UNIVERSITY OF CALIFOR AT LOS ANGELES A COMPLETE and FAITHFUL COLLECTION OF THE SEVERAL PAPERS WHICH HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED IN OXFORD, ON THE SUBJECT OF Subscription to the XXXIX Articles, Required from Young Perfons at their Matriculation. OXFORD: Printed, and Sold by the Bookfellers in that Univerfity, and at CAMBRIDGE; and by S. LEACROFT, oppofite Spring-Gardens, Charing Crofs, LONDON; M DCC LXXII. ;BX CIS *v \ ' ADVERTISEMENT. THE following Sheets contain a faithful Collection of the feveral Papers which have hitherto been circu- | lated in this Place on the Subject of J Subfcription to the XXXIX Articles. As it is probable that this Matter may be ftill farther agitated elfewhere, it is eo apprehended that the prefent Collec- - tion will not be unacceptable to the ** Public. If any other Papers fhould 5 appear, they will be published as an Appendix. OXFORD, April 20. 1772. I flifttnoi 'gftanffi gniwolloi du %o rfoJiai; .- l[o ^DD^L'Jo'' w'ib .iio oouK 3ifl^ ni .tiJiDlJjA lAXX tMl^- vrmii^fM -zhh toh s -33i[cp ^rji^iq srft r orb GJ L- r f !/.'-. v''jfh r r od jon Ifiw A COLLECTION O F PAPERS, &c. No. I. Origin of Subfcription to the 39 Articles at Matriculation in the Univerfity of Oxford. Ex Regift. Convoc. KK. p. 338. Anno Domini 1581. Domino Roberto Comite Anno Reginse 23. Leyceftrise, Cane. De James, Vice-Cane. Mo Crane. M Madocks, Proc: Novembris 2. SECUNDO Nowmbris in celebrt convoca- tione maglftrorum regentium et non re- gentium habita, lefta erant litertz ab infig- nijjimo comite Leycejlricz cancellario noftro ad venerabilem convocationem hoc exetnpfo fubferipta. B " AND " AND after my right hearty Commen- dations, as often heretofore, fo now by late Complaints am I caufed again to write unto you for Reformation, of divers Dif- orders amongft you, both in matters of Religion, in the Exercifes of Learning, and in Apparel and fum other Pointes con- cerning Converfation. The Particulars 'are long to rehearce unto you, but may appear by a Scedule inclofed *, wherein the Faults and fuch Orders, as upon the prefent I could think convenient for Redrefs of them are fet down together, I heartily and very earneftly pray you upon perufmg the faid Orders, * Imprimis, That whereas the old Order of Matricula- tion is that within Six Days of every Scholar's firft coming to Oxford, he mail take an Oath to obferve the Statutes of this Univerfity, &c. and for as much as by the negligence and careleflnefs of many Heads, this hath been and daily is omitted, in fo much that many Scholars have lived here a long Time being never regiftered in the Univerfity Booke, nether at any Time heretofore fworne to the faid "Univerfity, and by this Means many Papifts have hereto- fore and may hereafter lurke among You, and be brought up by corrupt Tutors nether yelding to God nor to her Majeftie or your Univerfity theare bounden Dutie as hath of late Yeares too much appeared and is evident in fundry younge Students in your Univerfitie, fum being atte Rome, fum in the Seminaries and other Places, all out of her Ma- jefties Obedience, I have thought good to have this Order 'following to be eftabliflied. . Firft, that no Scholler be admitted into any College or Hall of the Univerfitie, unlefs he firft before the Vice- Chancellor fubfcribe to the Articles of Religion agreed "upon, take. the Oathe of the Queens Majeitie {supremacy, fw'eare to obferve the Statutes ot the Univerfitie if he be of lawfull Yeares to take an Othe and have his Name reg&ftred in ( 3 ). Orders, if they {hall be found fuch as in all Pointes you like of, that you will take farder Orders forthwith for the due and ftricl: Obfervation of them, and if upon Confideration they fhall notfeemfit unto you for the Purpofe and time, then that you will out of Hand add diminifh alter, and change for new any Thing that fhall mif- . like, and fetting down the fame in fuch fort as in your own Judgement you fhall think moil fit, to fee them likewife feverely and throughly executed and obferved that fo the . Diforders and Complaints of them may both, ceace together, which I heartily wifh, and B 2 fo in the Matriculation Boke, which is by Statute as I heare to remaine with the Chancellour or Vice-Chancellour, and have a Note under the Vice-Chancellour's Hand that he hath done the PremifTes, and the Head of the College or Hall of which he fhall be, or fome of the Deanes and' Cenfors doe at fome convenient Time iignifie the faid Othe and Subfcription to the whole Company. Secondly, That for as much as fundry Parents being themfelves Recufants, or known e or fufpedled Papifts, have fent their Sonns to the Univerfitie and dayley doe, and are dcfirous to have their Sonns by s,\\ Likelyhood trayned up in the fame Religion, and for that Purpofe have as it may appear certaine felecl: Tutors among you, of whome at the leaft they hope well to have their Children iriftrufted after their owne Defire, I have thought good alfo to wifh that by Aft of Convocation it may be likewife eftablimed' that noe Tutor hereafter be allowed, but fuch as be of found Religion, and that under the Hand of the Vice^ Chancellor for the Time being, and three Do&ors of 0iv. and 3 Bach, of Div. or three Preachers for that Pur- pofe aflembled all togeather where it fhall pleafe the Vice- Chancellor. Thirdly, &:c, ( 4 ) fo defiring to hear fpeedily from you -what you fhall do herein I bid you heartily fare- well. From the Court the 5 th of October 1581 Your very Friend R. LEYCESTER." " Quibus literis kffis jlatlm proponitur convocation qua dam tarn ad Jtatuta nojlrce Univerfaatis objervanda quam de juramenta fuprema regies majejiratis jujcipiendo per omnes Scholares mature? fiLtatis priujquam in Collegia Jive Aulas admittantur, turn etiam ut publics leftiones in jingulis facultatibus diligenter objerventur^ qu4decre- tis et in canone 36 * reda&is, fciens vo- lenfque ex animo fubfcribo. Prsefentati- onis etiam in Domo Congregationis coram Domino Pro-Cancellario et Procuratoribus folennis formula haec adhibetor Prsefento vobis hunc meum B. vel S. ut admittatur cc. ad quam quidem admiffionem fcio eum aptum * Three Articles of the $6tb Canes. I. That the King's Majefty under God, is the only Supreme Governour of this Realm, and of all other his Highnefles Do- minions and Countrys, as well in all Spiritual or Ecclefi- aftical things or caufes, as Temporal ; and that no Foreign Prince, Perfon, Prelate, State or Potentate, hath, or ought to have, any Jurifdi&ion, Pdwer, Superiority, Preeminence or Authority, Ecclefiaftical or Spiritual, within his Ma- jefty's faid Realms, Dominions and Countrys. II. That the Book of Common Prayer, and of Ordering of Bimops, Priefts. and Deacons, containeth in it nothing contrary to the Word of God, and that it may lawfully fo be ufed, and that I myfelf will ufe the Form in the faid Book prefcribed in publick Prayer, and Adminiftration of the Sacraments, and none other. III. That I allow the Book of Articles of Religion agreed upon by the Archbifhops and Bifliops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London, in the Year of our Lord God, One thoufand five hundred jixty and two ; and that I acknowledge all and every the Articles therein contained, being in number Nine and thirty, befides the Ratification, to be agreeable to the Word of God. ( II ) aptum habilem et idoneum moribus et Scientia. Quern infuper fcio legifle vel ab alio recitatos audivifle omnes Articulos qui- bus coram procuratoribus fubfcripfit." Reg. Convoc, N. Fol. 41. a & b. v.a C 2 No. II. No. II. The Cafe of Subfcription to the 'Thirty- nine Articles^ required of all Scho- lars matriculated in the Univerjity of Oxford. Stated and conjidered. TH E two Univerfities were inftituted as Places of Education for the Youth of this Kingdom, to qualify them for the Service of their Country, in Church and State, as by Law eftablifhed. The Nature and Defign of their Infti- tution, the Statutes which are founded upon it, and the eftablifhed Modes of Dif- cipline to be obferved in them, do evi- dently prove, that they were intended only for the Education of Members of the Church of England. That no Papift, or Sedary of any Kind, might gain an Admiffion into this Uni- veriity, the Wifdom of our Proteftant An- eeftors thought it expedient, for the greater Security of this reformed Church as by Law eftablifhed, to provide a Teft of the Religious Principles of the Peribns to be admitted into it. This Teft, which has been required and fubmitted to for near Two hundred Years, confifts ( 13 ) confifts in a Subfcription to the Thirty-nine Articles, which contain the Doctrines of the Church of England. And all Perfons of Twelve Years of Age are required to fubfcribe to them at their Matriculation. The Queftion is, Whether this Teft ought to be retained, or abrogated, or al- tered ? If it be totally abrogated, the Confti- tution, Order, and Difcipline of the Uni- verfity will be fundamentally changed. It will be laid open to Perfons of all Religious Perfuafions, who will be at Liberty to act agreeably to their Perfuafions, fo far at leaft as they can plead Confcience in their Behalf. If any one cannot confcientioufly join in the Service of the Church, he will fay, that it would be wicked in Him to violate his Confcience, and in You to re- quire it. Thus the Univerfity will become a Seminary of Schifm, which it was de- figned to prevent; and will put Arms into the Hands of Perfons, who will ufe them offenfively againft the Eftablifhed Church, which their Institution requires them to guard and defend. If the Teft be propofed to be altered, it will be right firft to confider, Whether any fuch Objection may be made to it, as may not be removed to the Satisfaction of every candid and reafonable Mind. No ( *4 ) No Man of Common Senfe can think, that a Subfcription to the Articles required of Perfons who have attained the Twelfth Year of their Age, can be meant to require a formal and explicit Aflent to the Senfe of the Doctrines contained in them, when they are not fo much as required to have read them ; or that it carries in it an Ob- ligation that they mould never djflent from any of them, fliould they hereafter fee Reafon for it, when they fhould have Abilities to underftand and judge of them. It never meant any more, nor was it ever underftood to mean any more, than that it was a Declaration of the Perfon fub- fcribing, that he was a Member of the Church of England, and, as fuch, would conform to the Worfhip and Difcipline of it. All that he is fuppofed to know of the Doctrines is, that they are the Doctrines of the Church, of which he has been educated a Member ; and that for the prefent, he acquiefces in them as fuch, fufpending any farther Judgment of them, till he mail be better able to examine them. All this the matriculated Youth may very well underftand, and fubmit to with a fafe Confcience ; it requiring no more than a Perfuafion, which he certainly brings with him, that the Church he has been educated in has no Defign to impofe upon him, or lead him aftray. if ( 15 ) If any Thing more is requifite to put this Matter in its true Light, in which it has been feen and approved for Two Cen- turies paft, by as learned, religious, and confcientious Men as ever lived, let an Explanation of this Kind be inferted in the Statute Book, in the fame Manner as the Epinomis of Bimop Saunderfon is, in re- fpeft to the Oath of Obligation to obferve the Penal Statutes, If fuch an Explanation is not fatisfac- tory, and fome Teft is ftill thought necef- fary at the Time of Matriculation, to be required by the Univerfity, in Conformity to the Defign and Nature of its Inftitution, What other Teft can be propofed ? I can think but of Two Ways of Subjlitntion. The one is, That the young Scholar be required to make a Declaration that he is a Member of the Church of England ; and that he will conform, during his Refidence in it, to the Rules and Difcipline of it, as by Law eftablifhed. The other is, That his Tutor mail ftipu- late for him, in the above-mentioned Par- ticulars, As to the former, I fee no Difference betwixt the Mode of Declaration, and that of Subfcription^ as before explained. As to' the latter, the Declaration or Sub" fcription muft be as obligatory upon the Pupil, as if they were made by himfelf ; otherwife, ( 16 ) otherwife, they have no Meaning at all, but muft be downright Chicanery and Pre- varication. Degrees, in the ordinary Difpenfation of them, were never intended to be beftowed by the Univerfity but upon Members of the Church of England ; no other Perfons being capable of being Members of the Univer- fity. Thofe indeed, who are capable of Degrees, are fuppofed to have read its Ar- ticles, and to underftand the Doctrines of them. And if any one thinks that any of them are not reeoncileable, by a fair and reafonable Interpretation, to the eflential Faith of a Ghriftian, though he may be an outward Conformift, he is, in Truth, no real Member of the Church of England as by Law eftablifhed. And this he declares, if he witholds his Subfcription to them. But before the Univerfity can difpenfe with his Subfcription, a new Mode of Proceed- ing muft be enjoined by legal Authority. Otherwife, it will be either a tacit Acknow- ledgment on the Part of the Univerfity, that the long-eftablifhed Subfcription is in- defenfible, or that it muft no longer be confidered as a Seminary for Members of the Church of England only. And even fuppofing that our Articles want Revifal, Explanation, or Amendment, (which, whenever it is attempted, muft be the ( '7 ) the Work of very wife and learned Men, performed with great Caution and Circum- fpection) why is it expected, that the Univerfity fhould take the Lead in fatif- fying the Scruples of the prefent Times ? Why are not their Confciences to be re- fpe&ed as much as other Peoples ? And if this Univerfity is perfuaded, that no Alteration ought to be made in the prefent Teft, but what will leave the Purport and Meaning of it juft the fame as it now is, and that the total Abrogation of it is abfo- lutely inconfiftent with the very Nature and Defign of its Inftitution, it is nuga- tory to require the one, and muft be unreafonable and unjuft to