exercise being superseded and he resolved into the state and capacity of a private member of the Church considereth 1. This ministerial mode is evil but not such an evil as vitiateth the subject Gods worship doth truly formally salvably though not comfortably or so prositably as by another exist in and to the Church by it and I cannot have Gods Ordinances in communion with Gods Church without it 2. In this ministerial mode the members of the Church are purely passive they according to their duty assemble to worship God the Minister charged with the bumane mode doth assume a Minister by this the which the members of the Church do not advise or choose nor any way act in but composedly attend the worship of God hereby ministred unto them and exhibited for their Amen so that the sin is personal not publique and common no way derived to me unlesse by my neglect to mourn for this as any other sin in another 3. Though this mode of worship do direct some acts to be done by the people yet I am Master and Judg of my own action and can with-hold and refuse it so that in the whole ministration I act not but in my Amen to the prayer thus modified and my attention to the worship thus ministred and the sinful mode is by and to the Minister and him alone Sir Let not any infer that on these grounds we may attend a Masse and be innocent For Sir the corruptions in a Masse are such as vitiate the Subject and destroy the worship of God 1. It is celebrated in an unknown tongue and so doth not exhibit any worship it is to the people vox preterea nihil it is a frivolus objection I understand Latine when the Church who understandeth it not is the subject of the worship to be done to God the Question is of publique communion not my private and personal adoration 2. The Masse doth pray to the Saints a wrong object in the name of the Saints a wrong ground for some unlawful things wrong matter of prayer Gods worship is not herein existent but destroyed 3. The Masse maketh the Sacraments Sacrifices for the quick and dead transubstantiateth the Elements and so changeth the nature of the Ordinance in the very nature and esse thereof We are Sir at last arrived at the last quarrel our Remonstrator picketh at Mr. Croftons Plea in which he is exactly square to his mistaken self Mr. Crofton saith I am not without the caution and conduct of sober godly learned promoters and pursuers of a perfect and compleat Reformation To this the Remonstrator saith It is strange Mr. Crofton Page 54. should argue from communion amongst distinct Churches against the non-non-communion of present members of one and the same Church since that is a communion not by participitatiâ—â— and joint fellowship How Sir not by participitation and joint fellowship that is strange though not by constant participitation personal by their individual members yet by joint fellowship in the same substantial worship and occasional perticipation reciprocally each with other by their particular members cast into this or that Country Sir can other Reformed Churches hold communion with England if her worship be no worship of God will-worship Scripture-bitten will-worship Moreover Mr. Crofton observed Reformation not Separation the Reformed Churches disowned not on occasion declined not never advised their travelling members to decline communion with England her Liturgy notwithstanding they sure concluded Page 43. Gods worship was therby ministred Again this Remonstrator telleth us Mr. Croftons instance in the primitive Non-conformists is wide of that of the modern it is true and Mr. Crofton tells us in his Plea He was sensible of it they administred by this ministerial mode which Mr. Crofton saith He can better excuse than justifie yet the distance is not Page 44. so great as this mans wild fancie doth dream they were under the same corruptions for kind which are returned upon us yet Hildersham Ball Nichols Hind and others maintained the duty of communion in Gods worship under in and by them against Brown Barrow and other Rigid Separatists who urged this mans grand Argument it was not Gods worship and it was will-worship I know our Remonstrator disowns relation to these men and their Sects yet sheltereth himself under their shield and fighteth with no weapon but what was forged on their Anvil and in their Shop only he addeth ours is an estate of relapse that is indeed true and aggravateth our sin but altereth not the nature and quale of the corruptions if these corruptions returned do vitiate the subject and destroy Gods worship they did so when first inovated or continued in the first Reformation for as I have before urged it is only the quality not the degree of the evil must vitiate Gods worship to make it poyson express poyson Sir I have done with this Remonstrator when I have told him Mr. Crofton is a Peter who can receive the rebukes of a brother Paul but the rebukes of a Zeal mistaking matter of fact doth only retort on the Censurer with a what doth your arguing reprove I am Sir Your Obliged Friend R. S. Febr. 13. 1662. POSTSCRIPT Worthy Sir YOu cannot but have heard that Mr. Crofton in his late travels had a Paper taken out of his pocket it was a rough Draught of his high-way thoughts which he committed to paper to communicate to a now Conformist a good friend of his himself had not another Copy for whilst it was in his hand it was never transcribed by himself or any other I having with some difficulty procured a Copy thereof from one relating to the Gentleman who took it from Mr. Crofton have presumed to send it you that if you think good you may make it publique and thereby capacitate our conforming Clergy to resolve if they can one of the great Scruples which barreth Mr. Croftons Conformity and Ministration by a Liturgy however the world will see what a Mecaenas and Advocate he is for Liturgies This Paper being since his Plea for Communion Vale. FINIS
of Gods worship we are under a necessity of having what we so much complain against and cast off viz a fixed Liturgy for the mode of Prayer Preaching Ministration of Sacraments must then be kown to the people and judged by them free from all defect and disorder before the people can attend Gods worship in that Ministration it must be confessed impossible for a single Minister constantly to communicate to every particular member of his Congregation the mode into which he hath by his personal abilities and ministerial Gifts cast the word Prayer and Sacraments no serious sober Christian can think the people to be guilty of those rude methods indigested raw expressions tautologies solecismes and disorders which a Minister may utter in his preaching and praying yet this is inevitable if the people have a publike judgement by special office of the ministerial mode of Gods worship it is indeed true the defective disordered mode of worship which is fixed stated and so from time reiterated is more obvious and offensive then what is transient and so by the judgement of charity more burdensom to the people the grief of it being continued and renewed but it is the judgement of office armed with power to correct deriveth the guilt of the one or of the other I hope Sir our Remonstrator will by this time see that he hath most grossely mistaken Mr. Crofton and the whole scope and nature of his Plea and the very Crissis of our present Controversie he will sure now see Mr. Crofton pleadeth not for Communion in the Liturgy he is positive in it a Minister cannot without sin minister Gods worship by this or a much better mode if generally and exclusively imposed of worship he never yet advised justifyed or defended the peoples personal acting by conclamations popular responds and groundlesse variation of Gestures the part allotted to the people in and by it and this is Sir properly Communion in the Liturgit Sir Mr. Crafton doth consider the Liturgy in its general nature a Ministerial mode conveighing some part of Gods shorship in and to the Church the which he confesseth is defective and disorderly and therefore the grief and burden of the Lords people but it doth not vitiate destroy or nullifie the worship ministred by the same but that it substantially existeth for matter and form Gods worship capable of operation to its end by reason whereof the people having no choice of a better and more orderly ministerial mâ—de must though with grief and a burdened spirit attend the same blssing God they have his ordinances though in aâ— unclean unhandsome vessel or rudely mangled or ill favouredly carved so that Communion in Gods worship thus ministred not Communion in this ministerial mode is Mr. Croftons Question Sâ— I havering corrected this Remonstrators most gross mistakes shall now take a veiw of the strength of his argumentation in Pag. 16. 17. what he supposeth to be an answer to Mr. Crofton's plea. To his falsly formed argument or Syllogisme he saith his answer shall be by Concession Distinction Retortion In the first part of his answer viz. his Concession he yieldeth to Mr. Crofton the truth of the Church of England about this we dispute no longer onely some who will clap him on the back for appearing an Antagonist against Mr. Crofton will think by this Concession he hath given away his cause Sâ— One thing I cannot pass without observation and that Pag. 19. is an expression wildly let fall to which I cannot consent to him viz. personal corruptions in scandalous professors or other Church members Minister as well as others the Hophni and Phineas of our age defils the Church this I understand not nor doth he tell us whether it defile the Church immediately and of it self or consequently and by accident the defect of the Church in some duty incumbent upon her intervening to derive the sin unless by this last way personal sin and Church guilt are a contradiction the prophanesse of Elies sons was indeed charged on their Father Eli and that by accident onely but I never read nor can finde it was charged on the Church of Israel the God fearing Israelites did deliver themselves by their robukes of their disorder without forbearing to bring their offerings to the Lord though they were rudely Ministered by prophane hands By way of Distinction Here he distinguisheth between Communion by Pag. 19. 