the Incumbent of the Parish to refuse me the Communion, which was fignified to me by my old Friend Dr. Syddal, afterward Bishop of Gloucefter.. Upon which I quietly withdrew, without making any Complaints to the Publick of fo great an Hardship. In the Year 1728, Dr. Pemberton published his View of Sir Ifaac Newton's Philofophy. I would fain have had him added thofe famous Scholia, or Corollaries of his, which are of the greatest Value for the Support of Natural and Revealed Religion; but I could not perfuade him to it. Upon his Refufal, I translated them myself into English, and published them, with fome few Additions. and Notes, the next Year 1729, both in 4to. and 8vo. Price 6 d. In the Year 1730, I published The Horeb Covenant Revived: Or, an Account of thofe Laws of Mofes which oblige Chriftians. To which is added, Apoftolical Rules for Ecclefiaftical Courts, written 1739, upon Occafion of the Trial and Conviction of poor Mr. Robert Hales, for Forgery, 8vo. Price together 1 s. 6 d. N. B. I entred deep into Mr. Hales's Character and Behaviour, which was fupported by twenty-feven moft eminent Teftimonies in his Favour; and I was to come in for the twenty-eighth, but they durft not call me, fince I might have difcompofed the Scheme that was laid by the Pleaders. Yet upon hearing the Trial, both I and Dr. Nath. Marhal alfo, as well as fome others, were satisfied of his Innocence; the Papers and Vouchers for which, I have ftill by me. And indeed that Trial gave me fuch a terrible Idea of our prefent Courts, and of fome of the Maxims of Law there followed, even where neither the Judges nor the Juries can be charged with any Intention to act unjustly, that I cannot but earnestly defire to see that Time, when the Sacred Gofpels of Chrift may regain its Liberty; and when the Laws of God shall every-where take Place, inftead of the Laws of Men; and when no corrupt Maxims or Quirks may oblige any then to break that eternal Rule of Equity, He that justifieth the Wicked, and be that condemneth the Just, even they both are Abomination to the Lord. Prov. xvii. 15.. The fame Year, 1730, I published Memoirs of the Life of Dr. Samuel Clarke; beeing a Supplement to Dr. Sykes and Bifhop Hoadley's Account : Including certain Memoirs of feveral of Dr. Clarke's Friends, 8vo. Price of the firft Edition, in the larger Letter Is. 6d. What a worthy Friend of mine, Mr. John Laurence, thought of this Pamphlet, will appear by the following Letter. I Dear Sir, Have received and read your Memoirs, &c. with a great deal of Pleafure; and I herewith return you many Thanks for the Service you have done to Religion in general, and the Christian Religion in particular; by fo freely, and so justly re proving proving our Bishops, for that Secularity of Spirit, which so visibly reigns in moft of them. I cannot fee how they can poffibly wipe off the Offence and Scandal which hath been both given and taken by their fhameful Non-Refidence, and Neglect of their Dioceffes, but by a fpeedy Reformation. And it hath been justly and rightly obferved, that for near two Years laft paft, there hath not been one Bishop appeared amongst us in all the North Part of England. To your honest Freedom, in reprefenting the Odium, which muft arife from fuch grofs Neglects; you might, in your Memoirs, have added the fatal Mifchiefs and Inconveniences that must neceffarily follow, from the evil Example of fuch Bishops. For with what Grace can a nonrefident Bishop reprove, (and fure Reproof is neceffary) his non-refident Clergy? And fo indeed it proves in Fact, the mutual Connivance becomes thus almost neceffary, and the Word Incumbent too frequently lofes its Name; for I could give you Inftances of Rectors, who have not, like a certain Bishop, fet Foot on their Rectories for fix Years together; and of another Living, near me, on which there has been neither Resident Rector, nor Refident Curate, for above twelve Years together. Hinc ille Lacryme! I had several Things more to have faid; but my Heart being full of Sorrow, for thefe Things, I could not let flip this first Opportunity of letting you know how much I fympathize with you, and lament fome of the Caufes of the Decay of Chriftian Piety. We frequently re member you all with Pleasure. And I defire you to believe that I am with great Sincerity, (Dear Chum,) Bishops Weremouth, Your affectionate Friend, J. L. P. S. Bishop Burnet has wrote a Book called the Paftoral Care, I would fain have fomebody write the Epifcopal Care. In the Year 1731, my great Friend, Dr. Sydal who,with Mr. Pyle, Sen. of Lynn, were the two beft Scholars that I ever examined for Holy Orders while I was Chaplain to Dr. Moor, Bishop of Norwich) was made Bishop of Glocefter. The Mention of him in this Place is made, on Account of a remarkable Fact by him related to me, of Mr. William Needham; who had been Chaplain to Archbishop Sancroft, and was a Member of that Convocation; which fell upon me A. D. 1711, and whofe Conduct relating to me, is fet down at large after my Hiftorical Preface. Dr. Sydal, who was also a Member of the fame Convocation, finding Mr. Needham, otherwife a good Man, very bitter against me, faid to him, what you are doing againft Mr. Whifton is like the Proceedings in the Inquifition. Whereupon Mr. Needham made this memorable Reply: "That the Inquifition indeed "may do now and then an hard Thing: But, for "the "the main, they keep Things tight." As indeed Perfecution did usually do fo, till in this Age the Laity are grown fo uneafy under it, that in Proteftant Countries it cannot keep Things tight any longer. Which, by the Way, fhould teach the Governors of the Church to lay all Attempts for it afide; and to betake themselves to fair Examination, and Correction of what is amifs immediately. De Peccato Protoplaftorum. UM certum fit ex facra Hiftoria Ca codæmonem ipfum Principem, generis Humani Protoplaftos & Tentafle & Subvertiffe: et cum non pauca intellectu difficilia in iftâ Hiftoriâ Sacrâ Tentationis & Lapfûs iftorum Protoplaftorum, fecundum fenfum literalem expofita, occurrant, Liceat mihi nonnulla de Peccato Originali, de Serpente tentatore, de efu fructus vetiti Arboris fcientiæ Boni & Mali, & Arboris Vitæ, in horto Eden, five Paradifo, viris Doctis, & Lingua Doctis propriâ confideranda modefte proponere. Qui Allegoricos amant Hiftoriarum Sacrarum fenfus; faltem qui hujusmodi fenfum Hiftoriæ de lapfu Protoplaftorum amplectandum putant, qui nec pauci nec, infimæ notæ funt, debebunt Advertere, fapientiffimum Παροιμιάζην, poft viam Prov.xxx. Serpentis fuper petram vel terram, viam 19, 20. Z 2 Adul |