must not allow it Christian burial These are hard Instances in my mind and I could easily make up the number twenty which I believe the indifferent Reader would count reasonable exception I must distinguish therefore as I here carefully do the Ordinary appointed Prayers and Service of the Liturgy from other Matters on the By which I declare no Assent or Consent unto And when I come in or seek to come in to the Church upon the terms of Moderation I do declare my self Ipso facto a Nonconformist still to the Severity of these Impositions bearing indeed thereby only a more distinct fixed and assured testimony against them Nevertheless being sensible of the Scandal which is given to the Nation who see generally no other difference between us but our refusing to read the Common Prayer and do think us very exceeding refractory persons who will not comply in the things we can do I do resolve for one by the grace of God without turning to the left hand in doing any thing which is against my conscience for preferment or to the right in contenting my self with Suffering only and doing nothing to set my self as it were in the Market place and if any Bishop shall give me a call that is fitting into the Vineyard when I seek to them upon the termes of this Paper I shall not refuse them though it be almost the Eleventh hour with me I shall not stick out with them I believe upon the account of reading Common Prayer I will trust in Gods power it he hath work for me to do that he will give me assistance to do it and if they will not let me come in upon these termes to Labour I will trust in his Goodness that he will forgive me when I am found Idle The Nation shall see at whose door the fault Lyes by my experiment For I do professe my self one who can neither stretch my Soul beyond its staple nor yet will give off upon despondence or on the presumption onely that it will not serve me unless I do every thing to a tittle which is the prepossessed judgment of most of my brethren when they have made no tryal and which I would humbly reprove therefore by my Example For the Second Re-ordination I will here make my Remonstrance and Confession I will set things at rights between God and my Soul and between my Soul and the World I am one that was ordained by Presbyters in the late times and re-ordained since by the Bishop I was perswaded into it before I had studied the point and brought my self in distress I was fain to take such a course for relief of my Soul as nothing could have drove me to but that distress it self which I would not lye under again for the World Not that I was any way touched in my Intellectuals by it as some that never knew me have bin apt to talk ever since which I must assure them is a tale and there was no such thing I thank God in the least I have reason yet to say this because I know the temper of my mind being Melancholy and Thoughtful and so apt to be intent on any one thing that hath got into it whether of Notion or Business I do not often and I cannot somtimes recall my self from those thoughts to an attendance on the present company I am in or discourse that is going so freely as others which makes my unheedfulness lyable to the censure of those that are not used to me Besides that being One resolved generally to follow my own conscience in what I write or do whether it please or displease others the Offended who are commonly on both sides may be apt to put some such slur upon me at least while in any thing I go but in a way uncommon As Paul therefore said when Festus had got such a conceit of him so must I. I am not Mad my worthy Brethren who are strangers to me when I differ from you and from those also whom I do know in what I write or act But what I do I trust are deeds of Soberness and I speak forth the words of Truth I acknowledge the Church in her giving Orders does intend the collation of an Office to the Presbyter distinct from the Bishop that is an office without the power of Ordination and consequently if a Presbyter ordains any the Church-men must hold such an ordination to be void because the persons that confer the orders have no power to do it But I must confess my thoughts about Orders are somthing different from others I do not think that the Spiritual power or ministerial authority is conveyed to us by the hands of any but does come Immediately upon us the conditions on our part being put from the institution of Christ I apprehend consequently that whatsoever be the intention of the Church in her giving Orders such a power must be derived from Christ to the person ordained as is intended in his Institution and so long as we find not any distinction which is touched before of Order or Office though we allow one as to Degree and Eminency in the Scripture between Bishop and Presbyter the authority of one in regard to God must be the same with the other and the laying on the hands of the one be of the same validity in Ordination as the imposition of the hands of the other We do read that God hath set in his Church Apostles Evangelists Pastors and Teachers but we find not Bishop and Presbyter enumerated as two of them I enter not into dispute here but I am one that dare not give way to the making void of my Ministry and all my ministerial acts for a dozen years or more before I was Ordained by the Bishop for that were a heynous crime for me I think to do yet will I be content as to the Exercise