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
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
Why is my now attendance on solemn publick worship branded to be renewed communion with you know not whom if you mean this of persons individual truly as to the most I know not whom nor can I think you judge it necessary I cannot in my first communion know it in any Congregation is Church gathering become a Presbyterial principle is it the work of every age is seven not seventy years an age is non knowledge of Members a cause of non communion would not common charity make me know them to be a society of Christians worshippers of the true God in Jesus Christ and are they not hereby members of the Church Catholick visible particularly divided by local circumscription or have we renounced this principle is not the Liberty of the Tower a particular Church in a Presbyterial sence as well as Christ Church or Alhallows Breads street If I communicate in these must I not communicate with I know not whom may I not hear the Gospel preached and in calling on God in the name of Christ for things agreeable to his will communicate with I know not whom But why is my communion râ—newed I never denied I never ceased from I never was cut off from communion with the English Reformed Church and its particular Assemblies must Independents be verified in the false reproach viz. Presbyterial Churches wâ—re gathered Churches Presbytery interrupted was the Church dissolved and Communion abandoned Cave We have disowned denied determined sin and danger in these Notions I have more charity than to think my self out of Communion because violently debarred from Convention with the particular Assemblies of the Reformed English Church God having at length opened me a door of liberty to attend his solemn publick worship in this place with this Assembâ—y why is my acceptance and use thereof clamorously condemned as an act not only impoliti k but impious do not you know this is the execution of a resolution neither new nor rash not new for I thus determined and thus practised in my youth when piety was reproached by profane men as Puritanism and by the Brownists as corrupt Communion I thus determined and declared in my publick Ministery and preaching for Reformation I thus determined in all my late disputes and writings whilest I was at liberty I thus practised on accidental occasions I herein convinced and hereof perswaded prayed the liberty I now enjoy the first day I was committed prisoner to this place and have ever since petitioned to enjoy it this act you know is not rash but the result of mature and deliberate thoughts besides what hath passed between God and mine own soul I have heard and weighed the objections of separating as well as reforming brethren and after many expostulations I have you know it stated my Case of Conscience drawn up my reasons communicated them to Brethren and Christian Friends craved a Confutation from more than one prayed fraternal Correption by solid and serious Argumentation and professed a readiness to hear and obey Conviction I wonder after all this and Nine Months time to have corrected convinced my Judgment I shall be censured for bringing it to Act and you should now call for an Apology Dear Brother How long shall I complain when shall I be known and dealt with as a Brother Is it fair Play to revile and not reprove To condemn and not confute Will you neither convince my Conscience nor be content without Censures to see me obey it Are you angry to be imposed on and yet expect I should live by an implicite Faith and forbear what is to me a positive Duty on this bare Reason The Brethren will be displeased Let me say it without Prophaneness or Levity Be not wise overmuch The Offence of Brethren hath its place and weight in my Soul but must be well grounded before it counterpoize Conscience of positive indispensable Duty I well understand not the Epithites which vilifie my present Act because they are general and without Reason That it is Impolitick I may not deny I have ever been estranged to and at enmity with the Brethrens Policies and Fancy If they had in some things been as foolish as silly I God might have had more Glory Truth more Strength the Church more Purity and Order my self more Liberty their Comforts I know not nor will adventure to judge What Policies this Act must relate unto I know not unless it be the strengthning and so justifying those Schisms which supplanted subverted our Reformation by those Seditions Rebellions Treasons which have made it Odious and scandalized the endeavours thereof that the most Upright and Innocent among us are pressed under it If Brethren were sensible That my Zeal for Reformation is reproached repelled and my self thus oppressed by these Schisms they would not sure think it Policy to strike hands with them or Impolitick to appear really as well as verbally against them God knoweth I may not long speak let me speak freely Truly Brother foolish I think it aque and aequaliter politick for serious sober Reformers to unite with Non-communicating Separating Congregational Brethren in the Church-confounding nullifying principles and practises As for our late King-Killers to cry up the COVENANT and confound the Quarrel of the Parliament with the Good Old Cause Confound 62. with 52. and you may reconcile 48. to 43. and soon return to 48. again Agree these in Ecclesiasticks and divide them in Civils if you can I wish I could not scent some Brethren offended at my Act as tainted already in their Civils But I am a Fool be it so yet a Fools Bolt is soon shot If Presbyters will wisely serve Gods providence and do his Church proper Service Now it is their Time and Business to witness Corruptions circa cultum publicum will not warrant Non-communion with secession or separation from a true Church and such I yet deem England Correct this folly and I may become wise till then I will through Grace joy in my folly I have observed indeed Gods and the Kings Fools were never many But truly foolish I could never judge it good Policy That Non-communion Separation and the Sectarian Spawn should shroud themselves and be sheltered by Non-conformity and Reformation Hath not our dear-bought Experience taught us That the Repute of being the Parent of these hath been the Remora and Retroversion of that Can we forget how these when in Power did divide divert and destroy Reformation Paganize all England and plant One hundred and twenty gathered Churches and thereby proclaim Entity not Purity of the Churches was their Quarrel And shall we not now be so wise as to disown and deny them as a Bastard brood Now they are taken as Vagrants and whip't up to Non-conformists as their reputed Parents Can we ever witness Relation more than by these affectionate embraces in this day of Discrimination O! that my Brethrens Policy were so wise as to consider the Duty and Necessity of differing Reformation and
