Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	ancient_a	bishop_n	see_v	3,267	5	3.6763	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57303	The good old way and truth which the ancient Christians many ages and generations ago witnessed unto in the world from age to age, even from the dayes of Christ unto this very time, wherein the same doctrine, life and practice is witnessed unto by us who are in contempt called Quakers, through many tribulations, which our ancestors, the most ancient and true Christians that ever were upon the earth, sealed unto, with the loss of their lives and liberties, by which, in short, is fully manifested, in what is treated of herein, that the doctrine of the Quakers, in denying to swear any oath, and their refusing to pay tythes, and many other things they practise, was the doctrine and practise of the most famous and renowned Christians, both testified of in the Scriptures of truth, and the books of martyrs : also, a brief discovery of the ground and rise and tythes, manifesting them no Gospel-maintenance, but was testified against by the best and most ancient Christians many ages ago / written by ... Ambros Rigge.	Rigge, Ambrose, 1635?-1705.; R. T. (Rebecca Travers), 1609-1688.	1669 (1669)	Wing R1483; ESTC R17133	29,214	42

and follow Christ and learn of him down goes their Merchandize by which they maintain their Pride and Pomp for the preserving of which they will cry up any thing that will promote their trade as hath been manifest in England within these late years but God hath shaken his hand at their dishonest gain and is bringing contempt and misery upon them Ezek. 22. 12 13. and they will become a by-word to many in Ages to come and the Arm of Flesh which they have so long trusted in shall wither before them and the Lord will more and more gather his Sheep from their mouthes that they shall not alwayes prey upon them Ezek. 34. 10. the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and all their rage and madness shall but heap Coals of fire upon their own heads for they have over-passed the deeds of the wicked in Drunkenness Swearing Whoring Lying Couzening Cheating Pride Luxury Wantonness Covetousness which is Idolatry a Generation of Vipers stinging and most grievously persecuting all who will not put into their mouthes I might fill a Volumn of their multiplied iniquities which ever were the certain tokens and fore-runners of desolation and destruction and the people thorow their evil example are overwhelmed in all manner of debauchery and uncleanness even drinking in iniquity as the Ox doth water Oh was ever Sodom or Nineveh so over-grown with iniquity as England now is what will be the end of all these Abominations under which this Land mourns Oh that my head were as water and mine eyes a Fountain to tears that I might thorowly bemoan the Calamity of this people for all flesh hath corrupted his way before the Lord their thoughts are the thoughts of vanity and their works the works of iniquity destruction and misery is in their wayes and the way of peace they know not Rom. 3. 16 17. Oh repent repent and amend your wayes for the Kingdom of God is at hand Matth. 4. 17. the Sword of the Almighty is drawn it is fitted and furbished for a mighty slaughter and it shall wound the hairy scalp of every one that goeth in iniquity Plalm 68. 21. Oh therefore return return unto the Lord while he is near and seek his face while he may be found for he willeth not the death of a Sinner therefore if ye perish your destruction is of your selves A Brief Discovery of the entering in of Antichrists and false Prophets with their Marks and Fruits who instituted Swearing contrary to Christ's Command and many other things which now are and for a long time have been upheld contrary to the Scripture and practice of the Saints of old NOw you who call your selves Christians open your eyes and see from whom you have derived Swearing upon a Book which now you are so zealous for that most of you calls it an Ordinance of God let both Christ and the Apostles Testimonies be Witnesses against you herein and not onely them but the Testimony of the best and most ancient Christians since their dayes who under-went most grievous Sufferings both from the hands of many Heathen Emperors several hundred years before there was a Pope and after that Beast arose out of the Sea which then had flowed over the Earth under whom many faithfull Martyrs suffered for their obedience to the Faith and Doctrine of Christ who testified against Swearing and many other abominable Idols which that Beast had derived from the Heathens against Christ's Command all whose Testimonies stands as a Cloud of Witnesses against you at this day who are swearing upon Books and laying your hands upon them saying So help me God which at the best was but invented by Justinian the Heathen Emperor and after him by the Pope from whom it is derived at furthest and so condemns the Quakers to lose all their Goods and Lands and to lie in Prison during the Kings pleasure onely because they cannot deny Christ nor his Commands nor the practice of the Ancient Christians many hundred