should pay so much he that payed a sixtieth part was discharged but â—â—me of better devotion payed the fortieth The Offerings spoken of in Ezekiel This is the Theruma that ye shall offer the sixth part of an Ephah of an Homer of wheat or of Barley It is the same as if he had said ye shall offer the sixtieth part of an Homer for an Ephâ—h being the same measure with a Bath that is near our common Bushel and after this offered to the Priests every kind being given in Season out of the rest were taken Tythes which are best divided into the first and second time The first Tythes were payed to the Levites out of the remainder at Jerusalem and out of this tenth received by the Levites the Levites payed another Tenâ—h to the Priests which is called the Tythes of the Tythes for this is to be taken notice of that Priests receiâ—ed Tythes of Husband-menâ— but now them that are no Levites neither of Aarons Priesthood they take Tythes of Husband-men and wâ—â—re it is not offered â—reely they take it Violently and by force so now in these latter dayes in the Apostacy the late Priests from that Example have payed Tythes to the Pope being as they reckon him chief-Vicar upon Earth And also now since the Popes Supremacy hath ceas'd with us in England a late Law hath been made to pay the first-fruits to the Crown yet notwithstanding the Possessor was not to spend the rest till he had taken out of these nine other Tythe which he was the first two Years to carry to Jerusalem in kind or to Convert it into Money adding a fifth part of the value after these tenths thus disposed of the remainder was every way prepared fit for common use of the Husband man Some make a third Tythe but that was only the Tythe of the third year after the first was payed of every year which was laid up by the Husband-man within his own Gates for the Leâ—â—ite that is within his Gate the stranger the Fatherless the Widdow not carryed to Jerusalem this Tythe bestowed every hâ—rd Year was called â—he Poor man's Tythe that third year the second years Tythe ceased to be payed at Jerusalem so then every third year the Levites at the Temple received not their second Tythe at their Feasts but according to the Law it was spent at home in the Gates of the Husband-man neither doth the second Tythe and the poor mans Tythe differ in substance but only in Circumstance 〈◊〉 place where the bestowing was makes only the difference as the Septuagint Translates it When thou hast ended the Tythe of all the Fruits of thy Ground in the third Year the second Tythe thou shalt give to the Levite and to the stranger c. But after the second Temple was destroyed and the dispersion of the Jews then the Laws of first Fruits Offerings and Tythes with them ceased for their Doctors determin'd that regularly or according to the Law no Inhabitants but of the Land of Israel were to pay any First Because they then wanted their Priesthood and Temple Secondly Because the Law did restrain the Paymâ—â—â— thereof to Cannan and herein they all agree Also Eusebius agrees with the Jewish Rabbinâ— herein That Tythes were only limited to the Land of Israel How the Payment of these tenths was either observed or discontinued partly appears in the Scripâ—â—â—â— and partly in the institution of more trusty Overseers in their great Sanhedrim or Court of 70 Elders wherein they agreed that the Overseers should be chosen of more honest men By which hath been said may be perceived the state of the Jews Tything by the Commandment of God and likewise the Judgment of their own Rabbins and Doctors of the Law which gives a clear Judgment of the Practice according as was in use or exercised among them and all do agree that they by a due right did belong to the Aaronical Priesthood and to the Levites and other officers in the Temple and Tabernacle and for the Service there according to God's appointment for bearing the Tabernacle and setting it up and for serving Aaron and his Sons and for the better ordering of things they were divided into three parts to wiâ—â— the Levites as the Coathites Gershonites and the Marrarites and these did receive the tenths of the People and gave to the Priests their part which belonged to them according to the Law of God in that Covenant and after the Sons of Aaron grew and mutiplyed then the Priests were divided into 24 ranks or courses to serve at the Temple of which our â—â—ehends Deans and Chapters take their example or imitation so to serve by their turns at Cathedrals as they are called or else from the Church of Rome but the latter I am rather enclin'd to believe because there was 〈◊〉 such name of any Minister among the Jews neither in the Primitive Church truly so called but the Priests of Aaron gave attendance to Execute their Office and to Burn incense as their turn and 〈◊〉 came And hereupon Zacharias is said to be of the course 〈◊〉 Abba The Levites that were singers were also divided into 〈◊〉 â—anks or courses of which I believe the present Quiristers of Singers 〈◊〉 Surplies men do have their imitation and bring the Levâ—tes for proof◠〈◊〉 Christ. But how these things do agree with the Primitive Practice of Christ his Apostles and Ministers and the Churches planted by them 〈…〉 day is easily seen in that which is written in sundry places of the New Testament so called and how it comes to pass that they which 〈◊〉 another Priest-hood and to be Ministers of Christ should receive the tenth of all clean and unclean Beasts as Pigs Geese Eggs Fowls Turneps Wood and Faggots for the Fire all which things we do not find mentioned but some of them forbidden to be offered unto the Law and yet they pretend to be Bishops and Elders of the Christian Church so that it seems they cannot distinguish of the time nor yet of the ministration for if so then they would be ashamed to lay claim to Aaron's tythes and the Levites and yet do none of their Work which is contrary to all Reason Truth and Equity for that was given to them that had no Portion among their Brethren in the Land but these Bishops Presbyters and Priests have their Inheritances among their Brethren and besides have a great part of some Counties and Diocesses for their revenue and their inferiour Officers tythes of all things yea of such things as was never at all tythable in the Law as is said before so what damnable deceit and Hypocrisie is this is it any other but the Popes Yoak an absolute Apostate for hundreds of years and must this be received as Apostolick Doctrine and Practice and enjoyned O! for shame let it never be made mention amongst them that do call themselves Ministers of Christ neither any who do
Jews under the first Covenant had the Scriptures the good and wholsome Words of God and the Prophets and read the Law and the Prophets on the Sabbath dayes and yet the Vail was over their Hearts and though they did perform many things commanded yet they being erred from the Spirit did not understand of what the Scripture spoke nor know him nor his mind to wit Christ of whom the Scriptures spâ—ke neither were they accepted of God but reproved and Rejected by Christ himself who said they erred not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God doubtless they did know the words naturally and read them but the Spirit 's mind in so speaking they knew not and Jude reproves all such and said what they knew they knew naturally as â—worâ— it Beasts and in that Knowledge they corrupted themselves and therâ—foâ—e Peter well said many things were herd to be understood which the unlearned wrested they that were ignorant of the Spirit of the Father and had not learned of God who is a Spirit they I say perverted and wrested the good and wholsom Words of the Scriptures and were no more accepted of God then if they had never heard the Words nor read them at all and as for the Jews conforming to the outward Commands when the Vail was over their Hearts and their Hearts Uncircumcised these things did not make them any whit more accepted then the Heathen so the Christians since Christ's time in the Apostles days and after the Apostles dayes who held the form of Worship and the form of Godliness and the outward part of Worship and hold and retain it in that part which is above the Seed and deny the Power this no more makes a Christian inward then outward Circumcision made a Jew inward neither any of these things do recommend any unto God but are covers made and rests formed from that part which is above the Seed and so man comes to be Counselled in those things when alas he is Miserable and Naked and hath not the righteous Garment on which should make man accepted of the Father through the beloved God's Righteousness How all men upon the Earth in the degeneration and in the Fall and in the Transgression have corrupted themselves have been Idolaters in every administration being gone from the Power in which man had the Ability Power and Wisdom to Worship God aright and honour the living God of Heaven and Earth IN the State and Condition which man was created in when he was the Image of God and lived in the Power of God in which he was created he in that Power which was his Life had Wisdom and Understanding and Power to worship the living God and to glorifie his Maker the which thing I have treated on before but being gone from the Power grew in Knowledge without the Power his Thoughts became vain his Imaginations vain and his Desires earthly and corruptible and so the Creatures were worshipped in his Heart and not the Creator the Life of the Creatures and he bowed to the Creatures and they had Dominion over him and that Nature began to grow and multiply in all the Earth and that Seed that was at Enmity with God and against the Seed which is Christ and few there were that called upon the Name of the Lord in Truth and Righteousness although some yet few one in a Nation or a few in an Age nay in many Ages and men multiplyed in the Earth and Wickedness multiplied also and Idolatry and the Seed of the Serpent grew great And God saw the Wickedness of man that it was great in the Earth and that the Thoughts and Purposes and Imaginations of his heart were only evil continually Gen. 6.5 And the Earth was filled with Violence Cruelty and Oppression and the living God forgotten and not worshipped but on the contrary they followed the Imaginations of their own Hearts and bow'd down to every corruptible thing and to every Creature and did not worship the Lord God in their Hearts till the Lord was grieved at the Heart and repented that he had made man and this was before the Flood and after the Flood when the Earth was a little multiplyed Iniquity grew in the Earth and the cursed Seed sprang from Ham's Stock of whom was Nimrod the Hunter before the Lord the Beginning of his Kingdom was Babel of the which became great Idolaters and of this Seed came the Philistians who were uncircumcised who were Heathens and the Jebusites and Gargasites and the Canaanites and Hivites and their Generations were great in the Earth and they were great Idolaters and committed Idolatry with Stocks and Stones and with Brick having forgotten the Lord they began to work exploits in the Earth and to build Cities and Babel having forgot the Name of God they would have got a Name in the Earth and builded a Tower whose top might have reached to Heaven but the Lord whom they had forgot scattered them and this was the Seed of evil doers whom God scattered and drove out of Canaan who were great Idolâ—ters and gave it to Abraham who feared the Lord and to Jacob and to his Seed to possess And when Transgression grew he added a Law the Sence of God's Power and Wisdom was so lost in man and they so gone from his Wisdom that a Law was added after Israel came out of Egypt which was outward and written in Tables of Stone wherein was the Statutes and the Commands that they should only worship him and that they should not make them Gods of Gold and Silver neither the Likeness of any thing in Heaven and Earth yet nevertheless that uncircumcised Part which kept the Seed in Bondage and that corruptible earthly Nature that ruled in them made Gods like the heathen Egyptians and they made a Calf and bowed to the molten Image and forgot God and provoaked him to Anger till many of them were consumed in his sore Displeasure and tempted him and lusted and eat and drank and rose up to Play and committed Whoredoms with the Creatures and abused them and therefore the Lord sent his Prophets and rebuked them they abused the Gold and the Silver the Stone and the Wood which were good Creatures but not to make Gods of nor Images thereof nor Idols to draw away their Minds from the Lord but they in whom the Seed was not made manifest they worshipped deâ—d things and Likenesses of things which were not Life it self and so transgressed the Law acting from that Part and living in that Nature which the Law was against which was added because of Transgression to limit the Transgressor and to slay him and to bruise that under till the Seed came up that fulfils the Law but the Seed of the Serpent had so much Rule in them whom God had often delivered out of the Hands of their Enemies so that many perished Corah and many Princes and many Thousands of Israel who followed their own Inventions and were cut
off in God's sore Displeasure being gone from that which was upright in which man was created and following their Imaginations and out of that mind formed Idols and Images and set them up and answered that Part in themselves which transgressed the Seed and not that which doth overthrow all Idols and the Ground thereof And after they were come to the Land that God had promised them they were commanded not to worship Idols as the Canaanites did that were Ham's Stock who was accursed and set up cursed Idols yet nevertheless breaking the Law which was to limit that Part which had transgressed that which was contrary to the Law was set up in themselves even the Nature of the Canaanites Gentiles and Heathen and then they worshipped the Heathens Gods nor else formed Gods and Idols and Images of their own and worshipped Baal Ashteroth and Chemâ—sh and the Sidonians Gods and every Nations Gods Images where they came and so the Lord sent his true Prophets who feared his Name and worshipped him to declare against them even the House of Israel a distinct People from the Heathen great Professors Ezek 14.4 They set up Idols in their Hearts and put a stumbling Block of Iniquity before their Face the Lord said he would answer them according to the Multitude of their Idols they being gone into Vanity they hearkened to the Idols that spaâ—e Vanity Zech. 10.2 And baked Bread and rosted Flesh with Wood and of the same made a God and they transgressed at Dan at Bethel at Gilgal yea their Idols stood in their Hearts and they formed such without as were suitable to their Hearts as you may read through many Ages and Generations before the Flood and after the Flood in the Wilderness in Canaan and in the Nations where they were scattered Hab. 2.18 19. What profiteth the graven Image and the molten Image and Teachers of Lyes wo unto him that saith to the Wood awake to the dumb Stone arise it shall teach behold it is laid over with Gold and Silver and there is no Breath at all in thâ— midst of it seek not to Bethel nor enter into Gilgal for Gilgal shall go into Captivity and Bethel shall come to nought Furthermore they corrupted themselves in those things which God had commanded which were Commands in their time and made Idols of those things which were but Figures or Shadows of good things to come which they should have waited for for as the Brazen Serpent Temple Offerings Oblations Tythes Priests Sabbaths New Moons Solemn Feasts Circumcision Passover and all these things were given to be observed till the Seed came the end of all these things and of the Law for Righteousness but Christ the Seed the Heir of all things when he came after many Prophets had declared of him from Moses to Samuel from Samuel to John they exalted those things above him and neglected him who had Life in himself and would not come unto him that they might have had Life and then their Temple Priests Sacrifice Oblations became Idols and their Practice became Idolatry and so are in Blindness to this Day and so in the Dayes of Christ they held up those things and were counselled in their Works and Observances and Dayes and Times and came not to believe in him in whom all Dayes end in and so continued in their large Observations all along in the Apostles Dayes and did as they had done in the Dayes of the Prophets slew the Prophets that were sent of the Lord and set Dreamers and such as prophesied for Hire and divined for Money and said no Evil should touch them and they said the Law should not depart from the Priests Mouth nor Vision cease from their Prophets but believed their Lyes and prophesied of Wine and strong Drink and cryed Peace to them that God's Controversie was against and so persecuted the Apostles from City to City and from Place to Place till the Wrat of God came upon them and Jerusalem compassed about with Armies and not one Stone left upon another and for their sakes Sion became a ploâ—ed Corn Field their Temple burnt their Priests slain their Sacrifices ceased their Oblations at an End and they scattered among the Heâ—then and they and all their Idols and Worship blasted and cursed from God and from being a Nation to this Day and thus hath the Lord brought Shame and Contempt upon all through all Ages who have worshipped the Works of their own Hands or that have holden up any Figure or Representation and have set it up and exalted it above the Life and with it have opposeâ— the Power the Life in which all Figures Types and Representations end in And thus far I have passed through Generations and also through Administrations that all who have a Desire of the true Knowledge of God may see that Man in the Degeneration being out of the Image of God corrupts himself in all things and maks Idols of all things being from the Life in which Man hath Power only to fulfil the Righteous Will of God But to descend and come nearer to our Age because all that which is called Christendom will say this is nothing unto them because they hold not up the Heathens Images nor the Jewish Idols nor the Jewish Types and Worship and therefore they are no Idolaters when John the Prophet came and preached repentance in the Wilderness of Judea which was a preparer of the way he Baptized in Jordan and many believed and Repented and were Baptized and Christ also was Baptized and so was he Circumcised and eat the Passover and observed what was written because he came to fulfill all Righteousness and also bad his Disciples hear them that sate in Moses Seat for he was not yet Sacrificed up nor Glorified I say John Baptized not in his own Name but bore Witness unto Christ the Lamb of God who takes away the Sins of the World who came after him and was preferred before him whom John said should Baptise them with the holy Ghost and with Fire and many of Johns Disciples followed Christ the true Light that lighteth every one that cometh into the World and John was not Offended at them for following of Christ but rejoyced take notice of this you Baptizers who are offended with them that follow Christ the Light that lighteth every one that cometh in the World and Excommunicate them like the envyous Jews out of your Assemblies and say they are deluded and are so far from Johns Spirit that in stead of bearing your Testimony to him who is the Light that you would bind them up and Counsel your Disciples not to go after him The true Light that lighteth every man the Christ of God I say to you you are in the Idolatry who prefer your water before the Light but John bore witness to Christ the Light said he was preferred before him and some Imitaters and Idolaters say the Baptism of water is the door or Entrance into the