require the other. And what End will this Abrogation anfwer ? The Attack upon the Univerfity Subfcription, is an Attack only upon the Outworks of the Fortrefs ; if thefe are gained, will not the Acquifition encourage a more furious Attack upon the Citadel ? If the Church of England ftands at prefent upon a good Foundation, let it be vigo- roufly defended by all who confider it as the Bulwark of the Reformation ; and let us hope, that our Superiors will be careful that no Alterations be made in it, if any Alterations are expedient, but fuch as will give it an additional and real Se- D curity, curlty, Strength and Reputation, leaving it in Poffeffion of the eflential Doftrines and Conftitution of a truly Primitive, Chriftian, and Apoftolical Church. No. III. Confederations on the Expediency of making fome Alteration in regard to the prefent Mode of Subfcribing to the XXXIX Articles in this Univerfity. THERE is no Qccafiori to inquire into the original Defign of the In- ftitution of the Univerfities : it is fufficient for our Purpofe to know, that the prefent Mode of Subfcription to the Thirty-nine Articles was injoined by an Univerfity Sta- tute, made at the Inftance of our Chan- cellor, Lord Leicefter. It is agreed that this Univerfity was in- tended, by the faid Statute, as a Seminary not of Learning only, but alfo of the Pro- teftant Religion, as by Law eftablifhed. It is alfo agreed, that fome Teft is necef- fary from Perfons entering as Members of the fame: fmce their religious Opinions cannot be Matter of Indifference to the well being of fuch a Seminary. The prefent Teft is Subfcription to the Thirty-nine Articles: and this Teft, it is acknowledged, has been required and fub- mitted to, for near two Hundred Years. I will go farther, and add, that I wifti D 2 it it might have continued without Impeach- ment for many Hundred Years more. But fuppofmg any untoward and unex- pected Emergency to arife; is this Teft, in it's prefent identical Form, to be necef- farily and uniformly retained, without Li- mitation or Alteration, in all Times, and under all Circumftances whatfoever ? So fay fome, and here we muft part. The Neceffity of the Times gave Rife to this Teft; the fame Neceffity may oblige iis to difpenfe with fome of it's Forms. The venerable Sanction of Antiquity is a Recommendation in their favour; theJCon- 'currence of wife, learned, and judicious Perfons, : who have lived before us, is an additional Recommendation. But as no Legiflators, on the one Hand, can forefee what Emendations in any Inftitution Time may render abfolutely requiiite; fo, on the other Hand, Limitations and Amendments may be introduced, without any Reflection upon the Virtue and good Senfe of our Predeceflbrs. The pregnant Principle of ~ Necejfity may be urged upon this Occafion with much greater Force, than in a late political Controverfy; and if the Confide- ration of mere Antiquity is to overrule this Plea, Popery will ftep in with her Petition cf Grievances, and will claim to be heard. The Abrogation of a Teft, to be required : of Perfons matriculated, is out of the Quef- tion tion ; the Alteration of it is all that is here infifted on; and even this only in Confede- ration of the powerful Spirit of Oppofition to the prefent Mode of Subfcription. This Spirit it is not in our power to controul, we have nothing to do therefore but to blunt it's Edge by prudent Anticipation. At the Time when the late Petition met with it's deferved Repulie in the Houfe of - Commons, the Friends of this Univeriity immediately exprefled their Wimes, that fome Alteration might be adopted, refpect- ing the Bufmefs of Subfcription to Articles: Thofe wifhes are ftill prefled upon us from every Quarter; and the more fo, as our beft Friends not only think fome Alterations fafe and practicable, but further are well allured, that unlefs we voluntarily comply, we fhall be compelled to fubmit upon dif- advantageous Conditions. Thus far, upon the Prefumption that nothing plaufible can be urged in Favour of an Alteration, and that the fole Motive for making Conceflions is the Spirit of Faction, and the perfevering Temper of a difap- pointed Party. But can nothing popular, I will not fay reafonable, be advanced againft the received Practice; chiefly in regard to young Perfons at Matriculation? In whatever Light we confider it, it appears in rather an unfa- vourable one to thofe at a Diftance, They efteem efleem the Age of twelve Years as too early a Period to require Subfcription : Subfcrip- tion they think implies an unfeigned aflent to the Doctrines and Tenets therein con- tained ; many of which, by reafon of their tender and inexperienced Age, young Men are abfolutely incapable of underftandingi To require it therefore they think highly unreafonable, and unworthy a learned and refpedtable Body. Yet is fuch Aflent fup- pofed by the Generality to be really given; no explanatory Rule being laid down by Authority, to juftify either an exprefs or a mental refervation ; and he that fhould fay that he fubfcribed without believing, or thinking it was required of him to believe, what he had fubfcribed, would lay himfelf open to the Charge of Prevarication. This Charge is continually thrown into the Teeth of fuch Subfcribers in the Church, by the Diflenters; and it muft be owned, the Hea- then Maxim of old does not found very creditably in the Mouth pf a Chriftian Teacher, Lingua juravi, mentem injuratam gero. But what fays the Defender of this no- table Salvo? " No Man of Senfe can think " that Subfcription to Articles, required of " Perfons who have attained the twelfth " Year of their Age, can be meant to re- " quire a formal and explicit Aflent to the fc Doctrines contained in them. It never " meant, ( 23 ) *' meant, nor was it ever underftood to ing our own Terms, or to furrender at Difcretion. I know that " Firmnefs" is the favourite Topic with fome, and " that we have no- " thing to do but to fit ftill." But is it in our Power ? And by being filent ourfelves> can we flop the Mouths of our Opponents ? Before we determine thus, we fhall do well to look about, and eftimate our Forces. The very Perfons, who in the late Petition fupported the Church, whifper in the Ear of the Univerfities, that our prefent Mode of Subfcription, in all its Forms, is unte- nable Ground, and that unlefs we abandon it, they muft defert us. If the Torrent is fo prevalent, who would not wifh to nar- row our Fences, rather than have them thrown open to every Invader? For my own Part, I mould be forry to fee the modelling of our Statutes, efpecially fuch as relate to Religious Reftraints, in the Hands of any Parliament, not excepting the prefent. E But, " But, fays the fame Writer, before the Univerfity can difpenfe with Subfcription, a new Mode of Proceeding muft be en- joined by legal Authority. Otherwife, it will be a tacit Acknowledgment on the Part of the Univerfity, that the long eftablifhed Subfcription is indefenfible, or that it muft no longer be confidered as a Seminary for Members of the Church of England only." But has not the Writer himfelf fuggefted a new Mode of Proceeding ; I mean the De- claration above mentioned ? And what does He mean by legal Authority ? He cannot furely doubt of the legal Authority of the Univerfity to alter the Statutes made by it- felf. And if fuch Alteration be a tacit Ac- knowledgment that the prefent Mode is in- defenfible; what then? Is not a tacit Ac- knowledgment as reputable, in this Cafe, as an open One ? For my Part, I {hall never think it a Difgrace to acknowledge myfelf in an Error, much lefs to acknowledge that others might have erred before me; and, leaft of all, to acknowledge, that to pre- ferve the Body we mould do wifely to lop off a Limb. And fuppofmg it true, that the Univerfity is a Seminary for the Mem- bers of the Church of England only ; yet how do we enforce the contrary, by adopt- ing the Declaration, the Effence of which is, Conformity to the Doctrine and Difci- pline of the Church of England ? Upon Upon the Whole, I fee nothing formi- dable in the Propofal for an Alteration as above reftrained. But I tremble at the Con- fequences of an obftinate Perfeverance in the received Form: as by an ill-judged 'Firmnefs we may oblige our Superiors not only to exempt old as well as young from Subfcription, but to leave nothing to be fubfcribed by either in the Way of Sub- ftitution. OXFORD, March 19, 1772. E 2 ( 28.) No. IV. THE Defign of the Author of the Caff of Subjcription^ &c. was to vindi- cate the Eftabliihment and Continuance of the prefent Mode of Subfcription, upon the only Principle, as he apprehends, which can vindicate either. The Explanation upon whrch the Vindication refts is not his own : He received it from his Tutor, and always communicated it to his Pupils before their Matriculation. He had Reafon to fuppofe, that Perfons abroad did not fee the Thing in its true Light. He endeavoured to reprefent it in fuch a one, as might not only fkreen the University from the Reproach of an abfurd and arbitrary Conduct, in requiring from young People a formal Aflent to the Truth of Proportions which they knew it was impoflible for them to underftand ; but to undeceive thofe who might think, without further Reflection, that we required fuch an Aflent. He knows his Attempt has fa- tisfied fome reafonable and refpectable Men, who are Friends to the Univerfity. He never expected it would fatisfy its Enemies. He thought it might furnifh an Argument of Defence to thofe who might* be willing to favour us with their Protection, Protection, by which a good Face at lead might be put upon the Matter, and our Cenfurers might fee, that our Practice was not fo indefenfible as they imagined. He cannot poflibly have any Objection to the projected Mode of Declaration^ con- fidered in itfelfj as he thought, and ftili thinks, that it does not at all differ from the prefent Mode of Subjcription rightly underftood ; but there may be Objections to the Alteration confidered in its Con- fequences. The Attack upon our Subfcription took its Rife from that which was made upon the whole Body of the Articles. The Church of England was not to be taken by Storm ; our Adverfaries have a Mind to fee what they can do by Sap. They are firfl to get the Univerfity to acknowledge, that they have been very wrong in requir- ing from young Perfons* at their Matri- culation, an Acquiefcence in, for I can never call it an AJfent to, the Doctrines of the Church, into the Faith of which they were baptized. This will not fatisfy. The next Step will be, to exempt all, who are to take Degrees, from the Obligation to fubfcribe the Articles, except perhaps, for the prefent, Degrees in Divinity ; by which Means, Perfons of any or no Reli- gion, may have a Claim to the Honours of the Univeffity, in direct Contradiction to ( 3 ) to the Nature of its Inftitution, and all the Principles of its Polity. The Senfe of the Univerfity will afterwards be brought as an Argument for totally abolifhing a Sub-> fcription, which they have acknowledged to be indefenfible, as intolerable to the Gonfciences of many\ and therefore is a Grievance that ought to be removed from the Confciences of all who feel the Weight of it. This Chain of Confequences is not improbable, if we confider the Principles and Defigns of our Reformers. But what fhall we do with the Oath of Supremacy, which an Acl: of Parliament obliges many Perfons in this Place to take at the Age of eighteen Years, as the Uni- verfity Statute does all at the Age of fixteen Years? This has a powerful Sanction, and I fuppofe we do not intend to alter it. And yet I apprehend, that the Oath ftands in Need of the fame Grains of Allowance as the Subfcription. The young People, who are obliged to take it, fwear againft the Pope's Supremacy, in all Matters Ecclefiajiical and Spiritual, without know- ing any Thing more about it than they do of the Articles. If our Plea is a reafonable one, no rea- fonable Man will be angry for having had it offered to his Confi deration. If mere prudential Reafons mould preponderate in the Judgment of thofe who are well affe&ed to to us, they ought to be communicated, and they will be duly attended to. But the Author of the Cafe, &c. thinks, that upon this Occafion we ought to {hew a proper RefpecT: to our Chancellor. That as the Subfcription was eftablifhed upon the Re- commendation of one Chancellor^ it ought not to be cancelled but upon the Judgment and Recommendation of another. No. V ( 3S ) No. V. THE fedate Author of " Confi derations on the Expediency of making fome Alteration,'* &c. feems to found his Ar- guments upon falfe Principles. His Fears make him forget what Ground he treads upon. " He trembles at" Things which are not y namely, " Confequences." He founds a Retreat, before He fees the Face of an Enemy. He flies, before any Man is ready to purfue ; and , that with fuch thoughtlefs Precipitation, as to leave Reafon far behind him ; and neither to know, poor Man ! wherefore, nor whither, he is running. He " agrees" however to the Truth of fome FACTS, which had been mentioned in the Cafe ftated, and then fays, he " will go farther, and add " to thefe Fats what Fad ? why, a Wi SH. He aflerts it to be " SUFFICIENT for our Pur- pofe to know that the prefent Mode of Sub- fcription to the thirty-nine Articles was injoined by an Univerfity Statute, made at the Inftance of our Chancellor, Lord Leicefter." But He is by much too hafty in making this Aflumption : For Expediency ought to be poftponed to Right and Autho- rity. This Univerfity Statute, though made at the Inftance of our Chancellor Leicefteri ( 33 ) Leicefter, was adopted into the fubfequent Code, compil'd by Arch-Bifhop Laud, and enacted by the "Joint-Authority of the Sovereign and the Unfoerfity. It is or- dain'd by the Statutes of this Code, that no Alteration fhall be made in them, by any inferior Power to that, by which they were enacted : And every Member of our legiflative Body is forbid upon Oath to confent to the making of any fuch Alte- ration. " Expediency" therefore, or which is the fame Thing, " the Neceflity of the Times, which gave Rife to this Teft" of Subfcription, cannot oblige us to difpenfe with