Michael McCrum
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