of words Ye have heard brethren as well in your private examination and in the exhortation and holy Lessons taken out of the Gospels and Writings of the Apostles of what dignity and how great importance this Office is whereto ye are called that is to say the Messengers the Watchmen the PASTORS and Stewards of the Lord to teach to premonish to feed to provide for the Lords Family I mention my Ordination according to the Episcopal Form because it is of greatest esteem with them to whom this Representation is more especially tendred Nevertheless I own the validity of Presbyterial Ordination and judge that Ministers so Ordained may make the same defence for exercising the Ministery in the same case that is here represented Christ is the Author and the only proper Giver of this Office and though he give it by the mediation of men yet not by them as giving the Office but as instruments of the designation or of the solemn investiture of the Person to whom he gives it As the King is the immediate Giver of the power of a Mayor in a Town Corporate when he gives it by the Mediation of Electors and certain Officers only as instruments of the designation or of the solemn investiture of the Person I am not conscious of disabling my self to the Sacred Ministrations that belong to the Office of a Presbyter by any Opinion or Practice that may render me unfit for the same Touching which matter I humbly offer my self to the tryal of my Superiors to be made according to Gods Word Nothing necessary to authorize me to those Ministrations is wanting that I know of I am Christs Commissioned Officer and I do not find that he hath revoked the authority which I have received from him And without the warrant of his Law no man can take it from me Nor do I find that the nature of this Office or the declared will of Christ requires that it be exercised no otherwise than in subordination to a Disocesan Bishop That I do not exercise the Ministery under the regulation of the Bishop of the Diocess and in other circumstances according to the present established Order the cause is not in me who am ready to submit thereunto but a bar is laid against me by the injunction of some terms in the lawfulness whereof I am not satisfied whereof I am ready to give an account when it is required I do not understand that I am under any Oath or Promise to exercise the Ministery no otherwise than in subordination to the Bishop or the Ordinary of the Place The promise made at my Ordination to obey my Ordinary and other chief Ministers to whom the government and charge over me is committed concerns me only as a Presbyter standing in relation to the Bishop or Ordinary as one of the Clergy of the Diocess or other peculiar Jurisdiction in which relation I do not now stand being cast out and made uncapable thereof Moreover in whatsoever capacity I now stand the said Promise must be understood either limitedly or without limitation If limitedly as in things lawfull and honest as I conceive it ought to be understood then I am not bound by it in the present case For it is not lawfull nor honest for me to comply with the now injoyned Conformity against my conscience or in case of such necessitated non-compliance to desist from the Ministery that I have received in the Lord. If it be understood without limitation it is a sinfull promise in the matter thereof and thereupon void Absolute and unlimited obedience to man may not be promised Let it be considered also that the objected promise could not bind me to more than the Conformity then required But since my Ordination and Promise then made the state of Conformity hath been much altered by the injunction of more and to me harder terms than formerly were injoyned When I was Ordained I thought that the terms then required were such as might be lawfully submitted to But young men such as I then was may be easily drawn to subscribe to things publickly injoyned and so become engaged before they have well considered The Ordainer or Ordainers who designed me to this Office of Christs donation and not theirs could not by any act of theirs lessen it as to its nature or essential state Nor can they derogate from Christs authority over me and the obligation which he hath laid upon me to discharge the Office with which he hath intrusted me That a necessity is laid upon me in my present state to preach the Gospel I am fully perswaded in regard of the necessities of Souls which cry aloud for all the help that can posibly be given by Christs Ministers whether Conformists or Nonconformists The necessary means of their Salvation is more valuable than meer external Order or Uniformity in things accidental I receive the whole Doctrine of Faith and Sacraments according to the Articles of the Church of England and am ready to subscribe the same I have joyned and still am ready to joyn with the legally established Churches in their publick Worship The matter of my sacred Ministrations hath been always consonant to the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches and particularly of the Church of England I meddle not with our present differences but insist on the great and necessary points of Christian Religion I design not the promoting of a severed Party but of meer Christianity or Godliness I am willing to comply with the will of my Superiors as far as is possible with a safe conscience and to return to my Ministerial station in the Established Churches may I be but dispensed with in the injunctions with which my conscience till I be otherwise informed forbids me to comply In the whole of my dissent from the said injunctions I can not be charged with denying any thing essential to Christian Faith and Life or to the constitution of a Church or any of the weightier matters of Religion or with being