Faith and Sacraments And we greatly esteem the soundness of the Doctrine contained in the Homilies We unfeignedly assent to the sense of his Majesties Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs in that Passage wherein he justly rebukes those that had the hardyness to publish that the Doctrine of the Church against which no man with whom he had conferred had excepted ought to be Reformed as well as the Discipline Be it here observed that some Conformists tell us that they heartily subscribe to the Nine and Thirty Articles taking the liberty of interpretation that is allowed by the Church her self though it be most reasonable to presume that she requires subscription to them as to an Instrument of Peace only And for this the Testimony of an eminent Bishop is cited saying The Church of England doth not define any of these Questions as necessary to be believed necessitate medii or praecepti which is much less but only to bind her Sons for Peace sake not to oppose them But for our parts we believe the very truth of the Doctrine contained in them according to the genuine sense of the words 4. We are not ashamed constantly to affirm that the word of God is the perfect Rule of Divine Faith and VVorship and we apprehend that it is not Lawfull for the Church or any power upon Earth to make new worship of the same common nature and reason with those universal and perpetual Ordinances which the word hath already made Nevertheless particular modes and accidents and mere circumstances of worship which are common to it with all Humane actions are left to the determination of Humane Prudence according to the general Rules of Scripture And we take such determination in those matters to be no addition to God's word and no argument of the defectiveness of his Laws but merely an application of the general Law in particular cases as the Law it self doth warrant A firm agreement of the Non-Conformists with the Church of England in the substantial parts of God's worship hath been long since manifested in their Papers presented to his Majesty We still acknowledge the lawfulness of a set form of Liturgy for matter agreable to God's word and suited to the nature of the several Ordinances and to the necessities of the Church yet the Minister should not be so confined to it as not to make use of his own gifts of Prayer and Exhortation VVe still profess that we are obliged to do all things decently and in order but we are not satisfied in the lawfulness of such Ceremonies as in their designed end seem to draw to near to the significancy and moral efficacy of Sacraments and which have been rejected by many of the Reformed Churches abroad And we believe that God's worship is best managed for the Exterior form thereof when it hath least of Humane mixtures in things unnecessary adjoyned and appropriated thereunto 5. We intirely own that Ministry that God hath set in the Church whether extraordinary and temporary as that of the Apostles or ordinary and perpetual as that of Bishops or Pastors and Teachers VVe believe that it is Christs high prerogative transcending all Humane authority to institute Spiritual Offices how be it there may be Offices circa sacra of man's appointment That Spiritual Officers receive their authority from Christ as the immediate Donor thereof by his Charter though their designation to their Office it not ordinarily immediate without man's interposing and consequently they are Christ's immediate Stewards commissioned by him and accountable to him each one for himself in particular That the power of the Keys for binding and losing for retaining and remitting of sins is essential to a Presbyter or Bishop That Ministerial power is delivered by Ordination as by way of solemn investiture and that each particular Church ought to have their proper Bishop or Pastor one or more residing among them for all Ministerial duties who hath no coercive power upon the bodies or estates of men and may rule them by no other instrument than the Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God working upon their Consciences and their outward standing in the Church 6. The Church being the Lord's heritage and portion ought not to lye common but must be fenced with Christ's Spiritual Discipline that it be not laid wast and lost in a VVorld of Ungodliness breaking in upon it This charge is committed to the Pastors who are accountable for the same to the chief Shepherd By the order of the Church of England all Presbyters were charged till very lately in the form of ordaining Ministers to administer the Doctrine Sacraments and Discipline as the Lord hath ordained and as this Realm hath received the same And that they might the better understand what the Lord hath commanded the Exhortation of St. Paul to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus was appointed to be read to them at the time of their Ordination Take heed to your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you over-seers to rule the Congregation of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Admission into the Church by Baptism is one act of Pastoral Government and includes the judging of the title of the party to be so admitted That which we require in the adult for their visible Church-Membership is their intelligent owning of the Baptismal Covenant by a serious profession there being no notoriety or proof of an invalidating contradiction Other parts of Discipline are the publick admonition of scandalous offenders and injoyning of penitence the