The Fastening of Saint Peters Fetters, Title page – To the reader
ΑΝΑΛΗΨΙΣ ΑΝΕΛΗΦΘΗ, The Faſtning of St. PETRRS FETTERS. By SEVEN Links, or Propoſitions. OR, The Efficacy and Extent of the Solemn League and Covenant aſſerted and vindicated, againſt The Doubts and Scruples of Dr. John Gauden's Anonymous Queſtioniſt. St. Peters Bonds not only looſed, but annihilated by Mr. John Ruſſell, Atteſted by John Gauden, D. D. The League Illegal, falſly fathered on Dr. Daniel Featley: AND THE Reaſons of the Univerſity of Oxford for not taking (now pleaded to diſcharge the obligation of) the Solemn League and Covenant. By Zech. Crofton, Miniſter of the Goſpel at S. Botolphs Algate, LONDON.
Jer. 34.15.
Ye were now turned, and had don right in my ſight, and ye had made a Covenant before me in the Houſe which is called by my Name.
Ver. 16.
But ye turned, and polluted my Name.
Ver. 18, 20.
I will give the men that have tranſgreſſed my Covenant, which have not performed the words of the Covenant which they made before me, I will even give them into the hand of their enemies.
Error cui non reſiſtitur approbatur, & veritas quae non defenditur opprimitur; negligere quippe cum poſſis deturbare perverſos, nihil eſt aliud quam fovere, nec caret ſcrupulo ſocietatis occultae qui manifeſto facinori cum poteſt deſinit obviate. Innocent.
London, Printed for Ralph Smith, at the ſign of the Bible in Cornhill, near the Royal Exchange. 1160.
The Epiſtle to the READER.
Courteous Reader,
I Am not inſenſible that the ſubject matter of theſe papers, and the ſeaſon of their publication, may expoſe them and their Author to the cenſure of the Committee of Diſcretion; which if they do, I cannot but let thee know, this will not be the firſt time I have fallen under their correction: For, ſuch was my loyalty to the Kings Majeſty in His late unjuſt exile, and the cogency of the Covenant on my conſcience, that my preached Sermons, and printed Papers, were very frequently under the examination of this Committee, conſtituted not onelyonly of my envious enemies, (deſirous to diſcover in me a raſhneſs which might prove my ruine) but alſo my trembling friends, and timerous brethren in the Miniſtry, who thought any who ſtept before them in duty, thruſt themſelves into preſent danger; and yet no judgment could paſs againſt me ſave onelyonly this, The ſtate of affairs might have made him more politick; but that it is truth he ſpake, and a Miniſters duty to ſpeak, it could never be denied.
I preſume, men to whom I am in any meaſure known, will not judge me ſuch a fool as not to diſcern the current of the times, countenance of the Court, clamors of the Countrey, contradictions of riſing perſons in the Church & Commonwealth to what is herein aſſerted; the compliance and connivance of many my brethren in the Miniſtry under the ſame Oath herein vindicated; and the cooled courage of the firſt Compoſers, earneſt Inſtigators, and zealous Promoters of the Solemn League and Covenant: and that in diſſenting from them, and oppoſing my private apprehenſions to their more prudent affections, I muſt needs expoſe my ſelf to the reproach of ſingularity, inconſiderate heat, peeviſhneſs of ſpirit, and contract on my ſelf the frowns of men in power, and frettings of my complying brethren, and fellow-confederates, and fail the expectations of my own preferment, which my courage and conſtancy for His Majeſties juſt intereſt in the worſt of oppreſſing times, and utmoſt of oppoſition (wherein many who now vilifie the Covenant, durſt not ſpeak, nay did baſely comply and promiſe, to be true and faithful to the Common-wealth of England, as it was then eſtabliſhed without a King and Houſe of Lords) had heightned in both my friends and foes; againſt which, when I reaſon with fleſh and blood, and conſult a proud heart within, and numerous family without me, I find ſufficient Arguments (according to the dictates of nature) to determine folly againſt my ſelf; but I hope I have not ſo learned Chriſt.
