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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61586	Proposals tender'd to the consideration of both Houses of Parliament for uniting the Protestant interest for the present, and preventing divisions for the future together with the declaration of K. Charles II, concerning ecclesiastical affairs, and some proposals of terms of union between the Church of England and dissenters / long since published by the Reverend Dean of S. Pauls.	Stillingfleet, Edward, 1635-1699.; Charles II, King of England, 1630-1685.; England and Wales. Sovereign (1660-1685 : Charles II). Declaration to all his loving subjects of his kingdom of England and dominion of Wales concerning ecclesiastical affairs.	1689 (1689)	Wing S5621; ESTC R8098	25,861	37

of the Rule of their Worship and Discipline and of all the Persons belonging to the indulged Congregations with their Qualities and Places of Abode and that none be admitted a Member of any such Congregation without acquainting their Visitor with it that so means may be used to prevent their leaving our Communion by giving satisfaction to their scruples This Power of the Bishops cannot be scrupled by them since herein they are considered as Commissioners appointed by Law. 8. That no indulged Persons presume under severe Penalties to breed up Scholars or to teach Gentlemens Sons University-Learning because this may be justly looked on as a design to propagate Schism to Posterity and to lay a Foundation for the disturbance of future Generations II. As to the Case of the ejected Ministers I have these things to offer 1. That bare Subscription of the Thirty six Articles concerning Doctrinal Points be not allowed as sufficient to qualifie any Man for a Living or any Church-preferment for these Reasons First Any Lay-man upon these Terms may not only be capable of a Living but may take upon him to Administer the Sacraments which was never allowed in any well-constituted Church in the Christian World. And such an allowance among us instead of setling and uniting us will immediately bring things into great confusion and give mighty advantage to the Papists against our Church And we have reason to fear a Design of this Nature under a pretence of Union of Protestants tends to the Subversion of this Church and throwing all things into confusion which at last will end in Popery Secondly This will bring a Faction into the Church which will more endanger it than External Opposition For such Men will come in Triumphantly having beaten down Three of the Thirty Nine Articles and being in Legal Possession of their Places will be ready to defie and contemn those who submitted to the rest and to glory in their Conquests and draw followers after them as the Victorious Confessors against Prelacy and Ceremonies And can they imagine those of the Church of England will see the Reputation of the Church or their own to suffer so much and not appear in their own Vindication Things are not come to that pass nor will they suddenly be that the Friends of the Church of England will be either afraid or ashamed to own her Cause We do heartily and sincerely desire Union with our Brethren if it may be had on just and reasonable Terms but they must not think that we will give up the Cause of the Church for it so as to condemn its Constitution or make the Ceremonies unlawful which have been hitherto observed and practised in it If any Expedient can be found out for the ease of other Mens Consciences without reflecting on our own if they can be taken in without reproach or dishonour to the Reformation of the Church I hope no true Son of the Church of England will oppose it But if the Design be to bring them in as a Faction to bridle and controll the Episcopal Power by setting up forty Bishops in a Diocess against one if it be for them to trample upon the Church of England and not to submit to its Order and Government upon fair and moderate terms let them not call this a Design of Union but the giving Law to a Party to oppose the Church of England And what the success of this will be let wise Men judge Thirdly if a Subscription to Thirty Six Articles were sufficient by the Statute 13 Eliz. c. 12. I do not understand how by virtue of that Statute a Man is bound publickly to read the Thirty nine Articles in the Church and the Testimonial of his Subscription on pain of being deprived ipso facto if he do not For the L. Ch. I. Coke saith That Subscription to the 39 Articles is required by force of the Act of Parliament 13 Eliz c. 12. And he adds That the Delinquent is disabled and deprived ipso facto and that a conditional Subscription to them was not sufficient was resolved by all the Judges in England But how a Man should be depriued ipso facto for not Subscribing and Reading the 39 Articles as appears by the Cases mentioned in Coke and yet be required only to subscribe to 36 by the same Statute is a thing too hard for me to conceive 2. But notwithstanding this if any temper can be found out as to the manner of Subscription that may give ease to the scruples of our Brethren and secure the Peace of the Church the desired Union may be attained without that apparent danger of increasing the Factions among us And this I suppose 