vessel doth quench the thirst and these are either some matter superadded not intermingled with or destructive to Gods Ordinances such as were the high places posts by Gods posts thresholds by his thresholds Altar by his Altar in Israel unto the very Image of Jealousie set up in Gods house which yet remained his and as such was continued preserved and acknowledged The Lord Jesus found the Temple his Fathers house of Prayer though made a Den of theeves and such is our Crosse in Baptism though seemingly sacramental yet distinct from Gods imitating Seal of the Covenant and such is a Roman linnen vesture in ministration of Gods worship by a lawfull Minister or some corrupt rude and unsutable ministerial method and order which is the vessel and only instrument of conveiance though unclean of administration such was the violent and unfitting snatching of the Priests part of the Sacrifice by the sons of Eli the confused acclamations of the Church of Corinth speaking all at once different matters in different tongues and our imposed method disorderly method of publick Prayer by Versicles Responds abruptions abreviations and popular acclamations with artificial singing by boyes and base fellows thereunto appointed under all which Gods Ordinances abide a subject compleat truly and formerly existent and distinct from these superadded corruptions operative unto salvation and therefore may not be declined or disowned Corruptions intrinsecal are indeed such as do not only warrant but necessitate non-communion yea separation of the highest nature as a duty indispensable In sence hereof all those in Israel who feared God and set their hearts to seek the Lord prayed for and according to divine directions departed from Dan and Bersheba forsook the solemn Assemblies Jeroboam had constituted and followed the Tribe of Levi Gods only Ministers unto Jerusalem Gods only place of publick solemn worship and our Saviour resolved the woman of Samaria her enquiry concerning the place of worship with a ye know not what ye worship for salvation is of the Jews This is the very ground of the Reformed Churches departure and non-communion with Rome who though she be by original constitution the Temple of God is become the very seat of Antichrist and by the same so vitiated that her Ministrations are the cup of abomination by which she hath made the Nations drunk having by her intercessions of and to Saints the Popes infallibility divine power and properties and by her expiatory Sacrifices disowned and nullified as much as in her lieth Christs mediatory offices and by dividing the elements destroying the outward signe essential to a Sacrament and on a fancied transubstanciation turning it into a Sacrifice for quick and dead nullified Christs Ordinances and by many other intrinsecal evils poysoned Gods whole worship and rendred it directly destructive to salvation and is therefore presented to us under the Appellation Babylon in the very abstract spiritual Sodom and Egypt and so the object of our departure advised with a lest ye partake of her sins which were and are so universally diffused and hath so farre vitiated the subject that a guilt will be contracted by meer Communion Corruptions extrinsecal may Extrinsecal corruptions warrant no separation and must grieve the spirits of Gods people occasion their loud complaints his Ministers most zealous reproofs and the studâ—ous endeavours of all to prevent and remove them because scandals to the Church prejudicial though not directly destructive to salvation dishonourable to Religion and the God whose prerogative it is to prescribe every pin and the very snuffers to be used in his House 1 King 11 3â— and is therefore highly displeasing to God provoking him to rend a Kingdom from the house of David to loath and at least to leave his holy place and remove his Candlestick from such as will not fear him in the simplicity of his own institutions without the vain and needlesse Appendants of their own inventions But yet these cannot warrant separation or voluntary non-communion because the Church abideth related to God as his Spouse his worship and Ordinances remain for matter and essential form entire and exactly his own notwithstanding the concomitancy of some super-added matter or the unfit ministerial method and order by which they are dispensed and Gods presence is to them continued though with a grieved striving spirit threatning his departure and thereby we are under a possibility of salvation though engaged to more care and industry this was the case of the Prophets our Saviour and his Disciples the Church of the Jews and Primitive Christians under the many parallel yea transcending to ours corruptions before mentioned without any prescript or practice of Separation or Non-Communion Christian Friend it is too evident That many and great Corruptions are to our sin and shame retained The Case of England under corruption and to the aggravation thereof with an high hand and defiance of the God of Jealousie returned after a Solemn and Sacred Expulsion into our Church but yet they are extrinsecal and not of the substance of Gods Worship which for Matter and essential Form remaineth entire and properly his own though not so acceptable under as well as without them and will not therefore warrant my Separation or Non-Communion so far as to lie at Home or loyter in the Church-yard until the Common-Prayer whereby God is truly though not orderly invocated and worshipped wherein I as a Member of that Church am interested and unto which as it is Publick Solemn Prayer though in an unsutable Method my Amen is an indispensable Duty being ended The Administrations of Gods Worship among us are indeed nauseous and unhealthful but not void or venemous our waters are bitter and pudled but not poysonous our Pastures are trodden down and the proud of the Flock do push us with Horn Ezek. 34.18 19 20 21. and with Hoof but we are not yet driven out of Christs Fold not dare not we say our Pasture is quite taken from us 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 though some superstitious Rites are unto them annexed which are apparent Appendants redundant to and separable from and not vitiating destructive or annihilating to their Subject and are therefore pretended and professed by the Canons appropriated to this Church to be Acts of Order and Ornament rather than of Worship and Adoration to God and they are such wherein the people are generally passive not active Baptism is fully and formally Gods Ordinance though the Cross be needlesly and superstitiously added thereunto and the Parent by virtue of whose interest in Gods Covenant the Child receiveth the Seal is unjustly excluded and a deputation of Godfathers and Godmothers is groundlesly imposed The Word of God is not excluded though now and then a piece of Apocripha is unwarrantably read in the publick Assembly nor doth it cease to be