True piety doth ſuggeſt and convince me, that wiſdom towards God, is folly to the world; and the Watchmans prudence is to proclaim an approaching evil, whilſt at a diſtance, capable of diverſion, and eſcape; and that the moſt wiſe of Gods Miniſters in all ages, judged it their duty to oppoſe Gods Word to mens prevailing luſt, and preſent propenſity unto wickedneſs: Elijah-like to ſtand alone, and ſpeak the mind of God, when for ſo doing they may be branded as the troublers of Iſrael, when indeed their ſin, not the preachers ſpeach, doth cauſe the commotion; with Micaiah to denounce the danger of Ahabs deſign, though 400 Prophets encourage it, and King, and the Court encline to it: and with Jeremiah, to ſay to the King, Keep thy Oath, and thou ſhalt be delivered, when Princes and Prophets perſwade the breach thereof, and himſelf muſt down into the Dungeon as a preacher of ſedition: Few men will deny, that Roger Bacon in his plain preaching to King Henry 3. that if he did not remove his malignant counſellors, Peter Biſhop of Wincheſter, and Peter de Rivallis, he could never be at quiet, played a wiſer part than did the Biſhop, who, to pleaſe the Kings humor, preached up the Kings prerogative to ſuch a pitch, as brought himſelf under an Anathema, from which he was forced to appeal to Rome for relief: And all good Proteſtants will conclude Cranmer was much wiſer in alone withſtanding King, Council Parliament, Lords temporal & ſpiritual, in the caſe of K. Henry 8. his ſix Popiſh Articles, than in that Court-compliance, which cauſed that doleful complaint in the midſt of the fire, This my unworthy right hand.
Magnanimity is a vertue not the leaſt neceſſary to a man, but moſt neceſsary to a Chriſtian, and moſt of all to a Miniſter, who ſhould like his Steeple ſtand in all ſtorms (raiſed under, and by the variations of human affairs) and not like the Weather cock turn with every wind. I am aſhamed to think with what vigour ſome aſſerted the Obligation of the Covenant in reference to Religion, when the civil part thereof was clouded and broken; and now would vindicate the civil part thereof, whilſt Religion is ſpecially concerned: Like wiſe Archers, level at the mark becauſe of ſpectators obſervation, but reſolve to ſhoot fair and far off; whilſt others wholly couch it, are ready to caſt it off, or by falſe gloſſes, and frivolous interpretations evade it, and ſtudy how to charm others into the ſame ſilence, I had almoſt ſaid ſin.
It is worth remembrance, that Religion and its Reformation never was, nor muſt now be expected, to be the reſult of an ordinary meaſure of reſolution: It is needleſſe to recite the boldneſs of the Apoſtles and Primitive Fathers againſt the contradiction of the Pagans; Alexander and Athanaſius that foreign againſt the Arrian Empire in promoting and defending the true Religion: or Wickliff, Hus, and Luther, and others, in the firſt reformation; and the conflicts of Englands Non-conformiſts againſt the remainders of corruption, and Romiſh Reliques in our Church, unto a Solemn Covenant for their extirpation.
Zeal, courage, and conſtancy ſuit not any act ſo well as the aſſerting the Obligation of a Sacred Oath, to which King and Kingdom are the ſubjects, and of which God is Object and Avenger: ſo that in hanc arenam deſcendere, to enter a controverſie in defence thereof is pro aris & focis certare, to fight for God and our Country, that the one be not diſhonoured, or the other deſtroyed by perjury. Dr. Sanderſon notes courage as a neceſſary Bar to the ſwearing of a forced Oath; De juram. prael. 4. Sect. 14. pag. 123.I am ſure it is much more ſuch to the breaking of it when ſworn; he makes it eſſential to piety, Viro forti, id eſt pio, pius enim eſſe nequit qui non eſt fortis. To him I muſt needs ſubſcribe, whilſt Solomon ſeems to have been his Dictator, The righteous are bold as a Lion, but the ſluggard crieth, There is a Lion in the way; and fools wait wind and weather to the loſing ſeed-time and harveſt. I deny not wiſdom to watch and wait opportunity of action, but that general diſtaſte, and diſſent, direct contradiction, or declared inhibition of ſome, luke-warm declention of others, danger and difficulty unto an improbability of effect, ſhould demurre to a poſitive duty (ſuch as is miniſterial exaction of the Oath of God) is plain folly, and to divert it is praedominate iniquity: ob dubia quae ſe offerunt nemo à bene faciendo ceſſare debeat, is a Divine rule, moſt fit for Divines to practice in religious diſcharges. Cicero de Officiis. lib. 3. p. 404Regulus is no little renouned for his fidelity to his forced Oath, Cum vigilando necabatur, erat in meliore cauſa quam ſi domi ſenex captivus perjurus & conſularis remaniſſet; And me-thinks the dying profesſion of Mr. Chriſtopher Love, Speech on the Scaffold.in reference to this very Covenant, I had rather die a Covenant-keeper than live a Covenant-breaker, ſhould yet have ſome influence on London-Miniſters.
