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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45163	Union pursued, in a letter to Mr. Baxter, concerning his late book of national churches published for a fuller disquisition about this subject, by the sober and composed of all sides, in order to comprehension which hath been forming, and a larger constitution of the church to be formed, when that Day of Concord comes, which the gentle aspect of Heaven in God's appointment (and the King's) of so many choice moderate bishops together at this time does presage to the nation, that the Presbyterians and Independants, that have united within themselves, may both be united also with the Church of England / by a lover of Him, and follower of peace.	Humfrey, John, 1621-1719.	1691 (1691)	Wing H3716; ESTC R15748	28,717	40

to theirs without any Lye Dissembling or Equivocation Neither is there any Adjustment that can atone both sides besides this for the Minister ordained before receives no diminution to his Ministry hereby seeing he yields to no more than this and the Unsatisfied with his Ministry already can be satisfied with no less than this If the Bishop should only Admit a man to the Exercise of his Ministry in the Church of England the Spiritual Power received already acknowledged this indeed would serve the Minister but not the Bishop or those that doubt it If any thing be done that implies the denial of the Power it is against the Conscience of the Minister but when the Power is not Denyed nor Granted neither are offended but both accommodated as much as need be and that is enough If the man be shocked at such a Supposition If thou beest not Ordained he must be set right again at those words that follow If thou beest be thou confirmed and consequently in regard there are really in many places several truly pious People that believe a man no Minister unless Ordained by a Bishop and so scruples his baptizing their Children and the receiving the Sacrament of him the Nonconformist Minister that shall be comprehended by this Act will be bound in point of Conscience for the satisfaction of such as may be of his Parish Conscience I say not thy own but of the others to the yielding to any the like thing as this which is not sinful that his Ministry may run and be glorified and receive no Obstruction upon that account At the end of the Bill there was a Clause for appointing some Bishops and Doctors of the Church to that healing work for which the King after gave a Commission and in the renewal of the same therefore I would beg lastly that this Clause may be put as near as may be into these words following And Forasmuch as the Excellent Government of the Church by Bishops as it was Reformed and Established in Edward the Sixth and Q. Elizabeths days is to be still upheld and several things in regard to the Books of the Liturgy and Ordering Priests and Deacons and the Ecclesiastical Constitutions and in regard to the Exercise of Discipline and otherwise do require Redress Reduction and Improvement In order whereunto it pleased the King to grant a Commission to certain Bishops and Doctors of the Church who have made some progress therein Be it enacted That these Commissioners shall be hereby authorized to call or convene half a dozen of the grave and moderate Nonconformist Ministers who upon consultation with their Brethren shall peruse what these Commissioners have prepared and offer to the said Commissioners in Writing whatsoever they desire farther in reference to Concord and when these Commissioners have considered thereof and perfected the whole as themselves see meet they shall present it to His Majesty to be communicated to a Convocation or Parliament when and how it shall seem best to his most excellent Wisdom There are two sorts according to His Majesty's Declaration before mentioned of Protestant Dissenters One that own the established Ministry the Liturgy and our Parish-Churches The Other that do not or cannot own them For those that cannot they cannot be comprehended and their Case being considered they have Liberty granted they must not be knock'd on the Head For those that can their Case is to be considered likewise and if this Bill without altering any more than thus Tho' if any man would know all things to perfect it he may find them in one drawn purposely up in that little Book called The Samaritan be brought into the House so that it pass with the Grant but of those few things which are contain'd in it together with impowering the aforesaid Commissioners unto this farther business for remedy of more there is so much obtained herein as is manifestly conducive to this end of Comprehension which would be I count a blessed Ground for present Peace as a happy sort of Interim till time brought forth something farther to perfection But both these Acts that for Indulgence and this for Comprehension if the last come also into an Act are yet but Scaffolds tho' so much needful in order to this greater Works the building up such a Church as may be capacious both of the Indulged and Comprehended to live together with the Church-men as fellow-Members of the same Society Political in the enjoyment of the common Peace and Religion of Jesus Christ that so God may be one and his Name one throughout the Nation I will add such a Church as being compacted within its self and strenghtened with such a Union it may be the Glory of our Friends and Impregnable against our Enemies A Magna Charta to this effect in the Reign of the present King which was but spoken of and feared under the last would indeed do our business If there be any Protestant Lawyer so deliberate and wise as to be able to digest so great a matter he may