And being deeply sensible of the sad doom denounced against such as administer Offence to any of Christs little ones Mat 18.6 and the great damage and danger of a groundless offence choaking the joy and curbing the duty of such as take it 〈◊〉 who have for more then six moneths been buried alive do conceive a duty and necessity incumbent upon me to appear and by such utensils as a close and severe imprisonment will afford to speak for my self in the cause of God and his Church charged on my weak hands in reference to an act which Conscience doth constrain me to pursue and or obtained liberty to attend In which I discern some ready to insult whilest others soon scandalized beyond what the nature thereof may occasion to the one or the other for God whom I serve in the Spirit is my witness I would give no offence neither to the Jew nor to the Greek nor to the Church of God The case is this SIr John Robinson the Lieutenant of the Tower did of his own accord not at that time though often before moved to it by or from me on Fryday the thirteenth instant send me word by my Keeper That I should have liberty to go to Church and enjoy the Solemn Assembly and Publique Worship of God celebrated within this place the which on second thoughts he hath remanded in the use hereof I must of necessity attend that Order of Administration against which I have publiquely witnessed as that which is Corrupt and Superstitious yet conscience of duty doth compel me to receive and use this liberty when I can obtain it as a mercy from God and favour from men the which I have often prayed for and desired Hereupon I apprehend a clamour is sent abroad that Mr. Crofton is present at and attends unto the reading of the Service-Book in which some boast beyond measure as having gained a Proselyte whilest others stumble as if I started from the truth and work of Reformation and testimony which through Gods grace I have given thereunto My good Friend you must know this clamour is as to the fact as yet false the liberty being not yet obtained but I confined to my Solitary Sabbaths wherein I hope I can profess I am not alone because the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is with me But indeed I must confess it true in the fieri my desire intention and endeavour to procure this liberty so soon as I can and my resolution to attend those corrupt Administrations and this disorderly service of God until God please to bring me forth and make me drink the waters of his Sanctuary in purer Vessels and I cannot but protest that the one or the other insulting or offended at my so doing may grieve me and wound their own souls but cannot say they know me who was ever satisfied and so declared my self in my publique Ministery as to this point or that I administer any cause for such insultation or offence Yet to the end Gods dishonor Religions disgrace their own danger by this their sin may if possible be prevented I thought it my duty to signifie to you and require you as you have opportunity to communicate to others these following considerations as Apologetical reasons for what I am convinced is not onely lawful but a positive duty not without sin to be omitted though the critisim of our times and my special case may require an Apology for the same My long close Consid 1. Deliberate thoughts not distress of condition provoke it and severe durance much beyond any other Prisoner in this place or any carnal self politique Principle hath not been the impulsive cause of my desire or use of this liberty but as in my other acts subjected to the censure of men pure conscience of duty towards God and my own soul and the preponderate dictates of my judgement I hope in some measure also to discern duty in difficult times and conditions in sense whereof I desired this liberty the fâ—rst day I was committed to this place and many times since and have often complained of it to God and such men as came near me as a defect in the Government of this His Majesties chiefest Prison in England that care is not taken nor liberty allowed for Christian Prisoners to attend upon the publique Worship and preaching of the Word of God I have in this respect often preferred the Compters or Newgate more base and despicable in vulgar account before the Tower of London It cannot I think be soberly I am sure not charitably denied that Christian Prisoners ought to have Christian liberty and accommodation in a Christian Kingdom It is supposed a Prisoner bringeth with him into this place some horrid crime and notorious guilt by reason whereof there is conceived but little between the Prison and death therefore the hand of Justice which punisheth the offence ought in Christian pity to seek the salvation of the soul and if possible prevent the Malefactor from dying in if he must dye for his sin I have often thought that if the Heathen indulged Paul a liberty to Preach in Prison Christians might and ought much more allow a Preacher liberty to hear the Word preached in Prison I hope it will be no offence to minde this Age that amongst other evils reflected by such as rose up against him on the Government of King Charls the first his late Majestie of honorable memory this was one Exact Collections p. 6. and not the least Men were detained close Prisoners without the liberty of using Books pen ink or paper denying them all the comforts of life not permitting their wives to come to them and for the compleating of that cruelty depriving them of the necessary means of Spiritual consolation not suffering them to go abroad to enjoy Gods Ordinances in Gods House or Gods Ministers to come to them to administer comfort to them in their Chambers Let none therefore dare to censure this act as the result of a distressed condition or base compliance by constraint of Prison against the perswasions of Conscience Consid 2 Solemn publique Worship positive duty 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 positive indispensable duty of every particular soul called by the name of God to be onely Superseded by a real inevitable necessity with assurance to any that God will have mercy and not Sacrifice This cannot be denyed by any who observe God hath denominated the Sabbath an holy Convocation Levit. 23. Synagogues were on this ground erected and frequented in all the Cities of Judah that the Lord Christ Luke 4 16. Acts 13 13 14. 17.2 fulfilling all righteousness and his Apostles in conscience of duty made it their custom to go to the Synagogue every Sabbath day that the Apostles and primitive Christians from the very Ascension of Christ