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 upon the same Penalty as if they had not subscribed to the 36. Which may be a more probable means to keep the Church in quiet than forcing a more rigorous Subscription upon them or leaving them at their full liberty 3. As to the other Subscription required 1 Jac. to the 3 Articles The first is provided for by the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy The Third is the same with the Subscription to the 39 Articles And as to the second about the Book of Common-Prayer c. It ought to be considered 1. Whether for the satisfaction of the scrupulous some more doubtful and obscure passages may not yet be explained or amended Whether the New Translation of the Psalms were not fitter to be used at least in Parochial Churches Whether portions of Canonical Scripture were not better put in stead of Apocrypha Lessons Whether the Rubrick about Salvation of Infants might not be restored to its former place in the Office of Confirmation and so the present exceptions against it be removed Whether those expressions which suppose the strict exercise of Discipline in Burying the Dead were not better left at liberty in our present Case Such a Review made by Wise and Peaceable Men not given to Wrath and Disputing may be so far from being a dishonour to this Church that it may add to the Glory of it 2. Upon such a Review whether it be not great reason that all Persons who Officiate in the Church be not only tied to a constant Use of it in all publick Offices as often as they administer them which they ought in Person frequently to do but to declare at their first entrance upon a Parochial Charge their approbation of the Use of it after their own Reading of it that so the People may not suspect them to carry on a factious Design under an outward pretence of Conformity to the Rules of the Church they live in 3. Whether such a solemn Using the Liturgy and approbation and

present at such Elections shall be always advising and assisting together with those of the Chapter in all Ordinations and in every part of Jurisdiction which appertains to the Censures of the Church and at all other solemn and important Actions in the exercise of the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction wherein any of the Ministry are concerned Provided that at all such Meetings the number of the Ministers so elected and those present of the Chapter shall be equal and not exceed one the other and that to make the numbers equal the Juniors of the exceeding number be withdrawn that the most ancient may take place nor shall any Suffragan Bishop ordain or exercise the fore-mentioned Offices and acts of Spiritual Jurisdiction but with the advice and assistance of a sufficient number of the most judicious and pious Presbyters annually chosen as aforesaid within his Precincts And Our Will is that the great work of Ordination be constantly and solemnly performed by the Bishop and his aforesaid Presbytery at the four set times and seasons appointed by the Church for that purpose 5. We will take care that Confirmation be rightly and solemnly performed by the Information and with the Consent of the Minister of the place who shall admit none to the Lord's Supper till they have made a credible Profession of their Faith and promised Obedience to the Will of God according as is expressed in the Considerations of the Rubrick before the Catechism And that all possible diligence be used for the Instruction and Reformation of scandalous Offenders whom the Minister shall not suffer to partake of the Lord's Table until they have openly declared themselves to have truly repented and amended their former naughty Lives as is partly exprest in the Rubrick and more fully in the Canons Provided there be place for due Appeals to Superiour Powers But besides the Suffragans and their Presbytery every Rural Dean those Deans as heretofore to be nominated by the Bishop of the Diocess together with three or four Ministers of that Deanery chosen by the major part of all the Ministers within the same shall meet once in every Month to receive such Complaints as shall be presented to them by the Ministers or Church-Wardens of the respective Parishes and also to compose all such differences betwixt Party and Party as shall be referred unto them by way of Arbitration and to convince Offenders and reform all such things as they find amiss by their Pastoral Reproofs and Admonitions if they may be so Reformed And such Matters as they cannot by this Pastoral and Perswasive way compose and reform are by them to be prepared for and presented to the Bishop at which Meeting any other Ministers of that Deanery may if they please be present and assist Moreover the Rural Dean and his Assistants are in their respective Divisions to see that the Children and younger sort be carefully instructed by the respective Ministers of every Parish in the Grounds of Christian Religon and be able to give a good account of their Faith and Knowledge and also of their Christian Conversation conformable thereunto before they be confirmed by the Bishop or admitted to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper 6. No Bishop shall exercise any Arbitrary Power or do or impose any thing upon the Clergy