SINCE it hath pleased his present Gracious Majesty, Willi­am the Third, in his Declaration, upon his Coming into the Kingdom, to signifie, That this Expedition was intended for no other design, but to have a free Parliament, and to have That (as more especially expressing his mind) for the making such Laws, as may Establish a good Agreement between the Church of England, and all Protestant Dissenters; as also for the Covering of all such, who will live peaceably under the Government, as becomes good Subjects, from all Persecution upon the account of their Religion: I cannot but think it a very seasonable and acceptable piece of Service, to make some little larger Explanation upon these Words; which carry in them the full Purport of these two things, which we call Comprehension and Indulgence; and which no Wise man but will see (if they be drawn up into such a Bill, as they ought, and pass the Houses) are the true means to the Settlement, and Happiness of the Nation.

I shall present the Explanation; Then offer such a Bill; And make some Animadversion on it; and that is the Business of this Paper.

For the first of these, in this Atchievement then, or Design (full of all Princely Wisdom, Honesty, and Goodness) there is a Double inte­rest to be distinguished, and weighed; That of Religion it self, and that of the Nation.

The Advance of Religion does consist much in the Unity of its Professors, both in Opinion and Practice; to be of one Mind, and one Heart, and one Way (in Discipline and Worship) so far as may be according to the Scriptures.

The Advance of the Nation does lie in the Freedom and Flourish­ing of Trade, and ingrafting the whole Body into the Common Bene­fit, and Dependance on the Government.

The One of these calls for an Established Order and Agreement: the Other bespeaks an Indulgence, and the fullest Liberty of Conscience that is but Tolerable.

For while People are in danger of suffering about Religion, they dare [Page 4] not launch into Trade, but keep their Money, as knowing not into what Streights they may be driven: and when, in reference to their Sect and Party, they are held under Severity, it is easie for those who are designing Heads, to Mould them into Wrath and Faction; which, without that occasion, would melt and dissolve it self into bare dissent of Opinion, peaceably rejoycing under the Enjoyment of an equal Pro­tection.

The King is concern'd as Supreme Governour, and as Christian Go­vernour. As he is King, he is to seek the Welfare of the Nation; as he is Christian, the Flourishing of Religion.

The Protestant Religion is particularly his interest, not only as im­barked with Holland, and his Allies; but as this Kingdom does lye in Ba­lance still with its Neighbour Nations.

The Judgment now of some hath been for a Comprehending Act, which might take in those that are for our Parochial Churches, that the Laws then might be more severely Executed upon all those that separate from Them, in order to their Reduction: But the Judgment of some others is for a Free and Equal Act of Crace to all indifferently, whether Separatists or Others, abhorring Comprehension, as more dan­gerous to them upon that account mentioned, than all the Acts that have passed.

Neither of these judge up to the full interest of the King and King­dom, as is proposed. It becomes not him, whose Principles will ad­mit him to own our Parochial Churches, and enjoy a Living, to be wil­ling to have his Brethren, that cannot, to be given up to Persecution. And it becomes not the Separatist, if he may not enjoy his Conscience, to repine and envy another for reaping any farther Emolument, seeing both of them (supposing the latter may do so) will have as much at the Bottom, as can be in their Capacities desired of either.

It is an Act therefore of a Mixt Complection, providing both Com­prehension and Indulgence, for the different Parties, that must serve the Nation.

There are Two forts of the Protestant Dissenters. One that owns the Established Ministry, and our Parish Congregations, and are in a Ca­pacity of Union upon that account, desiring it heartily upon such con­siderations only, as may but satisfie their Consciences in the Matter: The Other that owns not our Churches, and so are uncapable of a Con­junction, who do not, and cannot desire, or seek it.

For the One, that which is to be proposed, is a farther Latitude in the present Constituted Order, that such may be received; and this we [Page 5] call Comprehension. For the Other, there is indeed nothing can be done to bring those in, and joyn them with us in Parochial Union; yet is there this to be propounded, That we bear with them, and not let any one that lives peaceably be Persecuted for his Conscience; and this we call Indulgence.

