read for that properly appertains to the Turk And this Prophesie can be no other way fulfilled but by selling the souls and bodies of men in this manner Rev. 18.13 Mal. 3.11 2 Cor. 2. last ver Paraeus upon Rev. 14.16 17. 28. The Law concerning payment of (m) 21 H. 8. c. 6 13 Ed. 1. Stat. dict Circumspecte agatis New Terms Law verb. Mortuary Cowels Interp. verb. Mortuary Mortuaries that is the best good as a Heiriot is to the Lord or Money as the Custome hath been or rather a certain Rate setled by the Statute of King Hen. 8. It was originally a thing given to God to purge the guilt of the party deceased which he contracted by omission or non-payment of Tythes but hath been alwayes claimed and received by the Priests in Time of Popery and since by their Successors the Parsons and Vicars The Law is Superstitious and the payment unlawful being a Conformity to Idolaters and a derogation from the All-sufficient Merit of Christs Sufferings 1 Cor. 6.14 Levit. 20.23 Isa 1.12 Ezek. 43.8 29. The Laws concerning payment of Tythes is taken (n) Heb. 7. 5 12. Furius Camillus upon the taking of Vij gave the Tenth of the spoil to Apollo at Delphos Tit. Liv. l. 5. from the Levitical Service where the payment was a meer Ceremony and imployed for the Maintenance of that Levitical Service and was by the Law of God disposed of to the Levites the Priests and the Poor c. and afterwards this payment of Tythes was taken up by the Heathen (o) Rous Attic. Ant. l. 2. c. 9. p. 59 96. Godw. Antiq. Rom. l. 3. sect 4. c. 11. both Greeks and Romans who paid their Tythes in a manner as the Jews did The Greeks first used it and then (p) Godw. Ant. Jud. M. A. l. 6. c. 3. p. 250 251 253. Fox Act. Mon. Vol. 1. p 336. Col. 1. the Romans who took many of their Laws and Customes from the Graecians as the Law of the Twelve Tables and other Laws of Athens also received this Custome Then when the State of Rome under the Papacy was advanced at the breaking of the Roman Empire were those things received and by little and little a Body of Religion falsly so called was patched up together consisting partly of Jewish and partly of Heathenish Customes imposed upon England as well as other Countreys as may be shewed at large It onely sufficeth for the matter in hand to know That these Tythes were Levitical and Ceremonial (q) Pareaus in Apoc. c. 13 16. Weemse Cer. Law Com. 1. Exercit. 1. p. 3. Com. 2. Exercit. 16. p. Bellarm. Contr. lib. de Cler. p. 316 317 318. and so are reckoned by the Learned and are abolished with the Temple and were not received into the Christian Churches in (r) The Money called Smokepeny was granted to the Pope by Ine King of England An. 740. and augmented by Etelpe which they called Peter-pence Bodin Repub. l. 1. p. 116. some places until (s) Fox Acts Mon. Vol. 1. p. 336. Col. 1. Ex Chrysost Augustino Bellar. Contr. l. 8. de Cler. p. 315. many Hundred years after Christ and the Ministers may as well fall to Circumcising and Sacrificing as to Demand Tythes as due by any Divine Law But it may very well be conceived That the Devil endeavors to keep up these Tythes on purpose to hinder the efficacious progress of the Gospel which seldome doth any good where there is jangling and wrangling about payment of Tythes as there is commonly in every Parish where they are held to be due Jure Divino Levit. 29.30 32. Deut. 18.4 Numb 18.24 26. Nehem. 10.37 38. Cock Engl. Law p. 22. The Priesthood which received Tythes is changed then must there of necessity be a change of the Law Heb. 7.5 12. 30. The like may be said of the Laws concerning payment of First-fruits and Tenths whether those which were paid to the King or such as were paid to the Pope being all one The First-fruits are one years Profits the Tenths are a Tythe anciently paid to the (t) Cowel Int. verb. Tenths Pope until in the time of King Edw. 2. Pope Urban granted them to that King to have his assistance against the French The Pope received them in Imitation of the High-Priest as Head of the Church and Chief of the Clergie and sometimes the Kings of England had them after Edw. 2. and sometimes the Pope received them (u) 26 H. 8. c. 3. 