in any thing inconsistent with good Order and Government My Case as I have sincerely set it forth I humbly represent to the Clemency of my Governours and to the charity equity and â—â—â—â—â—r of all Christs Ministers and People 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e I design to follow after the things which make for Peace and I hope I am not mistaken in the way to it I. C. FINIS Books lately Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside ONe Hundred of Select Sermons upon several occasions by Tho. Horton D. D. Sermons on the 4th Psal. 42. Psal. 51. and 63. Psal. by Tho. Horton D. D. A Compleat Martyrology both of Foraign and English Martyrs with the Lives of 26 Modern Divines by Sam. Clark A Discourse of Actual Providence by John Collings D. D. An Exposition on the 5 first Chapters of the Revelation of Jesus Christ by Charles Phelpes A Discourse of Grace and Temptation by Tho. Froysall The Revival of Grace Sacramental Reflections on the Death of Christ as Testator A Sacrifice and Curse by John Hurst A Glimps of Eternity to Awaken Sinners and Comfort Saints by Ab. Coley Which is the Church or an Answer to the Question Where was your Church before Luther by Rich. Baxter The Husbandmans Companion or Meditations sutable for Farmers in order to Spiritualize their Employment by Edward Bury Mr. Adams Exposition of the Assemb Catechism showing its Harmony with the Articles and Homilies of the Church of England The present State of new-New-England with the History of their Wars with the Indies Popery an Enemy to Truth and Civil Government by Jo. Sheldeck Spelling Book for Children by Tho. Lye Principals of Christian Religion with Practical Applications to each Head by Tho. Gouge Almost Christian by Matth. Mead. Godly Mans Ark by Edmund Calamy Heaven and Hell on Earth in a good or bad Conscience by Nath. Vincent Little Catechism for Children with short Histories which may both please and profit them by Nath. Vincent Ark of the Covenant with an Epistle prefixed by John Owen D. D. This Author hath lately Published this Book Intituled The Kingdom of God among men A Tract of the sound state of Religion or that Christianity which is described in the holy Scriptures and of things that make for the security and increase thereof in the World designing its more ample diffusion among professed Christians of all sorts and its surer propagation to future Ages Printed for Tho. Parkhurst
THE KINGDOM OF GOD among Men A TRACT Of the Sound State OF RELIGION Or that Christianity which is described in the Holy Scriptures And of the things that make for the Security and Increase thereof in the World Designing its more ample diffusion among Professed Christians of all Sorts and its surer Propagation to future Ages With the Point of Church-Unity and Schism Discuss'd By JOHN CORBET LONDON Printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the Lower end of Cheapside 1679. THE PREFACE A Disquisition concerning Religion and the State Ecclesiastical wherein several Parties are vehemently carried divers ways whether right or wrong according to their different interests or apprehensions is apt to stir up jealousie and to meet with prejudice in a high degree and therefore had need be managed as advisedly as sincerely It is humbly craved that the present management thereof may find a favourable reception so far as it hath in it self the evidence of its own Sincerity and Sobriety This Treatise is not framed for a present occasion or any temporary design but insists upon those things that concern the Church universally and perpetually It aims at the advancement of meer Christianity and with respect to the common concernments thereof it leaves the things that are more appropriate to the several Parties and Persuasions to stand or fall It ingageth not in the controversies of these times touching Forms of Church Government but in any Form such depravations or deficiencies are blamed as hinder the Power Purity Unity Stability or amplitude of Religion Nothing prejudicial to Government to the rights of Superiors and Civil Pre-eminences or to Decency Unity and Order in the Church is here suggested Sedition and Faction are evicted to be a contradiction to this Interest which can hold its own only in those ways that make for the common good both of Rulers and Subjects Our design carries no other danger than the more ample diffusion of true Christianity and the power of Godliness among men of all degrees and the surer propagation thereof to future ages Here be some things that are the vitals of Christian Religion and cannot be removed and here be other things of conscientious or prudent Consideration and let these so far pass as they are found clear and cogent I had rather be charged with any defect or weakness than with uncharitableness and therefore am ready to renounce every line and every expression in this Book that cannot stand with true Christian Charity in the utmost extent thereof Let it not be taken amiss that to obviate suspicion or prejudice I declare my self in the things here following I am one aged in the Ministery and by reason of age and experience am not eager for any Party but mellowed with charity towards real Christians of all Parties I have vehemently desired the union of the more moderate Dissenters with the Established Order by reasonable accomodation as for others that remain dissatisfied about such Union yet believe and live as Christians I do as earnestly desire an indulgence for them within such limits as may stand with publick Peace and Safety Though I am cast into the State of Nonconformity yet I am willing to exercise the Ministery under the present Ecclesiastical Government if I were made capable thereof by the relaxation of some injunctions My principle is for a