The Pursuit of Peace, Letter
VntoUnto the Inhabitants of the Parish of BOTOLPH'S without Algate LONDON, more especially the late Disturbers of our Peace now Reconciled.
Friends and Neighbours;
THat amongst you J have Preached the Gospell with much Contention, in pursuit whereof, J have undergone good Report and bad report, been made a scorne to men, and reproach to neighbors, been persecuted with the height of Violence, outrage, and cruelty the worst of times could expresse, and the advantages of Englands shamefull, sinfull Revolutions, under most unjust, and usurping Tyrants could adminster is not only evident to such among you, as have been the Agents and Abetters thereof; or such as have been affected with my sufferings: but it hath been written in such legible Characters that all that run may read them, and the sound thereof hath been heard through our Land: J cannot but tell you, that I have and if you be but savingly convinced you will say it cause to rejoyce in my support, under, and escape out of all these many troubles: in this give me leave to play the foole, and boast; it is for the Gospels sake that I have suffered; J can appeale to the most of you, Whose Oxe or Asse have J taken? whom have J wronged? or defrauded? what cause did J give for all the calamity you created to me, your selves being witnesses, was it not the withstanding Error and Erronious inconstant JOHN SIMPSON that enraged your spirits: till I denied the liberty of your Lusts, you never spied lewdness in my life, nor indeed endevoured to charge any; and that your whole contest hath been for Licentious liberty to heape up teachers to your itching eares; and intrude into my pulpit Impostors Jezabels which teach and seduce Gods people: your arbitrary orders, violent intrusions, and open out cryes he will not let Simpson (charged and convict of Preaching soul damning Doctrines) preach: doth plainly manifest: if the cause not calamity make a Martyr, J leave the truly sober and Religious to judge the matter of my joy and crowne of my Ministry: let me tell you freely I have reaped among you nothing but what I expected: I often said at my first comming I must not think to rake in a Waspes nest and not be stung; or fight with the Divell in his own dominions and not be wounded: It is matter of more admiration that J should stand in such opposition & see the end of my conflict as a Conqueror then that I should be scratched in my credit, or wounded in any my enjoyments; how many of my Brethren have concluded they must have sunke under my burden? whilst through grace J have borne up to the constant exercise of my Ministry, in both*Having published my tract of Catechizing: the vertue and value of Baptisme: prospering Prophannesse w…h other things since the heate of your Opposition. Presse and Pulpit under all the conflicts assaulting me armed with the advantages of wind and Sun: J must professe had I not enjoyed a good GOD, and cleare Conscience, and beene engaged in a Good cause the truth of the Gospell clouded, with many yeares liberty of Errour and erronious Teachers, who had made you a People of such opposition, not onelyonly discouraging, but deterring any Minister from comming among you, I had not endured to the end. J am a man subject to the same Infirmities with others; and have not been without my temptations to throw downe my weapons, and leave the Field; had not Conscience (for you well know there is no outward enjoyments to doe it) enforced to persist in the Contest: God hath now put a period to it; wee have seemed to rejoyce in the Peace concluded: may God have the Glory of it, in your future order, and subjection to the power of the Gospell. I have often professed to you, and protested in Prayer to GOD, Restraint of violence not Revenge was the end of those vexatious Courses you constrained me to use against you: and God hath given you into my hands that I might considering make it manifest; and how ever the little smart of some may make them fret, yet in coole blood J have not repaired my friend nor re-inbursed my selfe; though highly provoked by your foolish clamours, false accusations, unjust invasions, arbitrary and extrajudiciall processe, mul iplyed Perjuries, violence oppressions, vexatious groundlesse and malicious Persecution, nay by your rigorous holding my friend by the throat, and Cruell exaction of the utmost mite the Law allowed you for (at the most) the rash rebuke of those false Oathes of which I and others cannot but averre, your Consciences know and (without your Repentance) the day of the Lord will make manifest you are Guilty, will make you clearly conclude, I only cut off the lap of your Garment, when your Head was in my hand: I pray give God the glory of his grace, and let men know the spight and envy you have experienced in me; af…er all the evill done me, I can abide your opposition, better then insult over your submission, I cannot but desire my kindnesses may melt you, least they heape up Coales of fire to consume you: Your Repentance towards God I am bonnd to pursue, and cannot but desire and waite for, that you may have peace with God, otherwise my Peace will but reprieve your pain; I beseech you consider your iniquity, and give glory to GOD, were it not that I should blazen your shame, I should have laid your sins in order before you; but you cannot but know that the confession of it to me, or before men will never establish a pardon without soule humiliation before God: Whilest I speake Peace to you, I cannot but be plaine with you, to put you in mind of your duty, for I may not heale your hurt flightly, whilest I really seeke the Salvation of your Soule; Being —
Your faithfull Pastor, seeking you not yours, ZECH: CROFTON. From my Study this 25.th of Aprill, 1660.