Matthew Poole 1624-1679




































































Matthew Poole (1624–1679) was an English Nonconformist theologian.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Poole

Evangelical Biography, Volume 3 1811 (See page 439 for entry on Matthew Poole) By Erasmus Middleton

Evangelical Biography, Volume 3 (1816) by Erasmus Middleton (page 439)

Lives of Eminent and Illustrious Englishmen, Volume 3 (1837) by George Godfrey Cunningham (see page 173 for entry on Matthew Poole)

Matthew Poole Biographical Sketch at MatthewPoole.net

The Matthew Poole Project
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Biographical Sketch at the Dictionary of National Biography, Volume 46 - page 99



Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 46 Poole, Matthew by Alexander Gordon [99] [100]

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sister projects: Wikipedia article.

POOLE or POLE, MATTHEW (1624–1679), biblical commentator, son of Francis Pole, was born at York in 1624. His father was descended from the Poles or Pools of Spinkhill, Derbyshire; his mother was a daughter of Alderman Toppins of York. He was admitted at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, on 2 July 1645, his tutor being John Worthington, D.D. Having graduated B.A. at the beginning of 1649, he succeeded Anthony Tuckney, D.D., in the sequestered rectory of St. Michael-le-Querne, then in the fifth classis of the London province, under the parliamentary presbyterianism. This was his only preferment. He proceeded M.A. in 1652. Two years later he published a small tract against John Biddle [q. v.] On 14 July 1657 he was one of eleven Cambridge graduates incorporated M.A. at Oxford on occasion of the visit of Richard Cromwell as chancellor.

In 1658 Poole published a scheme for a permanent fund out of which young men of promise were to be maintained during their university course, with a view to the ministry. The plan was approved by Worthington and Tuckney, and had the support also of John Arrowsmith, D.D. [q. v.], Ralph Cudworth [q. v.], William Dillingham, D.D. [q. v.], and Benjamin Whichcote. About 900l. was raised, and it appears that William Sherlock, afterwards dean of St. Paul's, received assistance from this fund during his studies at Peterhouse, Cambridge, till 1660, when he graduated B.A. The Restoration brought the scheme to an end.



 Matthew Poole

Poole was a jure divino presbyterian, and an authorised defender of the views on ordination of the London provincial assembly, as formulated by William Blackmore [q. v.] Subsequently to the Restoration, in a sermon (26 Aug. 1660) before the lord mayor (Sir Thomas Aleyn) at St. Paul's, he endeavoured to make a stand for simplicity of public worship, especially deprecating ‘curiosity of voice and musical sounds in churches.’ On the passing of the Uniformity Act (1662) he resigned his living, and was succeeded by R. Booker on 29 Aug. 1662. His ‘Vox Clamantis’ gives his view of the ecclesiastical situation. Though he occasionally preached and printed a few tracts, he made no attempt to gather a congregation. He had a patrimony of 100l. a year, on which he lived. He was one of those who presented to the king ‘a cautious and moderate thanksgiving’ for the indulgence of 15 March 1672, and hence were offered royal bounty. Burnet reports, on Stillingfleet's authority, that Poole received for two years a pension of 50l. Early in 1675 he entered with Baxter into a negotiation for comprehension, promoted by Tillotson, which came to nothing. According to Henry Sampson, M.D. [q. v.], Poole ‘first set on foot’ the provision for a nonconformist ministry and day-school at Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

On the suggestion of William Lloyd (1627–1717) [q. v.], ultimately bishop of Worcester, Poole undertook the great work of his life, the ‘Synopsis’ of the critical labours of biblical commentators. He began the compilation in 1666, and laboured at it for ten years. His plan was to rise at three or four in the morning, take a raw egg at eight or nine, and another at twelve, and continue at his studies till late in the afternoon. The evening he spent at some friend's house, very frequently that of Henry Ashurst [q. v.], where ‘he would be exceedingly but innocently merry,’ although he always ended the day in ‘grave and serious discourse,’ which he ushered in with the words, ‘Now let us call for a reckoning.’ The prospectus of Poole's work bore the names of eight bishops (headed by Morley and Hacket) and five continental scholars, besides other divines. Simon Patrick (1626–1707) [q. v.], Tillotson, and Stillingfleet, with four laymen, acted as trustees of the subscription money. A patent for the work was obtained on 14 Oct. 1667. The first volume was ready for the press, when difficulties were raised by Cornelius Bee, publisher of the ‘Critici Sacri’ (1660, fol., nine vols.), who accused Poole of invading his patent, both by citing authors reprinted in his collection, and by injuring his prospective sales. Poole had offered Bee a fourth share in the property of the ‘Synopsis,’ but this was declined. After pamphlets had been written and legal opinions taken, the matter was referred to Henry Pierrepont, marquis of Dorchester [q. v.], and Arthur Annesley, first earl of Anglesey [q. v.], who decided in Poole's favour. Bee's name appears (1669) among the publishers of the ‘Synopsis,’ which was to have been completed in three folio volumes, but ran to five. Four thousand copies were printed, and quickly disposed of. The merit of Poole's work depends partly on its wide range, as a compendium of contributions to textual interpretation, partly on the rare skill which condenses into brief, crisp notes the substance of much laboured comment. Rabbinical sources and Roman catholic commentators are not neglected; little is taken from Calvin, nothing from Luther. The ‘Synopsis’ being in Latin for scholars, Poole began a smaller series of annotations in English, and reached Isaiah lviii.; the work was completed by others (the correct list is given in Calamy).

