sayest That Believers sold their possessions and laid them dovvn at the Apostles feet But they did distribute them as every man had need they did not purchase Lands and let the money to Usury and Extortion as the Priests of this Generation do Thou sayest that Paul informs of the qualities of a good Bishop to be a man blameless not given to filthy lucre and Christ saith Go not to Law with any man Now learn thou these Lessons and follow Righteousness Faith Love Peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart Thou directest me to that Text in Heb. 7. 8. And here men that die receive Tythes read the 11 verse of that Chapter If therefore perfection were by the Levitical Priesthood for under it the people received the Law what further need was there that another Priest should arise after the Order of Melchisedec for Christ came of another Tribe he sprang out of Judah who was not made after the law of a carnal commandment but after the power of an endlesslife and vers 25. Wherefore he is able also to save to the utmost them that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them And it shall come to passin the last dayes saith God I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and daughters shall prophesie and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams and on my servants and on my hand-maids I will pour out of my Spirit in those dayes and they shall prophesie And verily I do bear my Testimony that I do witness such a people now upon the earth whom the Lord hath revealed his secrets unto and doth powerfully work upon the hearts of thousands to the turning them from darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God that they do receive remission of sins and this I do witness in my own particular in great measure blessed yea for ever blessed be his holy and dreadful Name for he alone is worthy of everlasting Praises from his Own both now henceforth and for ever And woes everlasting woes will be the portion of all those that oppress his righteous Ones Now I finde that all men that will attain unto salvation must hear the Son of GOD for A Prophet saith Moses will the Lord your God raise up unto you in all things like unto me and him shall you hear and it shall come to pass that whosoever shall not hear him shall be cut off from amongst the people Now neither the Son of God nor none of his Disciples nor Apostles did ever take Tythes or ever command the paying of them and they were not persons ordained by the will of man but were anointed with the holy anointing and were by that Spirit that did anoint them commanded to feed the Flock of Christ over which the holy Ghost had made them Overseers And Christ himself saith That unless a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven And this new Birth is a Death unto all sin and a Life unto all Righteousness and this every man must feel That it is as natural for him to serve the Law of God as it was formerly to serve the Law of sin And he is the true Teacher that is able by his own Experience to tell another how he hath passed from Death to Life for no unclean thing can enter the Kingdom for without are Covetous Lyers Adulterers Drunkards Extortioners and all evil Doers Now a true Teacher must hate the very appearance of evil he must hate vain thoughts and every false way We shall finde in Scripture that all the Teachers of Righteousness were such as were filled with the Spirit of the Lord and did not preach for filthy lucre or gain but of a ready minde and were not as the Priests of these times are that lie as Thieves and Robbers to murder in the way and sue for treble Damages and persecute the Son of God in all those that desire to live godly in him which they will feel one day that those that persecute them they persecute him and it were better that a milstone were hanged about his neck and he thrown into the sea then that he should offend one of those little Ones that put their trust in me saith Christ Now I finde that in the year 600. or soon after Gregory the First then Pope of Rome sent over Augustine the Monk into England by vvhom Ethelbert King of Kent was converted This Augustine vvas a Câ—…n Regular and after he had obtained his own Design he then preached up Tythes in England by the Popes appointment and at the same time taught the people that the pardon of sin might be merited by good Works In the year 786. two Legats were sent over from Pope Hadrian the First to Offa King of Mercland Alwolf King of Northumberland vvho made a Decree That the people of those two Kingdoms should pay Tythes King Athelstone about the year 930. King Edmond about the year 940. King Edgar about the year 970. King Etheldred 1010. King Knute about the year 1020. Edward the Confessor and others of the Saxon Kings by Order from the Pope made Laws for Tythes The Normans afterwards entering this Kingdome William the Conquerour Henry the First Henry the Second King Stephen and other Kings by the like Order from the Pope confirmed the said Laws for Tythes and yet notvvithstanding all these Laws yet vvas it left to the Ovvner to confer it vvhere he pleased vvhich vvas the cause of making so many rich Abbies and Monasteries in England and until the year 1200. or thereabouts every one gave their Tythes as they pleased vvhich made Pope Innocent the Third send his