Excommunication of the obstinate and the absolution of the penitent This Spiritual Government is not to be managed with external force and terror like the secular power but by Reproof Exhortation and Doctrine that the offender may be convinced and judged in his own Conscience And we take it for a great reproach to Christ's Discipline to tell the VVorld that it is a powerless thing of it self and insufficient to obtain its end unless the temporal Sword inforce it Yet we would not have the Church destitute of the Magistrate's due assistance and encouragement 7. As touching the form of Church Government the Scripture-bishop or Evangelical Pastor we do and ever did acknowledge Likewise we neither do nor ever did renounce the Episcopacy or Presidency which was of an ancient Ecclesiastical Custom as in the time of Ignatius yea or of Cyprian Bishop Ushers model of Government by Bishops and Arch-bishops with their Presbyters was by some of us presented to his Majesty as a ground-work of accommodation King Charles the First in his discourse touching the differences between himself and the two Houses in point of Church Government declares his judgment in these words That he is not against the managing of the Episcopal Presidency in one man by the joynt counsell and consent of many Presbyters but that he had offered to restore it as a fit means to avoid those errors and corruptions and partialities
An Account given of the Principles Practises Of Several NONCONFORMISTS Wherein it Appears that their Religion is no other than what is Profest in the Church of England In Vindication of themselves and others of their perswasion against the misrepresentation made of them And in hearty desire of Unity in the Church and of peace and concord among all true Protestants for the strengthening of their Common Interest in this time of their common Danger Written by Mr. John Corbet late of Chichester and approved by many other Nonconformists LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and 3 Crowns near Mercers Chappel at the lower end of Cheapside 1682. To the Reader REaders Least you should think that the agreement of all here written in sense and very much in words with what I have Published doth signifie that it is not wholly the Authors work but any of it mine I do truly acquaint you that he never so much as acquainted me with his writing it nor did I read it all before I gave it to the Printer nor did I alter adde or diminish one word in all the book But as we were of one Mind and Heart our agreement is no wonder And his widow the daughter of the famous Dr. Twisse assureth me that several eminent Nonconforming Divines saw it and approved it as I doubt not but most others will do when they have seriously perused it But alas I that have known these twenty years what other designes have been in some mens heads inconsistent with all such indeavours for our Concord and how powerful those men have been who profess that there is no way of Concord and avoiding Schisme but by obeying the Governing Universal Church which hath the power of Universal Legislation and Judgement which is a Forreign Jurisdiction I say I that know this must needs know how little more than the satisfying of our Consciences such pacificatory endeavours as these do signifie But as my dear Brother dyed in the comfort of Christs judgment Blessed are the Peacemakers the rest of us wait in hope so to dye Richard Baxter Feb. 10. 1681. Several Tracts not yet Printed prepared for the Press and left under Mr. John Corbett's own handting intended shortly to be Published are as follows 1. THE true State of the Ancient Episcopacy 2. The present Ecclesiastical Government compared with the Ancient Episcopacy 3. A Consideration of the present State of Conformity in the Church of England 4. A Discourse of the Church and of the Ministry thereof 5. A Tract of Certainty and Infallibility 6. Of Divine Worship in three parts 1. Of the Nature Kinds Parts and Adjuncts of Divine Worship 2. Of Idolatry 3. Of Superstition less than Idolatry 7. His Humble Representation of his Case touching the Exercise of his Ministry 8. Discourses between Dr. Gunning late Bishop of Chichester and himself wherein are several Humble Defences made both as to his Principles and Practice 9. An humble endeavour of some plain and brief Explication of the Decrees and Operations of God about the free Actions of Men. More especially of the Operations of Divine Grace 10. Matrimonial Purity An Account given by some deprived Ministers of their judgement and practice c. THE manifold reproaches heaped upon the Nonconformists among whom it is our lot to be numbred have filled the whole Nation Our Religion hath been represented as a mixture of folly and villany our principles and tempers as turbulent seditious and utterly inconsistent with the peace of Church or State and our pretences as frivolous and often baffled Our Governours have been admonished to beware of us as their worst and most dangerous enemies and excited to use the utmost severities against us Hereupon it behoves us to humble our selves in the sight of the Lord and to implore his mercy and to bear his just rebukes in the unjust reproaches cast upon us by men also to suffer these indignities with Christian patience and to shew our selves reconcilable to those who have been so adverse to us and to endeavour peace and concord with them if it be possible many of whom we suppose to have been acted in this matter with an undissembled zeal though not regulated by