20. Profession Participation How warrantable and well grounded this distinction is I shall not now consider I do not finde Mr. Crofton to be concerned in it onely I must tell this Remonsttator I understand not the necessity and prrviledges he appropriateth to Communion by profession if that profession be abstracted from and opposed to participation calling upon God worshipping God and the visio salvitâ—ca are not had or done by a baâ—e profession of the true religion but do require personal participation pation to make man enjoy the priveledges to them belonging Again I must tell this Remonstrator Mr. Crofton will denie Pag. 21. there are many or indeed any members of the universal Church he sure means visible and militant or it squareth not with his discourse who never had opportunity of assonating themselves with or joynt communion in the solemn worship of God for if they be actual formal members of the Church visible they had an opportunity to be made such men as we are not members of the Church saving faith may give relation to the Church Catholick invisible but membership with the Church Catholick visible could not be had without an opportunity of joynt Communion in Gods worship in some particular Assembly The Whole improvement of this distinction by this Antagonist is onely to infer what Mr. Crofton had yielded yea interminis stated viz. Communion in Gods worship with Gods Church is an indispensable duty of every soul called by the name of God to be onely superseded by the real inevitable necessity of some natural such as is humane violence or moral such as is the certainty of sin by such Communion baâ—e About this therefore we are agreed The Remonstrator maketh another distinction of publick solemn worship in respect of Persons worshiping Place of worship Reality of matter and Constitution of the worship On what ground he multiplieth these distinctions I see not unless on a meer fancie that Mr. Crofton determined the worship of God to be solemn publick in and because of those places appointed and used to that end in this nation unto this Pag. 26. conjecture I am lead by his hot assertion locallity under the Gospel is meer matter of indifferency God having only stamped sanctity on places among the Jews Mr. Crofton bearing me witness for which in his Margin he quoteth Mr. Crofton his Altar worship page 77. but good Sir what needs this heat Mr. Crofton did witness this assertion in his Altar worship hath he unsaid it in his Reformation not Separation he pleadeth for communion
with the Church but did he ever confine the Church to any place he saith private perticular members may not withdraw themselves or deny communion with the holy Convocation or Church assembly wheresoever it is held but he never denyed the Church or holy corrvocation was convened and if necessitated may be again convened in woods caves dens or poor cottages Mr. Crofton doth grant the Church is an holy convocation in any place assembled but he doth deny that 10. 20 30 or 40. private particular Members among whom may be a Minister by his office a Publique officer assembled in a place distinct from it may be opposite to the Publique Assembly is a Church or holy Convocation and truly should he grant this he must be at a losse how to know a Conventicle or determine a Schismatical Assembly and throw down the Bankes of all Church order That the Church of Englands Liturgie or Common-Prayer Pâ— 28. 29. the great Apple of strife is a part of this Real solemn worship of God and Communion with her therein is an indispensable duty I must saith this Antagonist take leave to deny and Mr. Crofton will reply to him do so and welcome for greater zealots for the Liturgy then ever Mr. Crofton is like to make will not once affirm that the Liturgie is a part of reall solemn worship of God it is not properly any worship at all it cannot then be reall solemn worship of God the Liturgy in the strict forme and generall nature of it is not worship but a Politicall though Ecclesi stique order and direction unto praying reading the Scriptures and Ministration of Sacraments methinks this learned man should not confound reall solemn worship and a Political order relating to solemn worship they are in themselves manifestedly distinct wherein the Liturgie doth prescribe and impose set formes and certain words by and in which Prayer or other parts of worship must exist in and to the Church it is only a Ministerial mode exhibiting worship it is not worship it self I hope this acute disputant will not affirm the form or mode into which he casteth and by which he expresseth Prayer is real solemn worship I hope calling upon God in the name of Christ for things according to his will is the formality of solemn worship and that his or other mens formes expressing the same is only the ministerial mode by which it is exhibited in and to the Church Sr How vain and frivolous are these high-flown Epethites which this humble Remonstrator doth give the Liturgy humane ordinance super-erogatorie worship arbitrary service Scripturebitten worship whilst it is not at all worship but almost a Politick Order and Ministerial mode of Worship but I must take up least by correcting a mistake I also be branded to be the Mecaenas and Advocate of the Liturgy We shall hear more of this in the next part of his answer which he saith is by way of Retortion And what is it that he recorted on Mr. Crofton Communion with the Church of England may be superseded by reall inevetable necessity exeoncessis by Mr. Crofton's own Doctrine and assertion but mine that I may put in for a supersedeas Page 31. is a reall inevetable necessity saith the Remonstrator If so sir is this a Retortion I should have thought it to have been more properly accounted ajoyning Issues according to Mr. Crofton's Rule which he could not doth not deny to be a Rule of truth not to be avoided but binding all non-communicants in Gods worship to assigne and plead the inevetable necessity which must be their warrant for secossion so as to acquit them from Schisme or sinfull separation Let us hear sir his inevetable necessity pleaded and herein he tells us He cannot communicate in two things 1. In the Liturgie 2. In the Sacrament of the Lords Supper He cannot communicate in the Liturgy nor did Mr. Crofton ever advise he should But I hope he will assigne a good reason why he cannot communicate in Gods worship Ministred by the Liturgy he saith he joyneth with the Church in Prayer praises and hearing the word he sure will not deny the reading of the word to be a Publique Ordinance of God and part of publique solemn worship he will I hope manifest an inevitable necessity for his own non-non-communion in that and for his absence from any those Prayers which are by the Church put up unto God The necessity of my noncommunion in the Liturgy saith this Remonstrator is grounded on invincible doubts about the Lawfulness of such a constitution Sir I cannot but pitty the man doubts are a Rack to the Pa. 32. minde and being invincible he is like to live in constant bondage Sure I am Mr. Crofton will consent he follows his conscience though erroneous being duly carefull and humbly studious to certifie rightly inform the same But sir methinks he vexeth his soul entangleth himself and seeketh to ensnare others with a needless scruple viz. Whether he may communicate where the constitution of a thing is unlawful Mr. Crofton is at no distance with this Remonstrator as to the lawfulness of the censtitution of the Liturgie he will not stand to admit his 3. Maximes in reference to Gods worship What is unusefull is unlawfull What is unnecessary is unlawfull What is in his general nature not commanded is unlawfull But they come not into his Question nor hath these things any thing of answer to any thing pleaded by Mr. Crofton for Communion in worship ministred by the Liturgie But Sir the constitution of the Liturgy being granted to be unlawful and what ought not to be the Question yet abides Whether the Liturgy being an unlawfully constituted mode of solemn publique worship be so far unlawful or unlawful in that kind and quality of unlawfulnesse which will constitute a warrantable reason for non-communion in that worship of God which is ministred by the same Sir all things unlawful and relating to Gods worship will not warrant non-communion in Gods worship he must therefore specifie an unlawfulnesse in the Liturgy which will be of the kind and quality which riseth thus high or he doth nothing and I confesse were it not for some fallacie in his tearms more then I apprehend is in his minde he doth this Pa. 29. 35 to purpose it is this The Liturgy is no worship of God but will-worship c. no reason then he should communicate in it as such But Sir how shall we understand his words they are capable of a good and true sense for the Liturgy is no worship of God nor is it any will-worship for as I have before noted it is not any worship at all but a political order at the most an bumane ministerial mode relating to Gods worship But Sir the whole scope of his Book and bent of his spirit maketh me assured this sense came not into his minde but rather this The Liturgy is not Gods worship i. e. it is an Page 30.