If the Presbyterian now may be Comprehended, he will be satisfied to act in his Ministry, without any endeavouring the alteration of Epis­copacy, any otherwise than as conducive to advance that Comprehension. If the Congregationalist be Indulged, he will be satisfied, though he be not Comprehended; for That he cannot come up to: And so shall there be no Disobligation put on any but all be pleased, and enjoy the Benefit of such a Bill.

Let but the Stakes for Comprehension be set wide enough, to take in all who can own, and come into the Publick Liturgy, (which are far the greater Weight of the Nation) and when the Countenance of Authority, and all State-Emoluments are cast into one Scale; and nothing but Labour and Conscience put in the other, the Men that Conform not, being let alone to come to themselves, without Persecution to enflame them, or Preferment to encourage them, (especially if one Expedient be used, that is, some other Bill be preferred against Plu­ralities, to let in the Comprehended to something, that such as come in may find it really better to them, to be a Priest to a Tribe, than a Le­vite to a Family,) we need not doubt, but Time, the Mistriss of the Wise and the Unwise, will discover the peaceable Fruit of such Coun­sels.

Thus much for the Design and Explanation of it. Now for the Se­cond thing, A Bill to comprize the Contents, and to prevent all ma­lignant and insufficient Endeavours of any Person or Party, to shorten, or widen that Liberty of Religion, more than is meet, or charitable to their Brethren, on one side or the other, which we may expect from our King and Queen, and present Parliament, for the accomplishment of His Majesties Royal Words, so well tempered with Benignity and Wisdom, in his Declaration at first mentioned, and unto which the Na­tion may undoubtedly trust: I shall need nothing, but to Re-print a Bill, which any one may find who please, (that no Body may take Exceptions thereupon) in a certain bound Book, call'd, The Sa­maritan, set forth in the Year, 1682. being the result of much Agita­tion in the House of Commons, for Ease and Mitigation to the Di­senters so long ago, and put together by consent of such that knew best their own Grievances in this manner, to lie by, and serve such an Occasion.

Thus much for the First, and Second thing, the Design and Bill; now for the Third, some little Animadversions upon it. I must confess my self One, that am concerned, and that have been so still, when Parliaments Sate, both in my Mind, and my Endeavours to the utmost, for Peace and Union in the Church; which is the cause that this Bill, thus produced, was put and left upon Record, on purpose in that Book mentioned, for some future Parliament to use it self, or to take Measure by, for making another, if they would fit the Nonconformists Ge­neral Case, and accomplish the End design'd. And now am I afraid at my Heart, lest when we have such an opportunity, as we never had really before, when King, and Queen, and Parliament, and the whole People are for Uniting the Protestants, as our Interest, against the danger of the Papists from abroad, and at home, there should be some Obstruction yet put to this Accommodation, which is so forward and hopeful; either through the Machinations of some close Enemies, by such Methods as we cannot discern, and so cannot prevent; or through the shortness of true Friends, who for want of knowing per­fectly what it is the Nonconformist must have, may be over-seen, or over-reacht, and sit down with something less than will serve the turn; and for that Reason have I gathered together, and do put forth this Paper, though not without much Reluctancy; because I know well, that some men will be ready to say, Who are you? and what have you to do with these Matters, which belong to the Parliament? But I say, They do belong to me, and are the Concern of every Body; and if, for lack of a little intimation at first, the Nonconformist should come to have their Consciences choakt, and be deprived of their Li­berty at last, those Men of all other, that now would stave me back, and reprove me for medling, might more deservedly be the First to up­braid us all, and say, Why did you not look better to it, when it was Time? You may thank your selves; it was through your own negli­gence, that you had not what you would, at such a Season.