closing with things that are good and laudable in any Established Government and for a bearing with things that are tolerable And the Wisdom of the Governours of the Church will direct them to turn away from such Principles Orders or Practices as tend to the ruine or the great indangering of any Ecclesiastical Polity that retains them whilest the Apostolick Doctrine as it is now Established in the Church of England is maintained THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. THe nature of Christianity and the character of true Christians CHAP. II. Of things pertaining to the sound state of Christian Religion viz. holy Doctrine CHAP. III. The ordering of Divine Worship sutable to the Gospel Dispensation CHAP. IV. The due Dispensation of Gods word or publick Preaching CHAP. V. The due performance of publick Prayer CHAP. VI. The right Administration of Ecclesiastical Discipline CHAP. VII Religious Family-government CHAP. VIII Private mutual Exhortations Pious Discourse and Edifying Conversation CHAP. IX The prevalence of true Religion or real Godliness in the Civil Government of a Nation CHAP. X. Christian Unity and Concord CHAP. XI A good Frame of Ecclesiastical Polity CHAP. XII Of the corrupt state of Religion and first externalness and formality CHAP. XIII The Sectarian and Fanatical degeneration CHAP. XIV Of the way of preserving Religion uncorrupt CHAP. XV. The enmity of the World against real Godliness and the calumnies and reproaches cast upon it considered CHAP. XVI Religions main strength next under the power of God lies in its own intrinsick excellency CHAP. XVII Religion may be advanced by human prudence what ways and methods it cannot admit in order to its advancement CHAP. XVIII The Interest of true Religion lies much in its venerable estimation among men CHAP. XIX The most ample diffusion of the light of knowledge is a sure means of promoting true Religion CHAP. XX. The advantage of human Learning to the same end CHAP. XXI The general civility or common honesty of a Nation makes it more generally receptive of real Christianity or Godliness CHAP. XXII The increase of Religion is promoted by being made as much as may be passable among men CHAP. XXIII The observing of a due latitude in Religion makes for the security and increase thereof CHAP. XXIV The Care and Wisdom of the Church in preventing and curing the evil of Fanatical and Sectarian Error CHAP. XXV The advancement of the sound state of Religion by making it National and the settled Interest of a Nation CHAP. XXVI Of submission to things imposed by Lawfull Authority CHAP. XXVII The surest and safest ways of seeking Reformations CHAP. XXVIII Considerations tending to a due inlargement and unity in Church-Communion CHAP. XXIX Whether the purity and power of Religion be lessened by amplitude and comprehensiveness CHAP. XXX Factious usurpations are destructive to Religions Interest CHAP. XXXI Of leading and following and of Combinations CHAP. XXXII The Wisdom of the Higher Powers in promoting the Religionsness of their People CHAP. XXXIII The Churches true Interest to be pursued by Ecclesiastical Persons The Conclusion A Book Intituled The Interest of England in matter of Religion in Two Parts formerly Published by the same Author PAg. 7. lin 3. read Service pag. 19. l. 11. read whereas pag. 27. l. 24. read So pag. 28. l. 14. read is pag. 29. l. 14. read regardable pag. 31. l. 16. read this ib. l. 18. read apposite pag. 39. l. 14. read is able to make pag. 41. l. 31. read affect pag. 53. l. 19. read For the pag. 59. l. 5. read face of pag. 60. l. 12. read exercises pag. 67. l. 3. read Religions pag. 71. l.
and carnall interests to false ways and vain inventions For which cause it behooves the zealous Religionist to be carefull even to jealousie that he be not imposed upon by himself or others and in this care heartily and intirely to resign and conform himself to the Law of God By such resignation and conformity he secures his own Soul and what in him lies the Sound state of Religion It is here acknowledged that what is written in nature is Gods Law as well as what is written in Scripture and that natural Revelation as well as supernatural is Divine and whatsoever is known of God by the Light of nature in the matter of Religious Worship is to be received as well as that which is known by the Light of Scripture and the divine Goodness is to be owned in both though in the latter it hath appeared more abundantly because therein is given us a full instruction in all things pertaining to Gods Kingdom which in the other is not given For the great mysteries of the Gospel could not be known by nature and in things that could be known thereby the light is but weak and glimmering and not easily able to fix the heart therein not so much for want of evidence in the object as from the pravity of our mind reason being laid asleep and all our faculties being sunk into the brutish life What is the utmost capacity of that light among the Heathens is hard for us to define and though it be harsh to determine that they were all utterly and universally forsaken of God yet it is evident both by Scripture and the lives of the Gentiles that Gentilism was a very forlorn state This is enough to shew the high favour of God toward the Church in supernatural Revelation by which he hath not only instructed us in things supernatural not otherwise to be known in this life but also more perfectly in the Laws of nature now transcribed into the Books of the Old and New Testament so that there is nothing of Religion or Morality that may not be found therein Besides the Law of God written in Nature and Scripture what certain and stable rule of Doctrine Worship Discipline and Conversation hath the Church to walk by that there can be no certainty