years ago though there is a witness in many of you that the people of God whom you thus cruelly persecute never plotted any mischief against the King or any man nor ever countenanced any who would so that there is not any people in England Scotland or Ireland that the King may more conside in then in the true born Quakers who cannot betray the Lord nor the King but they who are not faithfull to God and his Truth can never be faithfull to the King Here follows several instances of the Priests practices for which they have no Scripture but were instituted by the Papists and Bishops of Rome 1. CLaudius Espontius a Popish Bishop at a Council held at Pysoy in France in the year One thousand five hundred ordained that Infant Baptism should be received by tradition because it could not be proved by Scripture 2. Ignatius Bishop of Rome was the first that ordained that Infants should be Baptised and have Godfathers and Godmothers oh what blaspemous words hath Antichrist brought in against God how can these be God and Father or God and Mother to the Child and how can they promise and vow that the Child shall forsake the Devil and all his Works and keep Gods holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all his dayes when as the same men and women do believe before hand that neither they themselves nor the child can ever perform these things Is this Scriptural or Papistical answer Priests 3. Pius Bishop of Rome built the first Temple after the Apostacy in honour to the Virgin Prudentia and since the Papists have built thousands and consecrated them for which they have no Scripture or example from Christ or any of the ancient Christians 4. Dionysius in the year Two hundred sixty seven divided both Rome and all their Places into Parishes and Diocesses for Bishops 5. Silvester Bishop of Rome ordained that all Churches should be Christened and anointed with Oyl and called them St Peter St Paul St Katherine St Maudlen St Hellen St Dunston St Anthony St Gregory St Clement St Giles c. which superstitious names are upheld to this day by those who say they deny the Pope 6. Clement Bishop ordained Confirmation of Children and said none was perfect that wanted that he also ordained that Children should be smore on the cheek and signed with the sign the Cross 7. At Lyons in France they appointed holy dayes to encrease their Religion viz. Christmas Candlemas Lammas which was never ordained nor consecrated of Christ nor any of his Servants who neither went to Mass nor observed any Mass-Dayes but kept Gods Command who said Six dayes shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do c. Exod. 20. 8. Boniface the fourth ordained Stephen Innocent Lawrence Michael Martin John Baptist and all the Saints dayes to be kept holy against Gods command before cited and the Apostle testified against such Observations Gal. 4. 10. 9. Gregory ordained that Mass or short prayer

THE Good old VVay AND TRUTH Which the Ancient Christians many Ages and Generations ago witnessed unto in the World from Age to Age even from the dayes of Christ unto this very time wherein the same Doctrine Life and Practice is witnessed unto by us who are in contempt called Quakers through many Tribulations Which our Ancestors the most ancient and true Christians that ever were upon the Earth sealed unto with the loss of their Lives and Liberties By which in short is fully manifested in what is treated of herein that the Doctrine of the Quakers in denying to Swear any Oath and their refusing to pay Tythes and many other things they practise was the Doctrine and practise of the most Famous and renowned Christians both testified of in the Scriptures of Truth and the Books of Martyrs Also A brief Discovery of the Ground and Rise of Tythes manifesting them no Gospel-Maintenance but was testified against by the Best and most Ancient Christians many Ages ago Written by a Branch sprung from the Ancient Stock of David which hath long been compassed about with wild Beasts but thorow the tender Mercies of the Lord yet remains alive whose earthly name is Ambros Rigge Printed in the Year 1669. TO THE READER OH Let not prejudice possess thy mind in reading this small Treatise for then thou wilt reap no benefit thereby but let thy eye be single to the Truth herein expressed and thy whole body shall be full of Light for God never respected mens persons in manifesting his firm and ancient Truth and Mysteries of Life which were ever hid from the wise and prudent of the World as it is at this day yet not so hid but that it is universally tendred to all without respect of persons even from the King upon the Throne unto the Begger upon the Dunghil and therefore is mans destruction of himself as God said to Israel because man hath so much dependancy upon his own wisdom and natural gifts and parts that the things of the Spirit of God are foolishness unto him as they were to the Rulers and chief Priests of the Jews in the dayes of old whom Christ called Blind-Guides though they had natural learning enough as Pilate who crucified Christ had Latine Greek and Hebrew which any natural man may have who doth not know