else according to those 〈◊〉 which hath been made in the Will of man in the Trangression under which we have suffered for the Truth 's sake and therein have peace And as for Ministers bringing Offenders before Magistrates that is an usurped Authority to make a Minister a Magistrate but Edward what was the offence because a company of People came to Cressage and declared the Word of Truth in your Streets and what if it had been in your Assembly this was no offence in the Church of Corinth where all might speak one by one although it 's become an Offence in your Mass-house at Cressage but the Reader may judge in whose steps thou and thy Priest walkes you have done the offence and then accuseth others to the Magistrates as Offenders Let shame cover your Lips you Impudent men Hath not Samuel Smith in his own Narration in his Book said that William Parrat Constable and Humphry Daile Church-warden according to the Ministers direction did pull down the Quakers Speaker charging some to secure him And others also of your own County secured by the Instigation of the Priest by his own Confession in the fourth page of his Book And here he and the rest of the Society at Cressage who had a Hand in this â—hing are manifest to be in the steps of the Pharisees whom Christ cryed Wo against which cast out of their Assemblies and haled the Disciples before the Magistrates and like the Envyous Jews that cryed Help men of Israel for these men turn the World up-side down but you are worse then they The Priest was the first fomenter of the Breach of the Peace the Constable and Church-warden his Executioners and yet thou tells of the Quakers being offenders Now all sober People will see your Envy and Decâ—it and that you are in Cain's way and by your false flattery and Deceit would justifie the Magistrate for your own ends and cause them to turn the Sword against the Guiltless which should be against the Transgressor And who was in the Transgression the Reader may easily judge by that which is forementioned and yet the Priest and you of his Congregation would make People believe that you did not Persecute the Priest did give order to pull down the Speaker the Constable and Church-warden they acted and secured your own Neighbours as Prisoners your own Congregation Swearing against them the breach of the Peace and getting them shut up into Prison and Sentence given against them and yet thou wouldst have this called equal proceedings but to that of God in all Consciences I leave to be Judge in this thing In the fourth and fifth Particular thou saist We have charged to be Envious and Bitter and Malicious against the most eminent Ministers of the Land Them whom thou calls eminent Ministers have charged us with many false things and have written many false things against us for which thou and they in the Dreadful day of the Lord shall give an account Envy Bitterness and malice is put away from us and we Envy no man but speak the Truth in Soberness and yet to say a lyar is a Lyar or a Deceiver a Deceiver or an hypocrite an Hypocrite when they are so is neither Railing nor Malice Christ in whom no Guile was found he said They were a Generation of Vipers and they were of their Father the Devil who were in Envy and went about to Kill him And the Apostle was not envious when he said O full of all Subtilty thou child of the Devil to one who was doing the Work of the Devil and many such workers we find and many Venomous Spirits who shoot out poysoned Arrows even bitter Words and these we must reprove sharply And those things which thou layest to our charge take to thy self for the ground of Iniquity is in thy Heart from whence thou hast uttered forth all these Disdainful Proud and Scornful words of which thou shalt be Convinced and also reproved when the Lord searcheth thy Heart when he brings Anguish and Perplexity upon thee then shalt thou confess to his righteous Judgment and so thy five Principles I have answered which thou sayest thou hast brought into thy Book to fill up the Blancks they had better have been blancks still then have spoiled so much Paper with thy Lying Disdainful Scribles which are not worth the answering In the third page thou saist Thou wilt restate the reputation of the Ministry of England to be Minister of Christ And for proof thou hast brought Col. 1.7 and Rom. 15. Those words prove that Epaphras was a faithful Minister and that Paul was a Minister of Christ to the Gentiles but what hath this proved as to the National Priests nothing at all and if thou hast no better proof then this to bring them into Reputation instead thereof thou wilt bring defamation upon them and when thou shouldst prove them Ministers thou provest that Paul and Epaphras were Ministers will not the least in the Truth see thee to be a busy-body but Fools will be medling Then thou art offended that we call them Priests for receiving of Tythes I say it 's the most proper for none but Priests and Levites did receive Tythes and how long since is it since they generally called themselves the Tribe of Levi For never Minister of the Gospel nor of the word of Reconciliation either received Tythes or commanded that they should be payed neither reproved any for not paying but said the Priest-hood was changed and the Law was changed by which Tythes were due but thou goest on and makest a sound Argument as thou judgest and sayst Abraham paid Tythes to Melchisedeck before the Law And thou askest how he did give it either by the Law of Nature which is called the Law of Reason or by the Light within or by Revelation Thou speakest thou knowst not what where readest thou of the Law of Nature called the Law of Reason except it be in the devised Fables and Stories of the Priests But what doth this prove Gen. 14. Abraham gave the tenth part of the Spoil which he had taken from his Enemies but Melchisedeck first brought forth Bread and Wine to Abraham and his company and greeted Abraham and his company Kindly and Blessed him and Abraham freely gave unto him the tenth part Melchisedeck desired none But dost thou judge that if Abraham had given him none that he would have taken by Force the tenth part of the Spoil from him Now what doth this prove for the Tything-Priests of this Nation they must first do as Melchisedeck did if they will have Melchisedeck for an Example he Blessed Abraham and brought forth Bread and Wine unto him and his Army but which of the Priests have done so which have received Tythes which is not a gift of the People but a forced thing from them If this must be thy proof for Tythes by the gift of Abraham then let the Priests cease forcing and taking them till People be
and his Power amongst and their Adversaries will God rebuke for their Sake Therefore O Nation consider and take this one Warning more that thou proceed not further to thy Hurt and thou repent when it is too late ONE OF ANTICHRISTS VOLUNTIERS DEFEATED AND THE TRUE LIGHT VINDICATED In Answer to a Book called Ignis Fatuus published by one R.I. wherein he vindicates Edward Dod and Samuel Smith of the County of Salop in their Lyes Folly and Wickedness and hath added more of his own with divers of his false Doctrines Lyes and Slanders c. brought to Light and reproved As that the Law of the Spirit of Life is imperfect and not fit to be a Christian Rule and also Human Nature may be taken for the regenerate Part of Man and the Soul c. and likewise calls Idolatry Civility and Heathenish Complements Courtesie His Vindication made void and his Weapons broken and he taken Captive and left with E.D. and S.S. among the Slime-pits of Siddim near Sodom with his Ignis fatuus By F. H. a Witness to the perfect Law of the Spirit of Life The Wicked are estranged from the Womb they go astray as soon as they be born speaking Lyes AMâ—ngst all the Opposers of the Truth that yet have appeared among the black Army of the the old Dragon who like the Philistians have alwayes defied Israels God and also their Camp through their ostentation and Boasting and with their Clamorous loud Cryeâ— in the Ears of the People like Rabshekah to dish earten and dismay Israel none hath appeared more out-ragious and virulent then one who Subscribes himself R. I. who in Vindication of his Brethren in Iniquity Eâ—ward Dâ—d Drunkard and Samuel Smith an uprofitable Talker otherwise called a Minister at Cressage who hath preached that which he calls the Gospel these divers Years and yet sees no Fruit at all and yet this impudent R. I. whom I believe to be another Dreamer like him for his Language doth manifest him to belong to Mystery Babylon the great City the Mother of Harlots he saith One may Minister and preach the Gospel and the People not be profited at all as Samuel Smith hath done at Cressage And he saith further that they are barren Professors yet saith R. I. that S. S. need not be abashed at it And for instance he saith Was Pauls Preaching of less credit because there were many Runnagates in the End shewed themselves Hypocrites yet this comparison will not excuse S. S. neither E. D. nor R. I. who would cover them with an old patched Cloak some Pieces he hath scraped up out of Esop's Fables a Book full of Lyes and altogether compacted and patched up of fictions and some out of Oviâ— and Seneca Heathens in their own account and the like frivolous Stories and Plato and Diogenes they must serve for a covering if it will to the two former Opposers of Truth but stay R. I. Did Paul stay seven Years in any place and saw no Fruit And though there were many Unbelievers among the Jews notwithstanding the publication of the Word and the miracles of Christ yet some believed and though the Apostles and Ministers of Christ laboured in the Work of the Lord yet some believed and clave unto them but there is no Fruit at Cressage at all but they barren Professors as R. I. saith but if thâ—s will not serve tâ—ke another of R. I. his arguments that God sends his Word sometimes for the hardening of People and upon this account S. S's teaching and Ministry must be kept in credit A sad thing for the People of Cressage that they should Hire a man for seven Years together and pay him Wages for hardening of their Hearts and for counting them barren Professors yet I judge S. S. E. D. and R. I. counted them fruitful and abounding in Zeal and fervency to God when they came into the Meeting of the Quakers some ringing Pans some Candlesticks and Frying Pans and throwing Water like People void of Understanding and saith this R.I. these yielding a better sound then the Quakers So that thou mayst see what will not this R. I. Vindicate and what Wickedness as can be acted and spoken here they may look for a shelter rather then they shall want a Guardian as Pictures Images Crosses Cuffs Ribbons Laâ—e and such other like things invented by the Devil to draw People from serving and Worshipping the living God R. I. will Patronize them all being brought forth and when they are not brought forth he will reach forth his Hand to help to elevate Iniquity and to under prop the Devil's Kingdom which is exalted in the Children of Disobedience as all along may be seen in his Fabulous Scrole called Ignis Fatuus when like his two Brethren before him he goes about to Vindicate Idolatry Images Hirelings Mass-houses Cuffs and Ribbons Tythes Flattering Titles and vain Customs and Popish Practices Pride Persecution and Lying all those things he pleads for and hath used many vain Arguments and false Interpretations of Scripture so that the two former it may truly be said they have done wickedly but this R. I. Exceeds them all who is so stout-Hearted against the Truth and Power of God that whatsoever he can invent in his corrupt Heart against it and gathers up the rest of the Priests lyes that they have Vomited up before and cast in the Face of Truth and â—enders them as good proof and some Scriptures perverted with Eâ—op's Fables and Ovid and Diogenes's Stories and upon such materials he hath framed his Book called Ignis Fatuus which he hath writ in Vindication of E. D. his Book called A pair of Spectacles for a Dark siâ—hted Quaker and S. S. Malice Stripped and Whipt three Pamphlets whose Title will discover what the Substance of their matter is and whose Work they drive on so that I need not say much some of them Vindicating Persecution and incouraging the Rude behaviour of the People another mocking at Innocency and scorneth them who Tremble at the Word of the Lord and last of all R. I. who hath made a Fortress for both the other and hath cast up a heap of confused Darkness to guard his Brethren he mocks at the Light within and calls it Ignis Fatuus and the Law which is Light which God hath Promised to write in his Peoples Hearts this he calls an Imperfect thing and therefore to be ruled and not fit to be a rule of the Saints as may be seen in the 55 th page of his Book and so hath spoken contrary to the Spirit and Scripture of Truth Prov. 6. and the Law of the Lord which is the Law that endureth forever this saith R. I. is imperfect and the Letter or Law without written is perfect and is a standard as R. I. saith for all Controversies then if it be so perfect and so fit to decide all Controversies why doth R. I. borrow his proofs and raise his Arguments from Esop's Fables Ovid's Stories
Midsummer dues Mortuaries Money for Churching of Women Marriages nor for the Burials of the dead nor Money for funeral Sermons neither did they preach over the dead All these and abundance more of such like invented things was never practised nor found amongst the Churches before the Apostacy which things considered may cause R.I. to blush that ever he durst be so impudent as to say they differ not neither in the whole nor in part in matter nor in manner from the Primitive Churches and until such Time as R. I. and his Brethren contenders can clear themselves of these things let them not think any whose Eyes God hath opened can receive them for a Church of Christ nay most of the parish Ministers hold up those practices which the Papists did deny as money for Marriages and Burials Baptism the Sacrament or the Ground in which the dead were buried this was reprehended and condemned by the Council of Trent in the height of all popery 1547. Saith R. I. It seems these Tythes are a great matter to many or rather a great trouble for them to pay the Ministers though Abraham paid Tythes of all to Melchizedeck before the Law and this proves E. D. his Argument as saith R. I. That it is contrary to the Light and Law of God to with-hold them from the Ministers because they were given by Abraham before the Law Answ. Yea it is great matter with many to pay Tythes and a great trouble too because he that confesseth Christ is come in Flesh cannot uphold the shadows of the first Covenant which belonged to a changable Priesthood having no other Portion among their Brethren which was given unto them for the Service which they performed unto the Lord and likewise were a Twelfth Tribe and near a Twelfth Part of the People and now the Law being changed and the Priesthood changed and the Covenant ended and the Ordinance thereof abolished that such a Company of covetous Men as the Parochial Priests generally are that they should claim the Tythes that belonged to this Priesthood and not to do the Work that they did and yet have a Portion among their Brethren in this Land neither are they the Three Hundredth Part of the People that such a Company I say as these should claim the Tenth Part of all the Encrease in the Land this is a great matter and a thing not consistant with the Law of God neither Equity or Reason And it is but a poor and feeble Argument neither of E. D. or R. I. that because Abram gave the Tenth part of the Spoil to Melchizedeck before the Law that therefore it must be a binding thing to all Generations to pay the tenth part as due to such as are neither after that order of Aaron neither after the Order of Melâ—hizedeck Abram gave the tenth and that but once and freely and Melchizedeck brought forth Bread and Wine to Abram's Army and we may as justly and upon as good Ground demand Bread and Wine for our whole Families of the Priests as the Priests can demand the tenth part of our Substance from Abram's gift to Melchizedeck and say It is against the Law of God Nature and reason as E. D. and R. I. doth conclude by their feeble Arguments which they make upon Abram's giving the tenth's for if the Example of the one be binding then â—he example of the other is also as binding Abram gave the Tenth part of â—he Spoil and that but once and Melchizedeck demanded none then why do â—he Priests who are Usurpers claim it every Year and where they cannot get it freely as few will give it them who Witness Christ come in the Flesh then they take it by Force and constraint or would Melchizedeck have pleaded with Abram as this ignorant R. I. doth that the Spoil was none of his own as he saith Tythes are no Man's own or as I said before to E. D. would Melchizedeck have taken away Abram's Oxen Cowes or Horâ—â— Sheep or Camels if he had not given him the tenth part Or did any of the Ministers of Christ require or demand force or constrain any Maintenance whatsoever from any which this R. I. saith They differ nothing from neither in whole nor in part in matter or manner neither in Practice but saith R.I. This is nothing to the purpose unless it could be proved that the Apostles might have had Tythes which they could not being Persecuted Yet it is something to the purpose if you take them for an Example as you say you do and though it be granted the Apostles were Persecuted from place to place and sometimes went from place to place when they were not Perâ—ecuted which R. I. would have Condemned for runnagates if he had lived in that time But without all Controversie if it be a duty now to pay Tythes unto the Ministers of the Gospel then it was a duty in the Apostles time that though the Rulers were Persecutors yet the Apostles would have minded them whom they had begotten into the Faith of their duty but we find no mention neither by Commandment Reproof or Exhortation unto any of the Churches about any such thing and so thy Argument R. I. is foolish and Frivolous for it may be easily proved that Tythes were never demanded not for 7 or 8 hundred Years after the Ascension of Christ. And R. I. saith The Apostles took whatsoever was given them and thâ—â— satisfies the Ministers Conscience to take Tythes which the Magistrates give them so they may of such Maintenance live of the Gospel Answ. If the Apostles took nothing but what was given them then this shames your forcing and also you seek it of them who receive you not which manifests you are out of the Apostles example and though it satisfies your Consciences to take Tythes which thou sai'st the Magistrates give you both of them that own you and them that own you not yet I believe it would not have satisfied the Apostles of Christ if any Magistrates would have sent them back to the Jews who Believed not or the Gentiles who received them not this they would not accounted as a free Gift though this divers hundred Years many Rulers have Drunk of the Whore's cup and have given their Authority to the Beast and have forced and compelled to a Worship and also to give to the Whore's Merchants yet this is but bad proof that they ought to have done so and the Apostles never counted this living of the Gospel to live of Tythes forced Maintenance which none of the Ministers did receive or ever will And so for shame call in thy Ignis Fatuus again in which thou hast published so many Lyes among which is one which will stand as a record against thee viz. That ye differ not in Doctrine and Practice matter and manner neither in whole nor in part from the Apostles and Primitive Saints And this is another Lye that Timothy and Titus was settled in a parochial-like way
then how is it that R. I. would straiten or lessen the effusion thereof under the Gospel for there were Daughters that prophesied under the Law and many Sons that spoke by the Spirit of God but now all must be confined to the Letter and your Pastors now have far less of the Spirit if any at all who speak from the Strength of natural Parts and deny the unerring Spirit and so shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against Men. And R. I. is so grieved at this infallible Spirit or this Spirit of Prophecy that he cannot endure that a Daughter should prophesie or speak by the Spirit of God in the Assembly of the Saints and the main stress of his or their Argument is 1 Cor. 14.34 Let your Women keep Silence in the Church for it is not permitted for them to speak and if any Woman speaks in the Church it contradicts the Spirit and though they have a Gift they ought not to improve it in a disorderly Way Aosw That which hath been said in this particular unto E. D. is sufficient to them whose Eyes God hath opened but this R. I is one of the Evil Beasts that the Apostle speaks of whose Mouth must be stopt And so I further say that the Apostle writ to the Church of Corinth which were Believers which few will deny but that it consisted both of Men and Women and he expresly saith Ye may all prophesie one by one and furthermore if a Woman prophesie with her Head uncovered dishonoureth her Head so that it is manifest that there were Women did prophesie and also laboured in the Gospel but saith R. I. That was but in a private Way or amongst some few this had been lawful or orderly in R. I. his account and if she might speak to two or three or twice two or three it may be as there is in many houses is not this called a Church and doth not Christ say Where two or three are gathered together in my Name I will be in the midst of them Moreover was not that a Church which was in Aquilla and Priscilla's House 1 Cor. 16.19 and was not Priscilla a Daughter that did prophesie What must Priscilla go out of her House in which was the Church if she had any thing to speak by the Spirit was it lawful to speak without doors and not in the House and if she might speak in her House then she spoke in the Church and R. I. would have said she contradicted the Spirit of God and is not Christ one in the Male and in the Female and is not male and female both one in Christ Jesus is Christ's Power the Spirit 's Authority any whit less efficacious or powerful when he speaks in the female or is it the Sex only that addeth or diminisheth from the authority of the Spirit thou ignorant man who art void of the Knowledge of God was not Mary a Woman and did not she preach Christ's Resurrection to the Disciples and were not they the church but this it is like will not satisfie R. I. his unreasonable mind who doth not believe that a woman may prophesie or speak in the church for this would contradict Paul's saying not at all I grant Paul's words to be true this was spoke occasionally to one church concerning them that were unlearn'd untaught of the Spirit that usurped Authority over the man and such as were disorderly whose Spirit was not subject to the Prophet and what must this be a binding Example as to quench the Spirit and limit the Lord from Generation to Generation as to bind or limit them who are in subjection to their Husband and who usurped not Authority for it is one thing to have Authority and another thing to usurp Authority now they that are come to feel the Power of God and thereby be moved to speak the Power gives her Authority to speak but she that is not in the Power neither doth feel the Motion of the Spirit such a one Usurps Authority and is unlearned and such and they only were prohibited by Paul and no other for if it had been extended unto all then the Women before mentioned had been Transgressors and likewise further for the satisfaction of all Anna a Prophetess the Daughter of Phanuel of the Tribe of 〈…〉 coming into the Temple gave thanks unto the Lord and spake of Christ unto all them that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem and that was in a publick Place and in a publick Congregation Luke 2.36 37 38. And last of all if E. D. and R. I. will not confess that the Meeting near Cond in which the Women spake was a Church which F. H. justifies then E. D. and R. I. have lost their Cause and wrangled about nothing and the thing proved against them both viz. That a Woman declaring speaking or prophesying by the Spirit of the Lord and in the Authority of God is a lawful and a commendable and a justifiable Act in the Sight of God and all the Children of Light and therefore cease your foolish clamour and let no such ignorant stuff come in Print again lest your Folly be more and more made manifest and the Stone fall upon you which will grind you to Powder The next thing which R. I. quarrels about is a Lye which Ed. Dod asserted that some of the Quakers should say they were equal with God unto which F. H. replied and said he that hath the Spirit of God is in that which is equal and he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit there is Unity and that Unity stands in Equality and these Expressions saith R. I. offer Violence to God and his Glory Answ. This R. I. is so in Love with the Spirit of Error for he hath denyed the infallible Spirit and is in such Love with an unequal Spirit that he cannot endure to hear that any should be joyned to the Lord in an equal Spirit and so quarrels with plain Scripture and saith it doth Violence to the Majesty of God the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of Truth is an equal Spirit and they that are led by it and are in it are in that which is Equal and so are joyned to the Lord and are nearly related to him but that I said or any other that the Creature is Equal to the Creator in Power or in Glory is false and a Lye and let E. D. and R. I. know that Lyars are for the Lake R I. saith Chrâ—st is glorified in 〈◊〉 human Nature and human Nature and Flesh may be understood â—f the regenerate Part and human Nature may be understood both of Soul and Body and this may confute F. H. that doth contend against human Nature and goes and tells another lye as every pâ—ge is filled with some and saith F. H. saith Christ hath no real Body Answ. This man speaks out of thick Darkness and intrudes into those things he hath not seen being vainly puft up in his fleshly mind
