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"The fury of the whole disaffected and Jacobite party here," writes Dr. Bentley, 'against me and Mr. Waterland is unexpressible one would think that the late Address had given them a mortal blow, by the desperate rage they are in." Waterland's moderation and good temper appear, says Bishop Van Mildert, to have protected him in this affair against much of that obloquy and ill-will which were so strongly shown towards Bentley. And probably it was in consequence of his conduct on this occasion that he was, in the year following, 1717, appointed to be one of the Chaplains to the King. Waterland himself strongly deprecated clerical interference in politics and parties. In the Thanksgiving Sermon he preached this year he said: "As there are none more sensible of these things than ourselves, or more likely to suffer by them; so I beg leave to intimate how becoming and proper a part of our profession and business it is to do what in us lies to prevent the growth and increase of them. While animosities prevail, arts and sciences will gradually decay, and lose ground; not only as wanting suitable encouragement, but also as being deprived of that freedom, quiet, and repose, which are necessary to raise and encourage them. As divisions increase,

Christian charity will decline daily, till it becomes an empty name, or an idea only. Discipline will of course slacken and hang loose; and the consequence of that must be, a general dissoluteness and corruption of manners. Nor will the enemy be wanting to sow tares to corrupt our faith, as well as practice, and to introduce a general latitude of opinions. Arianism, Deism, Atheism, will insensibly steal upon us, while our hearts and heads run after politics and parties."

Early in 1717 Dr. Bentley was elected Regius Professor of Divinity, on the death of Dr. James. It is stated in the Biographia Britannica (on the authority of Waterland's elder brother) that Waterland was generally pointed out as the fittest person to fill the chair; but that he was prevented from exerting his interest to obtain the situation by his esteem for Dr. Bentley. This year George I. visited Cambridge and created thirty-two Doctors of Divinity, three of them being Heads of Houses, of whom Waterland was one. Waterland's friendship for Bentley was severely tried on this occasion. Bentley demanded a large additional fee for himself as Regius Professor of Divinity from each of the other twenty-nine newly made Doctors on ac

count of the royal visit. He was first suspended by the Vice-Chancellor, and then degraded by a vote of the Senate. Waterland seems to have avoided taking any active part. The contest ended in 1724 by the restoration of Bentley, on the recommendation of a syndicate of which Waterland was a member.

The remaining acts of Waterland in connection with the University, such as the vindication of the dignity and validity of the Archbishop of Canterbury's Lambeth Degrees, against the attack of Bishop Gastrell of Chester; the thanks of the University to Heneage, fourth Earl of Nottingham, for his treatise on the Trinity against Whiston; his defence of the rights of the University Press; his protection of the jurisdiction of the University against civic encroachments,-all exhibit him as a leading character at Cambridge, zealous for the best interests of the University, unremitting in active service on its behalf; as a person generally looked up to by his contemporaries, and one whose judgment, temper, and talents for business, as well as his learning and zeal, entitled him to the fullest confidence.

His early treatise against Arian subscription was followed in 1719 by a more important

work, the Vindication of Christ's Divinity. His hand had been somewhat forced by a country clergyman, John Jackson, who had submitted questions to him, obtained answers, and then insisted on publishing the correspondence. There is not space here to follow the great Trinitarian controversy; it is enough to quote Bishop Van Mildert's encomium, that the work brought Waterland into high estimation. It manifested a vigorous understanding, acute discernment, laborious research, a clear conception even of the most intricate points, and a complete mastery of his whole subject. It obtained for him general confidence as a fit leader in the cause he had undertaken; and notwithstanding the acknowledged ability of many who had already entered the list on the same side, it seemed as if all were willing to transfer to him its chief direction.

In 1719 he was appointed by Dr. Robinson, Bishop of London, to preach eight sermons on the Divinity of our Lord, by a new foundation of Lady Moyer. They were delivered in St. Paul's Cathedral. The author regarded them as a Supplement to his Vindication, and strengthening the arguments already adopted.

Of the rest of his more important works it

is impossible to give more than the titles, excepting those on the Eucharist, from which it is important to supply some short quotations. They are published by Bishop Van Mildert in the following order:

1720. Answer to Dr. Whitby.

1721. The Case of Arian Subscription con

sidered.

1722. A Supplement to the above.

1723. A Second

Divinity.

Vindication of Christ's

1730-32. Scripture vindicated: in answer to Tindal's Christianity as Old as the Creation.

1730. Advice to a Young Student.

1740. Regeneration stated and explained according to Scripture and Antiquity.

1724. A Farther

Divinity.

Vindication of Christ's

1723. A Critical History of the Athanasian Creed.

The Scriptures and the Arians com-
pared.

1734. The Argument a priori for proving
the Existence of a First Cause.
1734. The Importance of the Doctrine of
the Holy Trinity.

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