they cannot all people may see how far the Piety and Charity of Levi's Priests in his day and time did exceed these Priests of our time for then the Poor the Stranger the Fatherless and Widow were satisfied of the Tythes but now the Priests who pretend their Authority for taking Tythes from Levi do allow the Poor no share though they see them in great Want they are every day begging at our Doors But the Libeller goeth on in the Priests Vindication of having the Tythes Remember that our Lord Jesus was both a Bishop and a Priest and is said by the Author to the Hebrews Libeller to be a Priest forever after the Order of Melchizedek Rep. It s true what the Author to the Hebrews said there but he doth acquit himself of the Libeller's Charge for he doth not in that Epistle nor in any other say that its lawful for Gospel Ministers to take Tythes but in the same Chapter viz. Hebr. 7.12 in Contradiction to the Libeller he said The Priesthood being changed who had command from God to take Tythes there is made also a Necessity of the Change of the Law But it seems my Opponent hath found another Law since then which grants a Right to the Priests for Tythes made in the 9th of Hen. 3. I confess that we read of that but for my part I do not believe he had Power to repeal the Law of God which said The Priesthood was changed and there was made of Necessity a Change of the Law And for his insisting on Christ's being a Bishop and a Priest this makes nothing for him nor them for Christ did not set up Tythes but ended them neither were his Apostles inducted to any Benefices one two or three apiece but on the contrary he said Matth. 8.20 The Foxes have Holes and the Birds have Nests but the Son of Man hath not whereon to lay his Head And when he sent forth his Disciples he did not say to them that whatsoever City or Town they entered into they should settle there and be Incombent of that Place and take their Tythes of them and if they would not receive them then sue them at Law and take treble Damage But on the contrary said Freely ye have received freely give and eat what 's set before you and if they will not receive you shake off the Dust of your Feet for a Testimony against them Surely the Libeller missed chusing a Pattern for taking Tythes for Christ although he was a Bishop and Priest he took no Tythes nor his Disciples neither took none but wrought with their Hands and ministred to their own Necessity and the Necessity of o hers But after the Apostles days there was a great Apostacy among the Professed Christians for some turned to be Wolvâ—s which Christ said would come and Tore and Devoured them that kept the Testimony of Jesus and great strivâ—ng was among them about their Priests Maintenance and for setting up of TYTHES as the Reader may read at large in Frarcis Howgil's Book called THE CREAT CASE OF TYTHES and there may be seen how in the several Ages since Christ was put to Death according to the Flesh God had a People that bore their Testimony against TYTHES Soon after the Year 600. Gregoâ—y the fiâ—st who was the first Pope of Rome soon after sent Augustine the Monk to England â—ad Lib. 26. who as it s said Converted E helbert King of Kent but it was but to Popery and he and his Clergy for a long time after followed the Example of tâ—e Apostolical Primitive Church living in common upon the Free-Offerings of their Converts And from that time until Henry the 3 d no Tythes as Tythes were generally paid but only a Decree made Ex. in Bad. 663 c. that for every twenty Shillings Rent a Farding a Sunday was to be paid and this was given by way of Offering From this time until the Year 1200. all that the Priests could do brought the People no farther than to pay their Tythes at their own pleasures which made Pope Innocent the third send his Decretal Letters to the Bishop of Canterbury commanding him to enjoyn every man to pay his Temporal Goods to those that ministred spiritual Things to them which was enforced by Ecclesiastical Censure And this was the first beginning of general parochial Tythes in England this the Popes Decertal Epistle was admitted and enjoyned by the Law of the Nation King and People being then Papists The Decree of the Pope receiving all possible Assistance from the Bishops and Priests on whose behalf it was made did not only in a short time take away the Peoples right to give their Tythes to those that best deserved them but did also so much corrupt the Clergy that in the time of Richard the second Book Mart. John Wickliff our famous Reformer did make a heavy Complaint to the Parliament in the words following Ah Lord God! where this be reason to constrain the poor People to find a Worldly Priest some time unable both of Life and cunning in Pompe and Pride Gluttony and Drunkenness and Letchery in Symony and Heresie with fat Horse and Jolly and Gay