I said unto E. D. that Christ was the Seed of David according 〈◊〉 the Flesh and according to the Spirit the Son of God And furthermore said and now say that Christ is glorified in a spiritual Body an incorruptible Body and so by incorruptible Bâ—dy and spiritual Body according to R. I. his dark understanding must also be understood human Nature and again human Nature may be understood of the Soul O dark and Sottish man what art thou like to confute who saith The human Nature may be taken for the Soul and also it may be taken for Flesh and also it may be taken for the Regenerate part and thus like a blind man hast lost all aim thou runnest-Rambling up and down in every by-Path but how shouldst thou do otherwise seeing thou hast denyed that Spirit that doth not Err and all wouldst have all others to deny it and saist that none may lay claim to it although God hath Promised it to give the Spirit of Truth to lead his People into all Truth and if into all Truth then out of all Error but this Doctrine of Christ comes too near Perfection for R. I. to own which is a Doctrine so offensive to him that he cannot endure to hear of it or that ought should be Perfect and therefore he hath condemned the Law of the Spirit of Life and saith it is Imperfect as may be seen in the 55th page of his Book and if Flesh and the Regenerate part of man and the Soul may all be understood by human Nature then they are all one and then the Soul is Human and earthly but the Soul is spiritual and immortal and Flesh and Blood inherits not the Kingdom of God and the Regenerate part is that which is begotten and brought forth by the Immortal word of Life and that which born of the Spirit is Spirit and so the ignorance of this man is made manifest and so R. I. may take his lye home unto himself as that F. H. deny real Body of Christ for F. H. hath said and now saith again and that according to Knowledge that Christ hath an incorruptible Body and a Glorious Body and a spiritual Body and in this Body is Christ glorified with the Father and human Nature is no where taken for a spiritual and incorruptible Bâ—dy in the Scripture's account as this R. I. and his blind Tribe do imagine and yet the Flesh of Christ is owned and the Word that was made Flesh the Saints know and do feed on by which they are nourished up into everlasting Life and so I say unto thee as I did to E. D. when thou writes again speak plainly if by Human Nature thou intendst a carnal Body or the same Flesh thou art on and thou wouldst divide the Flesh of Christ from the Spirit wouldst divide Christ and Christ is not divided and thus he goes Quarreling on and heaps Lye upon Lye and saith that F. H. saith Christ hath no real Body but hâ—s Mystical Body which Thing is thy own and never affirmed by me either in Word or Writing and so repent of thy Lyes and for shame call in thy Book lest the Judgments and Plagues of God be multiplyed upon thee And further saith R. I. How do the Quakers condemn themselves when they so proudly boast themselves as the Pharisees did to be clear from Sin who need not Christ's Righteousness for their Justification how then can they say that Christ's righteousness is their Justification when they are so Righteous in their own Eyes for Christ hath not Promised to Justâ—fie any but those that confess their Sins Answ. We have confest our Sins and also departed from them and not like you feigned Hypocrites who are confessing from Year to Year with your feigned Lips and your Hearts never turned to the Lord from Iniquity and takest the Name of Christ's righteousness to be a Cloak to cover your Iniquity withal and we do not say that we have no need of Christ's righteousness for our Justification for if we should say so we should be Lyars like thy self for we have need of Christ's righteousness for he is our Life who is called The Lord our Righteousness he is our Justifier and who art thou that condemns any but the false accuser of the Brethren for Christ's righteousness is our covering and we are not righteous in our own Eyes but in the Eyes of him who hath made us so and we never said that we have not Sinned and so we have not made God a Lyar as this vile Slanderer would make men believe through his false Aspersions for we say we were once Darkness but now are we Light in the Lord and he who is our Light and Life is our Justification and Righteousness and his Blood cleanseth from all sin and the Power of God keepeth us That the Evil one toucheth us not and yet all Boasting excluded And the further R. I goes on the lower he sinks towards the bottomless Pit and there we shall find him at last before we have done with his Book and speaks out of thick Darkness like a Man that never saw the Sun who hath altogether taken up his dwelling Place in Death's Region and as though that were the Land of his Nativity as thou shalt see Reader by what ensues R. I. saith Though it be said he that commits Sin is of the Devil not that the Devil can claim him for his own or that he is in his Possession but he is Captivated of the Devil and over-Powered And for his proof he brings Peter was cryed up to be a Saint and at that same time when he was Cryed up to be a Saint Christ called Peter a Devil and that must be understood a Saint hath Sinned Answ. He that is Captivated by the Devil hath gone from the Power of God and he that commits Sin doth the Devil's Work and he may claim him for his Work-man and he that is over-powered is brought into Captivity and he that carryes into Captivity hath the Captive in his Possession as it is written his Servants you are to whom you obey and he that commits Sin is the Servant of Sin And these black confused Distinctions R. I. maketh to make People believe that they are Saints of God when they are the Devil 's Captives and that they are in the Possession of Christ who yet do the Works of the Devil who is an Enemy to Christ thou know'st no more for Saint then thou know'st of a Devil who saith that Peter at the same time that Christ called him a Saint called him a Devil for thou must know that Matthew recorded many things it may be in one Chapter which were acted and done and spoken in many Dayes and Weeks for when Peter confessed Christ to be the Son of God he was in the Faith and Christ said Flesh and Blood had not revealed that to him but at this time had spoken little of his Sufferings and it is written Mat. 16.21
the Apostle's Doctrine and so this R. I. is tryed by his own infallible standard to be a Deceiver who teaches contrary to that which he calls his Law and Testimony and the Law which is outward is the Law of the first Covenant which made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better Hope did by which we draw nigh unto God Heb. 7.19 Therefore the Lord sâ—â—d by the Mouth of the Prophet Behold the Dayes come that I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel not according to the Covenant I made with them when I brought them out of the Land of Egypt when I was as a Husband and unto them which Covenant they brake but I will write my Law in their Heart and put my spirit in their inward Parts I will be to them a God and they shall be unto me a People Jer. 31.33 Heb. 8.9 10. Now this blind man who gropes as at noon-day saith This is imperfect which is written in the heart and so faulty with him and therefore to be ruled over and the other which is outward is perfect and faultless and so ought to be a rule but saith the Apostle contrary to R. I. If the first covenant had been faultless there had been no place for the second which second the Apostle saith is a better Covenant and stands upon better Promises but yet saith R I. this is not the rule nor fit to be a rule And furthermore the Apostle said as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God and this was their Rule and the Law of the Spirit of Life made the Apostle free from the Law of Sin and Death and the new Creatures Rule by which they were led into all Truth and as many as did walk in it out of all Sin But nay saith R. I. It is not fit to be a Rule for this is imperfect and is that thing to be ruled and for his Proof brings Psal. 17.4 By the Word of thy Lips I have kept me frâ—m the Path of the Destroyer and how doth this prove that the Law in the Heart is to be ruled thou ignorant man who utterest forth nothing but Deceit and Error and so the Scriptures declare against thee for they say The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul The Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightning the Eyes Psal. 19.7 8. For the Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is Light Prov. 6.23 and the Commands of the new Covenant are spiritual and not carnal and they are perfect and fit to be a Rule Guide to all them that believe in a perfect Way and not as this R. I. saith unfit to be a rule because of their imperfection and would in his blind Distinctions cast a mist before Peoples Eyes And all may judge not only of this R. I. his Mistake but of his wilful Impudence in preferring that which is visible and outward and may be seen which was given forth in time viz. the Commands outward and the Letter outward above the Law of the Spirit of Life which is invisible spiritual and eternal And as I said to S. S. so I may say to thee Lean Souls are they like to be who receive such damnable Doctrine as this for Atticles of Faith but however Reader thou mayest take notice of R. I. in his Epistle to the Reader he saith the Quakers Money is counterfeit Coin which he hath nailed on the market-post and instead thereof hath tendred other Money and that thou mayest see what kind of other Money the Priests is and what Image it bears by the Principles here discovered which is altogether Tin and Dross and reprobate Silver which will be received by none but them whom the God of this World hath blinded the Eyes of that they should not see the things that belong unto their Peace And Edward Dod being sensible that he and all his Stuff or he and all his Arguments were carried captive and became a Booty and a Prey he is glad that any will step in and rescue him and flattereth R. I. and saith I am engaged to you to imbrace you as a precious Friend that of so weak Principles as mine have raised so perfect a Structure so absolute rational and demonstrative that more need not to be done Answ. R. I. his Vindication hath not redeemed E. D. his Principles at all but rather hath laboured in vain and spent his Strength for naught and hath brought forth such a Birth as sober men will blush at made up of Ignorance Blasphemy Derision and Lyes which they that have the least Moderation will abhor and detest and the Principles of E. D. and R. I. are not only weak and feeble but wicked and impious as is manifest in what hath been declared and the Structure that R. I. hath made is but builded with untempered Mortar Lyes Falshood Error false Doctrine which the stormy Wind of the Lord will rent and scatter and confound and exalt his Truth above it all But Edward Dod saith What can be said to reduce such a People I know not since so many convincing Arguments cannot prevail alas poor Men whether would you reduce us or bring us back to the slime Pits of Sodom where Edward Dod fell with his Stuff or turn us back again to Images Pictures and Crosses to Mass-houses Hirelings and Tythes to Lace Ribbons and Cuffs which both E. D. and R. I. have strongly pleaded for as faithful Servants to their Master who would not have him loose a Foot of his Territories however Edward Dod hath resolved to continue one in Life and death with R. I. who hath shaken Hands with the Prince of darkness and made a Covenant with death which must be broken and though S. S. E. D. and R. I. joyn Hand in Hand yet the wicked shall not go unpunished fore-very one shall receive a Reward according to their Works And so I have done with R. I. his Book called Ignis fatuus whose Arguments false doctrines errors and lyes are disolved into nothing his 〈◊〉 made void his Ignorance made manifest his false doctrine brought to Light and reproved by the Word of Truth only I shall return him a few of his Lyes back again for him 〈…〉 the second time and repent of them and remember the Sentence for all Lyars is The Lake that burneth Rev. 22.15 First That their Worship differs not in whole nor in Part in Matter nor in Manner from the Churches in the Primitive Times Secondly According to the Scriptures their whole Worship is framed Thirdly That Jezabel was never more madder against the Prophets then these Quakers are against Christ's Ministers Fourthly The Quakers contemn Magistracy and infect the Common-wealth with Faction Fifthly That the Quakers burnt some Houses at Oxford Sixthly That Timothy and Titus were setled in a Parochial Way in their Quarters Seventhly That F. H. complains of the Darkness of the Sun when the Fault is in his own Eyes Eighthly
by the Light of Christ so keep in all your Minds to this and stop all other Motions in your Minds and keep down all Thoughts and Reasonings in the mind and so keep to few Words and be slow to speak and swift to hear then will you come to know the heavenly Voice of Christ the quickning Spirit which divideth assunder and separateth betwixt the precious and vile in THOUGHTS WORDS or DEEDS and shews you the Ground of each and as you love this Light which Christ Jesus hath enlightned you withal and bring your Deeds to the Light which Christ hath placed in your Consciences which is God's faithful Witness if unto it you take heed then you will feel his Power in you at all Times near at Hand to help you and to subject every vain Thought and every vain Desire and bring them into Captivity and this is the Word of Faith which is nigh in the Heart which doth discern the Thoughts and Intents and Purposes of the mind before ye act or speak them forth I say hearken ye unto this that Faith may be begotten in you and here you will all know your Teacher present and Shepherd and him that said Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden who will give Rest unto your Souls and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in Heart saith Christ and then you will come to see the Differences between the motions of the Flesh and the motions of the Spirit within and come to know each Birth and know what must enter and what must not enter and all who follow this Light which Christ the Light hath enlightned them withal shall come to know the Immanâ—el and Bishop of their Souls for he that hates the Light which he is enlightned withal he hates Christ and he that hates the Light hates that which is the Gift of God in him and he that believeth not in the Light is reproved by the Light and judged already in himself by the Light of the Word and Justification cannot be witnessed where there is Reprehension and Reproof by him that is the Justifier And whoever receiveth Christ must receive him as the Father hath tendered him for he is given for a Covenant of Light to the Gentiles in whom the Gentiles should trust and to rejoyce at the Brightness of his rising and the Isles should be glad and wait for his coming a Leader of his People and Justification is not felt in the Heart of any man but where his Leadings are known and obeyed and none can come out of the Regions and Shadows of Death but as Christ is closed with the true Light who hath enlightned every Man that cometh into the World for he is appointed of the Father a Leader out of the World and all that follow the Light that they be enlightened withal deny themselves for it judges self-Love and self-Actions and self-Righteousness and here the Cross of Christ you will come to know which slayes the Enmity that which crosseth the carnal corrupt Part in man and takes it up and bears it and herein you will come to know what it is to be crucified to the World and the Lusts and Affections thereof and the World within and the Cross being known and loved which is the Power of God the carnal Mind which is Death cometh to be slain within and dyeth to the Fashions of the World and the goodly Noise thereof that passeth away but that which maketh it pass away endures forever the Word of the Lord which was in the Beginning So mind that which endures forever and take diligent heed and watch against the carnal Mind and worldly Thoughts and keep them down and so Power you will come to receive in the Light to rule over all that which hath ruled over you and then you will come to know a transforming of your Minds and that which quickens and enlivens your Hearts to God and crucifies you to Evil and here is the Way in Part declared by which all must come to the Father to the Kingdom to the Power and to the Glory there which is by Christ the true Light who hath enlightned every man that cometh into the World who is the Way the Truth it self the Love it self who is one with the Father And here you will come to know the Minister of the Tabernâ—cle which God hath pitched and not man and his Ministry and the Operation of his Spirit that which reproves for Evil is the Spirit of God wait all that you may receive it for it is given unto all but all have not received it God is kind and bountiful unto unto all and herein is every man left with out Excuse he that receives it receives Power to come out of that which it reproveth for and thus it is known by its Operation and as any errs from it and takes not heed unto it it checks him but as it is loved and closed with it gives Peace and Joy and brings Comfort and this is another Operation And now cease from all Teachers which are only Ministers of the Letter and Ministers of others Words made ready to their Hands for such can never turn any to God and from all such who preach for Hire Gifts and Rewards these are all out of the Doctrine of Christ in Balaam's Way and the false Prophets Way and not in the Apostles and Ministers of Christ's Way who testified Freely of that which they had received Freely and from all such Teachers as take Tythes which deny Christ come in the Flesh for that Priest-hood is changed and the Law is changed and the Jewish Priest in the first Covenant which had a Law to take Tythes of the People is changed and a better Hope is brought in and there is not another Law to be given forth which commandeth such a Maintenance for Gospel Ministers and though such Ministers may tell you of the means of Grace and that you must attend upon their Teachings and Discourses which they call means which are but dead Stories and feed but the corrupt part in the carnal Mind the Grace is near you even the free Grace of God the saving Grace of God that hath appeared unto all and yet all are not saved by it because they have not received it nor love it but all they that love it are taught to deny all Ungodliness and improving of it is the means to obtain more of it and whenever you are Tempted unto Sin the Grace of God which sheweth you the Temptations will save you that you enter not into it nor defile your Consciences thereby and this Grace is God's free gift unto all mankind and is in man and is the means whereby he that loves it comes to be saved from the Power of the wicked One that he touch him not And all must come into silence for the Earth must keep silent and all Flesh must be silent before the Lord be known within or his Voice heard and so all