Let men count me fool and firebrand, or what they pleaſe, my record is above, and witneſs is on high. I muſt tell thee, as no perſwaſion of my friends, threats of foes, loſſe of eſtate, danger of liberty, declenſion of brethren, could conſtrain my ſilence in the civil part of the Covenant which concerned Caeſar; ſo I cannot but ſpeak unto the religious part of it, which concerneth God and his Church, the things therein ſworn to be extirpated, being generally evil; and the beſt (viz.) Anſwer to the Remonſtrant. p. 30, 31.Epiſcopacy (which Smectymnus tells us [In its beſt and primitive inſtitution was of diabolical occaſion, and meer humane, not Apoſtolical preſcription; a remedy uneffectual to its deſigned end, and only became a ſtirrup to Antichriſt;] which I hope none of them will be perſwaded to hold) is onelyonly good in that particular which is common to other Governments; and not divine, or neceſſary, but within human power to be diſcharged or continued. And in conſcience of its obligation, I have this once and again put pen to paper, whereby, if I may do God and his Church, the King and Kingdom, any ſervice, I ſhall be glad, like unto Alexanders ſouldier, to be found in the faſhion of a fool; being reſolved, in the diſcharge of duty, to ſeek dignity according to old Strato's direction, by turning my back on the riſing Sun; and withſtand S. Peters temporizing (to the ſtumbling of the weak, and ſtrengthning of the wicked) unto his very face; for he will be found worthy to be blamed. Let mens ſpirits be compoſed, the caſe of conſcience be candidly diſcuſſed, the bond of the Covenant be by right and religious reaſon diſcharged, none ſhall more chearfully ſubmit than my ſelf; but if the Covenant be ſleighted as of no uſe, by Jeſuitical Sophiſms made void, by violence violated, or by falſe gloſſes and interpretations evaded; faithfulneſſe unto it, and the zeal of a Miniſter (bound to ſpeak in Gods Name, that his anger may be ſilent) and love and loyalty to King and Kingdom (ſtudious of what may profit more than pleaſe) will conſtrain an out-cry, and conſtant call, Oh regard the Covenant, the Solemn League and Covenant!
The degrees of reformation obtained, before this Covenant was made, were matter of joy to the Church, and ground of praiſe to God, but not of content and full ſatisfaction, whilſt higher degrees were deſirable, and to be purſued; and though we now ſhould obtain another ſtep to what we then had, but yet, not only ſhort of, but inconſiſtent with the degree covenanted or ſworn; I deny it not to be materially good, yet cannot but judge it to be a formal evil. I fear a breach of the Covenant, unleſs we can find a medium between perjury and non-performance (quoad captum) of the thing ſworn to God. I can chearfully embrace every degree of good, but not triumph in that good which falls ſhort of engagement unto God; Reformation is not more joyous, than the retrogradation thereof is grievous to a ſerious ſpirit; that the child ſtick in the birth is dangerous, but its return into the womb is ſo apparent an hazard to mother and child, it admits no moderation in midwife or aſsiſtants, but provoketh earneſt and utmoſt diligence for delivery. I tremble to think what may yet become of the Reformed Churches, if Englands reformation after ſo long and ſad a travel be returned backward, and that againſt the ſtrength of a Solemn League and Covenant. I pray God we be not courted into the Caſſandrian accommodation, into which Englands Prelates could not cudgel us. It bodes no good, when ſacred Oaths are conceived to be Court-complements, State-ſtratagems to be once uſed to effect a preſent deſign, & ſo laid aſide to be no more regarded; or like riders knots, with which men at pleaſure play faſt and loſe.
I am not ſo rigorous as to extort the ſenſe of an Oath beyond what its genuine conſtruction will bear: nor can I allow a ſignification more laxe than the ſcope, Grammatical expoſition, and Logical reſolution of the words will admit. Some wits can find, or rather fancy ſtarting-holes in the ſtricteſt and pl…eſt bonds, Proteus-like, turning any thing into any ſhape, thereby thinking to ſpeak the weakneſs of an Oath, they ſhew themſelves notoriouſly wicked.
— Mille adde catenas,
Effugiet tamen haec ſceleratus vincula Proteus.