of my Office now to own my authority from him I was a Minister before in foro Dei Conscientiae I was made a Minister then I will account in foro Ecclesia Anglicanae I acknowledge I did ill in my circumstances to take second orders and yet was I too extream I doubt in my renunciation or in the way of my renunciation again of them If any man thinks that Orders give the spiritual power and makes us Ministers in foro Dei it is apparent that a Man who is a Minister already cannot be so made a Minister again Consequently if I have formerly writ any thing that seems to countenance Re-ordination to the Office which is good earnest my Hypotheses never favoured I do rennounce it all and those second Orders on that account I humbly crave the Churches absolution and benediction But if Orders be onely a Recommendation of us to the grace of God for the work unto which a man is called there is nothing in Re-ordination to scare any and as my second Orders may serve me for the Exercise of my Ministry when my first
does express it That is I will interpret him they can lay no obligation on the Conscience which is the essential property of a right Law as to the observance it is true if the Bishop Dispences and the Non-conformist come short in any thing the Penalty may be Sued if any be so affected It is a Law in foro humano and we must never resist This we muâ—â— venture and can but be in statu quo but it is no Law in foâ—â— Dei or Conscientiae for the Authority of these greater Laws of Nature and Religion does supersede the Execution so that there is no guilt contracted in the Omission And having said this I do not care to profess my self one that am prepared to come into the Church upon these Terms that is I will come in upon Quarter for I can come in no otherwise If the Bishop will give me Quarter for my Conscience and spare me in the things which it were a Killing me to do while I am in Doubt I will yield in the rest We will we must yield I judge upon these Terms To do what we can if they will but do upon this score I say of those Superiour Laws what they ought There are no Texts which require Unity among Christians To be of one mind To speak the same things To have one Heart No Texts that require Love and Fellowship with one another as Brethren the Following of Peace a Tenderness to one anothers Consciences and taking heed of Offending any of Chist's Little Ones and the like matters No Texts that forbid Schism and Divisions in the Church with the Evil Concomitants and Effects thereof in the Nation but they are all Warrants to the Bishop for his Forbearance and Moderation in the Execution of these Laws when his Non-Conformist-Brother cannot obey them without sinning against his Soul God says Thou shalt not do any thing which will destroy thy Brother and wound his Conscience The Law says Thou shalt put him to do thus and not dispense with him Christ says You must do thus You must do these things The Law says You must do that which is otherwise Whom shall the good Bishop now choose to obey the Law of his God or the Statutes of the Realm Not that I will find fault with my Superiours or with their Laws onely as the Apostle sayes of the Law of God it self We know the Law is good if a Man use it Lawfully So must I say upon supposition that these Acts for Conforming be in themselves for the peace of the Church so long as they be Executed upon fit Reasons and such Persons for whom all Laws are indeed to be made The Law is not made for the Righteous or the willing sayes the same Divine Author but the Vnrighteous and Disobedient Yet when they are Administred to all alike without putting any difference between the Willing and the Vnwilling the Ready and the Refractory that which was intended for Good is made Death unto us to speak still in Holy Language by becoming instead of a means for promoting of Peace an occasion for establishing our Divisions I see indeed that most Men with whom the Laws are entrusted do act ordinarily as if all they were concern'd in the hurt that comes by any Law were no more but to impute it to the Law-makers and to account themselves clear before God and Men so long as they are but exact in putting the same in rigorous Execution whereas there is no power given or can be received by any but to the great ends of Gods Glory and the common good of Men for all Power is of God and consequently no such trust is committed to them but in Subordination to the higher Laws of Nature and Gods Word so that if these Laws and Mans Laws do come in any instances of Life to clash as commonly in matters of conscience they do there is prudence to be used in such a discernment between Persons and Persons those that are truly and those that are pretendedly conscencious and between things and things what will profit the Church and what will tend onely to publick offence that both the ends of Government may be kept up and the greater Laws take place According to the authority the Lord hath given us saies the Apostle for Edification and not for Destruction Neither do I once imagin that the Bishop can dispense with me in any Imposition committed to his trust so as that his dispensation should be my warrant for my doing otherwise then the Law requires I should do either in regard to Man if he will prosecute the Law upon me as I have intimated before or in regard to God if it were any Sin or Evil in me to break it But he can bear with