Separation and thath they would ponder the Honour and Benefit of Non-conformity protesting and practising against Non-communion in this day when its Enemy doth confound and destroy this for the sake and under the name of that But whither am I gone I must come back like a Fool and tell you I could never beat it into my Brains That it was good Policy to run out of an unclean disordered House under pretence of cleansing and regulating the same My little will led me to abide in it and by a Scrub Beesom of a reproving Mâ—nistry such as I can get to bring the Dust about mine Ears I judge it prudent filth which hangs on my Cloaths in a regular endeavour to get it out of my House I am mistaken if ever my House will cleanse it self if I run and call all others out of it Once more and all my wit is wasted I am an Irish man and never yet was so wise to lie in the Field open to cold and wet because the Beasts not only stood but unhandsomly dung d in my lodging Chamber I have been used to Impoliticks but am unwilling to be better advised Impolitick That is nothing Fools may go to Heaven but my Act is impious This cannot be endured without good Evidence it is an high Charge I pray wherein lies its impiety This seemeth contrary to the general nature of the Act for that is a Religious Attendance on the Solemn Publick Worship of the true God in Jesus Christ Irregularity and Disorder may be an iniquiâ—y in the Administrator but that the Attendance on Gods Worship disorderly dispensed is impious in Gods People my Bible doth not teach lend me yours for I will not persist in any thing that writeth impiety on my Soul my Charity will not allow me to charge them with impiety who voluntarily attend this Service only because they do so misguided Zeal is not alwayes impious I dare not charge our first R formers and Marian Martyrs to have gone to the Stake under the Guilt and in the very Act of impiety and yet many of them went embracing commending chanting and concluding their last Devotion and Breath in the Words and Order of the Common-Prayer Gradual Defect will not acquit their Act from impiety if it now be it then was an Act impious to serve God by the Common-Prayer Our measure of increased light and many Obligations may aggravate our persistance in it but wiâ—l not alter the nature of the Act in it self impiâ—us Conscience bindeth me to be present in the Solemn Convocation and personally attend his Publick Worship the which when I come to it is by the impious Administrator dispensed in a rude disorderly irreverend Mode which maketh it my burden and my Soul to loath what I dare not leave because it is for Matter and essential Form the Lords Ordinance Is this an Act impious Let Brethrens Piety work by Charity to evince the Impiety I will give Glory to God and return till then let me proceed without Censure You specifie some Sequels of this mine attendance on Solemn Publick Worship in this Mode and Order but they are such as will not convince the same of impiety you say I hereby weaken Friends and strengthen Enemies I pray you how and wherein The Friends and Enemies of Non-Communion and Separation from the English Reformed Church never came into the Calender of my Friends or Enemies nor were they ever owned by sober Non-conformists contesting for gradual Reformation If such be hereby strengthned and weakned I bless God that I have done my Duty and that my practice doth edifie whilst I am not permitted to preach I must confess it is one end of my Action I account it mine Honour really to witness against Non-communion in my very Conflicts for Reformation But if Friends and Enemies to that Gradual Reformation incumbent on our age and hands be weakned or strengthned it may be mine Affl ction it is not mine Impiety for this Event is by accident not naturall and genuine the result of weakness in the one and wickedness in the other who consider not that Non-conforming Communion is an indispensable Duty and essential to Church-Reformation I must keep in my house if I will cleanse it though the filth in it is mine Annoyance Circumstantial Defects Redundant Appendants and Disorders will not warrantably discharge mine attendance on the substantial and truly existing worship of God In this Case give me leave to say to stumbling Friends and Brethren you have Zeal but not according to knowledge I must by Union with the Church seek Purity of Ordinances and none but wilful Fools or mad Men will run to the Channel to drink because men at Sea are glad to drink stinking water or deny to wash the Vessel or force all for ever to drink in such unclean Vessels because some through necessity can and do drink in such And yet Brother I cannot but tell you I have the comfort of my own Endeavours to anticipate this accidental Event by those Papers which I passed into the City with an intent to have passed them into the World in which you have my Apology for this Act And in Answer to this Objection I pray God they who stopped their Publication when they might have done it may seriously consider the service they have done the Church of God I could do no more to make even paths to weak feet if those who should would not pave it I cannot help it I am innocent of the blood of all men who stumble at this Act in it self lawful and indispensably necessary because of those accidents which I have done my part to anticipate But you say I hereby undo my good Testimony and give away the Cause in which I appeared This beareth indeed an Aspect of Impiety an Apostate is odious to God and men I have ever resolved and may ere long prove it to dye rather than do this my Conscience beareth me witness All this is come upon me yet have I not dealt falsly in the Covenant Had this been objected by men who knew not Mr. Crofton who never read the Writings for which he suffered it had been a tolerable mistake well may others when my Familiars and Brethren so much mistake my Testimony and misread my Cause well might Thomas Tomkins confound me with our late Usurping Traytors when my Fellow-Presbyters confound me with Separatists I observe you grant my Testimony given is good I wish it had been owned with less fear and shame I had been then more encouraged in it But I pray Brother what was it Was it the Cause of separation from or Non-communion with the English Reformed Church because corrupt or Backslider in its Reformation Have I been all this time a Martyr for Independency nothing less Zachary Crofton a Separatist from or Non-communicant with a backsliding corrupt disordered Church is as great as clear a Contradiction as Zachary Crofton a Traytor to King Charles the Second Which of