be the Church and Spouse my heart would condemn me in the guilt of a notorious lye groundlesse and uncharitable Censure and so make my wilful solitary devotion exceeding sad because exceeding sinful Secondly I hitherto could not nor yet can 2. Englands corruptions no sufficient bar to Communion conceive the corruptions of the Church of England to be a sufficient ground or warrantable barre to my non-Communion with her solemn assemblies in her publick worship I do not say that Separation in all Cases is unlawful Separation from the world and Babylon allowed I well know Christians are called out of and separated from the world in their first accession to the Church of Christ but this is not our Case who do as is before noted own the Church of England as resolved into that capacity I know also separation from Babylon the seat of Antichrist is a duty directed and charged by the Lord on all his people and unto this also the Church of England doth professe Englands corruptions paralleld with Israels and others and cannot be denied to have attained and therefore stands distinct from the one under the Epithite Reformed as well as from the other by the Appellation Church so as tâ—at I dare not deeme England the world or Babylon those objects of a serious sacred separation and non-communion to both which she is found contradistinct That there are in the Church of England especially in her present relapsed estate many and grosse corruptions grievous to the Spirit of God and his people calling for the zealous admonitions and most faithful rebukes of his Ministers is alas too too legible and apparent to be denied by any yet when I consult the Scriptures I cannot but finde as great yea if possible greater corruptions in those whom God and his people owned as his Church and Spouse and yet separation or voluntary non-communion was never practised advised or indulged but the contrary thereunto Will any object unto us the prophanenesse of the Ministers Prophanenesse of Ministers ministration rudenesse and disorder of the ministration of Gods worship we yeild it is too visibly true but more vile administrators or irregular administrations cannot be than were the sons of Eli in their service who made the people to loath the offerings of the Lord and were rebuked and described by Samuel in 1 Sam. 2.12 13 14 15 16 17. Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial they knew not the Lord and the Priests custome with the people was this when any man offered Sacrifice the Priests servant came while the flesh was in seething with a flesh-hook in his hand and he struck it into the pan or kettle or Caldron or pot all that the flesh-hook brought up the Priest took for himself so they did in Shilo unto all the Israelites that came thither also before they burned the far the Priests servant came and said to the man that sacrificed give me flesh for to rost for the Priest for he will not have sodden flesh of thee but raw and if any man said unto them let them not faile to burn the fat presently and then take as much as thy soul desireth then he would answer him nay but thou shalt give it me now and if not I will take it by force wherefore by this horrid disorder defended by violence the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord for men abhorred the offering of the Lord and in verse 22. it is reported that Eli's sons lay with the women that assembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation O horrid uncleannesse most heaven-daring villany yet I find not that any God-fearing-Israelite forsook the Sanctuary or durst forbear their Sacrifice nor did Samuel who reproved and denounced Gods judgment against this prophanenesse ever advise or direct the same the Scribes and Pharisees in the dayes of our Saviour said but did not laid heavie burdens on the people Matth. 23. which themselves would not touch with one of their fingers they under pretence of long prayers devoured widows houses they would neither enter into heaven themselves nor suffer such as would yet the Lord himself who reproved them heard them and charged his Disciples to hear them because they sate in Moses seat Let it be observed and remembred the Authority may but the quality of the Minister doth not adde to or abstract from the entity or efficacy of Gods Ordinances 1 Cor. 9.27 he may preach to my salvation who is himself a castaway Do any object the preaching false doctrine Corruption in Doctrine and Worship publick reading the Apocripha as part of Gods Word innovations in worship polluting Gods Ordinances or injustice in discipline I shall neither deny nor excuse the same only say as the Apostle Peter to the Church in his dayes there were false Prophets among the people even as there are false Teachers among you the true Prophets of God in Israel 2 Pet. 2.1 were ordinarily confronted by the false there wanted not an Hannaniah to break the Yokes of Jeremiah nor a proud Pashur to put him in the Stocks in the Gate of Benjamin when he only declared Gods mind warned of Gods approaching judgments and withstood the perjurious breach of the Oath of God which was upon the King and Kingdom nor is any thing more plain than Israels setting their posts by Gods posts their Altars by Gods Altars Ezek. 8.6.43.8 setting up in Gods house the very Image of Jealousie insomuch that Gods Prophets were ordinarily invective and vehemently reproving in their Ministery and indeed extraordinarily raised up to that very end yet we find not in all their Cals to Repentance one Caution against Communion with the Church or Call unto sâ—paration Mark 8.15.7.3 In the dayes of our Saviour the Jews were so corrupt in their doctrine that he Cautioned his Disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees they made the Word of God of none effect by their traditions of the Elders they enervated the Law by most strait and false interpretations thereof In worship they innovated and with great severity imposed their own Inventions Pharisaical Rites and Superstitions they prophaned the Temple and made Gods house a Den of Thieves and in their Discipline they made acts of Necessity Charity and piety censurable unto a casting out of the Synagogues against all which the whole Ministery of the Lord Jesus was highly invective and severely rebuking yet he neither disowned them as a Church denyed communion with them all his time on earth or directed any of his Disciples so to do so long as God continued his presence and Ordinances to and among them but on the contrary pleaded for them as the very fountain of Salvation in opposition to the Samaritans You worship you know not what but we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews he sent his cleansed Lepers to shew themselves to the Priests John 4.22 and
