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86*] ANNUAL REGISTER
ment was every year increasing, and was now nearly double, to what it had been at the accession of George the first; that we had undergone in the last year all the expenses of a war without any of its benefits; that it seemed to be intended to keep us always in that ruinous sitiation; and that the present motion would add 500,000l. to the public expence, which was equal to one shilling land-tax, at a time that we were told of nothing but peace with all the world. 
Two of our greatest naval commanders strongly opposed the motion, and as strongly arraigned and condemned many parts of the present arrangement and disposition of the fleet. They observed that the force in the East Indies was either too great or too little; that if the appearances of a permanent peace that were held out in the speech, were to be relied on, it was too great, and in case of war it was insufficient; that the fame objections lay to the arrangement at Jamaica, where the squadron consisted of only about four ships, and was totally unequal to its protection, if there was any danger of an attack. Other parts of the naval arrangement, as well with regard to the guardships, as to those stationed in North America, where there was no appearance of an enemy, were also objected to, by those two great sea officers.
Many severe and pointed farcafms were leveled at the ministers, for what was called the impotency and futility of their conduct, who accompanied by a speech, which breathed nothing but effusions of peace, with all the actual preparations for a war. Some gentlemen in opposition declared for the motion, upon the avowed principle, of its not being in any degree to be considered as a peace establishment, whatever motives administration might have, for endeavouring to impress the public with an opinion of the general tranquility. The motion was carried without a division.
Feb. 6th A petition was soon after offered to be presented to the house, from certain clergymen of the church of England, and certain members of the two professions of civil law and physic, and some others, who prayed for relief from the subscription to the thirty-nine articles of faith. These gentlemen had for some time assembled at a tavern called the Feathers, and had invited by public advertisements in the papers, all those who thought themselves aggrieved in the matter of subscription, to join them in obtaining redress. The petition was signed by about 250 of the clergy.
In this petition they represent, that it is one of the great principles of the protestant religion, that everything necessary to salvation, is fully and sufficiently contained in the holy scriptures; that they have an inherent right, which they hold from God only, to make a full and free use of their private judgement, in the interpretation of those scriptures; that though these were the liberal and original principles of the church of England, and upon which the reformation from popery was founded, they had been deviated from the in laws relative to subscription, by which they are deprived of their invaluable rights and privileges, and required to acknowledge certain articles and concessions of faith and doctrine,

For the YEAR 1772. [*87
doctrine, drawn up by fallible men, to be all and very of them agreeable to the scriptures.
They also represent these subscriptions, as a great hindrance to the spreading of true religion, as they discourage further enquiries into the real sense of the sacred writings, tend to divide communions, and to cause mutual dislike among fellow protestants. That the diversity of opinions held upon many of these articles, occasioned great animosity and ill-will among the established clergy; that they afforded an opportunity to unbelievers to charge them with prevarication, and with being guided by interested and political views, in subscribing to articles which they could not believe, and about which no two were agreed in opinion; and that they afforded a handle to papists, to reproach them with their inconsistence, by departing from the principles on which they had grounded their separation from them, and now admitting of human ordinances, and doubtful and precarious doctrines, though they pretended that the scripture alone, was certain and sufficient to salvation.
The two professions of civil law and physic, complained of the hardships they suffered, at one of the universities particularly, where they were obliged at their first admission or matriculation, and at an age so immature for disquisitions and decisions of such moment, to subscribe their unfeigned assent to a variety of theological propositions, in order to be enabled to attain academical degrees in their respective faculties; and that their private opinions upon those subjects can be of no consequence to the public, as the course of their studies, and the attention to their practice, neither afford them the means nor the leisure, to examine into the propriety or nature of such propositions. They also lament the misfortune of their sons, who at an age before the habit of reflection can be formed, or their judgement matured, may be irrecoverably bound down in points of the highest consequence, to the opinions and tenets of ages less informed than their own.
The petition being read in the house, by the gentleman who moved to bring it up, it wa said by those who supported the motion, that it was a matter highly deserving of the most serious consideration; that grievances that affect the conscience, are of all others the most grievous; that religious toleration could never be too extensive; that nothing could be more absurd, or more contrary to reason and to religion, than to oblige people to subscribe articles which they did not believe; that it was establishing under a religious authority, habits of prevarication and irreligion; that the articles were compiled in a hurry, were the work of fallible men, were in some parts contradictory, and in others contained matters that were utterly indefensible; and that such a compulsion upon consciences, was productive of great licentiousness in the church; and from its tendency to lessen, or entirely to destroy christian charity, had the worst effects upon its members. They said that a happy opportunity was now offered, of opening such a door for the Dissneters, as it was probably that most of them would enter at, and thereby be received in the bosom

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