forced to retire to Holland on that Account, was afterward, as it were, rechofen, upon better Confideration: But is now a Profeffor among the Remonftrants in Holland. He was here very lately, and affured me himself, that among the Remonftrants of that Country, which are known to be their most learned Body, he believes there is not one Athanafian remaining. For Geneva, at first the famous Head of the Calvinists and Trinitarians, I have largely fhewn elsewhere, that they have taken away the fixty-four Articles of their Confenfus, and allow no human Authority to impofe upon their Paftors; but have brought all to the Holy Scriptures themselves. III. Tracts, p. 13-22. And I well remember, that I long ago heard, from a very good Hand, that when our famous Dr. Outram was writing his very learned Book concerning the Jewish Sacrifices, he was afked, why he chose to enter into the Jewish Antiquities of the Rabbins, rather than into the Chriftian Antiquities of the first Centuries? His Answer was, what, would you have me be an Arian? He knowing that fuch primitive Chriftian Learning would endanger his Athanafianifm, and tempt him to embrace what the later Ages have called Arianifm. I am very forry that I am forced to write fo feverely to Bishop Secker, one of the best of our prefent Bishops and Pastors, and for whom I have the greatest Esteem: But the miferable Condition of the true primitive Chriftian Religion among us, forces me to be fo plain with him, and by his Means with his Brethren, the reft of our prefent Bishops

Bishops alfo who feem to be in a deep Sleep and Lethargy, out of which I aim to awaken them, by thus freely admonishing them to awake, tho' probably I may have small Thanks for this my Ad

monition.

In the next Year 1734, I published my Reply to Dr. Sykes's Defence of his Differtation concerning the Eclipfe mentioned by Phlegon, as the III. of my VI. Differtations, p. 133-185. Of which immediately.

Accordingly I that Year 1734, published fix Differtations Containing,

I. The Teftimonies of Jofephus concerning Jefus Chrift, John the Baptist, and James the Juft, vindicated.

II. The Copy of the Old Testament made Use of by Jofephus proved to be that which was collected by Nehemiah.

N. B. These two were reprinted, and are prefixed to my Verfion of Jofephus; and there fomewhat corrected alfo.

III. A Reply to Dr. Sykes's Defence of his Differtation on the Eclipfe mentioned by Phlegon.

IV. The Chronology of the Sacred Scriptures, and the Truth of their Predictions, confirmed by Eclipfes, and Aftronomical Obfervations.

N. B. I had here, p. 258. omitted a Calculation of an Annular Eclipfe of the Sun, July 30, A. D. 455, which I fhall fupply presently.

upon

V. Remarks on Sir Ifaac Newton's Observations the Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypfe. VI. A Demonstration that our Saviour's Ministry continued at least four Years. Occafioned by Mr. Man's Differtation on that Subject, 8vo. Price

4 5.

N. B. There was an Annular Eclipfe of the Sun, July 30, A. D. 455. before that Interregnum which followed upon the Deaths of Aëtius and Valentinian III, and Avitus; and soon after the facking of Rome by Genferick the Vandal, in the fame Year. After all which the Dignity, Power, and Authority of the old Roman Emperors were irreparably lost. Which was a moft remarkable Breach, and almoft Diffolution of that Empire. Here follows the Calculation.

It might be about this Year 1734 alfo, that Dr. Knight, late Archdeacon of Barkshire, lent me Bifhop Patrick's Account of his own Life, written with his own Hand, which I very well knew; and ending with his Birth-day, when he was eighty Years old. Which Birth-day the Bishop had long kept after a moft religious Manner. Why this Life is not hitherto published, I do not know. He was in the old War Time a great Royalift, and therefore under no Temptation to deny, as he does here, that King Charles I. was the original Author of the Εικών Βασιλική, had he not been fully fatisfied that it was not of his own Writing; tho' I take it to be undeniable, that the King highly approved, and frequently corrected the Copy with his own Hand, till it truly exprefs'd the Senfe of his own Mind, and fo was his true Portraiture, as the Title fignifies it to be. Another Thing I remember there is in Bifhop Patrick's Account of himself, and of the great Events that happened in his Time, viz. "That just before the Death "of King Charles II. there was over-bearing Evi"dence coming out, of the Truth of Oates's Plot," "and then the King died." What Inference the Bishop made from this Coincidence, does not appear in this MS. But I suppose every body will eafily fupply it in their own Mind. I read this MS. four times over: So I can be positive of the Truth of these two Things. When I afterward gave Sir Joseph Jekyl and Mr. Arthur Onflow an Account of what I had feen, they were both hearty for having the Copy intirely printed,

in puris naturalibus, which I told Dr. Knight. But he thought himself not at Liberty to do more than take fome Extracts out of it, to be inferted elfewhere, as he faw Caufe. So it is not yet published.

In the Year 1735, that great and good Friend of mine Mr. Samuel Collet, a Baptift, who was fo zealous to have primitive Christianity examined. into and restored, that he has affured me, he thinks he never once miffed a Meeting of our old Society for promoting that primitive Christianity, was very ill, and thought himself in Danger of Death, at Newington-Green, I went to fee him, and at his Defire, prayed with him, and for him, as became a Chriftian Clergyman to do. He alfo defired me to anoint him with Oil, according to the Injunction in St. James v. 14, 15, 16. Is any fick among you, let him call for the Presbyters of the Church, and let them pray over him; anointing him with Oil in the Name of the Lord. And the Prayer of Faith fhall fave the fick, and the Lord shall raife bim up: And if he have committed Sins they fhall be forgiven him. Confefs therefore your Faults one' to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be bealed, the eveyeμevn, the Prayer for the Energumens, Conftitut. VIII. §. 7. or the fervent Prayer of a righteous Man availeth much. Upon which Defire of his, I hefitated, and told him I durft not venture to do that, till I had examined Antiquity about it. As not then remembering that the Apoftolical Conftitutions both in the Ordination of a Prefbyter, Book VII, Chap. 18. order the Gift

of