do well to read Mr. Lawson's Politica who in one Chapter of the Extent of a Particular Church goes to prove how easily the Multitude of Christians in one Nation associated and subjected to one Supreme Judicatory may be ordered even as a single Independent Congregation may and he hath many clear things upon it as a man of excelling Skill in that study Sir I am sensible how much the publick and how little your own private Advantage does concern you and therefore I humbly conjure you and beseech you to take this matter into second thoughts because it is one and the same thing as to the main must be thought over and beat upon to bring any matter to the maturity of doing good and the Lord knows whether there be or be not any such kind of Good in the Womb of Providence for this Land There was a Sheet or Half-sheet came out a good many years ago under the Title of Materials for Vnion which were revised and put out again more lately under the Title of A Draught for Accommodation that is National Union National Accommodation If you have read it already it is so much the better because then your Thoughts will be the more prepared to do what I desire of you that is to read over the same again with some deeper Animadversion not barely to confute it or some things in it which is a little Work any other body can do but to take it into consideration so as to examin what is well as what is amiss to approve as to disprove to add what is wanting as to lop what is unfit that is to read it over not for destroying but edifying or to look it over as you would the Trees in your Garden to pluck off the Snails but to cherish the Budds because there is or there may be for ought you know a Blessing in them I do think fit to write this Letter on purpose that I may send with

Union Pursued IN A Letter to Mr. Baxter Concerning his Late Book of National Churches PUBLISHED For a fuller Disquisition about this Subject by the Sober and Composed of all Sides in order to Comprehension which hath been Forming and a Larger Constitution of the Church to be Formed when that Day of Concord comes which the gentle Aspect of Heaven in GOD's Appointment and the King's of so many Choice Moderate Bishops together at this Time does presage to the Nation That the Presbyterians and Independants that have United within themselves may Both be United also with the Church of England By a Lover of Him and Follower of Peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed for Rich. Baldwin 1691. A Letter to Mr. Baxter Concerning his Late BOOK of National Churches Reverend Sir HAving read your Sheets of National Churches which Subject I am much pleased with and concern'd in Regard to the Publick I cannot but desire you who have a more distinct Knowledge of these things than I to endeavour to clear to me this Matter a little farther than you have Your Notion of a National Church to be all one with a Christian Kingdom and to be of Divine Institution is New as I take it That it is the Duty of Nations Magistrate and People to become Christians and that King and People should meet in fit Assemblies for the Worship of the True God and His Son and live as Christians there is no body can doubt But that all such Particular Congregations should combine into one Polity or be Unified in a National Church this is as I think another Business There are two things belong to a Polity the Constitution and the Administration A Polity must be first Constituted that is An Order of Superiority and Subjection agreed upon by a Community which implies a Union for Government before it be Governed according to that Order which is the Administration A Community is with Politick Writers but the Matter disposed for the receiving a Form of Government and a Kingdom turn'd Christian Head and Body are in the first moment of Consideration no other than a Community There must be a Constitution then made by that Community a Constitution agreed upon by Magistrate and People for the Common Good before they be a National Church The State and Church are always distinguished and the placing the Supreme Power of a Common-wealth in a King or in the Nobles or in the People or in a Government that is Mixt does not specifie the Constitution of the Church The Supreme Legislative and Judicial Power of the One and the Other does not lye in the same Subject I pray consider if it do if it does then must a Christian Kingdom and National Church be the same indeed but if it do not then must it be otherwise according to the best of my Apprehension which I desire to be rectified where it is amiss and shall not therefore enlarge and be petulant on this Argument You seem to place the Being of a National Church onely in the having a King and People to be Christian but I am apt to place it mainly as to the Polity thereof in that Combination of King and People in such an Order as is conducive to the Exercise of a Government Ecclesiastical which is proper to it which Order of Superiority and Inferiority being diverse in diverse Nations cannot be of Divine Appointment because the Polity then ought to be the same in every Country That which is of God's Appointment cannot be varyed by Man I am of the Opinion That in Scotland they may do well in setting up the Presbyterian Government and in England the Episcopal and both Nations do for the best Both be True National Churches and acceptable to Christ Now I cannot tell how to make so much Charity good but by reckoning that Polity which is set up in Churches as National to be left to the Liberty of Christian Governours and consequently to be of Human Institution Suppose a Nation should be converted to Christianity by some Independents and they set up their Independent Churches