, 144 The L I.F E of the Part III. feeingboth of them (fuppofing the later may do fo) haveas much at the bottom as can be, in their Capacities, delred of either. It is an A& therefore of a mixt Complexion, - providing both Comprehenfrcn and Indulgence for the different Par- . ties, mutt ferve our Purpofe. And to this end (as we may humbly hope), there is a .Bill at preffent in theHoule, ABill for the cafeof the Proteftant Diffenter in the bufinefs of Religion. Which that (upon this prefent Prorogation) it may be caf into this Model, I mull prefent the fame, yet in a little farther Explication Thereare two forts (we all know) of the Proteftant Diffenters, one that own the Eftablifhed Minif ri, and out ParifhCongregations, and are in Capacityof Union upon that account, deliring it heartily upon condefcenfion to them in fome fmall matters : The other, that own notour Churches, and fo areuncapable of a Con- jun8ion, who do not, and cannot delire it, or feek it. For theOne,that which we propofe is a farther Latitude in the prefent Conftituted Order, that fachmay be received,- and this we call Comprehenfson, or Accoiiimodatioa. Let us fuppofe that nothing elfewere required of a Man, tobe a Minifter of aParilh than there is to the Parilhioner to be a Member of a Parilh Church, ás partof the National : If a perfon Baptifed will cometo Church, and hear Common- Prayer, and receive the Sacrament, aad does nothingworthy of Excommunication, he is, he may, he oisif be received fora Parochial Member': In like manner, ;If;aMinifter firft ordained (and fo Epifiopally, or Claffically approved for his Abilities for that fnnaion) will but read the book of Liturgy, and Adminifter the Sacramentsaccord- ing to it, and does nothing which deferves fufpenfon(we appeal'toall this indiffe- rently fober) why fhouldnot this fufficea Man, for the enjoyinghis Living, andex- ercifing the Office untowhich he is called ? For the other, there is indeed nothing, can be done to bring thofe in, and joya them with us in Parochial Union ; yet rs there this to be propofed, that you bear with them, and not let any be perfecuted meetly for their Conferences; and that . wecall Indulgence or Toleration. If the Presbyteriannow may becomprehended,- be will be fatisfied, to a&at his Miniftrywithout endeavouring any Alterationother- - wife of Epifcopacy: If the Congregationalist be indulged, be will be fatisfyed tho he. he not Comprehended,for that he cannot fubmit ímto, and fo lhall there be no Difo- bligationput on any, but all be pleafed, and enjoy the cafe of this Bill. Let butthe Grounds of Gimprehenfson be laidwide enough to take inall whocan own, and come into thepublicit Liturgy (whichwe fuppofe as yet tobe the greater weight of the Nation), and when theCountenance of Authority, and all State-Emoluments are cast into one Scale, and others let alone to come of it, without perfecutionto in= flame them, or preferment to encourage them (efpecially ifone Expedient be ufed, which thall not pafs unmentioned in the clofe, thatsuch as carne inmay find it really better to them, to be a Prieft to a Tribe, than a Levite toa Family) we need not . doubt but time the Mil beefs of the Wife and Unwife, will difcover the peaceable Elbe of fuck Ccunfels. And here letme paufe a little ; for methinks I fee what leejicles hang on theEeves of theParliament-Houfe at thisMotion, what prejudices, I mean, and Imprefions have been laid on the Members by former Akts. There was a fpeech delivered by the then Chaneellour inChrift Churcli Hall in Oxford, to the Parliament there, and the Ecboilars'alfembled, Wherein the Glory of contriving the Oxford-Oath, and Confequently of the like former Impofitions, was molt magnificently, as well as J itifu!lly enough arrogated to its proper Author. Itwas. it feems, the designed Policy of that Great Man, to root thofe Principles out of Men's minds upon which tfie late Wars (as he fuppoied) werelsuilded, andhe would do it by this Invention, to wit, the Impofing upon them newDeclarations, Oaths and Subscriptions, of a ltrairt framed contrary to thofe Principles. I do remember nosy the featence of Efdras to the Apologue of the'Angel, where the Woods and the Seas would encounter one another. Verily (fays he) it was a foolihpurpofe ; for the trees could not comedown' from the hills, not the Waves getup from the fhoars. I mutt fay the fame: of this Policy. If wasreally a great vanity to think that folk fhould bemade to fwear away their thoughts and beliefs. Whatfoever it is we think or believe, we do think it,' we intdEthink it we do believe it, we muff believe it, notwithstanding anyof these of:taiard hupofitions. The.hovelt Man indeed will refufe an Injunction against his Confcience, the knave will fsva'aow it, but both retain their Principles; which the haft will be the likeliest to put any villanons Prather on. On the Contrary, there is nothing
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