the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned Oh therefore lean not upon thy natural wisdom for it will prove a broken Reed in the Day of the Lord which hasteneth but receive and obey the Manifestatiof the Spirit of God which he in infinite Love hath given thee to profit withal for that is the Talent that he will assuredly require of thee with advantage and happy for ever are they who can give an account of the improvement thereof A. R. The Good Old Way c. IN every Age and Generation of the World since man had a being upon the Earth God had a Seed either invisible in being or visible in manifestation by and thorow which he manifested himself in his own way time and manner according to the good pleasure of his Heavenly Will which Way and manner in every Age of the World since sin entred into the World was contrary to the will and way of Mankind in the Fall and therefore were they in whom God brought forth his Seed in all Ages to give testimony in the World unto his Eternal Name and Truth persecuted and made a prey upon by the earthly powers who was not acquainted with these secrets of the Lord which was ever hid from the wise and prudent of the World and therefore did the Jews and chief Priests with the Scribes agree together to Crucifie the Lord of Life and after them many Heathen Emperors rose up against his Members and destroyed many thousands of them for the Testimony of Jesus and Word of God as both the Scriptures of Truth and the Histories of the Ancient Christians which immediately succeeded the Apostles doth largely and plentifully witness testifie and declare so that since Mans Fall He that was born after the Flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit Gal. 4. 29. even as it is manifest at this day for the Enmity yet remaineth between the Seed of the Serpent and the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3. 15. and so will continue until the desolution of all things Now in the 11th Moneth in the Year 1668 9 did the Word of the Lord come unto me Saying Write and give a Testimony for my Name thereby and spread it amongst those who have multiplied thine and many others Sufferings for my Name and Testimony these several years last past that they may all be left without excuse when I call them before my Judgement Seat to give an account of the deeds done in their Bodies who have not yet repented of their evil but in secret have vindicated themselves as that they have done me service in persecuting them whom I have sent to be Witnesses for my Name and Truth in the Earth These Words lay upon my spirit the most part of the aforesaid Moneth being willing to wait upon the Lord that he might further manifest his Will and Mind unto me what I should write rather chusing to continue in silence many years then to set Pen to Paper to declare any thing which the Spirit of Truth would not seal unto which burden of the Word of the Lord continued still upon me till I gave up thereunto And upon the 21st day of the same Moneth in the year aforesaid I begun to write and the matter that was first laid upon me to write was concerning Swearing at all for the denial of which in obedience to the Command of Christ I had suffered strait and close imprisonment well nigh seven years besides other great afflictions that have been added to my bonds by the hands of wicked men in the said time all which I have been both made able and willing to bear for the Testimony of Jesus and Word of God not counting my liberty not life dear unto me that I might finish my Testimony with joy being counted worthy not onely to believe but also to suffer for that ancient Doctrine Faith and Practice which the best and most ancient Christians sufsered the loss of their Liberties and most of them their lives for as hereafter I shall make appear And furthermore it is upon my spirit to give some Testimony against that abominable Oppression of Tythes under which many groan at this day it being never any institution of Christ to his Ministers under the Gospel nor ever owned by the ancient Christians succeeding them nor ever claimed as any Gospel right for a thousand years after Christ's dayes till the midnight of Popery came over the Earth in the which the several Popes ordered Tythes to be paid to the Mother Church To the first that the Opposers of Gods present Manifestation of this Way and Truth in this our day who have magnified

