Benson, George, Dd

Benson, George, D.D.

a learned and eminent English Dissenter, was born at Great Salkeld 1699; studied at Glasgow, and settled as pastor at Abingdon about 1721. In 1729 he went to London, and in 1740 was chosen pastor of the church in Crutched Friars, where he remained until his death in 1763. He was trained a Calvinist, but his views in later years were tinged with Arianism. He published The Design and End of Prayer (Lond. 1737, 8vo, 2d ed.): — Paraphrase and Notes on Paul's Epistles, after Locke's Manner (Lond. 1752-56, 2 vols. 4to, best ed.): — History of the first Planting of the Christian Religion (Lond. 1756, 2 vols. 4to, best ed.). After his death, his Life of Christ, with a memoir of the author by Amory, appeared (Lond. 1764, 4to). — Allibone, Dict. of Authors, 1, 166.