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
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
the Word of God because it is unfitly mangled into parts and parcels urduly fixed unto places unreasonably appropriated unto dayes and times Surplices and canting quiering singing boys and men and published in unseemly vestures and voyces I confess their Common-Prayer is my burden by reason of its defects and disorder and the rudeness of the Ministerial Method I stand convinced it ought to be altered yea ab lished See the Epistle to the Liturgical consideratoâ— considered by reason of its Symetry to the Romish Mass superstitious Order and unsutableness to Solemn Publick Prayer yet I must confess I find in it no Matter to which on a charitable interpretation a sober serious Christian may not say nay can deny his Amen And though I distaste the Ministeriâ—l Mâ—thod I cannot disown in it the essential Form of Prayer viz. A calling upon God in the Name of Christ That Set-Forms of Prayer are used is an Act and Argument of weakness that they are imposed on Gods Church and Ministers is an Act I cannot acquit of wickedness And that this defective disorderly Form is retained yea by forcâ— returned into the Church of England I fear will be found an Act and Argument of wilfulness against Gods mind yet neither the one nor the other maketh it cease to be Publick Solemn Pray r nor do I see on what ground I can deny or refuse my Amen to what is prayed for because I know there are many things wanting to the Church which are not not indeed can be by this Form expressed or not joining desires to God with and as a Member of his Church because they are rudely and unfittingly expressed whil'st the irregularity of that common Order is no Bar to Gods acceptance of my more regular Amen thereunto given Departure from Babylon is the indispensable Duty and will be the property of all whose names are written in the Lambs Book of Life but the Object must be Babylon in the very abstract Setting the mark of the Beast on them who partake with her Rev. 13.8 17 4 13 8. bearing in her hand the Cup of Abomination and so appearing to be formal spiritual Aegypt anâ— Sodom I cannot believe every or any Society retaining some Bâ—â—â—… 〈◊〉 â—…stures and Orders with a protested and apparent recession from Babylon can be the Object thereof and the last of these is the capacity of Englands Church Certainly the Temple of the Lord is not to be disowned or renounced because it hath been sometime trodden down by the Antichristian Gentiles and vitiated by the seat of the Beast when these are expelled though the dirt of their tramplings and stink of their session remain behind them My good friend let it be seriously resolved is there no difference between Israel and Judah Rome and a reformed Church a professed sacrifising Priest and a Minister of the Gospel fondly affecting and retaining that Appellation between a calling on the only true God in the name of Christ though in a defective rude confused and 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 to which the hearers cannot say Amen and abstraction or alteration of the Elements beyond yea contrary to Gods prescription or what the possibility of nature and entity of the ordinance will admit between Sacraments with some unwarrantable superstitious Appendants and a Sacrifice expiatory for the quick and dead must we depart from Israel returned from Egypt and Babylon though retaining the savour some of the Manners and Customs and an hankering mind to go back unto those accursed places I pray God keep England in her now retrograde motion from going back to Rome then through his Grace I shall not dare to renounce her Communion though my soul mourn for her corruption for so long as we enjoy in her the very matter and essential form of Gods worship and Ordinances though in an humane unfit corrupt ministerial method and order with some vaine and needlesse appendants of humane invention we are not without confidence of Gods presence and a possibility of salvation and we therefore are without a sufficient ground for separation or non-communion Consid 3d. Communion is no bar but a help to reformation Thirdly let it be considered Communion with the Church under many and great corruptions is not inconsistent with zeal care and contest for reformation thereof the designs of Hell may agree in the end but disagree in the means but it is not so with the determinations of Heaven the Devil may suggest and provoke the correction of sin by sin or make zeal to purity a spurre to separation and the shiprack of vertue to and in the Church 1 Cor. 11.13 14.15 he can make the white Witch heale what the black doth hurt by him one Conjurer doth blesse what another doth curse the Angel of light doth often expel and lay the Angel of darknesse but yet they be both evil Angels he sticks not at nor stirreth against Piety or Religion provided it be but sinful he is content men go in a via lactea sacra to the place of woe and steere by Conscience if erronious to their own condemnation but it is not thus with God and the dictates of his holy Spirit all his commands are competible his Graces concatenated 2 Pet. 1.5 c. 7. All the duties of a Christian are to be discharged without interfering interruption or destruction by one another he alloweth not one sinful step in the way of salvation though paved with never so fair a pretence of sanctity if therefore his people stumble thereinto they must return and go back if they will go to heaven no one duty at any time damps zeal unto another they may be desparata but never are opposita different but not contrariant one to another the discords in true Religion do ever constitute the clearest harmony all extreams are equally odious unto the God of order excesses finde no more acceptance with him than defects in Religion be not righteous overmuch is a divine dictate though many times unduly Eccl. 7.16 17. and unjustly pleaded by men as well as be not over-much wicked Gods Israel may not turn to the right or left hand Deut. 5.32.17.20.18.14 departing from the way of his Statutes the true Christian must walk in all well-pleasing in every good word and work and hate every evil way Col. 1.10 It hath been a scandalous Blasphemy from its very first being of Christianity to say or suppose it doth direct its subjects to do evil that good may come thereby sincere Saints are ever acted by the Spirit of peace and love to seeke and zealously pursue the purity of Gods worship in union with his Church Rom. 3.8 Reformation a duty zeal care and contests for Reformation of Gods Church and worship subjected to the least corruption can