New Covenant and the Everlasting Gospel proved out of the Scripture and Antiquity 19. Respecting of Persons and Complemental Bowings and worshipping of one another and flattering Titles are no good Manners but are in the Transgression and have been anciently reproved and condemned 20. University and Schools of Natural Learning are of no Use as to the making of Ministers of Christ in the Primitive Times but a Thing introduced and brought in in latter Ages by the Apostates who had erred from the Spirit who admired and set up Natural Languages and Philosophy that thereby they might be furnished to make Discourses Speeches and Sermons to get Money by and as they are holden up at this Day are made an absolute Idol and as to their Practice it 's generally known to be prophane and no Way meet to advance the Church of Christ. THE GLORY OF THE True Church DISCOVERED As it was in its PURITY IN THE PRIMITIVE TIMES CHAP I. The State of the true Church from the manifestation of Christ in the Flesh to the End of the Apostles Dayes briefly discovered GOd according to his determinate Will and everlasting Counsel in the Fulness of time sent his only begotten Son into the World to be the Light of the World and to be a Leader to the People and to be a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World who obeyed the VVill of the Father in all things according as it was testified of him by Moses and the Prophets and as it was said by David concerning him In the Volumn of the Book it is written concerning me I come to do thy Will O God Psal. 40.7 and so he did as it was written of him he fulfilled all Righteousness and ended all the Types and Figures and Shadows and VVorship of the first Covenant as the Apostle testifieth of him Heb. 7.21 The Law was changed and the Priesthood changed in that they were but Figures and Shadows of good things to come and in regard that they were faulty and did not make the comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the Conscience but the bringing in of a better Hope did and the better Covenant to wit the Covenant of Life and Peace which the Prophets by the Spirit had testified of from Moses to Samuel and till John and John likewise bore Testimony of him who was the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the VVorld John 1.29 36. And now he being come to whom the Prophets testified who was not made by a carnal Commandment as was Aaron and the rest of the Priests under the Law but after the Power of an endless Life offered up himself once for all putting an End to all the Offerings of the first Covenant for the perfecting them that are Sanctified Heb. 10.14 Now he being come into the Fulness of time manifest according to the Testimony of the Prophets he fulfilled all things which the Prophets testified of him and his VVorks did testifie of him that he was the Son of God now he declared the VVill of the Father and discoursed with them who were Doctors and Ministers of the Covenant declaring unto them divers times and shewing unto them in divers places that the Kingdom of God was at hand and to be manifest in Power and testified of himself and the Father also with him and his Works declared the same that he was the everlasting high-Priest which put an End to all the first Priesthood Covenant and Ordinances thereof and he preached the Word of the Kingdom and declared against them who sticked behind in the Figures and Types and Shadows and did reprove them to wit the professors of the first Covenant who were Searchers of the Scriptures and said you will not come unto me that you may have Life I am the Bread of Life that came down from above and came to fulfil the Law and all Righteousness and to publish the Word of Faith which did not make void the Law but establish it which was new And so he said while you have the Light believe in the Light that you may be the Children of the Light and this he spoke to the Pharisees which had the Law and the Prophets and were acting in the Types and Figures which are Shadows of the thing it self but not the very thing but he preached the very thing the Word of the Kingdom the Word of Power the Word of Life and many were quickned by it in their Hearts and Minds who believed and heard the Voice of him who was the Son of God and so came to live who could not be made alive in the exercising themselves in the Ordinances and many believed in him and he chose unto him Disciples who believed in him and sent them out to preach Repentance and to begin at Jerusalem though they were the chiefest Professors and Ordinance-Men and were for Conformity to the Ordinances of the first Covenant yet Repentance was to be preached to them and the first Principles of Religion though they had been and were the greatest Professors and Observers of the Ordinances of the first Covenant that were in the Earth at that time And afterwards he sent out Disciples and gave them Commandment to preach disciple all Nations in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost and these which he sent out to preach the Gospel unto whom he gave Power to cast out Devils and work Miracles prophesied after a Season the Word of the Kingdom both to Jews and Gentiles according as the Prophets had testified and these who were sent out and made Ministers by the holy Ghost and received Gifts from the holy Ghost for the Work of the Ministry they preached not up the Ordinances of the first Covenant but preached Christ the everlasting Covenant and the Power of God and the VVisdom of God for the Remission of Sin and the word of Faith they declared in the Mouth and in the Heart and went not to Tables of Stone to direct People thither but to bring People to believe in him who was the Light of the World and lighteth every Man that cometh into the World that all Men through him might believe And many did believe in him who was the Covenant and did believe through the Apostles words who were commissionated and fitted for the work of the Ministry and through their words which they declared many did believe both of Jews and Gentiles and as many of the Jews as did believe separated from the Temple Priests Sacrifices Ordinances of the first Covenant and they met together in Houses and other Places Aâ—ts 20.7 Chap. 28.30 31. And the Gentiles which believed separated from their dumb Idols after which they had been led formerly and from their Temples and ceased any more to offer unto Idols and they met together at certain Places in Towns and Cities not only at Jerusalem but also at Antioch Colosse Thessalonica Corinth and divers other Places which were long to enumerate Acts 11.9 chap. 17.1 2. chap. 18.4 But
a Service for such a Day and such a Worship for such a Day we find not in the first hundred Years after Christ. And for your Lent which one of your Fathers invented and this was his Ground because God had the tenth of the increase of Tythes due to himself and for his Ministers under the Law therefore it was necessary that the tenth part of Dayes should be allowed as Tythes to the Lord Oh! Gross ignorance and palpable Blindness mid-Night it self came upon you in the time of your Visibility when the True Church was fled into the Wilderness As though the Lord was not the Lord of all Dayes and as though all dayes were not his and to be used to his Glory And your prohibiting Meats and distinguishing of Meats one Holy for such a day another for such a day Flesh one day and Fish another day as though there were not the Flesh of Fish or one thing were clean and another Unclean And this invented Trumpery hath been observed for Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine but by whom we must needs tell you by the Nations Kindreds and Tongues and People upon which the Whore sits and out of which the Beast rose And we will grant you antiquity enough this many hundred Years and yet we will prefer the Primitive Times before you and bring their Doctrine and Practice to reprove you though we do not desire to go in Cain's Way and to kill Creatures that are out of the Doctrine of Christ and contrary to Apostolick and Catholick Doctrine which wrestled not with Flesh and Blood but with spiritual wickedness whose Weapons were not carnal but spiritual and yet they hâ—d great might in them and threw down by these weapons that which never could be by carnal 2 Cor. 10.4 Again your forbidding to Marry which is reckoned by the Apostles Doctrine to be a Doctrine of Devils and contrary unto that the Apostle's Doctrine was Marriage is Honourable in all Estates the Bâ—d undefiled Heb. 13.4 And seeing you plead Peter was at Rome and Peters Chair and that the Bishop of Rome doth succeed him and hath the Keys as Peter had Why do you exclude the chief Bishops as you account them from Marrying and divers other Orders seeing Peter had a Wife and seeing that it is Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine before you could claim the Name of visible Church that a Bishop should be the Husband of one Wife and should not be Covetous nor no striker nor given to Wine nor filthy Lâ—cre c. But since the Bishop of Rome hath Appropriated to himself to be the Head of the Church and the chief-Bishop over all â—he Catholick Church it hath been manifested how much covetousness and covetous Practices have been Acted as Money for Pardons and Indulgences and get Money for the living and the dead and the invented Purgatory hath filled your Coffers and your Meritorious works have been Sold at a dear rate Insomuch that a poor Woman who hath lost her Husband and he deceased must pay ten Shillings for a mortuary that he may be Prayed for or some of your Merits may be accounted to him which you have in store as a Stock to sell to any who come with a Prize in their Hands And from whence have you all these Tythes have you not borrowed them of the Jews and yet you are no Jews and such things we do not read among the Jews were Tythable Pigs Eggs Hens and Geese to omit greater matters and the Smoak passing up the chimneys and that which you call your Peter-Pence And this is contrary to the Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine which Peter would have been ashamed to ever have mentioned either amongst Jews or Gentiles And now I would ask you a Question or two seeing John saw the true Church flee into the Wilderness the Woman that was cloathed with the Sun who brought forth the Man-child what cause have you to boast of Visibility or Universality Now when were you in the Wilderness if your Church hath not been so then it Demonstrates that your Church is not the Woman cloathed with the Sun for she did fly into the Wilderness as with the Wings of an Eagle Secondly Whether hath your Gospel been universally publickly preached these sixteen hundred Years or nay And is it the very same that was Preached in the first hundred or two hundred Years seeing that John saith that all Nations did drink of the Whore's cup of Fornication And then Nations were Waters seeing he saith the Gospel shall be preached again to Nations Kindreds and Tongues which clearly demonstrates there was a time when the everlasting Gospel was not preached to the Kindreds Tongues which are the Waters upon which your Church is Situated And it is evidently manifested that yours hath been another Gospel then that which was preached in the Apostolick Church and in the Catholick Church the first hundred or two hundred Years after Christ was manifested in the Flesh Much might be said to Demonstrate the Truth which is in Hand that there hath been an Apostacy the Beginners thereof came forth in the Apostles dayes and afterwards grew into a Body and became like a great Sea which according to the best Ecclesiastical writerâ— which have given a Narrative of the first five hundred Years declared that there was great loss within 300. Years but in five hundred Years or less the very Power of Godliness was denyed and very much of the Form And though your pleads Antiquity for a Thousand Years for these things aforementioned which they would be hard to prove For although it should be granted them yet we will joyn issue with them in this thing and are able to prove all these Doctrines and Practices not to be as it was in the first two hundred Years except they will own such as taught the Doctrine of Balaam and taught the Doctrine of Devils and went in Cain's and Chore's Way for an Example It were not hard to prove the introducing of all these things before mentioned and how they have come in by degrees one Council that rose out of the Waters ordaining this another ordaining that and so have risen up into this great Body of Darkness some of the Practices borrowed from the Jews and some from the Heathen and some invented of themselves in latter Ages so that the Worship that was in the Spirit and in Truth in Christ's and the Apostles dayes is turned from and such a numberless Number of vain Traditions Ave-maries Creeds and Pater-nosters and such a deal a do as there is about their unbloody Sacrifice of the Mass that they are glad to be counted by their beads on strings as many very well know By all that which hath been said may easily be Collected that there hath been a great Deviation and Apostacy from the Doctrine and Practice of the Primitive times thus far as I am descended I leave it to the Reader to judge and compare these things with the Churches Doctrine and
if the Proconsul would appoint a Day to hear it so at that time it seems Christians did not swear as afterwards they did in the Apostacy And Basilides a Souldier and afterwards a Martyr being required to swear affirmed plainly that it was not lawful for him to swear for that he was a Christian so it seems that it was the mark of a Christian not to swear And the Waldenses or Leonists whose Names are so famous amongst the reformed churches and who are said immediately to succeed the Apostles and were the most ancient and true Protestants professed it to be nâ— way lawful for a Christian to swear In defence of whom in this very thing Bishop Usher late Bishop of Argmagh Primate of Ireland pleaded their cause against the Papists and Jesuits who are the Swearers and Breakers of Oaths and yet plead for Swearing And the Plowâ—man in his Prayer which is so much esteemed of and commended in the Book of Martyrs saith Lord thâ—â— givest us a Commandment of Truth in bidding us say yea yea and nay nay and swear for nothing thou givest us also a Commandment of Meekness and another of Poorness but Lord he that calls hâ—mself thy Vicar on Earth hath broken both these Commandments for he maketh a Law to compel men to swear Fol. 585. And it is one of John Wickliff's Articles whose Works were as much esteemed of by the Protestants in England and Bohemâ—a as despised by the Papists and their Clergy having his Bones taken up and burned forty one years after his Decease and his Books and these Articles condemned by the Council of Constance who also burned John Hus and Jerome of Prague for holding John Wickliff's Opinions That Oaths which be made for any Contract or civil Bargain betwixt man and man be unlawful And Walter Brute a Teacher among the People of God in that Age by Scorners called the Devil's Servants called Lollards against whom the Pope and the King Richard the second and then the ungodly Bishops make so much ado to have the Name of Truth extinguished and the Professors thereof cut off This is Walter 's Testimony As concerning Oaths I believe and obey the Doctrine of Almighty God and my Master Christ Jesus which teacheth that Christian-men in affirmation of a 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 you cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and as concerning Oaths 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 neithâ—r by Heaven nor by Earth c. but let your Communication be yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more then this cometh of Evil therefore as the perfeâ—tion of Ancient men of the old Testament was not to forswear themselves so the perfecâ—iâ—n of Christian-men is not to swear at all because they are so commanded of Christ who 〈◊〉 Commandment in no Case must be broken although the City of Rome is câ—ntrary to this Doctrine of Christ c. A good Testimony of a blessed Martyr Here it appeareth that the Swearing which Christ forbids is not only prophane swearing in the communication for that was forbidden in the Law where it is said Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain c. but solemn Swearing which was to be performed and that was the Perfection of the Law and Kings and Princes may take warning by this King Richard not to fulfill the cruel and bloody Desires of their Prelates And Chrysostom who was Bishop of Constaninople in câ—mmendation of whom much is said in the ecclesiastical Histories he blameth them greatly that brâ—ng fâ—rth a Book to swear upon charging Clerks that in no wise they constrain any Body to swear whether they think a man swear true or false saying that it is a Sin to swear well now I mentioned before that it was an Emperor commanded first that men should swear by a Book and this Chrysostome reproves so hereby it may be seen by these Examples it is no new Doctrine to deny all swearing and there hath been a People very many years in the low Countries that have denyed swearing in any matter therefore their yea and nay stands in Courts of Judicature equal with an Oath they being men generally of known Integrity whose yea is yea and nay nay in all Places and Matters If they that despised Moses 's Law died without Mercy of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall they be thought worthy of who tread under Foot the Son of God c. and disobey his Commands and teach others so to do they shall be shut out of the Kingdom of God and have no part with the obedient who keep Christ's commands through Temptations and Sufferings and are not offended at them neither count them grievous they only are happy and shall inherit everlasting Life Likewise Jerome who was an ancient Father and Teacher in the Church which the Protestants own upon that place Mat. 5.37 and James 5.12 these are his Words It was permitted under the Law to the Jews as being tender and as it were Infants that as they were to offer Sacrifices to God lest they should sacrifice to Idols so they might swear by God not that iâ— was rightful so to do but because it was better to swear by the Lord then by false Gods and Devils but thâ— great Evangelical sincerity and Truth admits not of an Oath since every true Saying is equivalent thereunto In like maner doth Theophilact 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 then 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 whatsoever is Judaical for it may become Child to suck but not a Man So that Oaths pertained to the Jews who were under the changeable Covenant and the mutable Covenant which continued but for a time till the Seed Christ the Oath of God was revealed here he is revealed and witnessed all the Judaical Types and Figures and changeable Ordinances have an End Likewise Ambrose upon Psal. 118. he saith None doth swear aright but he that knows what he swears and the Lord hath sworn and will not repent Psalm 110. Ambrose saith Let him then swear that cannot repent of his Oath and a little after the said Ambrose saith Do not imitate him in swearing whom we cannot imitate in fulfilling And indeed the principal Solution given by him is Swear not at all And the aforesaid Waldenses who condemned all manner of swearing as unlawful they made it their care to avoid swearing and