in it the formality of Schisme our Remonstrators inevitable necessity we have found before doth varlish on his mistake he must assign another and that from the nature and quality of corruption or impossibility of communion in Gods true worship without communion in the ministerial mode which is evident may be abstracted from the worship and Mr. Crofton doth affirme is a personal act though of a publique Officer to a publique end Sir the whole of what the Remonstrator saith in this point of Reformation is this Mr. Crofton saith the matter and he should have added the essential form for so Mr. Crofton saith Page 48 is good but the outward mode is bad and to be reformed this our Remonstrator very often and with great humility calleth Mr. Crofton's recocta Crambe and yet as often as it is boyled by Mr. Crofton it hath no good connection in this mans stomack all the nurture he draws from it is but like Scotch Keal which turneth into winde and vapour Sir our Remonstrator must yet have this crambe recocta it is the Crisis of this Controversie till it be digested this Case of Conscience cannot be resolved Mr. Crofton grants that the whole frame and constitution of the Liturgy is to be reformed removed but he deemeth it to be adulterate worship and affirmeth it to be only a desective disorderly ministerial mode of Gods true worship of which the people hath not publique judgment and by which they may enjoy Gods Ordinances capable of operation to their end without any communion in this mode which is personal in a publique Officer to a publique end and must therefore be reformed by the endeavours of all in their places and without unwarrantable secession negative separation formal Schism and so a sinne They who have made a Schism between Pastors and People by an act of violence and exaction of what must not be yielded must be pittyed and prayed for but not paid in their own Coyn by us or repelled by our personal sin and Schism I desire to serve God but God keep me from serving him by my sin where sin is Gods instrument judgment his strange work is his businesse and the fire is usually prepared for such Instruments when their work is done Our Remonstrator stumbleâ—h on another Sentence of Mr. Crofton's Plea for indeed he no where taketh the scote or understandeth the form and force of any Argument he Page 5. faith Mr. Crofton saith I cannot without trembling consider the circumcised Sects in the Church of Corinth Colosse he meant are charged to have left the head by leaving the body This our Antagonist saith is a strange Argument unlesse his non-Communicants be proved to be circumcised Sects and guilty of such corruptions as will amount to a not holding the head Here Sir our Remonstrator who taketh no Argument right is run out into another mistake as if Mr Crofton did allude to the circumcised Sects for their corruption who alludeth to them for their separation not holding in the body and so not holding the head be the corruptions of any Church or People what they will a separation and unwarrantable separation from Gods true Church is a leaving the body and so not holding the head the estate of which is so dreadful that every good man cannot but tremble to see any in the least appearance thereof motion or tendency thereunto Sir What our Remonstrator doth urge in case of scandal is no contradiction in these to Mr. Crofton in what he hath asserted but in hypothesi he hath run on his old mistake Is communion in the Liturgy a positive duty is Page 53. his Quaerie Mr. Crofton saith No but communion in Gods worship ministred by the Liturgy is a positive duty to such who have no choice and cannot enjoy Gods worship in communion with Gods Church Catholique visible in a better ministerial mode and order 2. Saith he is not the Liturgy indifferent Mr. Crofton faith No it is not not as the Bishop told him because imposed but because a formal positive evil but yet it is not an evil of that nature and quality as to intercept the indispensible duty of communion in Gods true worship ministred by it when we have no choice 3. Saith he Will not scandal accrue by Mr. Crofton ' s communion as well as conformity in the Liturgy Mr Crofton saith It will but he denieth all communion in the Liturgy and his non-conformity is the act of non communion in his capacity as a Minister his non-personal acting in any the popular Responds Conclamations and groundlesse variation of Gestures is the evidence of his non-non-communion as a Member of the Church Mr. Crofton is sensible men and good men are and will be scandalized by his communion in Gods worship ministred by this mode but this is by accident not from the nature of his act but from the ignorance and weaknesse of those who take it and therefore are no bar to his duty indeed weak though good men may well stumble when this man of Learning hath no more brains then to confound communion in Gods worship ministred by the Liturgy with communion in the Liturgy and so conclude Mr. Crofton a Mecaenas and Advocate for the Liturgy Sir That which is the great stick and stumble with many though this acute Disputant doth not urge any thing against it is this principle which some men whose judgment should be better is pleased to call proprium Degma to himself viz. I can communicate in Gods worship ministred in that humane ministerial mode and order by which I cannot administer Sir The general reason of this his resolution is the modification of Gods worship in and to the Church is the personal act of the Minister If Sir this act be personal the Minister may not be imposed on all sins in the ministerial mode are his who ministreth and they extend not to the Church unlesse by accident through some defect of their own Sir this general might be amplyfied by these particulars 1. A Minister by his Office stands charged to modifie Gods worship by his ministerial gifts and personal abilities he may not therefore be imposed on be the modes imposed never so good he may as well admit composed Sermons as composed Prayers and forms for Administration of Sacraments 2. Every Minister hath a publique judgment of the ministerial mode by which he ministreth the worship of God and doth qua Minister as a publique Officer receive this and reject that so that if he receive a mode defective and disorderly the sin becometh his 3. Every Minister is personally active in the ministerial mode by which he ministreth so that he mangleth Scripture and doth personally act all that disorder which is in it These things are well illustrated by Mr. Croftons allusion to the Recorder of the Citie or Speaker in Parliament and shew good reason why he cannot conforme to Minister by such and such a ministerial mode But his ministry as to
Jerubbaal Justified Or A Plain REBUKE OF THE High pretended humble Remonstrance and Plea against Mr. Crofton HIS Reformation not Separation OR A Plea for Communion with the Church under those Corruptions and by that disorderly Ministration to which he cannot Conform nor by it Administer DEMONSTRATING T. P. alias D. his grosse mistakes of Mr. Crofton his Principle and Argument as also the fallacie and vanity of his pleaded necessity for his confessed separation from publique Assemblies which is found insufficient to acquit him of Schisme To which is added A Position disputing the lawfulnesse of Ministers receiving an imposed Liturgy LONDON Printed in the Year 1663. TO THE PIOUS AFFECTIONATE READER Christian Reader SHake off prejudice abate affection give place to judgement let not the Christian destroy the man nor grace captivating Reasons dictates dethrone the rational power understand the object before you embrace or refuse it know well the nature of the Act before you do or decline it prove hold fast or reject Censures are easie and common but when groundless they become Calumnies and retort with sadness on the Censurers head leaving him under the guilt of false judging calling good evil and evil good condemning the just and clouding the testimony to the truth robbing God of the honour and truth of the strength of his Servants Martyrdom Reformation The perfection of reformation is the work the contest of our land and age I must bear many witness they have a zeal but not according to knowledge their affections flye after that which for want of knowledge they do not will not regularly follow we easily hear what they would have and what is taken from them but cannot make them hear how they must have it and how they must wait in their places until they can have it and recover what is removed Reformation hath ever failed between Sylla and Charibdis and in these last days been most sadly battered and is almost split on the Rocks of superstition and separation these Rocks are visible but the course to pass between them without dashing on either is dark and difficult and the Devil laboureth to dash us somtimes on the one somtimes on the other in one he acts like himself in the other like an Angel of light and those lights which should in this streight direct us are taken down and in this case did and do give so dim and uncertain light that it is a mirror of mercy that any escape Shipwrack what cause have we to prise any who herein advance themselves and shine brightly though thereby they expose themselves to the tempestuous assaults and boistrous blasts of men devoted to either extream Mr. Crofton as Luther contesting against the Pope and at the same time the Anabaptists for first degrees of Reformation and as Cartwright and others against Prelates and Separating Brownists for further degrees of Reformation hath exposed himself to and been afflicted by men of both extreams and not a little wounded in the house of his friends who are become his Enemies because he told them the truth many have censured calumniated him who cannot resist the wisdom and Spirit by which he hath spoken Yet rather then truth shall want contradiction or error scribe by silence Satan will find and stir up instruments among Gods Servants who shall sharpen the old weapons of most bitter enemies whereby to assault the assertors of truth and say something that simple souls may be deluded with a Mr. Crofton is answered though not one word is said to purpose nor one Argument urged by Mr. Crofton is at all answered If he be as I dare affirm he is a Son in Presbytery who hath lifted up the heel against his Father let me assure thee Mr. Crofton instead of adjudging him to Chams curse will pray he may dwell in the Tents of Shem he having discovered his own not any thing of his Fathers nakedness onely when it s said a Presbyter and Scotch Presbyter hath answered Mr. Croftons Plea against Separation and that by onely urging the old uncharitable Plea of the most rigid Separatists viz. God is not worshipped by the Liturgy the Ministration by the Liturgy is poyson express poison and to attend Gods Worship ministred by the Liturgy is to go back into Egypt we cannot but say tell it not in Gath publish it not in Askelon but if it must be heard abroad let it be known it is a young Presbyter not overladen with seriousness in consideration clearness of apprehension or stayedness of resolution and in this case of great concernment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in his general nature a Scotch Remonstrator the men of which name made by a breach of order in Discipline onely such a