fary for Peace and Quietnefs: And therefore I am now not much difturbed upon this Head. I likewise find by the Words of the Act of Parliament, which enjoins the Declaration of our " Affent and Con«fent to all Things contained in The "Book of Common-Prayer," that the Purport and Intent of the Act is, that this Declaration of Affent fhould be only to the Ufe of those Things which are contained in the faid Book, which is very different from affenting to the Things themfelves and therefore I am pretty eafy also with regard to this.

;

How these Words, to the Ufe of, came to be omitted out of the exprefs Form of Words that are or

dered

dered to be read in Church for a legal Qualification, I cannot fay, nor whether they were omitted out of Neglect, or by Defign; but I own it seems to me, when I confider the Humour of the Times when that Act was made, that it was done with Design; as a Snare, to oblige poor [1] conscientious Men, who did not read the Act of Parliament at length, to give up their Livings, rather than declare their unfeigned Affent and Consent to all "and every thing contained in The "Book of Common-Prayer." For it is to be observed, that this Condition was not required by the Act of

I

[1] And accordingly, there were 1800 Perfons that were actually deprived of their Livings, rather than fubmit to the Terms prescribed.

Uniformity,

Uniformity, as published in the Time of Queen Elizabeth, but was an Addition made thereto, after the Restoration of King Charles the Second, when the Nation was, as it were, mad with the Joy of having recovered its ancient Conftitution both in Church and State : The little Oath therefore, wherein it was declared, that it is not lawful, upon any Pretence whatsoever, to take Arms against the King, was at the fame time inferted into the Act of Uniformity. Which Part of that Act hath been fince repealed; and indeed I cannot but fincerely wish, that the other Addition, which was made at the fame time, was so far rectified, that the Words of the Declaration fhould

be

be made to correfpond with the Design of the Act, which manifestly was, to require the Declaration of Affent and Confent only to the Use of all and every thing contained in The Book of Common-Prayer. Because I think that That folemn Declaration which a Clergyman is obliged to make in the Presence of God and his Congregation, when he is going to take upon himself the Care of their Souls, ought to be fimple, pofitive, plain; free from all Ambiguity or Doubtfulness ; and should be expreffed in fuch a Manner, as that it cannot be mifunderstood, either by him, or by the Congregation; but that he may safely and honestly make it, according to that plain and ordinary Senle

3

Senfe of the Words, in which they would commonly be understood by all Mankind, without any Evafion, Equivocation, or mental Refervation whatsoever; that is, without any latent Reference to the Intention of the Act, which is not expreffed in the very Words of the Declaration.

And indeed I am the more defirous of this, because I know for a Certainty, that fome of the most learned and confcientious Perfons among the Diffenters, have made the Form of our Declaration of " un"feigned Affent and Confent to All "and Every thing contained in The “ Book of Common-Prayer,” an Objection,