never be denied to be the indispensable duty of every Christian It is true these are to be expressed and acted by all lawâ—ul and only lawful means 1 Chro. 13.9.10 11. according to every mans place and capacity the most dreadful shakings of Gods Arke will not warrant Uzza to step out of his place to stay it nor will the greatest sanctity in Israel Numb 16. authorize Chora to usurp the Priesthood It is not a more poor apology than base for the rebellion of Dathan and Abyram that all the Lords people are holy the God of holinesse needs not nor will he endure the help of our iniquities these Cautions observed endeavours for reformation can be by none omitted or faintly pursued without an inevitable contracting upon themselves the guilt of those corruptions which remain upon Gods Church and service for no rule in reference to humane society is in Morality or Divinity more true than this error cui non resistitur approbatur veritas non quae non defenditur opprimitur negligere quippe cum possis deturbare perversos nihil aliud est quam fovere nec caret scrupulo societatis occultae qui manifesto sacinori cum potest desinit obviare Erâ—…r not resisted is allowed for silence gives consent Truth not defended is oppressed for Cowardize giveth falshood the Conquest to neglect when we can do it to disturb the wicked is to cherish them for concealment and indulgence is the guard of their designe nor can he want a suspition of secret conspiracy who can but will not hinder iniquity for such Connivance is an act and argument of affection â— Sam. 2. let it be remembred old Elies sin by which he fell under the severity of Gods wrath was his not reforming the abominations of his sons The Reforming Government of many pious Kings of Judah are blotted with a but the high places which the Temple restoted and frequented seemed not worth the heeding were not taken away Israel is charged with the prophanenesse of Gods Sanctuary Ezek. 44.7.8 by reason of the uncorrected neglect of the Keepers thereof and the non-resistance of false Prophets is aggravated with a the Prophets propâ—…cy lies in my name Jer. 5.31 and the people love to have it so It is a matter of admiration to a God of jealousie that his Church and â—â—…ship should be overspread with corruption without the â—â—…king and expostulations of an Advocate for him Isa 59.16 the 〈◊〉 saâ— it and it displeased him that there was no judgment and he saw that there was no man and he wondred that there was no Intercessor 1 Cor 5. the guilt of the incestuous person is by the neglect of discipline charged on the Church of Corinth and the suffering the woman Jezabel Rev. 2.20 is the evil imputed to the Church of Thyatira the light of nature and Scripture leadeth every one in his place and capacity to reform corruption and chargeth it on their conscience as a positive duty To damp zeal or barre endeavours for reformation and to blame and violently silence Ministerial rebukes and argumentation or popular petitions supplications mournings and murmurations under and against the corruptions of Gods Church and worship is irrational and irreligious and the defence thereof by this plea viz. these corruptions are confessedly consistent with salvation and such which notwithstanding the most serious and zealous reprovers do not and professe they dare not separate from or deny communion with the Church is no other than hellish divinity and Bedlam Reason best confuted by their wives rebukes of the Queene of S uts preparing her mistriss sack possets in the common wâ—shbowles not to mention a vessel of more base imployment or presenting to the table his dainty Cates in a disâ— licked by the dog and wiped with her dish-clout the which though it be unhandsome and unwholsome is not poysonous and so directly destructive as to drive them the house or table so as to begge or starve rather than to eate or keep good fellowship such as shall thus do must needs proclaim themselves ignorant of the reproving invective Ministery of the Prophets and Apostles yea of the Lord himself when and whilst they lived in Communion with the Church of the Jewes the last of whom whipt the money-changers out of the Temple when and because he acknowledged it his Fathers house of Prayer Joh. 2.16 insensible of the sad and severe judgments of God on Eli and his sons for their uncorrected disorder which made Gods people loath the sacrifices of the Lord when they did not nor durst leave his Sanctuary and on Solomon for building high places 1 Kings 11.31 though consistent with the Temple of the Lord Ezek. 43.8 and on Israel for building their posts besides his posts their Altars besides his Altars and setting up the Image of jealousie in the House of the Lord which yet was not forsaken by him or his people and unaffected with the nature and holiness of God who will have holinesse written on all the vessels of the Sanctuary and the very bridles of the horses Zack 14.20 and will have all things in his service done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.33.40 because he is a God of order and not of confusion when Corruption in Gods Church and worship can be denied to be sin I will allow and advise Gods Ministers to be silent and when they grow substantiall and vitiate their subject I will allow and advise the Members of the Church to separate but till then I dare not give my consent or Countenance unto the one or the other Reformation and Seperation whereof voluntary non Communion is the privative part Seperation no act of Reformation but obstructive thereto and the first formal act though by the groundless Calumny of the enemies to the one occasioned by the rash inconsiderate zeal of the other they are confounded are in themselves vastly different and indeed inconsistent and destructive each to other as much as is the Cleansing and casting away a vessel purging and parting from an house this is duty but that is horrid iniquity schismes in the Church are dangerous and disgraceful but schismes from the Church is thereunto destructive and damnable to the subjects thereof the purity of Gods Worship must be pursued in unity with the Church and Communion is implied in all endeavours for Reformation desertion doth declare destruction not repair of the house is desired and designed which of us leave our houses because not so convenient handsome or healthful as is desired or forsake our food because of a slovenly Cook or Carver the Scripture doth detect much corruption in Gods Church and the zeal of many unto the Reformation thereof provoking and pursuing it unto death or very deep distresse without the least direction unto or allowance of separation or non-communion but with a most plain and clear charge and direction to the contrary Christs Apostles as