Schism in the Scotch Kirkes which was not cemented until confusion brake in upon them Reader read with freedom what this Remonstrator hath written onely with it compare Mr. Croftons Plea thou wilt see his mistake of the Question Mr. Crofton and his Argument is so manifest that in all he hath said he hath said nothing to what he pretendeth to have spoken nor wilt thou need the fescue of a learned pen to point thee in the reading thereof I have taken the opportunity of saying something by way of reply to his pretended Answer more for the sake of truth and thee then of the Author whose conviction I cannot but desire that I might something more fully and distinctly explain the case in controversie now among us and those principles on which Mr. Crofton doth determine it and direct himself and others I have so fully known this good man his principles and practise that I can with confidence and could not but in duty to Truth speak out the same Had Mr. Crofton been in health thou mightest have had these things more acute exact and polite but their plainness may be thine advantage and it is verity not victory is by me pursued I beg of thee to read without prejudice and judge without passion I doubt not but thou wilt then give glory to God and see the way in which thou must walk for if thou canst but once convince thy self that modification of Gods worship is the personal act of the Minister and so all defects and disorder therein is his personal sin and that attendance on Gods Worship is thy direct act and positive duty this or that Ministerial mode is to thee an accident put upon thee by the Minister who ministreth thereby and that to stumble at this or that because humane which God hath determined and the nature of the thing doth direct to be humane is a very great vanity thou wilt see cause to dismiss thy scruples and to do in Conscience what carnal policy and self interest poor reasons below a Christian viz. fear of a Penal Law or desire to hear a good Sermon will allow thee in but can never make lawful to thee Farewel Least the Remonstrator and his over-affectionate Adherents should say I have in the ensuing
Tract stated the Question in coutroversie otherwise then it is stated in Mr. Croftons Reformation not Separation the false-hood of which is manifest from the whole scope of that Book I have thought it convenient to transcribe such sentences in that Book which contain the Hinge and Crysis of this Caâ—e of Conscience which thou mayst take as followeth Title Pag MR Croftons Plea for Communion with the Church under those corruptions and by that disorderly Ministration to which he cannot conform nor by it administer Epistle to the Reader We must either withdraw from the Prayers and publique worship of God in this Church or attend it by this disguised Ministeral mode and order In the Book pa. 2 In the use hereof I must of necessity attend that order of administration against which I have publiquely witnessed Page 3. My resolution to attend those corrupt Administrations and that disorderly Service of God until God please to bring me forth and make me drink the water of the Sanctuary in purer Vessels Page 6. At present I have no choise if I will attend Gods solemn publique worship I must do it in this place and Order or not at all Page 16. Will any object the prophaness of the Ministers the rudeness and disorder of Ministration we yeild it is too visible but more vile administrators and irregular administrations cannot be then were the Sons of Eli in their service Specifying extrinsecal corruptions which do not vitiate the Subject Mr. Crofton in our Caese mentioneth these Pa. 21 22. Rude unsuitabe Ministerial Method and Order which is the Vessel and onely instrument of conveyance of Administration Our imposed Method disorderly Method of Prayer under all which Gods Ordinances abide a subject compleat truely and formerly Existent and distinct from these superadded corruptions operative unto Salvation and therefore must not be declined or disowned Page 24. The Administrations of Gods Worship among us is indeed nauceous but not void and venemous our waters are bitter and pudled but not poysonous to be plain under all our corruptions we must not we cannot we dare not deny the matter and essential form of Gods Ordinances and worship is continued to us Pag. 25. I confess their Common-Prayer is my burden by reason of its defects and disorder and the rudeness of the Ministerial Method c. yet I find in it no matter to which a sober serious Christian may not say Amen and though I distast the ministerial Method I cannot disown the Essential form of Prayer Pag. 26. My good friend is their no difference between a calling on the onely true God in the name of Christ though in a defective rude confused unfitting order and praying unto Saints and dumb Idols between the disorderly Administration of the worship for matter and form Gods own appointment and the Ordinance nullifying administration in an unknown tongue so long as we enjoy in her the matter and essential form of Gods Worship and Ordinances though in an Humane Unfit Corrupt Ministerial Method and Order with some vain and needless appendents of humane invention we are not without confidence of Gods presence and a possibility of salvation we therefore are without a sufficient ground for separation or non-communion Pag. 35. With all peaceable submission embrace such degrees of Reformation of the extrinsecal Order and Ministerial Method of Gods Worship enjoying the substance in the essential form thereof Pag. 36. Shall we not acknowledge Gods mercy in affording us and humbly use the substance of his own worship celebrated in a disorderly way and Method Pag. 37. I must profess to all that fear God I see no sufficient cause to satisfie my conscience or to plead before my God on which to refuse communion with her the Church and attendance on Gods solemn publique Worship under her rude ministerial method for that duty is not warrantably superseded by another mans iniquity Pag 40. I confess the ministerial order and method of publique worship and prayer is purely humane within the power of the Ministers thereof and so indifferent it ought not to be prescribed and imposed Pag. 41. This is not my Case and Question but whether solemn publique worship my positive duty c. which cannot by reason of my confinement be enjoyed without my attendance on that irregular unsuitable method and confused order may be warrantably superseded c. Page 42. The ministerial method of Gods Ordinances is charged on the Ministers not on the members of the Churches Page 49. I fear to be charged with the omission of Gods publique worship celebrated in Christs Church though with extrinsecal corruption and in a rude ministerial Order which ought to be reformed Page 69. The ministerial mode imposed and sinfully received by such who subjugate their Ministry not vitiating the subject nor nullifying the Ordinances of God will not warrant my non-attendance on them Christian Reader Impartially judge upon these passages whether Mr. Crofton doth not clearly distinguish between Gods Worship substantially existing in matter and essential form and the humane ministerial mode by which it is exhibited in and to the Church and so he hath fixed the Hinge and Crysis of this controversie on this Notion viz. The defect and disorder of the Ministerial Mode is not to the Members of the Church a sufficient ground for non communion in Gods Worship fully formally existing by it whilst the Remonstrator hath not discerned this he hath fought with his own Fancy in his pretended Answer to Mr. Crofton Jerubbaall Justified OR A Plain rebuke to the High pretended humble Remonstrance and Plea against Mr. Croftons Reformation not Separation Worthy Sir YOurs the 12. instant I received and with it a Book entituled Jerubbaal or the Pleader impleaded which pretendeth to answer Mr. Crofton's Reformation not Separation in good time sir hath Mr. Crofton's papers past nine Months in private from hand to hand and four Moneths in publique in the world and now answered if it be to purpose and truth be beaten out it is well I will say better late then never I have not sir Communicated the Book to Mr. Crofton as you do desire his late sickness not yet recovered hâ—th discapacitated him for such work but I have read this humble Remonstrance and find in it a Spirit sufficiently high I shall adventure to give you and if you please the world my thoughts concerning this impleading Plea against Mr. Crofton's Plea for communion with the Church under those corruptions and by that disorderly Ministration to which he cannot conform nor by it Administer And truly Sir This Book maketh a great cry but yieldeth little wool it may serve the simple whose good affections to purity lead their judgement not only from but against duty to make a noise Mr. Crofton is answered but the Iudicious Reader will soon see there is in it vox preterea nihill and that Mr. Crofton is as far from being answered as he was before This Author having passed his Mindus
like part built on his own Judgement of the expediency of it it is reason he enjoy Page 15. his fancy in his own fabrick he abruptly assaults Mr. Crofton on the most gross and manifest mistake of the man the natur of his Book and the form and force of his Argument which could possibly befall and misguide any Antagonist whatsoever Sir This Gentleman mistaketh Mr. Crofton and the generall nature of his book he accounteth and that with more then ordinary heat and confidence Mr. Crofton the Mecaenas and Advocate of the Liturgy and Common prayer book and an accuser of the bretheren he apprehendeth Mr. Crofton's Reformation Pa. 14. 