or consent in meer or all Tradition or in the judgment of the ancient Fathers or the ancient practice of the Catholick Church is so evident as needs no confirmation and there can be no acquiescence or accord in the determinations of any visible universal Supream Power For whereas all Christians acknowledge the Divine Authority of the Scripture they neither do nor ever did nor will unanimously acknowledge that there is such a Power in being And the main Body of them that maintain'd such a Catholick Supremacy cannot agree in what subject the same resides whether in the Pope or a General Council And as several Popes so have several Councils of equal amplitude and authority often crossed one another and consequently some of both kinds must needs have erred And it still remains a controversie undeterminable which Councils are to be received and which to be rejected unless the whole Christian World hitherto disagreeing herein will be bound up by the resolves of one Party that can bring no better proof than their own pretended infallibility To all which may be added that an Oecumenical Council truly so called or a Representative of the universal Church was never yet congregated Wherefore let the Faithfull rest upon the old right foundation the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles whose infallibility is unquestionable Such being the fulness and perfection of holy Scripture which was given by Divine inspiration and that for this end that the man of God might be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works it must needs be safest in Divine matters not to be venturous without its warrant They best secure themselves from error who keep to that rule which is both perfect and infallible some pretending to lay open the folly of the way which they call puritanism affirm that the mystery thereof lies in this principle that nothing ought to be Established in the Worship of God but what is authorized from the Word of God Indeed there are those of that denomination who disallow whatsoever instituted Worship is not so authorized but they are not so ignorant as to suppose that all particular circumstances belonging to Divine Worship which admit of endless variation are defined in the Word of God such as are those natural and civil circumstances without which actions are not performable But they suppose a wide difference between these matters such as time place method furniture c. and those ordinances of Religion which they take for parts of Worship as being made direct and immediate signs of honour given to God by their use And all of this kind some do judge or at least suspect to be unlawfull that are not of Gods appointment My design obligeth me to shun the intangling of this Discourse with controversie and therefore I write not either for or against the lawfulness of such uncommanded Worship But it is sufficient for me to shew that the purity of Religion is more safe by acquiescence in that only which God hath prescribed than by addition of new ordinances of Worship devised by men who even the best of them may too easily deviate from the truth And who knows not that too much yielding to mens devised Forms and Rights which had a shew of Wisdom made way for the departure of so great a part of Christendom from the primitive Christianity All duties of the Law of nature may be clearly proved from Scripture though the particular instances thereof that are innumerable and their infinitely variable circumstances cannot be there expressed As for instituted Worship it is unquestionable that there is no such defect in those parts thereof that are of Divine authority as needs to be made up by the human addition of other new parts And it is granted on all hands that there are things meerly circumstantial belonging to it which are necessary in general but in particular not determined of God and must be ordered by the light of nature and human prudence according to the general rules of Gods word None that know what they say in magnifying the written Word will teach the People not to rely upon impartial reason which no true Revelation did ever contradict But we are so conscious of the weakness of human understanding that in case of any seeming contrariety between Scripture and Reason not to give the Scripture the preeminence we know is most unreasonable Is Scripture liable to be perverted so is Reason Is there obscurity and difficulty in the interpretation of Scripture so in human ratiocinations much more Whosoever can apprehend right reason can rationally apprehend Gods written word which is its own interpreter and whose authentick interpretation of it self we are inabled to discern by rational inferences and deductions
Unity THe confused noise about Schism and the unjust imputation thereof that is commonly made hath greatly disordered the minds of many Some have been thereby swaid to an absolute compliance with the most numerous or the most prevailing Parties Others discerning the abuse of this name but forgetting that there is something truly so called have made light of the thing it self which is indeed of a heinous nature I have been engaged in this Disquisition by a deep sense of the evil of Schism and an earnest care of keeping my self from the real guilt thereof and what is here written I willingly submit to a grave and just examination Errare possum Haereticus Schismaticus esse nolo I am liable to Errour as others are but I am sure I am no wilfull Schismatick It is commonly given to men to pass a severe judgment upon every dissent from their own Opinions and Orders Whereupon as that hath had the character of Schism stamped upon it which is not such indeed so that which is Schism in a low and tolerable degree hath been aggravated to the highest and prosecuted against