صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

Hot too long in a Matter of fuch great Impor tance; and gave particular Reasons for it. I alfo affured them,that the main of that Anfwer would not be what they fo much, and often, and earneftly fear'd and caution'd againft, the producing my Original Teftimonies in way of Juftification of my Opinions, but would principally turn on thofe very Two Heads Mr. Vicechancellor propos'd as proper for it; viz. the fhewing that my Doctrines were either not truly and compleatly represented, or were not fo contrary to the Do&trine of the Church of England as the Vicechancellor and fome others imagin'd. I was Anfwer'd, that this Confiftory-Court ufed not to allow fo long Time as thofe at Westminster; and they were by no means willing to allow any confiderable Time. However, the Master of Jefus was for a competent Time, that I might fend for my Papers from London. And fomebody hinted as if a Week was more ufually the Time afforded in this Confiftory. The Mafter of Peterhouse, tho' he did not own the Neceffity of a very long Time, yet confefs'd that I muft have Time allow'd me for my Anfwer. Accordingly I fully expected fuch Allowance. And when the Mafter of Peterhouse left them, it feems a Week's Time was intended for that Answer. But all this notwithstanding, when I was finally call'd in, that Mafter being gone, I heard not a Syllable more about it; but was immediately order'd to appear again on Wednesday, to receive the main Charge; (of which prefently;) and for other farther Proceedings. And when I once spake of going to London for Advice or Affiftance, the Mafter of Emanuel faid, it was fit I fhould. go live elsewhere, and remove from Cambridge, fince I had there perverted fome already. The Mafters of Sidney and Pembroke not only feem'd to

'T

(k)

grudge

grudge the leaft Delay for my Answer,but would 'needs tell me what an Answer I was to make. I reply'd, that I fhould not ask their Advice for the making that Answer, but ufe my own Judgment. Nay, when the Mafter of Jefus plainly own'd the Reafonablefs of fome confiderable Time for my Anfwer, the Mafter of Pembroke feem'd very angry at him for it. Yet when I orice, with fome Vehemence faid, "There has "fomewhat been alledg'd here, which I am fur"priz'd to find fo many Clergymen to fay, meaning their Affertion, That the Three Perfons collectively taken, were the One God of the Chriftian Religion, and not God the Father, contrary to all manner of Sacred Doctrine and Language; no Notice was taken of it at all. But to go on with the main Narrative. Upon a Second Summons, I appear'd again on Wednesday, Octob. 25. But now in a lower Parlour of the fame Lodge, none being present but my Judges, as before. Dr. Covel and Dr. Richardfon being now abfent; and Dr. Gower, Master of St. John's, the Lady Margaret's Profeffor, present in their Room. When I appear'd, expecting the allowance of Time, not only for my main Answer, but for the clearing the Exceptions I had to make to their Evidence and Proceedings; inftead thereof,I had only the fore-mentioned Paper of the main Charge given me, and a folemn Admonition therewith to leave my Errors, and return to the Doctrine of the Church of England, or elfe on Monday they would proceed to execute the Statute upon me. Only I was allowed to read and deliver in what I had prepared as an Answer for far; or as my Complaints of, and Exceptions against their Proceedings. These two Papers, the first deliver❜d to me, and the fecond by me, here follow, Verbatim.

Pefitions

Pofitions published and spread about in the Uni verfity of Cambridge by Mr. Will. Whifton, contra Religionem, &c. Stat. Acad. 45.

(1.) That the Father alone is the One God of the Chriftian Religion, in oppofition to the Three Divine Perfons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, being the One God of the Chriftian Religion.

Vid. Poftfcript thro out. Vid. Sermons and

Effays, &c. p. 213. l. 19. 6, 7. 1. 9, 10, 11. 26 to to 23. p. 215. 1. 3, 4, 5, 30. Mr. Thackham's Depof. Mr. Hughs's Depof. Mr. Townsend, Mr. Macro, and Mr. Amyas Depofiti ons. Vid. Serm. and

This Pofition is contrary to the 1st, 2d, and 5th, of the 29 Arti-Effays, p. 276. 1. 21. tq : cles, and to the Nicene and Atha- p. 278. i. 6. nafian Creeds.

