And by the way, this fmall Tendency towards Examination in the Lower Houfe, with one more Open Propofal of the fame Examination by a Right Reverend Prelate in the Upper, were all the direct Attempts of that nature; fo far as I have heard, which appear'd during the whole Convocation. A few Days after, while I partly expected a Meffage from the Lower Houfe; that I might not be furpriz'd, I drew up an Answer thereto, in case it should have prov'd as I then expected. Which Answer, tho' never fent, because I had no fuch Meffage, fhall be here inferted; that the Reader may fully know my Thoughts on that Occafion. Union-Court, near Ely-House, Mr. PROLOCUTOR, Sincar he take Notice of me and my Defigns Ince the Convocation has been pleased fo to as to defire my Papers, and to appoint a Committee to Examine them; I take this Opportunity of particularly Addreffing my felf to them, and of Laying before them, with all due Humility and Submiffion, what it is that I hope for, and infift upon in this Matter. And I do it the more readily, not only because the Great and Important Concerns of True Religion, of the Faith and Practice of Chriftians, of the Peace of the Church, and of the Duty and Honour of the Clergy are therein moft deeply concern'd; but because, if this be neglected, I may may not have fuch another Opportunity of Laying open my Thoughts and Defires before this Church and Nation. I need not be very large hère, becaufe that Hiftorical Preface which I lately, Dedicated to you, and which I fuppofe you have all feen, does in great Part prevent me, and fhew my real Thoughts, Difcoveries, and Defires, to you and the Chriftian World. Only I cannot but now obteft, and conjure you, by all the moft faced Ties and Obligations which lye upon you, as Men, as Christians, as Minifters of Religion, and Reprefentatives of the main Part of the Establish'd National Church; as you all are, or pretend to be, in Earneft for Truth and Genuine Chriftianity; and as you all equally with me must give an Account to our common Lord, of your Management in this Weighty Matter at the great Day; That laying afide all other Regards of Party, and Policy, and Names of Distinction, you will join with me in the through Examination and impartial Difcovery of thofe Original Truths and Books of our common Chriftianity, which I have to represent to you, and lay before you. I have done my utmost in thofe Matters my felf: And am fure I can fafely affirm, that I have Things to propofe to you highly worthy your moft folemn and publick Confideration; and fuch as ought not to receive any farther Delay from you. When Hilkiah the High-Prieft found the original compleate Book of the Mofaick Law, he was not reprimanded and difcoutag'd from producing it; but had it carried immediately by Shaphan the Scribe to good King Jofiah, and found prefently a Reformation according to it undertaken by him. Now, to fay nothing of my other Papers, I do verily believe I have found a greater Treafure, the Original (* 2) Book Book of the Chriftian Law, the Constitutions of the Apostles, with their Doctrine, and the Genuine Epiftles of Ignatius giving undeniable Attestation to them. And fhall I not be permitted openly to produce the Books, and publickly to alledge their Credentials before the Minifters of that Bleffed Lord, whofe Appointments, whose facred and unalterable Appointments are therein contain'd? Muft I be oblig'd to leave the Learned among the Clergy, and try whether the Laity, even the honeft, and commonly unlearned Chriftian Laity will hear me? This is what I am greatly afraid of, and would fain prevent it poffible. I earnestly defire that the Honour of this great Reformation, which muft enfue, may belong first of all to the Clergy, nay to the Clergy of this Church, among whom I have the Honour to be my felf numbred: And that all Dangers of Schifm or Diffention, with all other Inconveniences both as to Church and State, may be entirely avoided by the Care and Chriftian Endeavours of the Bishops and Clergy of the fame. I fay of the Bifhops and Clergy of this Church: For I muft freely own that till the Bifhops and Clergy, or both Houfes of Convocation, do publickly join in recommending thefe weighty Matters to a felect Number of the moft Learned, whether in or out of Convocation, with a folemn Commiffion and Charge to Examine throughly, and speak their Minds freely and openly, and a like folemn Promise to endeavour immediately the Correction of thofe Things which on fuch Examination fhall appear not agreeable to the original Settlements of Chriftianity, I fhall not look on any leffer Attempts of this Nature to be of any Confequence at all; nor fhall be moved by them to put any ftop to my own Designs on their Ac count. count. This is my real Senfe and Refolution. And if thefe moft Sacred Matters may not by the Convocation be thought worthy of fuch a publick Confideration, they cannot but be fuppos'd to be plainly flighted and neglected by. them. Not that I fhall refufe Copies of my Papers to either Houfe, or to any Committee of either Houfe, in any way which fhall be defired by them: But that I look upon any other Method as of finall Confequence, and utterly beneath the Dignity and Weight of thefe Concerns; as indeed rather tending to avoid the Imputation of an open Refufal of Enquiry, than to a through Search, Examination, and Reformation. I have however herewith fent my Dif fertation on the Epistles of Ignatius, to be perus'd by all that pleafe, before the rifing of the Convocation And whenever any Committee fhall defire the rest of my Papers, I will take all the Care I can that they may have Copies of them, and that as long as they pleafe: So far I mean as fhall be confiftent with my Obligation to the Printing and Publifhing my Four Volumes this Summer: Which indeed I am fo far engag'd in, and the Subfcribers may fo juftly expect it from me, that nothing less than what I have already mention'd can juftify me in putting a stop thereto. I have nothing more to add, but to implore the Divine Pleffing on your Confultations; and to pray that all may at laft tend to the compleat Difcovery of Divine Truth, to the entire Correction of modern Errors in Faith and Practice, and to the Advancement and Haftening of the coming of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour. All which is fincerely done by, Your very Humble and Obedient Servant, WILL. WHISTON. But all my Profpect of Examination foon vanifhed away.For,after a fewDays,I had a private Intimation given me that other Measures were taken; and that I was to be publickly Cenfur'd and Excommunicated, without the Allowance of any Examination. This was a great Surprize to me, and not eafily to be believ'd; but foon appear'd to be too true. For on Friday, March 9. there were Three Speeches made against me in the Lower House: The firft by a Dean, who having the Hiftorical Preface in his Hand, and Reading out of it the Cenfure which had been pass'd upon me at Cambridge, mov'd that an Address might be made to the Upper House, to know their Lordships Opinion, what Notice was fit for the Convocation to take of that Book, which was Dedicated to it. This was feconded by a long Speech of another Dean, which agreed to the Motion, and tended to aggravate my Offence; and exprefs'd his utter Abhorrence of my DoArine, and yet great Commiferation to my Perfon. This was thirded by another Member, who was shorter, but in the main agreed to the Motion; with much the fame Expreffions of utter Abhorrence of my Doctrine, and great Commiferation of my Perfon, as the former Dean had us'd. So the Houfe agreed to the Motion. But before this Addrefs came up to the Upper Houfe, on Wednesday March 14. the Bishop of Bath and Wells made a vehement Speech against me there; and mov'd that they might proceed with me as a Court. This was not then agreed to: But a Committee was appointed to meet on Saturday, March 17. at the Bishop of Lincoln's, to confider what was to be done with Relation to me. On Friday, March 16. the be fore ivi |