Saddles and Bridles Ringing by the way and himself in costly Cloaths and Pleasures and suffer their poor Wives and Children and poor Neighbours perish for Hunger Thurst and Cold and other Mischiefs of the World Ah Lord Jesus Christ s ith within few Years men paid their Tythes and Offerings at their own free will to Good Men and able to great Worship of God to prâ—fit and fairness of holy Church fighting on Earth Why were it lawful that a Worldly Priest should destroy this holy and approved Custom constraining men to leave this Freedom turning Tythes and Offerings unto Wicked Uses Again hear him That Tythes were and are a Free Gift as among Christians and only pure Alms and the Parishioner may for the Offence of their â—urate detain keep them back Acts Men. p. 69. and bâ—stow them upon others at their own will and pleasures This was also maintained by J. Hus who was burnt for his Testimony at Constance take his own words That the Clergy are not Lords and Professors of Tythes and other Ecclesiastical Goods which are freely given but only Stewards Acts Mon. pag. 605. and after the necessity of the Clergy is once satisfied they ought to be transported to the poor and if the Clergy do abuse the same they are Thieves and Robbers and Sacriledgious persons except they do Repent by the Judgment of God they are to be condemned Will Thorp an Eminent Protestant gave a large Testimony against Tythes saying That those Priests that took Tythes Book Mart. deny Christ come in the Flesh for the Priesthood was changed that gave them At which the Bishop said God's Curse have you and mine for thus teaching Jerom of Prague William Swinderby Walter Brute Rueas Silvi in his Bohem. History the
also Dan. 5 you may read of the Hand-Writing that appeared at Belshazer's impious Feast who beholding it his Countenance was changed and he cryed out for the Astrologers Magicians and Wise Men here it failed also When Christ Jesus was born of Mary the Scribes the Pharisees the High Priests with all their Schollarships could not find out that he was the Saviour but took him for a most wicked Impostor How â—ame it then that they could not find it out seeing that they had the Scriptures that fore-told his coming nay instead of knowing him by their Hebrew Greek and Latin they persecuted him and put him to the most shameful Death however many poor illiterate Mechanicks had him revealed unto them I might bring many Scripture-Testimonies more to my Defence but at present do content my self with these not doubting but such Hoops as these will make my Vessel hold Water these following may be used also if need be Bishop Jewel in his Book against Papists writ about a hundred years ago said thus The Spirit of God is bound neither to Sharpness of Wit Bishop â—ewel against Hard. p. 532.534 nor to abundance of Learning oft-times the Unlearned see that which the Learned cannot see therefore Epiphanius saith Only to the Children of the Holy Ghost all the Scriptures are plain and clear Flesh and Blood is not able to understand the Holy Will of God without special Revelation without the special Help and Prompting of God's holy Spirit the Word of God is to the Reader be he never so wise and learned but as the Vision of a fealed Book William Dell It is only the INSPIRATION of GOD that enables a Man to know the Things of God William Dell confut Sims p. 114 115 116 117. and not man's Study and human Learning Dr. Barns Martyr Burnt for his Faith in King Henry the eighth's dayes saith That Man's Will Reason Wisdom Heart Soul or Whatsoever thing is in man without the Spirit of God is but the Wisdom of the Flesh Zwinglius The Scriptures are not to be understood but by that very same Spirit by which they were writ Tom 3. fol. 160. Peter Martyr that famous Italian Protestant teacheth us That the Spirit is the Abettor by which we must assure our selves for the understanding of the Scriptures Peter Mart. ch 6. and that thereby we must discern between the Words of Christ and the Words of a Stranger Erasmus What 's set forth by man's Device may be received by Man's Wit Eras on 1 Pet. 1.19 ibid. or 1 Cor. 2. but the Thing that 's set forth by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost requireth an Interpreter inspired with the like Spirit Thus Reader thou may'st see who abuses the first Reformers my Adversary or I yet he calls himself a Protestant but if he be he is very much apostatized from the first reformed ones and for my part I am a Protestant in this Case with the afore-said good men And whereas in my Book I did give my Testimony That none could understand the Mysteries of God's Kingdom by Human Learning Arts or Sciences and he hath said nothing to invalid my Assertion yet I did not say there nor was it ever in my Heart that Schollarship was not good in its place viz. to translate any History out of one