Daniel Waterland
Daniel Waterland [1]
an eminent English theologian and controversialist, was born at Wasely, in Lincolnshire, Feb. 14, 1683. He was educated at the free-school of Lincoln, and Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he graduated about 1703, and became a fellow of the college in 1704. He continued to reside at the university, and after taking holy orders he acted as tutor for many years. He became master of his college in 1713, and during the same year was rector of Ellingham, in Norfolk. He was appointed one of the chaplains in ordinary to king George I in 1714; preached the Lady Mover Lectures at St. Paul's, London, in 1720; became rector of St. Austin's and St. Faith's, London, in 1721; chancellor of the Church of York in 1723; canon of Windsor in 1727; and vicar of Twickenham and archdeacon of Middlesex in 1730. He died in London, Dec. 23, 1740. Dr. Waterland was greatly distinguished as a Trinitarian controversialist, having been especially noted for his treatises on the Divinity of Christ in reply to the positions of Drs. Whitby and Samuel Clarke, in vindication of the authority of the Scriptures against the positions of Middleton and Tindal, and on the doctrines of the eucharist and baptismal regeneration. His most important works are the following: Vindication of Christ's Divinity (1719): — Second Vindication (1723): — Further Vindication (1724): — Eight Sermons in Defense of the Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ (1720), preached at the Moyer Lectures: Case of Arian Subscription Considered (1721): — Five Letters to William Staunton concerning the Trinity (1722): — Critical History of the Athanasian treed (1724): — Scripture Vindicated (1730-34): — Nature, Obligation, and Efficacy of the Christian Sacraments Considered (1730): — Importance of the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity Asserted (1734): — Review of the Doctrine of the Eucharist as Laid Down in the Scriptures and Antiquity (1737): — Regeneration Stated and Explained (1740): — Sermons on Several Important Subjects (1742), published after his death by Joseph Clarke. In 1823 appeared a complete edition of his works in eleven volumes, with a Review of the Author's Life and Writings; by William Van Mildert, D.D., lord bishop of Llandaff.