Decretal Epistle the Bishop of Canterbury commanding him to injoyn every man to pay his Tythes to those that ministred spiritual things to them which vvas inforced by Sentence of the Ecclesiastical Courts And this vvas the first beginning of Parochial Tythes in England and this after by the Parliament was thought reasonable and then established by a Law the King and People being all Papists Now all this will I prove and let any man that hath any fear of the Lord judge whether that the Rules and Practice of those Back-sliders who were in the dark night of Apostacy be fit to guide us who have again received the pure light as the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour and have received the Lord Jesus Christ and know how to walk in him for know ye not that Christ is in you unless you be reprobates and put you on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts â—…eof The ninth Epistle To all Priests that teach for Hire and divine for Money that call themselves Ministers of Christ and are not but are of the Synagogue of Satan that they may repent For the day of the Lord is at hand THe Arm and strength of the
had done and wrought that which was right in the sight of the Lord and he did it with all his heart in seeking the Commandments of his God and prospered in the work Josiah was a good Magistrate and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and walked in the wayes of David his father and did not decline from the right hand nor the left and the people sorely lamented his death for all Judah mourned for him and Jerusalem and Jeremiah lamented his death and he reigned one and thirty years And Paul saith of a good Bishop that he must be no striker blameless the steward of the Lord not soon angry not given to filthy lucre nor wine but a lover of hospitality a lover of good men sober just holy temperate holding fast the faithful word and he sheweth the reason That he may be able by sound doctrine to convince gain-sayers he exhorts that prayers and supplications may be made for kings and all in authority to what end he sheweth to this end That we may live peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable in God our Saviour and he saith The Magistrate beareth not the sword sor nought It is for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well Now that Magistrate whose heart is not touched with the true fear of the Lord and that seed of true faith that is as small as a grain of mustard-seed hath got the pre-eminence and is chief in his soul and Christ Jesus is set up in his soul in him on the throne that he hath the whole heart and the whole man is in his dominion that can truly say by bearing Testimony to the witness of God in him That to him to live is Christ and to die is gain unless the Magistrate be such he is not Christs Magistrate for those that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts and no drunkard whoremaster swearer proud ambitious self-seeker lover of pleasures more then lover of God having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof no such can be said to be of God and so are not to have that double honour which is due to Magistrates that do truly rule in his fear And this discovers plainly how short those Judges and Justices come of being godly Magistrates that suffer and consent to the imprisoning of just and righteous ones whom the Lord esteemeth as the Apple of his eye and those that touch them to their hurt will one day find it that the Lord esteemeth them as his Jewels and yet how is the Goals filled with them through the Nation and some have perished to death because they cannot consent for conscience-sake to pay Tythes seeing them to be a great and abominable Oppression I could wish that Judges and all Magistrates would regard their Oathes to do equal Administration of Justice to every man alike to have no mans Cause in respect of person but rightly to judge for the Poor as well as the Rich and let the merits of the Cause carry it minding the words of Jehosaphat for he said to the Judges Take heed what you do for ye judge not for man but for the Lord wherefore let the fear of the Lord be upon you for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God nor taking of Gifts And let them that are contrary minded remember the ends of Empson and Dudly and mind the proceedings of Henry the Third in the five and thirtieth year of his reigne against Henry de Bath one of the Judges then And the sixteenth year of Edward the First there being a great complaint of the ill Administration of Justice by the Judges whereupon the then Parliament upon due examination and proofs of their Bribery and Extortion together with their injustice done to the people were fined to pay to the King as followeth Ralph Hengham chief Justice of the Upper Bench 7000 Marks John Lineton chief Justice of the Lower Bench 3000 Marks William Brompton Justice 6000 Marks Solomon Rochester 4000 Marks Thomas Lodington 2000 Marks Walter Hopton 2000 Marks Richard Boyland 4000 Marks William Sham 3000 Marks Robert Litbury Master of the Rolls 1000 Marks Roger Liester 1000 Marks Henry Bray Escheter and Judge for the Jews 1000 Marks Adam Streton chief Baron of the Exchequer was fined 34000 Marks and Thomas Wayland being found the greatest Delinquent for Bribery and Extortion and being of