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A34345 Considerations about subscription, humbly submitted to the convocation, on behalf of the conformable clergy with some reflections on the late subscription, made by our dissenting brethren. 1690 (1690) Wing C5906; ESTC R18960 13,980 37

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Considerations ABOUT SUBSCRIPTION Considerations ABOUT SUBSCRIPTION Humbly Submitted to The Convocation ON BEHALF Of the Conformable Clergy With some Reflections on the late Subscription made by our Dissenting Brethren LONDON Printed in the Year 1690. Considerations about Subscription humbly submitted to the Convocation on behalf of the conformable Clergy c. ALthough our Learned Divines have different Apprehensions about the most convenient time for setling a Firm and Lasting Union amongst Protestants and about what Condescensions are to be made by us in Order thereunto whether the Dissenters must in the First place be consulted or whether without knowing their thoughts we give them Terms c. Yet as to the Union it self there is a general readiness on our Parts and notwithstanding the Warm Reflections of the Author of Vox Cleri it must be yielded that there are good Reasons why the Convocation should know whether any thing less than the subverting the Foundations of our Constitution will satisfie the Dissenters and what that is The Convocation is to Act the Part of a Wise as well as Compassionate Physitian to heal if possible the wounds which have been made in the Church by the Division and it is the Dissenting that is the Sick Party which must be discoursed with before the Physitian can safely Prescribe It 's well known what may be done by the Church towards a Union but whether what we offer will effectually reduce Dissenters we are not sure Tho we abound with choice Medicines yet wanting an Ovietan we can never know whether this or the other is most Proper till the Nature of the Disease be throughly understood and to that end the first thing necessary is an enquiry after the Dissenters thoughts about what it is they Judge a Grievance and what it is that will relieve them But however these things Issue what doth more nearly touch the Church it self must in all Debates in both Houses of Convocation have the Preference We must neither Hurt nor Neglect our own Constitution nor must the Church in hopes of a Prodigals Return lay aside those Motherly Compassions she hath for her Obedient Sons Whatever Bishop of Worcesters Unreas Sep. Pref. pag. 89. is offensive to any of them deserves the first Consideration For a Faction in the Church doth more endanger it than External Opposition Seeing then there have been some Unhappy Wranglings amongst our selve such Odd contests that we have had the Ill-Luck of being Represented as a Church divided into at least two opposite Parties into a more Moderate and Violent one say some a Melancthonian and Calvinian as Doctor Heylin and as others Phrase it True Sons of the Church and Grindalizers 't will be the chief care of the Convocation to Heal this Distemper And whereas there have been different Opinions about the Sense in which we must subscribe for which the Dissenters have oft boldly Upbraided us to Solve what is matter of Difficulty it is the proper Work of the Convocation to make the first step The thing in Controversie amongst our selves is Whether our Subscription be expressive of our Assent unto and Belief of the Truth of every one of the Subscribed Articles or only an Assurance that for the sake of Peace we will not contradict nor oppose them The Learned Chilling worth declares his Sentiments thus For the Church of England I am perswaded that the constant Doctrine of it is so Pure and Orthodox that whosoever believes it and lives according to it shall be undoubtedly Saved which is as much as to say He believes Salvation may be had in our Church and that there is no Error in it Preface to the Author of Charity maintained §. 40. which may necessitate or warrant any Man to Disturb the Peace or Renounce the Communion of it To which He adds this in my Opinion is all intended by Subscription A Subscription in this sense may be without an Assent to every Article as True yea with the Belief that some are False if not so false and Erroneous as to necessitate or warrant a Man to disturb the Peace of the Church and renounce it's Communion Nor doth the Excellent The part of a Letter of the Primates about Heylins History of the Sabbath Arch-Bishop Usher look on all the 39 Articles to be received as Articles of Faith He that would have every thing which is put into the Articles of Religion agreed upon in the Synod for the avoiding diversity of Opinions and for the maintainance of Peace and Uniformity in the Church to be held for an Article of the Faith should do well to tell us whether he has as yet admitted the Book of the Ordination of Bishops and the two Volumes of Homilies into his Creed for sure I am He shall find these received in the Articles of Religion agreed upon in the Synod held at London 1562. The Learned Primate doth in this place say enough to Establish that distinction Schism Guarded §. 1. c. 11. of subscribing to the Articles as Articles of Peace and not as Articles of Faith which by his most Learned Successor Arch-Bishop Bramhall is more fully explained We do not saith he suffer any Man to reject the 39 Articles of the Church of England at his pleasure yet neither do we look upon them as Essentials of Saving Faith or Legacies of Christ and of his Apostles But in a mean as Pious Opinions fitted for the Preservation of Unity NEITHER DO WE OBLIGE ANY MAN TO BELIEVE THEM BUT ONLY NOT TO CONTRADICT THEM If the Injunction of Subscription be only thus 't will afford great ease to the minds of many worthy Divines of our Church 't will remove the Bone of Contention that hath been amongst our selves and for ever prevent the Dissenters reproaching us for subscribing in a sence we do not believe to be good But that this is the sence of the Church doth not yet appear by any thing she hath declared and as there are many Learned Men for this sence so there are many as Learned of the contrary Opinion The Learned Doctor Stillingfleet now Bishop of Worcester in his Proposals for Union supposeth the Subscription to be Absolute and offereth as an Expedient to accommodate the Difference a Mitigation as to the manner Preface to the Unreason of Separ p. 91. of Subscription which he supposeth may be done by an Absolute Subscription to all those Articles which concern the Doctrine of the true Christian Faith and the Use of the Sacraments and a solemn Promise under their Hand or Subscription of Peaceable Submission as to the rest so as not to oppose or contradict them either in Preaching or Writing The Mitigation as to the manner of Subscription is by making the Subscription in the same sence Arch-Bishop Bramhall doth take our Subscription at this time to be but this great Person by offering it as an Expedient for the Dissenters relief must look on our Subscription as Absolute to all the Articles