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tation, or so dangerous, but when it was under the greatest Odium, and expofed Men to terrible Penalties. Accordingly, I look upon his Loffes and Sufferings in Ireland as next to Martyrdom; for which he was well prepared; and I efteem him as the firft and principal Confeffor with us, for those Articles of primitive Chriftianity; nor are what Dr. Clarke, or Mr. Jackfon, or myself, or Mr. Tomkins, or Mr. Gibbs, &c. have loft on the like Account, to be compared to them. Had I been in London, I fhould very readily have afforded him all the Affiftance I was able; tho' perhaps that Fever which carried him off might not thoroughly permit him to join in fuch Devotions, as otherwife he was highly difpofed for, and defirous of in the laft Period of his Holy Life. However, 'tis now feveral Years, that he has waited 'till the Day of his appointed Time, when his great Change should come; and after fuch an incurable Infirmity as he has long had, you should no way be furprized at his Death, fince at 78 he is come to his full Age, like as a Shock of Corn cometh in his Seafon. fince his habitual Preparation and uncommon Degree of Piety was all along so remarkable, there is no Doubt but he is now where all good Men defire to be, in that Land of the Pious, in Paradife, in the Bofom of Abraham, whence all Sorrow, Grief, and Lamentation, are banished: to be at last among thofe Souls of the Righteous which are in the Hand of God, where no Torment can touch them. Nor ought we to forrow for any good Christian, as others which have no Hope in their Death; much lefs for fo eminent and religious a Christian as your Father was, nor indeed did

the

the ancient religious Patriarchs feem to have been fo unwilling to die, as good Chriftians are in our later Ages. And as for the Martyrs, they were carried to their Graves, when they were permitted to have any, with Hymns of Praise for their having escaped the Miseries of this finful World; and the Day of their Martyrdoms was called the Day of their Nativity, and celebrated yearly with great Joy, &c.

Your affectionate Friend and Servant,

WILL. WHISTON.

In the Year 1742, I publifhed III. Tracts, con

taining

I. A Letter to the then Archbishop of Canterbury; with two Accounts of the laying afide unfcriptural Articles at Geneva, 1706. And the King of Pruffia's Letter to the Clergy at Geneva, in Commendation of thofe Proceedings.

II. An Abftract of the Minutes of our Society, for promoting primitive Christianity.

III. An Account of Mr. Baratier's Enquiries into the Chronology, the Doctrines, and Difcipline of the primitive Church. 8vo. Price Is. 6d.

N. B. What is now at the End of Page 53, of thefe Tracts, in all 54 and 55, and almost all the 56th, is fo much better stated in my Sacred Hiftory of the New Testament, Page 87, 88. 597. 608. 597.608.

that

*

that I defire thofe Pages may be quite omitted in future Editions.

About the Year 1744, Dr. Webster published and sent me a small Paper, for the Payment of Tythes to the Clergy; and that as of fuch indefeafi- ' ble Right, that the Meffiah himself could hardly alter it; and at the End, hinted that this his Writing was, in a Manner, put upon him by Inspiration. Whereas the Fact is plain, and proved in my Account of Tythes before mentioned; that those Tythes were indeed to be paid originally into the Bishop's Hands, but not to fupport either himself or his Prefbyters or Deacons, but to be diftributed to the Widows, the Orphans, the Poor, and Strangers in Diftrefs; and befides to the Orders inferior to Deacons, who moft probably, were of the poorer Sort alfo ; while the firft Fruits and voluntary Oblations were allotted to the Maintenance of the fuperior Clergy, Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. See the forementioned Paper, Page 77, 78. But when Dr. Webfter intimates a divine Impulse for a Clergyman to write in Vindication of Tythes to be paid Clergymen, contrary to the original Law of Chriftianity; Credas Judus Apella, non ego. Chrift has indeed ordained that those that preach the Gospel fhould live of the Gofpel; which gives the Clergy a Right to a Maintenance: But that the Maintenance fhould be by Application of the Tythes thereto, is no where ordained: However, Clergymen should always get Laymen to write for . their Maintenance, but never fhould do it themfelves.

In the Year 1744, I published a fingle Sheet about our Saviour's Refurrection, from Beza's double Copy of the IV Gofpels, and Acts of the Apoftles; with fome Obfervations, fhewing that almost all the Difficulties which have long puzzled the most learned Commentators in our vulgar Copies are here cleared, by this much more antient and much more authentick Copy, 8vo. price 3 d. It is added alfo a little corrected at the End of my Primitive New Teftament.

In the Year 1745-6, I publifhed Bishop Sherlock's most excellent Sermon, preached at Salisbury, October 6th, 1745. When he was in Dread of Popery and Perfecution; which makes Men much better Chriftians than Times of Profperity. Concerning whom I shall add a few Things. When his Lordship made a Speech for Bribery and Corrup tion, in the Houfe of Lords; for it was esteem'd no better at that Time; I took fuch a Prejudice against him, that I did not go to dine with him for a great while, as I used fometimes to do before. This I told Mr. Venn, who was acquainted with us both; and this was fo well understood by the Bishop, that he told Mr. Venn himself, that he believed fomewhat was the Matter between us: Mr. Venn knew what it was, but durft not tell it. At laft, when I was once at the Mafter of the Rolls, Sir Joseph Jekyl's, the Bishop came upon us on the fudden, and ask'd me, what the Matter was that I did not come as ufual to dine with him fometimes? I faid, No my Lord, never fince your political Speech in the Houfe of Lords. He reply'd,

that

that I knew he took my Reproofs patiently, and he was defirous I would come to him as formerly. I answered, No my Lord, political Bishops are the Ruin of all [Religion:] and fo I went away in fome Indignation. Moreover, I well remember, that when I had prefented to his Lordship the second Edition of my Efay on the Revelation of St. John, and he had found I had introduced a Brother Politician of his, the Author of the Codex, as one that was aiming at a new Kind of Perfecution, which I call the Codex Perfecution; he knew not how to bear my new Expofition. I acknowledged it to be a new one, but juftified what I had fo lately discovered; and I venture to affirm ftill, that I take that my late Difcovery and Expofition of those Matters to be both very true and very confiderable alfo. I alfo well remember, that I once enquired of his Lordship," How the Chuch of England could pretend to be fo pure and primitive, as she has long boasted herself to be, while fhe ftill retains the Book of Canticles in her Bible, and the Athanafian Creed in her "Common Prayer Book?" To which he made me no Answer. And I really believe no good Answer can poffibly be made to either of thofe Questions. I farther with, very heartily wish, that this Bishop Sherlack, who is fo well able to speak both in Parliament and Convocation, would be the first to propose the Exclufion of that Book and that Creed. If he would do it, I verily hope feveral good Men .would fecond him, and not one fober Man would oppose him, in either of those Places; and he might thereby begin that publick Reformation, without

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