the greatest substance had all his Estate real and personal taken from him to the Kings use and this great Act of Justice was highly pleasing to the people and broughâ— much honour to the King as well as Treasure into his Coffers And one Bellknap and Trisillian being both chief Justices were executed for injustice In the year forty one Articles were exhibited against John Bramston chief Justice Robert Barkly Francis Crawly Humphry Davenport Richard Weston Thomas Trevor being Justices of both the Benches and Barons of the Exchequer and as I take it they were degraded for injustice done the people It is said of that great Tyrant Nero That he could not indure an unjust Judge for one being convicted before him for injustice he caused him to be flea'd alive and his skin to be nailed to the Judgement-Seat that whoever came on that Seat might have that act of Justice fresh in his memory Thou art inexcusable O man whoever thou art that judgest another for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self if thou dost the same things and thinkest thou to escape the judgement of Cod Now it were a good thing for the people of England that the chief Magistrates with their Council would erect a Court of Justice where every man by their Proclamation might once every quarter of a year appeal to the said Court for relief against any injury done them by Judges Justices or any Officers of the Commonwealth in private or in publick done to their detriment This would be a high Act of Justice from the Counsellors Magistrates or Rulers who should preserve Justice in the Land and it would be very satisfactory to all the people and this would make men follow the Command of Christ in time To do unto all men as they would have all men do unto them By all these Texts of Scripture before-rehearsed it is plainly shewed by the holy Ghost the marks of true Teachers and false the marks of hireling shepherds and such as fleece the Flock and such as are of Christ and are truly Ministers of Christ and have the Spirit of Christ God having revealed himself in them they do minister food in due season and they do feed the Flock of Christ over which the holy Ghost hath made them Overseers and they do turn people unto God unto the light that is single that knoweth the deep and hidden things of God for the Father that dwelleth in them sheweth them all things and they have the first Fruits of the Spirit
wondered he said unto them Have ye here any meat and they gave him a piece of broyled fish and a honey-comb and he took it and did eat before them and he said unto them These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes concerning me Then opened he their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures Act. 1. vers 9. and so forward And when he had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight and while they looked stedfastly towards heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in white apparel which said Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven And these peoples Teacher Roger Crabb most blasphemously speaketh of a place where no Righteousness shall enter in without distinction and so he putteth no difference between the pretious and the vile and so most wickedly and perversly taketh upon him to speak of things he knoweth not for Christ the Righteousness of God who is righteous as God is righteous doth enter and sits on the Throne with clean Hands and his righteous Seed in all his true Babes and little Ones is raised that they feel his living presence in them constraining them to love and they feel his Arm of strength carrying them and guiding them in all their Wayes and they feel that Rock of Ages bruising the Head of the Serpent who is too powerful in Roger Crabb and his Followers and leads them captive to do his will For of whomsoever a man is overcome his servant he is of whom he is overcome whether it be of sin unto death or of obedience unto Righteousness And so dear friends I desire you to repent and turn and put away the evil of your doings Cease to do evil learn to do well hide the word of the Lord in your hearts that you may not sin against God and be content with this knowledge of the Lord to know what he requires of thee and to do it and that is this What doth the Lord thy God require of thee O man but To do justly to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy GOD The sixth Epistle To all Magistrates Judges Lawyers Commanders Souldiers and Priests that they may plainly see by the Scriptures of Truth what the Lord God requireth at their hands and they may see here as in a Glass how short they come of what is required of them and repent and turn from their wicked and abominable Ways that the Lord may have mercy upon them for this they may assure themselves The fierce and terrible day of the Lord is near at hand and none but the pure in heart shall be able to stand before him for nothing can dwell in his presence but purity for without Holiness none shall see him with Comfort I Shall direct the Reader to some Texts of Scripture that sets forth what Gifts a true Teacher ought to be qualified with See Gen. 17. 1. And when Abraham was ninety and nine years old the Lord appeared unto him and said Abraham I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect Gen. 18. 