30. not separation to be a Plea for the Liturgy and an Indictment or accusation of the Saints cujus contrarium verum est how just sober or warrantable those his apprehensions are let all impartiall unprejudiced men judge Mr. Crofton an Advocate for the English Liturgy who can have the face to say it How will that appear hath he not preached and written against it did he ever retract doth he conform to it or consent to read it was not his known opposition to it apprehended to be the cause of his vexations and bonds he met with in Staffordshire in his late Travells can envy it self oppose Mr. Crofton to Mr. Crofton his enemies being Judges never was any man more square and stable to himsell then is Mr. Crofton these things do indeed give cause to call him Jerubbaal and make it suspicious he is the Gideon who threw down the Altar if the Liturgy must be so accounted of Baall on what ground could this pretender to reason and religion cry Mr. Crofton is the Mecaenas and Advocate for the Liturgy hath not Mr. Crofton's Contests actings and sufferings manifested him a Monument of Gods Grace and Truth and Sectarian rage and falsehood will men needs reproach him with that which none hath as he resisted Oh Sir Mr. Crofton hath pleaded for Communion in the Liturgy It is false sir he hath pleaded no such thing his Plea is for Communion with Gods Church in Gods Ordinances and worship though Administred by the Liturgy and that onely in case of necessity when we cannot otherwise enjoy solemn publique worship it is one thing to commnnicate in the Liturgie simply and abstractedly considered this supposeth an assent unto it and a personall acting in and by it as a Liturgy for this Mr. Crofton hath never yet spoken one word It is another thing to communicate in and Religiously attend Gods Worship Administred by the Liturgy in which the Liturgy is no more but the vehiculum instrument of conveyance and humane Ministration the formality of Mr. Crofton's Plea is this the Liturgie is a rude and disorderly Ministration an evil which ought to be abolished by which he cannot Administer but it is not an evil of that nature to visiate the Subject nullify and destroy Gods worship and so warrant the peoples withdrawing from that because of this Vulgus non distinguit that the over zealous vulgar should account this a Plea for Communion in the Liturgy is no wonder whilst a man of learning doth it with all confidence is a withstanding of an inserence which the premisses will not allow a justification of the premisses as true and good cannot a man plead men must in case of need drink water in unclean vessels or affirm Citizens must not loose all for want of asking by the rude dialect of their Recorder but he must be concluded the Mecaenas of Barbarisime and nonsence and Advocate for the Queen of Sluts may not Mr. Crofton deny such disorder to be a sufficient ground for Secession from Gods worship but he must needs be the defender of that disorder According to this sober Logick is Mr. Crofton tauntingly represented the accuser of the brethren and his Book branded as an Indictment against the Saints what cause is there for this high charge whom when where and whereof hath Mr. Crofton accused This Author calls him his accuser he shall do well to put him to shame by telling the world whereof Mr. Crofton accused him Mr. Crofton doth in his book suggest groundlesse unwarantable Secossion Page 29. from voluntary non-communion in Gods worship is a private or negative Separation the first act towards a positive and totall Sepeparation but is this to accuse the bretheren cannot a Minister suggest the sinful nature of an act but he must be arraigned as an Accuser of the bretheren oh Charity oh Sobriety Sir Who readeth Mr. Croftons book and seeth not that it is so far from an Indictment or Accusation of others that it is a sober serious and necessary Apology for himself and his own practice most groundlesly unchristianly and incharitably accused by others and those some of the bretheren who never administred or attempted to reprove the things whereof they did accuse him in his whole Conflicts for Reformation he had protested he could communicate in Gods worship under that order by which he could not adminester comming to practice his principles what Calumnies what Censures did accuse him of defection and Apostacy and constrain these Letters by way of Apology for himself And this thus extorted by false accusations is most falsely accused to be an accusation of the brethren Oh! Charity Oh Sobriety Sir We cannot expect he should rightly take up Mr. Crofton's Argument who hath so grossely mistaken himself and the generall nature of his work let me observe to you his mistake in the very form and so in the force of what he is pleased humbly to tearm Mr. Croftons Doome Argument Page 15. Having passed his many needless distinctions he professeth himself a negative and partiall Sepatist he is best see to his Warrant least being loosed from the Harbour he be driven he knows not whither I am glad he disavoweth Positive Separation gathering a select Company into a Corner some who shreudly guess who this Author is think they durst presume to charge him as peccant in this respect but sure I am Mr. Crofton and other good men are no little grieved to observe some Presbyters not only absent from publique assemblies but also celebrate the Lords day by preaching and Ministration of the Lords supper to a select Company in private as if they were designed to verefie that Independant Calumny Presbiterated Churches are gathered Churches His Separation stated this Antagonist assaults Mr. Crofton's Considerations that he might fence with better successe he forceth the chief of them into this syllogisme according to his own fancy not Mr. Croftons Argument Communion with the Church visible in all acts of solemn Publique worship is an essential part of the Sanctification of the Sabbath or Lords day and indispensable Duty of every particular Pa. 15. 16. Christian to be onely superseded by an inevitable necessity c. This is indeed Mr. Crofton's proposition on which this man doth assume as that which he saith must be the assumption and accordingly
stateth the Conclusion But Communion with the Church of England in her Liturgy or Common-Prayer called Divine Service is Communion with the Church visible in solemn publique Worship ERGO Communion with the Church of England in her Liturgy or Common-Prayer is an essentiall part of the Sanctification of the Sabbath or Lords day and indispensable duty c. Sir this Argument thus framed is a monstrous Argnment especially to come from Mr. Crofton they that ever heard him preach read his writings know his person principles or practice can believe him such a Mecaenas and Advocate for the English Liturgy and Common-Prayer-Book as to assent and conclude Communion in it to be an Essential part of the Sanctification of the Sabbath So as that the Sabbath or Lords day cannot be sanctified where the Service-book is not attended assented to and acted in But Sir What ground or reason in Mr. Crofton's Plea hath this Antagonist which necessitateth this Assumption and Conclusion as that which he tells us mnst be Mr. Crofton's Book is an Epistle to a Friend his Argument is not therefore logically formed but very legible in the Connexion and scope of his discourse but this Author doth not in his book or Margin cite or refer his Reader to one single sentence or word on which he bottometh this assumption and conclusion as that which must be he indeed hath Page 22. confidence enough to affirm Mr. Crofton saith the Liturgy or Common-Prayer is an act of solemn publique worship but doth not tell us where he saith it and I am sure I have read all that he hath written and I never found that he said it I must say Sir they say so of this humble Remonstrator though spoken with so high considence is not a sufficient ground for credit the rather because the question Mr. Crofton did discusse and was to bring into conclusion was not whether Communion in the Liturgy or Common-Prayer-Book was an essential part of the sanctification of the Sabboth Truly sir Mr. Crofton hath disputed fairly if onely this Antagonist can find his sillogysme conclude what never came into his question his logick hath lately failed him very much Sir sure I am whosoever shall read and regard the scope of what Mr. Crofton hath written on this Argument shall find another assumption and conclusion then what the zeal and prejudice of this Remonstrator hath assumed and concluded the true state and form of Mr. Crofton's Sillogisme is manifest to be this Communion with the Church visible in Gods solemn publique worship is an essential part of the sanctification of the Sabbath and indispensable duty But Communion with the English Church in the worship by her celebrated is Communion with the Church visible in Gods solemn publique worship ERGO Communion with the English Church having no opportunity with any other in the worship of her Celebrated is to me an essential part of the sanctification of the Sabbath and indispensable duty This Argument Sir is far from assuming and concluding the Communion in the Liturgy is an essentiall part of the sanctification of the Sabbath and indispensable duty and that the worship celebrated in the English Church must be the Subject predicated in the assumption of Mr. Crofton's Argument is manifest to every one who observeth these passages in his amplifying the consideration which containeth this Argument 1 Communion with the English Church in the worship by her celebrated notwithstanding the defects and disorders in Ministration thereof was the question Mr. Crofton did dispute and must bring into his conclusion 2. He saith to his friend you yet enjoy a liberty of worshiping God in due and right order and may drink the waters of the sanctuary in clean vessels i. e. VVithout the Liturgy its Rites and order it is manifest this he intended long may you enjoy Reformation not Seperation it and if God take pleasure in me he will in due time restore me to it Sr. is it likely Mr. Crofton would assume and conclude the Liturgy is that solemn publick worship which is an essential Pag 6. part of the sanctification of the Sabbath and indispensable duty whilst he professeth he had sanctified the Sabbath and worshipped God without it and hoped for a restored liberty so to do again as a token of divine favour to him he acknowledgeth it to be his friends priviledge prayeth the continuance feareth the loss of it that he did enjoy a liberty to worship God in due and right order without the Liturgy he complaineth of of it as his affliction that he had no choice but was under a necessity of attending Gods worship in this order Ministred or he must enjoy no solemn publick worship of God Sr. all men must confess those things will not square with an argument that shall conclude Communion in the Liturgy is an essential part of the sanctification of the Sabbath c. but they are exactly square with an Argument for Communion with the Church in Gods woship there celebrated though Ministred with rudness and disorder 3. Mr. Crofton as a conscientious Christian and serious Casuist having concluded Communion in Gods worship was his indispensable duty in the general enquireth what specialty might become a moral bar and warrantable supersedeas to the Reformation not Separation same hereupon he considereth what is pleaded by the Separatists who abound among us and among other things the Liturgie by which Gods worship was ministred in and to the Church admitting the defects disorders and corruption Pag. 25. charged on the same he concludeth they are great and evil but not an evil of that nature and quality as to constitute a sufficient bar to Communion in Gods worship ministred by the same Sr. it is manifest the worship concluded by Mr. Croftons argument and the scope of his whole discourse on this consideration is distinct from though ministred by the Liturgie and that this is considered as a moral bar or warrantable supersedeas to that but is found insufficient Sr. our Antagonist having thus mistaken and misformed Mr. Croftons argument must needs be concluded to fight with the fancies of his own prejudice and so I might dismiss him but Sr. I seek verity not victory and would if possible he may see his mistake more plainly upon the whole case of this Controvercy in wich Mr. Croftons conflict is the more uncomfortable because single and failed by those whose place and duty oblige them to his succour but the Conquest is most certain to him fighting for the truth against all extreams for vincit veritas I would therefore direct a word to this Remonstrator and tell him in his ear if instead of those many needless and some groundless distinctions he hath multiplied he had well weighed and closely pursued the Criticismes in this case stated by Mr. Crofton he had saved this labour or written with better success and more satisfaction to his Reader if he will not be offended I will note unto him
