$$ The LIFE ofthe it was needful that the Calling of a Synod were delayed, till the Presbyterians were partly catt out, and a way to keep out the reft fecured. And if when all thefe things were done, the former Promifes were as the Independants called the Cove nant, like an Almanack out of Date, and ifSeverities were doubled in comparifon of what they were before the Wars, no Man can wonder that well underttood the Perfons and the Caufes. § r44. Prefently after this, Mr. Crofton writing to prove the Obligation of the folemn National Vow and Covenant ; (not as binding any Man to Rebellion, or to any thing unlawful, but in'his Place and Calling to endeavour Reformation, to be againft Schifm, Popery, Prelacy and Profanenefs, and to defendthe King ) he was lent Prifoner to the Tower ; where when he had laid long at great Charges, he fought to get an Habeas Corpus ; but his Life being threamed, he was glad to let that Motion fall, and at !aft to petition for his Liberty, which he obtained. But going into his own Country of Cbefhire, he was imprifoned there; and when he procured his Liberty, he wasfain to fee up a Grocer's Shop to get a maintenance for hisFamily. While he was in the Tower, he went to the Chappel Service and Ser- mon; his Judgment being againft feparating from the Parilh-Churches, notwith- fanding their Conformity, fo be it he were not put himfelf to life the Common - Prayer as a Minifter, or the Ceremonies. And this occafioned fome that thought his Courte unlawful, to write againft it : to which he fomewhat fharply replied, and fo diversWritings were publifbed on both fides, aboutfuch Communion. § 141. This calleth to my Remembrance, how earneft the Brethren of London and the Countries were, to have had us draw up among our felves,' how far we fhould go when Conformity was impofed, that we might not be weakened by dif- fering among ourfelves ; which I could never perfuade my Pelf to attempt, cone- dering, as I oft told them, e. That we had no fuch Defign, as to unite and ftrengthen one Parry againft onother, but to keep up the Intereft of Religion in the Land. 2. That if Godpermitted fameable Men to conform, though finfully, he woulddo good by is to his Church,by keeping the Parlth-Churchesin fuch a Cafe, that all of us might not be driven to forfake them. 3. That the thing de- fired was utterly impof ible : x. Becaufe no Man could tell beforehand what would be impofed on us ; and therefore none could tell wherein we fhould be forced to diffent. 'z. Becaufe the fame A& (as corning to Common-Prayer, or Sacrament in the Churches) might become a Duty to fome Men, and a Sin to others, by di- verfity of their Stations , Relations, Paflors, Churches, Occafions, Circumltan- ces (as I proved). How thencould all beforehand fee a bound how far to go? It would be much better to perfuáde Cenforious Brethren, to unite in Cbri/Eian Faith andLove, and to keepCharity and Peace with all that agreein theFoundation, and not to make a Breach by their Cenforioufnefs, and then fay others make a Breach by differing'fromus : Nor to beof the fame Spirit with Impofers, while they are inthe Heatof Oppofition againft them ;or of fufferings by them. The Difference is but in the Exprerons of Uncharitablenefs: one Party fslenceth, imprifoneth, and banifheth ; and the other Party cenfarerb thofe that differ from them, as Tem- porifers, andunfit for their Communion. 3. And if any had fee down his Terms or Bounds, who candream thatall would have agreed to them, when Mens Judg- ments, and Interefts, and Temptations are fovarious? 4. The thing would have feem'd intollerable to our Governors; and they would have taken us for Fa&ious, that had more defiled to flrengthen a Party againft them, than to live in Peaceand Concord. § 146. About this time, there fell out anAccident that gave Occafion to theMa- licious to reproachus : It was our great Grief, that fo many faithful Minifters were put out, and fo many unworthy Perfons reftored, or newly put into the Miniltry. Every Day almoft People talkt tousofonedrunk at fuch aPlace, and another car- ried in a Cart, or lying in a Ditch at filch a place; or one taken drunk by the Watch at Night ; and another abufed and madea Scorn in his Drunkennelss by the Apprentices in theStreets ; and of Three that the Day when they hadbeen Or- dained, got in their Drink, three Wenchesto them in the Inn or Tavern,whichha- ving their married in their manner, be. two fled, and the third was fain to take his Wench to Wife ; withabundance fuch News that fill'd the City. We model}- ly told fume of it, and theymade us odious by it, as malicious Slanderers; as if a Word had not been true. At la(t the City didring of one Baker, that preached a funeral Sermon drunk at We. firninfier, and fell a railing at the People in the Church, in his Sermon, with much of the like: Becaufe the Rumour was fo com- monwe enquired after it, till it was attefted co us by the Hearers; and having LIB. I.
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