me as to his part which is enough for I may then venture others I have also said and it is the superiour authority of God which is the warrant both to him and me upon which we must be justified in my conformity only so far and his requiring no more The Law it is true requires more and it requires him to require more but the greater Law I say of the Ten Commandements of God which is sum'd up in this one Word Love the transcript of the Law Eternal upon Mans heart must over-rule and relaxes the obligation as to both of us in the sight of God And thus when we do what we can for union on both sides and no more than we can on either side When we bear with one another in the things wherein we differ and bear one anothers burdens as we are bound in the common accidents of our Lives we shall Compound I hope for our failings or Non-performance to an Act of Parliament by our fulfilling the Law of Christ Be of the same mind saies the Apostle one towards another Mind not high things but condescend to Men of low estate In fine Our eyes have almost failed us in looking out after every Session of Parliament to do somthing for Union and they do it not It is another course then must be sought The Bishop alone and we must resolve to do the business our selves That which we cannot get done by a relaxation of the Laws may be obtained by little and little by a Relaxation of our stifness on both sides If the concerns of the Church lies near any one of their hearts than his own bare Honour and Worldly interest does he will venture as we do and what we cannot procure by an Act we must force by Example and the Authority of Heaven and the Protestant cause shall be our Broad Seal for what we do Having thus proposed the Rule I must proceed to Practise We have several Impositions therfore to come under consideration and they are the Old or the New For the Old there is in the first place the Common Prayer it self which I must confess for my own part I do commonly hear and in the Ordinary daily service I do not
think unlawful to read And God forbid I should when we have had so many Holy Men in the Marian Reign ready to lay down their lives for the Matter of this Book If I find scruple in respect to some things in the By-Offices or in any thing of the Occasional service I will either my self wave it or leave that work to some other to perform There is next an Assent required to the Articles of the Church of England unto the Doctrine whereof according to the statute of the thirteenth of Elizabeth that is so far as is expressly required I do not find but the Nonconformists generally are ready to subscribe of their own accord I have a few exceptions for my own part which I doubt not but they will be allowed me to make being consonant to the Judgments mostly of those that conform and contrary to theirs more generally who do not I may name some of them ere I have done There is then the Subscription in the Canons and Canonical Oath of Obedience which being not imposed by Law or a statute but by a penal Canon and that onely rendring the Bishop upon neglect obnoxious to a suspension from giving Orders or Licences to Preach for a year which is never like to be prosecuted nor I suppose used to be it was heretofore very ordinary for many Bishops to forbear the exacting of either of these which were abated to me without any regret at my Ordination and I shall hope that what hath bin done in former time out of favour will be done now out of conscience if this Rule laid down does as it ought take place For the New Impositions there are three of them in the Act of Uniformity the Declaration the Subscription and Re-ordination The last of these Re-ordination I have passed yet as to others I must say this That to be Re-ordain'd to the Work of a new Charge I am fully perswaded is Lawful and consequently that this matter may be easily Compounded between the Bishop and him that scruples the thing for too just Reason otherwise upon this said Account The foremost the Declaration is to be made to the Congregation and I think to do thus I will Read the Common-Prayer in the Ordinary daily Service which I have said I hold Lawful and then I will declare my Assent and Consent to all and every particular I have Read And I do not doubt but this will be as good a Declaration to the Church-Wardens as if I had used the Words of the Act and no other I will not conceal from them that I save my Conscience but will venture it If it be told the Bishop I will expect that he should be more like to Connive at that which is entrusted with others than to Indulge any in the Second and chief thing that remaines which is committed only to his trust and wherein if we obtain not some Condescention from him we must continue in our ejected Estate And this is the Subscription in reference to which mainely I do now present to the Publick this Paper and in pursuance of my own Rule of doing what I can I am willing for an Authoritative use of my Ministry to Subscribe the words ensuing This Declaration in the Act of Uniformity viz. I do declare that it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take Arms against the King and that I do abhor that Trayterous Position of taking Arms by his Authority against his Person or against those that are Commissionated by him and that I will Conform to the Liturgy of the Church of England as it is now established and I do Declare that I do hold that