Croftons Appearance Before the Prelate-Justice of Peace, Title page – To the reader
Berith Anti-Baal, OR, Zach. Croftons Appearance Before The Prelate-Juſtice of Peace, Vainly pretending to binde the Covenant and Covenanters to their good Behaviour.
By way of Rejoynder to, and Animadverſion on Doctor John Gauden's Reply or Vindication of his Analyſ…s, from the (by him reputed) pitiful Cavils and Objections; but really proved Powerful and Convincing Exceptions of Mr. Zach. Croftons ANALEPSIS.
By the Author of the Analepſis, and (not by the Dr obſerved) Analepſis Anelephthe, to the continuing of St. Peter's Bonds, and faſtning his Fetters againſt Papal and Prelatical Power.
Claudicat ingenium, delirat linguaque menſque.
Prov. 16.7. The legs of the lame are not equal, ſo is a parable in the mouth of fools.
V. 4. Anſwer not a fool according to his folly, leſt thou alſo be like unto him.
V. 5. Anſwer a fool according to his folly, leſt he be wiſe in his own conceit.
LONDON, Printed by M. S. for Ralph Smith at the three Bibles in Cornhil; and for Thomas Parkhurſt at the three Crowns over againſt the great Conduit in Cheapſide, 1661.
TO THE READER.
Courteous and Chriſtian Reader,
DOctor John Gauden finding no regular, rational, or religious way to releaſe St Peter, and reſtore him to his Epiſcopal chair, thinks it beſt to leave him in his bonds, or holy Fetters, and as a Juſtice of Peace proceeds againſt his keeper, and to binde him and his adherents to their good behaviour; (we ſay of the Devil, that change demonſtrates the non-prevalency of his temptations.) In order whereunto, after nigh forty weeks from the appearance of my Analepſis in the world, againſt the Analyſis, his pregnant Genius was delivered of a Reply thereunto; without the leaſt regard to any other thing by me written, to enforce and eſtabliſh the Sacred and Indiſſolvable Bond of the moſt Solemn League and Covenant that ever paſt on Chriſtian Church or People, (which God hath ſeverely, and before our eyes avenged on the Violaters, in that part, which was (for its matter mainly Civil; and will undoubtedly appear no leſs jealous for that part which is Religious) and yet it is ſwoln into ſuch a bulk, and dreſſed in ſuch a garb, as that it is not for every man to buy; nor any civil, ſober, wiſe man to read, much leſs to rejoyn unto; being able to do no more, but fill their mouths, who are minded to make a clamour, and think ſpeaking (though to no purpoſe) to be a ſufficient anſwer to Mr Crafton.
I having animadverted this Anti-Baal-Berith, finde a neceſſity to Apologize for the very act of my animadverſion, and fear nothing more then to be bound to my good behaviour, for miſ-behaving my ſelf ſo much, as to anſwer a fool according to his folly; wherein I may ſeem like unto him; did not the very next words give me ſome encouragement, directing me to anſwer a fool according to his folly, leſt he be wiſe in his own conceit.
The truth is, what I ever expected and expreſſed to many, is now effected by the Doctor, viz. That he would never be ſo hardy as to encounter me ſingle, or aſſault the reaſon, and ſtrength of argument objected in my Analepſis to his Analyſis; but his honour engaged in an evil cauſe, provoked him to ſay ſomthing, to keep up a repute among the ſimple; he would take up the Anonymous Anatomiſt, (whoſe Dialect I cannot approve) which unhappily had ſtarted into the world, ſome two hours before my Analepſis; and ſcoulding at that and its Author, would ſhuffle in my Book and N…me, (which yet as one that could not read, or fought blindfold, not ſeeing his adverſary, he hath miſtaken through his Book, writing Mr Grafton, as if I ſhould anſwer Dr Gaudie) and ſeem to ſay ſomthing in it, though nothing to the purpoſe: How exactly this is done, I leave the Reader to obſerve.
