III. An Effay on the Apoftolical Conftitutions, wherein is proved that they are the most facred of the Canonical Books of the New Teftament.

N. B. That in my first Edition of these four Volumes I introduced the fourth Book of Efdras, as a fpurious Book, written in a fictitious Manner, and under the fictitious Name of Ezra or Efdras, whereas the Honourable Mr. Archibald Campbel; as he told me himself, first started an Opinion, that it was a true genuine prophetick Book of the Old Teftament; and Dr. Lee afterward examined it with the utmost Nicety: And tho' he could by no Means answer feveral of the Objections made against it, yet, upon the whole, he took it to be ge nuine, and frequently quoted or alluded to by Chrift and his Apoftles. Dr. Knight of St. Sepulchre's, his great Friend, as I think, believed it also to be genuine.

And when I came myfelf to examine it throughly, I fatisfyed myself that so it was, and answered, with great Eafe, almost all the Objections made against it. Dr. Lee not only wrote an intire Differtation upon it; which is in Print; but also wrote a moft valuable Expofition of its VII Vifions, which I have formerly read in MS. and published my Expofition of its Vth Vision, by Way of Supplement thereto. Which is contained in my authentick Records Page 7588. Note alfo, that the Text of this Author is to be hereafter published in two Columns, from the vulgar Latin, and from the Arabick Copies, as it. ftands at the End of my fourth Volume, and with the various Readings given me, either by Mr. CruO 2 fius,

fius, and fet down at the end of the firft Volume of thofe Records; or in my own Copy, given me by Mr. Confett, from the Sclavonian Edition of this Book, according to the vulgar Latin. The Greek being long ago loft.

IV. An account of the Faith of the two firft Centuries, concerning the ever-bleffed Trinity, and the Incarnation of our Lord; in the Words of the facred and primitive Writers themfelves, both in their Originals, whether Greek or Latin, and in English. To which is fubjoined the fecond [or rather the fourth] Book of Efdras, both from the common and the Arabick Copy, just now mentioned. In January 17, I fent the following Letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Tennifon.

I

Lower of End of Crofs-ftreet, HatMay it pleafe your GRACE, ton-Garden, January 9, 171 Have been fo often and fo certainly inform'd that your Grace has not only received several very unjust, false, and ill-grounded Reports and Stories of late against me, even as to the Honefty and Integrity of my Conduct in feveral Matters, but has given fuch Credit and Encouragement to them as frequently to speak of them with Approbation, to my great Disadvantage, nay, to the great Difadvantage of that facred Cause I am engaged in; and that without being pleased to afford me any Notice of your having received fuch Information, or of giving me the Opportunity of a Vindication, that I can no longer forbear complaning of that and the like hard Treatment; and I humbly beg for the Equity and Juftice of a Hearing in my own Defence. I fhall

not

not here mention your Grace's kind Promise in your Letter, that when you saw my Scheme, you would freely and without Biafs give me your Thoughts of it, which Promise has not yet been perform'd; nor shall I complain of the Hardships which the last Convocation put upon me, nor of the Neglect of the publick Communication of that Letter, which I intended for the Convocation; nor of that unfair Treatment I have met with in print, from one of your own Chaplains; nor of the fevere Usage I have received from my Diocesan, and the Rector of the Parish, by not admitting me to the Holy Communion; nor of the hard Measure I have had both the last Year and this at Cambridge; because all these Things, how material foever in themfelves, are either not intirely owing to your Grace, or are somewhat foreign to my prefent Defign. But then, altho' I fhall not here complain of thefe Things, yet I cannot but complain of thofe other Things, in which I think the Hardship I am under is very great, affects my Reputation very much, and is fo far owing to your Grace, that I cannot properly apply myself to any one elfe for Relief therein. And tho' I own the great Distance there is between your Grace's high Office and Dignity, which you have fo long and fo worthily held in the Church, and the mean Place and State I am in; together with the great Duty and Obfervance that is owing to that your facred Office and Dignity, which I am ever most ready to pay: Yet are the primitive Truths, and Books of our Holy Religion, of much greater Confequence than the Reputation and Authority

0 3

thority of any Man whomfoever. In the Propofal whereof to the Chriftian World, the Providence of God has been pleafed to make ufe of me, as an Instrument, and for my Faithfulness to which Trust all this Hardship has befallen me. I cannot therefore be filent underyour Grace's ill Opinion and Cenfures any longer, without being wanting to my Duty. I do therefore hereby humbly beg it as a Point of Favour, if I may not insist on it as a Point of Juftice, that I be openly heard before your Grace, and whom else you please to choose to be prefent, as to thefe Stories or Informations you have received to my Disadvantage. I only hope that I may be allow-. ed to bring with me a few Friends, as Witneffes on my Side; that any Expreffions I may use in my own Vindication may not be imputed to me as a Crime; and that no Informations may be admitted, as Foundations for Cenfure, but from Persons then to be prefent, or Letters with Names to them; that fo fuch Stories as have no Authors to support them may be quite difcouraged, and I may have afterward the better Opportunity of fully clearing my Reputation to all the World. This is what I cannot but expect from your Grace's Equity and Justice in the prefent Matter. I am I confefs not a little furpriz'd that a Person of your Grace's Sincerity, Prudence, and Experience should so easily change your Opinion of my Integrity, as you feem of late to have done; and that without any other Foundation than hearing partial and grofs Miftakes and Mifreprefentations of Matters of Fact, without your once defiring to know the real Truth, and what I had to fay

in

in my own Vindication; efpecially when your Grace cannot but be fenfible that in fuch a Cafe as mine, the like Scandals and falfe Reports will of course abound every were. Were those Reports indeed never so true, they would not invalidate my Evidence, nor render a folemn Examination of my Writings unneceflary. Yet because it is of great Confequence, as the Prejudices of Mankind are, that they should be publickly known to be vain and groundless; and I am fure that by the Affiftance of God, I have all along acted fo fairly, openly, and honeftly in these Matters, that I fear no Examination; I do therefore defire a publick hearing; being very confident that whatever Sufferings may come on me as a Chriftian, I fhall be able to fatisfy your Grace and the World that they cannot be inflicted on me as an Evil-doer. 'Tis very hard my Lord, that before the Learned have anfwered the Evidence I have laid before them, for the Authority of those facred Books and Doctrines of our Religion which I embrace, any fhould endeavour to run me down by Reproaches, Calumnies, Violence, and Perfecution; and the hardest of all that your Grace's Cha racter and Authority, fhould be made ufe of for the Credit of fuch unjust Reproaches and Calumnies, and by Confequence at laft for the Encouragement of fuch Violence and Perfecution alfo. I humbly beg your Grace to receive this with your wonted Equity and Candour, and to believe me to be, with the greatest Submiffion and Humility,

Your Grace's moft obedient Servant,

WILL. WHISTON.