Afterwards Bennet became corrector of the
University Press. Dr. Fell, the dean of Christ Church, nominated Bennet, 29 Dec. 1669, as candidate for the vacant post of architypographer, with which was then joined the superior beadleship of civil law (Wood, Ath. Ox. iii. 883). Bennet, thinking the appointment secure, did not go round to the masters, cap in hand, which was the usual manner of applying for their votes (Wood,
ibid.), and one Norton Bold obtained the post. A second attempt on the part of Fell to secure for Bennet the architypographership in October 1671 met with the same ill success. In 1673 Bennet published a grammar in 8vo, entitled 'Many Useful Observations by way of Comment out of Antient and Learned Grammarians on Lilly's Grammar,' Oxford. This work, from its birthplace, became known as the Oxford Grammar, and sometimes, from Fell's patronage, as Dr. Fell's Grammar; and Bennet was styled the Oxford Grammarian. He took orders after his second rebuff, and obtained the livings of Steventon by Abingdon, and Hungerford. At this last
place he died in August 1681, and there he
was buried.
What Bennet did for (Latin) grammar was to make 'more easie and more compleat . . . the rules of Lilie's "Propria quæ maribus" and "As in praesenti"' (Twells's Grammatica Reformata, preface, xxvi); and Twells, who was a schoolmaster at Newark-upon-Trent, publishing his book in 1683 (unaware apparently of Bennet's death two years before), alluded to him as the Oxford Grammarian, and hoped he would 'speedily apply both his head and hand to 'remedy' the grand inconveniences of the "Quæ genus" and Syntax.'
[Wood's Ath. Ox. vol. iii. col. 883; Wood's Fasti (Bliss), vol. iv. cols. 289, 307; Welch's Alumni Westmonasterienses, p. 154; John Twells's Grammatica Reformata, 1683, preface 26.]
BENNET, THOMAS, D.D. (1673–1728),
divine, was born at Salisbury on 7 May 1678. He was educated at the free school there, and was distinguished as a boy for his rapid acquisition of all kinds of knowledge. He proceeded to Cambridge, and was entered of St. John's College in 1688, before he was fifteen. He took the usual degrees of B.A. and M.A.—the latter in 1694 when he was twenty-one. He was chosen fellow of his college. In 1695 a copy of Hebrew verses by him on the death of Queen Mary was printed in the university collection. His first noticeable
publication was 'An Answer to the Dissenters Plea for Separation, or an Abridgment of the London Cases' (1699, 5th edition 1711). In 1700, by a lucky accident, arriving at Colchester on the death of a clergyman there (John Bayne), he was unexpectedly called on to preach the funeral sermon, and acquitted himself so much to the satisfaction of the people that he was appointed to succeed him. He was instituted 15 Jan. 1700-1. In 1701 appeared 'A Confutation of Popery' in three parts. In 1702 he followed up his former 'Answer
to the Dissenters Plea for Separation' by
'A Discourse of Schism, shewing, 1. What
is meant by Schism. 2. That Schism is
a damnable Sin. 3. That there is a Schism
between the Established Church and the
Dissenters. 4. That this Schism is to be
charged on the Dissenters' Side. 5. The
modern Pretences of Toleration, Agreement
in Fundamentals, &c., will not excuse the
Dissenters from being guilty of Schism.
Written by way of Letter to three Dissenting Ministers in Essex. ... To which is annexed an Answer to a Book entitled "Thomas against Bennet, or the Protestant Dissenters vindicated from the charge of Schism."' Shepherd of Braintree answered this work, and Bennet replied in 'A Defence of the Discourse of Schism ; in answer to the objections which Mr. Shepherd has made in his Three Sermons of Separation,' and again in 'An Answer to Mr. Shepherd's Conspirations on the Defence of the Discourse of Schism' (both 1703). But Bennet found an unlooked-for and most
masterly antagonist in a fellow clergyman in 'A Justification of the Dissenters against Mr. Bennet's charge of damnable Schism, &c. . . . By a Divine of the Church of England by Law established,' 1705. Bennet's next book is 'Devotions, viz. Confes-sions, Petitions, Intercessions, and Thanksgivings, for every day in the week, and also before, at, and after the Sacrament, with Occasional Prayers for all Persons whatsoever.'
In 1705 Bennet also published 'A Confutation of Quakerism, or a plain Proof of the Falsehood of what the principal Quakers (especially Mr. R. Barclay in his 'Apology' and other works) do teach concerning the Necessity of immediate Revelation in order to a saving Christian Faith, &c.' B. Lindley answered this in 1710, and had an easy victory ; for shrewd and learned as was the 'Confutation,' it betrayed ignorance of the opinions of the quakers, as of evangelical nonconformists.
In 1708, stung apparently by passing gibes at his own printed prayers, he published : 'A brief History of joint Use of precomposed set Forms of Prayer,' and 'A Discourse of Joint Prayer,' and later in the same year 'A