or the People but what is according to the known Law of the Land. 7. We are very glad to find that all with whom we have conferred do in their Judgments approve a Liturgy or set Form of Publick Worship to be Lawful which in Our Judgment for the preservation of Unity and Uniformity We conceive to be very necessary And though we do esteem the Liturgy of the Church of England conteined in the Book of Common Prayer and by Law established to be the best We have seen And We believe that We have seen all that are extant and used in this part of the World and well know what Reverence most of the Reformed Churches or at least the most Learned Men in those Churches have for it Yet since We find some exceptions made against several things therein We will appoint an equal number of Learned Divines of both Perswasions to re-view the same and to make such alterations as shall be thought most necessary and some additional Forms in the Scripture phrase as near as may be suited unto the nature of the several parts of Worship and that it be left to the Ministers choice to use one or other at his discretion In the mean time and till this be done although We do heartily wish and desire that the Ministers in their several Churches because they dislike some Clauses and Expressions would not totally lay aside the use of the Book of Common Prayer but read those parts against which there can be no exception which would be the best instance of declining those marks of Distinction which We so much labour and desire to remove Yet in Compassion to divers of Our good Subjects who scruple the use of it as now it is Our Will and Pleasure is that none be punished or troubled for not using it until it be reviewed and effectually Reformed as aforesaid 8. Lastly Concerning Ceremonies which have administred so much matter of difference and contention and which have been introduced by the Wisdom and Authority of the Church for edification and the improvement of Piety We shall say no more but that We have the more esteem of all and Reverence for many of them by having been present in many of those Churches where they are most abolished or discountenanced And it cannot be doubted but that as the Universal Church cannot introduce one Ceremony in the Worship of God that is contrary to God's Word expressed in the Scripture so every National Church with the Approbation and Consent of the Sovereign Power may and hath always introduced such particular Ceremonies as in that conjuncture of time are thought most proper for edification and the necessary improvement of Piety and Devotion in the People though the necessary practice thereof cannot be deduced from Scripture and that which before was and in it self is indifferent ceases to be indifferent after it is once established by Law And therefore Our present Consideration and Work is to gratifie the private Consciences of those who are grieved with the use of some Ceremonies by indulging to and dispensing with their omitting those Ceremonies not utterly to abolish any which are Established by Law if any are practised contrary to Law the same shall cease which would be unjust and of ill example and to impose upon the Conscience of some for the satisfaction of the Conscience of others which is otherwise provided for As it could not be reasonable that men should expect that We should Our Self decline or enjoyn others to do so to receive the Blessed Sacrament upon Our Knees which in Our Conscience is the most humble most devout and most agreeable Posture for that Holy Duty because some other men upon

for such faults as they think not at all worthy of so great a Censure We declare it but a just Thing that every Minister be first satisfied in the Cause or else be exempted from the Execution of that Charge and that the Bishop or his Court provide some other person that is satisfied about it to do it And to the intent that a free search after Truth may not be discouraged in the pursuit of Concord and many other Scruples avoided upon that Account We declare that though an Authentick Interpretation be required as to the Substance of all Laws yet in the Articles of the Church which are Theses for Agreement and not Laws and the Homilies a Doctrinal Interpretation shall be held sufficient for an Assent or Subscription to them And because the very Superintendency of Bishops and that Subjection to them which is required by the Constitution of the Realm is or may be an hindrance to many sober Ministers and other Protestants of coming into the Church who are ready to consent to the Doctrine but not to the Discipline or Government of it We do declare That so long as any Person or Party do acknowledge the King's Supremacy as Head of the Church in this Nation and obey their Ordinary or the Bishops in Licitis Honestis upon the account of his Authority committed to them for the Exercise of that External Regiment Circa Sacra which is granted by all our Divines to the Higher Powers in every Nation it is enough for the owning Episcopal Iurisdiction so far as they do own it in the Declaration of Assent and Consent or in any other part of Conformity and shall serve them to all intents and purposes in Law no lets than a professed belief and acknowledgment of the immediate Divine Right of it