Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A34539
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The nonconformist's plea for lay-communion with the Church of England together with a modest defence of ministerial nonconformity, and the exercise of their ministry / by Mr. John Corbet ...
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Corbet, John, 1620-1680.
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1683
(1683)
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Wing C6259; ESTC R2132
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20,263
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32
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for their Souls and lie neglected by such as claim the Pastoral châ—â—ge over them Is it an intrusion or usurpation if in that case one that is dedicated to the work of the Ministry shall endeavour without licence from the said neglecters by preaching and other ministerial service to save souls that are so exposed Furthermore let it be considered how any Clergy-man can be the proper pastor of a people that doth not the work of a pastor towards them which work I have before set forth Lastly I cast in this consideration also how any Clergy-man can be the proper pastor to a people against their wills I doubt not but a people may sin yea greatly sin in not receiving a pastor duly offered to them and so they may as greatly sin by receiving such a pastor as may be imposed on them But how any one can actually bear the pastor al relation to a people that never consented to that relation I would be better informed Thus it hath been examined whether I am culpable by trespassing against the divine right or rights of a Diocesan Bishop in exercising the Ministry where he claims the right of being pastor And it hath been examined in that form which the matter being a tender point is capable of As for his humane rights they are his preeminence and jurisdiction under the King as Supreme and to which he is intituled by the Law of the Land Now I am no usurper against this for I claim no such preeminence I exercise no such jurisdiction As for my obededience to his jurisdiction as an officer subordinate to the King it shall be spoken of in its own place § 4. That I do not violate any true bonds of Church-Unity nor in any respect cause divisions and offences THE Case of Schism now in controversie is not to be hudled up but well stated whereunto many considerations are prerequisite Those that are set down I take to be of moment but the express application of them I forbear and doubt not but the considering and impartial Reader will excuse me therein and judg that he himself can easily do that part with more convenience than I can in this writing Church-Unity is not to be built upon the doctrines and ordinances of men but upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone and none are to be shut out from the Communlon of the Church or the work of the Ministry whom Christ hath not excluded but qualified and called thereunto according to the Scriptures which are the rule of admission and exclusion from the said priviledges 2. The unity of the spirit which we are charged to keep in the bond of peace is not concord in external forms and orders without participation of the same new nature and walking in the same holy way It is said Eph. 4. One body and one spirit and one hope one Lord one faith one Baptism one God and Father of all but not one ceremony one posture of body one garb of Church-ornaments one habit of vestments one ritual and unity of assent to all opinions and formalities An holy fellowship in the spirit of grace and in the life of faith and love is far more excellent than the greatest complyance in ceremonies and unnecessary doctrines of doubtful disputations and consequently is far more regardable in that estimation and reception of persons either for Church-Communion or the holy Ministry Touching Schism let this be noted It is not Secular power and interest that of it self can constitute a true Church or Pastor noâ— can it excuse those that are born up by it from Schism when they act Schismatically and do all that they can to continue the snares of division neither are all they without more a do to be accounted Schismaticks who are destitute of Secular power and who cannot in all points observe the commandments of men or neglect to give their necessary help in Christs service when they are forbidden of men Schism is the causing of divisions in or from the Church as the Apostle sets it forth Rom. 16. 17. Mark them that cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine that ye have learned And let them be marked indeed whosoever they are The guilt of it lies as much upon those that make unwarrantable separations and they are most culpable that are the chief causes of the division and such are they who impose unlawful terms of Church-Communion and Mâ—nisterial liberty and they also that rigorously impose such terms thereof as Christ and his Apostles never warranted them to impose either expresly or by consequence Let the case of such as are cast and kept out of a Church by wrong sentence or by imposition of unlawful terms of communion or unnecessary terms that are unlawful to them by unremovable doubts of conscience be considered for such a case may be What shall they do Must the unrighteousness of others be a perpetual bar to them against the injoyment of those priviledges to which they have a right before God Why may they not lawfully injoy Gods ordinances in distinct assemblies if they hold them peaceably and charitably Let the case of such Ministers as are cast and kept out of the Ministry by the imposition of unlawful terms or unnecessary terms that are unlawful to them by unremoveable doubts of conscience be considered for this case also may be What shall they do when they are under an obligation to Christ to fulfil their Ministry and when the necessities of fouls make theirs as well as others ministry to be necessary and when all the help that can possibly be given both by them and by those that dissent from them is little enough Every pastor tho he be under the publick judgment of Superiors hath a judgment of discretion also that is to say a right of discerning about his own call aâ—d obligation to this service Let it be here also considered whether the necessary means of saving souls such as is the due preaching of the Gospel be not incomparably more precious than uniformity in matters of opinion and ceremony and accidental order There is a great difference between inimical segregation like sedition in a Commonwealth and a going severally upon weighty reasons and without breach of charity And among other weighty reasons this may be one That all Christians of sound faith and good life that are dissatisfied about some humane injunctions and orders in a Church may not for lack of tender regard towards them be utterly abandoned and exposed to be led aside into the errôrs of the wicked as to heresie apostacy or a course of irreligion It is in the power of Rulers to grant this Indulgence to such Dissenters when it is not in the power of Dissenters to change their Judgments And this is not to set up Church against Church or according to an ancient manner of speaking Altar against Altar but only either occasional and temporary Assemblies or at the most