calls himself thy Vicar on Earth hath broken both these Commandments for he maketh a Law to compel men to Swear and by his Law he teacheth that for a man to save his life may forswear and Lye and so Lord through comfort of him and his Laws the people need readeth to Swear or Lye nay oft-times to forswear themselves Lord here is little truth c. Acts and Mon. vol. 1. fol. 527. Sixthly It is one of John Wickliffs Articles whose Works were as much esteemed by the Protestants in England and Bohemia as dispised by the Papists and their Clergy having his bones taken up and burnt forty one years after his decease and his Books were also burned by the Papists and this Article was condemned with many other by the Counsel of Constance That all Oaths which be made for any Contract or civil Bargain between man and man be unlawfull John Hus and Jerome of Prague were condemned for holding of John Wickliff's opinions Ex Actis Consilij Con. stat vol. 1. fol. 606. Seventhly Walter Brute a Teacher among the People of God in the Age of Scorners called The Devil's Servant or Lollard against whom the Pope and King Richard the second and the then ungodly Bishops made so much ado to have the Name of Truth extinguished and the Professors thereof cut off This is Walter 's Testmony concerning Oathes I believe and obey the Doctrine of Almighty God and my Master Jesus Christ which teacheth that Christian men in the affirmation of Truth should pass the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees of the old Testament or else he excludeth them from the Kingdom of Heaven for he saith Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven And as concerning Oathes he saith It hath been said of old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform those things unto the Lord thou knowest But I say unto you thou shalt not Swear at all neither by Heaven nor by the Earth but let your communication be yea yea and nay nay for whatsoever is more then these cometh of evil Therefore as the Perfection of the ancient men of the old Testament was not to forswear themselves so the Perfection of a Christian man is not to Swear at all because he is so commanded of Christ whose Commands in no wise must be broken although the City of Rome is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ Acts and Mon. vol. 1. fol. 653. Rich. 2d's days Eightly Chrysostom who was a Bishop of Constantinople in commendation of whom much is said in the Ecclesiastical History he blameth them greatly that brought forth a Book to swear upon charging his Clerks that in no wise they constrained any body to Swear whether they think a man sweareth true or false saying It is a sin to Swear well c. Acts and Mon. vol. 1. fol. 701 702. Ninethly Jerome who was an ancient Father and Teacher in the Church whom all the Protestants owned upon that place Matth. 5. 37. and James 5. 12. these were his words It was permitted under the Law to the Jews as being tender and as it were Infants that they might offer Sacrifices to God lest they should sacrifice to Idols so they might swear by God not that it was rightfull so to do but because it was better to swear by God then by false gods and Devils but the great Evangelist admits not of an Oath since every true saying is equal thereunto c. Tenthly In like manner doth Theophilist an ancient Father of the Church whom the Protestants own and have often cited his Doctrine for proof upon the place in controversie saith Learn hence that under the Law it was not evil for one to Swear but since the coming of Christ it is evil as is Circumcision and in sum what ever is judicial for it may become a child to suck but not a man Eleventh And Ambross saith upon Psalm 110. Let him then Swear that cannot repent of his Oath and a little after the said Ambross saith Do not immitate him in swearing whom you cannot immitate in following and indeed the principle solution given by him is Swear not at all Twelfth Many other Saints and Martyrs I might instance at large both in Henry the fourth and Henry the sixth's days whereof some were burned some cruelly handled who said It was not lawfull to Swear in private Cases Vol. 1. pag. 896. Hen. 6. days Thirteenth In Henry the fourth dayes it is said That neither the Pope nor Prelates neither any Ordinary can compel any man to swear by the Bible-book or any Creature of God for saith a Master of Divinity It is not lawfull either to give or to take any Oath upon a Book for every Book saith he is nothing else but divers Creatures of which it is made Therefore to swear upon a Book is to swear by Creatures and this swearing is ever unlawfull Acts and Mon. vol. 1. fol. 701. It would melt any tender heart to hear of the Cruelties and Tortures which that Blood-thirsty spirit invented to destroy the Bodies of those who kept the Commands of Christ and could not be forced to swear by all the Cruelties that the power of darkness either in Henry the fourth's dayes Henry the sixth's dayes Richard the seconds or Queen Maries dayes could invent to torment their Bodies withal which was not a few as may be seen upon record at this day in the first second and third Volums of the Books of Martyrs But they who loved Christ and kept his Commands in those dayes had power and strength given them to endure what ever the Lord suffered wicked hands to inflict upon them by which their Faith and Patience was fully tried and manifested but after the Iniquities of their Adversaries were full the Lord brought swift and fore destruction upon them divers manner of wayes as a just reward of their Blood and Cruelty as may be read at large in the latter end of the said Books For God in every Age shewed his severe wrath against the Spirit of Persecution about Worship and Sacrifice unto him Gen. 3. even from the dayes of wicked Cain unto this hour that spirit is accursed and drove out from the presence of the God of Israel where ever it appeareth at this day even as it was in the dayes of Pharaoh Saul Nebuchadnezer Herod Pilate and all the Chief Priests and after them the wicked Emperors and Kings and after them the divers Popes and their Bloodthirstly Rabble of Clergy and all other under what Name or Form soever at this day where that spirit of Persecution yet remains the Curse and Vengeance of the Almighty doth pursue it where ever it goes though God suffer long as he did Pharaoh and the rest to vex Israel till their iniquities was full even so the Lord in these latter Ages hath suffered many to act much violence and wickedness against his Heritage for their obedience