and ordinances and reflectes on the work of reformation it selfe as if their proper genuine and natural parent The reformation of the Church is a duty incumbent on every man and member thereof Reformation must be by lawfull means onely it must be pursued in their places and capacities by just and lawful means without schism from or if possible in the Church or sedition in the Common-wealth both which my soul ever did abhor as disgraceful to Religion dishonourable to God and destructive to Reformation I never did nor yet can allow or advise other means of reformation then Ministerial admonition to the Church Logical dispute and Theological argumentation and redaurgtion among equals humble proposal petition and supplication to superiors with a patient and submisse attendance on their pleasure and on God acting the same such as receive Kings as nursing Fathers to the Church will rejoyce in them as Christians much more as professedly reformed and with all peaceable submission embrace such degrees of Reformation of the extrinsecall order and ministerial method of Gods worship enjoying the substance in the essential form thereof as they will allow untill God encline their hearts to allow what himselfe expecteth and his people desire soberly pursuing the bene esse with joy in the esse of Religion and in communion with the Church waiting on the truth of Gods ordinances quietly attending their Superiors for purity and regularity of dispensation I find not that the men fearing God in Iudah did tumultuously tumble down the high places nor turn away from Gods Temple because of them yet their standing was the stain of Government to their reforming Kings to flye out of Gods house or in the face of Gods Vicegerents because his own appointments are administred by instruments in order to his service unsuitable and to us offensive is a frowardness which God cannot nor will not admit or indulge in any of his children Ministerial reproofs and admonitions and vulgar mournings and murmurations are loud alarums to God and the consciences of men and strong enforcements of Reformation preces Iacrymae ever were and still are the onely weapons of the truly Godly Our state and time calleth for an higher degree of Reformation under and against the oppositions of just authority and lawful Princes such as God hath in his mercy and by his miraculous providence restored to our Church and Nation I am afflicted by and ashamed of the slow progress and shameful retrogradation of Englands Reformation under and against publike national solemn sacred bonds whose obligation will abide before God and conscience though the affirmations thereof may be interdicted by men If Calvini in his days could say If Godly Religion had flourished in England till that day the time of Queen Mary her Raign there ought to have been an order of service better corrected Epistle to the Ch. at Frankford and many things quitte taken away Can we without grief consider our Church hath enjoyed true Religion more then eighty years since that time and yet we ignorantly continue and violently contend for that order of service as if ashamed to give place unto better things yet I dare not deny her to be a reformed Church or as such decline Communion with her in and for whom the Lord hath emminently appeared and out of whom he hath gratiously purged all things venentous and destructive though some things nauseous and distastfull were continued and are returned into her having defended her against the Spanish Ariâ—ado and Popish Conspiracy by Gunpowder and other agitations and attempts of Papall power and Antichristian rage with an Almighty hand and outstretched Arme. I do beleive the infancy of Reformation might rejoice in and grow up under that order of divine service which the adult estate thereof ought to cast off as puerile and unsutable First degrees were matter of Comfort though not of Content to such who seek the simplicity of the Gospell remaining dreggs ought to be discharged and I doubt not God will notwithstanding mens aversness and opposition in due time effect it In the mean time i see no reason to refuse to drink because my waters are pudled or presented in an unclean Vessel and I can come by no purer remaining degrees of Reformation must be so purified that those obtained may not appear to be disowned or despised though our order of Divine Service be a Roman dregge of some dangerous distastfull influence yet it is not Popery shall we not blesse God and rejoyce in England as brought out of Babylon though some Babylonish Vestures Rites and Orders which ought to be abandoned are yet retained I conceive them ingratefull for the purity obtained who run out of Gods house for the Corruptions continued and obtruded I cannot but repute them over forward who shall refuse the Substantials of true Religion and Christs Institutions because of some rude Rough Appendants shall we not acknowledge Gods mercy in affording us and humbly use the truth of Gods word because transmitted unto us with some humane traditions and the substance of his own worship celebrated in a disorderly way and method with some foolish Appendants of mens inventions My good friend my zeal care and contests for Reformation of this poor Church have cost me dear yet if God suffer the Charge to rise as hâ—gâ— as did that of my namesake by the unkindness of King Joash not one mite too dear I blesse God however my passions worke I see no cause to repent my bargain I pray God glorifie himself and edifie his people by my bonds onely I must professe 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 and attendance