all rules of prudence and charity To make an equal judgment of the guilt of Schism in Persons or Parties the degree of the Schism is duly to be considered Our Saviour teacheth that reviling language contemptuous words and rash anger are breaches of the Sixth Commandment yet in degree of guilt they are vastly different from the act of wilfull Murther And indeed in the kind of delinquency here treated of there are as great differences of degrees as of any other kind The case of those that are necessitated to a non-compliance in some lawfull things by them held unlawfull yet seeking union would gladly embrace a reasonable accomodation is much different from theirs who upon choice and wilfully sever themselves because they love to be severed In like manner the case of those who desire and seek the conformity of others and would gladly have fellowship with them yet through misguided zeal are approvers of such unnecessary impositions as hinder the conforming of many is much different from theirs who designing the extrusion of others contrive the intangling of them by needless rigors Many other instances might be given to express the great disparity of cases in point of Schism all which may teach us in the estimate that we are to make thereof to put a difference between honest minds that by mistake are drawn into Division and those that out of their corrupt minds and evill designs do wilfully cause Division In many things we offend all and therefore it behoves us to consider one another as subject to the like errours and passions We should not judge too severely as we would not be so judged There be many examples of Schismatical animosities and perversnesses into which in the ancient times such Persons have fallen as were otherwise worthily esteemed in the Church Cyril with the greater number of Bishops in the Ephesine Council too rashly deposed John of Antioch and his Party of Bishops upon a quarrel that arose between them And John with his Adherents returning to Antioch did more rashly depose Cyril and his Party and yet both Parties were Orthodox and in the issue joyned in the Condemnation of Nestorius But the most remarkable instance in this kind is the disorderly and injurious proceeding of so venerable a Person as Epiphanius against so worthy a Person as Chrysostom to which he was stirred up by the instigation of that incendiary Theophilus of Alexandria The said Epiphanius goes to Constantinople and in the Church without the City held a sacred Communion and Ordained a Deacon and when he had entred the City in a publick Church he read the Decree made by himself and some others in the condemnation of Origens Books and excommunicated Dioscurus and his Brethren called the long Monks worthy and Orthodox men persecuted by the Anthromorphites And all this he did without and against the consent of Chrysostom the Bishop of the Place and in contempt of him I may further instance in the long continued division between Paulinus and Meletius with their Parties at Antioch though both of them were of the Nicene Faith likewise in the long continued Separation made from the Church of Constantinople by the followers of Chrysostom after his banishment because they were exasperated by the injuries done to their worthy Patriarch These weaknesses in good men of old times I observe not to dishonour them but that we may be thereby warned to be more charitable and less censorious towards one another in case of the like weaknesses and disorders and to be sollicitous to maintain Peace and to prevent discord among all those that are united in the substantials of Christian Faith and Practice and for this end to be more carefull in avoiding unreasonable oppositions unwarrantable impositions and all causless exasperations True Holiness is the basis of true Unity For by it the Faithfull cleave to God and one to another in him and for him and are inclined to receive one another on those terms on which God hath received them all And by it they are turned from that dividing selfishness which draws men into several or opposite ways according to their several or opposite ends Let not a carnal wordly Interest in a Church state be set up against Holiness and Unity Let the increase and peace of the Church visible be sought in order to the increase and peace of the mystical Let no one Party be lifted up against the common Peace of sound Believers and let not any part of the legitimate Children of Christs Family be ejected or harassed upon the instigation of others but let the Stewards in the Family carry it equally and so gratifie one part in their desired Orders that the other part be not oppressed Let not them be still vexed who would be glad of tolerable terms with their Brethren In Church-Governours let the power of doing good be enlarged and the power of doing hurt restrained as much as will stand with the necessary ends of Government Let the Discipline of the Church commend it self to the consciences of men Let the edge of it be turned the right way and its vigor be put forth not about little formalities but the great and weighty matters of Religion Zeal in substantials and charitable forbearance in circumstantials is the way to gain upon the hearts of those that understand the true ends of Church-government and what it is to be Religious indeed Let the occasions of stumbling and snares of division be taken out of the way and let controverted unnecessaries be left at liberty Discord will be inevitable where the terms of concord remain a difficulty insuperable The Conscientious that are willing to bid high for Peace cannot resign their consciences to the wills of men and humility and soberness doth not oblige them to act contrary to their own judgments out of reverence to their Superiors they cannot help themselves