converted there is no more Work Now such will be tryed who have boasted of calls and Commissions and if all were gone they would preach for nothing or freely without Gifts I am afraid we shall hardly find one of five hundred but will rather then quite cease the gainful Trade traffick in such Merchandize as the time allows though they must now be content with eight for a night-wake and four for churching of a Woman and sâ—xpence for roading over a Grave or Tythe-egges at Eâ—ster and rather then they dare stand Christ's allowance will take this and such allowance as can be gotten under Hand and Seal as the time will afford them but to return to that which was in my Heart to shew out of Antiquity Tythes no Gospel mâ—intenance Prosper saith They do live upon the Gospel who will be Propriators of nothing who neither have nor desire to have any thing not possessing their own but the Common Goods what is it to live of the Gospel but that he who lâ—bours should receive necessary Supplies by them amonâ—st whom he labours without forcâ—ng though Paul himâ—elf would not make use of hâ—s Permission lest he should create an Offencâ— bâ—t laboured with his Hands being a Tent-maker and they that would receive it by voluntary Contributions were the Apostles and others who laboured in the Gospel Cyril of Alexandria speaking upon that Passage of Abraham Gen. 14 23. who after he had gained Victory over the King of Sodom's Enemies and rescued Lot when the King offered him part of the Spoils he would receive nothing but a few Victuals though saith he the holy Teachers do war in the behalf of perishing mankind and thouâ—h they undergo much pains yet do they not take anythâ—ng from the men of the World nor do they heap up unto themselves riches lest the World should say I have made you rich they only ought to receive their Sustenance from the Hands of those whom they have benefited for it is Christ's Command saith he that he who teacheth the Gospel should live thereby So that it is evident that very many of Ancient Fathers whom this Generation of Teachers have talked so much on did deny Tythes and forced mâ—intenance from the World but in this Point it is like they may be judged for erroneous or weak sighted as they do the Quakers or mâ—n of weak Understanding but I see many will trâ—duce them in Words but few in practice Peâ—er and John say Silver and Gold have I none Behold the riches of those who were Priests of Christ but let us quickly aply these things saith he unto ourselves who are prohibited by the Law of Christ if we have any Regard thereunto to have possessions in the Country or Houses in the City what do I say Possessions Houses no not to multiply Coats or Money if we have Food and Raiment let us be there with content Hierom writing to Nepotianus a Clergy-man doth much extol â—he Poverty of the Clergy As a Levite and a Priest saith he I love and am supplied with the Oblations of the Altar having Food having Cloath I will be content therewith and naked follow the naked Cross I beseech you that you would not transform our spiritual Warfare into a carnal one nor Imagine yourself in the Clergy as if you were in an Army getting Spoils nor seek after no more then whâ—n you came first into the Clergy lest it be said to you their Lot shall not profit them The Alâ—igenses Bedemontane Protestants have preserved their Religion incorrupt longer then any Church with a Ministry endowed with Tythes and Hire in the World and likewise the primitive times never wanted able Teachers as the best Histories say although they lived either upon their Labour or the free Offering of them that were converted and were not so disquieted with political complying Opinions and Curiosities and Niceties and Distinctions and Contentions until Constance began to enrich and give Lands and great Revenues to the Church and then they began to side and controvert in state matters and grew into Pride Idleness and Fulness insomuch that Histories say a Voice was heard from Heaven This Day hath Poyson been shed in the Church So you Protestants view over your Fathers whom the Ministers have talked on and so now if they will own their Practice so as to walk in it and let them never be reckoned as Ministers of Christ more who cannot be content with his allowance and let forcing alone about maintenance and the Tythes alone to the Priest of the first Covenant and let baâ—gaining alone for Wages and seek not Hire of them you work not for and if your Gospel will not maintain you you have good cause to question it whether it be the very same the Apostles preached and the primitive Fathers and never such a cry be heard more among People for maintenance and hire for wages and Tythes but he that hath the Gospel let him preach the Gospel and live of the Gospel not upon Tythes and forced maintenance and set stipends for the Gospel condemns this a Cloud of Witnesses is against it both in former and latter Ages yea it is inconsistent unto Reason to require Tythes in this Age by the Ministry First the Levites were one of the twelve Tribes if they were not the twelfth Part of the People but so are not the Priests now Secondly They had no Portion among the rest of the Tribes but the Teachers and Priests now have equal to other men in Lands and Revenues Thirdly The Priests were but to have the Tenth of all clean things but now clean and unclean Beasts Birds and Fowls Pigs Eggs Turnips and every thing which were not tythable under the Law Fourthly Their Service was great at the Tabernacle and Temple and in time of the War in sojourning it is not so with Priests who stay over a few Families all their Life long Fifthly Seeing the Service is abrogated for which the Levites had Tythes and none of the Service performed now no Reason that Tythes should be required now when the Work is not done unto which the Tythes belonged Sixthly The Levites were of Aaron's Priesthood of which Tribe Christ came not but of the Tribe of Judah but these Priests are not after Aaâ—â—n nor Levi neither their Successors therefore have no Right to Tythes Seventhly That which was given by the Command of God only to Aaron and his Sons and Levites and never to any other Priesthood or Ministry now seeing the Law is changed and the Priesthood changed Christ being câ—me these Priests are unreasonable who demanded them contrary to the Command of God which belongs only to that Priesthood CHAP. XIX Respecting of Persons and Complemental Bowing and worshipping one another and flattering Titles no good Manners but are in the Transgression and have been anciently reproved and condemned ALthough this Generation have so far run after every Invention and vain Custom and Tradition into Complements
Forms by number and Tale they are as much Idiots as the rest are who know not the Spirit to pray by And so this is no Authority to prove your Practice Apostolical and holy as for variety of Prayers and Worships it delighteth the carnal mind indeed but they that worship God in Spirit and Truth they Pray by the Spirit and in it as David and Christ prayed whether seven times five times or three times and with understanding and that which they prayed in was not various but one and it 's by that one Spirit which is not various by which the Sons of God cry Abba Father and the variety of your formed charms Bablings upon your Beads God hath no regard unto but is a Smoke in his Nostrills all day And they that have exercised themselves in these things have not the Witness of God in their own consciences that they are accepted of God and so I shall proceed to another Doctrine called Apostolical and Holy and that is about Meats whether they may be lawfully eaten at all time The Author confesseth they forbid certain kinds of Meats but it is but aâ— certain times and they are forbidden not as they are Evil and the Creatures of God but because they are forbidden by the Church and his proof is the Apple which Eve and Adam eat was not Evil in it self but being prohibited so to eat that which is good of it self is not ill but to eat contrary to the Superiors mind and order this is Evil. The Bible and Scriptures ought not to be read but leave is to be asked of the Superior because there are many hard Passages which they which have little or no learning as Peter testifies in hâ—s second Epistle chap. 3. some â—nderstands it one way and some another and therefore it is the fittest for Learned men to judge of them and they must judge whether People be in a capacity to read them Answ. And why are Meats forbidden aâ— certain â—imes is this like Apostolick Doctrine are not all Times and Seasons in the Hand of the Lord and are all good to them that believe and to the pure all Things are pure all Times and Seasons all Meats and Drinks being sanctified by the Word which made them all holy unto all that do believe And if you forbid them not as they are Creatures of God but because they are forbidden I say who did forbid them or when were they forbidden by Christ his Apostles or the true Church of Christ in their Dâ—y but on the contrary Christ taught That which goeth in at the Mouth and â—n at the Belly doth not defile the Man but that which proceedeth out of the Heart which is corrupted And Paul said What is sold at the Shambles may be eaten and no Question made for Conscience sake for to the clean all Things are clean and to the believing all Things are pure and who hath limited such Meats for such Dayes and such Times the true Church No but the Church of Rome â—ho are going on in that Doctrine the Apostle spoke of 1 Tim. 4. which he reckoned a Doctrine of Devils but here is your Argument that must bring you off because you forbid it not at all Times I say if it be a Doctrine of Devils to forbid at all Times then it is some Part of the Doctrine of Devils to forbid at any Time seeing Time and Things are all good in the Hâ—nd of the Lord but if this Doctrine should hold what would become of your Dog-dayes and of your Lent which has been patched up Week by Week by divers Popes and of your Wednesday Friday and Saturday Fast so by this Account of yours half of the Year is either unholy or else some Meat is unholy for half of the Year but there are few but see your Blindness that in this much need not be said but only thus that which may lawful in it self when it is prohibited by the Lord unto any particular then it becomes evil for whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin But Christ alone unto whom all Power is committed hath the sole Power over the Heart and Conscience and for any to make Injunctions and Prohibitions contrary to him the same is Anti-christ and so the Practice which your Church commands is not Apostolical but you bring Yoaks upon the true Disciples Necks which they that are made free by the Son cannot stoop unto neither joyn with for whosoever doth goes into Bondage And Christ is the supream Power unto whom all Power is committed and when he justifies what superior can condemn And there is no need of asking leave of them that are Superiors which reckon themselves as so seeing every man stands clear in the Sight of God when he transgresses not against the Supream Law of Christ in his Conscience and to offend any Superiors who lay any Injunction contrary to the Command of God is not to offend God neither to break his Command 2 dly It seems all Parts of Religion are monopolized by Mystery-Babylon in which Rome is comprized not only Patents and Pardons sold for eating of Meat but Authority and License must be given to every one that reâ—ds Scripture a Thing which the Apostolick Church before the Pope had a Being knew nothing of but on the contrary some were exhorted to read the Scriptures and some were commended for reading of the Scriptures and for searching whether the Things were so as Paul testified and in this they were counted more Noble then they â—t Thessalonica but now it is become an ignoble Thing and not at all to be 〈◊〉 to read the Scriptures without Patent or Licence in the Church of Rome's Account who have laid down Ignorance to be the Mother of Devotion but the Danger is because there are hard Passages which are not understood when the People have little or no Learning as the Author saith was it for Want of natural Learning that Peter complained they wrested the Scriptures and therefore is it for Want of Natural Learning that the Scriptures are not understood and for Want of this they must not be read as the Author saith Ignorant Man what was Peter such a great learned Man a poor Boat-man of Fisher-man whom the Scripture saith was illiterate in the Acts When they beheld Peter and John and that they were illiterate Men and saw their Boldness and took Notice they had been with Jesus What! was it Want of Natural Learning that Peter spoke of then he spoke against himself for he was illiterate but it was such a Learning that they wanted as this Author wants who is untaught by the Spirit and unlearned in the Doctrine of Christ and such wrest the Scriptures and do not understand hard Sayings because the deep Things of God are revealed through the Spirit of God and not by natural Learning as this Author who would sell Licences and Pardons for reading the Scriptures as they have done for eating Flesh in Lent but a Story
Volunâ—â—ry thing and freely given and there is a good shew of reason in it that it was by Way of gratitude unto Melchizedeck to requite his kindness who brought forth Bread and Wine unto his Souldiers after a great Pursuit which refreshed both him and his Souldiers which was a great sign and a courtesie if Abraham had not given the tenth of the Spoil he had not sinned so an Example of this naâ—ure â—â—nnot be a binding Law to future Generations for if the Ministry 〈◊〉 is last Age will make this a binding rule we may as well requiâ—e of them 〈…〉 Wine of every Priest for our selves and whole Families and every Officer may require Bread and Wine of every Parish-Priest for himself and all his Souldiers for the one example is as binding as the other both of them being Voluntary The next passage that seems to have any weight in it about Tythes is Jacob's Vow This Stone saith he which I will set up as a Pillar shall be God's House and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee This was an extraordinary occasion and more then an ordinary appearance from God unto Jacob before when he went from his Father to Haran to take a Wife of his own Kindred And the Lord appeared unto him as he laid his Head upon a Stone the Night being come and said unto him I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the Land whereon thou liest to thee will I give it and to thy Seed and it shall be as the Dust of the Earth and thou shalt spread abroad to the East West North and South and in thee and thy Seed shall all the Families of the Earth be Blessed He called the name of the place Bethel viz. the House of God because of the Glorious appearance of God and of his great Promise made unto him which he did believe as may be seen more at large in the whâ—le Chapter So Jacob's Heart being opened and filled fall of Joy and Faith he promised again unto the Lord and vowed a Vow saying If God will be with me and keep me in this way that I go so that I câ—me again to my Father's House in Peace then shall the Lord be my God and of all that he giveth me I will surely give the tenth unto thee which he performed after twenty Years as Josephus saith in these Words by Oâ—â—ering unto the Lord the â—â—â—th of all his substance which he had got 〈◊〉 â—â—rar after that he returned unto that place where God did appear unto him and made his Promise unto hiâ— then Jacob performed his Promise unto the Lord. But unto whose Hand he gave this tenth appears not for 〈…〉 the Priest hood was solely annâ—â—â—d to the first-bâ—rn â—f Families 〈…〉 well with the Sanctifying of the first-born commanded in Egypt hence it comes that Melchisedeck is commonly reputed to be Shem the eldest Son Noah but that is Câ—ntrovetâ—l and so I shall let it pass But it is thought by some that Jacob payed his vow unto the Hands of Isaac his Father and gave unto him the tenth of what he had gotten as being the chief of the Family then living and a Priest also but as is said before these two instances of Abraham and Jacob are only Voluntary and free Gifts as a return of thankfulness unto the Lord the 〈◊〉 having got a great Victory over his Enemies and â—he other having received a great assurance of the Lord of his Promise and Blessing with him did bind them to it But we do not read that they were at all oblieged by any special Commandment as to give so much though 't is granted that after Jacob had vowed he was oblieged but these are no binding Examples unto future Generations especially them that pretend they are Ministers of the second Covenant the Gospel there is no other mention made of Tythes before Moses his time unless some will dream as they will needs do that the Levitical Law was written before the Creation Yet some of the Ancients seem to have observed a respect had to the quantity of what was as a part of the yearly encrease Consecrated in those times of the Lord that even in the first memory to Sacrifice Cain's Offering was not regarded they say because he did not well or aright divide what he offered as if some quota pars were at that time required But this reason was from no other cause then the mis-translation of the Text in the story of Cain where the Jews read it If thou offer well but not divide aright hast thou not Sinned be quiet unto which agrees the Text of the Septuagint when as the true Translation out of the Original is thus Why is thy Countenance cast down if thou do well art thou not accepted if thou do Evil Sin lyeth at the Door But most agreeable to the Text is that he gave with a grudging mind and not of the best and first of his Fruit for it is expresly said that Abel brought of his first Fruits but Cain only of his Fruit of the Ground Abel giving then unto the Lord a portion of the best the other not regarding of what worth his Offering were So here is not any certain quantity noted but the mind of the Spirit of him that offered and the quality of the Oblation or gift So the chief thing to be noted from this is That Cain was an Hypocrite and offered with that mind and Spirit with which he slew his Brother and so his Sacrifice was not accepted But this is no Plea or Ground at all for the Payment of Tenths as due Tythes were never commanded to be payed by the Lord to any but Israel whose Law was given forth four hundred thirty Years after the Promise as saith the Apostle Neither were they ever payable but by the Jews after they came to the Land of Canaan and to Levi's Tribe only and to the Jewish Priests that had no Inheritance allotted them by the Lord of all the Land of Canaan or beyond Jordan but only the tenths according to the command of the Lord for the Offâ—â—â— of the Priesthood and for the service of the Tabernacle How among the Jews Tythes were payed or judg'd to be due the yearly encrease being either Fruit of Ground or Cattel in the Law of Fruits of the Ground first the first of the first ripe were offered to the Priest in ears of Wheat Figs Barley Grapâ—s Olives Pomegranates and Dates of these seven only the first Fruits were payed in what quantity the owner would Next the Theruma or heave-offering or first Fruits of Corn Wine Oyl and Fleece and the like were given to the Priests but it being not determined by Moses of what quaâ—â—â—iâ—y this Offering should be the Jews anciently judg'd it to be enough at the fiftieth part but so that no necessity was that every one
Saints so likewise the Church gathered by Mark at Alexandria in Egypt followed the same practice as the Believers at Jerusalem And Philo Judoeus saith That in many other Province the Believers lived together in societies And in the Church at Antioch Galatia and Corinth the Saints possessed every man his own Estate where the Apostle Ordained that a weekly Offering should be made for the Saints by every Man according to the ability of his Estate and this was put into the hands of the Deacons of the Churches whereby the Poor was relieved and other necessary Services supplied in the Church of God and this continued for that Age. The next Age Monethly Offerings were made or given among the Saints by devout and able Christians the Over-seers appointed by the Church were to receive it and carefully and charitably dispose them acccording to the necessity of the Saints for Propagating of Christianity as the Maintenâ—nce for the Brethren in their Travels for the Service of God seeding Cloathing and burying their poor Brethren relieving of Widdows and Orphans and Persons condemned to labour in the Mettal-mines or to Prison or Banishment into Isles by the Heathen Emperors and these free Offerings were never exacted or otherwise witness Learned Tertullian that lived about 200 Years after Christ as it appears his Words are That every mâ—ns gift is to be every Month or as he can or 〈◊〉 the manner he will and 〈◊〉 he is able so is he to give for says he no Man is to be forced but what as he confers of his own accord And further he upbraids the Gentiles with the Charity and Piety of the Christians he saith Whatsoever we have in the Treasury of our Churches it 〈◊〉 raised by Taxation as though we put men to ransâ—me their Religion but every man once a Moneth or when he pleaseth himself gives what he thinks good it is not bestowed in Vanity but fâ—r the Maintenance of the Poor and the like necessary service aforesaid and this way of Contribution continued until the great Persecution of Maximinian Dioclesian about the Year 340. as Eusebius Tertullian Cyprian Origen and others do witness Also about this time some Lands were given to the Church by them that believed and the revenue thereof was distributed as other free Gifts were by the Deacons and Elders for the afore-mentioned uses but the Bishops or Ministers medled not with them Origen saith It is not lawful for any Minister to possess Lands given to the Church for his own use Cyprian Bishop of Carthage about the year 250. also testifies the same shews how the Church maintains many Poor that her own diet was sparing and plain and her Expences full of Frugalâ—ty Prosper also saith That a Minister able to live of himself ought not to desire any thing to be given unto him and he that receiveth it doth it not without great Sin The Council held at Antioch Anno 340. finding that much fault had been among the Deacons and Elders to whom it properly did belong to distribute the Offerings and free gifts where there was need which they detaining for their own covetous Ends the Council did ordain That the Overseer or Bishop might distribute the goods but required that they should take no part thereof to themselves nor the use of the Priest using the Apostles words having Food and Raiment be ye therewith content Chrysostome Homil. 11. in Aâ—a notes and he lived about the year 400. that Christian converts joyned in Societies and lived in Common after the manner of the former Christians at Jerusalem by whose writings it doth appear that there was not the least mention made of Tythes in that Age the Church at this time altogether living by the free Offerings of Lands Moneys and Goods and the People were much pressed to bountiful Contribution for holy uses as may be seen in the writings of Jerome and Chrysostome who brought the liberality of the Jews in their payment of Tythes for an example beneath which they would not have Christians determine the charity But about this time there began to be a declination and a coldness in the devotion of them that offered which made Jerome Ambrose and others press very hard upon the People for liberality in point of Offerings because it was much less then in the Apostles time in somuch that Cyprian reproved sharply and said They gaâ—e not so much as was worth speaking of And it doth noâ— appear in any old Monuments of credit till near the End of 400 Years after Christ that any Payment to the Church of any tenth part as a tenth was at all in use From the Year 400. till the Year 800. no Canon or other Law was generally received to compel any payment of Tythes although among the Offerings of devout Christians gifts of that quantity was received as due by the Doctrine then in use in some places only which Ambrose Augustine Jerome and Chrysostome taught by reason of coldness and want of charity among the Christians in divers parts and for their Ground and Foundation the first two taught that the Tenth was due by God's Law which they took only from the Mosaical Law and the other two perswaded only that a less part then a tenth might not be offered but ought to be paid for holy uses as the phrase was and by the reason of the Doctrine oâ— Ambrose they were offered under the name of tenths in part of Italy he being the Bishop of Millain there in the year 390. Likewise Augustine Bishop of Hippo hath a vehement Sermon for the payment of them whose Doctrine brought in the Word tenth in use among Christians and as is said before his Ground only was taken from Moses's Law in point of offering these two threatned them with great Penalties and heavy Judgments that did not pay their tenths but yet take notice to what end they required them viz. that the Poor might not want and saith that God had reserv'd them for that use and end so in process of time when this Doctrine came to be received divers followed the Opinion of the ancient Fathers before-mentioned yet hitherto it was not laid down as a positive Doctrine to pay them as the Jews did but only brought the Jews in for an Example that Christians should not pay less Leo call'd the great about the Year 440. who Reigned 20 years he very earnestly stirred up Mens devotion to offer to the Church but speaks not a Word of any quantity Severin also about the year 470 stir'd up the Christians in Panona to give the tenth to the Poor Likewise Gregory not only admonished the Payment of tythes from the Mosaical Law but also observing Lent which he reckoned as the tenth part of the Year and this he would have given unto God saying we are commanded in the Law to give the tenth of all things unto God and thus Ignorance began to enter in and
