An ACCOUNT of Mr. Whiſton's Proſecution at, and Baniſhment from the Univerſity of Cam⯑bridge.

UPON Sunday, Octob. 22. 1710. (on which Day a Sermon in Defence of the Athanaſian Creed was preach'd by Mr. Hughes of Jeſus--College, at St. Mary's;) I was ſummon'd by Mr. At⯑wood of Pembroke, Deputy-Beadle, to appear before the Vice-Chancellor the next Day, at Three a Clock in the Afternoon. Accordingly, I was that Day (about Four a Clock) conducted in⯑to an Upper-Room of the Vice-Chancellor's Lodge; and appeared before Dr. Roderick, Provoſt of King's-College, the Vice-Chancellor; Sir John Ellis, Knight, Maſter of Caius-College; Dr. James, Maſter of Queen's, Regius Profeſſor of Divinity; Dr. Blithe, Maſter of Clare-Hall; Dr. Balderſton, Maſter of E⯑manuel; Dr. Covel, Maſter of Chriſt's; Dr. Richard⯑ſon, Maſter of Peter-Houſe; Dr. Aſhton, Maſter of Jeſus; Dr. Fiſher, Maſter of Sidney; and Dr. Lany, Maſter of Pembroke: The Univerſity-Regiſter, Mr. Grove of St. John's, being there alſo. Where Note, That the Lord Biſhop of Cheſter, Maſter of Catherine-Hall, [2] tho' newly come to Town, never appear'd with the Heads at any of their Meetings about me; but, publickly at leaſt, kept himſelf wholly unconcern'd in the Matter.

I came to the Vice-Chancellor's Lodge with a Friend, whoſe Preſence and Aſſiſtance I deſir'd. But he was not permitted to go up Stairs: So I was all alone be⯑fore my Judges. I was then immediately ſhewed a Book by Mr. Vice-Chancellor, and ask'd whether I would look upon it, and own it to be mine? Per⯑ceiving that it was the Sermons and Eſſays upon ſeve⯑ral Subjects, I reply'd, that I would not anſwer any ſuch Queſtions; nor would I ſo much as look upon the Book: Affirming, that all which I had to ſay, was in a written Paper in my Hands. Neither would I make any other Anſwer; tho' then, and all along, many enſnaring Queſtions were put to me. But when I ſtill perſiſted in the ſame Anſwers, the Vice-Chan⯑cellor, who (with the reſt) ſeem'd much ſurpriz'd at this cautious Conduct of mine, was oblig'd to call for other Evidence. Accordingly Mr. Crownfield, our Printer, (who had been terrify'd, and threaten'd with being turn'd out of his Place by ſome of the Heads, for barely permitting his Boy to carry the Propoſals for Printing my Primitive Chriſtianity Reviv'd to them) was ſent for, and depos'd ſo much as a⯑mounted to probable Evidence, That I had ſent the ſmall Eſſay upon the Epiſtles of Ignatius, to be di⯑ſpers'd in Cambridge; and that I had ſent a Letter to the Vice-Chancellor, [which is ſet down p. 84, &c. of my Hiſtorical Preface:] and to plain Proof, That I de⯑ſir'd his Boy might carry the fore-mention'd Propo⯑ſals to the ſeveral Heads of Colleges the Tueſday be⯑fore; but could ſay nothing to the Sermons and Eſſays on ſeveral Subjects. The Regius Profeſſor particularly wonder'd that I would not clear Mr. Crownfield, by owning the ſending the Propoſals; and intimated, That he ſuppos'd the Vice-Chancellor would alſo have [3] an Order from the Chancery, to oblige Mr. Benjamin Tooke the Bookſeller to come from London, to prove the Sermons and Eſſays upon me, and to inform them how they came to Cambridge. I ſaid that it was not yet Time to ſay all I intended: But that when I made my proper Anſwer, it would be Time enough to think of ſuch Things. That I had been accuſtom'd to Rea⯑ſon, Arguments, and Teſtimonies, but not to Law: So I had taken Advice as to my Anſwers, and obſerv'd the ſame Advice all along: Which he own'd it was reaſonable for me to do, as one that he believ'd had never before been us'd to ſuch legal Proceedings. He alſo took notice of an Expreſſion of mine in my Let⯑ter to the Vice-Chancellor, before-mention'd, as if I were apprehenſive of ſomewhat like Perſecution that might befal me: And he added, that he durſt ſay, No Body there had any Intention to perſecute me. About this Time it was that the Depoſitions of Mr. Hughes and Mr. Townſend of Jeſus; of Mr. Amyas and Mr. Macro of Caius; and of Mr. Thackham of King's; (which were in Part, if not wholly obtain'd by the Vice-Chancellor's Procurement, not by the voluntary Appearance of the Parties themſelves) were openly read to me, as they here follow, Verba⯑tim.

