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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	authority_n	king_n	parliament_n	1,836	5	6.6012	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80839	Berith Anti-Baal, or Zach. Croftons appearance before the prelate-justice of peace, vainly pretending to binde the covenant and covenanters to their good behaviour. By way of rejoynder to, and animadversion on Doctor John Gauden's reply or vindication of his analysis, from the (by him reputed) pitiful cavils and objections; but really proved powerful and convincing exceptions of Mr. Zach. Croftons Analepsis. / By the author of the Analepsis, and (not by the Dr observed) Analepsis anelephthe, to the continuing of St. Peter's bonds, and fastning his fetters against papal and prelatical power.	Crofton, Zachary, 1625 or 6-1672.	1661 (1661)	Wing C6988; Thomason E1085_6; ESTC R208062	67,248	104

determineth that Parliaments Kings Lords and Commons have no prudent moral religious and lawful authority to change the antient universal and excellent government by Bishops for Christian Kings and their Parliaments are obliged to the Laws of God and rules of Christian piety and policy too of which the whole Church in its primitive example and constant custome is the best interpreter No legislative power is empowred by Gods law to bring in heresie error or schisme into the Church or take away the essentials of sound Doctrine and Christian Communion ever owned and maintained in the Church of Christ pag. 196. well said Doctor aut Caesar aut Nullus No Bishop no King must now be a Scripture maxime and article of faith if Smectymnuus his stirr up to the papacy be not now held Salmasius his Apparatus ad papatum asserted and Beza his Episcopi papam pepererunt verified by the Bishop of Exeter I am much mistaken but Sir have you not stretched too far and stept into a premunire little Mr. Crofton should fear to be made less by the head as guilty of Treason sedition at the least should he thus confront King and Parliaments in what all their Statutes declare to be their own creature and constitution changeable at their pleasure even from the statutes of Carlile and 25. of Edward the 3. Declaring against the Pope that holy Church was founded in prelacy by their own donation power and authority Where is Sir the Kings Prerogative over all persons in all causes Ecclesiastical What is become of your Oath of Supremacy can you make this peremptory determination as your self calls it consist with it any more then with your Covenant hath a gracious King lately advanced you to debase nay dethrone him and his Parliament too I know no better confutation of this errour then the hundred eighteen thousand eight hundred and forty pounds payd by the Bishops to Henry 8. to redeem the premunire into which this perswasion had betrayed them with the Petition and Statute of the submission of the Clergy which in my apprehension runs direct counter to Dr. Gaudens peremptory conclusion It hath been observed to be the fatal chance of the Deputies of Ireland to lose their heads and the Bishops of England to run themselves into a Premunire which when his Majestie affected with their bold encroachment doth exact will make them feel and it may be deal with them as did the King of Denmark provoked by the same peremptorie determinations These Sir are your errors in matters Ecclesiastical which you must give little Mr. Crofton leave to tell you are more obvious notorius and abominable heresies then was that charged upon Aerius though an undeniable uniuersal truth by Epiphanius nor doth he fear to be contradicted by any sober or judicious Prelate resolved to keep Episcopacy one peep short of Papacy unto which I shall make bold to oppose these few conclusions of undoubted verity and universally confessed by all Antiquitie which that little Mr. Crofton may not appear too great a dictatour let Dr. Gauden owning sacred or Ecclesiastick story deny it if he can 1. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Shepheard and Bishop of our souls the great good chief and onely one to whom all must be gathered by whom all must be ruled that will be saved and from whom all must be authorized that will feed his flock 2. The Lord Jesus executeth this pastoral charge and Episcopal function by the Ministry of men successively sent and commissioned by his immediate authority and in his name without which they may not Minister to or be received by his flock 3. That the mission and commission of Jesus Christ is directed and given to two onely officers in his Church Bishops or Elders and Deacons the one to look after the bodies outward necessities and condition of his sheep to serve Tables the other to manage all the pastoral charge and Episcopal office as it immediately concerneth the soul of his people 4. That all Ministers are equally invested with and do intrinsecally possess authority from Christ for administration of all acts of feeding or ruling the flock of Christ without any difference of order place charge name office or dignity and therefore are joyned in the same general commission called by the same name Bishop or Presbyter chosen by the same characters conseerated after the same order charged with the same duty feeding or overseeing and challenge the same dignity esteem obedience and double honour from and among the sheep 4. That for some time in the pure and primitive time and estate of the Church the Presbyters did by and among themselves govern the Church communi consilio without any over them as Episcopus episcoporum or Pastor pastorum as having from Christ a different order and