19. For I know him that he will command his children and his houshould after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgement Heb. 11. 24. By faith Moses when he was come to years refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Vers 26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures in Egypt for he had respect to the recompence of the reward By faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the king for he endured as seeing him who is invisible Gen. 5. 22. And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methusala three hundred years And vers 24. And Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him Exod. 4. 14. And the Lord said Is not Aaron the Levite thy Brother I know that he can speak well and he cometh forth to meet thee and when he seeth thee he will be glad in his heart Vers 15. And thou shalt speak unto him and put words in his mouth and I will be with thy mouth and with his mouth and will teach you what you shall do Vers 16. And he shall be thy spokes-man unto the people and he shall be even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth and thou shalt be to him instead of God Josh 1. 1. And the Lord spake to Joshua vers â— There shall not a man be able to stand before thee all the dayes of thy life as I was with Moses so will I be with thee I will not fail thee nor forsake thee Vers 6. Be strong and of a good courage for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land which I sware unto their Fathers to give them onely be thou strong and very couragious that thou mayest observe to do according to all the Law that Moses my servant hath commanded thee turn not from it to the right hand nor to the left that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest Vers 8. This Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night 1 Sam. 2. 10. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces out of heaven shall he thunder upon them the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth he shall give strength unto his King and exalt the horns of his anointed Concerning David Psal 18. 20 21 22 23. The Lord rewarded me according to the cleanness of my hands according to my righteousness hath he recompenced me for I have kept the wayes of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God for all his judgements were before me and I did not put away his statutes from me I was also upright before him and I kept my self from my own iniquity Mark that from my own iniquity his delightful sin And vers 32. of the same Psalm It is God that girdeth me with strength and maketh my ways perfect Psal 37. 37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Psal 119. 101. I have refrained my feet from every evil way Vers 113. I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love Vers 128. I hate every false way 1 King 3. 14. And if thou wilt walk in my ways to keep my statutes and my commandments as thy Father David did walk then will I lengthen thy dayes And Pro. 23. 26. My son give me thy heart and let thy eyes observe my ways 2
iniquity When the Lords appearance cometh upon the soul then he cuts away all Idols and they shall be no more remembred the appearance of the Lord giveth sight to the blind Christ Jesus enlightneth every man that cometh into the world and that is Christ the Son of the most High that checketh for evil in every one and that is the true Teacher Follow that it will bring thee out of all evil for it leadeth unto perfect peace Ye shall not say Lo here is Christ or lo he is there but the Word is nigh thee even in thy heart and in thy mouth and this true Teacher will keep thee from the very appearance of evil The Lord Jesus promised the Comforter should come after his departure and Peter received it for he being full of the Holy Ghost there was three thousand added by his Ministry at once and the Apostles when-they had prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the Word of God with boldness Now Christ is the Bread of Life And he that eateth the bread that I shall give him saith Christ shall never hunger and he that believeth in me saith Christ hath everlasting life and he that eateth the bread that I shall give him shall live for ever And those that are risen with Christ set their affections on the things above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God and they do not minde earthly things for as they have born the Image of the earthly Adam which is sin unto death so they must bear the Image of the heavenly which is obedience unto righteousness the end whereof through his mercy that enableth them to bear it is everlasting life and salvation and he that is born of God sinneth not because he is born of God neither can he sin because he is born of God for he that committeth sin is of the devil Now consider these sayings and ponder them in your minds for where the Lord cometh his presence is very dreadful and terrible and he destroyeth all Graven Images and grindeth them to dust he maketh that heart deny himself and take up his Cross dayly and follow him When a stronger then the strong man armed cometh he destroyeth his strong holds and divideth the spoils and maketh the heart clean A new heart saith the Lord will I give thee and a new spirit will I put into thee and I will lead thee and be thy everlasting reward and strength to