without sin and must therefore be shunned These distinctions most humbly slighted I wonder at that this Remonstrator should flie out so high as to cry out Mr. Page 24. Croftons instances of stinking fish pudled water and unclean vessels yield not the least satisfaction to me for it is evident to any impartial Reader his prejudice never suffered him to finde the form and therefore he could not feel the force of the argument for if the Liturgie be but a vessel though unclean this argument extrinsecal corruptions being consistent with Gods true worship will not warrant a secession or negative separation appeareth very cogent and is well amplified by the instance of pudled water or an unclean vessel Sr. These distinctions being not more manifest in themselves and to be used by Mr. Crofton in the plea which this Antagonist doth implead then to be Crisis of this Controversie the the hinge on which this great case of conscience doth turn I will presume on my friend so far as to present you with some short and plain Aphorisms concerning Gods worship and his peoples communion you may if you please call them Mr. Croftons Creed concerning communion with Gods Church I cannot but commend them to the observation of Gods people consideration of Gods Ministers as those which few sober men will deny to be true and being well understood would readily direct a godly mans course in the hour of temptation which is come upon us 1. The Church Catholick visible distributed through necessity and good order to particular Assemblies must sanctifie the Lords day by an holy Convocation 2. The Congregation of perticular Christians convened in full and open joynt Assembles to celebrate Gods solemn worship is the formality of an holy Convocation in which every particular Christian must make conscience to be present and continue from the beginning to the end of the ministration of Gods worship they must assemble on the sound of the silver trumpets and not depart without the Priests blessing 3. The worship celebrated in the holy Convocation for the matter and essential form by which it substantially existeth must he determined by the Lord and by him alone all other matter though in a form by God directed or the matter without the form by him appointed is supperstition to be avoided a dogs-head or Swines blood offered by a lawful Priest and with Levitical Rights and Incense in the hands of Chora Dathan and Abiram or a Lamb and Bullock offered by the lawest of the people at Dan and Bethel are eqully abominable to the Lord Baptisme by fire in the name of Father Son and holy Ghost or by water in the name of God the Father and time the Mother of all things is equally void and vile no worship of God 4. All worship of mens invention superadded to Gods apointment must be avoided abandoned by every of Gods people but Gods worship substantially existing with the same must not be disowned or declined the mountains of Israel the Temple must be frequented devoutly resorted unto though the high places be on the one and the Image of jealousy be in the other these superadded evils provoke God but the Simbolls of his presence continued bind his people to due and constant attendance the Crosse in Baptisme is to be if possible avoided but Baptisme formally existing must not be disowned declined because the other is superadded 5 Gods worship celebrated by and among men must be ministred and exist in an and by an humane mode and dresse suitable to and so fit to edefie such a Creature and society Gods word and Sacraments his peoples prayers must be ministred in and by modes methods words and actions invented by the minde expressed by the tongue and performed by the hands of men 6. The humane mode and dresse words and phrases by which Gods worship must exist and be ministred in and to the Church is not determined by the Lord but wholly left to the wisdom and faithfulnesse of them who minister the same hence it comes to pass that the substance of Gods worship continueth the same in respect of matter and essential form by and under various ministerial humane modes Gods word is preached though some times one way and sometimes another the Sacraments are formally administred prayers are truly made and the one and the other is Gods Ordinance the same unto all subjected to it though the ministration thereof doth varie according to the various Gifts of the administrator 7. The humane Ministerial modification of Gods Ordinances in and to the Church is the formall act of the Ministeriall Office to be fulfilled and performed by the Ministerial guifts the personall abilities of every individuall Minister who is guifted of God and ordained by the Church for that purpose Gospel Ministry is an office in Gods Church authorizing enabling its subjects not to institute any new worship for matter or forme but to Minister the worship appointed by the Lord in an humane mode and order such as may edefie the Church the matter is the determination of God the Ministeriall mode is the digestion of the man invested with an office to that purpose the word and the preaching of it is appointed by God the mode and tearms in which it is preached to reproof instruction or correction is the work of the officer ordained to preach he is guifted and authorized to dicotomize divide the word aright the case is the same in Sacraments Prayer Censures all which must exist in and too the Church by the Ministerial mode and order words and expressions in which the Minister entrusted with them doth exhibit the same to them herein each Minister must employ his Cinisterial guifts his personal abilities this is the service he must do to God and his Church he is a steward of the Misteries of God to distribute his masters Goods with the utmost of his skill and faithfulnesse dicotomization of Gods word modification of Gods worship is the work in and by which he must approve himself a werkman which needeth not to be ashamed in this he cannot without sloath and porfidie assume another mans mode or suffer himself to be imposed upon so as to vail his own received guifts and to administer by the modes and formes digested and composed by others 8. The ministerial mode and order of Gods worship being wholy humane determined by mens Wisdom and faithfulnesse it is and cannot but be subject to much great corruption in defect disorder rudenesse irreverence in expressions some Ministers are rash and inconsiderate unaffected with the Majesty of God to whom they approach in whose stead they stand in and to his Church unacquainted with the nature of the ordinance to be administred by him and the quality of the Church in and to which he doth minister which things are the only dictators of that mode by which they minister there are many times rude preposterous rash irreverent full it may be of nonsence and cautologies
in the modes by which he doth minister some are proud and curious and in their carnal policy compell an vniformity in ministerial mode not necessary yea sinfull restraining ministeriall guifts and the Churches profit by their variety these pretend to correct some mens rudenesse and irreverence by imposing their own prescribed composed formes and modes of ministration to the open violence and almost subvertion of the office of the Ministry these again met with men of sloathfull or slavish spirits who are idle and neglect their own ministerial guifts whilst others on pretence to peace and obedience to superiors do admit them the formes composed by others betraying the office they have received from the Lord no wonder to find defects and disorders in the ministerial mode of Gods worship whilst the same is wholly dependent on men of weaknesse subject to folly and infidelity the best of men and Ministers need a Priest to make attonen ent for their holy things 6. The guilt of all defect and disorder in the humane ministerial mode of Gods worship is immediately properly and directly personal charged on the Minister and on him alone not on the Church or any the members thereof The guilt is proportioned to the duty modification is a personal duty charged on the officer appointed to that office this guilt may indeed as other sins by accident be derived to the Governours of the Church who should but do not set up and ordain men to the Ministry and suspend and put down such who want ability well and rightly to modifie and minister Gods worship and Ordinances and to the peo ple and individual members when they observing defects and disorders in the Ministerial mode of worship donot grieve for the sin of others and complain of it as burdensom to themselves and in liberty of choice if they do not choose better but sit contentedly under the same Eli by the first brought on himselfe the sin of his sons prophane ministration and the God-fearing Israelites delivered themselves by the last but there is no common reason which can derive the sin of rude Ministration on the people 10. All defects disorders rude and impertinent expressions in the hnmane ministerial mode of Gods worship are corruptions circumstantiall and extrinseal in and by which Gods worship may substantially exist in matter and essential form capable of operation to its appointed end The Scriptures are read though in parts and parcels and in a corrupt imperfect translation all which are evil and abate the efficacy to edification but are not such evil on which we may conclude the Seriptures are not read or cannot edifie the hearers the word is preached and may profit the hearer though the Sermon be raw rude indigested immethodical and in wild and unfit expressions Prayer is presented to God though defective in some matter to be desired disorderly in the manner of expressions uttered with abruptions abreviations pauses and postings one again None of these evils do vitiate the subject or alter the matter or essential form of Gods Ordinance so as to destroy the substance these make Gods worship not so serious grave and reverend as it should be but these notwithstanding it doth truly fully formally exist Gods worship the third not second Commandement is hereby broken God's name is truly but not rightly used he is truly worshipped but thâ—se adjunct qualities which should attend his worship are wanting the want of reverence and right order in the ministration of his Ordinance doth provoke God but will not conclude he is not at all worshipped 11. Defects disorders and corruptions in the ministerial mode of Gods Ordinances fixed continued and reiterated are more sinful and offensive to God and his people then those which are present and transient but both these are sins of one and the same nature and quality and of equal influence on Gods worship ministred by the same Corruptions fixed and reiterated are more wicked because more deliberately and wilfully used more offensive to Gods people because foreknown like the rude ministrations of Elies sons they make the Lords people loath the offerings of the Lord but yet they enter not into Gods Ordinance so as to vitiate the same and make it cease to be his prayer is no lesse prayer when pronounced by the defective disordered forms which are fixed and reiterated then when expressed by the raw rude irreverent modes presently conceived by the Minister the last may be more excusable in the Minister and more comfortable to the people but prayer is as truly