Hor. lib. 2. Satyr. 3.But the words of this Covenant are plain and clear to every common capacity; and in no part more clear than in that under preſent controverſie (viz.) Refo mation of Religion, wherein the Word of God is made the lanthorn to direct our courſe; and beſt Reformed Churches our lanched boighs to detect our dangers in every time of Doubt: In the evils to be removed, that which might occaſion the greateſt doubt, is made moſt plain by the deſcription of the object and denomination of the act. The Object is expreſſed by a term Prelacy, though general in its ſignification, yet by long and common appropriation, as obvious to vulgar capacity to denote a ſpecial kind of government in the Church, as tyranny in reference to the Common-wealth: Yet it is reſtrained by a more particular denomination Hierarchy, holy government by the order of holy high Prieſthood (as ſome do fancy) and ſpecifical deſcription by its enumerated ſubſtantial parts, Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Deans, Deans and Chapters, in which it formally exiſted; and ſeparable adjuncts, Commiſſaries, Chancellors, and other Officers depending thereupon; ſo that theſe not in ſenſu compoſito (that the removal of any one Officer might ſuffice) but complexo, the Government conaining all or any of theſe, is the object ſworne againſt, appears to every unprejudiced Reader: and ſo it ſquares with the Act expreſſed by the moſt ſignificant word which could be deviſed, viz. Extirpate; which certainly every ordinary reader knoweth to amount unto more than mutation, (by diſmembring ſome ſeparable adjuncts thereupon dependent, as Commiſſaries or Chancellors, or by limitation and regulation, which yet makes the Biſhops holy hands eſsential to all acts of confirmation of Catechumeniſts, or Ordination of Miniſters, or Juriſdiction in the Church, though there be never ſo many grave, learned, and pious Presbyters and Paſtors: a few of whom may be his Lordſhips Council, without any intrinſecal authority in themſelves and without him; whilſt all men know to extirpate ſignifieth, una cum ſtirpe evellere, to pluck up by the very root. In this point if the words of the Oath were not ſufficiently clear, and the Lawyers rule, Lex currit cum praxi, may point us to a Comment. The Petition oppoſed by the *Biſhop Hall.Remonſtrant, defended by Smectymnuus, preſented to the Parliament, the debates, many ſpeeches and reſolves in the Houſes which preceded and produced the advice of the Aſſembly of Divines, Ordinances of Parliament, and Oath of His moſt Sacred Majeſty as King of Great Britain, in purſuit of the Covenant which enſued upon the ſwearing the ſame, hath written this ſenſe in ſuch legible Characters, that all may run and read it. And although I would not require any thing more, I can take nothing leſſe (becauſe God alloweth no abatements in an Oath) than what hath been ſworn, though it ſhould appear good and profitable, but not neceſſary, neceſſitate precepti divini.
However others may flagge and faulter, or fall off from the Covenant, I muſt tell the aſſertors of the Presbyterial Government, that if they have no conſcience, they are hedged into the obſervance of it on the account of Credit: Reaſons of the preſent judgment of the Univerſity of Oxford, concerning the Solemn League and Covenant. Sect. 7 p. 21.for the Univerſity of Oxford (as with them combin'd to their reproach) from the Jeſuites and Sectaries, hath charged it to be their property, to ſwear one thing in their words, and in their own ſenſe to mean another; to invent Oaths and Covenants for the Kingdom, diſpence vvith them vvhen they pleaſe; ſwear and forſwear, as the wind turneth, like a godly Presbyter: which if any of them will dare to verifie, they ſhall give me leave to mourn alone for their iniquity: for (by Gods grace) my ſoul ſhall not enter into the ſecrets of an Art ſo ſinful and ſhameful before God and men; but ſtudy that Rule, Be vviſe as Serpents, but innocent as Doves.
Courteous Reader, I have held thee too long in the threſhold; I ſhall ſtay thee no longer ſave to tell thee, if in any thing I ſeem indiſcreet, it is in venturing ſomething of Anſwer to the Reaſons of the Univerſity of Oxford (which every ſimple Anti-covenanter, and ſcurrilous Pamphleter (not able by the leaſt Caſuiſtical conſideration to diſcharge the Covenant) do revive, and run into as the Gordian knot, never to be looſed; and to which my Antagoniſt Dr. Gauden (beaten out of his own Divinity) doth retreat as to his impregnable Caſtle of confidence) which may indeed ſavour ſomething of arrogancy, in any ſingle opponent, by whoſe over-matched weakneſſe the cauſe may ſuffer: Give me leave to tell thee, the dread hereof hath ſmothered in ſilence what is now drawn out by the reputation of unanſvverable Reaſons they have received amongſt the enemies of the Covenant. I cannot live by an implicite faith, but in a caſe of conſcience muſt examine the conſiderations of the moſt learned Society. General Councils are more authoritative and authentick than any ſingle Univerſity; yet they have erred, and their errors have been detected by ſingle perſons. And how fooliſh ſoever I may ſeem, I have ſo much wit as to know, Timidi & ignavi nunquam erigent Trophaeum, Honor attends not Daſtards. And again, Trophaeum ferre me à forti viro pulchrum eſt; ſin autem & vincar, vinci à tali nullum eſt probrum. It is an honor to Scanderbeg to beat, not any ſhame to be beaten by the numerous Turks: If I be vanquiſhed by their more learned pens, it can be to me no diſgrace, nor to truth any great dammage, whilſt my being over-poured in ſo good a cauſe, will engage more able men, (who have any zeal for, or conſcience of the Oath of God which lieth on us, our King, and Kingdom) to appear for the relief and defence thereof: In expectation of which, I caſt my ſelf on thy candor and ingenuity,
Zach. Crofton.