offence no argument in this case like miserable Comforters were no little Scandalized that he would not from his Crosse condemne himself as wicked nor brand himself with Hippocrisy in his past piety to which they laboured to compell him by a right Theological rather then Logical argument though not fully asserted they that plow iniquity so we wickedness reap the same Iob. 27.4.5.26.19.42.7 sorrow is the fruit of sin yet Job well knowing the Prosperity of the wicked and that God trieth the righteous would not let go his integrity Nor to justifie them would he let his lips condemn himself but made his appeal to God his witness on high and record which is above who interposing to moderate the Question Mark 2.23 ad finâ—m discovered their fallacy and determined they had not Spoken of him the thing which was right as did his servant Job The Jewes were offended that the Disciples plucked the ears of Corn on the Sabbath day appointed of God for rest and that our Saviour on that day healed yet our Saviour mattered not their offence as of any weight but justified the facts by the positive duty of preserving mans natural life Luke 13.15.16.17 If the Circumstantials of the first Table must give way to the Substantials of the Second table of the Law and if obedience to humane must give place to Divine command and authority much more must the offence of a brother Act. 5 29. vail to obedience to the will of God In pleasing men God must not be displeased every man must therefore please his neighbour for his good to edification but to please a brother by omission of positive duty which is formal Rom. 15.2 fearfull iniquity is by sinfull strengthning his prophaness Scandal is not to be slighted or Error aedificare in Gehennam to edifie both to Hell from which the Lord deliver me Scandal is indeed an argument of more weight when duly and fitly pleaded then to be slighted or supersicialy evaded not to offend a weak brother Rom. 15.1 is charged as a duty we who are strong ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves It s good not to eate or drink nor do any thing whereby thy brother is stumbled Rom. 14.21 offended or made weak are Divine directions and Gospell rules fearfull is the sin of a Willfull Scandal for that it is nor onely a snare by which a Brother is entangled and laid on the rack of a Scrupulous conscience and tortured betwen his own doubts and the contrary practice of the pious professing obedience to Gods will But also a stumbling-stone occasioning to him certain sin by either acting under his own doubts and against his own apprehensions induced by the bare ensample of another or by uncharitable censureing his brother in what is to him lawfull and without his own liberty and power to do or not to do it this is therefore represented to be the destruction of the work of God Rom 4.20 against this sign our Saviour hath denounced a most sad doom Whosoever shall offend one of these litle ones it were better for him a milstone were hanged about his neck and he were drowned in tthe depth of the Sea the dread hereof hath seized on my spirit in my present state and Case that though it become lawfull Mat. 18.8 could I without sin withdraw from publique solemn worship in an unfitting order I would on sence of Scandal do it Scandall is of force and fitly pleaded to supersede or condemn an action in it self indifferent and so within a mans own power to do or not to do it scandal is of force in things indiffrent for or against which the conscience may be awed by a seemingly religious reason such was the observing or not observing a day the eating or not eating of some kind of meates or meates offered unto Idols and the like things which in the Primitive Churches and times of Christianity the Apostles during the honourable obsequies of the expired law which hâ—d sometimes and yet seemed to charge them as duty or forbid them as iniquity determined indifferent and directed Scandall of the weak as the casting graine in the aequilibrious minde of a man satisfyed in conscience as to the doing or not doing the same thereby guiding us in all things and cases of the like nature for the indifinite Universal Eat drink Rom. 14. or any thing that may Scandalize offend or weaken a brother advised in Rom. 14.21 must be restrained to this species and things of this kind For what is positively forbidden or commanded must not at any mans pleasure be done or left undone simple scandal hath no strength To plead we are offended and not produce a reason at least seemingly religious is a most simple plea 1 Pet. â—… Jesus Christ is a stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence to many and yet he must be preached and professed unto bonds and death it self Such as in my case pretend scandal and offence I must advise and intreat to reflect their thoughts and take heed they do not mistake the case and mistake the question and thereby take offence where none is given 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 and ought not to be prescribed or imposed when it is as in our common divine service rude confused and disorderly it s no less Scandalous to the serious Godly then was the administration of the Sons of Eli or confused acclamations of the Church at Cerinth and such on which if I out of choice at liberty to enjoy a more serious and regular order according to the Kings gracious Indulgence granted in his Royal declaration concerning Ecclesiastical affairs should attend I could not but give offence to such as seek the Simplicity of the Gospell and seem to them to allow what I have concluded ought to be abolished and to build again what I have endeavoured to destroy for extirpation of every thing which is evil though but extrinsecall and in the ministerial method of Gods ordinances being the extent of zeale and duty of every member of the Church to be endeavoured in his place and calling though however not under a special solemn sacred obligation thereunto non-attendance on that order unto and by embracing of more regular administration of the same ordinances in Communion with the same Church is the least Act I could do to the enforecing that end I cannot beleive the pious Israelites would have brought their Sacrifices unto the Sons of Eli whose order made them loath the offerings of the Lord which they durst not with-hold if they had enjoyed other Priests who would have offered more conformly to divine appointment But my friend this is not my case or Question but whether solemn publique Worship which is my positive duty unto the