1 Eliz. cap. 4. These payments ceased to be paid to the Pope when King H. 8. revolted from the Pope Ann. 1534. until then England was the Popes Vassal Bod. Repub. l. p. 116. But King Hen. 8. when he Cashiered the Pope declared Himself Supreme Head of the Church of England And from that time he received thele First-fruits and Tenths and Erected a Court called The Court of First-fruits being now part of the Exchequer where the same were received and there they are paid until this day (w) Rous Attic. Ant. lib. 2. cap. 9. These are likewise in the same condition with Tythes and were paid towards the upholding of the Levitical Service and therefore with the Temple are Abolished Exod. 22.29 Deut. 18.4 Lev. 2.12 27.30 32. Exod. 23.19 Heb. 7.12 31. The Law concerning (x) Wing Law c 19. p. 30. 1â— 27. Deodands which is by Law declared to be something given or as it were forfeited to God for (y) Coke comp Copyholder sect 27. p. 9. Stamf. Pl. Cor. l. 1. c. 2. Cowel Interp. verb Deodand Si equus c. hominem occiderit quasi sacrum fit nisi ad Regem spectet nescio an veteri consuetudine comburi soleat Cowel Instit l. 4. Tit. 8. s 1. pacification of his wrath in case of misadventure where any Christian Soul cometh to a violent end without the fault of any reasonable Creature These are the words of the Book It is that which moveth to the death of any man is a Deodand Quicquid movet ad mortem hominis Deodandum est This is a Superstitious Imitation of the Papists and derogatory to the All-sufficient Satisfaction of Christ Heb. 9.22 Psal 49.7 Mic. 6.7 32. That a man pretending Right to a house next to him watcheth an opportunity Stat. 5 R. 2. c. and finding no one in the house gets in peaceably mures up the door and layes it to his own house and so holds it without force This is said by some to be no forcible Entry against any Law and I have heard it so delivered upon the Bench (z) Poult Pax Reg. Regni tit Forcible Entry fo 39. neither can the party put out have restitution of possession or any way get in again but by an Action at Law although he lie out of doors in the mean while This is a Law whereby Hundreds of poor men may be made destitute of houses The same is said of Tenants in Common or Joynt-Tenants
have weight laid upon him as much as he can bear and shall have one day three bits of Bread the next day Gutter-water given to him and so every day until he dye with pain The practice is somewhat altered in the execution for the Condemned is Pressed to death presently and every one that will is his Executioner This is a wicked Law and contains three Offences 1. The Punishment is barbarous for that there is no Offence in this world against men but a man's life taken away is a sufficient satisfaction without any such lingring death 2. The party being Guilty is not bounden to accuse himself upon his Tryal much less ought he to be enforced to tell a Lye and say he is Not guilty 3. The great Offence is That he is Condemned without Proof 2 Cor. 13 1. Heb. 10.28 Deut. 17.6 Numb 35.30 Joh. 7.51 To this may be added Setting men upon the Rack (m) In sime of Popery this was frequent and hath been since used for discovery of Treason Examining them by Torture a Devillish Invention not long since practised and warranted by our Law 10. The Laws concerning Parishes Parsons Vicars Curates Deacons Churchwardens Advowsons Presentations to Churches Jure Patronatus Non Admisit Quare Impedit Quare Incumbravit Darrein Presentment Restitutione Temporalium Conge Desleir Admittances Institutions Inductions Ne Admittas Vi Laica Removenda Excom Deliberando cautione Admittenda Dedimus Potestatem ad Elegendum Abbatum Lincences to Preach Suspensions Ecclesiastical Censures in Ecclesiastical Courts These all are unlawful as being the Inventions of men to thrust out the Officers and Order which Christ hath left in his Church (n) Godw. Ant. Rom. l. 3. c. 2. p. 135. c. 3. p. 142 143. Fuller Holy State l. 2. c. 12. p. 87. Ex Conc. Toled 589. can 9. An. Coke Rep. l. 5. Cawdreyes Case c. 3. p. 48 49. c. 4. p. 72 73. c. 7. p. 169. thence to p. 356. The Parishes are the Hearch which keep in all these Superstitions and they were taken up by the Church of Rome from the Heathen Romans as likewise were their Pope or Fontifex Maximus their Orders of Priests Deductions Consecrations and many other Paganish and Idolatrous Superstitions And from Rome were hither sent and continued here all along by the Popes Power until the Reign of King Hen. 8. when he took upon him the Popes Office 25 H. 8. c. 20. Wingate Law c. 38. p. 62. n. 20 21 28. to be the pretended Head of his pretended Church of England Lev. 20 23. Ezek. 11.12 Hos 14.8 2 Cor. 6.16 Deut. 12.3 Cock English Law p. 16 22. 