should be said over the Tombs of the Dead Now Priests see the original of your Prayers over the dead and see if it be Apostolical yea or nay 10. Gregory also ordained that neither Flesh nor any thing that had affinity in it as Cheese Milk Butter Eggs should be eaten on such dayes as were Fasts here came in that Doctrine of Devils commanding to abstain from Meats which God hath commanded to be received with thanksgiving of them that believe and obey the Truth 11. Sabinianus ordained that People should come together to hear Service by ringing of Bells at certain hours 12. John the twenty second Bishop of Rome ordained Bells to be tol'd three times a day here was the original of your Bells and tolings from the Popes Decrees 13. Singing of Mattens at set times Hicrom appointed as Polydore and others say 14. Pelagius the second commanded Priests to say them daily and Vtilianus invented the decent tunes wherewith the Hyms be sung and joyned thereto the Organs c. 15. Telesphorus appointed that Lent should be kept before Easter and added another week to it which is called Quinquagessima and also ordained Epistles and Gospels and Damasus divided them as they are read at this day in the Reformed Churches so called 16. Anastasius commanded that People should stand at the reading of the Gospel 17. Higinus the nineth Bishop of Rome ordained the Communnion to be celebrated three times a year 18. Pius about the year Four hundred and seven after Christ the tenth Bishop ordained that Easter-day should be kept on the Sunday 19. Vrbanus the seventeenth Bishop of Rome ordained Church-yards to be hallowed and forbad marriage of Priests 20. Sextus the twenty fourth Bishop of Rome in the year Two hundred and twenty after Christ ordained the Priests to wear holy Garments as Copes and divers other things in imitation of Aaron and then came in Surplices he commanded Images to be set up in Churches Much more such Trumpery might be instances too tedious to rehearse which is now upheld among the Protestants so called as great Ordinances of God though such things were never ordained by him in any Age of the World but invented by the several Antichrists which John saw entring into the World in his day which are upheld by the false Prophets of our Age without any ground or colour from that which they pretend to be their Rule viz. the Scriptures who have either in matter or form erred from the Spirit of Truth and the Scriptures in every thing relating to their Worship professing in words to know God but in works denying him being abominable and unclean and to every good work a Reprobate A few words followeth concerning Tythes manifesting them no Gospel-maintenance but since Christ and the Apostle dayes invented by the Papists TYthes were never commanded to be paid by the Lord to any but Israel under the Law neither was it ever payable but by the Jews in the first Covenant under the Levitical Priesthood out of the Land of Canaan to such Levites as had no part nor portion allotted them in the promised Land the Tythe or Tenth part of the increase thereof was commanded to be given unto them by the Lord for the Office of the Priesthood and for the service of the Tabernacle Deut. 18. 4. and the Levites out of the Tythes were to offer up to the Lord a Tenth part of the Tythes and give it unto Aaron the Priest for himself and his Sons Ezek. 45. 13. and no other portion had the Levitical Priests out of the Tythes but the tenth of the tenths for the rest had the Levites that did serve at the Tabernacle and it was also to relieve Strangers Fatherless and Widows Deut. 14. 29. So Israel's Tythes were not all given to the Priests but the Poor was maintained out of it beside for there was not to be a Begger in Israel here was the end for which it was at first instituted But Christ the Everlasting High-Priest being come he changed that Priesthood which was but to continue until the time of Reformation Hebr. 9. 10. and the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change of the Law that took Tythes Heb. 7. 12. after which there was never any Command given by Christ to any of his Ministers or Servants under the Second Covenant either to take or receive Tythes of any people and for Eight hundred years after Christ it was never imposed upon the People but they might give it to whom they would at their own pleasure And the Maintenance which Christ allotted his Ministers under the Gospel is expressed in Luke into whatsoever house they entred to eat and drink such things as were set before them for the Labourer was worthy of his hire Luke 10. 