function yea without any gradual priority or preheminence of any particular Presbyter above the rest 6. That in process of time the Presbyters neglecting the course and care of Christian mortification by which they ought to have subdued their ambition and passions and so silenced their schism did by the working of the man of sin and permission of God devise a politique way or remedy thereof and advancing among themselves a Primus Presbyter ad schismatis remedium who was after dignified with the title Bishop and was by Canons honoris causa placed in Cities who was before in any poor village This giveth just ground for Smectymnuus note that Episcopacy above Presbytery was an humane invention on Diabolical occasion 7. That all jurisdiction and ruling power was yet acknowledged to abide originally intrinsecally and properly in the Presbyterie whose creature the Bishop was to act pronounce and execute their decrees and therefore when Bishops began to encroach and invade the Presbyters libertie and authoritie to usurp and ingross their power and function and make them subject and servile to them Canons were made to limit confine and subject the Bishop maintain and preserve the Presbyters power in Ordination Excommunication and Absolution not to be done without the Presbyters So that Presbyterie was ever known in the Church as Christs and his Apostles institution and Bishops apart and in preheminence to them the Churches Canonical constitution and Presbyters creation to the formality of whose advancement consensus clericorum was essential 8. That by this political preferment of a primus Presbyter the man of sin did work and exist in the Church engrossing the power of the Presbyterie and advancing himself above them he assumed by degrees a Principality to which he made the Presbyters sworn vassals by which became the subject of Princes indulgence and benevolence until capable of universal influence and extention through the Christian world he assumed an universal Papacie which he executed by subordinate Bishops heads of Diocesses and Provinces contracted universalities throughout the Church thus Beza well notes Episcopi papam pepererunt and Salmasius discovers the apparatus ad papatum ●nd many judicious men see nothing but a

and Caesar the things that are Caesars which have been too long held back with violence I wish Sir that none may pretend an inconsistency between this act of Repentance and the Good Old Cause of God and his People for whoever shall so doe must sell themselves unto positive blasphemy and perpetuall profanenesse pretending that to be the Cause of God which is expresly repugnant to his revealed Will and resolving Rebellion is the honour of Religion and only work of Saints and wilfully shut their eyes that they may cozen their Consciences For Sir is not the Kings Preservation Honour and Happinesse the Priviledges of Parliament the Liberty of the Subject and defence of the Government by King Lords and Commons written in such Legible Characters in the Parliaments Cities and Armies Declarations Remonstrances and Protestation in all our Vows Oaths and Covenants as the Good Old Cause for which so much bloud and treasure was expended that none but the wilfull impenitent can chuse but run and read it I shall for more full conviction refer you to Mr. Prynns Good Old Cause truly stated which I know you have seen Neither Sir would I have the hazard of any mans life or estate threatned by this repentance be any bar unto it for Sir this hazard is self-created and sinfully procured which should it be inflicted were but the proper effect of Justice better to be undergone here then hereafter unto eternity happy may be the stroke of Justice which may save a Soul from Hell the sinful escapes of humane Justice will one day be found exceeding sad Running away from the rod of correction is an heightning rebellion and note of a Reprobate and whither will such flie from Gods all-seeing eye Or will it boot any to contend with God for impunity Oh no it will not But Sir such men may be worse feared then hurt Repentance is the spunge of Guilt in the sight of men as well as in the sight of God God who hath the hearts of Kings in his hand and turns them as the rivers of water relents towards a repenting Ephraim and maketh David relent towards a rebellious Absalon Royall Clemency never shines brighter then in returns from violent exile Shall any be put to death this day in Israel for doe I not know that I am this day King in Israel Is Davids answer to the son of Zerviah provoking against Shimei who had full well deserved it Any indifferent Politician can give assurance of indempnity for generall delinquency especially when true repentance is the spring that doth enforce it Lastly Sir let none stand up against this act of Repentance and cry It is dangerous to Religion a Free Parliament will call home the King and he is rude and prophane and converseth among Papists and will bring Popery into the Land with him To such I say in short How came they into Gods Chair to become solicitous of Event is uncertain fear of an issue any ground of bar to duty Where is our Faith should carry us on in duty against all dread Needs God our Sin to preserve the Sanctitie of his holy Name Will not this prove a sad support unto Religion But is not this fear groundlesse Is not the King a Protestant born and brought up bound in the same Solemn League and Covenant with our selves Hath not our sin subjected him to the saddest temptation to turn Papist that ever poor Prince underwent Doth not Mr. Prynn tell us plainly and upon good demonstration That his exile is the great propagation