Be it therefore Enacted by this present Parliament That if any Person be willing to Conform to the present Establishment of the Church of England and her Service appointed according to these Explanations Alleviations Declarations Lenitives or Cautions he shall be admitted to any Ecclesiastical preferment and enjoy the use of his Ministry without any molestation All Statutes Canons or Laws to the contrary notwithstanding And for the making this Act of better Signification to the Concerned and the prevention of that Scandal which is raised on the Clergy through the Covetousness of some in heaping up to themselves all the Preferments they can get when others have scarce Subsistence for their Families and the Souls of many People are thereby neglected Be it farther Enacted that no Clergy-men for the three next years ensuing be suffered to enjoy any more than one Living or Cure of Souls and one Dignity or other Ecclesiastical Preferment at one time and that every Man without Exception that hath more than One of Either shall immediately give up the Rest to be distributed among those who shall be brought off from their Non-conformity upon the Terms of this Act into the Established Order Which that they may also be obtained and possessed with a clean Conscience and that grievous Curruption of Simony may be Extirpate out of the Land Be it Enacted moreover that every Patron that shall hence forward present his Clerk to any Living shall have the Oath called The Simonical Oath imposed on him no less than on the Incumbent And if he refuses to take it that then the Bishop shall have immediate Power taking only the same Oath of Presentation in his Room And forasmuch as there are some Ministers of a good Life that cannot according to their Judgments allow of our Parochial Churches nor a Book of Liturgy But do choose to Worship God and Jesus Christ in the way of their gathered or separate Congregations and crave the Protection and Clemency of the King upon their Allegiance as other Subjects Be it finally Enacted for the happiness and quiet of the Realm and the Reduction of these Men by other means than those which have hitherto proved unsuccessful That every Christian Subject throughout the Land that profess the Reformed Religion and be not Convict of Popery be Pardoned all Faults and Penalties incurred upon the account of any Fore-passed Non-conformity and that they shall not during these Seven Years next ensuing be Prosecuted upon any Penal Law for their Consciences in the matter of Religion They carrying themselves Innocently and Peaceably with submission to the Civil and without disturbance to the Ecclesiastical Government now settled in the Nation All Statutes to the contrary notwithstanding In Short A Repeal of our Laws about Conformity unto the 13 th of Elizabeth Or a New Act of Uniformity Or The King's Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs at his first coming in turn'd into a Law were Comprehension His latter Declaration to all his Loving Subjects some few things in both yet a little considered made so were Indulgence A Bill of Comprehension with Indulgence both together will do our Business An Addition or Clause in it against Pluralities will do it with Supererogation Deo Gloria Hooker's Preface to his Ecclesiastical Polity printed anno 1676. p. 44 45. Hooker's Preface to his Ecclesiastical Polity p. 44. Dr. Stillingfleet's Irenicu● p. 122.123 Preface to the Common-Prayer Dr. Tillotson's Sermon Preached at the Yorkshire-Feast An. 1679. p. 28. Dr. Sherlock's Sermon Preached before the Lord Mayor Nov. 1688. Co. Inst. 4. Part. 323 324

all thoughts of Victory are laid aside the humble and necessary thoughts for the Vindication of Truth cannot be enough entertained We must for the honour of all those of either perswasion with whom We have conferred declare That the Professions and Desires of all for the advancement of Piety and true Godliness are the same their professions of Zeal for the Peace of the Church the same of Affection and Duty to Us the same They all approve Episcopacy They all approve a set form of Liturgy and they all disprove and dislike the sin of Sacriledge and the alienation of the Revenue of the Church And if upon these excellent Foundations in submission to which there is such a harmony of Affections any Superstructures should be raised to the shaking those Foundations and to the contracting and lessening the blessed gift of Charity which is a vital part of Christian Religion We shall think Our Self very unfortunate and even suspect that We are defective in that administration of Government with which God hath entrusted Us. We need not profess the high Affection and Esteem we have for the Church of England as it is established by Law the Reverence to which hath supported us with Gods Blessing against many temptations nor do We think that Reverence in the least degree diminished by Our Condescentions not peremptorily to insist on some particulars of Ceremony which however introduced by the Piety and Devotion and Order of former times may not be so agreeable to the present but may even lessen that Piety and Devotion for the improvement whereof they might happily be first introduced and consequently may well be dispensed with and We hope this