The Remains of John Corbet, Part 1 – Part 3
Conceſſions concerning Epiſcopacy.
I Hold it lawful and expedient, that the elders or paſtors of a particular Church ſhould ſtatedly defer to one that is ableſt among them, a guiding power over them in ordination and diſcipline, and other church affairs.
I hold, it not unfit that this perſon ſhould for diſtinctions ſake have the title of biſhop given him, tho he be not of an eſſentially different order from the reſt of the paſtors, but only of a ſuperior degree in the ſame holy Order.
Some Nonconformiſts think upon probable grounds, that t…e ſhould be a general ſort of biſhops, who ſhould take care of …he common government of particular churches, and the biſ…ps thereof; and that they ſhould have a chief hand in the ordaining, and placing and diſplacing of the paſtors or biſhops of particular churches. And from this I diſſent not.
A Conſideration of the preſent ſtate of Conformity in the Church of England.
IN conſidering the terms of Conformity now injoined, I am not forgetſul of the reverence due to Rulers. I do not herein preſume to judg their publick acts, but I only exerciſe a judgment of diſcretion about my own act in reference to their injunctions, which ſurely they will not diſallow. To conſider the lawfulneſs of thoſe things, of which an unfeigned approbation is required, is an unqueſtionable duty. If I ſhould profeſs what I believe not, or practice what I allow not, my ſin were heinous and inexcuſable. The Reaſons of my diſſent are here expreſſed as inoffenſively as can be done by me, who am to ſhew, that it is not nothing for which I have quitted the ſtation which I formerly held in the Church. I have no reaſon nor will to lay a heavier yoke upon my ſelf than the Law doth, or to ſet ſuch bars in my own way as the Law doth not. I therefore admit that more reſtrained ſenſe of the Declaration which is thought by many to make the enjoined terms more eaſie. I am concerned to take notice of ſmaller as well as greater matters, becauſe as well the one as the other are alike to be owned. Tho I would not differ with the Church about little things, yet I may not profeſs an allowance of any little thing, which I believe is not allowable. I deſire to proceed in this enquiry with good judgment, and to do nothing weakly; but however it be, I had rather be thought to be injudicious and overſcrupulous in making objections, than want a ſufficient clearneſs in a buſineſs of this nature. I take no pleaſure in making objections againſt the book of Common prayer, but I do it by conſtraint, that I may give an account of that Nonconformity to which by an irreſiſtible force of Conſcience I am neceſſitated. If all things contained and preſcribed in the ſaid book, be right and good, I heartily wiſh that I and all men were convinced of it. I joyn with the Congregation in the uſe of the Liturgy, and I acknowledg that by joyning in it, I declare my conſent to the uſe of it, as in the main an allowable form of Worſhip. But this doth not (as I ſuppoſe) ſignifie my allowing of all things therein contained.
Of the Declaration of unfeigned Aſſent and Conſent required by the Act of Ʋniformity.
THE true intent of this Declaration is to be conſidered. By the form of words wherein it is expreſſed, it ſeems to ſignifie no leſs than aſſent to, and approbation of the whole, and of every thing contained and preſcribed in and by the Book of Commonprayer, &c. ſo that no man can make this Declaration, that is not ſatisfied of the truth of every thing contained, and the lawfulneſs and allowableneſs of every thing preſcribed in the ſaid book. Nothing is more evident to me, than that I ought not to diſſemble or lye in matters of Religion; but ſo I do, if I declare my unfeigned aſſent and conſent to thoſe things contained and preſcribed in the Liturgy, from which I really diſſent.
But this meaning thereof is not acknowledged by many and very judicious perſons among the Conformiſts. They grant indeed, that the words will not only bear this ſenſe, but would ſeem to incline to it, if the meaning of them were not evidently limited by the Law it ſelf, and that in the very clauſe wherein it doth impoſe it. That the Law doth expreſly determine this aſſent to the uſe of the Liturgy, they ſay is evident from theſe words, He ſhall declare his unfeigned aſſent and conſent to the uſe of all things in the ſaid book contained and preſcribed, in theſe words, and no other: I A. B. do here declare, &c. Now by all rules of interpreting laws, we are directed (ſay they) to underſtand what is ſaid more generally in any law, according to the limitation which the law it ſelf gives, eſpecially if it be in expreſs words.