any of it's Forms ; becaufe fuch Ne- ceflity, though a fufficient Motive to thofe, who had Authority ', to eftablijh thefe Forms, would be no Warrant to us, to remove any of them, who are under a facred Obligation NOT "to difpenfe with them." "The pregnant Principle of Neceflity" is in Truth pregnant with nothing elfe, but Mif- chief : It is oftentimes imaginary or ficti- tious : It is always the arbitrary Subjlitute of Rig/jfy and derives all it's Force from Power: It is defervedly excluded from every other but " political Controverfy," and is unqueftionably the worft of AnfwSrs that a Proteftant could make to the pre- tended Plea of Priority of Right, or " the popifh Petition of Grievances." F If I 34 ) If many " Friends of the Univerfity have exprefled their Wifhes, that fome Alteration might be adopted ;" and " thofe Wifhes are ftill preffed upon us from every Quar- ter," it is furprizing, that many Perfons refident in this Univerfity, whofe Ears and Eyes are open to - publick Occurrences, fhould never, before their reading of thefe Confiderations, have received the Infor- mation. Suppofe however the Truth of thefe grafts Dicia : and what Anticipation in our Part can be " prudent" enough to itop the Progrefs or aifuage the Fury " of this powerful Spirit of Oppofition ?" Can the wary and provident Author of Confide- rations imagine, that, contrary to the Ex- perience of antient and modern Times, the " Spirit of Fa&ion" can be appeafed by moderate " Conceffions ?" That the " per- fevering Temper of a difappointed Party" will voluntarily defift, before the Dominion of Grace is a fecond Time eftablifhed in the Ruin of Ordinances; and the Spirit of Faction, Jirengthened by Conceffions, is become fuperior to all Controll ? The Author's " plaufible and popular" Arguments ' are unwarrantable and incon- clulive. If the Expoftulations of " thofe at a Diftance" be, as he intimates they are, ** unreafonabk ;" what Conclufions are to be dedaced from them ? Why does this grave and argumentative Writer obtrude upon ( 35 ) upon the Notice of a learned Univerfity the Prattlings of fuch Infants in Argumen- tation ? Why does He not rather admonifh them in private to be modeft and filent ; till they can talk like Men ; till they can utter Things reasonable, and w6rthy of the Attention of a learned and refpectable Body ? Why fhould he fo much encou- rage their Vanity, as to repeat from them the Latin Sentences which they have learned by Heart, but know not how to apply? He ought to have taught them, that jurare ilgnifies to take an Oath, not to fubfcribe: And further, that they certainly muft miftake, if they fuppofe the Author of the Cafe ftated to have fuggefted, that fome Members of this Univerfity fubfcribe with their Hand, but keep their Mind difengaged. That elegant and rational Writer maintains, that young Perfons of the Age of twelve fubfcribe to the Articles WITHOUT mental Rpfervation : That they declare for the prefent, that they are bona fide Members of the Church of England ; and do not referve in their Minds an Intention of feparating from it's Worfhip and Difcipline. If there be any " refpectable Perfons in this Place," who " have not yet, unlefs till now, com- mon Senfe enough to fee" the Difference between the Do&rinfe of the Cafe Jlated and the Reprefentation given of it by the Author of Confiderationsy they muft indeed F 2 be ( 36 ) be " poffefled of a non-diftinguifhing Fa-? culty," and muft derive their Refpeclability from other Endowments than thofe of the Underftanding. The Writer of Confiderations is a Perfbn of very extraordinary Intelligence. He receives important Informations by private Whifpers ; and thinks too, that by a pe- culiar Faculty of Difcernment He knows the Opinions of other Men, better than themfelves do. Thus he " modeflly begs. Leave to think," that the Author of the Cafe ftated\s of the "fame Opinion" with the Author of Confederations \ though he acknowledges concerning that ingenious Perfon, that he writes in Support of a con- trary Opinion. Perhaps the learned Gen- tleman, thus injured, may do himfelf Juftice : He may vindicate his Honour though his Arguments do not feem to need a Vindication ; but, it is probable, when attentively and impartially examined, will be generally approved. For though the " Coat of Lord Peter is ftripped and torn ;" there is not as yet any Hole to be found in the Coat of this honeft Martin : And he will probably be able to preferve it entire, and keep " fanatical John" at a proper Diftance. At leaft, He feems to be a Per- fon of more Difcernment, as well as For- titude, than either to think that after " the Signal is given, he can capitulate upon his own ( 37 ) own Terms ;" or, to take it for granted, that, if he waits the Afiault, he fhall foon be compelled " to furrender at Difcretion" Courage, dear Sir; and pluck up your drooping Spirits. Pray, a little Chriftian Patience and manly Refolution ! and rather let us be deferted by all our whifpering Friends, than ourfelves fly from our Ad- vantage-Ground, and bafely defert our appointed Station. Confider, Sir, what great and unforefeen Advantages have fometimes accrued from " Firmnefs" and Perfeverance. So long as our prefent " Ground is tenable," let us not wilfully abandon it to any pert Invader. " The Torrent" may poffibly be diverted from it's prefent Courfe ; or it may in Time fubfide, if we prudently fupport our " Fences :" But it furely is not the Seafon for tampering with the Fences, while the Waters rage : To " narrow" the Banks, would be a Work of Difficulty and Danger, to remove them would be Deftruction. The Author of the Cafe has aflerted, that the Subfcription of Perfons, who have at- tained the twelfth Year of their Age, " can mean no more, than that they are Members of the Church of England, and will con- form to it's Worlhip," &c. Which the Confiderer feems to think equivalent to this Proportion, namely, that Declaration by jSubfcription is ncceffary ; and is the wily Thing 306830 ( 38 ) Thing neceflary to conjlltute a Member of the Church eftablifhed. " Does the Au- thor of the Gale really think, fays he, that there is no Difference between fubfcribtng to Articles, and declaring Aflent to Wor- ihip," &c. that " Subfcription to the Ar- ticles is the only Teft," &c. " What then, fays he, becomes of the Bulk of the People, who never heard of the Articles :" That learned Writer does not feem, by what he has fald^ to have thought any fuch Thing. The peculiar Subject of his Treatife is the Subfcription of Members of this Univerjity ; He thinks it expedient that all thefe fhould declare themfelves Members of the Church ejiablifhed \ and that Boys of twelve Years of Age do make this, and only this, Decla- ration, by their Subfcription to the Articles. " The Bulk of the People" may be very good Churchmen, without Subfcription ; and might be very bad ones with it : But they are neither under the Authority of this Univerjity, nor under the Author's Confideration : And He is too accurate a Writer to intermix Impertinencies with Things eflential. What is the Act of Parliament that ter- rifies the Confiderer ? If he alludes to the Ad of Uniformity, his Apprehenfions are groundlefs : Becaufe the propofed Epinonns is intended for young Perfons, incapable vi judging of the Doctrines of the Church : Whereas ( 39 ) Whereas the ex ammo Subfcription required by the Aft of Uniformity, refpects only fuch Perfons, as are fuppofed to be capable of teaching and explaining them. The dif- cerning Author of the State does not in- fmuate that the Epinomis mould affect thofe who do under/land the Articles, but only thofe who do not yet underftand them : And thinks, that all popular Objections againft this Subfcription might be defeated, mould it be declared by an explanatory Appendix, that Perfons of very tender Years give all that AJJent to the Articles, which it is pojible for them to give ; and together with that an Engagement for actual Con- formity. By the Conftitutions and approved Prac- tice of the Church, Infants enter into the Chriftian Covenant, though incapable of underftanding or knowing the Conditions of it. You will fay perhaps, thefe Infants have their Sponfors; arid the young Matri- culate ought to have his. Be it fo. If you think the Security infufficient, add, if you pleafe, that of Bondfmen to his per- fonal Obligations. He is of Age to anfwer, in fome Meafure at leaft, for himfelf. For no Perfon gains Admiffion here, who is not arrived at firm Degree of Under/landing ; few, that are unlearned. Let thofe, whom it concerns, inftrtict each Candidate for Matriculation to the Extent of his Capacity. Perhaps ( 4 ) Perhaps it may be found upon Trial, that every fuch Candidate has Capacity to learn as much, as the propofed Subjlitute can teach. If he has, he needs no Sponfor ; if he has not, let the Sponfor engage to give him the neceffary Affiftance. If the Candidate finds Difficulties that appear unfurmountable, then let him RETREAT. Without Controverfy, This Univerfity, by it's Inftitution, or rather by it's Confti- tution, is a Place of Education for none but Members of the Church of England. Conformity to the Worfhip and Articles of the Church is indifpenfably injoined by her Statutes. This is known to all. Such Perfons, as knowing her Conditions ap- prove of them, and will fubjcribe in Tef- timony of their Approbation, will find a welcome Reception. Perfons of a different Perfuafion, Perfons who cannot with a good Confcience fubfcribe, may have Re- courfe to other learned Seminaries, whofe Conftitution is more conformable to their Tenets and Inclinations. But why, the Confiderer may ftill afk, fhould not the Declaration fo much fpoken of be deemed fufficient, without Subfcrip- tion ? For many Reafons : Becaufe, for Inftance, unwritten Words are tranfient and unftable : An oral Declaration may be equivocal : It may foon become, alas ! Matter of mere Form: Through Inat- tention, tention, or through fonie evil Principle, it may be wholly neglected : It may be made unadvifedly : It may be treated by many as of little Obligation. On the contrary, Lit era fcripta MANET. Formal Subfcrip- tion to determinate Proportions precludes "Equivocation : It is necefTarily attended with Ceremonies (the Prefence and Mo- nitions of our chief Magiftrate, &c.) which preferve it's Eflence : For the fame Reafon, it will not be negle5led\ or performed with- out Caution : Though an oral Declaration oftentimes pafles for nothing with thought- lefs or unprincipled Men ; yet a manual Signature is too precife a Teftimony of a deliberate At to be lightly regarded: And faftly, WE Ought not to acquiefce in an oral Declaration, becaufe a Statute, which we have not a competent Authority to alter, peremptorily requires SUBSCRIPTION. In our Sifter-Univerfity we have a lau- dable and encouraging Example. With a Spirit worthy of their Station, her Rulers have fuccefsfully refifted the Faction and Licentioufnefs of fofne, and the imper- tinent " Whifpers," or Suggeftions of others. -And fhall this Univerfity, the Mirror of Conftancy and ftedfaft Virtue, tremble at the Cry of Alteration, and think of adopting the timid Maxim of " lopping 'off a Limb to fave the Body." The Cow- ard deferves a thoufand Deaths, who in a G militant ( 42 ) militant State compounds for Life by the Lofs of a Limb, which ought to beexercifed in the Defence of Life. If he adds Perfidy to his Cowardice ; if being fworn to obey ; and commanded to defend an important Fortrefs, he traiteroufly furrender it ; What Difgrace and Punifhment can be equal to his Crimes ? The ordinary Iflue is, that fhunning the Danger of an honourable Death, and fhrinking from the Sword of War ; he inadvertently encounters with that of Juftice, and dies the Death of a Traitor. Why fhould we abandon ourfelves to Defpondency ? as if our Enemies were mighty, and our Friends unfaithful ? why fhould we not hope for Good from the Mildnefs and Juftice of our governing Superiors, from whom we deferve the beft of Treatment? But, if this Univerfity ?iuft now be the only Object of Perfecution in the Britifh Dominions : And if " the Cry, which is gone out" againft us muft prevail ; it were better for us to fall by the Hand of another, than by our own. OXFORD, March 2yth, 1772. ( 43 ) No. VI. Obfervations on two Anonymous Pa- pers, publified on March the 21 ft and 2 f jth- 3 again/} the Con fide- rations on the Expediency, &c. dated March the 19^, 1772. THE Author of the Cafe of Subfcrip- tion y &c. having in his candid De- fence joined Iffue in the main Point with the Author of the Confide rat ions on the Expediency of making fame Alterations, &c. a farther Reply on the Subject was deemed unneceflary : but a direct Attack on the Confederations^ &c. having appeared Yef- terday Evening, it may be proper to fay fomething further in Anfwer to both. The Author of the Confiderations was not vain enough to imagine, that he could bring over to his own way of thinking, all the Members of Convocation. His, fole View in publifhing his Sentiments was, that they might be weighed before the Repeal of the Statute requiring Subfcrip- tion at Matriculation came before them in their legiflative Capacity. And he has the Satisfaction to find that a very confider- able Number of the moderate Members of G 2 thajc ( 44 ) that venerable Houfe concur with him in Opinion : but he is furprized that any of that Body fhould write with To little Temper as the Author of the laft Paper. However, let this be confidered as a fufficient Ani- madverfion on that Part of it ; which I beg leave to quit for the prefent. As the Author of the Cafe of Subfcrip- tion ingenuoufly acknowledges that " He " cannot poffibly have any Objection to " the projected Mode of Declaration, con- *' iidered in itfelf," I begin with the Con- fequences, which he is apprehenfive may enfue from an Alteration. It is agreed that " the Attack upon our " Subfcription took its Rife from that " which was made upon the whole Body " of -the Articles :" and it does not appear that certain Members of the Houfe of Commons had any Intention, when the Petition was prefented, of proceeding fur- ther than the abolifhing Subfcription at