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 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 ; 't is 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 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 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 .