Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 32.djvu/213

Laurence 68 or 69, furnished in his opinion arguments against the unitarian falsification of passages in the New Testament. The second, 'The Book of Enoch the Prophet' (8vo, Oxford, 1821; other editions, 1832, 1838), was printed from the Ethiopic manuscript which James Bruce had brought from Abyssinia and presented to the Bodleian Library. The third was the Ethiopic version of the first book of 'Esdras' (8vo, Oxford, 1820).

Meanwhile Laurence was as zealously defending the church from the Calvinists as from the unitarians. 'The Doctrine of the Church of England upon the efficacy of Baptism vindicated from misrepresentation' appeared in 2 parts, 8vo, Oxford, 1816–18; other editions 1818 and 1838. While occupied by these investigations Laurence published 'Authentic Documents relative to the Predestinarian Controversy, which took place among those who were imprisoned for their adherence to the Doctrines of the Reformation by Queen Mary,' 8vo, Oxford, 1819.

Laurence's other writings include: 1. 'A Dissertation upon the Logos of St. John,' 8vo, Oxford, 1808. 2. 'Critical Reflections upon some important misrepresentations contained in the Unitarian version of the New Testament,' 8vo, Oxford, 1811. 3. 'Remarks upon the Systematical Classification of Manuscripts adopted by Griesbach in his edition of the New Testament,' 8vo, Oxford, 1814. 4. 'Remarks upon the Critical Principles ... adopted by Writers who have ... recommended a new Translation of the Bible,' 8vo, Oxford, 1820. 5. 'The Book of Job, in the words of the authorized version, arranged and printed in general conformity with the Masoretical text' (anon.), 8vo, Dublin, 1828. 6. 'Remarks on the Medical Effects of the Chlorides of Lime and Soda' (anonymously and privately printed), 8vo, Dublin, 1832. 7. 'On the Existence of the Soul after Death; a Dissertation opposed to the principles of Priestley, Law, and their respective followers. By R. C.,' 8vo, London, 1834. 8. 'Extracts from a Formulary for the Visitation of the Saxon Church, A.D. 1528,' 8vo, Oxford, 1838 (this is inserted in the last edition of the Bampton lectures; a few copies were struck off separately). 9. 'The Visitation of the Saxon Reformed Church, in 1527 and 1528, with an Introduction and some Remarks on Mr. Newman's "Lectures on Justification,"' 8vo, Dublin, 1839, a posthumous work, edited by Dean Cotton. 10. 'Poetical Remains,' 8vo, Dublin, 1872 (twenty-five copies privately printed), edited with those of French Laurence by Dean Cotton.

[Gent. Mag. new ser. xi. 205–7, xiv. 677; Cotton's Fasti Eccles. Hib. i. 98–103; Cotton's Memoir prefixed to Laurence's Poetical Remains (with photograph); Martin's Cat. of Privately Printed Books, pp. 314, 371.]  LAURENCE, ROGER (1670–1736), nonjuror, 'son of Roger Laurence, cittizen and armorer,' was born 18 March 1670, and admitted on the royal mathematical foundation of Christ's Hospital in April 1679, from the ward of St. Botolph, Bishopsgate, on the presentation of Sir John Laurence, merchant, of London. On 22 Nov. 1688 he was discharged and bound for seven years to a merchant vessel 'bound for the Streights' (Christ's Hospital Reg.). He was afterwards employed by the firm of Lethieullier, merchants, of London, and was sent by them to Spain, where he remained some years. He studied divinity, became dissatisfied with his baptism among dissenters (, Lay Baptism Invalid, 1709, p. 25), and was informally baptised in Christ Church, Newgate Street, on 31 March 1708, by John Bates, reader at the church. There is no entry of the baptism in the register of the church. Laurence's act attracted considerable attention, and was disapproved by the Bishop of London (, Wisdom of Looking Backward, p. 228). Laurence then published his 'Lay Baptism Invalid,' which gave rise to a controversy. It was discussed at a dinner of thirteen bishops at Lambeth Palace on 22 April 1712 (Life of Sharp, Archbishop of York, i. 370), and a declaration was drawn up in favour of the validity of baptisms performed by non-episcopally ordained ministers. This was offered to convocation on 14 May 1712, but rejected by the lower house after some debate (, Wisdom, p. 237).

Through the influence of Charles Wheatly, then fellow of St. John's College, an honorary degree of M.A. was conferred upon Laurence by the university of Oxford on 16 July 1713 (ib. pp. 284–5). He was ordained deacon on 30 Nov., and priest on 19 Dec. 1714, by the nonjuring bishop, George Hickes. In 1716–18 nonjuring ordinations took place 'in Mr. Lawrence's chapell on College Hill within the city of London' (Rawlinson MSS. in Bodleian Library, D. 835, ff. 2, 4 a, 4 b). He was consecrated a bishop by [q. v.] in 1733, but his consecration was not recognised by the rest of the nonjurors on account of its having been performed by a single bishop (, Apostolical Succession, App. K, p. 226). A new party was thus started, of which Campbell and Laurence were the leaders, Brett being at the head of the original body of nonjurors. Laurence died on 6 March 1736 at Kent House, Beckenham, the country residence of the Lethieulliers, 