Matriculation. But even fuppofmg they meant to have exempted all lay Degrees from what appeared to them an unwarrant- able Reflraint, what great Inconvenience would arife either to the Univerfities, or to the Church of England, I cannot fee ; provided a Declaration agreeable to the Acts of Uniformity were made by the Candidates. By this Barrier we mould fecure their Attendance on the folemn Services ( 45 ) Services and Bites pf Religion, and fuffi- ciently preclude their Oppcfition to either the eftablifhed Worihip or to the Doctrine and Difcipline of the Church. Further than this we ought on no Confideration to go in our Conceffions ; and I think no Member of the legiflative Body of this Realm would think of proceeding further, except we fhew a determined Refolution of making no Alteration ; in which Cafe, it is impoffible to fay without- a prophetic Spirit what may be done. I might mention what I have heard from fome Members of both Houfes of Parliament, and what they apprehend would be the Confequence: but it might again be faid that " this 1 *' is founding a Retreat before the Face " of the Enemy is feen." I therefore for- bear, and beg leave only to add, that when this Point was agitated in the Houfe of Commons, though it appeared that the Church of England and the Univerfities had fo many warm Advocates, not one fingle Member of that Body, however well affected to us, could alledge one alleviating Circumftance in our Behalf. In refpect to the Oath of Supremacy, it is apprehended to be foreign to the prefent Subject. None but llomanifts can object to it ; whom it is our Duty to guard againft by all poffible Means : neither have we Power to fufpend the Ope- ( 46 ) Operation of the Aft which obliges many in this Place to take it. Befides that there feems to be an eflential Difference between the negative Declaration againft the Power of the Pope or any other foreign Prince in thefe Realms, and a pofitive Aflfent to the Truth of a large Collection of abftrufe Theological Points. A young Perfon of 16 or 18 Years of Age may be fufficiently fenfible of the Reafon of the one, when it is fcarcely poffible he fhould be a competent Judge of the other. I fhould proceed " to communicate fom6- " of the prudential Reafons, which have 44 preponderated in the Judgment of thofc " who are well affefted to us," were it not for the Reafon juft given : but cannot forbear mentioning that I am credibly informed, that when all the Bifhops, who were in London, (nineteen in Number) met on the gth Inftant, and conferred together on the prefent Queftion, they were all unanimous that fomething effectual ought to be done, and that foon, by each Univerfity. They were of Opinion that the beft Line that could be drawn was that which the Aft of Uniformity prefcri- bed ; and faw no Reafon for continuing any further Reftraint on the other Mem- bers of either Body, except that all thofe who. are, or may be,/ admitted into the Con- ( 47 ) Convocation or Senate fhould be obliged to fubfcribe to the xxxix Articles. As their Lordfhips therefore cannot be fuppofed to have been influenced in their Opinions by any other Confiderations than the Good of thofe Seminaries of which they are, or have been, Members, their Propofal will certainly deferve a ferious Confidera- tion, if it ever comes before the Univer- fities in Form. It will alib I prefume be granted, that They have the Intereft of the Church of England at Heart as much as ourfelves ; and are as good Judges as we can be of what Conceflions the Times require fhould be made. I have alfo Au- thority to add, that our Chancellor and two Reprefentatives are fatisried, that it is incumbent on us to make fome Alteration in refpect to our prefent Mode of Subfcrip- tion ; and that his Lordfhip, who (as I am informed) has already recommended this Matter in a very judicious Letter to the Confideration of his Deputy and AfTeflbrs above a Month fmce, intends to apply foon to Convocation on the fame Subject. I come now to that Paper of the 2yth Inftant, and here I hope the Author does not expert I mould follow him Step by Step. Whatever he may think, I truft the other Members of Convocation will judge it fufficient, if an Anfwer be giveft to the ( 48 ) the few Joints which may be thought tc have Weight. If our Author had examined the Charters of the two Univerfities he would not have declared fo peremptorily that " this Uni- " verfity, by it's Inftitution, or rather /U nion. Although a great Majority of the Univerfity aflented to the qualifying Expla- nation recommended by Mr. Wilbraham and Mr. More ton : Yet that was done by many upon a much better Principle than the Authority of the learned Gentlemen of the Law. It was confidered, that the " Simul non fruendis" was reconcileable to the Re- jloratwn of a quondam Member: And the proper Steps being previoufly taken, that Re-Inftation was affented to by a great Majority. Some Gentlemen, however, of very reipedable Character would not aflent to it ; who are at this Time Members of this Univerfity ; and it is believed, well- known to and regarded by the Author or Authors of " Obfervations." It would be fruitlefs to dwell longer upon this Subject : bring the Matter therefore to a fhort Iflue. The Statutes of the Univerfity forbid the Alteration of a royal Statute, by the fole Authority of the Univerfity. The Statute requiring Subfcription to Articles is a royal Statute. Ergo, &c. It is hoped that the Obferver will think this one of the few Points which may be worthy of a further Anfwer. 3. Though the Author of Confiderations thinks, that a " manual Signature equally admits admits of Equivocation as an oral Declara- tion" does : Yet it is believed by his An- tagonift, " that the other Members of Con- " vocation will think" differently. I need not repeat what has been faid upon that Point in the Paper of the 2jth Inftant : but I earneftly recommend it to the ferious Confideration of every impartial Reader, There is another Part of that Paper which the Obferver ' fteps" over, and either through Pride or Fear, will not vouchfafe or venture to fet his Foot upon. This is a Vindication of the Statutes of the Univer- fity in requiring the Subfcription of young Perfons from the approved Practice of the Church in admitting Infants into the chriftian Covenant. Let the Obferver know, that the impartial Publick will not be fatisfied with a " whatever be may " think," applied to an Opponent : THEY will, no doubt, think as I do, that when the Obferver refufes to follow his Antago- nift " Step by Step," and profeffes to give an Anfwer to a " few Points" only ; the Reafon why he does not anfwer other Points is fuch as he is amamed to own, It is a pretty kind of Contemplation to the Writer, I iuppofe, to feem to bounce and vapour with a few contemptuous and com- mon-place Sarcafms, of " be may think," and " I truft," and " mere Declamation," and " little Temper," &c. I envy him not ( 7 ) not that Amufement in ttriwte : Sua Je jattet in AULA, after this Manner as much as he pleafes : But Attention to every Ar^ gument is expected by the Publick from one, who would be thought to exhibit his Opinions, for the Sake of conveying or receiving Conviction. 4. In the Paper of the 2yth an effectual Method was recommended for preventing mental Refervation and 'Jefuitical Equivo- cation. But this alfo the Obferver things of fo little Weight, as boldly to " flep" over it unnoticed. If there be any Tutors amongft us, who in any Inftance whatever teach " Jefuitifm" to their Pupils, this would be a new Argument in favour of Subfcription. For I muft flill infifl upon it, (though my Opponent thinks other- wife) that a manual Signature is a better Security againft Jefuitical Equivocation, than an oral Declaration can be. If again, " many Perfons have fubfcribed to the Ar- ticles without knowing it; 1 ' this is indeed a Mark of very criminal Negligence in the Tutor and others : But the Inference from hence againft Subfcription would be equal- ly applicable to an oral Declaration. If the Subfcription is ever made " rather before a menial Servant * than the chief Magif- trate * Whom does the Author mean by a menial Servant ? Can he give that Appellation to a 'Squire- Bedel ? or does he mean the doraeftic Servant of the Vice-Chancellor ? In either Cafe however, our chief Magiftrate OUGHT toprefide. { 7' ) trate of the Univerfity" let the Blame fall where the Offence is Thefe Things OUGHT not ib to be And there is equal Reafon to hope that Subfcription, no lefs than the propofed Declaration, might for the future be made' in His Prefence. If the NEWS be true, that u two Papifts have been matriculated within thefe ten Years," this is indeed exceeding alarming : It ought to excite publick Enquiry into the Princi- ples of the TUTOR, by whom they were recommended : It ought to put us all upon our Guard againft yefuits in DISGUISE. The dark Counfels, which now appear to have been a long Time foftering in the Breaftof the Obferver and his " moderate*' Friends, may juftly raife Sufpicion. Our Hiftory affords us Warnings and Exam- ples. Who the Obferver is, I know not ; nor do I with Certainty know, who are his Coadjutors : But as he often fpeaks with Authority^ we have the greateft Reafon to fear. 5. Yes, indeed ; I freely acknowledge that my Intelligence concerning our Sifter Univerfity is " derived from News-Papers." I never had 'the Honour of converfmg or correfponding upon the Subject of Subfcrip- tion either with the chief Magiffrste of that learned Seminary, or with any of the Mem- bers of either Houfe of Parliament. The News-Papers are (I muft confefs) oftentimes " falla- ( 7* ) " fallacious." Arid yet when an Article of Intelligence, relating to a Fatt of Afo- toriety and Importance^ is communicated to the Publick and never contradicted ; there feems to be no great Reafon to queftion it's Authenticity. My Opponent may perhaps be in the Secrets of that Univerfity, as well as in the Cabinet of this. He probably knows a great deal more concerning their Proceedings than I do. But I believe the following Particulars are fuch as he cannot- contradict : That much Refiftance has been made againft " the Spirit of Faction" there ; that the Affailants have hitherto been in fuch a Manner withftood, as to have gain- ed no Ground ; and that the Grace of Thanks for the Iriterpofition of their Re- prefentatives, was refufed. The " Syndi- cate" I never heard of, till I read the " Obfervations." There cannot be " a fitter Oceafion for a brave Champion's Courage" than the pre-* fent. The Caufe is that of the Church of England, and of this Univerfity one of it's firmeft Pillars. Though I would not " flatter myfelf " fo much, as my Oppo-< nent does, yet in Compliment to his Sin- cerity, I accept* with Thanks and Pride, the honourable Mention he has made of me, in the laft Paragraph of u Obferva- tions ;" and I affure him in Return, that, if I have any Tafte or Difcernment in lite- rary ( 73 ) rary Compofitions, that Part of the Paper is truely ORATORICAL. The Ob- ferver there becomes of a fudden brifk and facetious ; and it were a Pity to be fo grave as not to allow it's Effedt to his only Joke : I therefore fmik when I fpeak of it. And yet it's Abfurdity and Ill-nature quick- ly check my good Humour, when I ob- ferve that inftead of wifhing me to 'live and not , He " flatters himfelf," that I fliall die by an " A<3 of Suicide," which he fays I " feem to deteft ;" and even envies me the Confolation of an honourable Mar- tyrdom. I would not be fo much wanting in Chriilian Charity, as not to return Good For Evil ; and therefore, though I think a Sacrifice of any public Good or Security too great an Atonement for the Offence of an Individual, yet I affure him with the utmoft Sincerity that I no more wijh him to come to any untimely End, than I him to die a Martyr. OXFORD, March 31, 1772. 74 No. IX. THE Author of the Cafe, &c. would not have prefumed to have troubled his Readers with any Thing more about the Subfcription, had he not thought the Credit and Honour of the Univerfity par- ticularly concerned in having right Notions afcertained as to the Meaning and Inten- tion of the prefent Mode of Subfcription. The Writer of the Confederations having over and over again infixed upon an inde- fenfible State of the Cafe, he thought him- felf under a Neceffity of appearing in Print once more, and for the laft Time. He has exprefsly charged the Governors of the Univerfity, for near two Hundred Years paft, down to this very Day, with having required from young Peribns, at their Matriculation, a formal AJfent to the Truth of a Variety of Propofitions of pro- found Argument, and of a mixed Nature^ Hiftorical, 'Theological, and Metaphyfical^ which they knew it was impoffible for them to underftand. And yet he is fo indulgent as to wim, that this Practice might have continued 'without Impeachment for many hundred Year* more. Now on the contrary, I ( 75 ) contrary, I do aver, that if this had been their Intention, they have all along been the moft unreafonable, abfurd, and iniqui- tous Set of Governors that ever lived; and the Practice ought not to have obtained for a fingle Day. After this Preamble, may I be per- mitted to make a few very fhort Stricture's upon fome Paragraphs of the laft Paper, as they are marked in it, I, 2, &c. I. Does the Oath of Supremacy intend nothing more than a bare Denial of the Pope's Authority ? Do not the Words, " No foreign Prince, Prelate, &c." import an Acknowledgment of the King's Supreme Authority in all Matters Ecclefiaftical and Spiritual? Nay, does not the very Sta- tute of Matriculation call it an Oath De agnofcendo Primatu Regice Majejlatis ? II. The invidious Turn given to the Author's Expreffion in the Witticifm of the Mafk does not deferve his Regard. He is not afhamed to wear the fame Face, and to {hew it too, as the beft and greateft Men of this Univerfity have long worn. Again. I. There is no Chicanery in making a Subfcription, according to the Intention of the Impofers. Whether the Author of the Cafe, or the Confiderer^ has rightly reprefented that Intention, is left to the ]L 2 Judgment; Judgment of others. I know no Law of the Land which interferes in this Mat- ter. I know that all Laws are to be interpreted according to the Intention of their Makers. II. The Account lately publiftied of the Origin of the Subfcription, might have faved the Confidcrer this Paragraph. Tu- tors are directed, even by the Statute itfclf^ Tit. 3. 