Thomas Westfield

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Thomas Westfield (1573 – 25 June 1644) was an English churchman, Bishop of Bristol and member of the Westminster Assembly.

Life

He was born in the parish of St. Mary's, Ely, in 1573, and went to the free school there under Master Spight. He proceeded to Jesus College, Cambridge, where he was elected a scholar, and afterwards held a fellowship from 1599 to 1603. He graduated B.A. in 1593, M.A. in 1596, and B.D. in 1604.[1] He was incorporated B.D. at Oxford on 9 July 1611, proceeded D.D. at Cambridge in 1615, and was reincorporated D.D. at Oxford on 26 March 1644. On 5 August 1619 he was admitted a student at Gray's Inn.

After serving as curate at

archdeacon of St. Albans, and on 17 December 1633 was included in a royal commission to exercise ecclesiastical jurisdiction in England and Wales. In 1631 he became president of Sion College.[3]

On the outbreak of the

Adolphus van Meetkerke the president of Flanders, and sister of Edward Meetkerke
. By her he had a daughter Elizabeth.

An emotive preacher, he was known as "Mournful Jeremy"[3] and the "weeping prophet".

Works

He was the author of two collections of sermons:

  • Englands Face in Isrels Glasse, or the Sinnes, Mercies, Judgments of both Nations, eight sermons, London, 1646; London, 1655; reprinted, with three other sermons, under the title 'Eleven choice Sermons as they were delivered . . . by Thomas Westfield . . . Bishop of Bristol,' London, 1656.
  • The White Robe, or the Surplice vindicated, four sermons, 1660; new edit. 1669.

Notes

  1. ^ "Westfield, Thomas (WSTT589T)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  2. ^ "Rectors and their times: Sixteenth century (1544 onwards) - British History Online". British-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "Rectors and their times: Seventeenth century - British History Online". British-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 30 December 2018.

References

Church of England titles
Preceded by Bishop of Bristol
1642 to 1644
Succeeded by
Thomas Howell