N.B. The Paper referr'd to in this laſt Depoſi⯑tion is that inſerted toward the End of my Hiſtorical [6] Preface. And obſerve, that the laſt vehement Expreſſi⯑on of mine, That I would be a Turk aſſoon, was, to the beſt of my Remembrance, followed by theſe Words, or others to the ſame Effect, which are omitted by Mr. Thackham; viz. That is a raſh Expreſſion: But I mean, that this Language is ſo entirely contrary to the Nature of the Chriſtian Religion, that I cannot go into it for any Conſideration whatſoever.

Some Time after theſe Depoſitions were read, I de⯑ſired to know when it was a proper Time to give in my Anſwer: Which when it was intimated, I publickly read this Paper, and delivered it in as follows, Verba⯑tim.

Here follows alſo a true Copy of the 45th Statute of the Univerſity, upon which all theſe Proceedings were grounded.

But to go on with my Narrative.

After I had deliver'd my Paper, deſiring Copies of the Statute, and of the Depoſitions, and competent Time for my Anſwer; the former Parts were rea⯑dily granted me, but the Third much debated. I deſired ſix Weeks Time, as not too long in a Mat⯑ter of ſuch great Importance; and gave particular Reaſons for it. I alſo aſſured them, that the main of that Anſwer would not be what they ſo much, and often, and earneſtly fear'd and caution'd againſt, the producing my Original Teſtimonies in way of Juſtification of my Opinions; but would principally turn on thoſe very Two Heads Mr. Vice-Chancellor propos'd as proper for it; viz. The ſhewing that my Doctrines were either not truly and compleatly re⯑preſented, or were not ſo contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England as the Vice-Chancellor and ſome others imagin'd. I was anſwer'd, That this Conſiſtory-Court uſed not to allow ſo long Time as thoſe at Westminster; and thev were by no means willing to allow any conſiderable Time. However, the Maſter of Jeſus was for a competent Time, that I might ſend for my Papers from London. And ſome⯑body hinted, as if a Week was more uſually the Time afforded in this Conſiſtory. The Maſter of Pe⯑terhouſe, tho' he did not own the Neceſſity of a very long Time, yet confeſs'd that I muſt have Time al⯑low'd me for my Anſwer. Accordingly I fully ex⯑pected ſuch Allowance. And when the Maſter of Peterhouſe left them, it ſeems, a Week's Time was in⯑tended for that Anſwer. But all this notwithſtanding, when I was finally call'd in, that Maſter being gone, [9] I heard not a Syllable more about it; but was im⯑mediately order'd to appear again on Wedneſday, to receive the main Charge, (of which preſently;) and for other farther Proceedings. And when I once ſpake of going to London for Advice or Aſſiſtance, the Maſter of Emanuel ſaid, It was fit I ſhould go live elſewhere, and remove from Cambridge, ſince I had there perverted ſome already. The Maſters of Sidney and Pembroke not only ſeem'd to grudge the leaſt Delay for my Anſwer, but would needs tell me what an Anſwer I was to make. I reply'd, that I ſhould not ask their Advice for the making that An⯑ſwer, but uſe my own Judgment. Nay, when the Maſter of Jeſus plainly own'd the Reaſonableneſs of ſome conſiderable Time for my Anſwer, the Maſter of Pembroke ſeem'd very angry at him for it. Yet when I once, with ſome Vehemence, ſaid, ‘"There has ſomewhat been alledg'd here, which I am ſur⯑priz'd to find ſo many Clergymen to ſay;"’ m [...]aning their Aſſertion, That the Three Perſons collectively taken, were the One God of the Chriſtian Religion, and not God the Father; contrary to all manner of Sacred and Primitive Doctrine and Language; no Notice was taken of it at all. But to go on with the main Narrative. Upon a Second Summons, I ap⯑pear'd again on Wedneſday, Octob. 25th. But now in a lower Parlour of the ſame Lodge, none being pre⯑ſent but my Judges, as before. Dr. Covel and Dr. Richardſon being now abſent; and Dr. Gower, Maſter of St. John's, the Lady Margarets's Profeſſor, preſent in their Room. When I appear d, expecting the al⯑lowance of Time, not only for my main Anſwer, but for the clearing the Exceptions I had to make to their Evidence and Proceedings; inſtead thereof, I had only the ſore-mentioned Paper of the main Charge given me, and a ſolemn Admonition therewith to leave my Errors, and return to the Doctrine of the Church of England, or elſe on Monday they would [10] proceed to execute the Statute upon me. Only I was allowed to read and deliver in what I had prepared as an Anſwer ſo far; or as my Complaints of, and Ex⯑ceptions againſt their Proceedings. Theſe Two Pa⯑pers, the firſt deliver'd to me, and the ſecond by me, here follow, verbatim.