Be it known therefore, (or remembred) that there being two Bills in the House of Commons upon the Anvil, in Charles the Second's time; [Page 10] the One of them for Comprehension, the Other for Indulgence; (the Titles were otherwise worded, but the Intent such): The Bill for Indulgence was so well attended by an industrious Member of the House, that no­thing was wanting to the Compleating of it; but the Bill for Comprehen­sion, being drawn up by Gentlemen that did not, and could not fully understand the Scruples of the Nonconformists, was both imperfect and neglected: Only one Person, without door, having procured a Copy, and finding it so; did by applying himself to several Members about it, get something to be changed, or put into it, at the Committee; and af­terwards (with Consent, and Assistance of some of his Brethren) im­prove and perfect it, against the Sitting of the Parliament at Oxford; but they sitting not, it was thought good to put it as a Memorial into that Book, and for that end, as is mentioned.

When I say, now, this Bill was perfected; as I mean it only in regard to the Contents, leaving the Words to be formed better, as a Parliament pleased; so by this Perfection, I mean not such a Measure, as all those Con­descentions, or Allowances, sit to to be made to the Dissenter, may not Exceed (for there is the Service-Book may be Revised, and every thing in it, that gives occasion of stumbling to any, may be changed, and there are other things may be expected at this time, which could not rationally heretofore) : but such a Measure, as they must not fall short of, without rendring the Bill insignificant. For if there be ten Thorns in the Nonconformists Foot, and the Bishops pull out Nine of them, and leave the Tenth, he cannot go along with them for that One only. There are some few Additions therefore inserted in this Bill, which were not put into it by the Committee at that time; the Reasons where­of will appear in their own Light; Excepting Two of them, which I will therefore speak something about, the One being concerning the Subscription of the Articles, the Other concerning Orders.

I will begin with that concerning Orders. In the late Times, when the Bishops were down, many were Ordained by Presbyters, and the Parliament was willing to allow those Orders, as good in a Case of Ne­cessity: But there being Others ordained since the return of the Bi­shops, there was no Provision made for such in the Bill. As for these Persons therefore, that [...]e neglect of the Bishops may be countenanced, here is the Proposal of such a Laying on of their Hands, which may be law­fully received. For there is Ordinatio ad Ossicium, & Reordinatio ad Exe­ritium particulare may consist together. An Ordination to the Office, or Ministry it self, is not to be repeated. He that is once ordained to That, whether by Presbyters, or Bishops, cannot receive the Spiritual Power [Page 11] (or Character,) or be made Ministers, Again: But there is a Laying on of Hands to the Work of that Office, in regard to a new Charge, as Paul and Barnabas, who were Ministers before, are yet separated to that peculiar Work, unto which the Holy Ghost called them (Acts 13.) By the Laying on of the Hands of those at Antioch, and such an Ordina­tion as this, being capable to be used more than once, is the Remedy applyed therefore to these Persons in the Bill, as the only medium for Resolution of this Difficulty.

