Ridgley, Thomas, Dd

Ridgley, Thomas, D.D., an eminent English Independent minister, was born in London about 1667, and educated at an academy in Wiltshire. Entering the ministry, he was in 1695 chosen assistant to Mr. Thomas Gouge, near the Three Cranes, London, and about four years afterwards became his successor. In 1712 he, with Mr. John Eames, began to conduct an Independent academy in London as divinity tutor. He died March 27, 1734. His principal work is, A Body of Divinity, an exposition of the Assembly's Larger Catechism (1731-33, 2 vols. fol.; new edition, with notes, by John M. Wilson, Edinb. 1844, 2 vols. 8vo; Lond. 1845, 2 vols. 8vo; N.Y. 1855, 2 vols. 8vo). He also published Sermons, etc. (Lond. 1701-25). See Chalmers, Biog. Dict.; Allibone, Dict. of Brit. and Amer. Authors, s.v.