throughout the Land without other Government Suppose the King be of the same mind and so joyns himself to one of these Congregations as a Member and believes that he is to leave all Ecclesiastical Government to such Pastors and meddle not with it I ask you whether such a Kingdom be a National Church or a National Ecclesiastical Polity where there is no Order of Superiority and Inferiority for the exercise of any Government proper to it I ask Whether the very Quod sit or that there ought to be a Political National Government in every such Kingdom by vertue of any Precept or Institution of Jesus Christ can be made good It is I say a Question at least in regard to Independents Whether every King and People are bound to combine and agree upon the setting up any National Ecclesiastical Government at all but rather leave the People to their particular Congregations and Pastors independent on any Higher Power for any other Ecclesiastical Government of Man over them than that Does the Scripture require farther than this I ask on Suppose the Quod sit What shall we do about the Quid sit The Scots are for the Presbyterian Government the English for the Episcopal I cannot abide you should condemn either How will you allow both but by making a National Constitution indifferent And how can it be indifferent if it were not of Human Agreement What may be granted to the one and what to the other and yet Christ's Command of National Churches if there be any be not transgressed I must ask you as an harder Task Again I must ask you about the Catholick Church This is either Mystical the Government whereof is only Spiritual and I have no Question to ask about that Or Visible as they call it the Government whereof is External The Catholick Church Visible consists of Christ as the Head and all Professors as the Body These Professors make up Particular Congregations these Congregations or their Pastors being confederated into Classes or under Diocesans till they come to a general Assembly or a Convocation arise into a National Church independent on any foreign Jurisdiction Now I must ask That forasmuch as all the Churches on Earth cannot be combined under any General Officers for the exercise of an Oecumenical Government whether the Catholick Church on Earth be a Church Political That is Forasmuch as there is no Confederation of Churches National as there is or may be of Parochial Diocesan and Provincial for Government upon which account you do readily disown a Pope and General Council I ask How can you make out a Polity Oecumenical I know you say it is a Church Political because there is Head and Body But How can any Oecumenical Polity Ecclesiastical or Civil be possible to Man Can a Society be Political before it be Organical And Can the Catholick Church be so being even quite

then confirm this by the proving that it was at his Resurrection he was inaugurated into his Universal Kingdom or make King over the Gentiles or all Nations as Heir of the World That is was then that God said to him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee and Christ askt of his Father and he gave him the Heathen for his Inheritance and the utmost ends of the Earth for his possession compare Acts 13.33 with Psal 2.7 8. That it was then and not before then that he received all power in Heaven and Earth as he tells his Disciples Mat. 28.18 and by vertue of that Power commissioned the Apostles to go and disciple all Nations If any can distinguish thus There was a Kingdom Christ was Born to Mat. 22. Joh. 18.37 which is the Jewish Kingdom as being of the Line of David And there is a Kingdom which is Given him as the Son of Man Dan. 7.14 and which was Purchased by the Merits of his Life and Death Luk. 24.26 Phil. 2.8 and consequently there must be a time when it was Received and that must be after his Death and Resurrection upon that Account I say now if any stand upon this and it be Truth which whether it be or no I must still ask you then is there the Access of some Light and Strength to your Notion But that Christ Instituted a National Church Form and that Judaea under Constantine was such a Church in the Execution which are Two Chapters of your Book I do not apprehend the Proof so convincing but that they need both of them your second Thoughts and farther Improvement That which affects me in these Papers more especially is this one thing that you shew so much candour and condescention toward the present Church but without fawning I must confess and with no less serious Frame of Spirit if I can judge than Augustine wrote his Retractations I do not know whether our Church-men who are good will refuse you any thing you offer as pious as prudent or as necessary to Communion And I think you have offered and conceded enough to the laying a Ground for both Parties when GOD and a Parliament shall see it good to come to an Accommodation I will give an Example of what I say to my Reader out of the Fourteenth Chap. of your Book where you have these words The National Church of England is rightly Constituted under one supream Royal Government as the Vnifying Head It is duely Constituted of professed Baptized Christians and Churches as the Subject Matter It hath National Laws which profess their Subserviency to the Law of Christ and the Nullity of all that is against it It maketh none Magistrates but professed Christians no nor Burgesses and Choosers of Magistrates It hath Diocesans that are general Overseers of many particular Churches as successors to the Apostles and Evangelists in the Ordinary parts of their Office It justly maketh Bishops Members of Parliament it being unfit to make Laws for Religion without the Pastors notice and advice It justly giveth