any but to whom they can in point of Conscience In the last place To the intent that a free search after Truth may be encouraged and many other Scruples avoided upon that account I would have them Authorize this one thing which I have offered as more peculiar in this Paper which is That though an Authentick Interpretation which is the Sense and Meaning only of the Law-giver be that Interpretation which is to be regarded as the Substance of all Laws seeing no Law as no Scripture is of Private Interpretation yet in all matters of Words merely and Phrases an Interpretation that is Vsual and in all Articles or Theses for Concord which I distinguish from Laws about Religion and the Homilies of the Church a Doctrinal Interpretation be sufficient for an Assent or Subscription to them These are the Things and there is no less than these and I think no more than these which are necessary to reconcile the Moderate Conformist and Non-conformist which is one Part of my Designe and Accommodation If they will pull out Nine Thorns out of our Feet and leave a Tenth we cannot go along with them Be it resolved therefore by the Grace of God and both Houses that if any Person be willing to conform to the present Establishment of the Church of England and her Service appointed upon these any of these and every one of these Explanations Alleviations Declarations Lenitives or Cautions he shall be admitted to any Ecclesiastical Preferment and enjoy the use of his Ministry without Molestation All Statutes Canons or Laws to the contrary notwithstanding To pass now to the other part of this Bill or Designe which is Indulgence In the way Because the very Superintendency of Bishops and that Subjection to them which is required by the Constitution of the Realm is or may be an Hindrance to many sober Ministers and other Protestants of coming into the Church who are ready to consent to the Doctrine but not to the Discipline or Government of it I would have them declare That so long as any Person or Party do acknowledge the King's Supremacy as Head of the Church in this Nation and obey their Ordinary in licitis honestis upon the account of his Authority committed to the Bishops and their Officers as Substitutes of his for the Exercise of that External Objective Regiment Circa Sacra which is granted by all our Divines to the Higher Powers in every Nation it is much as is or can be required in Law to the owning Episcopal Jurisdiction and shall serve them to all Intents and Purposes no less than a professed Belief and Acknowledgment of the immediate Divine Right of it That is Although there be some that cannot acknowledge our Diocesan Prelates to be Christ's Officers distinct from the Elders in Scripture yet so long as they can live peaceable Lives in Obedience to them as Ecclesiastical Magistrates under his Majesty for the keeping the several Congregations in their Precincts to that Gospel-Order which themselves allow and for Supervising their Constitutions in things indifferent that nothing be done but in Subordination to the Peace of the Kingdome which is a Notion wherein the Judicious of every Party may acquiesce it is enough for their Reception into National Church-Union And this is so far from Derogating from the Bishops Office and Dignity that it were a way to be chose in Policy to advance it while it makes his Authority significant to the Presbyterian and Independent as well as to the Minister that hath a Living and rears him an Inspection over the Gathered as over the Parochial Congregation And forasmuch then as there are moreover some Ministers of a good Life that cannot according to their Judgments allow of our Parochial Churches nor the Book of Liturgy but do choose to Worship God and Jesus Christ in the way of their gathered or separate Congregations and crave the Protection and Clemency of the King upon their Allegiance as other Subjects enjoy the Conscience being obnoxious to God only and not capable to be constrained by the Rigour of Laws or by the extreamest Execution of them If the Parliament-Men would know further what we would have I would have these Men all forborn and let alone thinking this Advantage the Church-Men have over such to be enough that they have the State-Countenance and these are uncapable in their way of all Publick Emolument till they come into them And to the intent the Forborn may be wrought upon by the proper Motives of their own Good and at their own Time I would have as the other designed Part I say of such a Bill such a Universal Act of Grace be granted that all and every Christian-Subject throughout his Majesty's Realms that profess themselves of the Reformed Religion be pardoned all Faults and Penalties whatsoever incurred upon the account of any forepassed Non-conformity and that they shall not during so many Years to come as shall be Voted be vexed or persecuted any more for their Consciences in the matter of Religion Provided they commit not any heinous Crime worthy of Punishment but carry themselves Innocently