is it saith he to live of the Gospel but that he who labours should receive necessary Supplies by them among whom he labours without forcing And further saith Though Paul himself had Power yet he would not make Use of it lest he should create an Offence but laboured with his Hands being a Tent-maker that he might not be burthensome to the Churches of Christ. With him also agrees Origen saith he Peter and John saith Silver and Gold have I none behold the Riches of those who were Priests of Christ but let us quickly apply these things unto our selves saith he who are prohibited by the Law of Christ if we have any Regard thereunto to have Possessions in the Country and Houses in the City what do I say Possessions or Houses no not to multiply Coats or Money if we have Food and Rayment let us be therewith content Jerome also writing to Nepotianus a Clergy-man sayes I beseech you that you would not transform our spiritual Warfare into a carnal one nor imagine your self in the Clergy as if you were in an Army getting Spoils nor seek after no more then when you came first into the Clergy lest it be said to you their Lot shall not profit them Neither in any General or Provincial Council were there any Constitutions made for the Right of Payment of Tythes till the Year 586. in a Council held at Mascon in the Diocess of Lyons neither is this Council received into the Body of any of the Canons the Council consisted of all the Bishops of King Canthrom's Kingdom only some Provincial Councils and Secular Constitutions betwixt the sixth and eight hundred Years which supposed Tenths to be due but they were disposed of diversly now to the Priests now to the Abbots and now to the Poor according to the Mind of the Giver the Quantity was only arbitrary but judged that some kind of Offering was necessary Neither till near eight hundred Years was there any general Law that remains in publick that is of Credit ordained in the Western Church and for the Eastern Church never any Law that mentions Tythes And further it is observable that though there were divers National and Provincial Councils held which supposed them to be due as divine Right and that less then a tenth Part ought not to be offered yet was there no Commandment or Name of Tenth in the first eight General Councils And though divers of the Fathers Popes and Bishops did declare that Tythes were due and ought to be paid yet till the nineth General Council held at Lateran under Pope Calixtus the second about the Year 1119. mentions Tythes but speaks only of such as had been given to the Church by special Consecration for at that time People being led to believe that Tythes ought to be given for the Use of the poor did dispose them to the Heads and Rulers of religious Houses so called who kept open Hospitality then for the Relief of the poor Entertainment of Strangers and Supply of the Widdows as is testified by Cassian the Hermite but the Council held under Pope Alexander the third 1180. seeing much given to the Poor and little to the Priests made a Decree to restrain Peoples Freedom and indeed much Wickedness Self-Love and Covetousness was crept into those Houses or Monasteries by this time as Histories do relate About this time there was no Law Canon or Constitution of any general Council as yet found that did command Tythes to be payed or expresly supposed them a Duty of common Right before the Council of Lateran held in the Year 1215. under Pope Innocent the third about which time the Pope's Power was grown very great and powerful for about this time every man might have given his Tythes to what Church he would and People had more Mind to give them for the poor rather then the Priests as may be understood from the Complaint of Innocent the third he preaching on Zacheus's Charity saith dedit propium redit alienum c. and cryed out heavily against those that gave their Tythes and first Fruits to the poor and not to the Priests as heinous Offenders yet about this time no Regard was had to the Nature of the Encrease but whatsoever did arise in Profit whether by Trade Merchandize or Husbandry the Tenth was required to be paid but when Pope Innocent had commanded so then no scruple was made of it but another took it with too much credulity neither till this time were Epistles sent from Rome so frequent to put in Execution that which had been established in two former Councils against tâ—at challeng'd right of the Laity for the Laity had enjoyed their Liberty from the beginning of Christianity to bestow or retain them to whom they would in most places till the year 1200. About this time notwithstanding the Land occupiers in divers places as the Bishop of Matera complained to Pope Innocent that in his Diocess they viz. the Laity divided their Tythes at their pleasures and arbitrarily gave part to the Church part to the Poor and part to their Kindred likewise in divers places the thing was so much in Controversie whether that Parishes had any due to Tythes or no That we see particularly in the Diocess of Valentia 1320. which was that every man wheresoever he liv'd he might declare himself to be of what Parish he would and to that only give his tythes The opinion of the Canonists in answer to a Question viz. By what immediate Law that Tythes were payable they are divided among themselves some say de jure Ecclesiastico others jus Naturale others divinum morale The Canonists with one consent do ground themselves upon the Letter of some of those passages of Provincial Councils Fathers and Popes before-mentioned generally deliver that Predial and mix'd tythes are due to be paid jure divino and they usually cite the Levitical precepts to justifie it for they take this Ecclesiastical Revenue to be no otherwise due to the Clergy by common right whom they to the utmost maintain as they reason may as a Supreame Steward of Clergies Maintenance dispose of this or that particular part of it to where he will and this was their common opinion But for Personal Tythes they yet agree to be jure divino although Pope Innocent the fourth makes it a wonder to see any Man deny it and divers of them followed him the best Authority they bring for Personal tythes is that of Deut. 12. where tythes and the Offering of your Hands are spoken of and this is a received Ground among them that the tenth is due to the Church jure divino and so would hold up the first Priest-hood and Figures against the second who is the Substance only for covetousness sake But some Canonists and those of no small note that agree the determination of the tenth to be only de jure Ecclesiastico and that no more jus Naturale or divinum
Morale is in it then what commands a competency of means to be given to the Priest-hood but they are mingled and confoundâ—d among themselves and the best bottom they have is either from the Popes Authority or from the Jews and also many Divines and School-men were at great contest and their Judgments are Various as the former The Divines about this time have had several determinations and Doctrines about this Point some have held it that the tenth considered quoad quotam Partem or as it is determined part devoted from that number is only due by Law Positive and Ecclesiastical but as it is for the sustentation of the Clergy it is due by the divine moral Law as they call it and so they interpret it from the Levitical Commandment of Tythes but others say it is a Judicial or Ceremonial as some will have it and that it hath been brought into the Law of the Gospel by Ecclesiastick Doctrine and Constitutions others say it is by the imitation of the Jewish state ordered by the Almighty and not in that regard per vim obligativam viz. by a continued force of it under the Gospel and that the Church was not only bound to this part but might as well have ordain'd the payment of a ninth or eleventh this is commonly taught by the old School-men Hales and Aquinas Henricus de gandavo Cardinal Caietan and divers others The second Opinion among the Divines is of those that held tythes to be meer Alms and not to be payed to the Ministers of the Gospel by any Parochial right as a necessary duty to the Evangelical Priest-hood but that they might be detained and disposed of at the owners will especially if the Pastor did not well perform his Office of this were both some of the Religious Orders in their Preaching and also others opposite enough to them in Doctrine The Dominicans and Franciscans who began about the year 1210. and had in their Monasteries great store of School-mens Writings made it a gainful Doctrine to themselves though there was a Truth in it they determined that it was not due by divine right but only due as Alms or due of Charity not of Justice or Judicial Law but to be arbitrarily disposed of accordingly to such as took any spiritual labour and with them agree the Mendicants Likewise about 800. 900. and a 1000. and after that tythes were called the Lords goods and the Patrimony of the Poor whenas also the Council at Nantz declared the Clergy were not to use them as their own but as commended to their trust they were not then given to the Clergy but to be disposed of to the use of the Poor Furthermore at a General Council held at Lyons under Pope Gregory the tenth in the Year 1274. when the Religion was only made a Cloâ—k for covetousness and they sought their Gain and not the good of Souls it was then constituted that it should not be lawful thenceforth for men to give their tythes at their own Pleasure where they would as it had been before but pay all their tythes to the Mother-Church by which it may be seen that though the People who then generally were Papists and in the mid-night of Popery did believe they ought to pay tythes then yet were rather willing to dispose of them where they pleased till the Pâ—pistâ— Councils restrain'd their Liberty But the great Decree that speaks most plain and till which nothing was given forth which did directly constitute them but rather still suppos'd them as a due by some former right was made at the Council of Trent in the year 156â— and yet that great Council followed the Doctrines of their Fathers and said they were due to God but had no nâ—w Authority for their great decree which they commanded to be obeyed under the Penaltie of Excommunication Having thus briefly past over the Ecclesiastical state first of the Jews secondly of Christ and his Apostles time thirdly of the State of the Church near to their time and the Judgment of them which are reckoned the most learned and Orthodox Men and Fathers of the Church in every Age till the very height of the papal Domination and hath given some true understanding in every Age to the point in Hand It will be requisite that something be said more particularly concerning this Nation and the Practice thereof and what hath been said with or against this particular concerning Tythes About the Year 600. or soon after Gregory the first who was the first Pope of Rome sent over Augustine the Monk into England who was a Canon regular by whom Ethelbert King of Kent was converted as they call it but it was but to Popery he and his Clergy a long time after followed the Example of the former Ages and imitated the Practice of the Apostolick Primitive Church living in common upon the offerings of their converts and those that received them joyn'd into Societies and with the receipt of the offerings they maintain'd themselves they repaired the Temples of the Gentiles which by the advice of Pope Gregory were not to be destroyed but to be converted to Christian Service and builded some Houses which they called Churches in which the Priests exercised their shrivings for then the whole Diocess of Canterbury was indeed the only limitted Parish in regard of profits and whatsoever was received through the Devotion of good Christians as they were called made up a common treasury for the whole Diocess so that it was no matter of what place the bounty was offer'd so that it was within the Diocess the Truth of this is confirm'd by that of Augustine in his question to Pope Gregory touching the Bishops whereunto the Pope answers The custome sayes he is generally to make four parts viz. for the Bishop for the Clergy for the poor and for the repairation of Churches but he doth admonish him in tenderness to the English Saxon Church that he and his Clergy should use the community of all things as was in the Primitive times in the Apostles dayes but afterwards having brought a great part of the Nation to their Faith they began to preach up the old Roman Doctrine That Tythes ought to be payed to God and holy Church as the phrase was and having taught the People that Pardon of Sin and the joyes of Heaven were merited by good Works and the Torments of Hell evaded by charity it was no hard matter to perswade them to give their tenths and Lands but also their outward Riches to those called Religious Houses then here and elsewhere may testifie in this Nation they and the Clergy had almost gotten the third part of the whole Land so wonderfully besotted were the poor ignorant People that had not a Law been against such excessive gifts a far greâ—ter part of the Nation had been in their Hands But how long this community amongst the Clergy continued amongst them and the free Offering fully appears not that it was
not out of use till more then one hundred Years after Augustin's coming that is till past seven hundred Years after Christ as may be conjectured out of the Testimony of Bede which extends so far in the City of London till the time of Henry the third no Tythes as Tythes were generally payed but only a Decree made that for every twenty Shillings rent a farthing a Sunday was to be paid which came to fifty two farthings yearly and this was given by way of Offering but was supposed as due and the tenth part of the yearly Rent of their Houses As concerning Laws and Canons for Tythes among the Saxons it is reported that in the year 786. in the time of Pope Adrian when his Power began to grow great he sent two Legates with Letters into England for Reformation as it was call'd first to Offa King of Merceland and Alfewold King of Northumberland who call'd a Council in the North and Offa and Kenulph call'd a Council for the South wherein they ordained That a tenth of the Fruit of the Earth should be Payed as it was written in the Law of Moses and when this Council had thus concluded by Alfwold the Legates and Embassadors took all the Decrees and Canons of the Council and carryed to Offa and he and his Bishops and Abbots did subscribe it with a Cross to it likewise Selden makes mention That Ethelulfe King of the West Saxons in the year 855. he made a Law That the Tythe of all his own Lands should be given to God and his Servants and should be freed from all Taxes But there is great difference among Historians about his Grant some restrain it to the Tythe of his own demesne Lands others to the tenth part of his Land and others to the Tythe of the whole Nation About this time heavy pressures by Danish Invasions and great Wars came on so that he called a Council where were present Bernereddus King of Mercia and Edmond King of East Angles and they to remove the heavy Judgment that was upon them gives the Tythe of all the Land to God and his Servants as the Phrase then was King Athelstone about the year 930. and King Edmond about the year 940. and King Edgar about 970. King Ethelred about 1010. King Knute about 1020 Edward the Confessor and others of the Saxon Kings made several Laws for Tythes as Histories do relate Likewise the Normans afterwards entring this Kingdom and subduing it William the Conqueror confirmed the Liberties of the Church Also Henr. 1. and Hen. 2. did the like and King Stephen also The Reader may understand the Principles upon which these men acted and the Doctrine then was believed by them and maintained to be good by Prelates of that Age that Heaven was merited by good Works and Sins pardoned for Works of charity which Works were chiefly reckoned to be good by the Prelates of that Age when some Monastery was builded Church or Chappel so called and dedication of Lands and Goods to such places for the health and happiness of their Souls they had perswaded many men almost out of their Estates leaving their Heirs and children very poor Many instances thereof might be given but one or two for manifesting the Truth of this King Stephen in his dayes gave to the Priory of Eye in Suffolk as may be seen in an Original charter of his made to the said priory wherein he gives the tenths of all his Mannors of Stedbrook Rading Seldia Bedima with divers other places for the pardon of his Sins and obtaining the joyes of Heaven and not only he gave it for the health of his own Soul but for the Soul of his Father and of his Mother and of his Uncle and interceding Kings to the use and End aforesaid Likewise out of another old Charter granted by Ralph then Bishop of Chichester to the Abby of Battel the tenths of Voulwaine of Hennam and of Servin and of Lezein and Badhurst and the tenths of many other places to the said Abbey for the health of his own Soul and the health of the Souls of his Ancestors Also out of the charter of the Monastery of Ridding in Herefordshire in the time of King John Walter Clifford for the health of his Fathers Soul and of his Wifes and children doth give the whole Tenth of Hamenesca unto the Church of Lempster But notwithstanding the many Laws Canons and Decrees of Kings Popes Councils and Bishops allâ—ding to the page before that every man ought to pay the tenth part of his encrease yet it was left to the owner to confer it where he pleased which made so many rich Aâ—bies and Monasteries And till the year 1200. or thereabouts every one gave their Tythe at their own Pleasure which made Pope Innocent the third send his Decretal Epistle to the Bishop of Canterâ—ury commanding him to enioyn every man to pay his Temporal goods to those that Ministred Spiritual things to them which was enforced by Ecclesiastical Censures and this was the first beginning of general Parochial Payment of Tythes in England this his Decretal was admitted and enjoyned by the Law of the Nation King and People being then Papists The Decree of the Pope receiving all possible assistance from the Bishops and the Priests in whose behalf it was made did not only in a short time take away the Peoples then deâ—â—red right to give their Tythes to those that best deserved them but did also so much corrupt the Clergy that in the time of Richard the second Wickliff our famous Reformer did make a heavy complaint to the Parliament in these Words following Ah Lord God where this be reason to constrain the poor People to find a Worldly Priest sometime unable both of Life and cunning in Pomp and Pride Covetous and Envy Gluttonness Drunkeness and Lechery in Simony and Heresie with fat Horse and Jolly and gay Saddles and Bridles ringing by the way and himself in costly Cloaths and pelure and to suffer their Wives and Children and their poor Neighbours perish for Hunger thirst and Cold and other mischiefs of the World Ah Lord Jesus Christ sith within few Years men paid their Tythes and Offerings at their own will free to good men and able to great Worship of God to profit and fairness of holy Church fighting in Earth why it were lawful and needful that a worldly Priest should destroy this holy and approved Custome constraining men to leave this freedom turning Tythes and Offerings unto wicked uses A cloud of Witnesses might be brought out of the Ancient Fathers and also latter Testimonies who witnessed against them and divers Martyrs some whereof were put to Death others grievously troubled and suffered long and great Imprisonments as John Huâ— Jerâ—me of Prague the famous Reformer John Wickliff who is spoken of before and Walter Brute William Thorpe William Swinderâ—y and it was generally the Judgment of all the Wickliffans and the predecessors of the
