And with Respect to the Affair that is the Subject of the preceding Letters, doubtless so great a Contradiction between Mr. Clap and me, in such a State of Things as the Country is now in, and relating to a Person, concerning whom the Country is so much divided in their Sentiments, with Spirits so deeply, and contrarily engaged, will cause a Variety of Reflections and ⟨p. 14⟩Censures; and every one will say as he is disposed. However, I think my self now called openly to make this DECLARATION: That ever Mr. Whitefield said any Thing to me, or I to him, of any Design of his of turning out the bigger Part of the Ministers of New-England, or any where else, or ever so much as hinted, either he or any of his Company, any Thing of that Nature; or of his bringing over any Minister, or Candidate for the Ministry, from Scotland, or Ireland, into any Part of America, or from any one Country in Europe, into New-England; or that I ever reported any such Thing to Mr. Clap, or any other Person, or that ever any Thought of Mr. Whitefield's saying, or hinting, any Thing like either of these Things, ever entered into my Heart, 'till I heard 'em as coming from Mr. Clap; or that Mr. Whitefield ever intimated to me, any Design of his going to Scotland, or making any Interest there; or that he ever mentioned the Name of Ireland in my bearing; I say that any of these Things ever were, I have no Remembrance: God is my Witness who searches my Heart, and will bring to Light the hidden Things of Darkness, and make manifest the Counsels of the Heart. And whether it be probable that I should wholly forget all these Things, if they indeed had been; especially those remarkable, great Things, that Mr. Clap has reported that I said, after I had well remembered them for two Years and an half, so as to give Him a distinct Account of them, I leave others to judge. And whether I have a Conscience sufficient to restrain me from Lying with this Solemnity or no; yet, I must also leave it to others to judge, whether it be likely that when I had so grand a Secret committed to me, of a Scheme to bring about ⟨p. 15⟩so great a Revolution, as the turning out most of the Ministers in the Country, and bringing over four or five Hundred from Europe, to settle in their Places, I should carefully keep it secret from every Mortal for two or three Years, and declare it freely to Mr.
And with Respect to the Affair that is the Subject of the preceeding Letters, doubtless so great a Contradiction between Mr. Clap and me, in such a State of Things as the Country is now in, and relating to a Person, concerning whom the Country is so much divided in their Sentiments, with Spirits so deeply, and contrarily engaged, will cause a Variety of Reflections and ⟨p. 14⟩Censures; and every one will say as he is disposed. However, I think my self now called openly to make this DECLARATION: That ever Mr. Whitefield said any Thing to me, or I to him, of any Design of his of turning out the bigger Part of the Ministers of New-England, or any where else, or ever so much as hinted, either he or any of his Company, any Thing of that Nature; or of his bringing over any Minister, or Candidate for the Ministry, from Scotland, or Ireland, into any Part of America, or from any one Country in Europe, into New-England; or that I ever reported any such Thing to Mr. Clap, or any other Person, or that ever any Thought of Mr. Whitefield's saying, or hinting, any Thing like either of these Things, ever entred into my Heart, 'till I heard 'em as coming from Mr. Clap; or that Mr. Whitefield ever intimated to me, any Design of his going to Scotland, or making any Interest there; or that he ever mention'd the Name of Ireland in my bearing; I say that any of these Things ever were, I have no Remembrance: God is my Witness who searches my Heart, and will bring to Light the hidden Things of Darkness, and make manifest the Counsels of the Heart. And whether it be probable that I should wholly forget all these Things, if they indeed had been; especially those remarkable, great Things, that Mr. Clap has reported that I said, after I had well remembred them for two Years and an half, so as to give Him a distinct Account of them, I leave others to judge. And whether I have a Conscience sufficient to restrain me from Lying with this Solemnity or no; yet, I must also leave it to others to judge, whether it be likely that when I had so grand a Secret committed to me, of a Scheme to bring about ⟨p. 15⟩so great a Revolution, as the turning out most of the Ministers in the Country, and bringing over four or five Hundred from Europe, to settle in their Places, I should carefully keep it secret from every Mortal for two or three Years, and declare it freely to Mr.