For the Other matter concerning the Subscription to the Churches Articles, I have something more than this, to say about it. Whoso­ever have read a Book, called, A part of Register, wherein there is a relation of several things, in reference to the Nonconformists in Q. Elizabeth's Days, they will find, that nothing was then so grievous to them, as the Subscriptions of those Times, and the Subscription to these Articles was one; which gives me Affliction to consider, how by the Contexture of both those Bills, before named, and like now, to be re­vived, and be two again, the Nonconformist Ministers whole Freedom from Prosecution of the Law against him, is made to depend upon his Subscribing the Articles of Religion; A bottom I must say, more narrow, more servile, and less ingenuous, than might be wished. For what man of a free Judgment can Subscribe to the 39. or 36. Articles, which himself hath not drawn up, without a Liberty of his own interpretation? Indeed, if that were a thing lawful, upon the reading the Articles, to frame a Sense of ones own, and Subscribe it in that sense; nothing would be more easie, than such a Subscription: But when the Impositions of our Superiours must conscientiously be taken in the Sense of the Imposers, or else we do but prevaricate, are false, or perjurious in the sight of God: there is no­thing almost under Heaven, that a Man should be more tender of, than this business of Subscribing. The doubtfulness of many about the Ceremonies, is not to be compared to a Conviction of Conscience that a Man must not Subscribe to any point of Doctrine, which he be­lieves untrue; and I must needs add, that Except the Declaring and Swear­ing, that it is not lawful to take Arms against those that are Commissionated by the King, upon any cause, there is no part of Conformity more hard to my Genius, than this Subscription. It is an unfortunate thing there­fore, that, when Assent and Consent to the Liturgy, is found a thing so truly grievous to all, as to be judg'd necessary to be taken away; this Assent and Consent yet, and Approbation of the Articles, should be thought no Grievance to any Body. Especially, when in One, [Page 12] the Conformist hath a Shift, or Salvo, that he Subscribes but to the Use: but in the Other, there is no Shift, no Salvo at all, nothing but down-right Hypocrisie and False-hood; when a Man comes and pro­fesses his Assent and Consent to, and Approbation of, those Articles in the Churches Sense, but does understand them to be true, only in his own. I know indeed, that in the Opinion of many, some of our more eminent Divines, the Subscribing the Articles is to be taken for nothing but a Respect to the Church, and an Engagement, that they will not Preach against them: But these Men, how worthy, or how conscientious they be otherwise, must be told, that in this they shew no Conscience; for I would know from any such Man, in what Di­ctionary I shall find, that Assent and Consent to an Article and Approbation of it, is no more than I won't Preach against it. And what Impositi­on after that shall hold him, who can get leave of his Consci­ence to make such an Evasion? Besides that, to promise I will never Preach or Write against these Articles, if I believe the Church mista­ken in the Doctrine of any of them, is really to me a harder Task, than to Subscribe them; in as much as to tell one Lye, is not so grievous as to tell a great many; which as often as I break my Promise, I must be doing.

The Question therefore here arises upon this, What the Parliament should do about this Subscription, seeing it is a Grievance undoubtedly, and ought to be Redressed? Now there are Four ways may be proposed; Either the removing it, or changing it, or providing a Salve against it; or that, which is least, letting this little Addition stand, and be allow­ed That which is put into the Bill, for that end.

For the first Way, I must needs say, That that is the easiest; and it is a common Saying, The first is best. And what does hinder, but this Assent and Consent to the Articles may be taken away, as well as Assent and Consent to the Book of Common Prayer? Here are the same crooked [...]ss's to stick in our Throats, and why should not both De­clarations fare alike? Why, is it not enoug [...] fo [...] a Man to profess his Be­lief of the Scripture, and of the Apostles Creed, and to take the Test against Popery, to qualify him for the benefit of any Bill of this kind?

For the Second Way, which I suppose to be the most likely to take Effect, is this. Let these Declarations of our Assent and Consent to, and Approbation of the Articles, which we are required now to Subscribe, be turned into a Declaration of That which the more inge­nuous of our Conformists do say, is all their meaning in their Subscrib­ing of them; and that Expedient may do the business. We must not [Page 13] Subscribe to such Words as these, with the Reservation of a less Mean­ing, That is Equivocation; but we may Subscribe to such Words as signifie only that Meaning, instead of these which signifie more, and be at ease in our Subscription. I A. B. do declare, That I do bear that due Respect to the Church of England, and her Book of Articles, as an Instrument of Concord; That I will not Seditiously or Schismatically, I will not directly or expresly Preach or Write against any of them, to the Breach of Charity, or making disturbance among Christians. There are some such Words as these must be put in, for consequentially and reductively, or before we are aware innocently, and sometime necessarily, in regard to some point of Doctrine, which we think in their Sense con­trary to Scripture; we must and shall Preach against them, and yet our Promise must not be broken. I will, to avoid Scruple, quite as to my self, and for the fuller satisfaction to my Conformist Brethren, and to acquit my Conscience before all sorts of Men, make this Declarati­on of my own Accord. That I do from my Heart give my Consent to the Reformation of Religion, which was made by the Church of England in her Doctrine, and her Worship: I do esteem those Persons, that are made Mini­sters by her Book of Orders, to be lawful Ministers, and our Parochial Congrega­tions to be true Christian Churches, consisting of Pasture and People, who have a Fundamental Authority from Christ, of Teaching and Ruling them accord­ing to his Institution; I do submit to her Government, as under the King: And I do receive her Articles and Homilies, as Books full of wholesom Truth, and good Instructions, Instrumental to Concord; and that They contain in them all things necessary to Salvation.

