Benjamin Baily (1671–1720), was an English

divine Divinity (from Latin ) refers to the quality, presence, or nature of that which is divine—a term that, before the rise of monotheism, evoked a broad and dynamic field of sacred power. In the ancient world, divinity was not limited to a singl ...

Life

Bayly matriculated at Oxford of

St. Edmund's Hall St Edmund Hall (also known as The Hall and Teddy Hall) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. The college claims to be "the oldest surviving academic society to house and educate undergraduates in any university" and was the last ...

on 20 March 1688, and graduated B.A. of

Wadham College Wadham College ( ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is located in the centre of Oxford, at the intersection of Broad Street and Parks Road. Wadham College was founded in 1610 by Dorothy Wadham, a ...

on 15 October 1692. He took the degree of M.A. on 30 October 1695. He was rector of St. James's, Bristol, from 1697 to his death, 25 April 1720. He was also for some time vicar of Olveston, Gloucestershire. He died in 1720. According to Quote Investigator, Benjamin Bayly is the oldest known source of the aphorism "

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" (sometimes shortened to ECREE), also known as the Sagan standard, is an aphorism popularized by science communicator Carl Sagan. He used the phrase in his 1979 book '' Broca's Brain'' and ...

Works

He was the author of an 'Essay on Inspiration,’ first published anonymously at London in 1707. A second edition appeared in 1708. The book is quoted by Watts, 'Bibliotheca Britann.,’ as 'Essay on Perspiration.' Two volumes of collected 'Sermons on various Subjects,’ many of which were issued repeatedly in the author's lifetime, were published after his death, London, 1721.

References

1671 births 1720 deaths 17th-century English clergy 18th-century English Anglican priests Alumni of St Edmund Hall, Oxford {{UK-theologian-stub