sound knowledge or due charity but hurried with unreasonable prejudice and passion We hold it also our duty not to neglect our own necessary vindication but in honest simplicity to make known to all what principals and practices we own and stand to Though we are taught and encouraged to labour and suffer reproach and to reckon it a very small thing to be judged by man's judgment yet we are bound to vindicate our innocence for the truths sake and out of charity towards all men to provide what in us lies that none may take an occasion of stumbling in us And here it shall suffice us only to make a true representation of our selves having this confidence that the bare stating of our case will be our sufficient defence 1. In the first place we declare that with us the kingdom of God is not Conformity or Nonconformity as such but Christianity or real Godliness which is most summarily comprized in the baptismal Covenant of Grace and more explicitely yet briefly in the Creed Lords Prayer and Decaloge and at large and most perfectly in the Holy Bible A religiousness made up of little opinions and modes and phrases and sidings with this or the other party is none of ours though we are injuriously personated in some late writings to act such a part Faith hope and love is the essence of our Religion and with us differences in things not essential do not make different Religions VVe disdain our being of a party as such And though the godly be a peculiar people we confine not godliness to any peculiar way narrower than mere Christianity We make no Humane additions in Sacred things nor any mutable circumstances to be the terms of Christian Fellowship 2. Accordingly we seek not the advancement of any Sect or Party to the injury or neglect of the Universal Church or Christian cause or the common good And as we are no faction we know that Factiousness is not our Interest but turns to our greatest loss Our aims being Christian and Catholick we seek the increase of the visible Catholick Church or the whole Society of men professing true Christianity in order to the increase of the Church invisible or the Society of Regenerate Christians And to these ends we desire and most approve the primitive simplicity in Doctrine Worship and Discipline And herein we boast not as if we were the only men of the Primitive Christian Spirit but we answer them who have trampled upon us as an impertinent trifling Sect. 3. We heartily own the Protestant Reformation in Doctrine and particularly that of the Church of England contained in the Nine and Thirty Articles except those Two or Three that relate only to some of our present differences and not at all to the Doctrine of
enemies as they had been given out to be to Episcopacy or Liturgy but modestly to desire such alterations in either as without shaking Foundations might best allay the present distempers And he expressed himself in reference to those things wherein the learned men of either persuasion were agreed as followeth If upon these excellent foundations in submission to which there is such a harmony of affections any superstructure should be raised to the shaking of those Foundations and to the contracting or lessening of the blessed gift of Charity which is a vital part of Christian Religion we shall think our self very unfortunate and even suspect that we are defective in that administration of Government with which God hath intrusted us And he saith farther That he doth not think his reverence to the Church of England as it is Established by Law in the least degree diminished by condescentions not peremptorily to insist on some particulars of ceremony which howsoever introduced by the piety and devotion and order of former times may not be so agreable to the present but may lessen that piety and devotion for the improvement whereof they might happily be introduced and consequently may well be dispensed with This gracious healing declaration was received with the thanks of the House of Commons and with the applause of the people and it was to our special joy Had the moderation therein specified stood in force we have no cause to doubt but that Tranquillity and Concord in the Church would have ensued But the frustration thereof lay not on our parts It is our comfort that we have earnestly sought Peace and Unity though we have not so far prevailed as to gain so much as the abatement of one Ceremony but our Bonds have been made stronger and the terms of our Ministerial liberty much harder to us than they were in the former times of Prelacy 22. Some indeed say that to indulge us any abatement of injunctions even in things indifferent and mutable would cherish us in our ungovernable perswasions and the Church would yield up her authority to those Principles that would be an everlasting hinderance of her settlement These men speak as if our exclusion not our conformity were desired But against their uncharitable and unsober assertion we offer our Principles already here testified to the tryal and judgment of all impartial and unprejudiced minds and challenge our adversaries to gain say them or to prove that we falsly pretend unto them 23. The extravagant Pens of some Writers have made ridiculous and odious descriptions of us to expose us to the common scorn and hatred They would make the World believe that instead of the Precepts of the Gospell intelligibly set forth we make a Religion of Metaphors and Allegories and new phrases of thin airy notions frivolous and senseless nicities and fanatick whimsies