A Proof of Jesus Christ Being the Ancient Promised Messiah, Appendix
APPENDIX
THE Honourable Judge DUDLEY, says in his last will, bearing Date January Ist. 1750.
ITEM, I give to Harvard College in Cambridge in New-England, One Hundred and Thirty Three pounds Six Shillings and Eight Pence, in like Money (i.e. Lawful Money,) to be appropriated and disposed of, in such Manner as I shall direct, under my Hand and Seal at any Time hereafter.
A Copy of the said Judge's Directions, under his Hand and Seal, relating to the abovesaid Paragraph.
WHereas the said Paul Dudley among other Legacies by him given, in his last Will and Testament, hath bequeathed to Harvard College in Cambridge in New-England, the sum of One Hundred and Thirty Three Pounds Six Shillings and Eight Pence lawful Money (which is to be payed and discharged in and by good Bonds and Mortgages of this Value,) the said Legacy to be appropriated in such Manner, as the said Paul Dudley should declare under his Hand and seal.
Now know ye, that I the said Paul Dudley have, and hereby do declare the Design of my Legacy to be at followeth, That is to say, the yearly Income, Interest, or profit of the Sum beforementioned, to be applyed towards the erecting, maintaining, supporting, and continuing an Anniversary Sermon or Lecture, to be held, or preached, at the said College once every Year successively, by such persons as the Trustees of the said Legacy shall choose and appoint.
The First Lecture, or anniversary Sermon, to be for the proving, explaining, and proper Use and Improvement of the principles of Natural Religion, as it is commonly called and understood by Divines and learned Men.
The Second Lecture to be, for the Confirmation, Illustration and Improvement of the great Articles of the Christian Religion, properly so called, or the Revelation which Jesus Christ the son of God, was pleased to make, First by himself, and afterwards by his holy Apostles, to his Church and the World for their Salvation.
The Third Lecture to be, for the detecting, and convicting, and exposing the Idolatry of the Romish Church, their Tyranny, Usurpations, damnable Herefies, fatal Errors, abominable Superstitions, and other crying Wickednesses in their high Places; and finally, that the Church of Rome is that mystical Babylon, that Man of Sin, that apostate Church, spoken of in the New-Testament.
The Fourth and last Lecture I would have, For the maintaining, explaining, and proving the Validity of the Ordination of Ministers or pastors of the Churches, and so their Administration of the Sacraments or Ordinances of Religion, as the same hath been practised in New-England, from the first beginning of it, and so continued at this Day.
Not that I would any Ways invalidate Episcopal Ordination, as it is commonly called, and practised in the Church of England; but I do esteem the Method of Ordination as practised, in Scotland, at Geneva, and among the Dissenters in England, and in the Churches in this country, to be very safe, Seriptural, and valid; and that the great Head of the Chruch, by his blessed spirit, hath owned, sanctified, and blessed them accordingly, and will continue so to do to the End of the World. Amen.
These Four Lectures I would have held alternately every year in succession, so long as the profits of my Legacy will support the charge of it.
As for the Trustees of this Lecture, I appoint and name them as followeth;
The President of Harvard College, for the Time being.
The Professor of Divinity at Cambridge, for the Time being.
The Pastor of the first Church in Cambridge,for the Time being.
The Senior Tutor resident at said college, for the Time being.
The Pastor of the first Church in Roxbury, for the Time being. And whenever any Vacancy happens, the same to be filled up, by those that remain, or the major part of them.
I do also appoint the President of Harvard college, to begin and preach the first of these four Lectures; and that he, and all such as succeed him in the said Lectures, be at the sole Charge of leaving a fair Copy of their Discourses, with the Treasurer of said College, to be by him filed with the publick Records of said House.
And in Testimony of my humble Desire, That God would be graciously pleased, to accept of this poor Thank-Offering from his unworthy Servant, for his many and great Mercies to me in my Education at that college, and my sincere prayer and Desire, for the Favour of God to that Society in all Ages to come, I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal, at Roxbury, the Second Day of January, in the twenty fourth Year of his Majesty's Resign. A. D. 1750.
Paul Dudley, (Seal.)
POSTSCRIPT. Let him that preaches the last Lecture, beforementioned, be a found, grave, experienced Divine, and at least Forty Years of Age. And let those that preach the several Lectures aforesaid, have their Stipend or Pay given them as soon as may be.
Paul Dudley, (Seal.)
THE above is a true Copy of Judge DUDLEY'S Directions, under his Hand and Seal, relating to his Legacy to Harvard-College, in his last Will, bearing Date, January 1. 1750 as extracted from the College-Records.
EDW. HOLYOKE, Presi.
End of the text · John Barnard, A Proof of Jesus Christ Being the Ancient Promised Messiah (1756)