11. (o) Fitz. N. B. 269. b. Coke l. 5. fo 25. 2 H. 4. c. 5 15. 2 H. 5. c. 7. The Law for Tryal and Conviction of Hereticks delivering them to the Secular Power to be burned the Writ Haeretico Comburendo put in execution against the faithful Servants of God called by a Nick-name Lollards about the time of Rich. 2. and Hen. 5. and afterwards whom the Lord Chief Justice Coke concludes to be Hereticks and deriving their Name from Lolium as the Papists did rehearseth that impertinent Verse of Virgil Infoelix Lolium steriles dominantur avenae They were the followers of (p) Rast Entr. Haeres 1. White Way true Church sect 50. p. 393. Fox Acts and Mon. Vol. 1. p. 608 657 659 846. John Wickliff whose Opinions we may finde in Fox his Acts and Monuments and Symson his Church-History These and those afterwards by vertue of the Statute of the Six Articles were put to death onely for matters of Faith and Opinion without any disturbance to the State (q) Dalt offic Vice Juram Vice fo 4. All High-Sheriffs were Sworn even to the time of the beginning of these late Wars to extirpate these Servants of God and the Anabaptists which onely (r) Swinb Treat Willes par 2. sect 14. par 5. sec 2. deny Infant-Bapitism are reckoned amongst Hereticks By this we may judge what our Law-givers were and what was a principal end of the Law viz. The destroying of the true Faith and the rooting out of the sincere Professors of the Gospel which is a principal Mark of Antichrists Power These are Impious Laws and the execution most abominable Rev. 16.6 17.6 18.24 12.13 Gen. 4.10 Luke 11.50 51. Gal. 4.29 These Customs taken from the Romans Tac. Annal. l. 12. c. 11. p. 171. 12. (s) Litt. l. 2. tit Villenage sect 172 Coke Com. Litt. l. 2. sect 177. sect 189. Wingate Law c. 9. p. 17. n. 3. n. 5. Poulton Pax Reg. Regni tit Appeal fo 159. a b. Littleton tit Villenage l. 2. sect 190. The Laws and Customes concerning Villains and Villainage mentioned by Littleton and others observed by Coke in his Comment upon Littleton and plentifully discoursed of in the Old Books are Heathenish and wicked Customes That the Villain is as the Lords Goods and at the Lords absolute Disposal and so are his Wife and Children (t) Those whom we call Villains Niess thâ— Romans called Adscriprivos Glebae they plowed laboured and might be sold as the Romans Slaves That the Lord may enter upon him and take his Lands Tenements Rents and Chiâ—dren And although he that is pretended to be a Villain bring his Wriâ— to prove himself free the Lord may seise him as his Vilâ—ain (u) Appius Claudâ—us sâ—ised Virginia upon this pretence Tit. Liv. l. 3. p. 117. b. Pendente Lite and if the Lord rob the Villain he shall have no Appeaâ— against him And it hat been said That if the Lord ravish his Nief that is his She-Villain she could at Common Law have no Appeal of Rape against him but Littleton saith the contrary (w) If the Loâ—d marry his Nief or she villain and die seised of Land in Fee this wife shall not be endowed because she was his Villain Jo Perk. tit Dower sect 314. These Laws above-mentioned are too bad for Turks much more to be abhorred and rejected of Christians as being against all those Laws of God which condemn unmercifulness and injustice towards inferiours Exod. 1.13 14. Lev. 25.42 43 46 53. Eph. 6.9 Col. 4.1 Prov. 12.10 Luke 6.36 1 Kin. 9.22 There was nothing more regarded in the foundation of Christian Common-wealths then the discharging of Slaves and Villains and such Common-wealths were free from Slaves ever since the year 1250 as a (x) Bod. Rep. l. 1. c. 5. p. 39 40. p. 45. Those Slaves are at large described as above is said Cowel Instit lib. 1. Ti. 3. sect 3 4 5. Learned Lawyer hath observed who taxeth England and Scotland for continuing such Customs and Services upon their Tenants And likewise saith the Law of the Twelve Tables still in force in West-Indies and Africk as too rigorous towards Debtors and Servants (y) Rast Entr. tit Appeal fo 51. b. 27 H. 8. c. 24. Poul