7 8. This is the hire the Ministers of Christ are contented withal at this day but the Ministers of Antichrist are not contented with their Allowance nor the allowance of the First Covenant which shews that they are Ministers of neither for if they were they would act according to one but their Fruits plainly testifies to their faces that they are Ministers of Antichrist who have run when the Lord never sent them Matthew 7. 16 17 18. Object Now some have pleaded for Tythes from Abraham's giving the Tenth of the Spoils of the Kings c. to Melchisedeck c. Heb. 7. 2. Answ This was not Tythe of Lands increase neither was it any Command of God to Abraham but a free voluntary gift out of the Spoils he had taken in war but Mark He was yet in the loyns of his Father when Melchisedeck met him Hebr 7. 10. and therefore no Gospel Plea So who would have Tythes from the Scripture must go and meet the Souldiers as they return from the Spoils of their Enemies and receive the Tenth thereof at their hands if they will give it them freely for it is evident that he who changed the Priesthood and fulfilled the Law which commanded Tythes of Lands sprang out of Judah of which Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning Priesthood Hebr. 7. 13 14. And it is yet far more evident for that after the similitude of Melchisedeck their ariseth another Priest verse 15. Who is not made after the Law of a carnal Commandment but after the Power of an endless Life verse 16. For there is verily a disannulling of the Commandment going before mark a disannulling of the Commandment that was carnal where Tythes were included for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof verse 17 18. Because it made nothing perfect but the bringing of a better hope did by which they drew nigh to God verse 19. which better hope was Christ in them the hope of glory By all which it is evident that whoever receives or payes Tythes as any Legal right denies Christ come in the Flesh and such are the Antichrists which the Scripture speaks of 2 Joh. 7. and this is the reason why they who now witness him come in their

Law saith the Book Prescription Statute Custom may not prevail and if any be brought against it they are void and against Justice c. If so then let all who hath the least spark of reason left in them judge whether it is not high presumption against God and his unlimitted Prerogative and Royal-Law written in the hearts of his people according to his Promise by the mouth of his holy Prophet Jerimiah Jer 31. 33. to set up mans Law above it and force the execution thereof against it for in the Second Covenant wherein God promised to write his Law in his peoples hearts Tythes and their Law were abolished as is said before therefore Prescription Statute and Custom that is brought against the aforesaid Royal-Law of God written in the heart is void and against Justice by the aforesaid Law-Book of England which will not admit of Jure Humano to prevail against Jure Divino Here followeth several Presidents of the Ancient Christians some in the Apostles dayes and some since who had no Tythes from the People who gave Testimony against them that did require them IN the Churches of Antioch Galatia and Corinth the Saints possessed every man his own estate where the Apostle ordained a weekly offering of the Saints that every man might offer freely of what God had blessed him withal which was put in the hands of Deacons for the maintenance of the poor and other necessary uses Acts 11. 29. for Christ having in Luke 10. allotted their Ministers their Maintenance they were contented with it and when they returned to him again they could say they had no want but then they lived not in pride nor fulness of bread nor went in long Robes nor maintained their Wives in pride and excess as the men of our Age do for such Christ never sent in any Age for they were not Lord Bishops nor call'd of men Masters but were Patterns and Examples to the Flock and and said to the Disciples and Brethren Be ye Followers of us even as we are of Christ but now if people should follow none but they that are Followers of Christ the Tythe-mongers would have none at all But the aforesaid contribution continned amongst the Ancient Christians about Three hundred years till the great Persecution under Maximinian and Dioclesian as Eusebius witnesseth and so doth Turtulian Origen Cyprian and others here was not Tythes so much as spoken to of the Christian Ministers but they did abide in the Doctrine of Christ and having food and rayment they were therewith content After which time some Lands were given to the Church but Origen saith It is not lawfull for any Minister to possess Lands given to the Church to his own use Cyprian Bishop of Carthage also testified the same and sheweth how the Church maintaineth many poor and that her own expences was full of frugality and her diet sparing and plain Cyprian Epist 27 34 36. Prosper also saith That a Minister able to live of himself ought not to desire any thing of the people and he that receiveth it doth it not without great