For the Third Way, It is that, which, if I might choose, I should prefer before any, as most agreeable to my Spirit (for the sake of other Incumbrances like this): and my Proposal shall be the putting into the Bill (or such Bills) a Clause for the saving a Mans Conscience, though he do Subscribe, and submit to such Injunctions as these are; and that Clause which I would offer upon this account, should be to this pur­pose, committing the Words (here and before) if they offend, to the amendment of the Lawyers. —And forasmuch as all Impositions are to be taken in the Sense of the Imposers, unless some provision of Liberty, Allow­ance, or Exception be made for the Taker to do otherwise, it is hereby declared, That this Subscription (Assent, Consent, Approbation) is not imposed, or to be impo­ted on any in the very Sense and Meaning of the Compilers of the Articles or Imposers (whereof a Man can never be sure, and hardly so much perswaded of sometimes, as to act in Faith) but in a Rational Construction (agreeable to the Holy Scripture) of the Subscribers own, or of some judicious Expositor; [Page 14] that is, in the Terms of the School, not in the Authentick, but a Doctrinal Interpretation.

For the Fourth and Last Way, which is That I take in this Bill, in regard to the Passing it with the less Notice (for it is brought-in, as the Rea­der may see, in a Parenthesis); I must confess it to be some thing co­incident with the third, but more confined; consisting in a Liberty of a Man's own Sense, for such as scruple at any Article, but so as to bring his Explication to the Bishop, that if it be Heretical, he may reject him; if Orthodox, receive him: and so a due Regard be had to the Con­sciences of such Persons, and yet the Church not neglected upon that Account.

By this way of Providing against the Scruples of the more Conside­rate, about this momentous piece of Conformity, the Subscription to the Articles, (when the Provision only of the Exception of Three of them will be too short) we must not understand this Bill to be drawn up so, because this way is best; but upon Supposition, that neither of the other Proposals would be granted, and also, because this Bill is no new Bill now, but Produced: This is a Bill Printed Six or Seven Years since; and at that time, this way was that only which could be thought on (and in this manner to be brought in) as more likely to be Passed.

Howbeit, the Scene now being altered, I cannot tell but one of the other ways may pass sooner; and this I am sure, that some Condescen­tion herein, appears more and more necessary from that Consideration which is yet farther to be pressed, the difficulty (I mean) at bottom, which lies here. The Articles of the Church must be taken in the Sense of the Church. The Parliament indeed imposes the Subscription; but is not the Imposer in whose Sense the Articles must be taken, because it enjoyns them as the Churches Articles, that is all one as enjoyning them to be taken in her Sense; and that Church is the Church in Q. Eliza­beth's Days, when the Articles were compiled and enjoined at first. And hereupon, I will offer one Instance; and suppose a Man to scruple the 11th. Article, which tells us, That we are justified by Faith only. I do here believe in my Conscience, that the Sense wherein the Church then un­derstood This, must be the Sense of our First Reformers, and that is by Faith taken Objective, in sensu Correlativo, not as a Work, but an In­strument; which in short is, in such a Sense (which Divines know) as ex­cludes all Works, Evangelical as well as Legal, from Justification. I will suppose now, that the Man comes to the Bishop, and says, He can not sub­scribe this Article in the Churches Sense, because he verily believes this to be her Sense; and that to be inconsistent with St. James, who says direct­ly [Page 15] to the contrary, That by Works a Man is Justified, and not by Faith only: and therefore desires he may subscribe in his own Sense, which he is rea­dy to tender, viz. That by Faith he understands Christianity, or the becoming a Christian; and that by Faith only, he understands St. Paul's Faith without Works, that is, Faith without the Works of the Law, or with­out being Circumcised, and living according to the Laws; and so he gives in the Sense of St. Paul, for the Sense of the Article; That a Man is not justified by living according to the Law, but living according to the Gospel only. I would ask now, Whether there be not reason here, both that such a Man should not be excluded for this scruple; and that there should be License provided by some such Clause in the Bill, for the Bishops to admit him upon this Explanation; Especially, seeing the Reconciliation of St. James and St. Paul, is thereby made so clear, as it must tempt his Acceptation.

