Thomas Hall

son of Rich. Hall clothier, by Elizabeth Bonner his Wife, was born in S. Andrews Parish within the City of Worcester, about the 22 of July 1610, bred up to Grammar learning in the Kings School there under the famous Hen. Bright, who perceiving him to be a youth of pregnant parts, was by his perswasion sent to Ball. Coll. in 1624: But being his chance to be put under the tuition of a careless Tutor, he was removed to Pembroke Coll. then newly founded, and became Pupil to Mr. Tho. Lushington, reputed by the generality of Scholars eminent for his Philosophical learning. After he had taken the degree of Bach. of Arts, and had compleated it by publick Determination, he returned to his Country, and for a while taught a private School, and preached in the Chappels belonging to Kings Norton in Worcestershire. Afterwards being a frequenter of the Lectures at Bermingham in Warwickshire, maintained and held up by old Puritans, they so much operated on his spirit, that he relinquished his former principles, adhered to that party, and in many respects became an enemy to the Church of England, and in fine so rigid in his perswasion that he was disliked by the Brethren. Much about the same time he served the cure of Kings Norton under his Brother Mr. John Hall, who at length resigned it all unto him, and for his farther encouragement got the Free-school adjoyning to be added to it. Both which employments took up most of his time, and were all the preferments he ever had in the Church. For being a single person, a lover of books and learning, and of a retired and obscure life, never looked farther than his beloved Kings Norton. At the turn of the times in 1641 he shew’d himself openly a Presbyterian, and complied altogether with that party, not for preferment sake, but because they were against Bishops and Ceremonies. At length in 1652 having the testimony of godly and able men, had the degree of Bach. of Divinity confer’d upon him by the then members of the University, but with this condition that he should preach a Latine Sermon as part of his exercise, and an English Sermon instead of his other exercise: Both which, were, as I conceive, accordingly done, tho his admission appears not. He was accounted a Person by those of his own ((a))((a)) See in a book entit. A Pearl in an Oyster-shel: or pretious treasure put in perishing vessels, &c. Lond. 1675. oct. pen’d by Richard Moore sometimes Rector of Aldchurch in Worcestersh. ejected thence for Nonconformity, and now (1682) lives at Wetherock-hill near Kings Norton in the said County. perswasion of great integrity and single-heartedness in his Ministry, of a free and liberal heart, just, and one that lived much by faith, of an holy and unblamable life, of humble deportment and carriage, a great lover of peace, a plain and profitable Preacher, that he was much in communion with God in publick, abundant in thansgiving to God, careful how to spend his time, &c. His works are these.

The Pulpit guarded with XVII arguments, proving the unlawfulness, sinfulness and danger of suffering private persons to take upon them publick preaching and expounding the Scriptures without a Call, &c. Lond. 1651. qu. Answer’d by one Tho. Collier, of whom more anon.

Six arguments to prove our Ministers free from Antichristianisme, &c.—Printed there the same year in qu.

The Font guarded with XX arguments, containing a compendium of that great controversie of Infant-Baptisme &c. Lond. 1651. 52. qu.

The Collier in his colours, &c. wherein you have the filthy, false, heretical and blasphemous tenents of one Collier an Arrian, Arminian, Socinian, &c. Lond. 1652. qu. The said Tho. Collier was a husbandman, sometimes Teacher to the Church at York, and in 1652 a teacher at Westbury in Somersetshire.

Praecursor praecursoris: or, a word to Mr. Tombes, currente calamo. Lond. 1652. qu.

The loathsomness of long hair: or, a treatise containing many arguments against it, &c. Lond. 1654. oct.

Reasons and arguments against painting, spots, naked breasts, arms, &c. Lond. 1654. oct.

Vindiciae literarum. The Schools guarded: or, the excellency and usefulness of humane learning in subordination to Divinity and preparation to the Ministry, &c. Lond. 1654. 55. oct.

Centuria sacra. About an hundred rules for the explaining and clearer understanding of the holy Scriptures &c. Lond. 1654. oct.

Rhetorica sacra: or, a synopsis of the most material hopes and figures contained in the sacred Scriptures. Lond. 1654. oct.

Histrio-mastix. A whip for Webster (as ’tis conceived) the quondam Player. Or, an examination of one John Webster’s delusive Examen of Academies. Lond. 1654. oct.

Confutation of the Millinarian opinions, plainly demonstrating that Christ will not raigne visibly and personally on earth with the Saints for a 1000 years, &c. with a word to our Fifth-monarchy men. Lond. 1657. qu.

Practical and polemical commentary or exposition upon the third and fourth chapters of S. Paul to Timothy. Lond. 1658. fol. Much commended by a man of his perswasion named Joh. Ley (of whom I have spoken under the year 1662) in one of his books which he shortly after published. In which ’tis said that for congruity of the truth with the holy text, pertinency and fulness of profitable matter, is the best that hitherto hath been extant in the Church of Christ.

Apologia pro Ministerio Evangelico, in quâ planè & plenè ostenditur ejus necessitas, dignitas, efficacia & utilitas, &c. Francof. 1658 in oct. Printed in English also at Lond. 1660. qu.

Beauty of holyness: or, a description of the excellency, amiableness, comfort and content, which is to be found in ways of purity and holiness. Lond. 1658. oct.

Funebria Florae. The downfal of May-games; wherein is set forth the rudeness, prophaneness, &c. in the said heathenish customes, &c. Lond. 1660, there again the second and third time in 1661 in 7. sh. in qu.

Samaria’s downfall: or, a commentary by way of supplement on the five last verses of Hosea 13, &c. Lond. 1660. qu. This is a supplement to Jer. Burroughs his Commentary, which was defective as to these five verses.

Beauty of Magistracy, in an exposition of the 82 Psal. wherein is set forth the necessity, utility, dignity, duty and morality of Magistrates. Lond. 1660 qu. Assisted in this work by George Swinnocke M. A. and Minister of Great Kimbel in Bucks.

Exposition on the fourth 5.6.7.8 and 9th Chapters of Amos—Lond. 1661. qu.

Worcestershire petition for the Ministrie of England, with a defence of it.—printed in qu. Besides these books our said Author Tho. Hall did translate paraphrastically and grammatically the second book of Ovids Metamorph. which he entit. Phaetons folly: or, the downfal of pride: Also the first elegie of Ovids book De Tristibus. Both printed at Lond. 1655. oct. Furthermore he made an explanation and Grammatical translation of the thirteenth book of Ovids Metamorphosis, which he entit. Wisdoms Conquest, &c. Lond. 1651. oct. and finally left other matters at the time of his death fit for the press; among which is his work upon the 71. Psalme. He died a Nonconformist on the thirteenth day of April in sixteen hundred sixty and five,1665. and was buried in the Ch. yard of Kings Norton before mention’d, to the School of which place (which he procured the Parishioners to build) he gave his study of books in his life time. Also to the Library of Birmingham School, which was erected before that of Kings Norton, he was a good benefactor, and gave several volumes that he had bought, and prevailed with many of his Brethren to do the like.