pag 666 667. before bought for thirteen shillings four pence Something may be also gathered by the computation of the Rent-Corn reserved upon the Colledge-lease made in pursuit of the Statute of the 18th of Eliz. where the third part reserved in Corn if I mistake not doth much exceed the other two thirds in money Lay all this together and it must needs be granted that forty shillings when the Statute of Gloucester was made was as much in value as forty pounds was fourteen years since I do not speak of the values as things now are because Corn and Cattle are fallen half in half from their usual prices but Almighty God can alter those things in an ordinary course of providence when he pleaseth in the mean while we are to blesse God for our plenty which never was conceived to be a Plague or a Judgement but a token of great prosperity and must needs be so at this day if Money and Lands were rated answerably Now then if all Actions under forty pounds were determined in the Counties and Cities where the Actions grew there would hardly be ten of an hundred commenced at Westminster which would be an exceeding benefit and advantage to the whole Nation 3. The contrary practice now in use that every trivial All Nations except the Commm-wealth have their Laws executed in every City See Corollarie p. 142. The Romans observed this course to have Justice done in every City Tac. Annal. l. 1. c. 3. pag. 5. idle impertinent suit of three pence value should be brought at Westminster whereby all sorts of men from Michaels-Mount in Cornwall to Berwick in the North and other places far and near should be hurried up to London and Westminster the poor although they beg as it 's usual because no one will follow their Suites without money and the rich the better to over-see their Suites or taking such an occasion it may be for curiosity to learn and see fashions or for more vicious and wicked ends many times to the ruine of them and their families all occasioned by the Laws residence at Westminster whether they must go this I set down to be one of the greatest oppressions and burdens which the Nation groans under and not to be parallel'd in any Kingdom or Common-wealth in the whole world most like to the Turks travelling to Mecca to visite Mahomets Tomb this in general Now out of this grand mischief many other evils grow and are nourished thereby 1. Expences occasioned by Suites at Westminster are six times more than they need be whereof the greater part is usually spent in Hors-meat and Mans-meat 2. Travelling to London constantly occasioned by these Suites from Term to Term much weareth out mens spirits and weakneth their bodies especially if the journey be long and tedious besides the losse of time which might be spent more profitably at home 3. The destruction of Horses which have pined started spoiled in and about London is by estimation as much losse and charge yearly to the Common-wealth as the payment of a Subsidy in former times which was above one hundred thousand pounds that is above ten pounds for every Parish one with another 4. The concourse of people of all sorts from all parts to London causeth a great increase of wickednesse and is the Nurse of all Rebellion and Commotion by reason that London being as a Wood to shelter all men as well such as having run out of their Estates live there unknown as all others who live by their wits or have committed any villanies or have any design to plot or contrive mischief usually resort thither where by reason of the multitude and so many strangers unknown no account can be taken of their Actions or manner of living the common pretence being their attendance upon one Court or other which occasioneth Impunity and le ts loose the Rains to all Iniquity 5. This hurrying up to London especially by the Nobility and Gentry causeth nothing but profusenesse and ill husbandry where for the most part they learn nothing but drinking drabbing and fantastical fashions and in the mean while their houses in the Countreys stand vacant as a Lodge whom none inhabits but a single keeper and their poor Tenants want work and relief 6. Upon this occasion the whole considerable trade of the Nation except of some few Sea-Towns is carried up to London generally all other Cities and Towns are decayed and almost ruined and impoverished (h) This causeth those two plagues of a Common-wealth Riches and Povertie when some have too much and others too ltitle which makes the Rich tyranize over the poor and more to regard their pleasure and excesse in dyet and Apparell than vertue and godlinesse And