of the Catholick Cause and high courtesie to Rome Sir these obstructions are all frivolous and so will appear if ever God pour on the Nation a Spirit of Repentance Worthy Sir I have with the plainnesse of a Minister and freedome of a Friend given my thoughts on your Enquirie and that not Rashly but as having consulted the Oracles of God And I cannot but beg that you persist no longer in your way of sin Oh that God would give you and your fellow-Members hearts to give him Glory and after your successe to take to your selves shame for your sinfull subversion of an Established Government and that with pretence of Law calling your selves a Parliament when your own Consciences tell you you are no such thing Sir England is inclining to repent if your House prove not a Sheba to sound again the Trumpet of Rebellion However my advice is Let the Ministers of God cry out Repent England Repent Repent and let all the people of God pray That England may return and seek unto the Lord and to David their King Then shall we be established enjoying our Princes as at the first and our Rulers as at the beginning I have no more save with the Prophet Ezekiel They whether they will hear or whether they will forbear for they are a Rebellious House yet shall know there hath been a Prophet among them Ezek. 2.5 FINIS BERITH ANTI-BAAL OR Zachary Croftons appearance BEFORE The Prelate Justice of Peace PRETENDING To bind the Covenant and all Covenanters to their good behaviours WHen Dr. John Gauden first appeared in the World with his Analysis to the sinful loosing of St. Peters bonds under a plausible pretence of counselling a Christian friend in a matter of great concernment and resolving the conscience in the point of the solemn League and Covenant and its opposition to Episcopacy Mr. Crofton considering the good observation of Gregory the great Lib. Mor. 22. cap. 2● made of the course of Heretiques sub specie eonsulendi agunt negotium seducendi that they pretending to play the Casuistes to resolve conscience and to advise in matters of Religion drive on the design of seducing souls and subverting the truth and Salvation Thought it no less then his duty to consider the same very seriously and to try it by the rule of Scripture and right reason and finding in that book what ever was the Authors intention too great a tendency to enervate all sacred bonds Invalidate yea annihilate the solemn League and Covenant and thereby supplant the peace and happiness of our restored King and Kingdom he apprehended it his duty as a Minister of Jesus Christ and his Church though the meanest and least to be regarded to intimate to the worshipful person concerned and by him those to whom that book should come Sir ● B. the dissatisfaction and delusive danger he found in that book and therefore he did on July 8. 1660. send after it an Analepsis or St. Peters bonds abide detecting the impiety thereof in subverting the Covenant by a pretended interpretation thereof nay enervating the sacred obligation and power of all Oaths by the principles therein suggested and its excee●ing imbecillity as to the satisfaction of conscience unto which it professed This done Mr. Crofton composed himself in s●lence and submission waiting for the reply of the reverend Author of the Analysis but received none onely more then one though one a stranger to Mr. Crofton

he one of them guide or guided because he knoweth not how to go into the City which one thus illustrates Nesciunt viam in Vrbem Lava qui a recto tramite aberrant in loca a via adducuntur The Dr having in his Analysis loosed from the Haven of Reason true Religion and the fear of God runs adrift where-ever the wind of his own words can hurry him and leads his Reader into a wilderness where he hears no sound but the shrieks of Satyrs barking and howling of beasts at best raging and rayling of men or wilde and improper discourses that direct to no certain end The Dr having unhappily returned railing unto what seemed rational in his Anatomist according to what is noted as usual with heretiques Haeretici cum perver sitatis suae non possunt reddere rationem in maledicta convertuntur and endeavoured by words and shuffling glosses to darken the plainness and clearness of the truth urged by the Analeptist of whom we must say as Bishop Jewel of the Jesuite Harding in his confutation of him Who so takes upon him to maintain untruth must needs be forced to discourse about with long vagaries to lead his Reader from the purpose and to feed him with words for want of matter Defence of the Apologie of the Church of England Preface to the Reader The truth is the Reverend Dr hath expressed great affection to Episcopacy in his zeal for it fully matching Harding's apprehension of the Papacy and Assertion That the Popes chair or English Prelacy is the very knot of Christian Vnity and so branding with Schism all that say the contrary Nor falls he much short of Pope Boniface having according to the measure of his Prelatical power Anathematized all Presbyters as he did Aurelius and all the Bishops of the Councel of Africa not exempting Augustine himself Aurelius cum collegis suis instigante diabolo superbire caepit contra Romanam Ecclesiam Nor is he much defective in their subtilty whilst visum est utile ut scribatur ad Episcopum Romanum ut consideret res nostras det consilium will more easily signifie the Popes power and be rendred It hath seemed good that we write unto the Bishop of Rome that he visit us and determine our matter by his sentence then I swear with reality sincerity and constancy to endeavour the extirpation of Prelacy that is to say the Government