there lies no Obligation upon me or any other Person from the Oath commonly called the Solemn League and Covenant to endeavor any change or alteration of Government either in Church or State and that the same was in it self an unlawful Oath and imposed upon the Subjects of this Realm against the known Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom I subscribe with these Limitations or Exceptions The first Clause I hold Indefinitly true in a due and a fair state of the Point as it is maintain'd by such eminent and faithful Assertors of the Authority of Princes as Arnisaeus Barclay Grotius Sarrania and the like Authors And upon such a meet State of the Position prout prudens definierit supposed I do Subscribe That it is not lawful to take Arms against the King upon any pretence what-so-ever The Second Clause I allow with this Interpretation only which I think to be the Mind of the Legislators By the Word Abhor I understand in the cool Sense no more than I Disclaim and such a Position I count Traytorous if it be made use of for Rebellion And I understand by the Word These that are Commissionated by him such only as are Legally Commissionated by him and in the Legal Pursuit of such Commissions It could never be the Intent of the Majority of Parliament to advance the King's will above Law and therefore this being their Meaning I do in this Meaning or with these Explanatory Limitations to their Meaning if I be mistaken in it Subscribe That I abhor that Trayterous Position of taking Arms by the Authority of the King against his Person or against those that are Commissionated by him The Third Clause is a Promise which I dare not make but with the Reservation of a necessary and just Liberty both for my Conscience in any matter or thing wherein I doubt and for Prudence in regard to Time Place and Circumstances to act as appears to me most conductive to the Interest of the Church and Edification of the People And with such a Reservation as this I Subscribe That I will Conform to the Liturgy of the Church of England as it is now by Law Established The Fourth Clause I can Subscribe to readily as to my self because I never took the Covenant I was convinced I remember by the Oxford Reasons and it was against my Conscience But for the Words Nor any other Persons I must put in this Restriction to wit Nor any other in a Private Capacity or Acting in a Private Capacity It is true as I think that every Man is bound to seek the Reformation of the Church in his Place But it is as great a Truth that it is not the place of Private Person or any one to endeavour any Reformation of the Church or State be it never so good but with the Concurrence of the King or in such a way only as is agreeable to the Constitution of the Kingdome Nay as he may not act he may not exhort persivade seek or pray in a Seditious way to have it done Now for-as-much as this Covenant did lay an Obligation on the Subject in their Opinion to endeavour the Reformation of the Church without the Consent of the King in his Parliament I do apprehend that Obligation in that respect to be voyd and Subscribe That I do hold that
would have is that the Parliament would be pleased that a Bill be prepared for Peace and Union which might bear some such Title An Explanatory Act for agreement amongst Protestants and for Ease in the business in Religion In which Bill I would have such an Explanation of these Impositions and such Alleviations in regard to the tenderly considerate and peaceably Scrupulous or soberly not factiously Consciencious who will never be wonne as may do our business In the Act of Uniformity By the Declaration of Assent and Consent to all things and every thing contained in and prescribed by the two book of Common Prayer and of Ordering Priests and Deacons there is no considerate man of the Parliament ever I hope understood that these books are in every minute particular infallible or free from that defect which is incident to all humane Composures but they understand I suppose that they are in the maine contents to be sincerely approved and used I would have it therefore be here sufficient if this Declaration be made to the use of the book in the Ordinary dayly Lords-day service which we can consent to or that we may make it with a license of Exception against any matter or matters out of that Service which the Bishop shall think meet to be dispensed with upon Convincing reason Provided only that the Ordinary constant publick Service of the Liturgy obtains Consent and Practise And for the Ceremonies which are and have been always and on all hands held only for indifferent things I wish they might be left to the Consciences and prudence of Ministers and People every where excepting the Cathedralls to use them or forbear them as they judge it most meet for one anothers edification for so some Bishops I believe if it be left to them will sometimes be apt to determine themselves Provided that if any person will have his child baptized with the signe of the Cross or stands upon any thing else hitherto required by the Service-book if the Minister himself Scruple the performance he shall always have some Assistant or Curate to do it In the same Act By the Subscription before treated As I believe there was no new Ill or strange thing intended by any of them but the rightfull maintenance onely of the Kings authority against Rebellion So do I apprehend that