the poor because they see themselves miserable and troden under foot to envy the rich and become desperate Bodm Republ. l. 5. cap. 2. pag. 569. Ex Platone And this must needs be that Generatio unius est Corruptio alterius as when the head is nourished to an unusual greatnesse as in case of the Rickets then all the body grows lean although the over-growing of the head is but a corrupt or excrementions increase And it is to be believed that the ballasting of the trade of the Nation would much tend to the health and good of the whole For if London which now furnisheth all the Nobility Gentry and people of Estates and quality through all England and a great part of Scotland and Ireland with their Apparel Linens Spices and all necessaries and curiosities sold the same to the Trades-men and Chapmen in the Countreys this would inrich the whole Nation and London for the better part of it would rather get than lose by it for then they would have a certain trade with such as having trading in the Countrey answerable to the stock they keep in Trade would grow rich and be able to pay their Credidors at London whereas now hardly one Trades-man in a Market-Town and very few in Cities and great places get any Estates and many when they dye leave not sufficient to pay their debts And on the other side the most part of the Retaylers in London deal in the Countreys with the Gentry and others and the Taylors who commonly run the greatest hazard because he that will gain greatly must adventure desperately by reason of long payment and losse of debts become ruined and destroyed in their Estates by trusting of strangers far and near whereas if the Trade were more mediate and went through the hands of the Tradesmen in the Countrey as it would be more certain to the Londoner so the Countrey Tradesman would be better able to furnish himself and by this means lesse losse would be in debts when the Countrey-man trusts his neighbours with that he knows men are able to pay and the Commodity sold might be afforded at the second hand as cheap as it 's sold in London in regard of the Charge Rent and house-keeping which admits
Romans was chosen by the Emperour Tac. 1. Annal. l. 1. cap. 1. pag. 2. Civil Supream Magistrate who in this respect as well as others is (c) Rom. 13.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Minister of God and ought by good Laws to appoint the Ministers their imployment and see that they do their work for proof hereof I will not much insist upon the practice of (d) 2 Chro. 8.14 Solomon in building the Temple nor upon Solomon (e) 2 Chro. 20.21 Jehosaphat and (f) 2 Chro. 31.2 1 Kings 2.27 35. Hezechiah their facts in appointing the Levites their Offices and courses lest that should seem to comply over-much with the Levitical service although something by way of Analogy may be proved from thence and much more might be said of Solomon his putting the High-Priest from his Office and appointing another in his room 1 King 2.27.35 and of Asa (g) 2 Chro. 14.4 and converted (h) 2 Chro. 33.16 2 Chro. 17.7 8 9. Manasses their commanding Iuda to serve the Lord. But the fact of Iehosaphat 2 Chr. 17.7 8 9. seems to me a good Testimony in this matter and undeniable It 's said that he that is Iehosaphat (i) It 's said Nehem. 6.7 that Nehemiah appointed the Prophets to preach at Jerusalem in the thirteenth year of his reign sent to his Princes Benhail Obadiah c. to teach in the Cities of Iuda and with them he sent Levites Shemaiah Nathaniah c. and with them Elishama and Jehoram Priests And they taught in the Cities of Juda and had the Law of God with them and went about throughout all the Cities of Juda and taught the people Five things I conclude from this context 1. That these Princes Priests and Levites were appointed to the work of teaching by the King 2. That the Princes as well as the Priests Levites taught the people 3. (k) Laws of Geneva p. 2 3. 