by Arch-bishops Bishops c. can be rendred I do swear to my power to establish and advance Prelacy the Government by Arch-bishops Bishops only I will consent to reform the excessive and defective abuses thereof but the cause cannot be good that must be salved by such strained yea contrary interpretations especially in matters of an Oath with how great ability the Dr hath managed his great affection against his little Antagonist let wise men judge the weight of the cause and some mens doting on the bare say so of a Bishop more then the cogency of the Reply hath produced this following Tract to thy cost and trouble as well as my pains and expence of more precious time into which before I pass thee I must minde thee of these two things pretermitted in the following Animadversion 1. That Dr Gauden seems to gather much strength from the silence or seeming compliances of some to his absurd contradictory interpretations of the Covenant Because I will do him or them on whom he reflects no wrong read his own words viz. I finde no men of learning and ingenuity but are ashamed to appear in such a cause Sober Presbyterians do very loyally piously prudently own yea and profess to the King's Majesty a quiescence under Episcopal Government as no way inconsistent with the Covenant Epist to the Reader This mitigated and just sense of the Covenant some that were and are great masters in our Israel and assertors of the Covenant are now content to owne abating the rigour which somtime possessed some Covenanters against Episcopacy in that sense wherein this and most other Churches ever owned and used Episcopal Government and Authority among and above Presbyters yea many of them begin to cast a favourable eye on Episcopal dignity no less then on Church lands fearing nothing so much as not to have a share of them much congratulating as the King 's happy restauration so the hopes of recovering the pristine Honour and Government with the Revenue and Rights of the Church in point of Episcopacy not in the fallacy of a Presbyterian parity but of a presidential constant eminency of Bishops in authority over Presbyters pag. 72 73. That any have by their silence or seeming compliance given the least occasion to this insultation is matter of grief and scandal to good men who yet have observed the subtile attempts strenuous endeavors of Prelats and their abettors to tempt debauch the consciences of some Zealous Covenanters and cannot but bless God that any have obtained power to withstand such temptations decline such glorious baits which should they and many have admitted I was am resolved through divine grace to sing no song under the sufferings that are threatned against me save only this All this is come upon me yet have I not dealt falsly in thy Covenant but charity bids me conclude that the Dr reckons without his host and that the boasting clamour is a base calumny He professeth the reason of the so late appearance of this elaborate wilderness was an expectation of what others would say in the cause and yet he runs so fast as not to heed the Covenanters Plea which would have told him some men no way short in learning and ingenuity of Dr Gauden did appear in such a cause moreover many may and do appear in it that appear not to write for it Pen and Pulpit are different capacities multitudes of books need not let the Dr judiciously not judicially confute one of his Antagonists I dare assure him more will take up the quarrel and defend it I could if he call on me shew the letters of many faithful Covenanters out of many Counties in England joyntly and singly owning the same cause of the Covenant with Mr Cr. and are neither afraid nor ashamed to own it I know not what any particular Presbyter might profess to his Majesty I hope such on whom the Dr reflecteth will in due season vindicate themselves I have cause to think the Dr reports this as faithfully as he did Mr Baxter's discourse about the Liturgie I well know that those who had immediate conference with his Majesty professed in private debates with their Brethren another judgement of the Covenant and Episcopacy then what is now reported of them I am sure at a general meeting of the Covenant Presbyters in and about the City of London the cause of the Covenant was debated generally owned in its opposition to Episcopacy and other things returned amongst us and by joynt consent it was agreed to petition his Majesty and

the Houses of Parliament the heads of which petition being agreed on was committed to certain brethren to prepare and draw up and was this To the Kings most Excellent Majesty Humbly sheweth YOur Petitioners humbly blessing God for your Majesties happy Restauration to the Throne of your Royal Father being also sensible of your Majesties gracious acceptance of our humble Address made to your Majesty as likewise of the great piety and zeal in your Majesties late Proclamations for suppressing of prophaneness and countenancing protection of godly Ministers are thereby encouraged to lay this humble presentation and Petition with our selves at your Majesties feet That whereas your Petitioners by the Authority of the two Houses of Parliament were brought under the sacred obligation of a Solemn Oath wherein with our hands lifted up to the most high God we did Covenant to endeavour a Reformation in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government and Vniformity of the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms and in pursuance thereof the said Honourable Houses with the advice of the Assembly of Divines did ordain a Form of Church government a confession of Faith a Directory for