It is indeed to be acknowledged, that although he enter the Stage with a Title that beſpeaks him ſome ſtrange Hercules fureus, or Ajax Maſtigophorus, and his raging, rambling, raving diſcourſe towards his late Anatomiſt, doth too much verifie the ſame; yet he expreſſeth himſelf with as much civility, reſpect, and modeſty towards Mr Cr. as can be looked for from ſuch a ſarcaſtical Pen; that I wonder he could make it conſiſt with ſo much rage; I could not but expect his prudence to have directed him, no way to conjoyn two ſuch different tracts in the ſame furious expoſtulation, leſt his wrath had run beyond its propounded end; or his Reader ſhould apply the whole diſcourſe beyond the Authors intention, as indeed they commonly do; for he knoweth, …ulgus non diſtinguit.
I am not inſenſible, the barking Curre in the Embleme (moſt ſcurrilouſly) prefixed to his Book without colour of reaſon, is by many applyed, and underſtood to be intended to repreſent Mr Cr. which if ſo, I leave the Reader to judge its aptneſs; the Dr taking no notice of any Book written by Mr Cr. ſave the firſt, which hath found much acceptance for the ſobriety of its Stile; ſo far from barking, as that its modeſty is acknowledged by the Dr himſelf; and all rational men muſt acknowledge the Moon, for its mutation, ſpots, dark, cloudy, uncertain light, and cold chilling influence, to be much a more apt Embleme of inconſtant, uncertain, ambiguous, obſcure, and luke-warm Biſhop Gauden; whoſe Epiſcopal Influence is like the Moon, more likely to kill, then animate Religion; and his glorious light of his rude Rhetorical ſwadoes, to lead men into a fools Paradiſe; for children to play by, rather then direct mens duties, or reſolve their doubts, or guide them into paths of ſafety: But I have more charity, then to think that this (though by the vulgar applyed) was by the Dr intended, as ſuch an Embleme of Mr Cr. 's book; becauſe though he is reſtleſly unquiet in barking out the barking property of his Anatomiſt, yet he doth not ſo much as allude thereunto in all his debates, with Mr Cr. otherwiſe, I could have anſwered a fool according to his folly; and to this piece of ſcurrility (unbeſeeming a man of common modeſty, much more a Chriſtian, a Miniſter, nay one who as a Biſhop pretends to more piety, patience and gravity) have oppoſed, and prefixed to this Tract, the figure of a Wheel, with a Tongue on it, whirling about without order or ſtay, to the only raiſing of a cloudy duſt, with this Motto; Who is this that darkneth knowledge by words without wiſdom? Or this, A fool is full of words, a man cannot tell what ſhall be, and what ſhall be, who can tell? My nature is as bad, and fancy as wilde as the Drs can be; but I bleſs God for the reſtraints of Reaſon and Religion, which bridles I hope I ſhall never break or caſt off.
The Dr doth in the cloſe of his elaborate Tract, complain that he had tired himſelf, and his Reader; nor is it without cauſe, he might have ſaid it in the middle, nay beginning of his journey; and remembred that wiſe obſervation,Eccl. 10.15. The labour of the fooliſh wearieth every he one of them (guide, or guided,) becauſe he knoweth not how to go into the City; which one thus illuſtrates, Neſciunt viam in Ʋrbem, Lava.qui a recto tramite aberrant, & in loca a via adducuntur: The Dr having in his Analyſis looſed from the Haven of Reaſon, true Religion, and the fear of God, runs adrift where-ever the wind of his own words can hurry him, and leads his Reader into a wilderneſs, where he hears no ſound but the ſhrieks of Satyrs, barking and howling of beaſts, at beſt, raging and rayling of men, or wilde and improper diſcourſes, that direct to no certain end; The Dr having unhappily returned railing unto what ſeemed rational in his Anatomiſt, according to what is noted as uſual with heretiques, Haeretici cum perver ſitatis ſuae non poſſunt reddere rationem, in maledicta convertuntur; and endeavoured by words and ſhuffling gloſſes, to darken the plainneſs, and clearneſs of the truth urged by the Analeptiſt; of whom we muſt ſay, as Biſhop Jewel of the Jeſuite Harding, in his confutation of him; Who ſo takes upon him to maintain untruth, muſt needs be forced to diſcourſe about with long vagaries, to lead his Reader from the purpoſe, and to feed him with words for want of matter.
