Within a month or two of the publication of Collins's book about prophecy, Thomas Sherlock was replying to it in a series of sermons in the Temple Church, of which he was Master. He was famous as a preacher, cogent rather than eloquent, and a man well seasoned in the management of rows and debates. He had helped the authorities of the University of Cambridge in their efforts to control Bentley. He had led the Lower House of the Church's Convocation in withstanding an attack on the Test and Corporation Acts by Bishop Hoadley of Bangor, carrying on with pamphlets when Convocation was prorogued by the nervous Whig Ministry. This exchange came to be known as ‘The Bangorian Controversy’. As an Orthodox and Tory Churchman, Sherlock had Collins in his sights for some time. In 1714, as Vice Chancellor of Cambridge and momentarily on good terms with Bentley (as much as anyone could expect there) he had stage-managed the University's vote of thanks to him for his Remarks Upon a. Late Discourse of Free Thinking: Bentley's rejoinder to a previous, and as notorious, book by Collins. Bentley went for Collins's scholarship and soon had it in shreds. Sherlock, himself embattled against Collins eleven years later and on the question of prophecy, thought strategically rather than accumulating tactical successes like Bentley. He went for the general issues and explored their human interest.