In his depositions relative to the alleged ‘popish plot’ (September 1678), Titus Oates [q. v.] had represented Poole as marked for assassination, in consequence of his tract (1666) on the ‘Nullity of the Romish Faith.’ Poole gave no credit to this, till he got a scare on returning one evening from Ashurst's house in company with Josiah Chorley [q. v.] When they reached the ‘passage which goes from Clerkenwell to St. John's Court,’ two men stood at the entrance; one cried ‘Here he is,’ the other replied ‘Let him alone, for there is somebody with him.’ Poole made up his mind that, but for Chorley's presence, he would have been murdered. This, at any rate, is Chorley's story. He accordingly left England, and settled at Amsterdam. Here he died on 12 Oct., new style, 1679. A suspicion arose that he had been poisoned, but it rests on no better ground than the wild terror inspired by Oates's infamous fabrications. He was buried in a vault of the English presbyterian church at Amsterdam. His portrait was engraved by R. White. His wife, whose maiden name is not known, was buried on 11 Aug. 1668 at St. Andrew's, Holborn, Stillingfleet preaching the funeral sermon. He left a son, who died in 1697. The commentator spelled his name Poole, and in Latin Polus.

He published: 1. ‘The Blasphemer slain with the Sword of the Spirit; or a Plea for the Godhead of the Holy Spirit … against … Biddle,’ &c., 1654, 12mo. 2. ‘Quo Warranto; or an Enquiry into the … Preaching of … Unordained Persons,’ &c., 1658, 4to (this was probably written earlier, as it was drawn up by the appointment of the London provincial assembly, which appears to have held no meetings after 1655; Wood mentions an edition, 1659, 4to). 3. ‘A Model for the Maintaining of Students … at the University … in order to the Ministry,’ &c., 1658, 4to. 4. ‘A Letter from a London Minister to the Lord Fleetwood,’ 1659, 4to (dated 13 Dec.). 5. ‘Evangelical Worship is Spiritual Worship,’ &c., 1660, 4to; with title ‘A Reverse to Mr. Oliver's Sermon of Spiritual Worship,’ &c., 1698, 4to. 6. ‘Vox Clamantis in Deserto,’ &c., 1666, 8vo (in Latin). 7. ‘The Nullity of the Romish Faith,’ &c., Oxford, 1666, 8vo (Wood); Oxford, 1667, 12mo. 8. ‘A Dialogue between a Popish Priest and an English Protestant,’ &c., 1667, 8vo, often reprinted; recent editions are, 1840, 12mo (edited by Peter Hall [q. v.]); 1850, 12mo (edited by John Cumming [q. v.]). 9. ‘Synopsis Criticorum aliorumque Sacræ Scripturæ Interpretum,’ &c., vol. i., 1669, fol.; vol. ii., 1671, fol.; vol. iii., 1673, fol.; vol. iv., 1674, fol.; vol. v., 1676, fol.; 2nd edit., Frankfort, 1678, fol., 5 vols.; 3rd edit., Utrecht, 1684–6, fol., 5 vols. (edited by John Leusden); 4th edit., Frankfort, 1694, 4to, 5 vols. (with life); 5th edit., Frankfort, 1709–12, fol., 6 vols. (with comment on the Apocrypha). The ‘Synopsis’ was placed on the Roman Index by decree dated 21 April 1693. 10. ‘A Seasonable Apology for Religion,’ &c., 1673, 4to. Posthumous were 11. ‘His late Sayings a little before his Death,’ &c. [1679], broadsheet. 12. ‘Annotations upon the Holy Bible,’ &c., 1683–5, fol., 2 vols.; often reprinted; last edit. 1840, 8vo, 3 vols. Four of his sermons are in the ‘Morning Exercises,’ 1660–75, 4to. He had a hand in John Toldervy's ‘The Foot out of the Snare,’ 1656, 4to (a tract against quakers); he subscribed the epistle commendatory prefixed to Christopher Love's posthumous ‘Sinner's Legacy,’ 1657, 4to; he wrote a preface and memoir for the posthumous sermons (1677) of James Nalton [q. v.]; also elegiac verses in memory of Jacob Stock, Richard Vines, and Jeremy Whitaker.

