My kind respects attend Mrs. Doddridge. My family are obliged by your kind inquiries. I am, Sir, beseeching your constant prayers,

Your most sincere and affectionate Friend,

S. HUNTINGDON.

FROM THE REV. RICHARD GREY, D. D.*

DEAR SIR,

Hinton, Jan. 11, 1748. YOUR letter did not come to my hands till my return last week out of Leicestershire. It is a satisfaction to me to find, that my attempt to restore the Last Words of David meets with your approbation; and I shall be still more pleased, if it is in any degree acceptable to the rest of the learned world. But I by no means deserve the compliments you are pleased to bestow upon me, nor do I pretend to any other merit, than that of a sincere desire to promote the study and knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, in such a manner as may procure them the veneration which is justly due to them. You are sensible what small encouragement is given to works of this kind; I cannot, therefore, pretend to determine at present how far I shall proceed in what I have

* Dr. Richard Grey was educated at Lincoln College, Oxford. His first preferment in the Church was to the living of Kilncote, Leicestershire; he afterwards obtained that of Hinton, Northamptonshire, and was made a Prebend in Saint Paul's. The degree of Doctor in Divinity was conferred upon him in 1731, in consequence of his "System of English Ecclesiastical Law." He was also the author of an anonymous pamphlet called "The Miserable and Distracted State of England on the Downfall of the Church Established," 8vo. Among his better known works are the "Memoria Technica," "A New Method of Learning Hebrew without Points,"-" Liber Jobi," "The Last Words of David,”— -some Sermons, &c.

Dr. Grey died February, 1771, at the age of seventy-eight, having adorned his Christian profession by a life of learned labour, and pious benevolence.

begun. If I should not, I hope some other person may, as the way is pointed out, and a specimen given, of what use it would be to religion and learning, if rightly pursued.

I am, with great respect, Sir,

Your most humble Servant,

R. GREY.

FROM THE REV. JOHN BARKER.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

Walthamstow, Feb. 2, 1748.

My concern about your indisposition increases in proportion to your usefulness, and the fears I have lest this should be interrupted; and did I not now and then hear of you by Messrs. Jackson and Neal, you would be in danger of being oftener interrupted by me than you are: neither business, friends, nor any thing would make me easy or patient long, without hearing how you do and how you go on.

Mr. Jackson will tell you how much Mrs. Raymond is obliged to you for your present, and that he was charged with a message from her to you soon after she received it; but I can tell you better than he how easy and well she is, and that at this time she enjoys very good health, and much tranquillity of mind.

As to Mrs. Bates, she is the now only surviving daughter of a very revered and deserving man; very poor, and very imprudent; out of prison now, but always in debt; who has been but in whom I have no comcare for my many years, fort; but still, for her father's sake, I always recommend her as an object of charity where I have opportunity. As for the Comprehension,* so much talked of in town and

* The following interesting extract from Birch's Life of Archbishop Tillotson is sufficient to show, that a comprehension of the more liberal Dissenters was a scheme which had not only been before sanctioned by

country, the utmost of the matter is this:-Mr. Chandler, while his meeting-place was shut up, made a visit to his friends at Norwich, and there happened to hear the Bishop give a charge to his clergy, which he thought not very candid. One expression appeared to him invidious, viz. that the heads of the rebellion were Presbyterians, as appeared by those lords in the Tower sending for Presbyterian confessors. Upon Mr. Chandler's return to London, he wrote a letter to Dr. Gooch, complaining of his charge, and particularly of that expression. His letter was written very handsomely, and it brought a very civil, respectful answer. After Gooch came to town, Chandler, at his desire, made

some of the best and wisest men on either side, but would in itself, in one sense, have been no more than an act of political justice.

"But the Dean's” (i. e. Tillotson's) "concern for the essence of pure and uncorrupted Christianity, was attended with a proportionable moderation of temper and principles with respect to the lesser differences among Protestants, and especially those of our own country. Hence followed a constant desire in him of a more entire union of them, not only on account of the general advantage of it, but likewise of the particular one of forming a stronger barrier against the perpetual encroachments of the See of Rome. He therefore joined with Dr. Stillingfleet and Mr. Hezekiah Burton, in the treaty proposed by Sir Orlando Bridgman, Lordkeeper of the Great Seal, about January 1667, and countenanced by the Lord Chief Baron Hale, for a comprehension of such Dissenters as could be brought into the communion of the Church, and a toleration of the rest. Dr. Bates, Dr. Manton, and Mr. Baxter, being called for on the side of the Presbyterians, a project was prepared, consisting chiefly of those things which the King had promised by his Declaration from Breda, in the year 1660; only in the point of reordination this temper was proposed, that those who had Presbyterian Ordination should be received to serve in the Church by an imposition of hands, accompanied with words importing that the person so ordained was received to serve in the Church of England.