and Peaceably both with Submission to all due Order in their own Churches and without Disturbance to the Civil or Ecclésiastical Government now setled in the Nation There are these two Ingredients that are necessary to the Happiness of the Kingdom Vnion and Liberty Union is for strengthning the Church for God Liberty is for strengthning the Land for the King There is Trade to be encouraged and Wars to be Managed and Liberty of Conscience serves these ends against our Civil Enemies in helping us to more hands as Vnion serves us against Popery and the Enemies of our Religion And what indeed should we do with our Brethren that differ from us in opinion Shall we smite them No but set Bread and Water before them Persecution will make them more zealous and combine them but liberty must brake them or win them They must have time And if the naming what time may not be waved and I may speak who spake the rest I would set it during this Kings Reign that so every Man may pray for his Life and he may have the Title more augustly of Carolus Clemens when he dyes And for the making our Union of better signification to the Concern'd and more effectual prevention of that Scandall which is raised on the Clergy through the Covetousness of some A fault that we Ministers are taxed with generally even when we seek but things just and these therefore must take the more heed who heap up to themselves all the Preferments they can get which are neither agreeable to their Labour or their want nor to the duty of that tremendous calling unto which they are called but by this means many other Ministers are deprived even of necessary maintenance for their families and an occasion is administred to themselves of pride an undecent immeasurable Exaltation above their rank and birth to the
most Men as soon as they have laid it to Consideration It is this that though I account all Laws in general are to be taken in that Sense only which we believe to be the Meaning of the Law giver because the Law is his Will and it is not the Words but his Meaning is his Will Yet do I judge that in these Articles of the Church which are not Laws nor Articles of Faith but Articles for Concord that is in the Words of the Cannon Articles for the avoiding Diversities of Opinions and for establishing of Consent touching true Religion there is no Man to be staked down to the Authentick Interpretation which I account that as a Man believes to be the Meaning of the Majority of the Convocation that passed the Article but to be allowed or rather he is supposed to be allowed and to take the Freedome of a Doctrinal Interpretation which is any Judicious Explication of such a Thesis or Doctrine as some of the Eminent Doctors of the Church or other Pious and Learned Author or Authors have offered to the Nation or indeed any such as a Man himself shall tender which in the Literal Grammatical Construction of the Article to keep to the King's Declaration before the Articles appears Rational and is satisfactory to his own Conscience and much more if it be allowed by the Bishop My Reason is because it must be conceived that when any Council Synod or Convocation of Divines do meet about an Agreement upon any Articles or Theses concerning Religion they are generally of divers Minds in the debating the Points and every one is to be supposed free in the Delivery of his Judgment until they come to draw up the Article or Doctrine into such Words as they are all to consent to and then if it be Composed so as they can yield to one another in the Words which they agree upon it is to be understood that there is an Universal Allowance tacitly granted from all to one another of abounding in their own Sense and so they came to a Coalition There is the Meaning then of the Majority and a Vniversal Meaning The Vniversal Meaning is above the Meaning of the Major Part. The Meaning of the Majority I believe in some of these Articles to be such as I cannot Subscribe them in their Meaning But forasmuch as I apprehend it the Vniversal Meaning that every one of those that are to pass their Vote in Establishing the Article should have the Liberty of his own Sense so long as he can but agree with the rest in the Words or in the Literal Construction of the Article if I bring an Interpretation of some Doctor or one of my own which may be supposed to be the same with any one of them who so consented to it with difference of Explication from others then must I be supposed to have the Universal Allowance of the Convocation for that Interpretation which I call a Doctrinal Interpretation I will confirm this by the Notoriety of the Practise in the Council of Trent The Doctors differed in most Points but as soon as through the Expertness of one of the Presidents famous for that Knack they were but put into Words as might salve their contrary Opinions they passed their Votes as Unanimous in the Council although they writ after also one against another citing the Council for them on both sides To this purpose are the Words of the King