sanctification of the Lords day and as I am a member of Christs Catholick visible Church and cannot by reason of my confinement be enjoyed without my attendance on that Irregular unsuitable method and confused order may be warrantably supersedâ—d and omitted on this ground and reason my presence at such administrations is offensive to some weake Brethren zealously affected to the simplicity of the Gospell were these corruptions abstracted from or opposed unto Gods worship there were to me no case of Conscience but they are confounded with it as the unclean vessel or ill favoured carving with my food whereby I live and therein I must profess it satisfieth not my conscience nor seemeth to me to be of weight that I must offer my sacrifice though by the loathsom order of Elies sons or go to the Temple though my way lye by the high places or assemble and send up my prayer in Gods Sanctuary though the Image of jealousie be set up in it cannot be soberly denied nor ought any to be thereat offended and I must needs resolve in the affirmative for the superadded vanities do not void Gods ordinance nor will defect and disorder with which my private capacity is not charged discharge my positive duty I am not insensible that some will be ready to read my allowance of the same in my attendance on it unto the hardning of themselves in sin or hindring themselves in duty concluding Communion in the ordinances is a consent unto the order to such I must say at their peril be it this scandall is taken not given this inference is more than the promises allow the Communion of the Prophets our Lord Iesus Christ and his Apostles with the Churches in their time under their many and great corruptions was not nor logically could be interpreted to be an argument of countenance and approbation of them or abatement of the zeale against them nor did they thereby contraction themselves the guilt thereof the spider which diffused in wine doth vitiate its subject and make it destructive by the very act of Communion doth spread his dirty webbs all over the Vine and we ear the grapes thereof without the least of doubt or danger the Cities that suffer by all unfit matter in their publike ministrations attend the good instructions and assent unto the due proposals petitions or demands rudely uttered by their Recorder nor think they themselves concerned in the broken blunt abrupt style or confused indigested method of his discourse the extrinsecal adjuncts and ministerial method of Gods ordinances is charged on the Ministers not members of Gods Church it may indeed add grief or pleasure to the people but voyds not the matter of Gods worship or leaveth any guilt on them who thereby receive and celebrate it but do not approve the same the spider may indeed suck poyson of the grape and wicked men may make my duty an occasion of their iniquity but neither the one nor the other giveth thereto any proper casualty events accidentalls are no arguments against my duty these are not more damnable to them who infer them then they would be to me if I by reasons thereof decline my duty my own sorrow nor other mens sin must never stave me off from positive duty these stumbling stones and scandalous inferences do and will ever lye in my way to Heaven yea to my natural life Christs sheep must drink and may be hurt by pudled waters withoâ—t participation in the polluting pudling guilt only chargeable on the Pastors and proud of the flock none can be offended that I worship God Ezek. 44. in the solemn publike worship of his people nor can without wounding their own soul be offended that I do it in this order to me distastful not to Gods worship destructive untill my liberty doth manifest it to be an act of choice not of chance if any hence infer and enforce a persecuting constraint and say these men may be compelled to that form of service they will not choose I shall grant it but advise such to sit down and consider how this will sound in Gods cares or how themselves will like it to be confined to unclean vessels and order because they can but will not chuse in such to eat their meat The offence of any who are Godly will be my trouble and their sin but the omission of duty though but for a day will be my transgression as I dare not admit that as a reason of this and must advise it be not pleaded Fifthly Let it be considered in steering this course Consid 5. This practice is not wâ—…hout president using this liberty and holding Communion with this very Church under these very corruptions and by attendance on this very order of service and solemn publike worship I am not without the caution and conduct of the sober godly learned promoters and pursuers of a perfect and compleat reformation the reformed Churches beyond the Seas and in Scotland obtained higher degrees of reformation and more purity of ordinances then did England for power and dominion the chiefest reformed Church yet these never did disown or decline Communion with her nor advise any her Members thereunto yet they did often rebuke and complain of her luke-warm haesitation in the degrees of reformation obtained and retention of those corruptions which ought to have been expelled among our selves Tindall Hooper Ridley Latimer Farrar Whitaker Cartwright Baines Sibbs Preston Rogers Geree Mr. Iohn Ball Langley Hind Nicholls with many others the non-conformists of Lincoln Devon and Cornwall besides those of our present age and yet contemporary with us all eminent Divines and Holy men groaning under these retained corruptions praying for perswading and pressing after unto many and great sufferings a progress in reformation unto the pure primitive plaines and simplicity of Christs own institution yet lived unto their last breath in constant Communion with our Church attending Gods ordinances under these very disorders and irregularities and did in many things administer according to the form then now imposed and did disâ—ast the non-communion of such who loytered out the time of publike prayer because prescribed and confused and by press and pulpit pleaded against the separations of Brown Barrow Iohnson Canne and their separating followers and adherents or non-communicating abettors as inferring that from the English Liturgy which it would not allow these good men with zeal reproved the many Superstitions continued but still denied them to be any sufficient ground for Separation from which they ever kept the greater distance as subverting the very foundation of the Church and have plainly trodden this tract in which we must travel pursuing the purity of worship in Union and Communion with the Church I shall not fear to professe these good men are the patterns to me proposed next to the prophets our Lord Jesus and the Apostles and cautionary boighâ— for the guidance of my zeal for the perfection of Reformation against and past the dangerous