on Gods solemn publique worship under her rude Ministerial method for that duty is not warantably superseded by the iniquity of another man my sufferings nor other mens sin under which I mourn because I cannot mend it must not turn me out of Gods way to the right or left hand superstition and separation must be shunned as Rocks equally dangerous to Gods Church and worship the prophanesse of this and its Subjects must not drive me nor the pretended purity and piety of the other and its Subjects allure or draw me unto the positive evil of separation or privative evil of voluntary non-Communion I pray and hope God will keep me upright under and against all temptations from falling into the extreams of our unhappy age and Church and yet give me to see the purity of his worship in Union and Communion with his Church here on earth or possesse me with his undefiled unstained glory in Heaven for from the one I dare not depart untill I arrive at the other least by shipwarck I should be deprived of both Fourthly Let it be considered Consi 4th Scandall is an argument of no strength when pleaded to supersede or condemn a positive duty Jobs friends
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
extreams of Supâ—…stitions disorderly administrations of Gods ordinances and Church-rendring religion subverting separation nor am I herein sensible that our case because our capacity is so is different from theirs onely I wish it to be observed the difference is graduall not Real it lieth on the measure and mode not in matter and Substance they were bound to endeavour an extirpation of the same evil but not by so strong an obligation They were in the infancy we are in the adult estate of Reformation and must therefore esteem the puerilia which were their pleasure our shame The nature and quality of the Corruptions with the necessity of their expulsion were by them under dispute it has been determined and that by an Authority sometime reputed just and whatever it will do in politiques will in point of conscience yet abide a dispute as to its lawfulness they were entangled in the snares of education and under the insensible yoakes of unseasonable subscriptions of approbation of and promise to administration by this rude order and confused method whereby the conscience was awed and the credit of Religion engaged them by a burdensome groaning spirit to bear what they did not see how they could regularly be released from from all which we are free and most strictly tyed by contrary obligations but neither they nor we might out of our places and Capacities attempt a Reformation by any sedition in the Republique or sinfull Schisme from the Church Non-communion is no more warantable to us under the strongest bonds to reformation then it was unto them without them because it is an evil in it self The nature of the retained returned corruptions were the same to them they are to us but to neither a justifiable reason for Non-communion The administration of these good men in and by this corrupt order I can better excuse then justifie or intimate I beleive extirpation to have been their duty as it is mine and I see not how I may act though I as a private member may and must attend assent and give my Amen unto right matter in that order and method with those corrupt Appendants I am bound to extripate Abstinence from action being the least and first act of extirpation in which the private Christian is passive purely passive necessarily passive because he cannot enjoy or attend Gods worship in this indispenceable duty of holy convocation without it I beleive the ministerial method of publique worship to have been subject to their Judgement and within their power as Ministers of the Gospell and Stewards of the misteries of God himselfe full and formall Judges of the mâ—de and order of dispensation not belonging to or charged on the private members and objects thereof as to me In both which respects besides that special capacity in which I conclude all the Ministers of our Church now stand by that special obligation which the transactions of providence in our unhappy times brought u on us and our posterities and successors I have else where professed and must still profess it as the result of my most serious and deliberate thoughts I can keep Communion under that form of worship Epistle to Considerator coâ—…dâ—res whereby I cannot administer and heartily say Amen to the Master of those petitions which are put up in an order so confused preposterous and indigested that it seems to me to be so much below the gravity of the Church whose mouth I must be the seniousness of the office whereby I minister the sanctity of the duty I am to perform and the sacred nature of the object to whom they are presented that I dare not stand between God and his people with the same I presume no man will or can deny my capacity as a Minister to differ from the capacity of a private Member and barr me against or bind me unto what the capacity of a private member of the Church doth not barr against or bind unto non-administration may subject me to a suspence of my Ministry when non communion cannot be warranted nor excused the restraint of that must not run me upon the sin of this I must with the pious Israelite leave my sacrifice before the Lord though with my souls abhorrency of the prophane preposterous order of administration when I dare not with violence snatch the fat of the sacrifice and act according to the method of the sons of Eli I must not leap out of Christs fold nor leave his pastures when trodden down by others because I dare not present his sheep with puddled waters in the one I am passive by other mens sin in the other my action maketh the sin mine own Gods substantial worship must not be slighted or refused because the sinful order of men attend it Strait is the gate narrow is the way which leadeth to life whilst I flie from the sin of my Ministry I may be and must take heed I be not split by flying into the sin of a Member of the Church that guilt may be charged on me in the collective body which I must be innocent of in my personal capacity where the Constitutions of men include the righteous judgement of God will distinguish and discriminate Ezek. 9.4 all particulars are included in an universal defection but do not perish by it God will not forget to mark his mourners under Israels abominations in his worship Numb 14 which they could not mend nor avoid his Joshua's and Caleb's who follow him fully shall nonfall short of the land