I admit this later and more reſtrained ſenſe of the Declaration as probable; and in this diſquiſition I proceed accordingly, taking the declared aſſent and conſent as limited to the uſe of things. Nevertheleſs it muſt neceſſarily extend to the uſe of all things contained and preſcribed in the Liturgy. And thereupon I judg, that not only all the forms of ſacred adminiſtrations, but alſo all the Rubricks, together with the Calender and Tables, and every part thereof, comes within the compaſs of this declaration.
As concerning the import of the aſſent and conſent to be given thereunto, I take it unqueſtionably to ſignifie, according to the genuine ſenſe of the words, our approbation or allowance of the uſe of all things as aforeſaid, and not meerly to bind us for peace ſake not to oppoſe them. Wherefore if the uſe of any one thing great or ſmall therein comprehended, be not allowable, there is juſt ground of refuſing this declaration.
Aſſent and conſent to the uſe of all things, ſuppoſeth that all are lawful; it ſuppoſeth alſo, that all things are ſo far fit to be uſed, as to have no ſuch evil conſequence as may juſtly forbid their uſe: it ſuppoſeth alſo, that the whole and every part of this book is ſo far true, as to have no errors which doth entrench upon the Chriſtian Faith, or hath bad influence on mens lives.
I think I may comply for charity and peace ſake, in the uſe of indifferent things of no hurtful tendency, tho they be unuſeful or unprofitable; yet I query whether I may declare my unfeigned aſſent and conſent to the uſe of thoſe unuſeful or unprofitable things, or to the uſing of them inſtead of things uſeful and profitable.
I think ſome little errors and untruths of inconſiderable conſequence, ſuch as little miſ tranſlations or miſapplications of Scripture-phraſe, may be tolerated in the ſervice of God; yet I query whether I may declare ſuch aſſent and conſent to all and every thing, as doth expreſs a juſtifying of thoſe little errors and untruths, or an allowing of the retained uſe of them. My bare uſing of them, neceſſarily ſignifies no more than that I judg them to be tolerable; but my declaring conſent to the required uſe of them, ſignifies that I judg them to be allowable.
I think I may joyn in a prayer, as it is ſound and good for the ſubſtance, tho it hath ſome little error doctrinal or hiſtorical couched in it; yet I query whether I may perſonally uſe or conſent …o the uſe of ſuch error.
I query whether I may declare unfeigned aſſent and conſent to the uſe of things in themſelves indifferent, if I heartily wiſh they were not uſed in regard of inconveniences or offences ariſing from them.
I query alſo, Whether I may declare my aſſent and conſent to the uſe of a Rubrick being an injunction, if I diſallow the injoining of the thing preſcribed in it; and in conſenting to a rule or law as ſuch, I conſent not only to the doing of the thing preſcribed, but to the preſcribing or enjoining thereof.
Foraſmuch as I am not ſufficiently clear, whether the words unfeigned aſſent and conſent do import only an acknowledgment of the things as ſimply lawful and paſſable; or beſides this, an approbation thereof as laudable and deſirable; I do here in ſome particulars reſolve diverſly according to the different ſuppoſition of the higher or lower meaning of the ſaid words.
Of the Second Article of Subſcription required by the Thirty ſixth Canon.
THo the declaration of aſſent and conſent be reſtrained to the uſe of things, yet it doth not appear that the ſubſcription required by the Thirty-ſixth Canon is ſo reſtrained. For theſe words thereof, That the Book of Common-prayer, and of ordering Biſhops, Prieſts, and Deacons, contains nothing contrary to the word of God; ſeem plainly comprehenſive as well of things aſſerted, as of things to be done or uſed; and the truth of the one ſort ſeems to be acknowledged, as well as the uſe of the other ſort to be allowed. And to ſay, That nothing therein is contrary to the word of God, ſeems to me as much as to ſay, that all things therein are agreeable to the word of God. The word of God is the Rule by which all things in the Liturgy ought to be regulated. Now for a thing that is under a Rule, to be not contrary to the Rule, is all one as to be agreeable thereunto. Any moral act not contrary to Gods Law, is agreeable to it; and what is not agreeable to it, is contrary to it.