Edwards, Jonathan

, an English divine and able writer against Socinianism, was born at Wrexham in Denbighshire in 1629; and in 1655 became a servitor of Christ church, Oxford, where he was admitted B. A. in Oct. 1659; elected fellow of Jesus college in 1662, and took his bachelor’s degree in divinity in March 1669. He was afterwards rector of Kiddington in Oxfordshire, which he exchanged, in 1681, for Hinton in Hampshire. On Nov. 2, 1636, he was unanimously elected principal of Jesus college, and became treasurer of Llandaff in 1687. He took his degree of D. D. immediately after his election as principal, and served the office of vice-chancellor in the years 1689, 1690, and 1691. He held two other livings, one in Anglesea and the other in Caernarvonshire. He was also proctor in the convocation, 1702, for the chapter of Llandaff. He died July 20, 1712, and was buried in the chapel of his college, where is an inscription celebrating his learning, usefulness as principal, and his munificence as a benefactor. Besides many books given in his life-time, he bequeathed his own collection of upwards of 1000 volumes to the college library, and gave near 1000l. to the repairs of the chapel, &c. What he wrote against the Socinians is entitled “A Preservative against Socinianism” in four parts, 4to, published from 1693 to 1703. ²