# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Rogers, Thomas (d.1616)

​ROGERS, THOMAS (d. 1616), protestant divine, was a student of Christ Church, Oxford, in 1571, and graduated B.A. 7 July 1573, and M.A. 6 July 1576 (Clark, Oxford Reg.) He was subsequently (11 Dec. 1581) rector of Horningsheath or Horringer, Suffolk. Browne's statement (Congregationalism in Surrey, p. 50) that he suffered suspension along with Dr. Bound in 1583 seems to be due to a confusion with Richard Rogers (1550–1618?) [q. v.] Rogers was the great opponent of Bound in the sabbatarian controversy (Cox, Literature of the Sabbath Question, i. 146, 149, 212; Fuller, Church History, v. 81, 215; Strype, Grindal, p. 453). His numerous religious publications were held in high esteem among adherents of his own views in his own and later times. Rogers became chaplain to Bancroft, and aided him in his literary work. He died at Horningsheath in 1616. He was buried in the chancel of his church there, 22 Feb. 1615–6.
Rogers's chief works were two volumes on the English creed, respectively entitled ‘The English Creed, wherein is contained in Tables an Exposition on the Articles which every Man is to Subscribe unto,’ London, 1579 and 1585, and ‘The English Creede, consenting with the True, Auncient, Catholique and Apostolique Church,’ London, pt. i. 1585, fol., pt. ii. 1587, fol., and 1607, 4to. This latter subsequently appeared in another form as an exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles, entitled ‘The Faith, Doctrine, and Religion professed and protected in the Realm of England and Dominions of the same, expressed in Thirty-nine Articles,’ Cambridge, 1607 4to; London, 1621 4to, 1629 4to, 1633 4to, 1658 4to, 1661 4to; Cambridge, 1691 4to; abstracts are dated 1658 4to, 1776 8vo. This book, which was praised by Toplady, Bickersteth, and other evangelical divines, was reprinted in 1854 by the Parker Society (cf. Wood, Athenæ Oxon. ii. 163). Almost equally popular were Rogers's translation of ‘The Imitation of Christ’ (London, 1580, 12mo; often reprinted till 1639) and his ‘Of the Ende of this World and the Second ​Coming of Christ,’ &c. [translated from the Latin of S. a Geveren [London, 1577], 4to, 1578 4to, 1589 4to.
Other original publications by him were: 1. ‘A Philosophical Discourse, entituled the Anatomie of the Minde,’ black letter, London, 1576, 8vo. 2. ‘General Session, containing an Apology of the Comfortable Doctrine concerning the End of the World and the Second Coming of Christ,’ London, 1581, 4to. 3. ‘A Golden Chaine taken out of the Rich Treasure House, the Psalms of King David …’ 1587, 8vo, with ‘The Pearls of King Solomon gathered into Common Places—taken from the Proverbs of the said King.’ 4. ‘Historical Dialogue touching Antichrist and Popery,’ London, 1589, 8vo. 5. ‘A Sermon upon the 6, 7 and 8 Verses of the 12 Chapter of St. Pauls Epistle unto the Romanes [in answer to a sermon by T. Cartwright on the same Text],’ London, 13 April 1590, 4to. 6. ‘Miles Christianus, or a Just Apologie of all necessarie … writers, speciallie of them which … in a … Deffamatorie Epistle [by M. Mosse] are unjustly depraved,’ 1590, 4to. 7. ‘Two Dialogues or Conferences (about an old question lately renued …) concerning kneeling in the very act of receiving the Sacramental bread and wine in the Supper of the Lord,’ London, 1608, 4to.
Rogers's numerous translations included ‘A General Discourse against the damnable Sect of Usurers, &c. [from the Latin of Cæsar Philippus],’ 1578, 4to; ‘The Enemie of Securitie … [from the Latin of J. Habermann],’ 1580 12mo, 1591 12mo; ‘The Faith of the Church Militant … described in this Exposition of the 84 Psalme by … N. Hemmingius …’ 1581, 8vo; ‘St. Augustine's Praiers,’ London, 1581, with ‘St. Augustine's Manual;’ ‘A pretious Book of Heavenlie Meditations by St. Augustine,’ London, 1600 12mo, 1612 12mo, 1616 12mo, 1629 12mo, dedicated to Thomas Wilson, D.C.L.; ‘Of the Foolishness of Men in putting off the Amendement of their Lives from Daie to Daie [from the Latin of J. Rivius]’ (1582?), 8vo; ‘A Methode unto Mortification: called heretofore the Contempt of the World and the vanitie thereof. Written at the first in the Spanish [by D. de Estella], afterwards translated into the Italian, English, and Latine Tongues,’ London, 1608, 12mo; ‘Soliloquium Animæ … [by Thomas à Kempis],’ 1616 12mo, 1628 12mo, 1640 12mo.
Hazlitt also identifies him with the Thomas Rogers, author of ‘Celestiall Elegies of the Goddesses and the Muses, deploring the death of Frances, Countesse of Hertford,’ London, 1598; reprinted in the Roxburghe Club's ‘Lamport Garland,’ 1887. In Harleian MS. 3365 is ‘The Ambassador's Idea,’ a work finished by T. Rogers on 13 July 1638, and dedicated to Jerome, earl of Portland. It does not appear to have been printed.
W. A. S.