support thee for I dwell in the humble and delight to give life to my contrite ones for with the holy wilt thou be holy and with the contrite and pure will I be pure saith the Lord. Now by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words condemned Now this is from the true Lover of all your souls the seed of God in you that groaneth after the deliverance of it may come forth from the state of bondage and corruption and thraldom where it is kept that it may come to the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Almighty the most high who with continual praises with one heart and in oneness of spirit sing continual Praises and Hallelujahs to Him that liveth for ever and ever who alone is worthy of all everlasting praises from his own henceforth and for ever Now I shall shew the signs marks and characters of good Magistrates as the Lord giveth of them as I find in Scripture and by the manifestation of his Spirit within me I know it is the Lords desire that Judges and all Magistrates should be such as feareth the Lord and hateth covetousness and worketh Righteousness that judgement and justice may run down like a mighty stream and Rivers of waters Moses was a good Magistrate he executed the Law with Justice upon all without respect of persons or gifts or rewards according to the command of the Lord who was the Lawgiver For the Law came by Moses but Grace by Jesus Christ Deborah was a good Magistrate and the children of Israel came up to her for judgement and she judged Israel at that time and the Lord was with her and made her lead away the Captives and lead them into Captivity that oppressed his people for she was just before him and the Stars from Heaven fought in their courses for her against the enemies of truth and the river Kishon swept them away and the Land had rest forty years and the Lord caused the Mighty and the Nobles to be in subjection unto her and the Lord went before her and the earth trembled and the heavens dropped the clouds dropped water Gideon was a good Magistrate and the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him and said The Lord is with thee thou mighty man of valour go in this thy might and thou shalt save Israel And the Lord said unto him I will be with thee And the Lord said unto him Peace be unto thee thou shalt not dye and the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon and Gideon did as the Lord had commanded him And Gideon said That neither I nor my Son shall rule over you And the Land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon Solomon was a good Magistrate and God said unto him Because thou askedst this thing and hast not asked the life of thy enemies nor long life for thy self neither riches for thy self but hast asked for thy self understanding to discern Judgement behold I have done according to thy words lo I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart so that there was none like thee before thee neither after thee shall arise any like unto thee and I have given thee that which thou hast not asked both riches and honour so that there shall not be any like unto thee amongst the kings all thy dayes And Solomon said His meditation was stayed on the Lord all the day long and his meditation was of his goodness kept in the Lords fear And Solomonraigned over all Israel forty years Asa was a good Magistrate he was perfect before the Lord although the high places were not taken away in his time he reigned one and forty years and the people had much comfort by him made sore lamentation for his death for they by his appointment entered into a solemn League and Covenant That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether small or great whether man or woman and all Judah rejoyced at the oath for they had sworn with all their hearts and sought him with their whole desires and he was found of them and the Lord gave them rest round about And Asa reigned in peace seven and thirty years Hezekiah was a good Magistrate and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that David his father had done and wrought that which was right and truth in the sight of the Lord according to all that David his father
to be buried with him in the true Baptism Rom. 6. 1 2. and so a fellowship into the new life cometh to be witnessed where there is one Faith one Lord and one Baptism and so one God and Father of them all and so they are kept in that Church which is the pillar and ground of Truth Ephes 4. 4 5 6 7. 2 Tim. 2. 19. 1 Tim. 3. 15. Mat. 11. 28. Christ calleth all that are weary and heavy laden to come unto him and he will give them rest And therefore obey the light and come out from your sins take up the cross and deny your wills and forsake your iniquities and touch not the unclean thing and he will receive you and take heed you do not reject the counsel of the Lord God who desires to bring you to salvation for the vision is but for an appointed time and the Lords Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man The tenth Epistle To all Drunkards Swearers Vsurers Extortioners Adulterers and all unclean Persons shewing the heavy Wrath of the living God burneth like fire against such evil Persons and the terrible day of Vengeance is at hand And these are to warn them that they speedily repent before their hearts come to be ript up and laid naked before the mighty and terrible GOD who doth regard no mans Person in Judgement but every one shall receive according to the things done in his Body whether they be good or evil THe Light that discovers sin is Christ and when any evil is committed Gods witness in the conscience is disturbed the just seed lyeth oppressed and then the soul lieth under the wrath of God and who can dwell in his Displeasure And the many sad Judgements that have befallen persons in that condition of drunkenness I think should deter persons from that accursed beastly sin which maketh men that they are like unto the swine as you may see in 2 Sam. 13. 