[Calamy's Account, 1713, pp. 14 seq.; Calamy's Continuation, 1727, i. 15 seq.; Wood's Fasti (Bliss), ii. 205; Reliquiæ Baxterianæ, 1696, iii. 157; Burnet's Own Time, 1724, i. 308; Birch's Life of Tillotson, 1753, pp. 37 seq.; Granger's Biogr. Hist. of England, 1779, iii. 311; Peck's Desiderata Curiosa, 1779, ii. 546; Chalmers's General Biogr. Dict., 1816, xxv. 154 seq.; Glaire's Dictionnaire Universel des Sciences Ecclésiastiques, 1868, ii. 1816; extract from Sampson's Day-book, in Christian Reformer, 1862, p. 247; Foster's Alumni Oxon. 1891, iii. 1175.]

A. G.
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Morning Exercise: 1671

Sermon 6: How Ministers or Christian Friends may, and ought to apply themselves to Sick Persons, for their good, and the discharge of their own Conscience (Job 33:23, 24 (page 117)

Morning Exercises, Volume 2 (1844)
Sermon 21: How May Detraction Be Best Prevented or Cured? (Psalm 15:3) - Page 443

Synopsis Criticorum Aliorumque Sacrae Scripturae Interpretum Et Commentatorum, Summo Studio & fide adornata, a Matthaeo Polo , Londinensi.

Volume 1 - 1704
Volume 2 - 1694
Volume 2 - 1704
Volume 3 - 1694
Volume 4 - 1694
Volume 4 - 1706
Volume 5 - 1694


The Nullity of the Romish Faith, or A Blow at the Root of the Romish Church‎ 1667 - Poole, Matthew

Dialogue between a Popish priest and an English Protestant : wherein the principal points and arguements of both religions are truly proposed, and fully examined 1843 - Poole, Matthew, 1624-1679
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The following excerpt concerns Poole's "Annotations" on the Bible.














The above excerpt is from page 135 of Edmund Calamy's "The Nonconformists Memorial: Being An Account of the Ministers Who Were Ejected Or Silenced After the Restoration, etc." - 1775
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Poole’s “Annotations” — Annotations Upon the Holy Bible, Wherein the Sacred Text is Inserted, and Various Readings Annex'd … by the Late Reverend and Learned Divine Mr. Matthew Poole (London: Parkhurst, 1700): 

VOLUME 1 (Genesis-Isaiah);

     Mr. Poole (Genesis - Isaiah 58)
     Mr. Jackson of Moulsey (Isaiah 59-60)
     Dr. Collinges (Rest of Isaiah - chapters 61-66)

VOLUME 2 (Jeremiah-Revelation).

     Dr. Collinges (Jeremiah and Lamentations)
     Mr. Hurst (Ezekiel)
     Mr. Cooper (Daniel)
     Mr. Hurst (Minor Prophets)
     Dr. Collinges (The Four Evangelists)
     Mr. Vinke (Acts)
     Mr. Mayo (Romans)
     Dr. Collinges (1 & 2 Corinthians and Galatians)
     Mr. Veal (Ephesians)
     Mr. Adams (Philippians and Colossians)
     Mr. Barker (1 & 2 Thessalonians)
     Dr. Collinges (Timothy, Titus, and Philemon)
     Mr. Ob. Hughes (Hebrews)
     Mr. Veal (James, Peter, Jude)
     Mr. Howe (Three Epistles of John)
     Dr. Collinges (Revelation) 


MATTHEW POOLE'S COMMENTARY ON THE HOLY BIBLE (3 VOLUMES)

Matthew Poole was one of the most influential Puritan ministers and thinkers of the seventeenth century. A Protestant clergyman in England during a time of religious persecution, he fled the country due to threats of assassination. Poole was known as a devoted Christian, full of integrity and perseverance, in addition to being a great theologian and writer. His commentary series has been a standard for over four hundred years and continues to be a trusted resource for pastors and laity. Poole’s exposition offers insight on the entire Bible, going verse-by-verse. He includes a brief introduction and summary for each chapter of the Bible, as well as each book. Poole’s commentary is characterized by questions and answers, cultural context, historical impact, and cross-references. He provides practical and readable information, highly applicable for pastors and those seeking more context and information for Scripture. http://www.logos.com/products/prepub/details/6222