Defence of the Apologie of the Church of England, Preface to the Reader.The truth is, the Reverend Dr hath expreſſed great affection to Epiſcopacy, in his zeal for it, fully matching Harding's apprehenſion of the Papacy, and Aſſertion, That the Popes chair, (or Engliſh Prelacy) is the very knot of Chriſtian Ʋnity; and ſo branding with Schiſm all that ſay the contrary: Nor falls he much ſhort of Pope Boniface, having according to the meaſure of his Prelatical power, Anathematized all Presbyters, as he did Aurelius, and all the Biſhops of the Councel of Africa, not exempting Auguſtine himſelf; Aurelius, cum collegis ſuis inſtigante diabolo, ſuperbire caepit contra Romanam Eccleſiam: Nor is he much defective in their ſubtilty, whilſt viſum eſt utile, ut ſcribatur ad Epiſcopum Romanum, ut conſideret res noſtras, & det conſilium; will more eaſily ſignifie the Popes power, and be rendred, It hath ſeemed good that we write unto the Biſhop of Rome, that he viſit us, and determine our matter by his ſentence; then I ſwear with reality, ſincerity, and conſtancy, to endeavour the extirpation of Prelacy; that is to ſay, the Government by Arch-biſhops, Biſhops, &c. can be rendred, I do ſwear to my power to eſtabliſh and advance Prelacy, the Government by Arch-biſhops, Biſhops; only I will conſent to reform the exceſſive and defective abuſes thereof: but the cauſe cannot be good, that muſt be ſalved by ſuch ſtrained, yea contrary interpretations; eſpecially in matters of an Oath: with how great ability the Dr hath managed his great affection againſt his little Antagoniſt, let wiſe men judge; the weight of the cauſe, and ſome mens doting on the bare ſay ſo of a Biſhop, more then the cogency of the Reply hath produced this following Tract, to thy coſt and trouble, as well as my pains, and expence of more precious time; into which before I paſs thee, I muſt minde thee of theſe two things, pretermitted in the following Animadverſion.
1. That Dr Gauden ſeems to gather much ſtrength from the ſilence, or ſeeming compliances of ſome to his abſurd, contradictory interpretations of the Covenant: Becauſe I will do him, or them on whom he reflects no wrong, read his own words, viz.
I finde no men of learning and ingenuity, but are aſhamed to appear in ſuch a cauſe; Sober Presbyterians do very loyally, piouſly, prudently own, yea and profeſs to the King's Majeſty, a quieſcence under Epiſcopal Government, as no way inconſiſtent with the Covenant: Epiſt. to the Reader. This mitigated, and juſt ſenſe of the Covenant, ſome that were and are great maſters in our Iſrael, and aſſertors of the Covenant, are now content to owne, abating the rigour which ſomtime poſſeſſed ſome Covenanters againſt Epiſcopacy, in that ſenſe, wherein this, and moſt other Churches ever owned, and uſed Epiſcopal Government, and Authority among and above Presbyters: yea many of them begin to caſt a favourable eye on Epiſcopal dignity, no leſs then on Church lands, fearing nothing ſo much as not to have a ſhare of them; much congratulating, as the King's happy reſtauration, ſo the hopes of recovering the priſtine Honour and Government, with the Revenue and Rights of the Church, in point of Epiſcopacy; not in the fallacy of a Presbyterian parity, but of a preſidential, conſtant eminency of Biſhops in authority over Presbyters, pag. 72, 73.
