Reformation not Separation, Letter 2
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.
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 r…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 w…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 Aſſemb…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 M…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 iniqui…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 wi…l not alter the nature of the Act, in it ſelf impi…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 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 th…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 he…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 fratr…bus doctioribus; but alſo to every indiv… 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 aequ…, 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, Th…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 Miniſt…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 from my special, by thoſe things which will not bar the Duties of my general Relation and Capacity: I conceive Adminiſtration of Gods Worſhip, is much different from Attendance on Gods Worſhip; and I ſtand bound to the laſt, when I am (juſtly or unjuſtly) barred from the firſt. Abiathar, and the Idolatrous Prieſts, were not barred from ſerving God with the Church, when thruſt from ſerving in the Prieſts Office. In my general Relation, as a Member of the Church, I ſtand charged, and am capacitated to judge the Matter, and eſsential Form of Gods Worſhip; aſſent to which, is mine only Act: But in my ſpecial Relation, as a Miniſter, I ſtand alſo charged, and am capacitated to judge the Miniſterial Mode, and humane Order by which Gods Worſhip is celebrated; and if herein I be impoſed on, and that by an Order rude, irreverend, and unſutable to God, his Church, or Worſhip; which right Reaſon, much leſs true Religion, will not allow me to receive; I am interrupted in my Miniſterial Office, the Formality of which is, As a man to Modifie Gods Inſtitutions, whereby an intercourſe is maintained between God and men; ſuch impoſition I judge to be a ſubverſion of Miniſterial Office and Authority; not to be offered by others, or admitted by my ſelf, without great iniquity; and if it therefore be enforced by violence, that I muſt be reſtrained from my Miniſterial Modification of Gods Ordinances according to mine Office, and Miniſterial Gifts received; or I may not be permitted to Miniſter, I yet ſtand in my Relation, as a Member of the Church, bound to communicate: The Miniſterial Mode impoſed, and ſinfully received (by ſuch as ſubjugate their Miniſtry) not vitiating the Subject, or nullifying the Ordinances of God; will not warrant my Non-attendance on them: It is not equally neceſſitous and obliging, that I a Speaker, pronounce a wild indigeſted Speech, full of Incongruities, Non-ſenſe, and Soleciſms (from which a ſound mind doth bar me) as that I join and concur in the Subſtantials thereof with the Aſſemblies, ſo asking common and certain good things.
I may not caſt off my general Relation, wherein I am purely paſſive, becauſe thoſe things are to be perſonally acted in my ſpecial Relation and Capacity, which I cannot without ſin conſent to do, and therefore muſt ſtand ſtill. I cannot beat it into my Brains, that it is aeque, or aequaliter to attend, and give an Aſſent unto the Matter prayed, as to utter, pronounce, and expreſs the raw, rude, and diſorderly Speech of the Speaker: Or that the Neceſſity or Obligation of the whole Houſe, in this general Order to preſent it ſelf before his Majeſty, which will and doth warrant the one, may juſtifie the other; the Speakers Speech is often cenſured, when the Commons concerned in it are commended and juſtified.
But Sir, Rather than not enforce this Fancy, you will knock me on the Head with a Chamber-pot; you urge my neceſſity to Communion, to be the ſame to Miniſtration, and tell me, I judge the Nurſe is bound in Duty and Neceſſity to give the Child his bread (his milk had been more proper) out of a Chamber-pot, as ſhe her ſelf; or the Child it ſelf out of it: An homely Simile, but in a ſtarving Neceſſity, I do judge ſo; but I judge Similes do not currere quatuor pedibus, there is no aptitude in this to my Caſe, that Neceſſity will conſtrain me to take my Meat in an unclean Veſſel; which will not conſtrain me to give it in that Veſſel to another. I ſuppoſe your Nurſe is poor, who hath no other Veſſel but a Chamber-pot; yet I muſt ſuppoſe her a good Huſwife capacitated to make it clean: But if her Superiours have ſtripped her of all other, and will bar her from her cleanſing this, I ſuppoſe ſhe is not bound to play the Nurſe, and feed others, though ſhe muſt thus feed her ſelf; if filthy Parents will have ſuch Nurſes, or none, I hope it is in my power to be none of them, I am not bound to it, I am by Nature bound to deny it; and yet I muſt maintain mine own being as well as I can: If the being of Chriſtianity depend upon my perſonal Ministry, as my being, or appearing a Chriſtian, doth on my Communion with the Church viſible, your Inference might be of ſome force, but this it doth not: That therefore you may underſtand the difference, keep to ſimilitudes more apt: The King hath Decreed, All the Citizens ſhall each Month preſent their Petitions by a joint Aſſent to the Expreſſions of a Speaker; the Governours of this City direct a courſe by which to deſign different Speakers, they conſult Matter to be ſpoken, and the Mode of ſpeaking; the firſt is good, and allowed; the ſecond is rude, and diſordered; the Speakers can better expreſs the deſired Matter, but ſhall not be permitted; are they aeque, or aequaliter, ob…iged to ſpeak in this Mode, as to attend this Aſſembly, and give Aſſent to this common good Matter rudely expreſſed by others? Not ſpeaking in this Mode, they loſe the Honour and Advantages of the Speakers; but not attending, or aſſenting to the Matter, they loſe the benefit and being of Citizens; are theſe equally to be embraced and purſued? They are bound in the one perſonally to Act, and denying to ſubjugate their Judicium rationale, to the rude Preſcriptions of others, they are barred from it; but reſolved into the common ſtate, in which, aſſent to the Matter is their only Act, being wholly and purely paſſive in the preſcribed and impoſed Form and Mode of expreſſion; in your Chamber-pot Caſe, you ſuppoſe Christianity to depend on my perſonal Miniſtry (which my Relation as a Nurſe doth renounce) and then indeed your Inference may be cogent; for then your Chamber-pot will ſquare with du Moulins, Fools Coat; but in my more ſutable and ſociable Caſe, I am bound to attendance when, and where I am not bound to adminiſter: The Neceſſity of City-Intereſt and Relation, doth bind me to attendance, and aſſent to City-Petitions; but not to the Duty and Dignity of a Speaker, between the King and the City, from which I am barred by the irrational impoſition of an irregular, undue Mode of expreſſion, in which I muſt perſonally act, by a ſuſpenſe of my Judicium rationale, which I am bound to act in this more, and beyond what I muſt judge in my more common Capacity.
Now Sir, I muſt tell you, I know not whom you intend by the Brethren, who are foreign, in the reſt; ſure I am, they are not Congregationalliſts, who have no little blaſphemed the COƲENANT, by their late Profeſſions for it, and by their Martyrs pretences to it, as the Bond of their moſt barbarous, pernitious Treaſons and Impieties; which was by themſelves ſlighted as an Almanack out of Date, and prophanely, blaſphemouſly violated before they could, or did conſult and perpetrate the ſame: I cannot ſuppoſe them to be the Brethren, for the late ſpecifical Difference, whoſe Policy propounded an interpretation of the COVENANT, contrary to the literal ſenſe, and Grammatical Conſtruction thereof; from whom, and which you know, I was foreign; it hath been mine unhappineſs, that few of the Brethren have been foreign 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 foreign in Negatives, who are, and are reſolved to be foreign 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 foreign, 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 foreign 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 Me…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.
End of the text · Zachary Crofton, Reformation not Separation (1662)