N.B. The Record herein referred to about Profeſſor Cartwright, is taken out of Dr. Fuller's Hiſtory of the Univerſity of Cambridge, Page 142. and runs thus: Ann. Reg. Eliz. 1 [...]. Ann. Dom. 157 [...]. March 18.

When I had read and delivered in this Second Pa⯑per, I expected ſome Anſwer thereto, and ſome legal Notice to have been taken of it. But all to no Pur⯑poſe: The Torrent was too ſtrong to be ſtopp'd by any ſuch Methods. The Vice-Chancellor pretended, [21] (without the leaſt Regard to what I had ſaid,) that they were agreed that the Poſitions charged upon me were both plainly contrary to the Churches Doctrine; and were ſufficiently prov'd againſt me; and ſo they would proceed. I thereupon boldly de⯑ſired to know, whether every one there preſent, (for they were then the leaſt Number poſſible that could act in ſuch a Caſe) had entirely agreed to both theſe Propoſitions? And particularly ask'd Sir John Ellis's Opinion. He anſwer'd, that he agreed that the Pa⯑per deliver'd to me contain'd Doctrines contrary to thoſe of the Church of England: But whether they had ſufficiently prov'd that thoſe Doctrines were chargeable upon me, he did not determine, but left that to others. Yet did they proceed as if Sir John had equally agreed to both thoſe Particulars; which 'tis certain he did not, and that he declared he did not: tho' he had hardly leave given him to finiſh that his Declaration. I was then very gravely and ſolemnly ad⯑moniſhed again by the Vice-Chancellor to leave my Errors, and return to the Church of England, or elſe he let me know, that on Monday at Three a Clock, they would proceed to execute the Statute againſt me; without the leaſt Intimation of allowing me ſo much as one Hours Time to anſwer the Charge, which not till now was properly delivered to me. As to my Deſire of Conference and fair Examinati⯑on, the Vice-Chancellor ſaid, that the Regius Profeſ⯑ſor might take me to his Lodgings and diſcourſe with me if he pleaſed; to which no Anſwer was re⯑turned by any Body. The Lady Margaret's Profeſ⯑ſor alſo once upbraided me, as if I deny'd Things there which elſewhere I aſſerted; which he look'd on as no Argument of that Sincerity I pretended to. Up⯑on this I openly deſir'd not to be miſunderſtood, but that I only requir'd Legal Proof for what was alledg⯑ed againſt me, without being enſnared by their Que⯑ſtions, and without affirming or denying any Thing [22] my ſelf about them. Whereupon he ſaid no more of that Matter. And the Regius Profeſſor, who un⯑derſtood me ſo all along, did me the Juſtice to put that Matter right, and to explain in what Senſe he ſuppos'd I did not now own or aſſert any of the Things charged upon me. To which I fully aſſent⯑ed; and ſo that Imputation came to nothing. The Margaret Profeſſor farther told me, when I inſiſted on Examination before Cenſure, that I knew well e⯑nough, that when Hereticks aroſe, it was not uſual to argue with them, but to quote ſome Canon of a Council which condemned them, and ſo to anathe⯑matize them immediately. I ſaid to him; But ſup⯑poſe that what I ſaid about the Apoſtolical Conſti⯑tutions, &c. ſhould at laſt prove to be true? He re⯑plied, If ſo, he would come and heartily beg my Pardon. The Maſter of Jeſus thought Time might be allowed me for my Anſwer. But ſo ear⯑neſt and vehement was the Vice-Chancellor in his Proceedings, that all ſuch Motions came to nothing. The ſame Maſter of Jeſus alſo ask'd me why I cal⯑led the Conſtitutions The Moſt Sacred Book of the New Teſtament? I anſwered, becauſe they really were ſo, and were ſo eſteemed in the firſt Ages. I alſo ſaid to him, that they would repent their Severity to me: And that if he had been by, when Dr. Smal⯑ridge (who had read my Papers, and of whom I believed he had a very good Opinion) and my ſelf lately diſcourſed upon theſe