Protestants the Bohemians being descended from the Waldenses they did profess and held out that all Priests or Ministers ought to be Poor and to be content with free gifts or what the People freely offered them so faith 〈◊〉 Sylvius in his Bohemian History And it is one of John Wickliff's Articles whose Works are as much esteemed of by the Protestants of England and Bohemia as despised by the Papists and their Clergy having his bones taken up and Burnt 41 years after his decease and his Articles condemn'd by the Council of Constance his own words are That Tythes were and are a free gift as among the Christians and only pure Alms and the Parishoners may for the offence of their Curates detain and keep them back and bestow them upon others at their own will and Pleasures And his Proposition aforesaid is maintained by that godly Martyr John Hus who was Burnt for his Testimony at Constance but take his own words That the Clergy are not Lords and Possessors of Tythes and other Ecclesiastical Goods which are freely given but only Stewards and after the necessity of the Clergy is once satisfied they ought to be Transported to the poor And again if the Clergy do abuse the same they are Theves and Robbers and saocriligious Persons and except they do repent by the just Judgment of God they are to be condemned Likewise Ambrose Preaching upon the 16. Luke Give an account of your Stewardship c. From hence he infers That the Clergy are not Lords but rather Stewards and Bailiffs of other men's Substance furthermore Jerom writing to Nepotianus a Clergy-man saith How can they be of the Clergy which are commanded to contemn and despise their own substance and yet to take away from a Friend is Thieft to deceive the Church it is Sacriledge and to take away that which should be given to the Poor Likewise Bernard in his Sermon upon these Words Simon Peter said unto Jesus Luke 17. from thence infers these words viz. Truly the goods of the Church are the Patrimony of the Poor and whatsoever thing the Ministers and Stewards of the same not Lords Porossessors do take unto themâ—elves more then sufficient for a competent living the same is taken away from the poor by Sacrilegious cruelty Also Eusebius in his Treatise upon the Pilgrimage of Saint Jerome writes thus If thou oft possess a Garment or any other thing more then extream necessity doth require and dost not help the needy thou art a Thief and a Robber And Isidore in his Treatise de summo bono Chap. 24. saith Let the Bishop know that he is the Servant of the People and not Lord over them These and divers more Authors that worthy man John Hus instanced at a Disputation in the University of Prague in Vindication of John Wickliff's seventeenth Article which was that Tythes was a free gift in the time of Christianity and accounted as pure Alms. At the reformed Church in Geneva they live upon free gift and Tythes of all sorts are taken up for the use of the State and laid up for the publick treasury And that good man William Thorp of whom I made mention before who gave a large Testimony against divers abuses crept into the Church it being the Mid-night of Popery being complain'd of by the then Popish clergy and brought to examination in the Year 1407. being accused before Thomas Arundel Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Chancellour of England He gives a very clear Testimony about Tythes how that they were no Gospel-Maintenance In his answer he saith That in the new Law neither Christ and his Apostles took Tythe of the People neither commanded they the People to pay Tythes neither to Priests nor Deacons and Christ and his Apostles preached the Word of God to the People and liv'd of pure Almes or free gifts but after Christ's Ascension when the Apostles had received the Holy Ghost they travelled Labouring with their Hands and also he saith that Paul when he was full Poor and needy Preaching among the People he was not Chargeous unto them but with his Hands he Laboured not only to get 〈◊〉 own living but also to relieve others that were Poor and needy And further he saith Tythes were given on the old Law to Levites and Priests but our priests time not of Levi Ergo by the Law our Priests cannot challenge Tythes for as the Priesthood is changed so is the Law but since Chrâ—st in the time of his Ministry and also his Apostles lived by pure Almes or else by the Labour of their Hands for the Servant is not greater then his Lord At which Words the Bishop said unto him God's Curse have you and mine for thus Teaching And further the said William Thorp saith that those Priests that do take Tythes deny Christ to be come in the Flesh unto when the Bishop said Heard you ever Lozell speak thus and further the said William saith that the covetousness and Pride of the Priests destroyes the vertue of the Priesthood and also stirs up God's Vengeance both upon Lord's and Commons who suffer these Priests charitably and the Arch-Bishop said thou judgest every Bishop Proud that will not go arryed as thou dost by God I deem him to be more meek that goes every day arryed in his Scarlet Gown then thou in thy Thread-bare blew Gown This is an Answer much like a Lording Bishop and a Tything Priest but I refer the Reader to the whole Discourse and Testimony of Williams Thorpe which is large in Fox his Acts and Monuments Likewise William Swinderby in the Articles that are charged against him is That for an evil Curate to curse his Hearers or Excommunicate them for with-holding of his Tythes is nothing but wickedly and wrongfully getting from them their Money for if saith he that the Priest or Curate be a wicked man as most of the Tything Priests are If the Parishoners do pay him Tythes they are guilty before God of upholding him in his Sin and Evil deeds and further saith he that whereas Christ's Law doth command to Minister freely to the People the Pope with his Law sells for Money whereas Christ's Law teaches his Priests to be poor the Pope justifies and maintains Priests to be Lords Also with him doth agree Walter Brute as is manifest by the Articles charg'd against him viz. That no Man is bound to pay Tythes in Gospel times 2. That if the Parishoners shall know their Curate to be bad they ought to hold from him their Tythes 3. That if any Priest receive any thing by way of bargain or yearly Stipend in so doing he is a Schismatick and accured 4. That if we be bound to pay Tythes in Gospel times then are we debtours to keep all the whole Law for to say that men are bound to one part of the Law and not to another is not true for this were to prefer one part before another and to set the
c. And the first Scripture they bring in is Luke 11.41 You pay Tythe of Mint and Rue and all Manner of Herbs As also Mat. 23.23 You pay Tythe of Mint and Annise and Cummin Also Luke 28.12 I am not as this Publican I pay Tythes of aâ—l that I possess c. It is answered that Christ spake this to the Jews and Pharisees in the time when the Levitical Priesthood was not ended and they were bound by the Law whilest it was of Force to observe this Ordinance amongst the rest which were in the first Covenant which was faulty which continued until the time of Reformation viz. till Christ was offered up and said It is finished and was the End of the Law for Righteousness unto all that believe but it is manifest that the Jews then unto whom Christ spoke were not Believers but were such as withstood the Son of God and did not receive him who was the Sum and Substance of all the Types and Shadows of that Covenant and so this is great Ignorance to conclude that because these Scriptures are written in the New Testament so called that therefore Tything is a Gospel-Ordinance for it is manifest that these Scriptures had Relation to the Jews who were under the Law and not under the Gospel and so their Plea as to this is made void But though Divine Right hath been long pleaded and is yet by some but few are now left that will only stand to it for if Tythes be absolutely due as by the Law of God no Custom Prescription Priviledge Exemption Dispensation Law or Constitutions of man or men can acquit any from the utmost Penny of the tenth Part but scarce the tenth Person in England payes Tythes in kind and many plead that they are Tythe-free and pay none at all but if any will stand to this and plead Divine Right then they are to be payed and received for the End and Use for the which they were commanded for the Levites Strangers Poor the Fatherless and Widdow and then where is the Impropriator's Share And some Lawyers of late of very good Fâ—me in England have given their Judgment that Tythes are not due by the Law of God Other Scriptures they seem to plead for the receiving of their Tythes as Rom. 13.7 Render therefore to all their Dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due And Mat. 22.21 Give unto Caesar the things which are Caesar 's and unto God the things which are God's Answ. Herein is a clear Distinction betwixt the things which are Câ—sar's and the things which are God's this speaks only of Tribute and Custom or Taxes or Assesments which the Civil Magistrate doth claim by Law and by Custom for the Preservation of a Nation or Conservation of every man in his proper and particular Right and herein every one ougâ—t to render Subjection and Obedience not only for Fear of Wrath but for Conscience sake but these Scriptures have no Relation to Tythes at all nor forced Maintenance for Priests Object But it may be objected Hath not the Magistrate Power to command or make Laws for the Payment of Tenths or what other Part he will to the Ministry Answ. This was answered before if God disanulled his own Command Heb. 7. for the Payment of Tythes who or what is Man that he should make a Law as well to contradict that his Command as also on the contrary to establish them And seeing the Work of the Ministry is the Work of the Lord for Conversion of Souls and that he is the Lord of the Harvest he provideth for his Labourers and Harvest-men whom he sends 〈◊〉 so that there need not any outward Law be made in this Particular the Ministers of old needed not though Believers were but few and the Ministry of this Age reckons whole Nations to be Believers and yet they dare not relye upon them for their Subsistance but run to the temporal Powers to make them a forcing Law to establish their Maintenance which demonstrates they are not true Believers whom they reckon to be so or else that the Lord of the Harvest never sent them forth or else that they do distrust the Lord of the Harvest who they say sent them out to preach Other Scriptures are brought to plead for Tythes or at least some Part of them and forced Maintenance as 1 Cor. 9.9 Thou shalt not muzzel the Mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the Corn c. Ver. 7. Who plants a Vineyard and eats not of the Fruit thereof and who feedeth a Flock and eateth not of the Milk of the Flock Ver. 11. If we have sown unto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things Answ. Unto all which I answer that they which do believe and have received spiritual things indeed that they are enjoyned by the Doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles and not only so but even from natural things all that believe are largely taught their Duty therein to distribute and communicate freely unto them who labour in Word and Doctrine and are sent out in the Work of the Lord that they be comfortably provided for by them that are Partakers of heavenly and spiritual things from the Lord as to go in the Warfare of the Lord and to plant in the Vineyard of the Lord yea and it is agreed that the Ministers of Christ did not do these things at their own Charge but if they might not be muzled that tread out the Corn yet they may be muzled that tread out no Corn but run ramping through the Lord's Fields and spoil the Corn these ought to be muzled Again they that watch over a Flock though they may eat of the Milk of the Flock yet they that kill them that are fed and feed themselves with the Fat and cloath themselves with the Wool and worry the Lambs they ought not to eat of the Milk of the Lord's Flock and of such as they reckon Unbelievers and Hereticks and they look upon belong to another Master and not to the Fold of Christ they ought nâ—t to cliâ— and shear other mens Sheep But in short all the aforesaid Scriptures make nothing at all for Tythes or any Part thereof either from Believers or not Believers and these Scriptures also grant that every man is the sole Owner of his own Labour and Possession yet ought every one freely to glorifie God with his Substance and to communicate to him that teacheth in all good things needful and such Sacrifice God doth well accept Again other Scriptures they bring in which there is as little Ground or Footing as in the former but that they are necessitated to get a Shelter and a seeming Cover for their Practice to blind People withal that they may get their Money and so they bring 1 Cor. 9.10 13 14. For it 's written or saith he It 's altogether for our sakes no doubt this is written that he that ploweth should plow in Hope and he that
had not that Sufficiency which many look upon now they have to wit natural Tongues and Languages yet it was sufficient in them to give them Wisdom to declare the things of the Kingdom of God to the Salvation of many that did believe through their Words it was sufficient to comfort Paul and Silas when they were shut in the inner Room and their Feet fast in the Stocks when there was no outward Cause of Joy but rather of Sorrow yet they were made to sing and rejoyce because of the great Comfort and Joy that the Spirit of God filled their Hearts with again it was sufficient in the midst of great Conflicts and Tribulations which Paul and the rest suffered for the Gospel's sake and for Christ's sake and yet as Suffering did abound it was sufficient to make Consolation to super-abound to ballance the Suffering and to make it easie Fifthly It is that everlasting Covenant which the Lord promised by the Mouth of his Prophets in â—ormer Dayes that he would fulfil in the latter Dayes or after times That he would write his Law in their Hearts and put his Spirit in their inward Parts and that they should not teach every Man his Neighbour saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest and again in another Place I will pour upon them the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication and they shall see him whom they have pierced and again I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh and my Sons and my Daughters shall prophecy c. And this was fulfilled at Pentecost in Jerusalem when the Disciples met together and the Promise of the Father came to be fulfilled and the Unbelievers said They were filled with new VVine and the Lord hath a Care of his People through Ages and hath not left them comfortless not without a Guide and a certain and sure one too which Spirit is manifest among some Non-conformists whom thou takest Liberty to call Sects and the Sufficiency of it is witnessed praised be the Lord in our Assemblies both as to convince to convert to save to judge to guide to instruct to comfort and is that alone in which all true Christian Men can worship God in the Silence of all Flesh fleshly Motions Thoughts it 's that that giveth Assurance also of Acceptation with God and is that which makes the Prayers of the Saints as sweet Incense in the Nostrils of the Lord it is that which makes the Words of him like Butter as pleasant as Hony or sweet Oyl who speaks by it through it and from it whereby the Hearts of many have been pricked and the Thoughts of many have been revealed and many have been comforted with Joy unspeakable and filled with pure Love from the sensible Feeling of the Sufficiency of its Power operating in the inward Man even as when the Harvest had been gathered in and the Press been full of Grapes and the Fat 's had overflown with Abundance so that they could have rejoyced and sung and danced for Joy as sometimes David did when the Ark of God was brought from the House of Obed-Edom and placed in Jerusalem when David danced for Joy and all Israel was filled with Gladness what might I say for the Certainty Sufficiency and All-sufficiency of this holy Spirit of God I might fill my Mouth with Arguments and time might fail me in Speech to speak of the Excellency Certainty and Infallibility thereof against all Opposers and Quarellers In a Word it is that alone means through which God conveys Eternal Life to all Man-kind and it is that Rule by which all the Sons of God were led Rom. 8.14 It is that only sure Guide Judge Way Rule in which there is Certainty and Assurance of the Love of God to Man-kind it is that by which the Deeds of the Flesh are mortified and men quickened and enlivened unto God in their Hearts in which the Saints are accepted by which they are regenerated and through which they become Heirs of the Promise what shall I say but this let all Flesh be confounded before it and all Deceit stop its Mouth and all the Sons of Men bow before it all Councils and Churches all Rulers and Elders all Reason and Comprehension all Words and Writings of Men and holy Men yea of the Scriptures of Truth it gave them all a Being it was and is and is to come and will remain when all visible things are past away it is that by which God will plead with all Flesh and bring a Consumption upon all the honourable of the Earth and burn up the Mountains and make the Hills to melt and make all a Plain before him therefore make room make room make way ye Potsherds and cease all your contending and babling and bow to it and learn of it in your Hearts which R. E. like an ignorant Man calls a private Spirit that your Souls may be saved in the Day of the Lord and you may escape his Wrath which is to come against all Resisters of it Sixthly Your Catholick Church falsely so called who hath Erred from the Spirit the infallible Guide though you much boast of it both in Doctrine and Practise abundantly insomuch that your Faces seem altogether to look another way and your course to arrive at another Haven then the Apostles and all the Primitive Christians attained unto to wit everlasting Happiness and Rest of their Souls and acceptation with God in their performances and Sacrifices which they offered unto him in the Spirit of which they and all that believe in it and have received it received perfect assurance in their Hearts by the immediate Spirit of God and likewise the Protestants in general whether Lutherans or Calvinists or other Sects known by denomination are of so narrow and a pinching Spirit as that you would Pinch and shut up the Universal love of God unto all Mankind in a narrow Corner and monopolize the free Grace of God that hath appeared unto all Men that teaches all Men that receive it to deny all Heresie Falshood Opinions and Humours private Spirits and Spirits of Error which leadeth from all these and is sufficient to lead out of all Ungodliness and worldly Lusts and to do that which is acceptable in the sight of God and this all Sects since the Woman cloathed with the Sun fled into the Wilderness viz. the true Church and all parties have laid claim to and excluded all other that were not of the Opinion as from having any share in it as though it were given only to such a company of Men that succeeded the Apostles and by Arts and parts and Natural Language in the Course and Term or Years and at such such places as the Apostles were sometime conversant at and other Sects besides you who have kept more nearer in Conformity in Doctrine and Worship and unto the Apostles then you have done they have laid claim to the Spirit of God and to
as our Words may give Knowledge and Understanding and Light in any Matter which is to be desired but this hath been denyed and hath not been received by this unbelieving Generation who seek rather to establish the Traditions and Customs of men rather then the evangelical Doctrine of the Gospel And though Dr. Smalwood will needs have it viz. Swearing neither to be ceremonial or judicial but for any Proof he brings for ought I see it may be either as well as that he calls moral for sure I am that Oath were used in judicial Proceedings and Ceremonies were used in the Worship of God and his Service then and by Commandment and the Service of God and his Worship I hope he will say is moral yet so as under the Law it was not without Ceremony and it is concluded by the most learned that there was some Ceremony or Figure or Sign in that Covenant in all the Worship and some Shadows of good things to come then if Swearing was any Part of the VVorship of God as the most do grant and assert and I think A. S. will hardly deny then I argue it had some Ceremony or Shadow in it but Oh this A. S. cannot away with in this Point of Swearing but it must needs be all moral for Fear he should weaken his Matter that he hath taken in Hand to war against Christ's Command but it is evident that Swearing was used in judicial Proceedings as is manifest Deut. 19.5 about killing of a Man accidentally and Ver. 11. about Murder and Ver. 14. about Land-marks and Ver. 21. Life for Life Eye for Eye Tooth for Tooth Hand for Hand and Foot for Foot about all these things and many more and in Ver. 16. about a false Witness were to be decided and tryed by VVitnesses before the Judges and Judgement was to be given according to the several Commands about the aforesaid different Transgressions all which Statutes belonged to their Judicial-Proceedings as this about Swearing and as is manifest in this Chapter and all of these Commands seem to have as much Morality in them as Swearing hath in the Judgment of many unto whose Judgment I leave what I say to be weighed by the Spirit of God in them Thirdly The Law said many things by Way of Precept and Commission at least Permission from God which would be Irregularities grosly reprovable in Mens Manners in moral Matters Conversations civil Transactions and Communications should they be used among them who profess the Gospel the Law said An Eye for an Eye Tooth for Tooth Hand for Hand Foot for Foot the Gospel saith Avenge not your selves resist not Evil suffer Wrong put up forgive forbear the Law said Thou shalt love thy Neighbour and hate thy Enemy but A. S. will look upon this as an Addition or false Interpretation to the Law it may be but however certain it is that under the Law they made War the Jews with Amaleck with Moab with Ammon and the Canaanites and the Egyptians might be spoiled but the Gospel said only Love your Enemies if he be hungry feed him if he be thirsty give him to drink and for any thing I can see the aforesaid Commands were as moral and had as much Morality in them as Swearing whatever A. S. say or can say In the 7th Section A. S. sayes If any argue that Christ abolished the ceremonial and judicial Laws once commanded by God he sayes he denyes that Assertion for we were never under the judicial Law it being solely given to the Jews for the regulating their Common wealth in the Land of Canaan Deut. 4.14 and they were never obligatory to us that are no Jews nor never dwelt in Canaan and as for the ceremonial it was meerly temporary and ceased at our Saviour's Death and was not abrogated but observed by him in his Life neither can it properly be said to be repealed Reply Though I do not argue that Christ abolished the ceremonial and judicial Laws once commanded not abrogated them yet Bishop Gauden doth who attained if not to a Degree of Knowledge and Learning yet to a Degree of Promotion above A. Smallwood in his Book which he wrote for the Information of the Quakers about Swearing he saith in his own Words Christ came to fulfil the moral Law however he came in a Way of fulfilling to abrogate the ceremonial yea and the politick Laws too belonging to the Jews Policy in Church and State and herein is the Bishop and the Doctor at odds the Bishop said He abrogated the ceremonial Law and judicial too belonging to the Jews Policy and State but Doctor Smallwood sayes He denyes his Assertion for sayes he we were never under the judicial Law and what was never imposed need not be abolished so then what remains forme to say but this if Swearing was any Part of the judicial Law or did belong to their political Estate as it is the Judgment of many but it is evident that Swearing was used by the Witness before Judges in Israel in those Dayes to try out their Matters according to Commandment given of God as is evident from Deut. 19. in the whole Chapter and divers other Places then by this Argument A. S. hath made he hath overthrown himself for he saith We are no Jews nor in Canaan and so never imposed and what was never imposed needs no abolishing and it is as I have said manifest that Oaths had Relation to judicial Proceedings and to the Service of God too in that Covenant which was shadowy and consisted much in outward Signs and Figures but the Substance is Christ So then instead of proving Swearing under the Gospel lawful he hath by his Argument proved it never injoyned unto the Gentiles neither indeed was it either ever commanded or commended unto the Gentiles who believed or they reproved for not observing it that we ever read of by Christ or his Apostles or Ministers in the first and purest times of Christianity for to Jacob he gave his Law and to Israel his Statutes to every Nation he did not so no not to Moab Ammon nor the Canaanites neither the Gentiles and though he seems to plead hard for Swearing under the Gospel yet he talls short in his Proof except he took his own Reasons and Arguments which divers of them are but imaginary and in the Foundation of his Discourse he hath taken such great Compass as there is not an universal unlimited Prohibition of all Manner of Swearing but what this Manner of Swearing is it is very uncertain sometimes he makes it this and sometimes that sometimes he saith It is no Oath though in the Form thereof there be not I swear or God be not named or by God doth not alwayes signifie an Oath and other where he seems to affirm it to be an Oath but when an impartial Eye hath sounded and tryed the Bottom what this Swearing is that brings so much Glory to God and so much Good to our Neighbour