This they fix promiscuously upon the Non-Conformists from passages collected out of some Writers that go under that name But suppose those passages as erroneous and frivolous as they would make them would any party in the VVorld or they themselves be so dealt with Should a collection of errors absurdities incongruities injudicious expressions and such like weaknesses be pick'd here and there out of the writings of this and the other Conformists and then be Intituled the Religion of the Conforming Clergy Let the Divinity of the Non-Conformists that is extant defend it self we are not carefull about this matter Indeed we cannot boast that none among us are injudicious yea or that any one among us doth never write or speak an incongruous word If our adversaries so boast of themselves and theirs let them take the glory of it we are not called to this boasting or to compare our selves with others It is too well known how great a part of the Clergy throughout Christendom as indeed of all other sorts of men are defective and imprudent in their expressions But by insisting on this kind of exceptions our adversaries have done us this right as in effect to tell the VVorld that the Non-Conformists are not deprived and silenced for Treason Rebellion Drunkenness Swearing Incontinences Rayling Insufficiency Idleness seldom Preaching Pluralities Non-Residence and such like immoralities Let not the progress of our just and necessary defence be taken for self exalting For we do not exclude others but only include our selves in that sobriety from which some would exclude us and we do this to shew that others ought to receive us seeing we accord in the greater things notwithstanding our lesser differences 24. We earnestly disavow and teach the people to beware of the conduct of pretended inspirations and we own God's publick Laws written in Scripture and Nature for our perpetual Rule The World knows that the rational evidence of Christian Religion and of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures hath been as much owned among us and as largely asserted by some of ours as by any of them that so speak as if they were the only Propugnators and Preachers thereof We take the Spirit 's grand Testimony to the truth of the Gospel not to stand in some inward unaccountable suggestion and perswasion but in an objective evidence propounded to the reason of Mankind though we likewise hold the Spirits internal teaching and the gift of illumination to be necessary to saving Faith We do not hunt after mysteries in words and phrases yet we would not make void or lessen the great mystery of Godliness and make no more of it than a Scheme of Moral Philosophy We approve not affected Language yet we would not have the things of the Spirit of God spoken in Scripture Language called Canting We make it our business to understand the things we affirm and to speak sense to our Hearers in the plainest words and in preaching to avoid vain janglings and impertinent curiosities useless speculations novelties and vain ostentation of wit and fancy and to insist on things essential or of great importance to Christian Piety and whereinsoever we have done weakly we desire to do better and refuse not to learn even from our adversaries 25. In man's Conversion to God we urge not the necessity of any thing that is unnecessary We stand not on certain modes methods and circumstances in which it may be brought about wherein the wisdom of God proceeds variously towards several persons according to the different circumstances of their condition As for instance we assert not a general necessity of this or that measure of humiliation much less of a dismal despairing horror as some have said of us we press conviction and humiliation no farther than to make a sinner restless till he come to Christ and find rest to his Soul in him And we take not conversion to be as some have slandered us an imbracing of our opinions or an adhering to our party but an internal principle of Faith Hope and Love expressed in a sober righteous and godly life If this be it which some mean when they
speak so highly of morality and virtue we will not differ with them about the name For morality or immorality taken not vulgarly but theologically is no other than the conformity or inconformity of our minds and actions to God and his Laws And that to preach morality in this sense is to preach Christ we acknowledge as freely as any others But we know the vulgar notion thereof respects the civil righteousness of the natural man and for the sake of common hearers who understand words as they are commonly used among themselves we think it necessary to distinguish between saving grace and moral virtue Furthermore we say not nor are we acquainted with them that do say that the morally righteous man is at a greater distance from grace than the prophane and better be lewd and debauched than to lead an honest and virtuous life We hear no such words out of the mouths of Non-Conformists though some have suggested it against us to make us odious And it seems strange that any should insinuate a charge of Antinomianism against us by making the personated Non-Conformist to call the Doctrine of good works legal preaching when it is so well known that some of ours have done as much as any in confuting the Antinomian dotages We teach none to call themselves Godly meerly because they hear Sermons frequent Lectures and meet together for Prayer and other Religious Exercises yet our aim is that men should make Religion