Poole's Commentary at Monergism web site



Annotations Upon the Holy Bible; Wherein the Sacred Text is Inserted, and Various Readings Annexed, Together with the Parallel Scriptures; the More Difficult Terms in Each Verse are Explained, Seeming Contradictions Reconciled, Questions and Doubts Resolved, and the Whole Text Opened, Volume 1 - 1853 - By Matthew Poole, 1624-1679
Preface
Preface to the Reader
Genesis 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
Exodus 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
Leviticus 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
Numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
Deuteronomy 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34
Joshua 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Judges 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Ruth 1 2 3 4
1 Samuel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
2 Samuel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
1 Kings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
2 Kings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
1 Chronicles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
2 Chronicles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
Ezra 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Nehemiah 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Esther 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Job 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42

Annotations upon the Holy Bible/ Wherein the Sacred Text is Inserted, and Various Readings Annexed, Together with the Parallel Scriptures; the More Difficult Terms in Each Verse are Explained, Seeming Contradictions Reconciled, Questions and Doubts Resolved, and the Whole Text Opened, Volume 2 - 1853 - By Matthew Poole
Psalms 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150
Proverbs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Ecclesiastes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Song of Solomon 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Isaiah 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66
Jeremiah 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52
Lamentations 1 2 3 4 5
Ezekiel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48
Daniel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Hosea 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Joel 1 2 3
Amos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Obadiah
Jonah 1 2 3 4
Micah 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Nahum 1 2 3
Habakkuk 1 2 3
Zephaniah 1 2 3
Haggai 1 2
Zechariah 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Malachi 1 2 3 4

Annotations upon the Holy Bible wherein the Sacred Text is inserted and Various Readings Annex'd; together with the Parallel Scriptures, Volume 3 - 1852 - Matthew Poole, 1624-1679
Matthew 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Mark 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Luke 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
John 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Acts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Romans 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
1 Corinthians 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
2 Corinthians 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Galatians 1 2 3 4 5 6
Ephesians 1 2 3 4 5 6
Philippians 1 2 3 4
Colossians 1 2 3 4
1 Thessalonians 1 2 3 4 5
2 Thessalonians 1 2 3
1 Timothy 1 2 3 4 5 6
2 Timothy 1 2 3 4
Titus 1 2 3
Philemon
Hebrews 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
James 1 2 3 4 5
1 Peter 1 2 3 4 5
2 Peter 1 2 3
1 John 1 2 3 4 5
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22


Online Version at Bible Hub - Select Matthew Poole from the commentary options.


CONTEMPORARY VERSION


WORKS OF MATTHEW POOLE - ANNOTATIONS UPON THE HOLY BIBLE 


FOURTH EDITION - 1700


Annotations Upon the Holy Bible.  Wherein the Sacred Test is Inserted, and Various Readings Annex'd, Together with the Parallel Scriptures.  The more Difficult Terms in each Verse Explained.  Seeming Contradictions Reconciled.  Questions and Doubts Revolved.  And the Whole Text Opened, Volume 1 (Genesis - Isaiah) - By the Late Reverend and learned Divine Mr. Matthew Poole. - The Fourth Edition.  Corrected and amended.  With Large Contents to each Chapter. - 1700


Annotations Upon the Holy Bible.  Wherein the Sacred Test is Inserted, and Various Readings Annex'd, Together with the Parallel Scriptures.  The more Difficult Terms in each Verse Explained.  Seeming Contradictions Reconciled.  Questions and Doubts Revolved.  And the Whole Text Opened, Volume 2 (Jeremiah - Revelation) - By the Late Reverend and learned Divine Mr. Matthew Poole. - The Fourth Edition.  Corrected and amended.  With Large Contents to each Chapter. - 1700


THIRD EDITION - 1696


Annotations Upon the Holy Bible.  Wherein the Sacred Test is Inserted, and Various Readings Annex'd, Together with the Parallel Scriptures.  The more Difficult Terms in each Verse Explained.  Seeming Contradictions Reconciled.  Questions and Doubts Revolved.  And the Whole Text Opened, Volume 1 (Genesis 1 - Jeremiah 5) - By the Late Reverend and learned Divine Mr. Matthew Poole. - The Third Edition. With the Addition of a New Concordance and Tables by Mr. Sam Clark.  The whole Corrected and Amended by the said Mr. Sam Clark, and Mr. Edward Veale.  With Large Contents to each Chapter - 1696