1. The Ministers are first approved of by the Council 2. Thâ—n received by common consent into the Company of the faithfull 3. Then sworn before the Signiorie to serve God faithfully in the worke of the Ministery This is called the Ministers Induction pag. 3. That the Kings command was the ground of their Commission to teach the people 4. That some Teachers are not tied to particular Congregations 5. That this reaching was no Ceremonial or Levitical service nor performed in the Temple this preaching was in the City out Juda out of Jerusalem they had the book of the Law of God with them out of this they taught the people This book of the Law was that which the King was commanded to read and contained the moral as well as the judicial and ceremonial Law which being read to Josiah melted his heart and that which with the Prophets as commentaries thereupon was read in the Synagogues of the Jews every Sabbath-day (l) Acts 15.21 Acts 13.15 If we should consult the Papists and rigid Presbyters in this matter The Papists tell us that all authority to teach or preach for it 's all one is to be derived from the head of the Church on earth that is the Pope and that the Bishop as the Popes Substitute with a Presbyter are to ordain the teaching Priests and so they did in England in the Bishops time The rigid Presbyters of this age tell us that the Presbytery are to ordain those who are to teach or preach and such as teach or preach without their ordination which is done by the imposition of hands of other Presbyters or Preachers do greatly sin against God but I think it will not be denied that whosoever may offer up publick prayer may also publickly teach or expound the holy Scriptures King Solomon did the one 1 Kings 8. And I see no reason but that he or any other in his condition may do th' other if he be apt to teach and able to divide the word of truth aright we cannot in the New Testament expect the civil Magistrares to put forth or execute such a power as Jehosaphat did for that was contrary to their principles to further the preaching of the Gospel or the religion of Christians which those Pagan Emperours and Kings accounted (m) Acts 25.19 Sueton. in vita Claudii Caesaris Sect. 16. Broughton in Daniel Conclus in fine a barbarous Superstition therefore the Lord of the Harvest sent forth labourers inâ—o his Harvest the Apostles and Evangelists with larger Commâ—ssion than to teach in the Cities of Juda. First to the lost sheeâ— of the house of Israel and the Apostle Paul was immediately sent to the Gentiles and then the Commission was to preach the Gospel to every Creature These were not tyed to any paâ—ticular Congregation But besides these there were Pastors and Teachers sent Regeâ—volsc Hist Eccleâ— Slavoni Provin l. 1. cap. 3. pag. 12. Pectus Valdus a rich Mercant of Lions was chosâ—n Pastor of the Church their Anno 1160. Act. 1.23 and 5 6. Calvin Instit lib 4. cap. 19. Sect. 31. and c. 14. Sect. 31. Fuller Holy state l. 2. c. 12. pag. 87. Mâ—gd Cent. 2. c. 7. Cent. cap. 7. and râ—ised up for edifying and building up the Church of God and untill Churches or particular Congregations were setled the preaching was at large but when the number of believers was increased and multiplied then were they divided into particular Congregations and had their Pastors and Officers by (n) Acts 9.30 Acts 11.22 26. and 13.8.15.2 3. suffrage or (o) Simpson Church Hist lib. 2. Cent. 12. pag. 429 430. Election and those Congregations of believers called also the Church as occasion was (p) The manner of the Election of Pastors in the Slavonian Churches Anno 1467. You may see at large in Regenvolscii Historia Eccl. Slavon Provin lib. 1. c. 1. p. 30 31 32. sent forth others to preach the Gospel to such places where there was need and where the Gospel was like to be received to gather men to Christ and this was done in defect of the work of the Supream Magistrate (q) Constâ—ntine the Great and Theodosius before the reign of Antichrist and afterwards Otho and Henry the fifth Emperours and others nominated and appointed Bishops and others nominated and appointed Bishops and others to preach Simpson Church Hist lib. 1. pag. 6. Whites way to the true Church Sect. 50. p. 389 390. Petrus Valdus and the Bretheren of that societie who were raised up about the year 1160. in that and the next century and afterwards John Wickliffe his followers by their publique preaching gathered more Churches and converted more souls to Christ than all the Bishops and Presbyters had done in 600. years before Many of which Churches remain to this day whose Office it is to appoint the Gospel to be preached to the world and the Lord did from time to time in every age as might easily be shewed when there wanted a Christian Magestrate and also during the