formally existent Gods worship under the first the fixed reiteration of a defective disordered ministerial mode of worship addeth to the degree but altereth not the nature and quality of the sinne 12. No defects or disorders in the humane ministeriall mode whether fixed and reiterated in and by imposed and prescribed forms or expressed in and by present transient conceived forms in and by which Gods worship doth substantially exist for matter and form his in and to his Church will warrant any Christians secession voluntary withdrawing from the holy Convocation or non-non-communion in Gods worship so ministred for these notwithstanding Gods worship doth truly fully formally exist capable of operation to its appointed end 2. This sin is purely personal chargeable on the Minister who standeth charged with the office of ministerial modification of Gods worship in and to the Church the people or particular members of the Church may and must passe on this as other personal acts a judgement of charity which doth direct them to grieve for the sin existent to complain of it and as they have opportunity to admonish the sinner though the sons of Eli of it and seek the correction and removal of the same but they have not of it any judicium publicum judgement of Office charged on them by the specialty of duty and armed with a just morall power of correction so as that the same should be the neglect of this publique duty become their sin and leave its guilt on their souls that Gods worship formally exist in every mode of ministration every Christian and member of the Church must judge and see for by this corruption the holy Convocation ceaseth and they worship not God but the mode it selfe is personally charged on the Minister the defect and disorder is an accident resulting from the sloth negligence ignorance weaknesse and unfaithfulnesse of the Minister and an adjunct separable from Gods worship existent by the same Sir I pray you take good notice of this that the private Christian and particular members of the Church have no publike judgement of office concerning the Ministerial mode of Gods worship for Sir it is a notion of much weight and use in this Case and it appeareth plainly true if the modifying of Gods worship be as it cannot be denyed to be the personal act of an Officer appointed to that end moreover Sir if the people have a publique judgement of the ministerial mode
unlawful constitution and God is not at all worshipped by it or in the use of it he therefore concludeth his crime is in not joyning in prayer in such a dress or form And Sir this sense maketh his words an assertion so horrid and uncharitable that he professing himself an Antisectarian I would if I had once ground to support my Charitie hope he did not intend it for Sir this is the old notion urged by the brain-sick Brownists and others repelled and reproved by the old non-Conformists Sir the truth is in this sense he must be understood or in none to this purpose and then be pleased to observe the height rather then strength of his Argument If the Liturgy be not Gods worship i. e. Gods worship be not celebrated by the modes and forms directed in the Liturgy it then followeth our first Reformers and Marian Martyrs rejoyced in and dyed under a mode of divine worship by which God could not be worshipped all our pious painful preachers ministred by and all the Christians in the time of Queen Elizabeth King James and most of the Reign of King CHARLES the First attended on a mode dress or form by which God was not worshipped all the Ministers who now minister in publick and all the people in England who now attend the same do minister by and attend a mode form and dress by which God is not worshipped and all who have been baptized or received the Lords Supper in and by the modes and forms directed in and by the Liturgy have been mocked and deceived and enjoyed no Sacraments and then Sir judg you whether England be not Paganized and the Independents have not reason to gather Churches in England Sir this man saith his charity must be onely judged by God sure I am he giveth men by such an assertion as this is little cause to think he hath much for a more notorious breach of charity cannot befal the most rigid Separatist the Church of England ever knew But Sir what reason doth this Remonstrator render why God is not worshipped by the Liturgy it is this the manner for the matter he yields and essential form he cannot deny of the worship the form and dress is humane we grant it Sir so is the mode and form of his studied Sermon and conceived Prayer will he be willing we should conclude God is not worshipped by them will he stand by it that the ministerial mode of worship is determined by the Lord in his Word if so a reading ministery may serve Gods Church for there is no need of other ministerial guifts I would advise him to recollect his thoughts and see whether he can deny that it is Gods will in condescention to mens weaknesse that the ministerial mode of his worship be determined digested by the wisdome and faithfulnesse of his Ministers gifted and appointed to that purpose Sir though the Liturgy is a mode of worship obnoxious to exception and unlawful yet it is only a ministerial mode whereby in reference to Prayer right matter is requested from the Lord in the Name of Christ and so Gods worship doth substantially exist for matter and essential form and he is worshipped by the same nor doth it at all vitiate Gods worship because it is in it self an humane mode and form for Gods worship cannot exist in and to the Church but by a ministerial mode and form humane invented digested by men And now Sir where is our Remonstrators inevitable necessity for non-communion in Gods worship ministred by the Liturgy Sir the imposing of this Liturgy may be in it self an evil but it doth not alter the nature of it but that God is as truly worshipped by it when imposed as when left at liberty and his worship is as fully formally though not so orderly ministred and existent in and to the Church by this as any other humane mode form and dresse whatsoever One thing more I must not pass without observation and that is this Antagonist saith I know Mr. Crofton doth attribute the essential form of Prayer to it pag. 25. which he describes to be a Page 39. calling upon God in the Name of Christ but if he understand not by the Name of Christ the will of Christ then I say it is not a right description of Prayer Sir I will assure him Mr. Crofton did not understand by the Name of Christ the will of Christ and yet I must tell him it is but one Doctors opinion that this is not a right description of Prayer he might have been pleased to observe in the same page Mr. Crofton determined the matter must be according to the will of God and the will of Christ doth require some adjunct qualities as gravity of expression fervency of affection and reverence in demeanour which come not into the definition of Prayer as essential to its form but in the Name of Christ that is for his sake merits and mediation cannot be left out Sir I now leave our Remonstrator on his Rack of doubting praying God may shew him mercy not doubting but whatever they be to him you see his doubts are not invincible to others for Mr. Crofton's argument stands yet firm viz. The worship of God existing for matter and essential form his own in substance though by the Liturgy a defective disordered unlawful mode may not be refused or declined this mode only by this reason because it is humane maketh not an inevitable necessity of communion or secession 2. Our Remonstrator cannot communicate in the Lords Supper under the present modes and methods of ministration in the Church of England and his ground is the imposed gesture of kneeling the superstition and corruption which attends it Sir What superstition and corruptions attend the ministration of the Lords Supper in which he must personally act so as to become guilty of the same I see not nor doth he specifie any the gesture of kneeling excepted that the ministerial mode of this Ordinance is disordered I can allow him but this as in other parts of publick worship is personal to the Minister and him onely there is a possibility of his composed reverend attendance on the Ordinance without any personal acting in those popular Responds and Conclamations which are directed to the people in and by the Liturgy As to the gesture of kneeling I do not find that Mr. Crofton doth speak one word for it or that he ever advised any to it I well know he doth not yield it nor approve it I have heard him say that If he be put by the Communion in the Lords Supper because he will not receive the Elements in that gesture he is barred from his duty and priviledge by an act of violence he is driven he doth not goe from Gods Ordinance It is Sir worth the enquiry whether this professed Separatist negative have tendered himself to Communion in the Lords Supper and tryed whether there were not a possibility of enjoying it without the gesture
how our worship superstitious our worship bad this cannot be admitted who is the object of it is it not God in Christ what is the matter of it it is not things instituted appointed by the Lord himself Word Prayer Sacraments what is the form which giveth the esse to it is it not what God determined that his Word be read preached that he be called upon in the Name of Christ for things according to his will that the symballs by him determined be given and received as significant sealing memorials of the death bodie and blood of Christ is not this the substance of the worship ministred in the English Church and much of it by the English Liturgy is this superstitious worship bad worship Had our Remonstrator said the Ministerial mode of Gods worship by the Liturgy had been bad disordered and not without some mixtures of superstition he had not had Mr Crofton for his Antagonist but this vitiateth not its subject entreth not into the worship so as to make it superstitious worship bad worship the worship hereby existeth truly fully formally Gods worship though not so comfortable not so profitable to Gods people as a better and more orderly mode for Ministration but this will not do his work his inevitable necessity faileth his separation appeareth sinfull a schisme unlesse he confound the worship and Ministerial mode so as to make the worship bad superstitious and not Gods worship Sir before we pass this part of our Remonstrators Answer I cannot but observe he is at a losse for what he pleads against he crieth What doth Mr. Crofton plead for Page 46 Alas man that should have been known before now and at the beginning of your Debate it might have saved you this labour and time What saith he Is it my presence in the Church at the time of Divine Service yes it is but not as his large Conscience can yield it in an Idol Temple at the Masse or Turkish Alchoran which I am sure Mr. Crofton or any good understanding Christian could not yield nor will his necessity to avoid poenal Lawes or to bear a good Sermon justifie his so doing no matter what Religion is publickly professed this man is secured from suffering for he to save his Estate can foot it with a Church-Papist to a Popish Masse or Protestant Service and if presence in the Idol Temple in the time of Idol Worship may be made the Character by a poenal