Short strictures or animadversions on so much of Mr. Croftons Fastning St Peters bonds, as concern the reasons of the University of Oxford concerning the covenant by Tho. Tomkins ...

To the Reverend IOHN MEREDITH Doctor of Divinity, and Warden of All-Souls Colledge in Oxford.

Honoured Sir,

BEfore I presume to beg your Patronage, I must bespeak your Pardon. You might indeed justly wonder, how I should think my self able to judge what were material in this weighty Controversie; did I not live in an age of so much Light, that there are two things we are all able to do: viz. to Reform a Church, and Model a State. There is a Fault (I must confess) in Our

(as in All) Governments, which as some men are resolved never to Pardon, so I have no hope ever to see mended, viz. That all are not uppermost.

There is an Objection will be made against this Innocent Treatise, that it is wrote against Consciencious men. I cannot deny but that the concerned Gentle∣men are admirably furnished with Consciences for every occasi∣on. To prevent this Cavil, my appeal is to You who know what conscience is; having suf∣fered so much to preserve a good one: A tryal, those Gen∣tlemen were never very forward to undergo, nor (if my Augury fail me not) ever mean to be. That sacred thing (or what was

mistaken for it, or at least called by that Name) hath done strange things in this Nation, which it highly concerns some to enquire whether it will justi∣fie. We read in Scripture of Obeying for conscience; but not one word of Rebelling for it. And yet men can do it, and at the same time make the written Word the rule of their Action. It first di∣stinguished between the Kings Person and His Power, and next between his head & his shoulders. And truly, they who once divide the Kings Person and Power are concerned that they never unite again.

Because men do dayly disobey Laws upon the score of conscience, and for that reason take them∣selves,

and are taken by others, for Innocent; I shall beg your leave to ask this Question, Whe∣ther following Conscience is a suffi∣cient Plea to quit us from sin, even where it is so indeed? (To say nothing of those Universal Pretenders, Artifice and Melan∣choly.) The Scripture maketh mention of seared Consciences, re∣probate minds, which sure are no great perfections; and of strong delusions, which though they be new lights are but flashes of hell-fire. And St. Paul reckons him∣self the greatest of sinners, for what he did out of the dictates of conscience [I my self thought verily that I ought to do many, &c.] These are competent grounds of rendring that Tenent suspicious.

I ask therefore briefly, Hath the conscience any rule besides it self, or no? If not; How is the written Word of God the rule of Action? If it have; Whether it be possible for it to swerve from its Rule, or no? If not; then every man is infallible, there can be no such thing as strong delusi∣ons, believing a lie, &c. If it be possible for conscience to swarve from its Rule; whether its swar∣ving be its Innocency? For if it be not so, it is no sufficient ground for men to conclude themselves innocent, when they disobey Au∣thority, because it is their consci∣ence so to do, because the Word of God (to which Conscience as well as other Faculties ought to be subject, and sins when it is not)

prescribes obedience to Governours in the most universal terms ima∣ginable. I could not but say thus much; because, [This is our con∣science] was the old non-confor∣mists first plea, and the latter (in name only different) Enthusiasts only plea; and if it be a suffici∣ent one, it must hold in all cases as well as any: because the rea∣son is equal in all. It may justifie those many who killed the King, and those many more who kil∣led our Saviour.

My want of years and judge∣ment I shall not at all excuse, but urge as my fitness for this em∣ployment; It were a disparage∣ment to the University of Oxford, if such an Antagonist could not be answered by one of the mea∣nest

who can plead relation to so Renowned a Body.

The many weaknesses you will find in these papers are so many evidences that I came to Oxford in times of Reformation, when Learning was counted lit∣tle lesse then an enemy to Grace, as indeed it was to what they called so.

Our Imperfections (Honored Sir) we blush not to discover to you whose goodness will not see them but only to remove them: whose business is, not so much to preside, in a Colledge, as to reform it; to be our Warden, as Example. Like the Sun who when he rules the world, enlightens it too, when he shines he cherishes; so that its most spendid Majesty

is but Love in all its glory: So your Commands are so many boons, and injunctions endear∣ments: so that you do not rule but assist and oblige us; and have now abundantly satisfyed the Obligation the Founder laid upon you of promoting the good of the Colledge to your uttermost, by vouchsafing to take us into your particular care. So that how mean soever this Present is, from your self I am assured to learn how, in time to come, I may make a better: And in the mean time glory that I can account my self,

Honored Sir,

Your most devoted and obliged Servant, THO. TOMKINS.

All Souls Coll. Oxon Sept. 26.