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which I am now compleating; and which, if not throughly answered, will gain all I contend for; especially when the Apoftolical Conftitutions themfelves, fo undoubtedly fupported by them, appear more commonly among Chriftians, and appear to be of equal Authority with the four Gospels themfelves, as they really were in all the firft Times of the Church. I pray God profper your honeft Studies and Endeavours, and make you an useful Member of his Church, and am

Your very bumble Servant,

WILL. WHISTON.

About this Year, 1710, Menkenius, a learned Man in Germany, wrote to Dr. Hudson, the learned Keeper of the Bodleian Library at Oxford, to procure him an Account of me; whofe Writings then made, as he faid, a great Noife in Germany. Dr. Hudson employ'd his darling Pupil and Relation Mr. Fisher, my late very good Friend, and very ufeful Justice of Peace, at Thirlby near Bourn, Lincolnshire, but now dead, to go to my Patron Bishop Moor, for a Character of me, who when he had given me a very good one, faid, that "A very

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good Man may be mistaken". Mr. Fiber afked his Lordship, whether he would give him Leave to use his Name for my Character: But he was unwilling to it. This Account I had from Mr. Fisher himself.

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Some time in Summer this Year, 1710, or rather the foregoing Year, 1709, it must have been, when my best Friends began to be greatly affrighted at what they heard I was going about; both as to the Eafebian Doctrine, which then was univerfally called the Arian Herefy, which I had embrac'd; and as to the Apoftolical Conftitutions, which favoured that Doctrine, and were by me fully afferted to be genuine. Two of them, Dr. Laughton, and Mr. Priest came together, in a Way of Kindness, to diffuade me from going on, and to represent to me the Hazzards and Dangers I fhould bring upon myfelf, and my Family thereby. My Reply was quick: " Dr. Laughton and Mr. Prieft, you are my very good Friends, you love me well, and I "love you well; but as to what I am now about, "I know you are both quite Strangers to thofe

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Matters, and fo your Arguments cannot influ ❝ence me: But for myself, I have studied these "Points to the Bottom, and am throughly fatif"fied the Chriftian Church has been long and "grofly cheated in them; and, by God's Bleffing," "if it be in my Power, it fhall be cheated no

longer. And now I have told you this, you "may as well perfuade the Sun (which then fhone

bright into the Room where we were) to come "down from the Firmament, as turn me from this "my Refolution". Which Firmness of Mind foon put an End to their Solicitations.

The like refolute Anfwer almoft' I made to Dr. Bentley, when he once came to me at London, upon the Convocation's falling upon me afterward, and aimed

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aimed prodigiously to terrify me with their irrefiftible Authority. After which I was hardly affaulted any more in this Way; and continuing to act boldly, according to my Duty and Confcience, enjoyed a great Calm within; how roughly foever the Waves and Billows abroad feemed ready to overwhelm me. Nor do I remember that during all the legal Proceedings against me, which lafted in all four or five Years at Cambridge and London, I loft my Sleep more than two or three Hours one Night on that Account. This affords a finall Specimen of what fupport the old Confeffors and Martyrs might receive from their Saviour, when they underwent fuch Miferies and Torments, as we fhould generally think unfupportable by human Nature. But to proceed; As to myself, when I faw that it was not unlikely that I might come into great Troubles, by my open and refolute Behaviour in thofe Matters, and refolving to Hazzard all in endeavouring to reftore the Religion of Chrift as he left it; which I well knew what it was in almofl every single Point: I took particular Notice of the Martyrdom of Policarp, and learned that admirable Prayer of his at his Martyrdom by Heart: And if it should be my Lot to die a Martyr, I defigned to put up the fame Prayer, in the fame Circumstances; being fatisfied that no Death is fo eligible to a Chriftian as Martyrdom, in cafe the Prefervation of his Integrity, and a good Confcience make it neceffary.

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In this Year 1710, I publifhed a first very small imperfect Effay on the Epistles of S.Ignatius; But this was afterward greatly improv'd and became a large Differtation,

Differtation, and is prefixed before these Epiftles in the first Volume of my Primitive Christianity Reviv'd; whither I refer the Reader.

About the Middle of the fame Year 1710, I wrote a fmall Memorial for fetting up Charity-Schools univerfally in England and Wales: It was prefented to that Society of which I was a Member, called The Society for promoting Chriftian Knowledge; which had Charity-Schools under their Care; and was I think one of the oldeft of thofe excellent Societies greatly promoted, if not firft founded by my dear Friend Dr. Thomas Bray. This Memorial was reprinted, and fubjoined to what Copies I had remaining of my Primitive Infant Baptifm Reviv'd, of which presently.

Since I am fallen upon the mention of Dr. Bray, I cannot but recommend a small Book lately published, by a nameless Author, concerning him; intituled Publick Spirit illuftrated in the Life and Defigns of the Reverend Thomas Bray, D. D. late Minifter of Aldgate; which I was prefented with, when I lately at Atherston met with Mr. Shaw, Jun. and Mr. Carpenter, Dr. Bray's very worthy Son-in-Law, and Succeffor in the Paftoral Care of Sheldon, near Colefbill, Warwickshire, and in the Patronage of the best Christian Nobleman whom I ever knew, the good Lord Digby. The Contents of which Book I can almost always atteft to be true myself; and have ever efteem'd Dr. Bray, not as one of the greatest Abilities, but by far the moft ufeful Clergyman, and most indefatigable Promoter of Religion, and of thofe pious Designs and Societies which conduce

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thereto that I ever knew; whom I always ho oured and affifted, both in the Reveiw of his Catechetick Lectures, and his other many charitable and Christian Attempts; and heard him comforting himself with thofe numerous good Works he had fo heartily promoted near his own Death. And I will remember, that he once faid to me, when he was prepairing to go as a Miffionary or Commiffary to the West-Indians, and expected a good Income to be provided for his Support there." Brother Whiston, "if you will go with me, you fhall go Halves with "me in my Profits." But my ill Health, and other Circumstances would not permit me to go with him: Tho' my Heart and good Wishes were ever with him. And I afterwards found that Providence intended to make ufe of me for other very great Purposes at Home, I mean the Restoration of Primitive Chriflianity, as it was left by our Saviour himself throughout the World; which End I ftill endeavour to purfue at this great Age, and hope I fhall ever purfue while I live in this World. And may the divine Bleffing attend my fincere Endeavours! Amen.

However upon Occafion of this Mention of Dr. Bray, I must be allowed to take Notice of a Fact or two in which he was concern'd. The very learned Mr. Mafon had been at Hanover, in his Travels, fome time before the Succeffion of that Family to our Crown; and when he came back, Dr. Bray happened to be with him, and obferved to him, how happy and religious our Nation would be, when the House of Hanover came! Upon which Mr. Mafon, who

had

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