Benjamin Baily (1671–1720), was an English divine.

Life

Bayly matriculated at Oxford of St. Edmund's Hall on 20 March 1688, and graduated B.A. of Wadham College on 15 October 1692. He took the degree of M.A. on 30 October 1695. He was rector of St. James's, Bristol, from 1697 to his death, 25 April 1720. He was also for some time vicar of Olveston, Gloucestershire. He died in 1720.

According to Quote Investigator, Benjamin Bayly is the oldest known source of the aphorism "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence".[1]

Works

He was the author of an 'Essay on Inspiration,’ first published anonymously at London in 1707. A second edition appeared in 1708. The book is quoted by Watts, 'Bibliotheca Britann.,’ as 'Essay on Perspiration.' Two volumes of collected 'Sermons on various Subjects,’ many of which were issued repeatedly in the author's lifetime, were published after his death, London, 1721.

References

  1. ↑ "Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence – Quote Investigator®". quoteinvestigator.com. 5 December 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2023. Below are selected citations in chronological order. In 1708 Benjamin Bayly, Rector of St. James Church in Bristol, England published a book titled "An Essay on Inspiration". Bayly discussed contemporary people who claimed to have received revelations about topics such as the end of the world directly from God. Bayly expressed skepticism.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Bayly, Benjamin". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.


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