Language to another as Hebrew to Greek Greek to Latin Latin to English English to Welch or Welch to English c. in these and in Commerce with men by them that travel into strange Countries and for trading with them it s of excellent use But let a man be Master of never so many Languages he cannot by them know the true Meaning of the Parable which Christ spoke The Kingdom of God may be compared to a Mustard seed and whoever say they can they are in their own Eyes wise but when they come to the Tryal they will find it deceitful as well as Pilate and the Jews and many others did And John in his Revelations gives in his Judgment in this Case he says The Whore sits upon the Waters and he says The Waters are Tongues Languages and Peoples But may some say Who is that Whore he there speaks of It s plain that a Whore is one that is Adulterated from her Husband and Christ Jesus is the Husband of the true Spouse his Church but many who have laid Claim to him for their Husband have adulterated from him in their Lives and Conversations and this is that Whore which would make People believe she is an Honest Wife she gets the Tongues and Languages and Peoples and upon these as John saith she sits as a Queen and the Cry now is to all Come out of her my People partake not of her Sins lest ye partake of her Plagues Pilate and the Jews who put Christ to Death had Hebrew Greek and Latin for Pilat wrote a Superscription in Hebrew Greek and Latin and set over Christ's Head when he was Crucified and the Jews read it and yet by these Tongues they knew not Christ CHAP. IV. Of his Reflection on me calling me COOPER c. IN this he spits his Malice at me as much as in any and indeed his Book savours of little else and in this he thought to Character to Disgrace by Reflecting upon my small Original but I am quite of another mind for if this would be so to me it would certainly be of much more to very many that I could name were it not lest any should think I did reflect on them who are now Persons of known Repute and Honour in the World who had smaller Beginnings than my self I could bring the Libeller under this Odium also if he thinks it be any if he be the Man he is said to be but Revenge is none of my Way therefore will at present reply to him of this Matter He 's fitter to Plant Tobacco or at bâ—st to mind hiâ— Ax and Saw Libeller pag. 20. the Joynter and the Adz alias Neddâ— the Criste and the Head-Knife c. Rep. It s known to many now living in this my Native Country wherein I live and it being also near the place where I was Born that my genious from a Child did lead me to Surgery insomuch that before I was Ten Years old I several times over-ran my School and Home when I heard of any ones being wounded or hurt used all my endeavours then to see Fractures and Dislocations reduc'd and Wounds dressed and have been so long missing that my Parents thought they had lost me for which I underwent severe Correction and the troublesome Times being then my Parents sustained great Plunder and my Father dyed before I was Eleaven Years old and my Mother not being then able to produce so great a Sum of Money as to set me to Chyrurgery I betook my self to this honest necessary Calling he upbraids me with with several other things that in those dayes pleased my mind yet during all
Fishing-trade and call them Lay-Preachers and scoff at their Fisher's Coats especially knowing them to be illiterate men did not the great Schollars who had the Hebrew Greek and Latin in those days in Derision call Christ a Carpenter's Son and Blasphemer and Devil thus their Tongues and Languages deceived them for they knew him not with all these Tongues Acts 18.3 Were not Paul and Pricilla and Aquilla Tent makers and were not these true Preachers sure they were So all people that are spiritually awakened may see how that God in the time of the Prophets and Apostles made choice of Lay-men as my Adversary hiâ— stile is to be his Ministâ—rs but it may be the Libeller thinks that now the Case is alter'd and that God hath changed his mind from Lay-men to Schollars only if not why are Lay-men excluded now adays is noâ— thiâ— to limit the Holy One of Israel who will not be limitted but is now risen in his Power in a poor and despised Remnant to whom he hath made known a heavenly Principle wâ—â—ch is the Spirit and Light of Christ Jesus God's Anointed the Second Adam who is made a Quickening Spirit as saith the Apostle in man and thiâ— was it I bore Testimony to in my Book and it s not fe lo de se to deny all outward Teaching in the days of the Gospel that springs not from Christ Jesus the Anointed of God who is enjoyed within by the true Christians in this Age as was by such in former Ages Glory to the Lord God for the same Christ saith God is a Spirit and they who VVorship him they must worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth And this spirit is the true Teacher which we have believed in this is he whom God hath anointed to preach good Tidings to the Poor even Christ Jesus in his Children this is he whom God has sent to bind up the broken-hearted and to proclaim Liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison to those that are bound and to proclaim the Acceptable Year of the Lord and the Day of the Vengeance of our God to all that oppose the Appearance of his Son yea and to comfort all that truly mourn for Sin yea and to appoint to all that mourn in Sion to give to them Beauty for Ashes and the Oyl of Joy for mourning and the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness that they may be called Trees of Righteousness the planting of the Lord. The Conclusion to the Welch Y cymry anwyl cynor yr apostol oedd at bawb yddynt brofiâ—pob peth a glynu wrth y peth sydda ag nid wgf yn disyfy dim yngwaneg genych agos gwnei di velly yn dy gydwybod a cymo anwyl a cei di wir far no ba wreiddin y doeth lythur ar atebwr T. W. An Epistle to my dear Friends the People in Derision called Quakers MY Everlâ—stingly Endeared and Beloved Friends my Soul in a deep sense of the great Love of God and of the Mercy of the meek and lowly Jesus doth dearly salute you all heartily desiring that both you and I may spend all the little remainder of our time with bowed down Souls in holy Obedience to the holy Precepâ—s of the Immaculate Lamb who lives forever who is now risen in Power and great Glory and hath revealed his own everlasting Arm of Power to lead us out of Captivity and Bondage and hath given every one of us in measure of his blessed eternal Spirit to be our Guide and Conducter to that blessed Inheritance prepared for us before the World began Therefore my dear Friends wait diligently and give Obedience to the pure and holy Motions of the divine Light Life Power Spirit of God and Christ in you for the Testimony of Jesus is upon record Rom. 8.14 that they that are led by the Spirit of God are the Children of God And I desire all the Young-convinced who have not yet known what it is to wade through the many Tribulâ—tions Not to be daunted with the Vapours of any Goliah or Envious Enemy and let none in the least think much at this kind of Treatment which I and my dear Brethren have met with from this and many other Angry Adversaries but keep your Eye to Christ Jesus who is our Patern who said Learn of me for I am meek lowly in Heart And forever blessed be his Name I can in truth bear this Testimony That I have learnt to forgive Enemies to bless them that curse me and to pray for them that despightfully use me and persecute me And although the Libeller hath employed his learning his wit and parts most horridly and despightfully to abuse you above most that ever I read yet do I from my Heart desire the Lord if it be his Will to forgive him and though I have resented his ill behaviour to me and you and the blessed Truch with just Rebuke and must do yet again if the Lord will if Cause be given yet it is in the Love of God and in the innocent Nature of his Son And dear Friends It s the desire of my Soul that every one of you may be true Witnesses that this Love of God do always predominate in your hearts towards your Enemies for nothing hath happened to us but what hath abundantly more happened to our Lord himself For his Visage was marred more than any man's and his Form more than the Sons of men he hath no Form nor Comliness in him he was despised and rejected of men a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief surely he hath born our Griefs and carried our Sorrows he was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities the Chastizement of our Peace was upon him and by his Stripes were we healed all we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own Way and the Lord laid on him the Iniquity of us all he was oppressed he was afflicted yet he opened not his Mouth he was brought as a Lamb to the Slaughter and as a Sheep before the Shearer dumb so he opened not his Mouth he was taken from Prison and from Judgment who shall declare his Generation he was cut off out of the Land of the Living and for our Transgression was he stricken Oh! dear Friends how can we but be overcome with such Love as this for it hath none to compare to it Oh that it may be imprinted in every one of our Hearts with so large a Character that our great Enemies may be perswaded that the Love of God dwells abundantly in our Hearts both towards Priests and People Professors and Prophane and that which we desire for them is that they also may partake of the same Love of God which Love will destroy Enmity and Discord and take away the ground of war and strife yea the very ground of all plotting contriving hurt to any either high or low and this dear Friends I know you have