large maintenance and honours to the Superior Clergy that they may be a protection to the Inferior and a relief to the poor and keep up Religion from the contempt and scorn of Wordly Men. The King is the just Donor of such Honours and Revenues The Parish Ministers according to the true Legal Reformed Church of England are acknowledged true Pastors as to all the Essentials of the Pastoral Office Word Sacraments Keys Discipline and Ordinations The Inferior Ministers in Tythes and Glebe have a laudable maintenance All Parishes are to distinguish Communicating Members from Non communicating Inhabitants and to refuse the scandalous and unconfirmed not ready or desiring Confirmation And the Offices of Absolution and Burial are fitted to the faithful were Discipline executed Yet our Law for Dissenters Assemblies acknowledgeth them all true Members of the Church of England who agree in the Essentials notwithstanding their dissent in lesser things We use one and the same Translation of Scripture and we all renounce all Humane Vniversal Forreign Jurisdiction These things and all these you approve as commendable and when you concede so much to the Bishops what is it you require of them Why nothing but that Reformation in effect only of some things which they themselves as to the main do seek also and what Ingenuity more than this could be expected from any It is Peace I perceive you would have but Holiness more and when the world lyes in wickedness if you have peace you must be content with so much holiness as can be had You must not expect that National Churches though you will have them Jure Divino should be as Holy as the select people of your Gathered Congregations Sir I am sensible what need we have of Discourses that are bending to one another while such Divisions are got within our bowels as are like to eat our Religion quite out One would wonder to see sometimes two friends that agree so well otherwise as both to go to Church both are for the same Liturgy both are for the present King and ready rather to dye than admit of Popery and yet being rankt into a diverse sort of Companions under the names of Whig and Tory there is a secret Animosity and Unkindness grows within if no open fire of contention break out as if they were born enemies Do but ask one or the other what is the matter between you or what is the meaning of these names Guelph and Gibeline that divide you they can say nothing but themselves are astonished There is nothing but that the Tares are sown in mens hearts by the Evil one while they are not aware is the cause of it And there is nothing but the love of God and our Neighbour which is the effect of Gods spirit with an Act of Parliament for Vnion which must begin that work like to be the cure of it It was one of the deepest fetches of the Popish Plot through Liberty to destroy Agreement And to come to Agree now and preserve Indulgence is the only way to be even with them As the design therefore of your Papers which is National Concord is according to my heart desire and I should be glad to farther it to my utmost so must I take notice more particularly of one Concession of yours to wit of the Divine right of Bishops which others of your brethren will by no means grant There is the Episcopus gregis the Ordinary Overseer of the flock The Episcopus Praeses where there are several Prebyters in one Congregation And besides these you are for a Superiour sort of successors to the Apostles and Evangelists of Divine institution Such Diocesans that put not down Particular fixed Pastors or such Diocesses as Unchurch not our Parishes are not impugned by you I am perswaded now that the most of our present Bishops will allow you that their Diocesses are not Churches infimae specici but that every

is no doubt but this were a Concession highly Convenient or conducive to this end for I do apprehend as I have said our present Bishops are of that moderation as they would straight yield to it and agree with them But I must say not Necessary because a submission alone to their Government is enough without conceding so much to them when as to the higher End of National Concord it is neither necessary nor convenient but inconvenient as conducive to the excluding multitudes out of it and if it be stood upon to destroy it Sir since I wrote this I have thought good to read over your book again and I will say something more as if I were to begin afresh for there are Persons of Quality and of Parts several that favour the Dissenters who do entertain your Notion of a National Church and Bishops Jure Divino taking your meaning in the strict not my large sense before with indignation looking on it as a building what you have destroyed in your former books and not with the indifferency of Spirit as I do who look on it as an Explanation of those books whether this Jure Divino Point be right or no. Your Title is Of National Church A National Church may be considered in genere or in specie Of a National Church in genere I will account that you have spoken Of a National Church in specie I would have you count that you are yet to speak if you can say any more and I to give you the Occasion A National Church in genere is a Christian Kingdom constituted of a Christian Soveraign Magistrate and of Christian Subjects Worshipping God ordinarily in True Particular Pastoral Churches This is the first Paragraph of your Book and the Subject of your Discourse which you maintain And that which you have said being not as I know by any before said and of such consequence as it is to be said is I will say in my Opinion so Generously said that I cannot but be pleased with it A National Church say you is a Christian Kingdom Right in genere it is so