"But this treaty becoming the subject of common discourse, a clamour was raised against it (especially by the followers of the Earl of Claren. don, disgraced in August, 1667, and now in banishment), that the Church was undermined and betrayed. When a bill, drawn up by Lord Chief Baron Hale, was to be presented to Parliament, a resolution passed against admitting any bill of that nature."-Life of Archbishop Tillotson, p. 42, 43.

him a visit, in which they had much discourse; and amongst other things, there was talk of a Comprehension. This visit was followed, at Gooch's desire, with another, when the Bishop of Salisbury* was present, who soon discovered his shrewdness, but said, "our Church, Mr. Chandler, consists of three parts,—Doctrine, Discipline, and Ceremonies: as to the last, they should be left indifferent, as they are agreed on all hands to be: as to the second, our Discipline," said he, "is so bad, that no one knows how, or where to mend it: and as to the first, what is your objection?" He answered, "Your articles, my lord, must be expressed in scripture words, and the Athanasian Creed be discarded." Both the Bishops answered, they wished they were rid of that creed,† and had no objection to restoring the articles into scripture words; "but what shall we do about reordination?" To this Mr. Chandler made such a reply as he judged proper, but I think granted more than he ought: he said, none of us would renounce his Presbyterian ordination; but if their lordships meant only to impose their hands on us, and by that rite recommend us to public service in their society or constitution, that, perhaps, might be submitted to: but when he told me this, I said, "perhaps not-no, by no means; that being, in my opinion, a virtual renunciation of our ordination, which I apprehend not only as good, but better than theirs." The two Bishops, at the conclusion of the visit, requested Mr. Chandler to wait on the Archbishop,‡

Dr. Sherlock.

+ Bishop Sherlock did not at all approve of the Athanasian Creed. See Dr. Nicholl's Sermon at the Temple, on occasion of the Bishop's death.

"As to the Athanasian Creed," says the late learned Dr. Tucker, Dean of Gloucester, "it is really superfluous in our present service; because the very same doctrine is as strongly, though not as scholastically, maintained in the Nicene Creed, the Litany, and in many other parts of our public offices; and as the damnatory clauses are seldom rightly understood, and therefore, too liable to give offence, it were to be wished that the whole was omitted." See Dr. Tucker's "Apology for the Present Church of England," page 58.

Dr. Herring.

which he did, and met Gooch there by accident. The Archbishop received him well, and being told by Gooch what Chandler and he had been talking on, viz. a Comprehension, said a very good thing; he wished it with all his heart, and the rather, because this was a time which called upon all good men to unite against infidelity and immorality which threatened universal ruin; and added, he was encouraged to hope, from the piety, learning, and moderation of many Dissenters, that this was a proper time to make the attempt. But, may it please your Grace, said Gooch, Mr. Chandler says the articles must be altered into the words of scripture: And why not? replied the Archbishop; it is the impertinencies of men, thrusting their words into articles, instead of the words of God, that have occasioned most of the divisions in the Christian Church, from the beginning of it to this day. The Archbishop added, that the Bench of Bishops seemed to be of his mind; that he should be glad to see Mr. Chandler again, but was then obliged to go to Court.* And this is all. I have smiled at some who seem mightily frighted at this affair, are very angry with Mr. Chandler, and cry out "We wo'nt be comprehended—we wo'nt be comprehended." One would think they imagined it was like being electrified, or inoculated for the smallpox. But most of your fault finders, I appre

* "About this time Archbishop Herring wrote a letter to Dr. Benson, thanking him for a volume of sermons which the doctor had published, which, as it shows the amiable and candid disposition of the good Archbishop, the following extract is taken from it."+

"I think it happy, that I am called up to this high station at a time when spite and rancour, and narrowness of spirit, are out of countenance; when we breathe the benign and comfortable air of liberty and toleration; and the teachers of our common religion make it their business to extend its essential influence, and join in supporting its true interest and honour. No times ever called more loudly upon Protestants for zeal, and unity, and charity." Feb. 2, 1747-8. Letters from Archbishop Herring to William Duncomb, Esq.

+ Note by the Rev. Thomas Stedman.