WHAT I Yesterday gave you in words, as few as I could, upon your mention of some Censures vulgarly pass'd upon me; I think fit to repeat to you now at a little more leisure in Writing, which is not so subject to be mistaken; that is, according to what you have for­merly desir'd, a true and plain Declaration of my Principles and Com­munion, in respect to the Differences between the Church of Rome, and the present Church of England, constituted by Act of Parliament. It was to this Effect: 1. That I had some years since agreed with some se­rious Christians to enter into a Religious Society upon three Principles, whereof one was to follow the Example of the Antient Christians as near as we could. 2. That the Antient Christians are to be consider'd not as Persons of some Sect; but as Members of One Great Body of Persons selected out of all Nations, and united and formed into a well constituted Society, under a Spiritual Regiment or Theocrasy, and subject to the Or­ders thereof. 3. That as the Nation of the Jews continued the Peculiar People of God, notwithstanding all their Corruptions; so that our Saviour and his Apostles continued Communion with them till by the Judgment of God their Polity and City were destroyed, and this Society and one Body of Christians were formed and succeeded in that Priviledge: So this great Society of Christians, called One Holy Catholick Church, and all the particular Churches, whereof it is Composed, continue the Church of Christ, and Parts of that Catholick Church; notwithstanding as great Corruptions as those of the Jews, unless any of them be justly cut off, or unjustly separate themselves from the Unity of that One Body, contra­ry to the Example of our Saviour himself, and his Apostles after him, till by the like Judgment of God any of them be destroyed, (as some have been) or the Time of the Gentiles be fulfilled. 4. That such Sepa­ration from the Unity of this One Body, called Schism, is a great Sin, and agreed [...]o [...] on all hands. 5. That upon a Review of the pre­tend [...]d Reformation, and more particularly in this Nation; I perceived plainly [...] divers Abuses and Usurpations of the Bishops and [...] [...]f Rome very justly cast out; but yet that that was done with so [Page 2]much injustice in other respects, Sacriledge, and pernicious Heresy, and by an incompetent Authority in other Matters, as instead of Reformation made an undeniable Schismatical Separation: and the Nation is to this day under Excommunication for just Cause, by Competent Authority, and hath no proper Ecclesiastical Communion with any part of the Catholick Church. 6. That to extricate my self out of all this Guilt and Mischief, I have, according to antient Usage, drawn up a Pro­fession of my Faith, with a Renunciation of all the Sacrilege, Heresy, and Schism of this Church, and Declaration of my desire of Communi­on with the whole Catholick Church, and all truly Catholick Churches, as there may be occasion; and made a particular offer of it to the two Roman Catholick Bishops, who were then here in Town. But they were tied up, and could not admit me upon other Terms than those of Pius 4, and to those I could not subscribe.

And this is my Case at this time: Singular in some respects I confess it is, and such as is no ones besides, that I know of, except those who are in Communion with me; but such as I would not change with any one till I be better informed, being well satisfied, that I have been conducted into it by unforeseen steps by a Gracious Providence over me, much more than by any Humane Prudence of my own, and that I have these considerable Advantages by it. 1. That I am virtually in the most Catholick Communion that can be, by my Publick Declaration, and special Offers and Request; though I cannot actually Communicate with any for want of Opportunity at present. For if I be unjustly kept out, my Case is no worse than if I were unjustly cast out; and my Renun­ciation of the Sacrilege, &c. is all that I can, or am concern'd to do. 2. That all, who Communicate with me, are Partakers in the same Advantage; which no others are, except they do as I have done, or Communicate with such as have done so. 3. That as to Matters of Faith and Doctrine, there is not any Point wherein I differ from this Church of England; but I have the whole Catholick Church, East and West, and all Antiquity on my side; as in that of Prayers for the Dead, &c. nor any, wherein I differ from the Church of Rome; but I have all the rest, and all the Protestants besides, if not some of them too. 4. That as to Matters of Practice in Worship and Discipline; there is nothing that I do, which either the Greek or Latin, or any Catholick Church, or this of England, do or can disallow upon any truly Catho­lick Principle. 5. That as to the Government there is nothing in my No­tions, but what is approved by most Learned Men of all these Church­es; and if I live not under such a Government; 'tis my Unhappiness, not my Fault.