2. to be very careful to inftruct their Pupils in the Senfe of the Articles, before they take their Degrees. This {hews they were not fuppofed to have been fuffi- ciently, if at all, inftructed in them, when they came to the Univerfity. And there is a very obfervable Difference in the Form of Subfcription. The Candidate for a De- gree, declares folemnly, and fubfcribes to the Declaration, that after having read the Thirty-nine Articles, he finds them to be all agreeable to the Word of God. The young Perfon matriculated figns his Name in a Book to which the Articles are pre- fixed, without being required to have read them ; nor is he required to give any for- mal Affent to the Truth of the Doctrines contained in them. If fuch Ajjent was intended, why ia he not likewife required to give it * ? * What is mentioned in this Paragraph will fhortfy be more fully explained, and in a Manner that will leave no Room for a Reply. ( 77 ) III, Every Tutor may, I -think, fatisfy Kimfelf, and he ought, in Duty, always to fatisfy his Pupils of the real Intention and Meaning of the Subfcription. If any Sanction of Public Authority is necefiary, let it have one. The Oath which young Perfons are obliged to take at their Matri- culation, to obferve the Statutes, was as much cried out againft as the prefent Subfcription. The Epinomis gave Satis-* faction in the former Cafe ; why may not another of the like Kind do the fame in the latter ? IV. The Difference of Age from twelve \QJixteen, is not fo much to be regarded, as the Improvements the young People are fuppcfed to make in the Courfe of four Years Study. One who takes his Batche- lor's Degree at the Age ofjixfeen, is pre- fumed to have as much Knowledge in all the Sciences, wherein he is required to be inftrucled, as one who is matriculated at Jixteen^ and takes his Degree at the Age of twenty. The Author of the Cafe, csV. has offered his Plea in behalf of the Practice of the Univerfity. If it is a right one, they ftand acquitted of all untoward Imputa- tions. But if the Confiderer** Explanation be admitted, and the Governors of the Univerfity have blindly continued for a long ( 78 ) long Series of Years in an unwarrantable, abfurd, and irreligious Practice ; they not only ought to abrogate it immediately, but to write a Letter of Thanks to Sir \V. M. for having opened their Eyes, No. X, ( 79 ) No. X. A Vindication of the Teft at Matri- culation, in if s prefent Mode, from the plaufible Objections that have been raifed againft it. IT hath been artfully thrown out by the avowed Enemies of the Church of Eng- land as now eftablifhed, that the Subfcrip- tion to it's Articles required by this Uni- verfity at Matriculation is a fcandalous and unjuftifiable Impofition on mere Boys, who cannot in Reafon be fuppofed qualified to judge of the Senfe of them. Many fteady Friends to the Church and Univer- fity have been ftartled at the Plea; and thinking it a Practice altogether indefenfi- ble, are therefore, in the true and candid Spirit of the Church of England, zealous for the Alteration of it. But before we allow the Charge, let us fee whether it doth not reft on a mere Miftake. The Wiidom of Ages ought not in Juftice to give Way fuddenly to every feeming Difficulty. All the Arguments hitherto urged in Favor of an Alteration of the prefent Mode of Teft at Matriculation, depend on a Sup- pofition, that by this Subfcription the Uni- verfity requires an actual pofitive Aflent to the Truth of the Doctrines contained in the xxxix Articles. ( 8o J If this were really the Cafe, the Object tions are unanfwerable, and a Teft of ano- ther Kind ought to be fubftituted in it's room. But if it appear that no fuch Af- fent either is, or ever was intended to be required by the Univerfity, then the pre- fent Mode is not affeted by any Arguments yet urged againft it. I prefume it will be univerfally granted* that in whatever Senfe the Univerfity re- quires this Subfcription, in that Senfe, and no other, the Subfcription is made. From the Manner of Proceeding at the Admiffion of a Scholar we may fairly col- lect in what Senfe the Univerfity actually does, and always did, confider it. The Scholar before he is admitted is required to fubfcribe the xxxix Articles, but fimply, without any Formula expreffive of Afjent to the Truth of the Doctrines contained in them. He is not even required to have read them. And his Tutor is enjoined by Statute to inftruct him in the Senfe of* them, Tit. III. . 2. " Tutor verb Scho- " lares Tfutelce & Regiminifuo commiffos pro* " bis Moribus tmbuat, & in probatis Au- " thoribus inftituat\ 6f maxime in Rudimen- " tis Religionis & Do5trm and declare his unfeigned Affent to them. Hence I conclude, that whenever an AJJ'ent to the Articles is intended to be re- quired, it is always exprefled. It is aifo evident from what has been faid, that by the fimple Subfcription of Matriculation the Univerfity can under- fland nothing but a mere Acquiefcence. An Acquiefcence is the leaft Security the Univerfity as a Seminary for the Church of England can poffibly require ; and fuch a Teft cannot be a Burthen to the Con- fcience of any who take it ; and can ex- clude none but fuch as it is the Duty of the Univerfity to exclude. I* ( 85 } It is further evident, that by fo under- Handing it the Univerfity does not adopt a fmgular or unwarranted Notion of Sub- fcription, or by any Means countenance the Subfcribing in various lax and indeter- minate Senfes, where an Aflent is required. OXFORD, April 3, 1772. No. XI. No. XI. OUR Difputes are now come to a Crifis. The learned Author of the Sfafe, and his ingenious Friend the Vindi- cator are ib decifive upon the Propriety and Expediency of the prefent Mode of Subfcription, as to leave no Room for Cavil or Objection. There feems alfo to be very little Reafon for the Friends of Novelty to infill any longer upon that other controverted Subject, the Authority of the Univerfity to alter an original Statute. But as the Writer of " Further " Obfervations" may perhaps expect that fome Notice fhould be taken of what he has advanced in Support of that Authority, I fhall offer a Word or two in Reply to him, and then bid a final Adieu to the Controverfy. i . To the Author's firft Anfwer I reply ; that the Epmom/s, if it fhould be thought expedient to make one, would no more be an Infringement of the Sovereign's Right^ than the Annotations of a Commentator are an Infringement of the Senfe of the Author. The Interpretation, put upon the Statute by learned Men, might be a Guide to Perfons lefs learned, but no Obligation upon their Confciences, inconfiftent with their their own Convictions of the Senfe of the Statute. To the^ fecond Anfwer, I reply thus. The KING of England NEVER dies; there- fore his Acts cannot die "WITH him". The Charters and Grants for Inftance of King George the firft, if not limited to Time, are as valid in the Year 1772, as they were in 1721. But this is not all. The Confirmation of Charles the firft was exprefsly made perpetual ; Pro Nobis et Here- dibus et Succefforibus Nojiris. If the Sanc- tion died with the Sovereign ; thofe Mem- bers of the Univerfity, who on the Day ap- pointed bound themfelves by Oath to main- tain the New Code were releafed from the Obligation of that Oath either in Whole or in Part on the thirtieth of January 1 649. And yet we never hear of their renewing their Obligation to the Laws of the Uni- verfity in general ; or, of their thinking themfelves exempt from any Part of their Obligation. If their Obligation was tem- porary , the Limitation of Time muft by the Maxims of Law and Reafon have been expreffed: The Author would do well to find out the .Record of fuch a Limitation. The Interference of the Sovereign was not by an arbitrary Injunction, but by an Act of Favour. Should " his prefent Ma- " jefty" at the Requeft of the " Mayor, " &c. of Oxford" grant them a new Charter ( 88 ) Charter . for the better Government of their Town and Corporation : They would " / " ween" find themfelves confined by cer- tain Provtfos ; and the Bye-Laws^ which they might occafionally enact, would be null and void, if repugnant to their Charter They might personally incur the Guilt and Penalties of Perjury ; and in their political Capacity forfeit their Charter by Mtfufer. The " Conduct of Predecef- fors" however " indifcreet" would be as obligatory upon Succeffors as their own Ad: would. 2. The Author of the Paper dated March the 27. never would think of " ad- " vijing his Majefty to give Authority for " the making of a new Statute ;" but he knows his Majefty *s Confent to be neceflary for the altering of fome old ones. 3. If this Univerfity has ever done^ what it had no Right to do, the Aft itfelf is invalid, andtheEx^w^isof no Authority. The Author of Obfervations is extremely apt to argue from bad Examples ; and againft the Exiftence of good Rules from the Neglett of them. Amongft many other Iriftances of Self- Flattery the Author leems to " flatter him- " felf" by too high an Opinion of -the Number of his Friends. I have great Rea- fon to believe that a confiderable Majority of tbofe venerable Perfonages who in Wif- -dom clom and Authority ftand firft in our Aca- demical Legiflature, are averfe to the pro- pofed Innovation. One of them in par- ticular, who had been fufpected of giving " too much Countenance to our Enterprizers in Reformation, allures me that his Incli- nation and Opinion upon this Subject are entirely conformable to my own. The Severity which he has lately experienced fromfome of his Superiors^ and which every candid Perfon muft condemn, induces him to be filent and cautious, but not to forget his Duty. This Conduct is prudent and truly commendable : And I believe his ProfefTions to be perfectly fmcere. I am alfo credibly informed, that if ever the Zeal of many of his Brethren is brought to the Trial, it will difcover itfelf in an infuperable Affection to the Church eftablimed, and a great Regard to our prefent Academical Polity. May fuch Sentiments prevail. /" /*_/ /-, OXFORD, April 4, 1772. / N No. XII, No. XII. TH E Affair of the Subfcription has been much agitated. I have con- fidered what has been laid on all Sides ; and I hope it will not be thought imper- tinent, if I ftate the Cafe according to my Notions of the Debate, without prefuming to direct the Judgment of others. The following Pofitions ftrongly oppofe any projected Alteration. The Univerfity has a prefcriptive Right to the preferit Mode of Subfcription, having exercifed it for near two Hundred Years. It cannot be prefumed, that fo learned a Body would have inftituted and continued a Praclke, unwar rant able > arbitrary^ and abfurd. The only Conftrudion that can make it otherwiie is, that they had no farther In- tention in requiring a Subfcription to the Articles from young Perfons at their Ma- triculation, than that they mould declare their Acquiescence in the Doctrines of the Church of England, which all the Mem- bers of it, of whatever Degree, who do not give any formal or explicit Affent to them, are fuppofed to acquiefce in. This ( 9' ) This their Intention has been made to Appear fo fully, that there cannot remain any reafonable Doubt about it. There have been no evil Sufpicions, no Uneafinefs in this Place, arifmg from the Continuance of the Practice. It has gene- rally been looked upon as a proper Method to fecure the Interefls of the Church of England, which the Nature of our Con- flitution requires us to guard. Any Alteration of the Practice might feem to carry in it a Reflection upon the Wifdom and Piety of our Predeceflbrs, for having ejlablifoed it, and an Acknowledgment of the Want of them in ourfelves, for having continued it. It may be apprehended, that fuch a fup- pofed Acknowledgment may operate fo as to affect very materially the Articles of our Church, there being too much Reafon to think, that the Outcry againft the Univer- fity Subfcription arifes more from a Diflike to the Articles themfelves, than from a tender Concern for the Confciences of our Youth. If the Subfcription is defenfible upon Principles that want only to be made known to gain the Approbation of all reafonable and true Members of our Church, why mould we not maintain our Ground ? What more have we to do to prevent Miftake and to filence Clamour, but to infert 3 N 2 ( 9* ) proper Explanation of the Meaning of the Suhfcription in the Book, wherein the young Men write tneir Names, and read it to them at their Matriculation. There is a Queftion revived, whether the Univerfity has a Power to alter any of its Statutes. I enter not into the Difpute. But one Obfervation, I think a material one : There is a great Difference betwixt altering Statutes that relate to our own internal Regimen, and Statutes by which we are connected to the Conftitution in Church or State. Now what is faid on the other Side ir* Favour of the Alteration ? A Public Attack was made in the Houfe of Commons upon our Subfcription. It had not one Advocate. The Friends, and even the Reprefentatives of the Univerfity gave it up as indefenfible. Our Chancellor in- tends to recommend an Alteration. The Bifhops concur ; and all our Friends are alarmed for the Fate of the Univerfity. But notwithftanding all this, under Fa- vour, I will prefume to put the following Queftions : Had any of thefe refpe&able Perfonages fo far confidered the Matter, as to form to themfelves juft and adequate Notions of the Intention of the Univerfity ? Did they not, without farther Reflection, take for granted, that the Subfcription implied a fojitive ( 93 ) pqfitive Ajfent to the Truth of the Doctrines contained in the Articles ? Muft they not be convinced upon mature Consideration, and upon the Evidence produced in the Cafe, that the Univerfity never required any fuch Thing ? Can they blame the Univerfity for retaining the antient Teft, till ftronger Reafons are produced for the Alteration of it, than have yet been laid before