sin And the Bohemians in their fruitfull and Christian Exhortation to Kings and Princes to stir them up to zeal for the Gospel in many Articles against the Clergy of their Antichristian Practises In the fifteenth Article against them they say thus c. That they receive Tythes of men and will of right have them and preach and say that men are bound to give them Tythes and therein they say falsly for they cannot prove by the New-Testament that our Lord Jesus Christ commanded it and his Disciples warned no man so to do neither did themselves so receive them but although in the Old-Testament it were commanded to give Tythes yet it cannot thereby be proved that Christian men are bound thereunto for this precept of the Old-Testament had an end in the first year of our Lord Jesus Christ like as the precept of Circumcision wherefore Beloved consider and see how your Bishops seduce you with things that have no proof Christ said in the 11th of Luke Give Alms of those things that remain but he said not Give the Tenth of the Goods ye possess c. Acts and Mon. vol. 1. fol. 860. Col. 2. in Hen. 5. dayes But the first that restrained peoples freedom in this kind was the Council under Pope Alexander the third Anno 1180. by whose time much Wickedness and Idolatry was crept in among them as History relates But the most strictest decree was made at the Council of Trent under Pope Pius the fourth about the year 1560. they commanded Tythes to be paid under the penalties of Excommunication About the years 800 900 and 1000. and after Tythes were called the Lord's Goods So here was the rise of Priests Tythes which for many hundred years they held Jure Divino as they said which ever since they have exacted against the Law of God and right reason and have not only robbed God but the poor also and therefore is every Parish forced to keep the poor from starving unto whom if any the Tythes do most properly belong and yet though the Priests go away with the Tythes it is very hard in many places to get them to contribute any thing to the Poor-Tax manifesting their Charity far short of the Levitical Priests who formerly out of the Tythes maintained the Widows and Fatherless c. and consequently far beneath the Ministers of the Gospel And furthermore did ever any either of the Levites or Ministers of the Gospel sue any people at Law that separated from them for Maintenance nay was ever such inhumane actions known from the worst of the Merchants of Babylon let History testifie as to tear four or five times so much as they pretend their due from them who do not like their Wares and troubles them for nothing nay Baalam though he loved the wages of unrighteousness yet he durst not take it but these are not contented with three times so much which modesty would blush to appear in if these be not the greedy dumb Dogs which Isaiah spoke of which can never have enough I know not where they are Isa 56. 10 11 12. The with-holding of these pretended dues at farthest is but a ●●●spass against them and it is their manner often to pray to the ●●●d to forgive them their trespasses as they forgive them that 〈◊〉 against them c. Now let the honest hearted judge 〈◊〉 they forgive such as trespass against them when they 〈◊〉 the utmost rigour of the Law against such as trespass against then yea or nay How do these men think to be forgiven of the Lord For saith Christ if ye forgive men their trespasses your Heavenly Father will forgive you your trespasses but if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses Matth. 6. 14 15. And Peter said Lord how often shall my Brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven

times Jesus said unto him I say not unto thee until seven times but until seventy times seven Matth. 18. 21 22. So if these Priests could really prove that Tythe was their due the with-holding of them is but a trespass committed against them once a year at farthest now if Christ would not allow of Peter's forgiving his Brother seven times but would have him forgive him seventy times seven which is Four hundred and ninety times what kind of Christians are they who take treble revenge at least and oftentimes five times for every trespass against them this is so far from Christianism that Jews and Turks would blush at it Thus far it was laid upon me to give this short Testimony against this abominable Oppression under which many groans at this day that if possible the ears of people might be opened and that they may see how they have been blinded with things that have no Foundation nor colour from the Scripture and they who pretend the Scripture to be their Rule may see that they walk beside their pretended Rule in either paying or receiving Tythes as any Gospel-right therefore are they justly condemned and reproved by their own Rule which will for ever stand a witness against them both in that and all other ungodly practices by them upheld at this day for which they have not the least colour of Scripture to vindicate them therein Ambros Rigge Postscript I Could not let this little Book pass without annexing hereunto some few of the Bonner like practises of Leonard Letchford Priest of