the Interpretation and the Limitations which I do here humbly present with an unfeigned impartiality upon the several Clauses of it may pass their publick approbation or allowance which therefore I would have to be done as a matter of kind satisfaction to most Mens consciences and of grievance to no Body Onely for that part of it which is enjoyned but to the year 1682 it might do better perhaps to be made to cease presently and be no longer imposed And forasmuch as there is an Oath also in the Act of Oxford required of all Non conformist preachers that reside Ãn any Corporate town or come within five Miles of it whereof I have Printed a former Paper and given the Interpretation throughout as I believed it to be the very sense and meaning onely of the Act without limitation or exception which cannot therefore be refused insomuch as I dare and do appeal to a Vote of the two Houses whether I have delivered their minds or no I would here have it onely put to the Question and if it be as I doubt not indeed their sense that they would declare it This will make that Oath streight be generally taken Or else I will propose this rather which is better that it may suffice any man to enjoy the right of this free-born liberty to go where he will in his own Country I mean to escape the penalty of this Act and serve him also instead of the forementioned Subscription to take that Oath in this form of words following I A. B. do swear that I hold it unlawful upon any pretence to take Armes against the King his Government or Laws And that I disclaim that dangerous Position of taking Armes by his Authority against his Person or any Legally commissionated by him in the Legal pursuit of such Commissions And that I will not endeavour any alteration of Government in the Church or State in any way or manner not warranted by the Constitution of this Kingdom that is in a seditious manner or any otherwise then by Act of Parliament It being required moreover in the Act of uniformity which is another of the things also before Mentioned that every Minister who enjoyes any Living shall be ordained by a Bishop and there are several persons of late who in case of necessity for want of Bishops took Presbyterian Orders I would have the Parliament declare it their intent for redeeming their credit with the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas not to make it absolutely necessary for such persons to be reordained to the Office but that it may be enough for them if they receive this second Imposition of hands to the Exercise of their Office in the New charge unto which they are or shall be appointed and that the Bishop may and shall frame his words accordingly This is the only way that I could find out for peace to my own mind as I have told before in this business And whereas there is a Subscription also in the Canons and the Canonical Oath of Obedience imposed on most Ministers by the Bishops mentioned before likewise which have given some of the greatest occasion to Non-conformists heretofore and which yet have never passed into a Law by any Act of Parliament I would here have it enquired by what Authorty one of these is imposed for I know none And for that which is found in the Canons being what is more than needs because included in other injunctions I would have it Exauthorized and that nothing more of this nature might be imposed on us than is made necessary by the Act of the thirteenth of Elizabeth Provided nevertheless if the Bishop be unsatisfyed about any particular Person he shall be ready to offer a due acknowledgment of his reverence to Bishops in a laudible Testimony thereof under his hand and of his fair regard to the main substance of the three Articles contained in that Canonicall Subscription in such expressions as shall best satisfy his own Conscience and be approved as sufficient under the hands of two Episcopal Doctors or allowed by the Bishop And in regard there hath bin great offence taken by consciencious Ministers which is a thing hath not yet bin mentioned at the Bishop or his Courts commanding them to read then sentence of Excommunication against some or other of their Parish for such faults as they think not at all worthy of so great censure or else be exempted from the execution of that charge and that the Bishop or his Court provide some other person that is satisfied about it to do it And I would have none forced to give the Body and Blood of Christ to
entred this Covenant without the King 's Consent but the Meaning of the Covenant was That the Change should be made and endeavoured to be effected only by his Consent I return To enter into Covenant to Change the Government when the King by his Remonstrances and Declarations did declare that he would not consent to that Change and prohibited his Subjects to enter into such a League was I suppose in it self Vnlawful Or thus To Swear against the King 's Will or Prohibition to do a thing which to do without his Will is unlawful is in it self I take it an unlawful Oath Such was this Covenant But to proceed It is too well known that it was the Scots brought in this Covenant and that it is or was a Principle of theirs That the Reformation of Religion belongs to the Kirk so as they may or might set it up or endeavour the same without the Consent of the King if they obtain it not which is a Principle in my Apprehension directly repugnant to that Supreamacy