charitable compliance of Ours will dispose the Minds of all Men to a chearful submission to that Authority the preservation whereof is so necessary for the Unity and Peace of the Church and that they will acknowledge the support of the Episcopal Authority to be the best support of Religion by being the best means to contain the Minds of Men within the Rules of Government And they who would restrain the exercise of that holy Function within the Rules which were observed in the Primitive times must remember and consider that the Ecclesiastical Power being in those blessed times always subordinate and subject to the Civil it was likewise proportioned to such an extent of Jurisdiction as was most agreeable to that And as the Sanctity and Simplicity and Resignation of that Age did then refer many things to the Bishops which the policy of succeeding Ages would not admit at least did otherwise provide for so it can be no reproach to Primitive Episcopacy if where there have been great alterations in the Civil Government from what was then there have been likewise some difference and alteration in the Ecclesiastical the Essence and Foundation being still preserved And upon this ground without taking upon Us to censure the Government of the Church in other Countries where the Government of the State is different from what it is here or enlarging Our Self upon the Reasons why whilst there was an Imagination of erecting a Democratical Government here in the State they should be willing to continue an Aristocratical Government in the Church It shall suffice to say that since by the wonderful Blessing of God the Hearts of this whole Nation are returned to an obedience to Monarchick Government in the State it must be very reasonable to support that Government in the Church which is established by Law and with which the Monarchy hath flourished through so many Ages and which is in truth as ancient in this Island as the Christian Monarchy thereof and which hath always in some respects or degrees been enlarged or restrained as hath been thought most conducing to the Peace and Happiness of the Kingdom and therefore We have not the least doubt but that the present Bishops will think the present Concessions now made by Us to allay the present Distempers very just and reasonable and will very chearfully conform themselves thereunto 1. We do in the first place Declare Our purpose and Resolution is and shall be to promote the Power of Godliness to encourage the exercises of Religion both publick and private and to take care that the Lord's Day be applied to holy Exercises without unnecessary divertisments and that insufficient negligent and scandalous Ministers be not permitted in the Church And that as the present Bishops are known to be Men of great and exemplar Piety in their Lives which they have manifested in their notorious and unexampled Sufferings during these late Distempers and of great and known sufficiency of Learning so We shall take special Care by the assistance of God to prefer no Men to that Office and Charge but Men of Learning Vertue and Piety who may be themselves the best examples to those who are to be Governed by them And We shall expect and provide the best We can that the Bishops be frequent Preachers and that they do very often Preach themselves in some Church of their Diocess except they be hindred by Sickness or other bodily Infirmities or some other justifiable occasion which shall not be thought justifiable if it be requent 2. Because the Diocesses especially some of them are thought to be of too large extent We will appoint such a Number of Suffragan Bishops in every Diocess as shall be sufficient for the due performance of their work 3. No Bishop shall Ordain or exercise any part of Jurisdiction which appertains to the Censures of the Church without the advice and assistance of the Presbyters And no Chancellors Commissaries or Officials as such shall exercise any Act of Spiritual Jurisdiction in these cases viz. Excommunication Absolution or wherein any of the Ministry are concerned with reference to their Pastoral charge However Our intent and meaning is to uphold and maintein the Profession of the Civil Law so far and in such matters as it hath been of use and practice within Our Kingdoms and Dominions Albeit as to Excommunication Our Will and Pleasure is that no Chancellor Commissary or Official shall Decree any Sentence of Excommunication or Absolution or be Judges in those things wherein any of the Ministry are concerned as is aforesaid Nor shall the Arch-Deacon exercise any Jurisdiction without the advice and assistance of six Ministers of his Arch-Deaconcy whereof three to be nominated by the Bishop and three by the election of the major part of the Presbyters within the Arch-Deaconry 4. To the end that the Deans and Chapters may be the better fitted to afford Counsel and Assistance to the Bishops both in Ordination and the other Offices mentioned before We will take care that those Preferments be given to the most Learned and Pious Presbyters of the Diocess And moreover that an equal number to those of the Chapter of the most learned pious and discreet Presbyters of the same Diocess annually chosen by the major vote of all the Presbyters of that Diocess