_T. H._ This is all that hath come into my mind touching this question,
since I last considered it. And I humbly beseech your Lordship to
communicate it only to J. D. And so praying God to prosper your Lordship
in all your designs, I take leave, and am, my most noble and obliging
Lord,
Your most humble servant,
T. H.
[Sidenote: The Bishop’s reply.]
_J. D._ “He is very careful to have this discourse kept secret, as
appears in this section, and in the XIVth and XVth sections. If his
answer had been kept private, I had saved the labour of a reply. But
hearing that it was communicated, I thought myself obliged to vindicate
both the truth and myself. I do not blame him to be cautious; for in
truth, this assertion is of desperate consequence, and destructive to
piety, policy, and morality. (_a_) If he had desired to have it kept
secret, the way had been to have kept it secret himself. It will not
suffice to say, as No. XIV, that ‘truth is truth’: This is the common
plea of all men. Neither is it sufficient for him to say, as No. XV,
that ‘it was desired by me’, long before that he had discovered his
opinion by word of mouth. And my desire was to let some of my noble
friends see the weakness of his grounds, and the pernicious consequences
of that opinion. (_b_) But if he think that this ventilation of the
question between us two may do hurt, truly I hope not. The edge of his
discourse is so abated, that it cannot easily hurt any rational man, who
is not too much possessed with prejudice.”