28. Now had Absalom commanded his servants saying Mark now when Amnons heart is merry with wine and when I say unto you Smite Amnon kill him fear not Another president you may see in 1 King 16. 8 9 10. In the six and twentieth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah and reigned two years And his servant Zimri captain of half his chariots conspired against him as he was in Tirzah drinking till he was drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah And Zimri came and smote him and killed him in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his stead Holofernes being drunk was slain by Judith Noah being drunk his sons mocked him he became a scorn to his Children Lot being drunk committed incest with his two Daughters Benhadad being drunk you may see what a sad loss he came to and how he was discomfited 1 King 20. 16 20 34. David made Vriah drunk and then sent Letters to Joab to have him set in the front of the Battle that he might be slain We ought not to keep company with Drunkards Prov. 23. 20 21. The wo of the Lord of hosts the God of Israel is pronounced against Drunkards Isa 5. 11. VVo vnto them that rise up early to follow Drunkenness and to them that continue until night till the wine doth inflame them for they regard not the work of the Lord neither consider the works of his hands Many more Texts of Scripture might be quoted and many Examples of Gods Judgements against such sinners to my own knowledge as some that have fallen into wells and been drowned some into the Thames some have broke their Necks off their horses some their Legs their Arms sides wasting their pretious time that God hath put into their hands to get wisdom and also ruining their wives and children in wasting and consuming their Estates for a Drunken man is fit to do any wickedness to act any ungodliness and this sad sin is many times committed by peoples drinking of Healths the Devil stealeth upon them and if he can get them to drink Healths he hath them safe enough for of whomsoever a man is overcome his servant he is to whom he is overcome whether it be of sin unto death or of obedience unto Righteousness so he that is overcome by sin is the devils slave And verily my soul doth mourn in secret and my heart doth bleed within me and sorrow doth over-whelm me for some of my dearly beloved Friends that are overtaken by Satans snares in this way of sinning and therefore my desire is to them from the Lord that they would mind the light of Christ in their Consciences which is Gods witness for himself and it will either excuse or accuse acquit or condemne and this being silently and patiently waited in will teach the denying the drinking of healths and will be a means to keep out of this beastly sin that makes persons like Beasts and defaces the Image of God and defiles his Temple and such if they do not speedily repent the Lord will destroy them for he that defiles the Temple of God him will God destroy And your Bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost And next to this is Swearers for because of Oaths the Land mourneth and The curse shall enter into the house of the Swearer and consume it even with the beams and timber thereof And what a company of sad creatures there is that will swear any thing for advantage in buying and selling in their ordinary course of trading in the world between man and man how for six pence many times they will sell their Faith O let such fear and tremble and repent for without heavenly Jerusalem are all swearers drunkards and all Lyers who have their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and Brimstone And the sin of accustoming a mans self to swearing is reproved Eccles 23. 9. to 24. 17. 14. and Christ Jesus gave this command to all that then were and should be Swear not at all saith Christ and all Controversies may be ended without swearing if the Magistrates would come to the line of true judgement and be guided by the witness of God in them And therefore dear Friends leave off this wicked custome of vain swearing for it neither profiteth the speaker nor hearer but serveth the Devil and bringeth everlasting destruction to the soul And there is a great and most abominable sin committed in and by many that they eat up Gods people like bread they devour them by Extortion and Usury but such must not come to the holy Hill of Sion VVo to them that get fields and houses by violence and oppression and devour the Fatherless and the widdow They are far from the commands of Christ which saith Lend looking for nothing again it is a sin forbidden amongst the Jews Exod. 20. 17. 22. 25. Lev. 25. 35 36 37. Deut. 5. 21. Neh. 5. 1. to 14. Psal 15. 1 5.