That any have by their ſilence, or ſeeming compliance given the leaſt occaſion to this inſultation, is matter of grief and ſcandal to good men: who yet have obſerved the ſubtile attempts, & ſtrenuous endeavors of Prelats and their abettors, to tempt & debauch the conſciences of ſome Zealous Covenanters; and cannot but bleſs God that any have obtained power to withſtand ſuch temptations, & decline ſuch glorious baits; wch ſhould they, and many have admitted, I was, & am reſolved through divine grace, to ſing no ſong under the ſufferings that are threatned againſt me, ſave only this, All this is come upon me, yet have I not dealt falſly in thy Covenant: but charity bids me conclude, that the Dr reckons without his hoſt, and that the boaſting clamour is a baſe calumny: He profeſſeth the reaſon of the ſo late appearance of this elaborate wilderneſs, was, an expectation of what others would ſay in the cauſe; and yet he runs ſo faſt as not to heed the Covenanters Plea, which would have told him, ſome men no way ſhort, in learning and ingenuity, of Dr Gauden, did appear in ſuch a cauſe: moreover, many may and do appear in it, that appear not to write for it; Pen and Pulpit are different capacities; multitudes of books need not; let the Dr judiciouſly (not judicially) confute one of his Antagoniſts; I dare aſſure him more will take up the quarrel, and defend it: I could (if he call on me) ſhew the letters of many faithful Covenanters out of many Counties in England, joyntly and ſingly owning the ſame cauſe of the Covenant with Mr Cr. and are neither afraid nor aſhamed to own it: I know not what any particular Presbyter might profeſs to his Majeſty; I hope ſuch on whom the Dr reflecteth, will in due ſeaſon vindicate themſelves; I have cauſe to think, the Dr reports this as faithfully as he did Mr Baxter's diſcourſe about the Liturgie: I well know, that thoſe who had immediate conference with his Majeſty, profeſſed in private debates with their Brethren, another judgement of the Covenant and Epiſcopacy, then what is now reported of them: I am ſure at a general meeting of the Covenant Presbyters in and about the City of London, the cauſe of the Covenant was debated, generally owned in its oppoſition to Epiſcopacy, and other things returned amongſt us; and by joynt conſent it was agreed, to petition his Majeſty, and the Houſes of Parliament; the heads of which petition, being agreed on, was committed to certain brethren to prepare and draw up; and was this.
To the Kings moſt Excellent Majeſty.
Humbly ſheweth,
YOur Petitioners humbly bleſſing God for your Majeſties happy Reſtauration to the Throne of your Royal Father, being alſo ſenſible of your Majeſties gracious acceptance of our humble Addreſs made to your Majeſty; as likewiſe of the great piety and zeal in your Majeſties late Proclamations for ſuppreſſing of prophaneneſs, and countenancing & protection of godly Miniſters, are thereby encouraged to lay this humble preſentation and Petition, with our ſelves, at your Majeſties feet.
That whereas your Petitioners by the Authority of the two Houſes of Parliament, were brought under the ſacred obligation of a Solemn Oath, wherein, with our hands lifted up to the moſt high God, we did Covenant to endeavour a Reformation in Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline and Government, and Ʋniformity of the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms; and in purſuance thereof, the ſaid Honourable Houſes, with the advice of the Aſſembly of Divines, did ordain a Form of Church government, a confeſſion of Faith, a Directory for Worſhip, and the greater and leſſer Catechiſms, which we and our Congregations have through God's goodneſs for many years together, and ſtill do comfortably enjoy and practiſe.
We are therefore humbly bold, in the name and for the ſake of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt (for the prevention of diviſions, offences, & ſnares to the conſciences of many thouſands within the three Kingdoms, both Miniſters and people, who are pious and peaceable) with all humility to beſeech your Majeſty,
That the things of God and Religion, which have been ſo ſolemnly Covenanted for, may be owned and confirmed by your Royal Authority; which notwithstanding, we do ſincerely profeſs our readineſs to accommodate with our Godly and Orthodox brethren diſſenting from us, ſo far as may conſiſt with our conſciences and Covenant.