to health and growth or directly destructive as intrinsecal and vitiating to the subject or extrinsecal and conversant about the same notwithstanding which the subject remains the same participation in which contracts guilt as in offering sacrifice to an Idol or contracts no guilt to the Communicant eating in an amicable friendship what is offered to an Idol such as put us out of a possibility of salvation the only ground of separation or are therewith consistent imposed by others and so their sin not sufficient to bâ—r our duty all which were applyed to the Popish administrations nullifying Christs Offices and Ordinances and so necessitating separation polluting by participation and Englands corruptions grieving God and his people some 8. some 7. some 4. years now past but preserving Gods worship in the substantial matter and essential form thereof and so not sufficient to supersede communion If you look into the writings which bear my name in the world you will find separation because of corruption condemned by reasons beyond what the most serious Church-gathering Separatists ever undertook to answer otherwise then by rage and reproach the dialect of restrained lust in that as well as in this revolution Read at your leisure my Bethshemesh clouded Saints zeal against sinful Altars Virtue and value of Baptisme written many years since and you will see Mr. Crofâ—ons communion with the Church of England is not repugnant to his judgement more then seven years since declared and in those very writings lately published before and for which men have by Gods permission brought my light under a bushel you shall find my zeal for Reformation consistent to union and communion with the Church nor did the force of opposing corruption drive me as I might probably have done to let fall any expressions in favour of separation My logical casuistical Contests for Reformation do very plainly condemn and protest against schisme and sedition as thereunto destructive particularly in my Analâ—psis to Doctor Gaudens Analysis my Argument and Answer is thus concluded Whatsoever shall be the establishment in the Church though never so corrupt yet whilst consistent with salvation though it may occasion to me suffering and a suspence of my Ministry by Gods Grace it shall not effect on me or such on whome I have influence Schisme from the Church or a resistance of his Majesties just Authority And in my Epistle to the Lyturgicall Considerator considered in which I urge my apprehended grounds for the alteration and abolition of the Ministerial method of solemn publique prayer used in our Church with a proâ—est for Communion under it though against administration by it I am so much affected to the peace of the Church that I have of late preached what God assisting I am resolved for to practise viz. that many and graet corruptions in Gods worship are to be grieved for and patiently groaned under before Schisme be consented to or separation be consulted Provided neverthelesse I be passive not active in them I can keep Communion under that form of worship whereby I cannot administer and heartily say Amen to the matter of those petitions which are put up in an order so preposterous and indigested that I dare not stand between God and his people with the same The liberty that I now pursue when obtained and used is no more than a practice commensing on these professions whereby they are made more legible not more censurable than they were before My good friend These things considered I must professe when ever God shall mollifie the hearts of men into whose hands he hath given my present liberty I see not any reason that I dare plead before the Lord or reflect as a barre on my Conscience whereupon my solitary Sabbaths may be sweetned and spent with comfort my passage to the publique assemblie and worship though in this order and with these appendants which are burdensome to my spirit standing open and so my absence being a voluntary act within my own power If any man professing the fear of God can produce any I should be glad for I fear to be charged with the omission of Gods publique worship celebrated in Christ his Church though with extrinsecal corruption and in a rude Ministeriall order which ought to be reformed but will not excuse me though unforced by the offence of some weak brethren zealously affected to the purity of Gods House and Worship I am not insensible that the Committee of discretion will be no lesse ready to call me fool for steering this course than they were for my entering the Lists in defence and â—â—…oâ—cement of Reformation wherein I am deserted by my more prudent brethren for that I hereby strike ost from that party on whom my former contests did seem to 〈◊〉 me But to them I must breifly answer I am willing to be wise as a serpent and resolved to keep my innoâ—…nâ—… as a dove so long as these do correspond and agree I have an heart to lodge them but if prudence once obâ—…ate or obstruct duty or guide into oâ— guard sin I fear the serpent begins to wind too farre and getting in the head will wind in the body and devour the doâ—… that some who have been objects of my opposition because subjects of separation have in my present sufferings embraced me and shewed kindnesse to me and mine beyond some more specially charged with it as their more particular duty I am very sensible and thankfully acknowledge to God and them and hope they did not thereby designe to charme my zeal against what I ever cenceived to be sin I confess it hath been a check to my comforts to consider some triumph in me and my sufferings because opposed to the superstitions and prophanesse which they dislike who agree not with me in those positive truths which I have asserted and will be turned in their hearts against me when the same two-edged-sword in my weak hand shall be constrained to strike their more civil seemingly sacred lusts The Usurer huggs and hath the Preacher home to dinner when he preacheth against the prodigal profusal spending drunkard who will hunt and hurry him out of the Parish when he shall preach against usury I cannot but tell you a passage which here befell me In my close confinement three persons full of seeming zeal to piety and purity stumbled into my chamber and saluted me with this salutation we are strangers to you but in conscience of our duty are come to visit you as a sufferer for Jesus Christ to which kind and Christian salutation I returned a short admonition that we might endeavour to understand the truths of the Lord Jesus and labour to agree in positives for I feared many rejoyced in my sufferings as negative and against what is grossely evil who would not embrace the truths I did contend for on which these persons zeal boiled over into this angry Taunt what I warrant you you are yet for the Church of England and your