which the English Subjects give to their King and it was apparent that the Covenant was carried on by the Parliament and Army according to that Principle so that if any piously judicious Man shall scruple his Soul with the Belief that this was the Meaning of the Oath That they should endeavour a Reformation to be effected only by the King 's Consent and not otherwise I have two things to offer him for his Conviction to wit The constant Practise of the Covenanters to the contrary and this one Argument wherein alone I shall rest To swear to endeavour a Change of the Government when the King refuses his Consent must either be with Intention to do it without his Consent or else be a vain Oath But to do this in a disorderly way without his Consent or to take the Oath in vain either of the two was in it self I suppose Vnlawful Ergo This Oath was in self an unlawful Oath I would not have any of my Brethren therefore here to be stumbled as they are apt to be so soon as they discry the Scope of this Subscription to tend to a Renunciation of the Covenant for if we may be permitted to Renounce this Covenant with this Liberty of Exception of what is Good and Obligatory in it and Restriction of the Renunciation to that only which is Unlawful as the Endeavour of any Alteration of Government in a disorderly way without the Consent of the King as they did in the late times was I see no reason why they should not be as forward to such a Renunciation as to any other the like Injunction For my own part to rid my self of this Scruple quite which in regard to the Words in it self have been apt to stick upon me still in this Clause I will conclude thus If the meaning of the covenant by endeavouring the extirpation of Prelacy was only to endeavour the reformation of the Church in subordination to the Consent of the King with his Parliament I put in my exception against the Clause but if the intent of it was to have us endeavour any such thing without his consent and against it as the practise of the Covenanters did shew and as it was generally I think understood I do Subscribe to this Clause And that the same was in it self an unlawful Oath as I do to the rest with my Liberty of Limitation It is but an honest thing I judge for me and others if they will follow to do what we can and so long as I do no more than I can I shall not I hope hurt my Conscience If the Bishop will be contented with this Rule and we be also contented with it what shall binder our Concord When the Ministers of the Roman Policy have so long been hatching up Sects amongst us and fomenting our Divisions and even now plodding at one Thrust or one Blow if Fame have any more in her Trumpet than Sound only the general Destruction of our Religion it is time or there is Reason for the Parliament to think on Vnion or for the Bishops and us to come to Composition Then Abner called to Joab and said shall the Sword devour for ever Knowest thou not that it will be Bitterness in the latter End How long shall it be then ere thou bid the People return from following of their Brethren The Author Some further Advertisement LEt the Reader note that where I speak still of all Endeavour to change the Government without the Consent of the Supream Authority to be unlawful I understand it of that Change altogether that is Publick and concerns the Church as National I meddle not with Reformation otherwise I also Advertise the Reader seeing I have a Side to spare That it hath bin in my thoughts I must needs tell him ever since the Ejecting Act to offer something the best I could for our Rulers Condescention to our Scruples and for our Submission to their Laws That is to be Equal on both sides As I have formerly therefore sent out several Papers on the First Errand Here is two sent now upon the Second My Paper about the Oxford-Oath and this Paper I have some Sheets more by me under Twenty that carry Things a little Higher if not quite Home and I could not let them therefore come out till this Paper should make their Way for them They have bin long ready and bin seen by many as Bishop Wilkins Judge Hales and the like Temperate Persons I shall Entitle those Sheets A Peaceable Resolution of Conscience concerning our present Impositions When that Book also is come abroad out of which I have bin borrowing something or other still for the Papers and Books that since passed from me I shall have accomplished my Purpose and intend to have done for ever about these Matters I must add that I have just now Received this ensuing Letter To my Honoured Friend Mr. _____ in Oxenden-Street SIR I Thank you heartily for your Kindness in sending my your Healing Paper so speedily This Day I received it and red it to my great Satisfaction I fully agree with the Rule which you have laid down in order to Peace and Concord and judg that in the whole Management of the Desgine you have done Honestly and Prudently I firmly believe that Vnion by a reasonable Accommodation is Religions Interest The Relaxation that would suffice you I think would suffice me In the Terms of Conformity as explained and limited by you with whose necessary Restrictions there is no material Difference between you and me as I discern _____ My carnest Prayer is that God would prosper this your Designe of Peace And I am much perswaded that Good will come of it Chichester Octob. 12. 1678. Your Obliged and Affectionate Friend Servant John Corbet