of promise Confid 6. though all Israel fall in the wilderness Sixtly Let it be considered my communion with this Church under these corruptions is not more consonant unto the example of these good men of our Church Communion under corrup is consonant to my own professions and the carriage of other reformed Churches then unto my self who am and I hope through divine Grace shall be semper idem ever since I knew any thing of Religion and in any measure discovered the wayes of God and his people I have grieved for and contested against the corruptions of his Church but avoided abhorred and opposed separation from yea a non communion with it as the much greater evil though palliated with professions of piety and pretences of purity to the seduction of the simple such as have sate under my ministery now clouded by a righteous God reveiwing their notes and reflecting their thoughts on what I preached will find a series of rebukes and admonitions against separation and non-communion though enticed by men seemingly the most holy and pretences unto the greatest purity and sanctity In the last Sermons that I preached from John 4.22 from our Saviours practise and pleading for the Church of the Jews opposed to the Samaritans I affirmed Communion with Gods Church under many and great corruptions is not only lawful but an indispensable duty the which I amplified by shewing the different nature of corruptions as nouseous and venomous prejudicial
the people who sate under my Ministry will say I now undo the good Testimony I gave and give away the Cause for which I appeared Do I now practice otherwise than I have preached Who hath read the Books for which I suffer and will say I by this Act Give away the Cause and undo my good Testimony Read my Bonds pag. 35. Whatever shall be the establishment in the Church though never so corrupt yet whil'st consistent with Salvation though it may occasion to me Suffering and Suspention of my Ministry by Gods Grace it shall not effect in me Schism from the Church Read my Fetters pag. 49 50. This Reformation cannot justifie the Separation for that the Corruptions established were never made a sufficient ground for Separation sober serious Non-conformists who groaned under the burden of thâ—se Corruptions and for this Reformation were grieved by and greatly contended against this Separation as that which wanted sufficient ground Read again mine Epistle to Mr. Firmins Lyturgical Considerator in pag. 3. I can keep Communion under that Form of Worship whereby I cannot Administer and I can heartily say Amen to the Matter of those Petitions which are put up in an Order so confused preposterous and indigested that it seemeth to me to be so much below the Gravity of the Church whose mouth I must be the Seriousness of the Office whereby I administer the Sanctity of the Duty I am to perform and the Sacred Nature of the Object to whom they are presented that I dare not stand between God and his people with the same This last is part of my Testimony concerning and against the Lyturgy it self Now Sir What is my good Testimony Wherein is it undone Am I not practising the Cause in the express state in which I stated it It was ever far from mine intentions to be an Advocate much less a Martyr for Non-communion and Separation Non-conformity and Reformation is my Cause hath made my Testimony if I undo or give away this Inculca me tanquam salem insipidum Good Brother read me right and charge me not with Apostacy who drive with all my main my good Testimony against the one as well as the other extream of Reformation You wound your selves and engage Enemies by your Censures to Clamour and call me Apostate But you cannot convince me nor any that know me and my Testimony that I am started one hairs breadth from my Cause this condemned practice is the formal pursuit of my Contest I must therefore see very good grounds before I give back Having answered your Charge of Impolicy and Impiety I must consider your suggested Arguments against mine attendance on Gods Solemn Publick Worship in this place and order And truly Brother these are few and obscure I understand them not You speak of Ordinances which the Brethren think to be materially corrupt I can say no more to this but only to request they will speak out their thoughts and specifie the seeming corrupt matter and then I will judge concerning it And when they come to do this I think they will find Secundae Cogitationes sunt meliores they will find it is the Mode not Matter that is corrupt You say The Matter of Doctrine and Worship of Prayer seemeth not only to be the objectum ad quem I think quod more proper but pro quibus whether things or persons wherein they take it for granted the Common-Prayer is corrupt This I profess I understand not What do you mean by the Matter of Doctrine and Worship of Prayer Are these terms Synonimous Intend you by them Doctrine suggested in and by Prayer Or the Credentials of the Common-Prayer-Book distinct from the Worship of Praye I pray you explain yourself and then know Think so Seemeth so and take for granted may be supposed grounds for your Censures but signifie nothing to my Conviction which must be on certainty if it supersede what I conclude indispensable Duty Indeed your annexed instance maketh me think you mean the Matter of Doctrine suggested by Prayer for you specifie Arch-Bishops and Bishops as a superiour Degree of Ministry and if so you will give me leave to tell you you have antidated your Objection for our Books pray for none but Bishops and Curates or Pastors and Curates so that till the time of change come I may notwithstanding this Exception continue my Communion when the new Book cometh I may consider the weight of this Plea in the mean time I pray you resolve me Will single Errours preached much less suggested in Prayer warrant Non-communion with a true Church Non-attendance on Gospel-Ministry and Gods Solemn Publick Worship What meaneth when bindeth that Rule of our Redeemer Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees I cannot understand by take heed what you heâ—r hear not them who teach for Doctrines the Traditions of men May not a personal Dissent be entered to a Petition for a mistaken Object and suggesting an Errour as its Basis Or must the whole Prayer for Matter generally good therefore be disowned This will necessitate and was the first cause of S t-forms of Prayer and require that they composed be not only communicated fratrâ—bus doctioribus but also to every indivâ—dual Member