Matters, he would ſcarce have been againſt their Examination before they cenſured me on Account of them. Upon which he owned that he had himſelf alſo ſeen ſome of my Papers: Which I ſuppoſe was ſome Time ago, when Mr. Hughes, and Mr. Townſend of the ſame College had the Peruſal of them: I mean thoſe which con⯑cern the Trinity and Incarnation only. But find⯑ing the Maſter of Sidney exceeding hot againſt me, [23] I ſaid to him, that I believed he had not ſtudied theſe Matters. He grew paſſionate, and ſaid, That was my Impudence. I ſaid, I meant particularly as to the Conſtitutions. He reply'd, that he had read them; but however that he knew my Aſſertions were con⯑trary to thoſe of the Church of England; Which in⯑deed he all along confin'd himſelf to: inſomuch that when on Monday the Vicechancellor had ſaid, with ſome Moderation, that my Tenets were Erroneous and contrary to the Churches Doctrine, and that the [...] ⯑fore I ought to retract them; and I had reply'd, Let them be but once proved to be Erroneous, and I was moſt ready to retract them; the Maſter of Sidney, at whoſe Elbow I ſtood, told me, they did not mean Ec⯑roneous, but contrary to the Doctrine of the Church. Nay, when I ſaid to them, Will you condemn or cenſure while none either will, or dare anſwer me? Some⯑body that was offended at that laſt Word, reply'd, dare? But without any farther Addition. And in⯑deed great Care was all along taken that the Truth or Falſhood of my Doctrines ſhould be wholly wav'd, and all ſet upon their Contrariety to thoſe of the Church of England, without ſo much as a Pretence that any body would anſwer the Arguments and Teſ⯑timonies which I had to produce for them. It was once urged, that my affirming the Conſtitutions and Doctrine of the Apoſtles to be Sacred Books of the New Teſtament, was contrary to the Sixth Article of our Church. I deſir'd that Article might be read: which was done by the Maſter of Pembroke. I ſaid there⯑upon, 'Tis plain that this Article owns the preſent Sacred Books, being all the Church then knew; and that had they known of more, they would have ſet them down alſo: but that 'tis not affirmed in that Article that there are no other than thoſe, and ſo my Aſſertion is not contrary thereto. Yet did this paſs as a clear Contradiction to it. And no wonder; when in the Paper given me from the Vicechancellor. the [24] very Nicene Creed is it ſelf quoted as condemning my calling God the Farher the One God of the Chriſ⯑tian Religion, while yet that Creed begins with a di⯑rect and ſolemn Affirmation of it; I believe in One God the Father, Almighty. After all, when the Vice⯑chancellor perceived that I began to draw ſome of the Heads into Arguing and Reaſoning about theſe Matters, he took one of the Candles himſelf, and ſaying a few things to me about a Recantation, which I declar'd I could not make with a ſafe Con⯑ſcience, he ſaid, He pitied me, and then he fairly conducted me out of the Lodge. And ſo I took my leave: having before hinted to them, that I did not deſign to wait on them any more about theſe Mat⯑ters, but to leave them to do as they pleaſed therein. Which Reſolution I kept till Monday accordingly. For when on Sunday I was again ſummon'd by Mr. Atwood, to appear the next Day at three a Clock, I made this Anſwer, That I ſaw no occaſion for ap⯑pearing any more. However, for ſome Reaſons, I afterward alter'd my Mind, and came, and appeared again on Monday, in a lower Room of the ſame Lodge, before the Heads, who were now Twelve in Number, whoſe Names will be ſet down preſently. And upon Mr. Vicechancellor's enquiring of me, Whe⯑ther I came diſpoſed to make a Retractation of thoſe my Errors concerning which he had before Admoniſh'd me? Upon Leave given, I read the following Pa⯑per, as my Anſwer; and deliver'd it in as follows, verbatim.

