William Sherlock (c. 1639/1641June 19, 1707) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

church leader.

Life

He was born at

Southwark Southwark ( ) is a district of Central London situated on the south bank of the River Thames, forming the north-western part of the wider modern London Borough of Southwark. The district, which is the oldest part of South London, developed ...

, the son of a tradesman, and was educated at St Saviour's Grammar School and Eton, and then at

Peterhouse, Cambridge Peterhouse is the oldest constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England, founded in 1284 by Hugh de Balsham, Bishop of Ely. Today, Peterhouse has 254 undergraduates, 116 full-time graduate students and 54 fellows. It is quite ...

. In 1669 he became rector of St George's, Botolph Lane,

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, and in 1681, he was appointed a prebendary of St Paul's. In 1684 he was made

Master of the Temple The Temple Church is a Royal peculiar church in the City of London located between Fleet Street and the River Thames, built by the Knights Templar as their English headquarters. It was consecrated on 10 February 1185 by Patriarch Heraclius of J ...

. In 1686, he was reproved for his antipapal preaching and his controversy with the king's chaplain, Lewis Sabran; his pension was stopped. After the

Glorious Revolution The Glorious Revolution; gd, Rèabhlaid Ghlòrmhor; cy, Chwyldro Gogoneddus , also known as the ''Glorieuze Overtocht'' or ''Glorious Crossing'' in the Netherlands, is the sequence of events leading to the deposition of King James II and ...

, he was suspended for refusing the oaths to William III and

Mary II Mary II (30 April 166228 December 1694) was Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland, co-reigning with her husband, William III & II, from 1689 until her death in 1694. Mary was the eldest daughter of James, Duke of York, and his first wife A ...

but yielded before losing his position. He became

Dean of St Paul's The dean of St Paul's is a member of, and chair of the Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral in London in the Church of England. The dean of St Paul's is also ''ex officio'' dean of the Order of the British Empire. The current dean is Andrew Tremlet ...

in 1691. About this time he became involved in the

Socinian controversy The Socinian controversy in the Church of England (sometimes called the ''First Socinian controversy'' to distinguish it from a debate around 1800 mainly affecting Protestant nonconformists; and also called the ''Trinitarian controversy'') was ...

over Unitarian ideas. In 1690 and 1693, he published works on the doctrine of the

Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God th ...

, which ironically helped rather than injured the Socinian cause and involved him in a controversy with Robert South and others. His doctrine was even condemned as heretical at

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

. Sherlock defended himself in ''The Distinction...'' and ''Present State...'' (both 1696), which however practically gave up on the positions that had been impugned. He died at

Hampstead Hampstead () is an area in London, which lies northwest of Charing Cross, and extends from the A5 road (Roman Watling Street) to Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland. The area forms the northwest part of the London Borough o ...

in 1707. By his wife, Elizabeth (née Gardner),London marriage licences 1521-1869, ed. Joseph Foster, Bernard Quaritch (London), 1887, p. 1219-1220 he was the father of Bishop

Thomas Sherlock Thomas Sherlock (167818 July 1761) was a British divine who served as a Church of England bishop for 33 years. He is also noted in church history as an important contributor to Christian apologetics. Life Born in London, he was the son of the ...

Works

* ''The Knowledge of Jesus Christ and Union with Him'' (1674), which showed his tendencies toward controversy by an attack on

Puritan The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become more Protestant. ...

theologian John Owen. * ''A Practical Discourse of Religious Assemblies'' (1681) * ''The Case of Resistance of the Supreme Powers Stated and Resolved According to the Doctrine of the Holy Scriptures'' (1684), which drew the distinction between active and passive obedience, and was generally accepted by the

High Church The term ''high church'' refers to beliefs and practices of Christian ecclesiology, liturgy, and theology that emphasize formality and resistance to modernisation. Although used in connection with various Christian traditions, the term originate ...

clergy. * ''The Protestant Resolution of Faith'' (pamphlet) (1687) * ''A Preservative Against Popery: Being Some Plain Directions to Unlearned Protestants, How to Dispute With Romish Priests.'' (1688) * ''A Practical Discourse Concerning Death'' (1689), written during the period of his suspension, which became very popular. * ''A Vindication of the Doctrine of the Holy and Ever Blessed Trinity'' (1690), in response to Socinianism. * ''The Case of the Allegiance Due to Sovereign Powers Stated and Resolved According to Scripture and Reason and the Principles of the Church of England'' (1691), justifying his change of attitude toward William and Mary. * ''A Discourse Concerning the Divine Providence'' (1694) * ''The Distinction Between Real and Nominal Trinitarians Examined, and the Doctrine of a Real Trinity Vindicated From the Charge of Tritheism'' (1696) * ''Present State of the Socinian Controversy’' (1696/1698) * ''A Discourse Concerning the Happiness of Good Men, and the Punishment of the Wicked, in the Next World, &C.'' * ''A Practical Discourse Concerning a Future Judgment.'' His sermons, collected in two volumes, went through several editions.

Notes

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sherlock, William 1707 deaths Alumni of Peterhouse, Cambridge English Anglicans People educated at Eton College Deans of St Paul's Masters of the Temple People educated at St Saviour's Grammar School Year of birth uncertain 17th-century Anglican theologians 18th-century Anglican theologians