Next may be mentioned his friend, Mr. William Whiston, Fellow of Clare Hall, and successor to Sir Isaac Newton in the Lucasian Professorship of Mathematics. The doctrine about which he was most zealous was Arianism: the leading points of his theory being these; "that the testimonies for this sort of eternity, which alone we find for a good while after the Council of Nice itself, are a demonstration, that the real co-eternity of the Son with the Father, or his proper eternal generation, was then utterly unknown among Christians; and that it was no part of the sacred apostolical or Christian doctrine. The co-equality and co-eternity of the Holy Spirit he opposed on a similar ground." He believed Christ to be God, but a created God, and was most active and zealous in spreading the doctrine in the world and the University; becoming, at length, a dissentient, both from the doctrine and discipline of the church; thinking it his office, as a divine, to lift up his voice like a trumpet. His doctrines some of them enforced in the heart of the University, excited much controversy, and roused the indignation of some of its members. In 1710 he was deprived of his professorship, and, after being convened and questioned, he was expelled a. a The entire history of Mr. Whiston, while at Cambridge, is given after his HISTORICAL PREFACE, prefixed to his PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANITY, His Letter to the Earl of Nottingham contains a summary of his Arian Controversy; and the curious prattling Memoirs of his Life and Writings, written by himself and published in 1749, clearly prove, that some of his learned friends at Cambridge were little more orthodox than himself: as to Sir Isaac Newton, he must be considered as a silent dissentient; he had a creed of his own, with which he did not disturb the University. Mr. Hopkin Haynes' account of him will shew what that was. Dr. Richard Bentley was first student of St. John's, and afterwards went to Trinity, of which society he was appointed Master in 1700. He was a dissentient though on a different ground: in his own college he carried himself in too peremptory a manner towards nonjurors. One contest he had with his college, which was carried on for twenty years; and another with Dr. Middleton and the University, which ended in a sentence of contumacy being pronounced against him, and he was accordingly deprived of his degree. Nor was it till after a resistance of more than ten years that he reassumed, by mandamus, from the Court of King's Bench, his doctor's degree; but, thus, after a long conflict, and many violent bruises, he obtained a complete triumph over the University. Then freshly up arose the doughty knight, SPENSER. What was called Methodism was considered, at its rise, as a great disturber of the quiet of our universities. The first person at Cambridge who appears to have been much influenced by Methodism, or at least who excited any opposition as a dissentient on that account, at Cambridge, was Mr. John Berridge, Senior Fellow of Clare Hall, who, occasionally preaching in the pulpit of St. Mary, gave great offence to the Univer a Various little publications were directed against him: those of the greatest consequence to him must have been those written by Dr. Middleton; for they affected his reputation as a scripture critic, and were penned by men eminent as critics themselves. Bishop Pearce's observations may be seen in his WORKS, published after his death. sity. He formed no party, at the time, which openly countenanced him in the University, but he soon had many admirers in the town and county. The Fellows of Clare Hall, it seems, disposed of him in a way creditable to themselves, and acceptable to Mr. Berridge, by giving him a college living, which was Everton, in Bedfordshire. This was in 1755. Mr. Berridge, therefore, though he was no longer to be heard of as a dissentient at St. Mary's church, became another Holcroft, by preaching through Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, and Huntingdonshire, in houses and barns, as well as his own pulpit: he even sent forth laypreachers; many dissenting churches now in those counties were originally formed of his disciples; and some gentlemen of the University, in about 1768, were a good deal formed in Mr. Berridge's school. The principal doctrine of this popular preacher (for so he became) related to the terms of acceptance with God, which, he taught, was to be obtained, only through faith in the complete righteousness of Jesus Christ, who, as perfect God and perfect man, was fitted to be mediator between God and man. He was a strict Trinitarian; though he did not affect to be a school divine. He was not unlearned, but used to decry learning, and his manner deemed very eccentric: but his doctrines Mr. was a He was author of a book entitled "The Religious World unmasked-Pray, come and peep;" but the Epitaph on his tombstone, written by himself, will best explain both his doctrine and his manner: "Here lie the remains of John Berridge, late Vicar of Everton, and an itinerant servant of Jesus Christ, who loved his Master and his work; and, after running on his errand many years, was caught up to wait on him above, Reader! art thou born again? (No salvation without a new birth). I was born in sin, Feb. 1716; remained ignorant of my fallen Berridge maintained to be those of the Church of England. Dr. John Jebb was of Peter House, of which society he was confirmed Fellow in 1761: he was a dissentient of a description quite the reverse to the former. His reputation stood high as a scholar, and what particularly alarmed the University was, his undertaking to give lectures on the Greek Testament, at his own house in Cambridge. In these, he broached doctrines repugnant to the thirty-nine articles; and a general order was issued, forbidding any to attend his lectures in statu pupillari. Without detailing the particulars of Dr. Jebb's opinions, I can only remark, generally, they were Socinian, the prominent points being that Christ was a mere man, and the doctrine of philosophical necessity. But his name stands related more immediately with a plan for public annual examinations of all under-graduates, in statu pupillari, not excepting fellow-commoners and noblemen. This subject greatly agitated this literary body for two years for Dr. Jebb's politics and theology ,were supposed to be combined with it. His RESOLUTIONS were received in the Senate House, and set aside by a small majority, though supported by some of the most learned members of the University, and countenanced by the Chancellor. In the ensuing October, Dr. Jebb published another plan, which met with a similar fate, rejected by a small state till 1730; lived proudly on faith and works for salvation, till 1754; admitted to Everton vicarage 1755; fled to Jesus, for refuge, 1756; fell asleep in Christ Jan. 22, 1793." Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Robert Robinson, p. 55. majority in numbers, though supported by a majority of talents; no less than eleven doctors, six professors, and eight tutors of colleges, being in favour of the grace; and only six doctors, three professors, and six college tutors, who voted against it. On one side, Farmer, Halifax, Powel, and their friends, thought that the introduction of Dr. Jebb's plan into the University, would be another Trojan horse, Tunc etenim fatis aperit Cassandra futuris VIRGIL. Lawa, Paley, Watson', Tyrwhitt, Plumptre", Lamberti, &c. were warm on the other, thinking, that public annual examinations would improve the constitution of the University. In this state of things many literary skirmishes ensued, and much small shot was discharged on both sides. One tract, entitled, "A Letter to the Author of an Observation," written by Dr. Powel, was replied to, and with much point. It was anonymous; but known to be written by Priscilla, a lady, who, under that signature, so smartly replied to Dr. Hallifax, in the Dr. Farmer, afterwards master of Emmanuel. b Bishop Hallifax, at the time professor of civil law. Dr. Powel, master of St. John's. d Dr. Law, master of Peter House, afterwards bishop of Carlisle. • The late archdeacon Paley. f Dr. Watson, regius professor of divinity, now bishop of St. David's. Mr. Robert Tyrwhitt, of Jesus College. Dr. Plumptre, master of Queen's. Mr. Lambert, then Greek professor. |