Thomas Vincent

Thomas Vincent (1634–1678) was an English Puritan minister and author. He was the second son of John Vincent and elder brother of Nathaniel Vincent (both also prominent ministers), and was born at Hertford in May 1634. After passing through Westminster School, and Felsted grammar school in Essex, he entered as a student at Christ Church, Oxford, in 1648, matriculated 27 February 1651, and graduated B.A. 16 March 1652, M.A. 1 June 1654, when he was chosen catechist. Leaving the university, he became chaplain to Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester. In 1656 he was incorporated at Cambridge. He was soon put into the sequestered rectory of St. Mary Magdalene, Milk Street, London, and held it till the Uniformity Act of 1662 ejected him.

He retired to Hoxton, where he preached privately, and at the same time assisted Thomas Doolittle in his school at Bunhill Fields. During 1665, the year of the Great Plague of London, he preached constantly in parish churches.

And if Monday night was dreadful, Tuesday night was more dreadful, when far the greatest part of the city was consumed: many thousands who on Saturday had houses convenient in the city, both for themselves, and to entertain others, now have not where to lay their head; and the fields are the only receptacle which they can find for themselves and their goods; most of the late inhabitants of London lie all night in the open air, with no other canopy over them but that of the heavens: the fire is still making towards them, and threateneth the suburbs; it was amazing to see how it had spread itself several times in compass; and, amongst other things that night, the sight of Guildhall was a fearful spectacle, which stood the whole body of it together in view, for several hours together, after the fire had taken it, without flames, (I suppose because the timber was such solid oak,) in a bright shining coal as if it had been a palace of gold, or a great building of burnished brass.

His account of the plague in God’s Terrible Voice in the City by Plague and Fire, 1667, is graphic; seven in his own household died. Subsequently he gathered a large congregation at Hoxton, apparently in a wooden meeting-house, of which for a time he was dispossessed.

He was among the signers of the 1673 Puritan Preface to the Scots Metrical Psalter. He did not escape imprisonment for his nonconformity. He died on 15 October 1678, and was buried in the churchyard of St. Giles-without-Cripplegate. His funeral sermon was preached by Samuel Slater. [from Wikipedia]

The Works of Thomas Vincent:

Christ’s Manifestation of Himself to Them That Love Him.
{epub mobi doc web via GraceGems}
John 14:21. An appendix to “The True Christian’s Love to the Unseen Christ.” Nicely formatted.

Christ’s Sudden and Certain Appearances to Judgment. (372 pages)
{pdf epub mobi txt web via Internet Archive}
Revelation 22:20.

Fire and Brimstone.
{epub mobi doc web via GraceGems}
Psalm 11:6. The epub & mobi files are nicely formatted.

God’s Terrible Voice in the City. (255 pages)
{pdf epub mobi txt web via Internet Archive}
Psalm 65:5. A Christian response to the Great Plague (1665) and Fire (1666) of London.

The Good Work Begun.
Can you help me find this?

The Only Deliverer from the Wrath to Come.
{epub mobi doc web via GraceGems}
A sermon on 1 Thessalonians 1:10. Nicely formatted.

The Shorter Catechism Explained from Scripture. (317 pages)
{pdf epub mobi txt web via Internet Archive}

The True Christian’s Love to the Unseen Christ. (140 pages)
{epub mobi doc web via GraceGems}
1 Peter 1:8. This work is appended with “Christ’s Manifestation of Himself to Them That Love Him.” The epub & mobi files are nicely formatted.
Also available as a Digital Puritan Press reprint.

Wherein Doth Appear the Blessedness of Forgiveness? And How It May Be Obtained. (33 pages)
[pdf via Google Books]
A sermon on Psalm 32:1, from the Morning Exercises at Cripplegate.