[26] Aſſoon as I had delivered this Paper, and had owned to the Vicechancellor that it contained all that I had to ſay at preſent, I took my Leave. Whereupon, the Vicechancellor and the Heads ſoon came to a Reſolution to Baniſh or Expel me; as the following Publick Act will inform the Reader: A true Copy of which ſhall be here ſet down.

Now the Reader is here to Obſerve, that ſince all the Depoſitions concerning St. Clement's Church are here given up, as being long before the 19th of A⯑pril, 1709. the Date for the Act of Pardon: Since the Paſſages quoted out of the Advice for the Study of Divinity, were written ſtill earlier; and there is no Pretence of the leaſt Evidence that I any way pub⯑liſh'd it in Cambridge; and ſince one Part of Mr. Thackham's Evidence is made no uſe of at all in this Matter, 'Tis plain that this Baniſhment or Expulſion is ſolely grounded on theſe Three Things. (1.) My affirming with our Saviour, St. Paul, the Nicene, and all the Original Creeds, and moſt ancient Fathers, that the One and Only God of the Chri⯑ſtians, is God the Father, John XVII. 3. 1 Cor. VIII. 6. (2.) My Aſſerting an un⯑doubted Matter of Fact, that the Original Chriſtian Doxology was not the Common One, but Glory be to the Father, through the Son, or, and the Son, in the Ho⯑ly Ghoſt, (3.) My Propoſing to prove that the Con⯑ſtitutions and Doctrine of the Apoſtles, are Sacred Books of the New Teſtament; and the former of them, the moſt Sacred of the Canonical Books: Which in [28] time will appear to be undoubtedly true alſo. And all this is done without the leaſt Offer at any Exami⯑nation into the Truth or Falſhood of the ſame Aſſer⯑tions, and ſo without knowing whether the whole Proceeding be not directly Fighting againſt God, and Oppoſing and Perſecuting the Goſpel and Religion of Chriſt Jeſus. And if it prove ſo at laſt, the Authors had need to think of that timely Repentance and Re⯑traction, which they requir'd at my Hands: Leſt their preſent Authority, and Pretence of an Univerſity Statute, ſhould be too little to excuſe them at the Day of Judgment.

But who ſhould be the ſecret Movers, or what ſhould be the ſecret Reaſons why, after ſo long a Forbearance, the Vicechancellor and the Heads ſhould all on a ſudden, in this violent manner, re⯑ſolve to Cenſure and Expel me, is too deep a Myſte⯑ry for me authentickly to dive into; and ſo I muſt leave it to another Tribunal. For certainly it could not be the Vicechancellor's own Motion originally; ſince he had forborn me all along, and was now in a manner out of his Office, and was ever remarkable for Caution and Deliberation in all his Proceedings: Eſpecially when I ſuppoſe that neither himſelf, nor indeed the Major Part of his Aſſeſſors, do at all pre⯑tend to have particularly Examin'd the Matters themſelves, concerning which they took upon them to be Judges; but went plainly at Random, by their own Interpretation of an Old Statute, to Perſecute an Innocent Perſon for the ſake of what they raſhly call Orthodoxy. I venture to ſtile my ſelf an Innocent Perſon, notwithſtanding this their Sentence againſt me; becauſe I believe that every one of my Judges acquits me in his own Conſcience, from any baſe or ſiniſter Deſign; and is ſatisfy'd, that I did no other than what is certainly every Chriſtian's Duty; viz. The Declaring plainly what, upon the moſt com⯑pleat Examination, I was ſatisfy'd were the certain [29] Truths and Duties of Chriſtianity: For which yet, without ſuch Examination, they have now ventur'd to Cenſure and Expel me. Which things I own I durſt not have had a Hand in, in any like Caſe, for any Conſideration whatſoever. But tho' they were my Judges, I am not theirs; To their own Maſter they muſt ſtand or fall. Rom. XIV. 4. And therefore I can only commit my Cauſe to God, the juſt Judge of all the World, and leave it in his righteous Hands to deter⯑mine between us. However, I do heartily wiſh and hope, that as ſoon as my Papers are publiſh'd, they will ſtill ſeriouſly conſider them, and ſoberly recon⯑ſider this whole Matter; and that their ſineere Re⯑pentance and Retractation will prevent the Danger of any future Puniſhment from God upon them, from that God who deſireth not the Death of a Sinner, but his Repentance.