them ? Ought they to be required to make Innovations, merely in Compliance with the Temper of the Times, when they may be thought incompatible, with their Duty, and productive of worfe Confe- quences than they are intended to prevent ? J own myfelf to be under no Panic at having the Matter brought into Parliament. We fhall have an Opportunity given us of making our Plea more Public ; and mould it not be approved, which is a Suppofition I am not willing to make, what have we to apprehend ? I cannot believe that the Majority of either Houfe will ever concur in any Project to weaken the Fences of / our Ecclefiaftical Conftitution, till they mean to alter it in its Fundamentals. When that Day comes, the Univerfity muft fall with the Church. In the mean Time I rely upon the Legiflature for our Security as well as Direblion. It is undoubtedly their Province and not ours to make Al- Jerations, as in their Wifdom they fhall judge ( 94 ) judge proper, (whether we think them for the better or the worfe) in Matters wherein the Church of England is as much con- cerned as the Univerhty. Our ' Obedience jsdue/ra omnibus LICITIS ET HONESTIS. No. XIIL ( 95 No. XIII. Objections to the received Teft at Ma- triculation ^ impartially ftated and examined. OUR Defign is not to controvert, much lefs to cenfure, the Opinions of thofe who have already given the Public Infor- mation on the important Subject before us : We are perfuaded that all fmcerely unite in the fame generous Work, the In-* *vejligation of 'Truth. We join in it with Deference and Humility; we refpedt the Characters of thofe from whom we hap-- pen to diflent ; we acknowledge the Weight of their Authorities; but in this Cafe it muft be allowed, Non tarn Auctoritatis quam Rationis momenta queer enda funt . The Neceffity of applying fome Crite- rion at Admiffion is acknowledged on all Sides : The prefent Teft carries with it the Sanction of Time and refpectable Autho- rity ; Circumftances of the greateft Weight with the Grave and Thinking. Notwith- ftanding this, Objections are made to it's Continuance : It muft be confeffed they are forcible, have an Air of Candour and Liberality, Liberality, and therefore deferve our At- tention. The worft Tyranny (fay they) is that which is exefcifed over the Minds of Men; it feems to approach to this when an Acknowledgement of the Truth of Pro- pofitions is exacted* from thofe who are known to be incompetent Judges of them : Is it not a bad Leflbn to inaugurate young Perfons with, a ftrange Salutation at the Thremold of Truth, enlightened Science, and pure Morality, to teach to equivocate, to palliate, to evade, or per- haps tofmotber Attention, and comply with Conditions ; Arts which if delivered thus at Matriculation, may perhaps (there are who want not Ill-nature enough for theSug- geftion ) not be quite ufelefs in fome of the Ceremonies at taking Degrees* -Does it not feem a probable Method of depriving young Men of every Religious Principle, or of making them alike indifferent to all, to tempt them thus to hurry over an ill- conceived Aflent ; to impofe on themfelves, or accommodate with their Conferences in Matters of fuch ferious Moment ? The Efficacy of the Act of Subfcription may indeed be ingenloujly ohfcured, but cannot be fairly and confcientioufly mifunderftood : If it has any Meaning^ it amounts to an Acknowledgement of the Truth of thofe feveral Proportions to which it is annex- ed; ( 97 ) fed ; of thefe * feveral are in their own Nature Metaphyfical and recondite Specu- lations ; they are the Conclufions of long and abftrufe Reafonings ; to require AfTent to fuch from one who is utterly uninform- ed of the Train of Argument which gave them heing, feertis like obtruding on the Mind of a Learner the Conclufions of Pro- pofitions in the Elements of Euclid^ as fo many intuitive Truths. If a Begin muft take fome Things upon Truft, and out of Deference to the Authority of Teacher, let what he receives in this Man ner be no more than is neceffary to form a Foundation for farther Information ; let it be purely Jimple and elementary. " Sanc- tius ac reverentius credere quam fcire," may be a Maxim in the Mouth of Ignorance and Superftition ; and let it be confined to thofe who profefs a Faith that hides itfelf from Reafon. Notwithstanding the avowed Difference between Faith and Knowledge ; who will venture to pronounce that in any Cafe the Mind can give it's Affent to a Propofition without having perceived the Reafons that mould influence it, or indeed without even knowing what that ts to which it's Aflent is afforded ? Further, it is urged that many of the Articles contain f nega- O tive * Such for Inftance are the following Articles. (10.) Of Free-Will. (11.) Of Justification. (13.) Of Works before Juftification. (17.) Of Predeitination and Election. | Such are implied in Articles 19, 22, 28, 31. tive Propofitions, to be able to afTert the Truth of which a very high Degree of Cer- tainty is requifite ; and that in general it is expeded that this Convidion be extended to them all, that they reft on Scripture as their Foundation. It is infmuated that although Bifhop Burnet is fo very liberal as to declare * that a Perfon who conceives fome of thefe Propofitions to be erroneous or even falfe may ftill fairly and confcienti- oujly fubfcribe to them, notwithstanding the ufeful Art He poflefled of reconciling and accommodating fuch little Difficulties to himfelf, that in RefpccJ to his Authority with others, f " On fait fort bien que fes paroles, " Ne font pas Articles defois" With refped to an explanatory Claufe in Nature of Saunderfon's Epinomis^ I have heard it objeded, that a Law indeed pre- fcribing a Rule of future Conduct, and containing a Sanction, offers an Alterna- tive, " Obferve the Rule, or fubmit to the *' Sanction-" But that a Declaration of Belief, which confines itfelf to the prefent Moment, which carries with it no tempo- ral Sandion, can poffibly from, it's Nature admit of no candid conscientious Interpre- tation but this, " I ajj'ert my prefent Faith " and Conviction in thefe Matters to be asfet "forth in the Articles to which I fubfcribe" What * Expofuioa of Articles, p. 6. f Boileau. ( 99 ) What Alternative can here he fairly intend- ed : Either I truly declare the State of my Mind, or I impofe on the Society of which I am received a Member, and that Being alone againft 'whom all Difguife is ufelefs, can punifh my Falfehood and ./Equivoca- tion. But you are tofubfcribe to certain Propofitions, 'what they mean you cannot comprehend, this only you are told, that nothing more is inferred from your Sub- fcription, than a Promife of Silence and Ac- quiefcence : Can then a Mind totally un- informed acquiefce in Points it is ignorant of; is not this very Acquiefcence the Con- fequence of a Judgement, " that the Doc- " trines propofed are offuch a Nature, that . *' the Mind may approach to AJJ'ent, may " fajely acquiefce andfubmit ?" Suppoie (if I may hazard even the Suppofition) they contain Aflertions inconfiftent with the great Principles of Natural Religion, would not blind Acquiefcence be highly culpable ? After all, why ufe fo complicated a Ma- chine, when a very iimple one will anfwer the Purpofe ? Is there not great Reafon to fear perpetual Mifapprehenfions,. where an Act in its Natural Tendency leads to one fbingt but the Spirit we are told means fbmewhat very different ? Is it not rea- fonable that in Matters cf the utmoft Mo* ment, Letter and Spirit mould coincide, that the Defign of the Legiilator fhould be O 3 marked ( IGO ) marked with as flrong and precife a Stro&z as poiiihle ? inftead of being left fo vague and indefinite as to fubmit to the Mercy of an arbitrary Interpretation, or a mental Salvo ? Are Myjlery and Uncertainty to be ftudioufly affe&ed in Matters that, of all others, require to be Jimple^ perj'picuci'.f, and defined ? Is there here Room even for the ungenerous and pernicious Diftin&ioo, " Eft ijlhuc quidem honeftum, verum kcc " expedit ?" >uam vero ILL A AUREA, ". ut inter BONOS BE NEAGIER oportet !" Such are the Objections to the prefent Teft, either taken in it's Rigour, or foftened and accommodated by a difarming Claufe : But it is impoffible to fubititute one which fhall be candid and liberal, not likely on the one Side to become an Object of terror i and to exclude all that have Re- flexion and Confcience, until their Scru- ples have been removed by fome ingenious Friend " Ql 11 J uris n d s i & Legum anigmata fofoat" Nor yet fo indejinite and loofe, as to admit of an Illuftration, which by exprefsly giving up the natural Meaning of the Act, leaves it indeed totally void of Meaning or Obligation : Is it in a Word impoffible that on this Occafion, the Maker of the Rule mould be explicit with the Receiver of it ? I -humbly apprehend, that to acl: deliberately otherwife, would be to endan- ger ger the Titles of Reafonable, Confcientious^ Grave, Candid. The End in Speculation is the Exclufion of all who dijjent from the eftabliflied Church. The Oath of Supre- macy Hands on the fureft Ban's ; the N"e- cejjity of that Teft will not I believe eafily be queftioned, nor can it's Efficacy be doubted in the Exclufion of thofe whom \ve are bound to guard againft with pe- - culiar Cautioa, the Votaries of the Church of Rome. As effectually would a folernn Subfqription to the Declaration of Con- formity operate to preferve us from the Intrulion of Sectaries of every Deno- mination ; it is introduced into this Place under Authority of the Act of Uniformity, which enjoins all Heads and Fellows of Colleges, in Prefence of the Vicechancel- lor, and within fix Months after their Ap- pointment, to fubfcribe that Declaration. It is explicit and effectual ; it affords no poffibility of Miftake, it requires no Com- ment. I fubmit it with Deference, whether it might not be fufficient to enjoin the Tutor before he prefents his Pupil to the Vicechancellor, to read over with him the Oath of Supremacy, and this declaratory Form ; which mould be again folemnly repeated before Sub- fcription at Matriculation : Let Subfcription to Articles be exacted with that Caution and ^endernefs which the Ab- flrufenefs ftrufenefs of the Subject, and a folemn Declaration of that Faith which alone ad- mits of Reafon in her Train, requires and defences : let it be expected of thofe only who can be fairly fuppofed, whom alone the Univerfity herfelf fuppofes fvid. Stat. 7*>. 3. . 2.) capable to judge of the Act they perform : I would rank under this Head, Candidates for the Degree of Bat- chelor of Arts in Orders, all who offer for that of Mafter of Arts, and the fuperior Degrees. An Alteration in the received Teft is not prefled from Fears of temporal Inconve*- niencies, or an Apprehenfion of the Inter- pojition of Parliament, but from a Perfua- fion that it is injurious to the Credit of our Body ; unworthy the Sanction of Perfons of that enlarged and liberal Way of thinking, which is the beft Gift of 'Erudition ; that it is in its prefent Form indefenfible and con- trary to the great Principles of ^fufice and Reafon. Though Parliament we.re to pro- mile us Silen e and Acquiefcence, we mall ftill be amenable to the Bar of a Superior, Court, we mail ftill be liable to the Cenfures of a, Law of a higher Nature, of an eter- nal and indifpenjible Obligation, Neque enim aut per Senatum, aut per Populum Jbhi HAG L E G E pOJjumilS. OXFORD, April, 7, 1772. ( 103 ) No. XIV. The plain and obvious Meaning of the received TEST at MATRI- CULATION, examined and vindicated. TO remove the Imputation alledged againft the Univerfity of an arbitrary and illiberal Conduct in requiring from Perfons to be matriculated Subfcription to the Ariticles, and to juftify the Wifdom and Piety of thofe, upon whofe Authority this Teft has been long eftablifhed, are Ends extremely defirable in themfelves, and in the prefent Juncture of more than ordinary Importance. The only Plea hitherto fuggefted, has been the Suppofition, that this Subfcription was originally in- tended as a Security for the mere Acquiefcence of the Subfcriber in the Doctrines cotnprifed in thofe Ar- ticles. A Declaration merely obligatory upon the Will, and in no Degree implying the AJJent of the Mind to, certain Propofitions. The Argument for this Plea is founded upon the following Confiderations "That the Age of the *' Perfons fubfcribing, and the abilrufe Nature of the " Doctrines contained in fome of the Articles, leave no Room to expect, upon good Grounds, a rational and 'pofiti've Aflent That the Requifition of fuch Aflent is nowhere expreJJ'ed by the Power enjoining the Subfcription. That the Perfons to be matricu- lated are not iuppofed previoufly even to have read the faid Articles ; and therefore, in an equitable P Con- ( 104 ) "ConftructLon of pofitive Laws, no Confcfllon of " Faith, no Limitation of Opinion, can reafonably " be deduced by Implication: In this Cafe efpecially, " where the fame Perfons are required by exprefs In- junction at their fecond Subfcription, in order to their "Degree, to give their full AJjent. They are more- " over obliged to bring Teftimony of their having " read, or heard others read, thefe Articles : And that " this Aflent might be founded on a reafonable and " competent Knowledge, the Tutor is admonifhed by " the fame Authority diligently to explain them." *' How then lhall this Difference in the Mode and " Circumftances of the Requifition be accounted for, " unlefs we fuppofe, that the Tefts exacted were ef- *' fentially different ? The one, Ample Subfcription, " implying merely Acquiefcence : The other a full and "formal AJJent to the Doctrines, &V." As the Force of the Argument thus ftated depends wholly upon the Solution of this Queftion, we have only to enquire into the Nature and Meaning of the Teft in the frfi Inftance of Subfcription. With re- fpect to the Teft in the fecond Inftance, it is univerfally acknowleged to be a full and formal Affent to the xxxix Articles. The Interpretation of Acquiefcence in the/r/? Cafe is certainly to the Generality of the World a novel In- terpretation of a Teft, which has been complied with almoft for the Space of two hundred Years, and which has not ever been explained