As for the Roman Catholicks at last, I will not baulk my Opinion. The King (while Prince of Orange) hath expresly said in his Declarati­on, that he Excepts not the Papists, And I need not refrain my constant Thoughts. I am one my self, be sure, that am not for Popery, but must distinguish between the danger of it when it is in Dominion, (that is Up­permost by Law or Force) and where it is in Subjugation: I very much dread the One, I am very gentle toward the Other. In order to this, I must be against the Permission of Factors for a Foreign Jurisdiction; yet should not murmur, if the Sanguinary Laws (whereby such a Crime is made, as Treason, to be capital) were repealed. Again, I am one not for the Mass, and a general open tolerating its Votaries in the Publick Assemblies; because all Protestants judg it Idolatry, and that open Idolatry is not to be tolerated, where it can be helped: But for the private pea­ceable Recusant, that enjoys his Religion to himself, and meddles not with other Folks, his Case is the same (I judg) with the Dissenters; and I am still for our doing to them, as we would have had them do unto us but a while ago, sin only excepted. Yet not altogether with the Idolater, for then must ye needs go out of the World.

I have no more to say now, but some little about the turning the Two Bills (as they were formerly in the House) into One, which is done by the Print from whence I took it; the Reason whereof, I suppose, was the tediousness of the Bill for Indulgence; which providing for the Case of so many, and something or other being like to be omitted, it seemed more easie, and more safe, to wrap up all these Cases together, in the security of a general Suspension of the Penal Laws about Religion, until a Parliament come that can have leisure, by a Committee or Ap­pointment [Page 16] of Two or Three Sedulous Lawyers, that are fit for the Work, and willing to attend it, to look over all the Statutes that concern Re­ligion, for the finding out every thing that is hard, and fit to be Repea­led, whether it be the whole Act, (or the Act at Oxford) or part of it (as the Uniformity Act) to the end, that those Parts and Clauses (if over grievous but to the Papists themselves) being duly considered, and Mat­ters thoroughly adjusted, an Act may be drawn up, that should be a Repealing Act, to deliver us from such Burdens altogether; and that were the most Effectual Indulgence, or best way to it, that is imaginable: And as for Comprehension then, which is a matter of more Curiosity, De­bate and Counsel, It were well that this Bill here proposed, might be brought in, and past for a Staying Act, or Interim of Pacification, until a Tryal of the Comprehended; some Consults of the Comprehended and Indulged; a Convocation of the Conformists, with part of the Com­prehended chosen into that Convocation; a Revisal of the Churches Li­turgy, their Book of Orders, their Articles, their Homilies, their Canons, with other such preliminary matters pre-ordered, may Administer the Advantage to a more compleat Act, and better Establishment, than can be expected at this Season. I will conclude with what is apt at present; Comprehension without Indulgence destroys the Separatist, that is both the Papists and Sectaries. Indulgence without Comprehension depopulates the Church. Comprehension with Indulgence Unites the Protestants, se­cures the Church of England, and gives Ease and Safety to all People.