Benjamin Whichcote

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Benjamin Whichcote (March 1609 – May 1683) was an English Establishment and Puritan divine, Provost of King's College, Cambridge and leader of the Cambridge Platonists. He held that man is the "child of reason" and so not completely depraved by nature, as Puritans held. He also argued for religious toleration.

Life and career

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Whichcote was born at Whichcote Hall in Stoke upon Tern, Shropshire. He entered Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1628,^[1] and became a fellow in 1633.^[2] In 1637, he was ordained a deacon and priest at the same time. In 1643, he married and took up priestly duties in a Cambridge-dispensed parish in North Cadbury, Somerset. In 1644, he became 19th Provost of King's College due to Parliamentary control of the universities. However, he was the only new head of house who did not subscribe to the National Covenant. In 1650, during the Interregnum, he was vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge, and advised Oliver Cromwell on the subject of toleration of the Jews. After the Restoration he was removed from his position at King's College, but reinstated when he accepted the Act of Uniformity in 1662.

From that time he was the Curate of St. Anne's Church, Blackfriars, until it burnt down in 1666. In 1668, he was appointed Vicar of St Lawrence Jewry.^[2] He was a brother to Jeremy Whichcote and Elizabeth Foxcroft, wife of Ezechiel Foxcroft.^[3]

Whichcote was one of the leaders of the Cambridge Platonists, and had liberal views. In 1650, he was involved in a controversy with his former teacher and friend Anthony Tuckney. He was opposed to the doctrine of total depravity and adopted a semi-Pelagian position, holding that man is the "child of reason", and therefore not, as the Puritans held, of a completely depraved nature. He argued that there are some questions beyond the ability of reasonable and religious people to solve, and he therefore called for religious toleration. He was accused at various times by various persons of being an Arminian, Socinian, and Latitudinarian.

He died in Cambridge in May 1683 aged 74 and was buried in London at the church of St Lawrence Jewry.

Works

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Nearly all of his works were published posthumously. They include Select Notions of B. Whichcote (1685), Select Sermons (1689), Discourses (1701), and Moral and Religious Aphorisms (1703).

References

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Wikisource has original works by or about:
Benjamin Whichcote

^ "Whichcote, Benjamin (WHCT626B)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
^ ^a ^b Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Whichcote, Benjamin" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 587–588.
^ "Elizabeth Whichcote b. 1604 2nd dau". geni_family_tree. Geni.com. Retrieved 20 January 2018.

Cross, F. L., and E. A. Livingstone, The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. London: Oxford UP, 1978

External links

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Academic offices
Preceded by Samuel Collins	Provost of King's College, Cambridge 1644-1660	Succeeded by James Fleetwood

Provosts of King's College, Cambridge

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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
16th century	John Fisher Humphrey Fitzwilliam Geoffrey Knight John Smith Richard Burton John Eccleston William Robson William Buckenham Thomas Thompson John Fawne John Eccleston Robert Dowsing Edmund Natares John Watson Edmund Natares Thomas Stackhouse John Edmunds Thomas Green Henry Bullock Edmund Natares John Edmunds William Buckmaster John Watson Simon Haynes John Crayford Francis Mallet George Day William Buckmaster John Edmunds Francis Mallet Richard Standish John Edmunds Richard Standish John Edmunds Sir Thomas Smith John Madew Matthew Parker John Madew William Bill Matthew Parker Walter Haddon John Madew Andrew Perne Edward Hawford Edwin Sandys John Young William Glyn Cuthbert Scott Andrew Perne John Pory Robert Brassey Edmund Cosyn Andrew Perne Henry Harvey Philip Baker Francis Newton Edward Hawford Robert Beaumont John Stokes Robert Beaumont Roger Kelke Richard Longworth John Young John May John Whitgift Roger Kelke Thomas Byng John Whitgift Andrew Perne John Still Roger Goad Richard Howland Thomas Byng John Hatcher Andrew Perne William Fulke John Bell Richard Howland Robert Norgate Humphrey Tindall John Copcot Thomas Legge Thomas Nevile Thomas Preston Robert Some Thomas Legge John Still John Duport Roger Goad John Jegon Robert Some John Jegon
17th century	John Duport William Smith John Cowell Richard Clayton Samuel Harsnett Roger Goad Thomas Jegon John Duport Fogge Newton Barnabas Gooch (or Goche) Valentine Cary Clement Corbet Samuel Harsnett Owen Gwyn John Hills John Richardson William Branthwaite John Gostlin Robert Scott Samuel Ward Leonard Mawe Jerome Beale Thomas Paske John Mansell John Gostlin Henry Smyth Thomas Bainbridge Matthew Wren Henry Butts Thomas Comber Benjamin Lany Richard Love William Beale Henry Smyth Thomas Comber Ralph Brownrigg John Cosin Richard Holdsworth Ralph Brownrigg Thomas Hill John Arrowsmith Anthony Tuckney Thomas Horton Benjamin Whichcote Samuel Bolton Richard Minshull Lazarus Seaman John Lightfoot Theophilus Dillingham John Worthington John Bond William Dillingham Henry Ferne Henry Ferne Edward Rainbowe William Dillingham James Fleetwood Anthony Sparrow Francis Wilford John Howorth James Fleetwood Edmund Boldero James Duport John Breton Robert Mapletoft William Wells John Spencer Edmund Boldero Isaac Barrow Sir Thomas Page Thomas Holbech Francis Turner John Eachard Humphrey Gower Nathaniel Coga John Copleston Henry James Samuel Blyth William Saywell John Peachell John Balderston John Montagu John Covel James Johnson Charles Roderick Gabriel Quadring George Oxenden William Stanley Thomas Browne John Eachard Henry James Sir William Dawes Thomas Green Richard Bentley
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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
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