in his Declaration for the Ratification of the Articles to be considered We take Comfort in this that even in those curious Points in which the present Differences lye Men of all sorts take the Articles of the Church of England to be for them The Arminians with Doctor Hammond and the Calvinists with Bishop Vsher do Subscribe them and find out their own different Sense in them I will leave it therefore on the File as the fit Matter of a new Cannon if ever we have another Convocation to be declared that the Articles and Homilies of the Church are imposed and to be Subscribed not in the Authentick nor in the Vsual but in a Doctrinal Interpretation There being a Latitude in all Controverted Points and consequently some Diversity of Opinion to be allowed to Brethren for the abounding in their own Sense in the same Religion or else there can be no sufficient Foundation of Unity amongst any considerable Number of Men of Free Judgments in the World In the mean time if the case be put what a man shall do that scruples or doubts of the truth of any of the Articles whether he may satisfie himself with such an Interpretation before it be Authorized by a Convocation or otherwise I must answer that I apprehend a great deal of reason for it but dare not pass such a determination If I scruple any thing my self I shall declare it and unless I am satisfied in that sense of the point as I believe was the meaning of the Imposers I must fly to my remedy not of an Interpretation but of the liberty for Exception or Limitation and that indeed does my work This Scrupulosity and rigour of my mind for avoiding every thing of a Solemne lie though never so small does make me wish for such a Canon or the allowance of a greater Authority by some Act of Parliament I will therefore now turn me to the Higher Powers for I must beg their Pardon for this Endeavour of mine to make my return to the Vineyard before they have opened the way for us who can alone Legally do it I would hereby kindly provoke them to think at last on some Explanatory Act for Uniting the Protestant and restoring the Ejected who have now been out of our Livings above Fifteen year and no evil we hope hath been found in us besides our preaching sometimes and praying and the keeping of our Consciences And because it is said commonly by the Members of either House that if they knew what we would have or thought we know our selves they would do it I cannot forbear to present them with the Materialls of such a Bill in telling them what we would have from what is said already if they will but bear with the repetition For when the obtainment of such a blessing for the Nation is even near past my hopes yet must it be still in my prayers I may not be wanting to it in my endeavours and it cannot be beyond my Wishes Whereas then there are many jealousies arose about Popery to frame a Preamble as well as a body for such a Bill out of what is before delivered which makes it even necessary to the peace of the Nation that the Protestant interest be united and strengthened by all good and lawfull means and to this end there being this one proper expedient to wit the removing the occasions of Division which several persons do find to themselves in those late injunctions which yet were intended to the same purpose of Concord in the Realm That which we
envy of others Of carelesness through the impossibility of a due attendance on a double or trebble charge Of more worldly mindedness a looser life and so of ill example of ten times unto their flocks whereby the Souls of many Parishes which ought to be more precious to the Minister than his Maintenance are sinfully neglected to the offence of Almighty God and the hazzard of their own and their peoples Salvation I would have no Clergy-man henceforward be suffered to enjoy any more than one Living or Cure of Souls and one Dignity at one time and that every man without exception that hath more than one of either should immediately give up the rest to be distributed among those who shall be Comprehended or brought into the Established Order Which that they may also be obtained and possessed with a clear Conscience and that grievous Corruption of Simony may be extirpate out of the Land I wish that Every Patron that shall hence forward present his Clerk to any Living may have the Oath called the Simoniacall Oath imposed on himself no lesse than on the Incumbent which I perceive since I writ this is petitioned for by the Schollars of Oxford and if he refuses to take it that then the Bishop should have immediate power taking only the same Oath of presentation in his Room By such Materialls as these put into the hands of a Skillfull workman by the Order of our Master builders and by such a course or courses as this or these thoroughly persued the name of the great God would be exceedingly honoured in the integrity and ingenuity of those Gentlemen who have Benefices in their donation in the self deny all of those Ministers who have Pluralities in in their possession in