Hurst-Pierpoint who calls himself a Gospel-Minister which within this seven years last past he hath done against Ambros Rigge for his obedience unto the Commands of Christ as before is expressed And secondly of the proceedings of the aforesaid Letchford against Ambros's wife because she could not in conscience pay him Tythe for the causes aforesaid as knowing it no Gospel right To the first it alwayes hath been the practice of the spirit of Antichrist the better to effect its mischievous purposes to destroy and root out the Flock of Christ's Fold first to clothe them with Wolves skins and then to set the Dogs and Lions to devour and tear them to pieces Now in the year 1662 and since this spirit hath manifestly appeared in the aforesaid Letchford for when by the spiritual Weapon he could not at all defend himself as a Minister of Christ ought to do he stirred up the Rulers in Hurst aforesaid as knowing aforehand that for Conscience the said Ambros could not swear to tender him the Oath of Allegiance on purpose to insnare him for the refusal of which he was committed to Horsham Goal the 28th day of the 3d Moneth aforesaid after the said Letchford had effected this he with George Vinter Priest of Cove-old cloathed the said Ambros with a reproach as though he had run away from his Wife and Children in Lincolnshire and had left them to the Parish which when this report was spread it was asked George Vinter who formerly was said to be a Lincolnshire man out of what Town the said Ambros run away who before witness said out of the Town of Eagle which after Examination proved an abominable Lye for the best part of twenty persons of the Town of Eagle in Loncolnshire with several Officers both of their Church and others who had lived in the said Town some twenty some forty some fifty years and never knew any such man as Ambros Rigge live there in all their time as may appear by a Certificate given under their hands yet to be seen yet these two Priests by these and other abominable Lyes and aggravations got the Judge at the Assizes following to condemn the said Ambros in a praemunire at which Assizes Letchford appeared in person as one of the fiercest of Ambros's Accusars saying he would aggravate the matter at which words the Judge reproved him and stopt his mouth so after he had got what he then saw was possible against Ambros he afterwards stirred up the Magistrates and the Goaler to add as much affliction to his Bonds as he could by the which R. Luckin then Goaler to whom he wrote many threatning Letters if he would not be severe towards Ambros and keep him close so that the said Luckin said that they would hang Ambros if they could and seeing it his opportunity to act his will upon him and several others in prison with him for Conscience sake called them into the Wards and begun in the first place to deny them small Beer unless they would give six shillings a Kilderkin for that which was sometimes worse then water and because Ambros and others could not uphold that Oppression was forced to drink water well nigh a year and a half to try Ambros further Luckins turned him into the low Goal among the Fellons and there kept him his own pleasure and in the Winter following when the Frost and Snow lay thick upon the ground the Goaler shut up Ambros again in the middle Ward and took away his Bed and forced him to lie upon the Boords for many weeks together being close lockt up and would hardly suffer his Friends to bring him food and as difficult many times for him to get water to drink in all which trials and exercises the Lords presence was not wanting to him which made all these trials seem joyous unto him it was not long after but the said Goaler died After him came John Moorcock to have some rule though but a Servant in the Prison unto whom L. Letchford wrote a Letter to stir him up against the said Ambros giving the flattering titles of Master Moorcock who being of as bad and wicked spirit as himself was easily induced by him to cruelty in answer to which the said Moorcock about the 8th hour at night in the depth of the next Winter made a mutiny in the Town of Horsham pretending the Quakers had broke out of Prison and raised a great Company with Clubs and Staves and brought them up to the upper Ward where Ambros was at work and without any occasion given them they seised upon him pulling and haling him down stairs into the lower Ward among the Fellons where Moorcock himself put great Irons upon him and left him in that condition many dayes and nights which continued so long as the said Moorcock continued in any Office in the Prison and when Letchford saw that would not do his business he writ a grievous Letter to the Sheriff against Ambros and spurr'd up the Magistrates against him who were more wise then to give much ear unto him though he could never justly lay any thing to Ambros's charge that he had either wronged the King or any man upon the earth but only because he would not break the Command of Christ to Swear whom the said Letchford often threatned with the Gallows both in word and writing and sought many wayes to bring it to pass but hitherto the Lord hath