Worship and the greater and lesser Catechisms which we and our Congregations have through God's goodness for many years together and still do comfortably enjoy and practise We are therefore humbly bold in the name and for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ for the prevention of divisions offences snares to the consciences of many thousands within the three Kingdoms both Ministers and people who are pious and peaceable with all humility to beseech your Majesty That the things of God and Religion which have been so solemnly Covenanted for may be owned and confirmed by your Royal Authority which notwithstanding we do sincerely profess our readiness to accommodate with our Godly and Orthodox brethren dissenting from us so far as may consist with our consciences and Covenant This Petition however by some State stratagems and Court complement and over prudent cowardize of some who contrary to the due order of all Assemblies would never let it be reported it was prevented from being presented to his Majesty yet I know it was agreed and assented unto by many learned and ingenious men who are yet ready in all ●●ble lawful and submissive wayes to own the same cause of the Covenant in which Mr Cr. hath appeared and is here inserted as a check to Dr Gauden's fancied complyance of Covenanted Presbyters 2. Dr Gauden doth often suggest the extinpation of Episcopacy to be inconsistent with loyalty to the King and therefore affectionately wisheth that Mr Cr. may maintain and express his loyalty to which he findeth him a pretender To this give me leave as Dr Gauden hath done before me to play the fool and boast and I can say without vanity in expressions of loyalty on conscience of the Covenant I think I have not come behinde the highest Prelate which pretendeth most to it though it be not so visible at Court as they make theirs to be yet all England knows Mr Croftons contest against the cruel and barbarous murther of his late Majesty how plainly he did in the pulpit at Nantwitch in Cheshire to the face of the chief Republican agents reprove it as an actual positive breach of Covenant in a solemn Assembly and Thanks-giving held on Jan. 25. 1649. what rage and reproach he that day underwent and what hazard he thereby ran into the yet Minister of that Town and other Gentlemen loyal to his Majesty can declare In conscience of this Covenant and loyalty to his Majesty he withstood and declined the Engagement and that against the open and violent threats of promoters of it perswasions of complying brethren one of whom pressed me to it with this great argument The fight at Dunbar is l●st the Kings Interest quite overthrown these times afford few Martyrs yet Mr Cr. resolved to make one and conflicted with a violent and vexatious people to a Sequestration of his Estate on no other reason but not subscribing to the Engagement It is too long to report my constant praying for and preaching up the King's Interest to the conviction of the enemy my constant refusal to observe any of their Fasts or solemn Thanks-givings my preaching at Westchester at the beginning of Sr George Booths attempt and my troublesome attendance on the Councel of State and Militia with the threats and rage I then underwent The Articles of Treason against Oliver charged against me for which I underwent much trouble the friendly and angry conflicts I have often had with John Bradshaw whom I feared not to minde of his wages of unrighteousness my constant asserting of his Majesties Interest and subjects duty of returning to the Lord and to David their King which I preached in St Peters Cornhil when the hearers trembled and all the City expected Mr Crofton's bonds at the least All which were expressions of loyalty to the King and conscience of the Covenant But I will only present thee with a Letter which I sent unto a Member of the Rump Parliament on the very day of their triumphant return from Portsmouth it was then published though without my name I shall now affix it to this Epistle and leave thee to judge how far conscience of the Covenant hath acted Mr Croftons loyalty to the King and tell thee he retaineth the same duty for his Majesty and in sense of it doth and cannot but do it now contest for and assert the solemn League and Covenant in that religious part which must be promoted with utmost zeal by all who wish well to King and Kingdom though the devil and his instruments do endeavour to damp deaden and divert the discharge of duty by the clamorous charge of Treason Rebellion Sedition and Disloyalty of that Act which is in its Nature Principle and Disposition of the Agents most truly loyal and faithful to the King and Kingdoms Interest Honour and Happiness which none hath or can more sincerely seek and promote then the zealous conscientious Covenanters amongst whom to be reckoned cost what it will is the Ambition and Resolution of March 14. 1660. Zach. Crofton A Letter written by a Minister in London in Answer to one sent from a Member of the Long PARLIAMENT Honoured Sir YOurs of the 18th instant I received whereby I discern your sense of the sad hand of God upon these Nations in the many sad Revolutions to which they have been subject And now you seem studious of the way of its recovery in which I rejoyce Though Sir your Enquiry doth a little amaze me not so much for the matter as that you should press me to it in this juncture of time You well know Sir I have not declined to let you know my thoughts of all the late transactions of those who called themselves The Long Parliament Did I not much presume on your Faithfulness never to use it to my damage however God deal with