the restauration of several ejected painfull Laborers into the Vineyard in the generall advancement of Piety and that interest which is Heavenly above worldly advantage in the unity peace and mutual agreement of Brethren in the same function differing mainly in things indifferent in the universall good will among the People and in the established Happiness and Prosperity of the Church of England to future Generations In that time shall the Present be brought unto the Lord of Hosts of a people scattered and peeled meeted out and troden under foot to the place of the Name of the Lord of Hosts Mount Zion Deo Gloria Authori Condonatio An Advertisement Reader I thought here to Reprint my Paper about the Oxford-Oath which seems to be made necessary by my Reference to it p. 31. but because the Matter thereof is incident with that of the Subscription I suppose it may be spared I must signifie also that whereas I have dropt the two Letters of my Name in reference to my Subscription in p. 19. I cannot and I do not let it go as one that is a present Actual Subscriber but as one under Deliberation to proceed or not as I can and no otherwise than I can according to my Conscience with the flow hast of others Advice and my own setled Judgment Adieu FINIS A Postscript THis Paper being a Countermine against Popery I do think fit to hasten it out that the Members of Parliament may have competent time to consider of it this Session I did not think the later Part would have been so seasonable as I humbly believe it may be now to the most of those who desire a long Life for the King and the Growth of the Protestant Religion It was almost Despair set me on the Work and now there is a little Hope got into my Heart that something may come of this Endeavour and God's Blessing be upon it The Reason why I annex this Half Sheet to the rest is because I find it necessary in regard to that one Clause in the Subscription And that the same was in it self an unlawful Oath I desire the Reader here to remember that I subscribe not this Clause by vertue of an Interpretation for I think the meaning of the Law giver to be more then I can subscribe unto but by virtue of my Liberty of Exception and Restriction I do therefore distinguish between the Matter Covenanted which is the Extirpation of Prelacy or Change of Government and the Act of Covenanting which was their swearing to endeavour it I would have the Reader then note also that I subscribe not that the Oath in the Matter Covenanted was in it self unlawful for this Matter Covenanted I have said may be considered Precisely in it self or Complexly with its Circumstances and more particularly under the Circumstance of the King's Remonstrances against the Covenant I do believe that an Endeavour of any Alteration of Government under this Circumstance of the King's Prohibitions that is for any to go about it without his Consent and against it as I speak was Vnlawfull though I suppose it not so under the contrary Circumstances if the King had allowed it and consequently that it is not so in its self if we respect onely this Matter Covenanted But for as much as an Act becomes Evil upon every Defect when all Circumstances must concur to make an Action Good and he that swore this Covenant could not swear to the Matter Precisely but Complexly considered that is to the Matter under this Circumstance with others I do apprehend that the matter being thereby render'd evil the Oath as taken for the Act of Covenanting in regard to this Circumstance was in it self unlawful It may be pleaded that the Covenant maintaines the King and his Authority to the full and limits this Endeavour to mens Places and Callings and that there was therefore nothing in this unlawfull I reply If any man should argue rather that the supream Power of this Nation does lie in the King and the Parliament as one Corporation and when they were divided and the Parliament could not be dissolved the Constitution was at an end or Interstition That consequently every one any one might covenant at that time to set up a new Government without the consent of Either King or Parliament by the way of an Agreement of the People This were to say something But to own the King and his Authority and swear to maintain it in the same Oath wherein they swear to change the Government when he declares against that Change that is without him and against his Authority this is vertually a contradiction in Adjecto and makes the Oath in the very act it self of swearing if that be or may go for the Oath in it self unlawful Again To swear that in our place and calling we will endeavour to change the Government when the King refuses his consent What is it but to swear to do that in the doing whereof we must Act out of our Place and Calling seeing there is and can be no Endeavour of that kind in our Place and Calling but what is done with Subordination to his Consent in an Act of Parliament You will say perhaps It is true that they
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