a tender regard to conscientious brethren and must not use my liberty to be an occasion of their suffering But to this I say 1. The moderate judgment and practise of some who in the mean time have maintained their plea for reformation and exercised their Ministry according to their capacities and opportunities hath been advantagious to the general interest of Nonconformists 2. If so bad a consequence should indeed follow as is objected I would for that season forbear the said use of my liberty and pâ—â—take with my brethren in their sufferings Object 6. It may weaken my own party and make many of them more indifferent towards reformation An. 1. I disclaim being of a party as such I confine not godliness to any peculiar way narrower than mere Christianity If any among us place their Religion in being of a party they deceive their own souls and it behoves me being a Teacher among them to let them understand so much 2. While I use my liberty and shew my moderation and charity towards all true Churches I do not shew an indifferency towards all opinions and forms and constitutions but by word and deed I manifest a desire and indeavour of the best constitution that hath the greatest tendency to make the best Christians and to advance holiness and peace in the Churches Object 7. It may raise suspiti on s that I may proceed further in Conformity and that I am but a lukewarm Nonconformist An. 1. The Kingdom of God stands not either in Conformity or Nonconformity as such 2. I desire that my zeal in the matter of Nonconformity may be proportionable that is neither more nor less than the thing it self requires 3. I am not willing to stand at a greater distance from others than I needs must 4. How ready soever I am to pursue peace and concord I am not like to conform till the grounds of my Nonconformity which are with me of great weight be removed Object 8. Hereby I may lose or lessen my reputation and interest among those of my own side An. 1. My reputation and interest among men must give place to the pleasing of God and the keeping of a good conscience 2. To me the most valuable benefit of reputation is an advantage thereby gained of being acceptable and successful towards men in the work of the Ministry and that which is most advantagious hereunto is the reputation of integrity and to do all things advisedly honestly peaceably without partiality hypocrisie and felfishness is the best means of such reputation Object 9. It will not please those of the other side unless I absolutely conform and it may be some of them will despise and hate me the more An. 1. My design is not man pleasing and I think it looks not like such I were very ill advised indeed if while I venture the displeasing of my own I should aim at the pleasing of a different party 2. In reference to the other side my design is not to please them but to convince them that what in me lies I follow after Church-peace and concord and that the cause of the divisions that are lies not on my part 3. Tho on the Conforming side there may be some who hate those most that come nearest to Conformity if they are not thorow therein yet there be others who are more valuable that are of a better spirit with whom my moderation may have good effects Ob 10. It may hazard a breach in our own congregation and the dissolution thereof as things now stand with us and consequently hinder the good of souls that is now gained by the word and prayer An. 1. Indeed such an evil is carefully to be avoided in this time of our difficulty and danger but I rationally hope that it will not so fall out Our friends are not ignorant of the latitude of my principle and the practise here propounded will ' be no great surprisal to them it being no more than what I declared that I did before I came to my present station among them 2. I shall keep a watchful eye upon this concern if I see any distemper that threatens a breach arising upon this occasion I will for a while suspend my liberty and I wil proceed herein no otherwise than they can bear I will be calm and gentle towards them and not carry it peremptorily in any wise And this I shall do not for my own private ends the Searcher of hearts knows but sincerely for their good 3. I will by degrees insinuate into them the equity of their bearing with me in my perswasions as I bear with them in theirs and of allowing me the liberty of my own acts in things that concern my self alone when in such acts as concern the society I do nothing without their consent 4. If it should come to pass that they will impose upon me what is not fit for me to comply with in that case I will not violently break from nor stay to make breaches among them but quickly withdraw my self The Sum of the Matter I consult not my private interest in the case but am sincerely solicitous to know and do herein what is my duty to do I would do what I can to justifie my Catholick principle and spirit and I would abstain from the appearance of unwarrantable separation I would give no occasion to any of disowning or reproaching a form of Divine Worship which is found in the substance thereof and accepted of God from the sincere tho it be less perfect in divers material points and less convenient for the mode I would in all things be a faithful guide to the people to whom I preach the Gospel I would lead them in the way of peace and concord and be free from giving them an occasion of withdrawing from the established worship more than is necessary I would shew my self a freeman governing my own acts according to my conscience and not subject to the opinions and affections of others or the imagined interests of a party If I cannot mollfie them that seek to suppress me I would render them more inexcusable I would testifie what in me lies that Nonconformists are capable of an accommodation and silence them that gainsay it A Defence of my Endeavours for the Work of the MINISTRY THAT I might not be wanting to my just Vindication in this Cause I hold my self obliged to present the aforesaid Defence to the consideration of all impartial Readers it takes its rise from the several heads of the Bishops charge against me all which were owned by himself before many Witnesses and are here set down 1. That forasmuch as I did not exercise the Ministry in subordination to the Bishop and as regulated by him I transgressed against the nature of my Office as not being the Office of a Pastor mentioned Eph. 4. 11. 2. That I violate my oaths and promises which I made at my Ordination to obey the Bishop or Ordinary 3. That I trespass against