in this Manner by the Magiftrate, before whom Subfcription is made , nor is any Proof offered of its having been the general Senfe of the Univerfity, at any Period, fince the Eftablimment of the Teft. What was the Senfe, in which the Impofers en- joined it to the Kingdom in general, and what Infe- rence they drew from the Compliance with it, we may learn ( "5 ) learn from the Royal Declaration prefixed to the Articles themfelves. " Yet we take comfort in ** this, that all Clergymen within our Realm have al- " ways moft willingly lubfcribed to the Articles efta- P 2 That That, what is here termed fimple Subfcription in the Cafe of Deacons dotb imply more than mere Acqtti- efcence, and indeed an aftual Profeffion may, I think, be collected from the Royal Declaration, " requiring " all our loving Subjects to continue in the uniform " Profeffion of the Articles of the Church of England." This is further confirmed in the firft Section of the Ecclefiaftical Conftitutions publilhed in the Reign of Elizabeth j and yet more exprefsly in the Canons agreed upon in the Reign fucceeding. Section 34. " Nullus Epifcopus in facros Ordines quenquam de " csetero cooptabit, qui non ex fua ipfms Diocefi fue- " rit, nifi, &c." (with certain Exceptions following, to which is added) "SiDiaconus fieri expetir, vice- ^ fimum tertium, fin Prefbyter, vicefimum quartum " Annum jam compleverit vel faltem, nifi rationem " Fidei fu< juxta Articules Religionis in Synodo Epifcopo- "rum et Cleri Ann. 1562 approbates Latino Sermone " redder e .pcjfit, -et eandem Scripture tejlimoniis CORRO- ^ BORARE." Here is no Diftinftion between the Re- quifites for Deacons' and Priefts* Orders, but what ariies fimply from the different Ages fpecified. Upon the whole, I find no Reafon to admit a Difference in the Degrees of Afient, required at the firft and fecond Subfcription in the Univerfity ; much lefs to apprehend, that we are juftified in explaining this Teft in any Cafe, as a Security for the Acquiefcence only of the Party fqbfcribing. The Point remaining is to confider, whether our Anceftors, in impofing Subfcription to the Articles upon Perfons to be matriculated, in it's plain and ob- vious Senfe, and in the Senfe in which our Univerfity has hitherto underftood it, have demanded a Tell, which may be vindicated upon fair and Grounds. ( J7 ) The Objection to it refts entirely upon a Suppofi- tion, that we cannot with Propriety give our dffent to the Truth of Propofitions, which we do not fully comprehend. But this is to forget the Diftinction be- tween Fairh and Knowledge to forget that Tefti- mony may be a reafonable Ground of Aflent as well as Logical Conclufions that our Aflent to many Truths, above the Comprehenfion of the Age, at which Subfcription is made, is required univerfally at lead at as early a Period : Indeed whenever we pub- lickly profefs to believe the moft plain Propofitions of Natural and Revealed Religion, the Being of a God and the Neceflity of Redemption. At the Time of Confirmation, which ufually takes Place before the Parties are brought 1 to the Univerfity, they "acknow- *' ledge themfelves bound to believe all thofe Things " which their Godfathers undertook for them" at their Baptifm. Much upon the fame Principle, it is appre- hended, that infinitely the greater Proportion of Man- kind believe the Truth of every religious Propofition whatever during their whole Lives. If fuch Aflent be not rational, the Faith of that fame Proportion of Mankind is void. " But can the Aflent of Perfons be honeftly given " to Articles, which they have neither read nor heard " read ?" I anfwer, They are always apprifed (if we except Inftances of Neglect) that the Subfcription re- quired is to the Truth of the Doctrines of the Church of England in general , which, in the Grofs and without Exception, in the Courfe of their Education they are before taught to believe agreeable to the Wore} of God. It will be faid then that " in Fact they do little more " in this Teft, than declare the Principles of their Pa- " rents and Inftructors." I anfwer, were this all, the End obtained would be by no Means immaterial to the the Security of our Academical Conftitution. But, in Truth, the Suppofition, taken in it's Latitude, doth not at all imply, that they are on that Account inca- pable of giving a rational Afient. A full and formal AfTent is alwaysjuft, where Conviction is the Effect of Evidence. It is not eiTential to the Integrity of fuch AfTent, what may be the Nature of the Means and Motives of Conviction. In this Cafe, the Afient is in great Meafure founded upon the Teftimony of Per- fons, in whom they neceflarily repofe the moft intire Confidence. In Fact, there is -no Impropriety in affent- ing to Points of mere Opinion ; leafl of all, when that Opinion is founded upon the mature Conviction of Men refpectable for their Numbers, their Learning and Integrity, and whofe religious Principles have been confirmed by the Wifdom of Ages. Upon the fame Grounds the Legiflature have judged ir expedi- ent to exact an Oath (that of Supremacy) at the Age of Sixteen ; when it cannot be thought, that the Par- ties are aflured of it's Fitnefs purely from their own perfonal Examination of the Subject-matter. And Courts of Judicature admit the Oath of Perfons yet younger, when the very Exiftence of the Being, whom they adjure, is known to them only by Tefti- rnony. It is not however intended, that, in thefe Seats of Religion and Learning, our Faith mould always reft on the Teftimony of our Inflructors. Probability in its higheft Degrees fuppofes a Pofilbility of Error. Matters therefore of Opinion, however plaufible, Should be carefully weighed and examined in Propor- tion to the Importance of the Subject. It is a Duty peculiarly incumbent upon us of this Place to give every poflible Confirmation to the Truth to add to our Faith and Virtue, Knowledge. The Statutes of the Univerfnj have accordingly injoined the Tutors to in- ftiuct -io 9 ^ ftrudt their Pupils particularly in the Rudiments of Religion, and the Articles of the Church ; to which, it is expected, they give their Afient in the fecond Inftance of Subfcription from a Conviction founded originally in a great Degree upon Teftimony, but now confirmed by Knowledge, the Refult of due Confide- ration and Enquiry. Our Church itfelf hath acted with a fimilar Precaution, when me hath demanded univerfally from alt her Members a ProfeJJion of her Faith, but from the Clergy in particular an Ability to explain and defend the Reafonablenefs of her Articles. In fine, I cannot but conclude, that Subfcription to the Articles in it's plain and obvious Notion hath ac- tually been required, and may ftill continue to be re- quired upon fair and equitable Motives. Sincerity lays no Obligation upon us to convert our Articles of Re- ligion into Articles of Peace. An Acquiescence, when it falls fhort of Aflent in Matters of Speculation, is not to me intelligible as a Declaration of the Will, it is merely negative, and by no Means amounts to a Declaration of Conformity. The Refpect due to the World, the Juftice due to Ourfelves, filial Regard to the Memory of our An- ceftors, may render it expedient to explain fully and openly the true Motives upon which the Univerfity hath demanded Subfcription in it's prefent Mode. At the fame Time it were to be wimed, that the Nature of our Defence might be us plain andjtmpte as pofiible. An ingenious Argument carries with it necejjarily a De- gree of Sufpicion. The Prudence of ConceJJicns will beft be meafured by the Value of the 7hin% ceded. An ho- nefl and upright Juftification will at leaft recommend our Integrity our Integrity will fecure us Favour and Protection. OXFORD, April 10, 1772. No. XV. Subfcription at MATRICULA- TION confidered, with Refpedl to the Nature of the Ad:, and the Extent of if s Obligation. fT^HERE are four feveral States of the Defign of Subfcription at Matriculation, and of the Ex^ tent of it's Obligation ; For, it is either I. "A Declaration of Belief, and carries with it an unfeigned afient to all the Propofitions the Articles contain, grounded on a full and dear Comprehenfwn of Mr Truth i" or II. " It is nothing more than a Promife of Silence and Acquiefcence^ which . is fincerely made with refpecl to all the Matters corner ifed in the Articles fulfcribed to " or III. " It amounts to a Declaration of Belief, and carries with it an unfeigned Affent to the Truth of a few only of the Articles fubfcribed, which are diftin- _guifhed from others by the Title of Articles of Faith, .and mark out the great Lines of the Chriftian Scheme i 'With refped to the greater Number, which are called Articles of Religion , Subfcription operates merely as a Promife of Silence and Acquiefcence^ and carries with it only a Kind of Negative Engage- ment i" or IV. " It is a Declaration of Belie/ \ and carries with it an unfeigned /tffent to the Truth of All the Propofitions contained in the Articles ; founded not upon a Comprehenfion either of their Nature or Meaning, But refting folely on Deference to Autho- rity^ ( HI ) /-;/>', and upon the Testimony of Perfons in whom the Subicribers nccejj'arily repofe the greatefl Confi- dence :" I. The Subfcriprion fpoken of, " is a Declara- tion of Belief, and carries with it an unfeigned Aflent to all the Propofirions the Articles contain, grounded en a full and clear Comprepenfion of their Truth" This State of the Cafe has been abandoned as unfafe Ground by the moil zealous Defenders of the received Teft ; We will therefore prefume it to be allowed on ail Sides, that upon this Hypothecs the Tcft in Quefticn is indefenfible ; Becaufs "it is im- pcilible that Reafonable Beings can with Truth declare their Affent^ grounded on a, full and clear. Compyehen- fan of that, which they have not examined or even beard of." II. Subfcription " is nothing more than a Pro- mife of Silence and Acquiescence, which is fincerely made with refpect to all the Matters comprifed in the Articles fubfcribed to" - The ingenious Affertors of this Hypothefis are de- fired to confider whether the following Objections may not deferve fome Attention. It is appre- hended that the Difference in the Degrees of AfFent required at the Firfi and Second Subfcription remains to be demons-rated: The a Mandatory Words of the Law, are exactly the fame in both Inflances. So Etfential a Diilinction would, it is conceived, have been exprefsly and precifely marked, and not have been trufted purely to Implication: We have therefore a right to expect feme full and pofitive Proof that fuch a Difference was meant 'till this hath been addu- ced, Prefumption is againft the Distinction; . Becaufe (i) in interpreting a Law the falutary Pur- fofe of it, muft ever be confidered, and, as as far * Artlculli Fidti et B.e!:gior.is fubfcribant* Stat. Tit. 2. 3. Tit. 9. . 3. C the ( "2 ) the Expreflions us'd will bear, it muft be fo conflrued as to provide effectually for the End in Contemplation of the Legiflator: The Title of the Articles fuffi- ciently fpecifies their Object, For they are laid to be framed for "the avoiding Diverftties of Opinions, and for ejlablifoing Confetti touching true Religion ;" The Interpretation here propofed (of mere Acqiiiefcence and Submifsn) it is apprehended d harms the Law, and renders it inadequate to the Purpofes for which it was enacled. Becaufe (2) the Mind of the Legiflator is farther illuftrated by this ftriking Circumiiance i Subicription is required of thofe only who have at- tained to their twelfth Tear-, Now, it is appre- hended, that Promiles of Silence and Acquieicence may be made by a Boy who can write his Name, as reasonably and effectually at any Age under Twelve, as after he hath arrived at that Period ; It follows therefore, that the Views of the Legiflator were not limited to mere SubmiJJion and Forbearance. b Ac* quiefcence in Matters of ordinary Concern may be de- fined, " an accommodating of our Will to that of an- other Perfon" When referred to Points of Specula- tion, the only Meaning it can have, is, that the Mind engages to withhold itfelf from conftdering certain 'Propofitions , Keeps itfelf Jufpendcd and in equipotfe if it incline ever fo little on either fide, it ceafes ta acqiiiefce, it begins to affent or deny : As to myfelf, I own I can by no Means conceive how the Mind can poffibly be faid to acquit/ice (i.e. as -far as acquiescing is diftinguifhed from afjenting or dijfenting) in Points merely Speculative; For the Mind either confiders thefe Propofidons, or it doth not conjider them ; If it confiders them, it muft form feme- Opinion about them, and therefore ceafe to be merely pzjjive and indolent, b The Term Acquiefcence is made ufc of merely to evade the Objections that immediately oppoie thcmfclves to the Exprefllon " Full ard unfeigned djjent ;" And is therefore fairly confidered as purpoicly contradiftinguifhcd. or ( "3 ) or qniefcent \ if it does not conjider them, it cannot be faid to acmdefce with refpecl to thefs Proportions in particular, inalmuch as it doth not at all know what tbey are. III. Subscription amounts to a Declaration of Be- lief, and carriers with it an unfeigned AJJent to the Truth of nfew only of the Articles fubfcribed, which are diftinguifhed from the others by the Title of Ar- ticles of Faith) and mark out the great Lines of the Chriftian Scheme-, With refpeft to the greater Number, which are called Articles of Religion, Sub- fcription operates merely as a Promife of Silence and Acauiefcence, and carries with it only a Kind of Nega- tive Engagement" That fuch would h^ve been the Decifion of Bp Co- nybeare, as to the Nature and Extent of the Obligation incurred by the Subfcriprion fnoken of, we may fairly collect from what he fays in general of the Subfcrip- tions of the Laity, c " the DiftincYion between Ar- ticles of Faith and Articles of Religion (fays he) is fuggefted in the very Title of the Articles , Articles of Faith confift only of fuch Truths as are Fundamental- in the Chriftian Scheme -, By Articles of Religion we underfcand fuch Truths as being founded in Scrip- ture have a certain Evidence, but not bearing fo clofe and immediate a Relation to the Main Branches of the Chriftian Scheme, are therefore of an inferior Nature-, Having noted this, I am led on to ob- lerve farther, that as there is in the Reafon of Things, a contidcrable Difference between the Cafe of the Clergy and of the Laity, fo the Wifdom of the Church hath carefully prefcrved this Difference in relation to Sulfcripticns. The latter merely confidered as Ch'rif- ftians, are required to profefs their Belief of the fun- damental Articles of our Faith, other Doctrines, as c Sermon on the Cafe of Subfcription to the Articles of Re- ligion : AO. 1725. p. 6. 