Lucas, Richard

Lucas, Richard an English clergyman and moralist, was born in 1648 in Radnorshire, Wales, entered Jesus College, Oxford, in 1664, and, after taking his degree, was for some time engaged in teaching. He finally entered the ministry, and became vicar of St. Stephen's, Coleman Street, London, in 1683. In 1696 he became prebend of Westminster. Blindness afflicted him in his later years. He died in June, 1715, at London. He published a number of occasional sermons (1683-1704; 3d edit. 1710, 2 volumes; 1712-16-17, 3 volumes; and 2d ed. 1722, 3 volumes). Among his devotional treatises the following are highly recommended by such critics as Knox, dean Stanhope, bishop Jebb, Sir Richard Steele, and Dr. Doddridge: Inquiry after Happiness (1685, 2 volumes): — Practical Christianity, or an Account of the Holiness which the Gospel enjoins, with the Motives to it, etc. (5th edit. 1700; last edit. 1838). See Wood, Athen. Oxon.; Allibone, Dict. of Authors, s.v.