parish Churches to which I could not but Reply by way of advice not to deny the being of the Church nor renounce union and Communion with it because of the corruptions in it but their zeal brake into rage and railing thou Antichrist wilt thou yet uphold the Beast and Whore of Rome are you Antichrist still with many more invectives and expressions of outrage which provoked me to give them this short farewell Freinds reconcile your selves to your selves am I a sufferer for Christ and yet Antichrist if you come not to visit me come not to vex me to all dissenting friends I cannot but by way of thanks for all their kindnesse intreate them to study the truths of God I have asserted and embrace not their force against me but against both extreames for that love will not last which is founded in present contradiction without consent in positives asserted Love the Truth and me for the Truths sake then shall ye have the comfort of loving indeed and in truth It was my hope and is my prayer that our retrogradation in Reformation would have made such who departed from us to reflect with seriousnesse even unto Repentance the experienced remorce of separating and Church confusion to which Church-gathering hath resolved us but if men harden themselves to uphold their sin and strengthen their party to the utter subversion of this poor Church and paganizing this Nation they must give leave to trust God with their love and kindnesses whilst to my power I resist their lusts and let them know I cannot be a Martyr of Faction I hope I can do all things and suffer all things for the truth and nothing against the truth and must all my days pursue Reformation of Gods Ordinances in Union and Communion with the Church leaving my self principles and practises to the judgment of God knowing it is an easie matter for me to be judged and misjudged by men and yet abide what I am A servant to God his Truth and Church Z.C. Julij 20. 1661 AN APPENDIX To the foregoing LETTER IN A LETTER Written in answer to one signifying to Mr. CROFTON the Offence which was taken at his going to CHURCH And being present at the COMMON-PRAYERS IN THE CHAPPEL IN THE TOWER OF LONDON For Mr. Z. C. Prisoner in the TOWER DEAR BROTHER YOU cannot enough believe how much your renewed publick Communion with we know not whom in the Ordinances which they think cannot but be materially corrupt especially in that place hath grieved and alienated the hearts of the Godly not only Members but Ministers Defend it how we can They censure it not only Impolitick but Impious hardning our Enemies weakning our Friends undoing your good Testimony and giving away the CAUSE it being aeque if not aequaliter as if you should Read and Administer the Form They think there can be no Obligation of Duty or Edification warranting the one which may not also justifie the other The matter of Doctrine and worship of Prayer seems to be not only the objectum ad quem but also per quibus whether things or persons wherein they take it for granted the Common-Prayer is corrupt As when you pray for Arch-Bishops Bishops as Ministers of a superiour Degree and indeed according to the new corrected Form of Ordination of the only Holy Order and Institution wherein they are an Antichristian Order c. Or if only the Circumstance of the Form were exceptionable yet you judge the Nurse may as well be bound in Duty and Necessity to give the Child his bread out of a Chamber pot as she her self or the Child feed themselves out of it Plead then you must necessity for both or neither and they expect you should do th' other too se defendendo or else supersede this for the time to come But if you proceed I perswade my self of that very many Brethren which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the rest you will be alone in this for they can with more patience brook to the present where there be personal corruptions in the Matter than where there are circumstantial material Offences in the Form Yours bound in your Bonds P. E. For the Reverend Mr. P. E. to be communicated to other Christian Friends and the Brethren of the Ministry concerned in his Letter as scandalized at my Communion with the Church in the Order of Service by which I cannot administer Good Brother GRace and peace abound yours no little aggravation of mine affliction I received I thereby understand the grief not only of Brethren in Christianity but in the Ministry because of what you call renewed my Communion with their Church in that Service by which I cannot administer and what is to me more greivous their Censures of my act as impolitick yea impious hardning our enemies weakning our friends undoing my good testimony and giving away the Cause Sir such is my esteem of the affections of the godly that their grief must needs be mine God is my witnesse I desire seek study their joy their grief for my duty can only grieve me in by being groundless whereby they wound themselves by wounding him whom God hath greived and that by most bitter words sharper then Swords or Razors hardning our enemies weakning our friends are easily borne they are events by accident beyond the nature and intent of the Act or the intention of the Agent resulting from the wickednesse of the one and weaknesse of the other to deem this Act Impolitick I take not ill all my acts and writings have been such in their account the Censures of the Committee of discretion are to me so common that they passe on me as things of course branding with folly what could never be convinced of iniquity but impious doth pierce mine intrails to shun sin hath been my study my smart did not piety bar may policy I could sleep in as whole a skin as my more prudent Brethren the fear of God conscience of duty provokes this impious act what a Monster of man hath God made me my course is nothing but contradictions treasonable loyalty schismatical unity impious piety yet this is not all an undoing of my good testimony and giving away the Cause and so an Apostate can any thing cut deeper be more clouding to my sufferings more deprive God of the glory thereof it pierceth my soul to cry Lord judge between me and Brethren my witnesse is on high my Record is above I have charity for Jobs miserable comforters they spake well of God though their arguing reproved not Job for they spake with a mistaken zeal I believe they were Saints against whom Paul appealed it is an easie thing for me to be judged of men my judgment is of the Lord The Lord strengthen my patience under this most provoking temptation that I may with sobriety reason against clamatous censorious Brethren My good Brother where is sobriety charity is zeal for purity a Moses Serpent to devour these Graces of the Spirit Cave