This Petition however by ſome State ſtratagems and Court complement, and over prudent cowardize of ſome, who contrary to the due order of all Aſſemblies, would never let it be reported, it was prevented from being preſented to his Majeſty; yet I know it was agreed and aſſented unto by many learned and ingenious men, who are yet ready in all … ble, lawful, and ſubmiſſive wayes, to own the ſame cauſe of the Covenant, in which Mr Cr. hath appeared; and is here inſerted as a check to Dr Gauden's fancied complyance of Covenanted Presbyters.
2. Dr Gauden doth often ſuggeſt the extinpation of Epiſcopacy to be inconſiſtent with loyalty to the King, and therefore affectionately wiſheth, that Mr Cr. may maintain and expreſs his loyalty, to which he findeth him a pretender.
To this, give me leave, as Dr Gauden hath done before me, to play the fool, and boaſt; and I can ſay without vanity, in expreſſions of loyalty on conſcience of the Covenant, I think I have not come behinde the higheſt Prelate which pretendeth moſt to it; though it be not ſo viſible at Court as they make theirs to be, yet all England knows Mr Croftons conteſt againſt the cruel and barbarous murther of his late Majeſty, & how plainly he did in the pulpit at Nantwitch in Cheſhire, to the face of the chief Republican agents reprove it, as an actual & poſitive breach of Covenant, in a ſolemn Aſſembly, and Thankſ-giving held on Jan. 25. 1649. what rage and reproach he that day underwent, and what hazard he thereby ran into, the yet Miniſter of that Town, and other Gentlemen loyal to his Majeſty, can declare.
In conſcience of this Covenant, and loyalty to his Majeſty, he withſtood and declined the Engagement, and that againſt the open and violent threats of promoters of it; perſwaſions of complying brethren, one of whom preſſed me to it with this great argument, The fight at Dunbar is l…ſt; the Kings Intereſt quite overthrown; theſe times afford few Martyrs; yet Mr Cr. reſolved to make one, and conflicted with a violent and vexatious people, to a Sequeſtration of his Eſtate, on no other reaſon, but not ſubſcribing to the Engagement. It is too long to report my conſtant praying for, and preaching up the King's Intereſt, to the conviction of the enemy; my conſtant refuſal to obſerve any of their Faſts, or ſolemn Thanks-givings, my preaching at Weſtcheſter at the beginning of Sr George Booths attempt, and my troubleſome attendance on the Councel of State, and Militia, with the threats and rage I then underwent: The Articles of Treaſon againſt Oliver, charged againſt me, for which I underwent much trouble; the friendly and angry conflicts I have often had with John Bradſhaw, whom I feared not to minde of his wages of unrighteouſneſs: my conſtant aſſerting of his Majeſties Intereſt, and ſubjects duty of returning to the Lord, and to David their King, which I preached in St Peters Cornhil, when the hearers trembled, and all the City expected Mr Crofton's bonds at the leaſt: All which were expreſſions of loyalty to the King, and conſcience of the Covenant. But I will only preſent thee with a Letter which I ſent unto a Member of the Rump Parliament, on the very day of their triumphant return from Portſmouth; it was then publiſhed (though without my name) I ſhall now affix it to this Epiſtle, and leave thee to judge, how far conſcience of the Covenant hath acted Mr Croftons loyalty to the King, and tell thee he retaineth the ſame duty for his Majeſty, and in ſenſe of it doth (and cannot but do it) now conteſt for, and aſſert the ſolemn League and Covenant, in that religious part which muſt be promoted with utmoſt zeal, by all who wiſh well to King and Kingdom; though the devil and his inſtruments do endeavour to damp, deaden, and divert the diſcharge of duty, by the clamorous charge of Treaſon, Rebellion, Sedition, and Diſloyalty of that Act, which is in its Nature, Principle, and Diſpoſition of the Agents, moſt truly loyal and faithful to the King, and Kingdoms Intereſt, Honour, and Happineſs; which none hath, or can more ſincerely ſeek and promote, then the zealous, conſcientious, Covenanters, amongſt whom to be reckoned, (coſt what it will) is the Ambition and Reſolution of
March 14. 1660. Zach. Crofton.