A National Church therefore is of Divine Institution Right again in genere it is so There is no question but God commands all Nations Kings and People to be Christians But we must proceed farther we must not rest here but come to the consideration of a National Church in specie and to this purpose there is another Definition you have elsewhere if it be another which is this A Christian Kingdom containing Confederate Pastoral Churches is a National Church I cannot tell here whether you mean any more in this than in that before but there seems to me some farther light to have came into your mind though perhaps you reflected not on it For by this Confederation you may either understand nothing but that Confederation which is between the Pastor and Members of a Particular Church within themselves or a Confederation of such Particular Churches with others That is the Confederation whereby a Particular People give up themselves to God which the several branches of the Confederation that you instance in do but come to and to one another to walk together under the same Pastoral guidance or the Confederation whereby diverse Particular Pastoral Churches do Confederate for Union under a Superiour Government for their greater common good If you understand the last of these then was you defective in what you said at first If you do not understand the last but the first onely then are you defective as to that which should come mainely into consideration which is the nature of a National Church I say in specie as existing in the Constitution of Particular Kingdoms unto which this Confederation in the last sense is not only Necessary but Essential and to be put into the Definition thereof as without which there can be no rightly constituted Particular National Church in the World We loose our labour to speak of National Churches in the Universal Notion unless we bring the Application down to the Particular National Church in our own Land as you know This therefore we must stand upon In Scotland the Presbyterian Government is settled In England the Episcopal The King is Head of both Nations If the Head alone now were the Form of a National Church then must there be but one Form of the Church of England and Scotland I mean not one Numerical Form which doubtless follows not but one Specifical Form because the Head is but One But the Form of a Presbyterian National Church and the Form of an Episcopal National Church are distinct Forms and do distinguish and specifie two Churches The Form of the Church of Scotland is that Order of Superiority and Subjection whereby the Parish-Churches and Ministers there are subject to their Classes and those Classes to higher till they come up to a National Assembly The Form of the Church of England is that Order of Superiority and Subjection where by the Parochial Ministers and their Flocks are subject to the Diocesan Bishops the Bishops to the Archbishop in regard to which several Parishes do make one Diocess and several Diocesan Churches one Provincial one and the two Provinces with the King make the Church National This Order is the Form of these Churches and the Form essentiates them It is not therefore for any to think that a Man can be a Member of either of these Churches who comes not into their Established Order A man cannot be of the Scotch Church but he must submit to their Presbyteries A man cannot be of the Church of England but he must own Episcopacy he must own it so far as to submit to their Government To go to build up a National Union without this Confederation explicit or implicit is verily but gathering Sand for the building and putting no Lime to it And this let me say with all due respect and without offence is that which you are doing and can but do by making our Bishops and our Church if you intend so to be of Divine Institution when the generality of the Dissenters can hereunto yield no Confederation In your behalf therefore do I distinguish of both these things of a National Church and of Episcopacy in genere in specie In genere in genere indefinito a National Church in genere indefinito an Episcopacy are of Divine Appointment But when we come to the consideration of National Church in specie in specie definita as they exist in the Constitutions of several Countries made by Men and of Episcopacy in specie as existing in our Church of England I will suspend my Belief of your saying so the Matter being so apparent otherwise in the mention of it seeing he that says it does no Service really to the Church the Bishops that are wise if they be obeyed as Established by Law caring little for that but Disservice in this respect that the Dissenters by this means if the thing be stood

Parts of the National Church as well as the Parochial Congregations The Church here therefore must come under a double consideration as the Church of Christ and as the Church of England Take the Church as the Church of Christ and there must be as we have said at first endless Controversy about this point who are the true Members of it and who the Officers whether Bishops or no But take it under the Consideration as National and there will be none at all for those must be Members and those Officers whom the Head by a Law does allow to be parts of the Body and the King under this Notion only is made Head of the Church by the Statute that is as it called Ecclesia Anglicana The Dissenters of all sorts not excepting the Roman Catholicks as well as Conformists will acknowledge the King to be Supream Coercive Governour over all Persons and in all Causes Ecclesiastical and Civil throughout his Dominions and will not stand out perhaps if more be required Again the Dissenters of all sorts even the Congregationalists