their business and we incourage their diligence in attending on God's Ordinances and redeeming the time and helping each other forward in the way to Heaven 26. Though we are accused to be of that Spirit that saith Stand by thy self come not near to me I am holyer than thou yet we place not Holyness in any peculiar garb of profession or in standing at a greater distance from others than God would have us We receive all men as much as either brotherly kindness or common charity will allow VVe affect no greater singularity than the uncontroverted Non-Conformity to the VVorld makes necessary Differences of perswasion in the matters controverted we make not to be marks of distinction between good and bad men VVe judge not any as ungodly upon the meer account of their Conformity yea we have incomparably more value for a Godly Conformist than for a meerly Opinionative Non-Conformist VVe renounce not Communion in the publique worship of the Parish Churches though for its outward form and order in some respects it be not that which is most desireable by us It is our hearts desire and prayer to God that the VVord Prayer and Sacraments therein dispensed may be blest to the great increase of true Godliness in those that attend thereon Yea we wish so well to the ability and godliness of our opposites in these controversies that it would be our great rejoycing that every Parish Church in England were filled with an able Godly Minister though conformable VVe own the Catholick Communion of Saints and desire a part in the Prayers of all faithfull Christians whether they pray by a set form or without it 27. VVhereas we are charged with immodesty and boldness in our inquiries and conclusions we profess that in the Doctrines of predestination redemption divine Grace free will original sin justification perseverance and assurance of Salvation we differ not from the Established Doctrine of the Church of England and we approve her moderation used in those Articles which we take in the same sense with the English Episcopal Divines in general that lived in Queen Elizabeth's and King James his times And for our parts we judge that the controversies about these points might be lessened and would gladly do our endeavours to the lessening of them 28. Our Doctrine tends to unquietness and confusion no more than the common Doctrine of Protestants and of the Church of England it self for it is the same as we have shewed And we protest against such citations to the contrary as men bring out of writers reputed of our party and renounce whatsoever is written or spoken contradictory to our here avowed Principles And we think it not fair dealing in our adversaries to repeat and aggravate all intemperate passages vented in those times when impetuous actings hurried men into extremities and states-men and sword-men heightened the differences between Divines and especially to do this after our professed moderation hath been acknowledged by our Governours Besides the generality or at least the far greater number of the silenced Ministers now living were not ingaged in the late wars And if these were allowed to preach the Gospel we should be thankfull for the favour though the rest remain excluded 29. We acknowledge the importance of a publique settlement and how necessary it is that both people and teachers be under the regulation and influence of authority And that the willfull and indiscreet might be held in their due limits we would not have things left at random but under stated rules We seek not to be received upon lawless terms but are willing to submit to tryal not only upon accusation of lewd scandall or insufficiency or negligence in our calling but of venting any error contrary to the received Doctrine or of doing any thing contrary to peace and order But it is unreasonable for any to urge this concession for the rigorous imposing of doubtfull and needless things which tend to trouble and not to settle the Church It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to the Apostles and Elders and Brethren assembled at Jerusalem to lay upon the Churches no other burden than things necessary And here we take notice of their impertinency who think it enough to confute all our plea for moderation by publishing quotations out of our writers which were written against an intolerable toleration to wit of heresies blasphemies and open impieties and not the indulgence which we have pleaded for If they can see no medium between tolerating all things and tolerating nothing others can Besides it is an accommodation and union that we have sought by a sufficient comprehensiveness in the publique constitution and then there withall an indulgence towards remaining Dissenters but such as for the subject of it hath nothing that is intolerable We have a true regard to our Brethren that are more streigthened in their judgments than we are and would not have them the worse for our liberty if we could obtain it 30. Though we have not the same latitude of judgment with Conformists in some points yet we have the same Catholick Spirit to promote the common interest of Religion and more especially the Protestant Reformation and to dread the weakening or shattering of it by needless Schisms We mind the way of unity and consistence and retain healing principles we hold it not our duty to publish all truths when the unseasonableness thereof might cause disturbance nor to defend lesser truths with the disadvantage of greater We would not widen breaches nor make other mens opinions