(2.) That the Creed, commonly call'd the Creed of St. Athanafius, is a grofs and Anti-r christian Innovation and Corruption of the Primitive Purity and Simplicity of the Chriftian Faith among us.

This Pofition is contrary to the Rubrick before the faid Creed, and the 8th Article.

(1.)p.296.

(3.) That the Canon of the Scripture, Vid. Serm. the Rule and Guide of a Chriftian's Faith and & Effays, c. Note Practice, is that contain'd in the laft of the Ecclefiaftical Canons, ordinarily ftil'd Apoftolical: Which all along appears to have been the Standard of the Primitive Church in this matter. I mean as including all the Books we now own for Canonical, and alfo the two Epiftles of St. Clement, and the Conftitutions of the Apostles by St. Clement: To which the Paftor of Hermas is to be added; as well as we have already added the Apocalypfe of St. John.

[blocks in formation]

Propofals,

&c. firft

(4.)

That the Doctrine of the Apostles apSide, Vol. pears to be a Sacred Book of the New TeftaIII. 1. 10. ment, long loft to the Chriftian Church.

Thefe Two Pofitions are contrary to the Sixth of the 39 Articles.

Propofals, Mr. Whiston undertakes to prove clearly, that firft Side, the Apoftolical Conftitutions are the moft SaVollred part of the Canonical Scriptures of the New Teftament.

Vid. Poft

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Mr. Whifton afferts, that the Doxology, curfcript, Prent in all thefe latter Ages, Glory be to the Fa47.1. ult. ther, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghoft, was not Vid.Thack the true Chriftian Doxology.

bam his Depofiti

This Pofition is against the Doxology receiv'd ons and establish'd in the publick Liturgy.

3

Dated Octob. 25. 1710.

This Paper was deliver'd to Mr. Whifton the Day and Year above-written by Mr. Vicechancellor's Order.

Witnefs my Hand,

Robert Grove.

My Answer: Or Complaints of, and Exceptions to thefe Proceedings; deliver'd in the fame Day.

[merged small][ocr errors]

HE Accufation which now lies against me in this Place, gives me but too much occafion both for Surprize and Complaint. For truly, I cannot but be furpriz'd, that after all my Care and Concern, to demean my felf honeftly and inoffenfively both before God and Men, and to discharge my feveral Duties as a Man, a Chriffian, a Clergyman, and a Profeffor of the Mathematicks

thematicks in this Univerfity; after an uncoma mon Search after, and Zeal for the pure, origi nal, uncorrupt Doctrines and Duties of Chriftianity, as they appear in the Sacred Books of the Old and New Teftament, and in all the moft Ancient and Primitive Fathers; and vet, as far as poffible, with a conftant and regular Compli ance with the Rules and Orders of the Church of England; after my earnest Endeavours to re cover and retrieve feveral of the Original Sa cred Books of our Religion, long loft, or de fpis'd, or neglected in thefe latter Ages, at leaft in these Western Parts of Christendom; and after fuch great Succefs in thofe and my other Enqui ries, that of all the many Learned Perfons who have perus'd my Papers, not any one of them has undertaken to write an Anfwer to them: After all this, I fay, I cannot but be furpriz'd, that without fending for any of thofe Papers, or at all examining them; and without allowing me any publick Conference or Difputation about the Notions contained in them; while every one else is permitted, if not encouraged to preach and difpute againft me upon all occafions, I am forced to ftand here as an Offender, and a Criminal on Account of them. Nicode mus, tho' fo timerous as to come to Jefus by Night only, yet ventured to say in the midst of the Rulers of the fews, Doth our Law judge any Joh. VII. Man before it bear him, and know what he doth? 50, 51. And certainly, 'tis not confiftent with, common Juftice, with the Nature of the Chriftian Doctrine, nor with the Honour of this Learned Body, to cenfure or condemn either me or my Opinions, till upon a mature and folemn Examination vit plainly appears, that thofe Opinions are not only falfe but groundlefs; and by Confequence, that I am grofly mi

(K 3

ftaken

« السابقةمتابعة »