of the Church who must join in Prayer and so Sir we fight well to flie upon by flying from a Common-Prayer Book You add The Brethren think mine attendance on it is aequâ— if not aqualiter As if I should read or administer by this Form and that there can be no Obligation of Duty or Edification warranting the one which may not also justifie the other To this I say Thâ—nk so will not convince but of such who thus think I would enquire Is the common state of a Christian different from the special state of a Minister And so the Capacities Duties and Obligations of each different so that the one may be continued while the other doth cease The one may and must be acted when the other is arrested superseded or violently barred if men of power in the Church will discapacitate me for the one doth it ipso facto discharge me from the other Do our discapacitated Common Councel-men cease to be Citizens Or be they not bound to retain their Relation and participate or communicate in the common good of the City under what they judge to be the rude and disordered Government thereof I do not believe the Obligation of my Ministâ—y to be aeque or aequaliter necessitous and extensive with that of Christianity I must be and act as a Christian when those conditions are required from me which I cannot yield and without which I may not be permitted to act as a Minister and those conditions will not discharge the Duties of the one nor bar the Exercise of them which do bar the other I a Minister stand in a general and special Relation to the Church and am charged with Duties proper and peculiar to each of these I may be sinfully imposed on and restrained
sense and Grammatical Construction thereof from whom and which you know I was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it hath been mine unhappiness that few of the Brethren have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the present concernments of Reformation nor could I expect it whilst I could not be heard to speak nor was worth reading when I had written Again I must tell you that it is my Grief to observe that many are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Negatives who are and are resolved to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Positives These agree with me in and against the Disorders which should not be but dissent from me in that Order which should be in the Church They consent when I say Ministers must not conform but understand me not or affirm me Antichristian when I say Members must communicate They own me as Zealous when I cry to the sons of Eli You do wickedly thus rudely to Administer but disown me as impious when I tell Israel You must bring your Offerings to the Lord though by reason of the profane Priests and rude Administration thereof your Soul doth loath them They like me well and cry me up when I say The Image of Jealousie provoketh God and hath brought him down from his Mercy-seat to the Threshold of the Temple but look a squint and cry down when I tell them I will follow not go before God Israel must know and appear in the Temple as Gods house though he be at the Threshold ready to depart but not yet gone How long shall we represent the Spirit of Reformation to be a Spirit of Contradiction and verifie that odious Scandal That Non-conformists condemn every thing but cannot tell what they would have I have observed new light is only reprehensive but true light is also discretive and directive Good Brother Desire such who in this are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cast an eye on that Tract almost lost in our late Confusions which Cartwright Geree Hildersham Dod Ball Hind Nicholls Langley did tread out between the Conformity thou as now required and the Non-communion by the Brownists and Semiseparatists then as now pressed practised and contested for with more reviling Censures than convincing Reasons I wish all those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Brethren would seriously study the Nature of Separation and Non-communion and observe the quality and quantity of Corruptions which all who have written on that Subject have concluded may be in a Church before they constitute a warrantable Cause of Separation or Non-communion I have not met with any who would not allow yea require Communion as a Duty with a Church whose Ministers are vile Members wicked Ministration rude and disorderly Censures wanting or warding against the power of Godliness Worship polluted and in which Idolatry is practised but conjunct with Gods true Worship their Altars standing by Gods Altar their Post by his Post their Groves and high Places in his holy Mountain near unto his very Temple I will not in these Cases except Cotton or H oker by whose Principles the being of the Church admitted I will be bound to defend my present Practice Good Brother Remember Consider our difference from the former state of these holy men is Gradual not Real the Duty or Impiety was in nature the same to them the measure and aggravation is more to us They indeed acted beyond what I can allow and in what I can better excuse than justifie them but their Arguments for Communion are armed with Religious Reason beyond what can be resisted If now I am left alone for I must yet proceed I shall only note paucity of Professors is attendant on all Criticisms of Christianity strait is the Gate Joshua and Caleb must follow God throughly not turning to the right or left hand Gods Worship disorder'd in its Ministration and Mode I attend with Grief but the Corruptions being extrinsecal not vitiating the Subject under which Gods Worship is for Matter and constitutive Form his own I dare not leave it I dare not but attend it violent Restraint removed I have no ground of Faith in neglect hereof to expect special Grace or Presence I cannot with Confidence appeal to God with Lord Thou wilt have Meâ—cy not Sacrifice As a common Christian I am charged to judge the Matter as a Minister the Mode and Order of Gods Worship when it is convincingly demonstrated that these two are aeque or aequaliter necessitous and obliging I shall either Conform or cease to Communicate till then I pray you Brethren receive my Practice as a Comment on my Cause and Testimony and give me leave without your Censures provoking justifying the Clamours of the wicked to walk with my God in Communion with his Church visible conform to the commanding Dictates of my Conscience This is the Desire of Sir Your Brother Constant to God And his Covenant ZACHARY CROFTON FINIS