Thus ended this Univerſity Proſecution and Ba⯑niſhment of me; at leaſt, this is all that has been done till the Date of theſe Papers; without the leaſt regard to Mr. Lucas's Statutes, or to my Mathematick Profeſſorſhip depending thereon: And ſo without the direct affecting me as Mr. Lucas's Profeſſor: How plainly ſoever they have depriv'd me of that Mem⯑berſhip of the Univerſity, which till now, either by Right or by Courteſy, I was entitled to. So I ſhall go on no farther with this Narration. I ſay in the main, affecting me as Mr. Lucas's Profeſſor only, meaning thereby that I claim ſtill, notwithſtanding this Expulſion or Baniſhment, to be Profeſſor of the Mathematicks of Mr. Lucas's Foundation; and have accordingly a juſt Right to the Profits thereof, upon my doing that Duty by a Deputy, (as my Statutes direct on a long Abſence) which I cannot ſo well do in Perſon. Otherwiſe, this Expulſion muſt affect me ſenſibly enough, in reſpect of my Maintenance: Since the Allowance to a Deputy, and the Loſs of [30] the Advantages formerly ariſing from the Courſes of Experiments, to ſay nothing of thoſe from Teaching privately in Cambridge, and the Charges and Loſſes of a Removal, cannot well be eſtimated under 50 l. a Year; which is a great Deduction out of a ſmall Subſiſtence. Nay, there want not thoſe who would ſtrain this Expulſion from the Univerſity to a Depri⯑vation, as to my Profeſſorſhip, and ſo would deprive me of almoſt all, but what the Charity and Kindneſs of Friends might afford me. Which laſt Method of Sup⯑port is alſo by ſome envied, and complained of be⯑fore-hand. As if there were no way to ſatisfy their Zeal againſt me, but my ſeeing me and my Family re⯑duc'd to the utmoſt Poverty and Diſtreſs, without a Friend to ſupport and relieve me. But before I conclude, I can hardly avoid ſaying here, that I take the true Ori⯑ginal Cauſe of this Severity to be plainly this, That I have written ſeveral Unanſwerable Books; which are therefore a terrible Eye-ſore to thoſe who are more concern'd for Modern Orthodoxy, and the pretend⯑ed Power of the Church in Controverſies of Faith, than for the pure and undefil'd Religion of Chriſt Je⯑ſus. So that when it appear'd, as it has done for a conſiderable time, that none of the Learned could or durſt undertake the Anſwering me, in the way of Reaſon, Argument, and Teſtimony, This Method of Enſnaring me by an Old Statute was thought of. And I venture to ſay this, the rather, becauſe that Open, that Unanſwerable Challenge I made in the Poſt⯑ſcript of Ignatius to the Orthodox, to ſhew but one ſin⯑gle Catholick Teſtimony before the Days of Athanaſius, which affirm'd the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt to be One God, or the One God of the Chriſtian Religi⯑on; while I promis'd above an hundred Teſtimonies in the ſame time, that God the Father was that One God, appears to have been the principal Evidence a⯑gainſt me, and that which was moſt publickly and ſolemnly read to me by the Maſter of Pembroke, as [31] the main Article of my Charge; and for which chiefly, I am Cenſur'd and Expell'd. I call it an Open and an Unanſwerable Challenge: And I here again make it to the whole Body of the Chriſtian World; and do venture, in the moſt ſolemn manner, to Ap⯑peal to the Conſciences of all the truly Learned, whether what I have affirm'd on this Head, be not undoubtedly and indiſputably true; and ſo whether I am not Cenſur'd and Expell'd, for owning my ſelf a Chriſtian; nay, I may add, for aſſerting the firſt and moſt Fundamental Doctrine of the whole Chri⯑ſtian Religion. I know this repeated Challenge may be moſt eaſily Anſwer'd, in the ſame way that the former was, by a repeated Cenſure: For in any other way, I am ſure it cannot. And if that be a⯑gain put in Practice by any ſuch-like Body of this Church, I ſhall only beg one Favour, That thoſe who do it, will deal plainly, and declare that they are not, nor do pretend to the Chriſtians, but Mem⯑bers of the Church of England only: Or at leaſt that they are juſt ſo far Chriſtians, as the Original Do⯑ctrines, and Duties of Chriſtianity, are agreeable to thoſe that the XXXIX Articles, the Book of Homi⯑lies, and the Common-Prayer-Book contain, but no farther. And then it will be ſome ſmall Satisfaction to have the World know, that as in Popiſh Countries Chriſtianity is generally no farther believ'd and o⯑bey'd, than it is agreeable to the Decrees and Practi⯑ces of the Church of Rome; ſo that in this Prote⯑ſtant, this Reform'd Country, the Caſe is the very ſame. Only with this Difference, that the former pretends to that Infallibility and Dominion over Conſcience, which the latter diſclaims; and by con⯑ſequence, that the latter is, of the two, in this Mat⯑ter, the moſt plainly unjuſtifiable and inexcuſable. However, as to my being condemn'd for aſſerting what was undeniable and unanſwerable, we have a fa⯑mous Parallel Example in the Sacred Hiſtory. For truly [32] juſt ſo it was in the Caſe of the Protomartyr St. Ste⯑phen, all due Allowance for the great difference of the Perſons concern'd, and of their Circumſtances, being ſtill made. For when the Jews were not able to reſiſt the Wiſdom and the Spirit by which he ſpake, Act. VI. 10, &c. they drew him into their Con⯑ſiſtory, and Accus'd him there. And when they could not find any fair Reply to the force of his Reaſoning, They were cut to the Heart, and gnaſhed upon him with their Teeth. VII. 54. And immediately, without any other Formality of Law, put him to a violent Death. Then they cried out with a loud Voice, and ſtopped their Ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and caſt him out of the City, and ſtoned him. v. 57, 58. Whether this Violence towards me, may not end in ſome Attempts not very different from that Caſe, I cannot tell. However, I ſhall venture to uſe his dying Petition for all my Perſecutors; Lord, lay not this Sin to their Charge. v. 60.