As for my not Communicating with the Church of Rome actually, it is for such Reasons, as not only all Protestants, but all Churches in the World but themselves; that is, all Catholicks but Roman Catholicks (which is a factious distinction) do allow. Yet I acknowledge the Pre­eminence of the Bishop and Church of Rome; and by the Grace of God [Page 3]will assert and maintain that, and whatever is truly Catholick amongst them: But the Corruptions and Usurpations of the Papacy, and all Po­pery I utterly disown and detest, as Injurious and Scandalous to the most Holy Christian Religion; and heartily desire the Reformation of that, but without the Destruction of the Church, or least diminution of the just Rights or Authority thereof.

And for my not Communicating with this present Church of Eng­land at present, it is, 1. For such Reasons as all Catholicks in the World approve as just and necessary: 2. It is not as an Adversary, but as a Friend; but first as the Servant of God, to bear my Testimony to the Truths of Christianity, against their Corruptions and Unfaithful­ness, which I have briefly noted in my Profession of Faith, and other Writings in Print: And secondly, by way of Admonition to them, that they may be moved to remove the Causes of all our Dissensions, and of the Secret Curse that is upon it, that it may become a Glorious Church indeed. And that you may not think, as you are very apt to do, that I am too blunt, and use hard words without sufficient Cause; I will give you an instance or two of what I here say.

The Corruption of the Liturgy by Cranmer, and his Schismatical imposing it upon the Church by Parliamentary Authority without the Consent of the Clergy, is undeniable matter of fact: And it is as certain, that there soon followed the Destruction of all the known Actors in it, and principal Promoters in Parliament; and it self was first cast out here, and imme­diately became a Curse, and a Bone of Dissention among the Exiles at Frankford; and after there return, and so continued till our late Civil Wars, when it was a second time cast out; and when restored again, again proved the same, and hath so continued to this day. And if this were not enough for Confirmation of it, I could shew you as manifest Indi­cations of the Subtilty of Satan in the Corruptions of it, as these Mat­ters of Fact, but that it would be too long for this place. But one In­stance more I here give you; and that is so gross Abomination, that their Minds must be darkned that do not perceive it: It is the exposing of what is most Sacred, the Holy Eucharist, to the greatest Prophana­tion that hath been known in any Christian Church, except by some Schismaticks; upon whom the Dogs, to which they threw it, became Instruments of Vengeance for their Impiety. It is one of the great matters of Shame in this Church, that there is nothing of true Chri­stian Discipline in it; nor can be, unless they had such Apostolick Spi­rits as would obey God rather than Man. And it is another, that they no [...] only want means to keep Dogs from the Altar, but they are even called to it, contrary their own Inclination; (by the Test,) and they themselves dare not but deliver the Sacred Elements to them. And all this is but the Effect of their Erastian or Cranmerian Heresy; their precedent Betraying the Rights of Christ's Church to Slavery, under th [...] Usurped Au­thority of Man. And if all this together be considered, how much short it is of Worshipping the Beast, Sacrificing to Heathen Gods, and what [Page 4]was done by those called Traditores of old, I leave it to you to com­pute.

If it be well consider'd how much of the genuine Christianity, and of the Essential or Necessary parts thereof, are already suppress'd under pretence of Reformation, or otherwise lost in this Nation, and how much more is going apace after; it may be perceived that there is no little need of another kind of Reformation than that External superficial one of Manners by human Laws, lest while we are wholly intent upon that as a mighty Matter; that which is the true Fountain of all real vir­tue be neglected, and exposed to the subtle Machination of such as but laugh at all that work, and are endeavouring to undermine and subvert all from the Foundation; nay perhaps be willing to joyn in the One, that they may with the more Advantage effectually destroy the other. Mr. Toland's Club behave themselves at their Meetings as soberly as any, and consult with as much earnestness and desire of effecting what they aim at. But those who should be the first Movers, and most Zealous Promoters of all good; are the Betrayers of all by their Laziness and Baseness, and the Original of the growth of all our Evil, by their Un­faithfulness both to God and Man; nay, the Principal Occasion of the growth of Atheism, Deism, and Apostacy, by the Scandal of their Greediness of Preferments in this World, and Unconcernedness for any thing else.

This is what I think may satisfy you, and furnish you with Matter to satisfy others, concerning my Actions and Principles; but possibly may give you some Dissatisfaction in other respects: But if withal it do but open the way to a more sound Satisfaction, the Trouble will be but like that of a Purge or Vomit, which, by cleansing the Body of what was hurtful, prepares it to receive and digest sound Nourishment the better. And such I wish you may find it.