7. 2 not ( "4 ) not being the diftingui/hing and effential Marks of a Chrifli.an are lefs necefiary to be diftinffly underilood, and explicitly profejfed by them." The Influence of this great Authority is, it muft be owned, much weakened by what the fame Perlbn adds almoft im- mediately, where I defire it may be confidered whe- ther, the fair Meaning, and virtual Obligation of the Aft of Subscription taken Simply and in itfelf be not fpoken of: d " One Thing yet remains in order^to the full State of this Subject; and that is to cpnfi- der, what is implied in the Subscription itfelf '; Whe- ther it exprefTes our AJj'ent to the Truth of the Ar- ticles fubfcribed, or be only an Engagement not to difpute or contradict them : I conceive it will appeal- that our Subfcrption amounts to an Approbation cf, and Ajjent to, the Truth of the Doctrines fubfcribed ; a-nd that, Firft, Becaufe this feems to be implied in the bare Aft of Subscribing; and we fiiould be under- ftood, by every indifferent Spectator, as approving the Truth of thofc Doctrines, unlefs the Form of Sub- fcription declared the contrary ; nor would any one be apt to confider them as Articles of Peace, but as Articles of DoZtrine. This Notion is farther confirmed by the very Title- of the Articles themfelves ; For they are faid to be framed, for the avoiding Diver- pities of Opinions, and for eftablifiing Confent touching true Religion: But this End cannot be obtained, un- lefs they are fubfcrib'd as Truths a/ented to" It does not appear an eafy Undertaking to reconcile thefe two Opinions ; The latter flrongly oppofes the prefenc Hypothecs, which, is by no means ad- miflible ; Becauie (i) It is impoffible that the fame undivided Act mould fuperinduce various Obligations on the fame Perfon, with refpect to the fame OljeH j (2) The Line between thole Doctrines which are confidered as Points of Faith, and fundamental, and Ib. p. 9. io. fuc/i ( "5 ) fuch as are faid to be of an inferior Nature, and lefs neceffary to be diftin&ly under flood, or explicitly expreff- cd, is no where drawn ; How then is the young Per- fon who fubfcribes enabled to fay, " here, reafonable Belief and full Affent leave off," Here, Promifes of Forbearance and Acquiefcence begin? Becaufe (3) It is evident that this is a mixed Kind of Defence, partaking in a great Meafure of the frfl and feccnd States, fo that, befides Objeclions which are peculiar, leveral of thofe mentio.n'd in thefrft and Jecond Cafes, point likewife againfl this. But to confider the /aft Hypothecs ; IV. Subscription " is a Declaration of Belief, and carries with it an unfeigned Affent to the Truth of All the Propofitions contained in the Articles, founded not upon a Comprehenfion either of their Nature or Meaning-, But refting folely on Deference to Autho- rity, and upon the Tejiimony of Perlbns in whom the 3ubfcribers necejjarily repofe the greateft Confi- dence." Firft then, here is a full and exprefs Affent and Declaration of Belief fpoken of, this Cafe therefore may be reduced to the fir ft Head, and is equally in- defenfible ; "Becaufe it is impofiible that reafcnable Beings, can upon any motives, with Truth declare their Affent to that winch they have not examined, cr even heard of" The Author of a Paper entitled, " 'The plain and obvious Meaning" &c. who defends this Ground with fome Degree of Ingenuity, has yet fallen into a flrange Contradiction ; which is in- deed the Bafis of his whole Performance : " Upon the whole (fays He) I find no Reafon to admit of any Difference in the Degrees of Affent required at the firft and feccnd Subscription in the Univerfity; In the Cafe of the jr/?, the Affent is founded upon the Teftimony of Perfons in whom the Subfcribers ne- cejfarily repofe the moft entire Confidence : But it is not intended that in thcfc Seats of Religion and Learning Learning our Faith fhould always reft on the Tef- timony of our Inftructors, it is a Duty peculiarly incumbent upon us of this Place, to give every pof- fible Confirmation to the Truth, to add to our Faith and Virtue^ Knowledge The Statutes of the Univerfity have accordingly enjoined the Tutors to inftruct their Pupils particularly in the Rudiments c Religion, and the Articles of the Church, to which k is ex- pected they give their Aflent in the fecond Inftancd of Subfcription from a Conviction founded originally upon Yeftimony, but new confirmed by Knowledge the Refult of due Conjideration and Enquiry" It is fubrniticd to the Candour and letter Judgement of this Writer, whe- ther there be not a very effential Difference between the Degree % of Affent afforded, upon mere Tefiimony^ and refted on the Judgment and Opinion of others^ to Articles which have neither been read or beard read+ and bat, given to the fame, upon a i'uii Comprehen- jion of their Meaning and a Knowledge of their Truth^ the Hefult of due Confederation and Enquiry: Let iis however farther examine whether the Ground of Defence here chofen be tenable or no: The Author of the Paper referred to tells us, "That young Per- fons may honeftly give their Affent to Articles which they have neither read, or heard read', They know in general their Tendency, and ajfent to them in the Grafs upon the Authority of their Parents and Inftructors." To confirm this he affures us that, Tejiimony may be a reafonable Ground of Afient, 'as well as logical Con- lujions : Though this be allowed, and I believe it will not be difputed, much is wanting to prove that an Aflent afforded in the Manner fpoken of, can be (as he repeatedly terms it) rational and upon Convic- tion : Let us for a Moment confider the Definition of reafonalle Affent in Matters of Faith : " There is one Sort of Propofitions (fays 'Mr. JL0^)':hat chal- e Efliy b. 4. c. 16. 5. 14. c. 17. 5- 24, "c. 18. f. io. ' lenge ( "7 ) lenge the higheft Degree of our Afient upon bare Teilimony; The Reafon whereof is becaufe the Tef- timony is of fuch an one as cannot deceive nor be decejved, and that is of God himfelf: This (Tefti- mony) is called by a peculiar Name Revelation, and our AlTent to it Faith., But whether it be a divine Revelation or no, Reafon muft judge ; Faith if it be regulated as is our Duty, cannot bs afforded to any Thing but upon gcod Reafins : n But the AfTenc which follows the Teftimony of Parents and In- ftruftors is notwithstanding declared to be full, ho- neft and reafonable although it comes from thofe who are totally uninformed net en y why they profefs Juch Mffetti but who have neither read, nor heard read, that which they afient to : may not it be fairly afked, whether the proper Object of fuch reaio:wMe djjent be not rather the Miracles of the Legende done or Fleur dss Saints, than the Articles of a Church famous for her Wifdom, Juflice, Candour and Moderation? I beg Leave to put one AfTertion of this Writer's, al- ready touched on, in a {till ftronger Light : He de- clares that, " it is no: eiTendal to the Integrity of AfTent given to Evidence, what may be the Nature of the Means and Motives of Conviction " Conviction therefore, may be as reafonable and compleat upon the weakeft and "jocrSi-concaved Evidence, as upon the///- eSi t the deareft, and leaft exceptionable the cafe can admit of; There are then, no different Degrees and Grounds of Probability ; No Difference between the various Shades of ConjeRure, Opinion, Perfuaf:cn, Be- lief-, Knowledge "the Refult of due Confideration and Enquiry" can add no Confirmation to the Truth ; there is, in a Word, no Difference between reafonable Faith, and a blind Opinion that there are certain Propo- fitions which others Bunder jl and and believe, and the Truth of which they would have us accede to, altho* what tbefe are, or upon isbat Grounds they merit to be received, are Points that remain to Us alike in- volved volved in Myftery and Obfcurity : An Acknow- ledgement of the Truth of Proportions, where no Evidence on which fuch Profeflion mould be founded has been difcovered or examined, where the Propofi- tions tbemfehes are not underftood, and have not even leen read, cannot be filled a reafonable, honeft Ajjent, but muft be referred to Weakmfs or Prejudice-, It is idle if not unjuft to exadt fuch an Acknowledgement, it is incoiifiderate if not Dijhoneft to make it. Such are the moft material Objections to each par- ticular Hypothecs , A Prefumption unfavourable to them all, it muft be acknowledged, arifes from hence, that in the Place where this Teft hath fo long ob- tained, the very Perlbns who have required it, and who continue to patronize it, are not only not agreed what Mode of Defence they may rely on, but feem even at a lofs -what Interpretation they mail give to an A<5b, whofe full and^ Natural Obligation they are afraid to avow. Oxford^ April 18. 1772. A N APPENDIX TO THE COLLECTION, &e. TH E Defence of the prefent Mode of Subfcription refts upon one clear Point, plain and intelligible to all Capacities. The Speculations and Refinements of Mr. Locke and Bijhop Conybeare have nothing to do in the Cafe. It offers itfelf to the Understanding of the Illiterate, but does not decline the fe- vereft Scrutiny of Logical and theological Learning. To explain it once more, it is this: Every, true Member of the Church of Eng- land is fuppofed to acquiefce in the DocTrines of it upon this Principle, that he believes it does not maintain any Doctrines contrary to the Chriftian Faith into which he has been baptized, whether he underftands them or not. The Univerfity requires a Subfcription to thefe Doctrines from all Scholars at their Matricu- lation, [ a 3 lation, as a Teft that they are adual Mem- bers of the Church of England, the Confti- tution of the Univerfity requiring them to ad- mit no other. It requires this Subfcription, not as a pofitive Affent, upon real Knowledge and Conviftion, to the Truth of the Doctrines, but as an Acquiefcence in them, or in other Words, as a Declaration that they are perfuaded, and have no Sufpicions to the contrary, that the Church^ of which they declare themfehes to be Members, does not maintain any falfe Doctrines contrary to the true Faith of a Chrljlian. It has been proved beyond Contradiction, that the Univerfity requires nothing more : This it has a Right to require, and no real Member of the Church of England can have the leaft Scruple in making this Declaration. Agreeably to this, fuppofe that fome fuch Form as the following one fhould be read by every Scholar at his Matriculation : " I A. B. " do declare, by this my Subfcription, that *' I profefs myfelf to be a Member of the " Church of England as by Law eftablimed 5 f( that I will conform to its Worfliip; and " that I acquiefce in and receive its Doctrines, " fo far as a Belief and Perfuafion, that the " Church of England does not hold any Doc- " trines contrary to the true Faith of a Chrif- tf tian, will warrant me. And I do promife, " that I will endeavour, in the Courfe of my " Studies, and with the Affiflance of my " Tutor, to underftand the Doctrines of the faid t 3 3 " faid Church, as they are fet forth in the " Thirty-nine Articles." That the Univerfity has a Right to require this Subfcription, under the Explanation of it here given, and to give it this Explanation, may be confirmed (if it wanted any Confir- mation) by the Authority of the Legiflaturfc itfelf, which in the Oath of Supremacy pro- ceeds upon the fame Grounds. Suppofe this Oath to require no more than a bare Renun- ciation of the Pope's Authority, yet this muft be fuppofed to be made, for the mofl Part at leaft, upon the Evidence of Faith, not of Knowledge-^ as it is required from all Scholars upon Foundations of eighteen Years of Age ; very few of whom can poflibly know the Inluf- ficiency of the Grounds of a Claim admitted by one half of Chriftendom. But, in Truth, the Oath has always been underflood by the Legif- lature to imply the Supremacy of the King in all Matters ecclejiafticalandfpiritual*, a Claim erec- ted upon the Downfall of the Pope's Ufurpati- on. And can the young People who are required to take this Oath, be fuppofed to know, with any Degree of Precifion, what this Supremacy is, upon what Right it is eftablifhed, and in what Manner and Cafes it is to be exercifed ? Certainly not. And yet they are obliged by a Law made 25 Charles II. and confirmed fo lately as 9 Geo. II. to receive this Doctrine, and to acknowledge it upon Oath. Upon what Motives ? Evidently upon the Credit given to the Reformation, and upon a Pre- fumption, [ 4 ] fumption, that the Legiflature did very right in adting upon the Principles of it, by re- quiring a Renunciation of the Pope's, and an Acknowledgment of the King's Supre- macy. With what Confiftency then, and upon 'what Motives, can the Legiflature abrogate the Univernty-fubfcription, and retain the ftrongeft of all Declarations and Obligations, precifely under the fame Circumftances. The Univerfity itfelf furely ought not to do it : It will imply a Condemnation of a long- eftablifhed Practice > will throw an invidious Imputation upon the Memory of thofe whom we ought to revere, and bring the Reproach of having continued an unwarrantable Prac- tice upon Ourfelves. And for what Reafon ? Merely to humour the Sceptical Notions and Projects of the Times; and fo to bring a Sufpi- cion upon the Doctrines of the Church of Eng- land, and to make an Opening for a ftronger At- tack upon them, which may end in the Def- trudtion of our prefent Eftablimment; and all this, under Pretence of relieving Confciencefi which are not aggrieved. INI THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY This book is DUE on the last date stamped below wavRsm f FOfi] AT IGS ANGELES L^/.Rv