Law you shall never know him for a Christian if this necessitie would have been sufficient we should have had a much shorter Catalogue of Martyrs both under Pagan and under Papal power then by Gods grace we have for our encouragement But Sir that he and others may certainly know what Mr Crofton pleadeth for I will tell him It is for this Christian careful carriage on Gods Sabbath It is a presence in the solemn publique Assembly from the first to the last of their approach to God out of Conscience to begin and end the holy Convocation A presence with a mind informed a judgment convinced that this Assembly is Gods Church in which Gods true Worship is truly celebrated A presence with an heart affected with and afflicted for the superadded Rites which are affixed to Gods Worship and the sinful defective disordered mode by which Gods Worship is ministred A presence with a Conscience convinced these Corruptions are evil but not so evil as to destroy Gods Worship but that the same doth even by this sinful mode exist truly formally Gods Worship so as to use Gods Ordinance with delight though grieved burdened by the disorder of the ministration A presence with a mind perswaded the modifying of Gods Worship is the personal duty of the Minister and so the defects and disorders therefore his personal sin so as that these may be the good mans burden being bound to mourn for other mens sin especially in what so much concerneth his own profit and edification but cannot be his sin who hath thereof no publique judgment by speciallity of Office A presence with a mind soberly vigilant over its own personal actings so as to decline all popular responds conclamations and variation of Gestures and the like actions which are unduly required from him so as to contain himself under such disorder in a composed silence A presence with a serious apprehension of God to whom the service is diâ—ected and the nature of the Worship ministred so as with reverence to attend the Word read and Prayers pronounced though in parts parcels with unfit intermixtures abruptions abreviations and pauses so as to sigh and speak out an affectionate Amen the whole the only vocal part of the people in publique Worship Sir this is the presence which Mr. Crofton pleadeth for as that which true Religion and good order doth require and direct whilst Christians cannot enjoy Gods Worship in communion with his Church by a ministerial mode more regular perfect and profitable digested by the personal abilities of each Ministrator Sir our Remonstrator proceedeth to another of Mr. Crofton's Considerations and that he accounted his second but in the order of Mr. Crofton's Book it is the third viz. Communion with the Church under many and great corruptions is not inconsistent with zeal care and contest for Reformation Page 46 47 48. What he saith to this is partly true That endeavours of Reformation are a duty that Connivance is an argument of Affection Communion an argument of Connivance the negative part of Reformation bindeth ad semper and the like all which Mr. Crofton hath asserted and amplyfied in his Plea nor doth he detract or deny them but these are generals in the application of which our Remonstrator followeth the mistake of the Question which hath misguided him throughout his whole Remonstrance Herein like an acute Disputant he correcteth Mr. Crofton's state of the Question and profoundly tells us Mr. Crofton Page 47. had done well to have stated the Question aright de ecclesia reformanda de ecclesia reformata Good Mr. Remonstrator may not ecclesia eadem be eodem tempora reformata reformanda what if a reformed Church relapse into some of tee same Corruptions which were solemnly expelled is she not ecclesia reformanda is there no cure for her but ruine and no carriage towards her but to relinquish and run from her doth the Crisis of the Question lye in her relapse and retrogradation in Reformation and into the same corruptions which had been solemnly expelled or in the quality and nature of the corruptions which are returned into her if her relapse be into extrinsecal circumstantial corruptions which notwithsâ—â—nding the substance of Gods Worship and salvability of Gods people is continued and secured is not the Question then plain Whether communion with her relapsed into such corruptions be not consistent with zeal care and contest for Reformation and who will deny that but if the relapse into intrinsecal and substantial corruptions which vitiate
the subject and destroy Gods Worship and the salvability of Gods people then indeed separation not only negative but positive is a duty But Sir I wish the Remonstrator may review Mr. Crofton's Plea and see that he doth consider the English Church reformed relapsed and to be reformed and pray he will consider relapse and retrâ—gradation is the aggravation of the Church's sin and provocation of Reformers zeal but the quale of the corruptions whether first introduced or after solemn expulsion returned into it is that which must direct and determine Communion or Separation But Sir no state of the Question doth nor indeed can be expected to suite his mis-guided zeal but what is square to his mistaken judgment he therefore here again câ—ieth out of Communion in Corruption Communion in the Liturgy and according to the uncharitable fancy of the old brain-sick Brownists and most rigid Separatists his Dialect is It is no Worship God is not Worshipped it is a going back into Egypt it is poyson I. will dye of famine rather then of poison and the like which is every where scattered up and down his Remonstrance To all this I know Mr. Crofton will grant to him Communion in the Corruptions Communion in the Liturgy is not consistent with endeavours for reformation But Sir herein lyeth the difference between Mr. Crofton and this Antagonist the one maketh corruptions the direct immediate object of Communion the other doth make Gods worship substantially for matter and forme only Ministred by such a corrupt mode and with such and such corrupt appendants conversant about it which enter not into it the object of Communion Mr. Crofton saith we must communicate in Gods worship hereby Ministred and the Remonstrator saith we do communicate in the coruÌ„ptions in the Liturgy Mr Crofton is so farre from pleading for Communion in the Liturgy that he saith Ministers cannot without sin use it for they are Judges and stand charged with the Ministerial mode of worship and non-ministration by it is the least Art of reformation nor doth he plead for or justifie the personal actings of the people in those popular Responds Read hâ—s Reformation not Separation Conclamations and groundlesse change of Gesture which is their part of Communion in it as a Liturgy nay so farre is Mr. Crofton fâ—om pressing Communion in the Liturgy that he maketh attendance on Gods worship ministred by the form of the result necessity and blameth the same in a case of choice or liberty to enjoy Gods worship in a more orderly and regular mode If Sir the Remonstrator will not take the question as it is stated the case of Conscience as it stands and came close to the crisis of the Controversie if he will not distinguish between his foode and the unclean vessel and ill-favored carving which doth transmit it to him if he will not differ between a necessity of feeding in such vessels on good wholsome food ill-favouredly carved and mangled or starving and a liberty and choice of a better and more orderly ministration he may be afraid of and all his dayes fight with his shadow for he fighteth not with Mr Crofton whose question is manifest in and through his whole booke to be about necessitated Communion in Gods worship in such an unfitting Ministerial mode Sir Mr Crofton would not have any reforming Christian goe back or retreat from the degree of Reformation they have attained but this is the case and private Christians duty the forum of the Church visible at least the particular to which they relate is changeable and changed yet confisteth of such who are true and lawfull though it may be not pious Ministers of the Gospell these are Judges and do assume by their office impose on the Church a Ministerial mode of Gods worship which is rude disorderly and was solemnely expelled the people and particular members do nauseate are burdened at this mode yet cannot deny Gods worship doth truly formally and salvably exist in and by it they have no publique Judgement of nor moral power to correct this mode may passively attend personally act their part in Gods publick worship without any personal acting in the Ministeriall mode must they in this case not keepe their places but recede from Communion and resolve to live without solemne publique worship not knowing how or where to have it better Ministred Sir I would intreat our Remonstrator to let his future discourse turne on the binge of the controversy or his answer will be rejected as a groundlesse and forced creaking not more unpleasant then unprofitable Our Remonstrator doth suggest somthing from the Oath called the Solemn League and Covenant of which he speaketh in such tearms as speak little of wit or honesty and lesse Scotch zeal as making for his fancy argumentum ad hominem at least Sir we all know that Oath is become a Noli meâ—tangere I must not plead for it but this I will tell you Mr. Crofton who hath reason having studied and disputed it and deeply suffered for it to understand that Oath will undertake to plead his principle as that to which that Oath doth oblige I will in his behalf note these three things considerable in this Case to which that Oath doth bind they are these 1. It obligeth to Reformation in Worship which supposeth worship doth fully and formally exist defiled with some extrinsecal corruptions which must be removed expelled but still the subject must be owned and secured not declined or refused whilst we conscientiously attend Worship we must carefully endeavour it may be as pure as it is true 2 This Reformation must be endeavoured in our places and Calling by lawfull meanes but the private capacity of particular members of the Church dispose them to endeavours by no means but what result from the Judgement of Charity viz. observing other mens sin they must grieve for it admonish even Elies sons to forbear it Complaine to God and superiors humbly petitioning a Reformation by their publique authority and in case of choice and liberty attending Gods worship ministred in a better Ministerial mode but in case of necessity rather then not attend Gods worship truly salvably existing their place doth binde them to attendance on it in this mode but with a greived burdened complaining supplicating spirit that this evill may be reformed bringing their offerings to the Lord whilst they loath and rebuke are greived for and complaine against the Prophane Ministration of the sons of Elie. 3. This Reformation must consist with reall sincere indeavours to extirpate schisme as well as superstition Mr Crofton hath well cautioned us that the Divell doth labour to reforme the one by running as upon the other sin but the grace of God keepeth Reformation not 〈…〉 us in an equal opposition to both Now unwarrantable secession from Gods worship this very Remonstrator grants is a separation and a sin and although it be but negative and Pâ—ge 46. partial yet it hath