But now, if, after all, the Reader be deſirous to know what ſort of Anſwer I ſhould have made to the preſent Accuſation, had I had competent time al⯑low'd me, I ſhall plainly tell him in a few Words. I intended therein to have ſtated ſome of my Opinions more fully and clearly than the Evidence produc'd did inform my Judges: And in order to ſhew that then they were not ſo contrary to the Doctrine and Settlement of the Church of England as they ſup⯑pos'd, I deſign'd to have inſiſted on ſuch Heads as theſe:

To have ſhew'd,

(1.) That the Proteſtant Religion in general, and the Church of England in particular, were begun up⯑on this Foot; I mean the Acknowledgment of the Churches Errors, and the Attempt for the Correction [33] oſ the ſame, even with the Hazard of the very Lives themſelves of the Reformers.

(2.) That they are both built on the Foundation of the Holy Scriptures, and moſt Primitive Writers; and always own that all Errors, when diſcover'd, are to be amended by thoſe Original Standards.

(3.) That all Proteſtants, and particularly the Members of this Church, do unanimouſly own the Fallibility of all Councils and Churches; and ſo can⯑not be ſurpriz'd, if, in Points never yet brought to a fair and publick Examination, ſome Errors be ſup⯑pos'd ſtill remaining among them.

(4.) That accordingly they have generally found Reaſon to alter their Opinions in ſeveral Doctrines of Conſequence; as our Church has in particular a⯑bout the Predeſtinarian Points: Nay, they have ge⯑nerally, even our Church her ſelf, found Reaſon to alter ſeveral Practices of Conſequence alſo, ſince the time of the Reformation. And ſo it can ſeem no Wonder, if there ſhould appear Occaſion for the like farther Enquiries and Alterations at this Day.