John 20.19 26. 1 Cor. 16.2 held solemn Assemblies on the Lords day the first day of the Week and charged the Saints of their age and in them all others not to forsake the Assembling of themselves together Heb. 10.25 taxing the defect of some therein as the manner of some is As Solitary Sabbaths are in themselves so God knoweth they have been and are to me the sting of an imprisoned condition I hope I can say without vanity as David in his exile Psa 42.1 2 3. As the Hart panteth for the water Brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for the living God When shall I come and appear before God when I remember these things I pour out my soul in me for I have gone with the multitude I went with them to the House of God with the voyce of joy and gladness with the multitude that kept the holy day I deny not God to be served and enjoyed in Solitary Worship Psal 84.7 but must needs observe in Zion the Saints pass from strenth to strength every one appearing before God Solemn publique Worship is Gods chief Ordinance for the support of his peoples faith this is denominated the Beauty of Gods Holiness Psal 27.4 96.9 and 110.3 To this his presence and power is promised and in it chiefly predicated attendance on this is charged as his peoples duty and discharged as their joy The want of this is the Sacra fames Spiritual famine Amos 8 11. under want of which Davids faith was ready to faint had it not been prevented by a speedy and seasonable supply When I sought to know this it was too painful for me until I went into the Sanctuary then understood I their end Psal 73.16 17. This therefore is not to be slighted or neglected or superficially desired or used but most highly prized earnestly desired and joyfully imbraced and not voluntarily declined on every light occasion and trivial exception or friendly perswasion but the grounds must be plain clear certain and weighty such as I may with confidence plead unto my God as the apology of my absence of choice not constraint in which I expect God should have mercy on me because and for that he cannot have Sacrifice from me which can be nothing but the restraining necessity of my condition or my running into sin to possess it My good Friend you see my case is hard and what now is my case may ere long be yours and others of Gods people You yet enjoy a liberty of worshipping God in due and right order and may drink the Waters of the Sanctuary in clean Vessels long may you enjoy it and if God take pleasure in me he will in due time restore me to it but if not let him do what seemeth him good At the present I have no choice if I will attend Gods publique Solemn Worship I must do it in this place and order or not at all whilest I dread to give the least occasion of insultation to the wicked or offence to the weak my conscience is under the apprehension and aw of a positive indispensible duty which I dare not decline unless on reasons constituting a clear and unavoidable necessity my present restraint doth indeed acquit me and carry the guilt of my absence from Gods House from off me to others I duly endeavouring by all just means to have the same removed which once effected what moral bar will lie upon my minde and in my way as a formal sin which I cannot without guilt break thorow that is the question I have desired seriously to consult and by Scripture to resolve And on mature thoughts I must profess I finde not any which will bear weight in the ballance of the Sanctuary as that which I shall dare to produce before the Lord when demanded a reason of my voluntary absence on which he may not pronounce He was bidden to the feast but would not come and therefore is not worthy and hereafter shall not For I must profess First I never did could or yet can deny 1. The Church of England a true Church and I a member the being of the Churâ—h of England that is the community of Christians in this Nation incorporated by Baptism professing the true God and Jesus Christ and subjected to the Word and Sacraments in the Ministery of Christs lawful Ministers for I never believed any National Priviledge such as was peculiar to the Jews or the Hierarchical Order and collective Constitution which cannot be denied to be a meer humane and separable adjunct and is neither an equal nor regular Representation could or did give that appellation nor disown my own relation to it and must therefore see some good ground for my non-communion with it and for my choice of Solitary Worship of God rather then fellowship in its Solemn publique Worship where and whilest God affords his presence though with a grieved striving spirit I dare not be absent though thereby I might avoid some burthen It is well known I am not unacquainted with the Church renouncing rending ruining principles of the Anabaptists and old separating Brownists nor with the Paganizing practice of the seemingly more sober and serious Independent or Congregationalist who sometimes indeed pretend to own the being of this Church but by their Church-gathering Self-Constitution dispencing Ordinances by their self-consecration professed principle that in England there is much matter for but not the form of a Church and so no Church at all for forma dat essentiam and with the height of confidence to say no more of it proclaiming themselves the gathered Churches contradistinct to the Nation and all Christians in it as if they onely were the first fruits of Achaia I mean England an infidel Nation who had never received the Gospel or Christ had not been preached among them and professed by them nor any of her Inhabitants had been incorporated by Baptism into Christs Catholique Body but were to this day aliens and strangers to the Houshold of Faith and Commonwealth of Israel do plainly declare so to all rational men able and willing to discern that the being of a Church in England is by them disputed yea denied But these I never did nor could approve and therefore I must presume none that ever knew me and my constant contests by preaching writing and suffering under and against them can conceive this to be now any scruple to my conscience doubt to my soul demur to my duty or diversion to my Communion with them whose being a Church of Christ I have ever and openly asserted and defended and to whom I have ever professed my own relation Prophane members destroy not the Church That these men urge That many members in the Church of England are rude and prophane in their Conversation with their mouthes confessing but in works denying God and are not therefore fit matter for a Church I do well know and to my grief and