of very Sect are ready to submit to any Power Legally derived from the King and upon such an account will admit of a Superintendency of the Bishops as Ecclesiastical Magistrates under him when they cannot own any Authority that they have over other Ministers from Jesus Christ and will not Papists also be Subject to all Authority that is exercised Legally in his Name howsoever they may question the Spiritual Title of the English Clergy and their Succession We would have Bishops then qua Bishops as distinct in Office from Priests declared no other by Law than the Kings Officers whose Power is but Objectively Ecclesiastical and to Act Circa sacra onely by vertue of his Authority whether they have any Authority else from the Gospel than so so long as they have this by Law it need not at all be toucht As Jehosophat did commit the charge incumbent upon him as Supream Magistrate in regard to all Matters of the Lord unto the care of Amariah being Chief Priest and in regard to the Kings Matters unto Zebadiah being as the Chief Justice of the Realm So should the Diocesan Bishop be in our Ecclesiastical as the Judges are in Civil matters the substitutes altogether of his Majesty and execute his Jurisdiction This is indeed a State-Point which was throughly canvased by Henry the Eight whose Divines did agree on two Orders alone Priest and Deacon to be of Divine Appointment and that the Superiority of a Bishop over a Presbyter or of one Bishop over another was but by the Positive Laws of Men onely as appears in that Authentick book then put out entitituled The Necessary Erudition And consequently that the Bishop could not have or Exert any Jurisdiction over the Subject unless warranted and derived from the King without danger of a Premunire which made Bonner with others hold his Bishoprick by Commission Ambo tenent unum eundemque Ordinem say Elfrick's Canons in Lambard's Saxon Laws Upon this ground if it should please his Majesty to Chuse some Persons of the Dissenters to this Office Authorizing them to it no otherwise than by a like Commission which they should also hold with the Judges Quam diu se bene gesserint As none of them could scruple then the acceptance so must a Union from that day forward Commence in England We are sensible unto what distress the Ministers of a Particular Congregation of all sorts may be brought in the Exercise of Discipline over some Potent Turbulent and Refractory Members and what relief he might find in such an External Ecclesiastical Officer as this We are sensible how many inconveniences of Congregational Episcopacy may by this means onely be salved Their work in general should be to supervise the Churches of all parties in their Diocesses that they walk according to their own Principles in due order agreeable to the Gospel and the Peace of one another whether in the Assemblies of the Brethren or Synods of their Pastors for Mutual Communion And more particularly in the observance of all Laws and Limitations Rules or Canons which the King as Supreme Head shall by advice of a Convocation and the Consent of his three Estates in Parliament make on purpose as the greatest work to be considered and impose upon them all with respect both to the publick Emolument and the safety of his own Person Dignity and Dominions For example Suppose this to be one Canon or Injunction That no Young but such as are Grave men only among the Sects be admitted to be Teachers Not a Novice lest he fall into the condemnation of the Devil Another this That all Conventicles be kept open as the Churches are for any to come and hear that will that no Sedition be there hatched or broached If all prophecy and there come in one that believeth not he is convinced of all he is judged of all and the Secrets of his Heart being made manifest he will fall down and worship and report that God is with you of a Truth Another this That when there is occasion for the Meetings of the Ministers of several Churches for Consultation in any weighty Affair among the Tolerated and United Brethren the Bishop shall have cognizance of the Cause to authorize the Meeting For this cause test I thee at Creete that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting Another in regard to the Conformists this That Bishop and Ministers shall reside alwaies where their Flock is unless upon unavoidable occasions And say to Archippus Take heed to the Ministry which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfill it One more this That whereas no man can be an Allowed or Licensed Preacher but he must subscribe the Articles of the Church and those that do subscribe ordinarily are men of diverse Judgments such as Arminians and Calvinists who cannot and do not subscribe both of them in the same sense It should be declared in a Canon as allowed by the Church That these Articles are to be subscribed only in a * Interpretatio est triplex Authentica quae fit authoritate illius qui potest legem condere Vsualis quae fit consuetudine Doctrinalis quae fit per doctrinam authoritate interpetrum Suar. De Legibus l. 6. c. 1. There are many conscientiously learned who because they are scrutinous into some points more than others they cannot subscribe them so easie as others and this would be a great Relief both to the Conformists of that sort and Dissenters in regard to this one thing which still pinches in the Act for Liberty The truth is all Impositions are to be taken in the Sence of the Imposers and when that Sence which was intended by the Convocation that compiled these Articles is the only true genuine authentick Sense or Meaning of them there is no man in good earnest that is called to subscribe the Articles but he is seriously to confider what