(5.) That in the grand Point before us, that of the Trinity it ſelf, Our Church ſometimes ſpeaks ac⯑cording to thoſe ancient Notions which I advance; nay, commonly Prays and Practiſes agreeably thereto. So that the Corrections I plead for would rather be the rendring the Church's Language and Practice all of a Piece, than the entire Subverſion and Alteration of the ſame.

(6.) That the moſt Learned and Impartial, both Papiſts and Proteſtants, and thoſe of our Church in particular, have in this laſt Age been forc'd to leave the vulgar Notions in that Matter, and to come ſtill nearer and nearer to that moſt Primitive and Ratio⯑nal Account which I Plead for. As appears by Eraſ⯑mus, Grotius, Petavius, Huetius, Dr. Cudworth, Bp. Pearſon, Bp. Bull, the Bp. of Glonceſter, Mr. Locke, and many others. So that my Notions are ſo far [34] from New, that they are rather the proper and laſt Reſult of the Enquiries of the Learned ſince the Re⯑formation.

(7.) That ſince I have taken all along the moſt Peaceable, Chriſtian, and Inoffenſive Methods of bringing theſe Important Points to a fair Examina⯑tion; and have ſtill laid my Papers before the Go⯑vernors of the Church, and the Learned Members of it, for their Conſideration, and the neceſſary Corrections; I have no way offended againſt the Laws of the Land, or even the Statutes of the Uni⯑verſity, as to their main Deſign and Intention; which can never be ſuppos'd to be the Puniſhment of an Honeſt and Innocent Man, when in ſo fair, qui⯑et, and open a manner, he Propoſes Sacred Books, Doctrines, and Duties of the Goſpel, to the ſerious Conſideration of the Chriſtian World. However, if the Laws of the Kingdom, or Statutes of the Uni⯑verſity be ſo Expounded, as to forbid any thing that the Laws of God, and of the Goſpel require, I know which I am to obey. Whether it be right in the ſight of God, to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but ſpeak the things which we have ſeen and heard. Act. IV. 19. 20.

Theſe were ſuch Heads as I intended more largely and fully to have purſu'd, had I had time allow'd me for my Anſwer. But ſince I was not afforded that, I ſhall wave the farther Proſecution of them: And conclude, not only with the Declaration of the Rea⯑dineſs of my Submiſſion to any Puniſhment, which my Governors in any ſort do Legally inflict upon me; but with my hearty Thanks to the Divine Pro⯑vidence, which has diſpos'd of me into this Kingdom of Freedom and Liberty, where 'tis not very much that by the Laws can be laid upon me ſor the ſake of my Conſcience: Where therefore with ſmall Legal Ha⯑zard I can greatly promote the true Religion oſ Chriſt Jeſus. And that I am not in Spain or Portugal, or the [35] like Countries, ſubject to the Terror of a Popiſh In⯑quiſition; wherein the ſpeaking or writing a ſmall Part of what I have here ſpoken and written, would certainly have condemned me to a loathſom Dunge⯑on, and to an Ignominious Death. The utmoſt Se⯑verities of which I hope I ſhould yet, by God's Grace, have endur'd, rather than have retracted and renoun⯑ced what, upon ſuch full and undoubted Evidence, I am entirely ſatisfy'd, is part of the Revelation of God by his Son Chriſt Jeſus. If any Man come to me, and hate not his Father, and Mother, and Wife, and Children, and Brethren, and Si⯑ſters, yea, and his own Life alſo, He can⯑not be my Diſciple. And whoſoever doth not bear his Croſs, and come after me, cannot be my Diſciple. Lu. XIV. 26, 27. I End the whole with our Saviour's own Words, which in ſome ſmall degree do now plainly belong to me; Bleſſed are they which are perſecuted for Righteouſneſs ſake, for theirs is the King⯑dom of Heaven. Matt. V. 10. Which Bleſſedneſs, I own I had rather have a Share in, than in all the dangerous and enſnaring Pomp of this Vain and Tran⯑ſitory World.