as A. S. doth now circumcised and cut off from Christians by Christ And what though God did Deut. 10.20 rank it with his Fear and Service was there any Service or Worship in that Covenant that had not some Sign and Shadow in it and was ceremonial and was to end in the Substance was there not Prayer and Praising and were not these Service and Worship and had these not the Ceremony of Incense and Sacrifice which then attended these Services but the Substance was lifting up of the Heart unto the Lord and making a Melody in the Heart and Circumcision is now that of the Heart Rom. 2. which was outward before the killing of a Lamb at the Passeover was an Ordinance in that Covenant the Substance thereof is Christ the Passeover the other now under the Gospel would be no more then cutting off a Dog's Neck these were all Ordinances of God to be observed and in their day and time they that did according to the Command of God tended to the Glory of God in that first Covenant but in the second under the Gospel whosoever should observe them in the Figure Ceremony and Shadow should much dishonour God and his Christ the Substance and Christ would profit him nothing see that Ceremony of Swearing the Morality that only abides under the Gospel is testifying the known Truth from the Heart with some Attestation of God to witness who is Witness of all we do or say and that no more then Confession or Denial by Yea or Nay which is no Oath is that standing Substance and the moral if A. S. will have it called so that remains under the Gospel which answers that ceremonious Way of Swearing under the Law which is most evidence by the Apostle Paul's rendering of that Term Swearing as it was spoken by Way of Prophesie concerning its Continuance Isa. 45.23 To me every Tongue shall swear under that Term Confessing only under the Gospel Rom. 14.11 Every Knee shall bow every Tongue shall confess to God Confession under the Gospel is made equivalent with an Oath under the Law but this rendering of it A. S. doth not like but would pervert Paul's Words to have it Confession but put to his own Addition by Oath so that his Argument is void Swearing was binding in that ceremonious Way which it was commanded under the Law but not under the Gospel nor among the Christians who are come to the Substance and to confess and speak the Truth in Christ to the Glory of God acknowledging his Power and Omnisciency and his Justice in discerning whether Truth be spoken and in punishing them that speak falsly his Wisdom in discerning the Secrets of all Hearts and A. S. might as well have said That Offerings and Oblations Sacrifice tend much to the Glory of God under the Gospel as under the Law as Swearing but saith he Swearing is a Part of God's peculiar Service that is incommunicable to any Creature the like I say of the former Offering and Sacrifice and Incense were incommunicable to any Creature but was due unto God alone yet it doth not follow as well under the Gospel as under the Law for that were to set up the Figure and deny the Substance so this second Argument is insufficient and the third is somewhat related to it which I now come unto Thirdly The third Argument is That if Christ's Purpose be utterly to abolish all Swearing as an illegitimate Brat of Jewish Extraction not to be admitted into the Christian Church then it must be either as it is repugnant to our Duty to God or else to our Neighbour for into that summary he hath contracted the whole Law Reply We must still distinguish that which was once a duty to be performed under the Law because commanded is not required as a duty under the Gospel and the strength of most of A. S. his Arguments and the rest who contend for Swearing under the Gospel are grounded upon the Mosaical Law though this of Oaths he will needs have to be moral it may be he would contend as much for the Morality of Tythes and Oblations if it had been the subject of his Discourse as for Oaths and them to be jure divino under the Gospel for many such we have met with and he might bring the same Arguments for Tythes and Oblations they are not repugnant unto God but bring Glory to his Name because hereby his Ministers under the Gospel are maintained and are enabled thereby to Preach the Gospel for the Conversion of Souls which addes much to the Glory of God and therefore cannot or are not to be prohibited but these only belonged to the Levitical Priesthood and continued only to the time of reformation viz. to the bringing in of a better Hope and a better Covenant which stood upon better Promises for the Priesthood being changed there is also of necessity a change of the Law Hebr. 6.12 by which Tythes was a duty and they robbed God that detained them Mal. 3.8 But this being ended and fulfilled in Christ the everlasting high Priest who by one Offering perfected forever them that are Sanctified he bid not his Disciples require Tythes as a due or duty belonging to God under the Gospel But freely you have received freely give and what House soever ye enter into that is worthy there abide and eat such things as are set before you for the Workman is worthy of his Meat and this was far more Evangelical conduced more to the Honour of God then Tythes and the Apostles lived more by Faith upon God who provided for them who were employed in his Service so that I argue what was once a duty under the Law that was to be performed unto God is not alwayes a duty among Christians for though Oaths were commanded unto the Jews in that time of Infancy and as being weak and it was permitted them as Jerome saith upon the 5 th Mat. vers 37. to Swear by the Name of God to keep them from Idolatry seeing all other Nations were given to Idolatry and Swear by false God's as Chemosh Ashtereth and Baal he knew their aptness to be led aside with the Customs of other Nations and therefore they were to acknowledge him alone who was the living God and no other and to testifie Truth by his Name as a thing certain and sure and therefore one of their Oathes was as the Lord lives and this among the rest was one of the Precepts of the Law which was added because of Transgression to Swear by his Name which needed not have been added if Sin and Transgression and unbelief had not entered in mark this and this Law of Oathes pertained to that part which was in the Transgression and Variance and Strife and that led to Worship Idols and this continued while that Nature was standing but Christ was revealed and given to finish Sin and Transgression and unbelief and to do away that part that lusted after Idols and
nor by Earth neither by Jerusalem neither by the Head had been useless as being generally included in the general prohibition but had he meant that no Oath should be used upon any occasion the subsequent Words are so far from giving Light to the preceding that they much obscure them but had he said no more thâ—n Swear not at all it might have been said he disallowed all Oaths but he descending to thâ—â— or that Creature may rationally imply that this purpose was only to forbid such Swearing and not that which was formerly enjoyned and his conclusion is only Creature Swearing or Swearing by Creatures is that he would have forbidden Answ. Christ knew better what he intended then A. S. who would make his words one thing and his intention another it is evident by the preceding Doctrine and by that which follows after the Text that Christ prohibits all Swearing which shall be further spoken on when the second part of the Discourse is spoken of some stumble ignorantly and some wilfully would pervert and turn aside from that which they have no mind to receive and would hold up that which they assert true or false and that makes all this disputing and reasoning about the plain Words of Scripture Christ's words But I say unto you Swear not at all by Heaven or Earth is a general Negative of all Oaths even of those which before were used in the time of Moses and by Heaven and Earth and Jerusalem are more ample expressions of Christ to make the Scribes and Pharisees understand his mind of his dislike of these Oaths by Creatures that they frequently used though these and much more were included in the general Negative Swear not at all yet they are not to be excluded as superfluous neither do they obscure the former Swear not at all but give more Light to the former to any but them that sees with A. S. his Eyes for by Heaven by Earth by Jerusalem are more ample expressions of his mind and a further explication of the former Swear not at all and though they seem to A. S. to obscure and darken Christ's words if he did intend all Oaths yet they that see with another Eye then he doth is that they are only more large expressions thereby to make the Pharisees understand who were in the unbelief and dull of hearing that did not only forbid what the Law had forbid before but even those Oaths that they frequently used under those terms and forms which the Law had spoken of in those Words as Heaven Earth Jerusalem Head and Foot and therefore he enumerates them as an amplification of his former prohibition and so they are to be joyned and we shall not stop as A. S. sayes some do at the words Swear not at all but shall joyn that which Christ hath joyned viz. Heaven Earth and Jerusalem and to be enumerated only and joyned to the former Negative and spoken as to their Capacities in those full and large Terms that they might understand his mind that he prohibited not only by Heaven and Earth and Jerusalem but even any other Oath which the Law had commanded or the Jews permitted to Swear before and though A. S. would have it limited only to Swearing by Creatures which indeed was forbiden under the Law but Christ who taught a more Evangelical and exact obedience then the Law he said It hath been said of old time thou shalt not forswear thy self But I say unto you who saith more then the Law hath said Swear not at all but let your yea be yea and nay nay for whatsoever is more cometh of Evil. And of this mind was Bp. Usher late of Ardmagh who pleaded the Cause of the Waldenses or Leonists whose Names are famous amongst the Reformed Churches and were the most Ancient and true Protestants if any Reformation be looked at beyond Luther they professed it no way lawful for a Christian to Swear and the said Bishop Usher de Succes Chap. 6. doth esteem that place of the 5 th of Mat. Swear not at all and that of 5 th James to be a sufficient plea for them against the Papists and he pleads their cause and this made Renerius and Jansenius so much Envy the Waldenses two Romanists who said Amongst all the Sects which are or have been there is not any more pernicioâ—â— to the Church meaning the Church of Rome then the Waldenses and that for three Reasons first their Antiquity secondly because of their Universality thirdly in that they did maintain and hold it no way lawful for a Christian to Swear on any occasion But it may be that A. S. will tell us that these and other were condemned in some general or Provincial Council for Heresie and if he do it is no great matter since most of these have erred especially since all Nations have drunk of the Whores Cup of Fornication and have Erred from the Fâ—ith and have lost the Power and then contend for a form and bind all to receive it upon some commination or malediction or other or else they were Hereticks And why who said so the Church hath so decreed and if these Canons and such like must be binding A. S. will hardly escape their Censure if he continue in the profession of the Faith he is 〈…〉 and they seem to agree in this particular about Swearing But I come to his fifth Argument Fifth Argument Christ never forbad any thing but that was intrinsecally evil as may be proved by induction he forbids anger abusive Language he forbids Lust and divorce and Swearing by Creatures and therefore what ever he forbad was Evil and that in it self and not meerly as forbidden but Swearing in general is not for that hath not only been the practice of Holy Men but of Angels Dan. 12.7 Revel 10.6 Reply Was it Evil in it self under the Law if a Man smote out anothers Eye or tooth or cut off his Hand or his Foot or give one a wound in any part of the Body Deut. 21.24 Levit. 1.24.20 Deut 19.11 was it Evil in it self for the Judges in those days to give Sentence that he that had struck out his Neighbour's Eye or struck out his Tooth or cut off his Hand to pronounce give the same judgment unto the offender that he should be so done withal was this eternally evil or intrinsecally evil for the party so wronged to seek remedy or was it not an act of Justice equal and good not only because enjoyned and commanded but in it â—â—ll just and was it or is it an act in it self intrinsecally evil if a Man sued a Man wrongfully at the Law and takes a Man's Coat or Garment away to seek to defend himself and preserve his Coat or cloak if not A. S. his Argument is of no moment for even in the same Chapter where Envy and Murther and divorce saving for Fornication and abusive Language and all Swearing is forbidden so is that forbidden which is not
neither was there any necessiâ—y or just occasion whatever A. S. mâ—y call just occasion we cannot for he hath left such a great compass for himself to turn in though here and thâ—re he seem to disallow of customary Oaths and frequent Oaths yet notwithstanding his Discourse rather tends to an allowance of Swearing frequently and unnecessarily for we reckon it to be a piece of ordinary Communication for a Christian Minister to write a Letter of admonition or Exhortation or an Epistle unto the believing Hearers and that there is no necessity of Oaths in such a Discourse for what-ever A. S. sayes this would make the Apostle guilty of frequent and unnecessary and common Swearing which we are far from believing forasmuch as they did believe through the word of Life declared by the Spirit of God in him neither through his Epistles written being assisted by the Holy Ghost they were not like to believe him for Swearing if he had Sworn but saith A. S. If his words had really been believed which he spoke and wrote what occasion would there have been for him to have written so to the Roman 's Rom. 9.1 I say the Truth in Christ I Lye not The Apostle knew what occasion he had to speak these Words and the occasion was this that the Jews sought to be justified by the Righteousness of the Law and by the Works thereof and would needs look upon themselves as the Children of God because they were of the stock of Abraham according to the Flesh but the Apostle knew and also gave them to understand that the Children of the Promise were counted for the Seed and again for they are not all Israel which are of Israel Rom. 9.6 7 8. And thus he spake Truth unto them as it was revealed by Christ whom the Father had revealed in him and why might he not say I speak the Truth in Christ seeing that Christ was in him and he in him I Lye not my Conscience also bears me Witness in the Holy Ghost he might also as well say that Paul Swore by his Conscience seeing that he took it for a witness away away with such perverting and straining of the Scripture beyond and beside the mind of the Holy Ghost for God is witness and I speak the Truth in Christ they are no more then arden and Zeâ—lous or fervent expressions as the Spirit of God at several times did stir up in his Heart both to speak and write for the end that they unto whom he spoke or wrote might believe and therefore we conclude not as A. S. would needs have it that the Apostle spoke these fervent words unnecessarily for we know and see his end and purpose was good and therefore he spoke with fervency and with boldness the Spirit of the Lord beâ—ring witness in his Conscience that he spoke the Truth which we are fâ—r from believing is either juration or abjuration and for ought can be perceived by A. S 's disdainful Spirit all that do dissent from him in his Opinion he calls Phanaticks and Paul shall hardly go free nor divers of the ancient Fathers as Origen Chrysostome Jerome Theophilaâ—â— and others who denyed not only Swearing in private Conversation but to Swear at all but now these must be called Phanaticks who dissent from all men but themselves by A. S. and such as he who Sail with Wind and â—ide and exalt and applaud that which hath praise among men and hath not the praise of God and so the last of all he makes this Conclusion that so help me God is the most certain expression of an Oath which form of Words that though he count them certain we find not either under the Law or under the Gospel and I look upon it mâ—re as a piece of flattery in A.S. because this is the Form and the Câ—stom which 〈…〉 câ—lled Swearing which is in use in this Nation and it's stranger to us that they will reckon this so great a piece of peculiâ—â— Service which is incommunicable to any Creature but only to God whenas indeed we never find it written or commanded either among the Jews or commended or used amongst all the writings of Christ and the Apostles that hath relation to Christianity Indeed I remember that I have read that in the days when the Pope's Authority was in full Power here in England how that the Chancellour then of England said to one of John Wickliff's followers being brought before him in Examination he said unto him Lay thy Hand upon the Book thou Heretick and Swear so help me God and holy doom An old Superstitious Popish Form I look upon it to be and hath no consistance with an Oath in its true matter and Form under the Law when iâ— was commanded and for ought I see A. S. will rather take part with the Church of Rome and her Members who Persecuted rather then Wickliff that famous Reformer who had his Bones taken up and burned 41. Years after his Decease and his Books and these Articles condemned by the Council of Coâ—stance who also burned John Hus and Jerome of Prague for holding John Wickliff's Opinions which was That all Oaths under the Gospel be unlawful I say A. S. might have been more modest then with the Council of Constance condemn them for Error seeing they were the only People in their Age and time that opposed and suffered for opposing the Church of Rome in the Apostacy seeing that they are fain to own them if they look for any Reformation before Luther to be their Witnesses against the Church of Rome which I have heard many Protestants say that they were on their part against the Church of Rome and though A. S. tells us of a Generation of People quos non persuadebis etiam si persuaseris who as they will not be perswaded so they will not be counselled who will have nothing else to be the formality of an Oath but by God but this he sayes only of his own Head except he knew some People that we know not of for we say to Swear the Lord liveth as an Oath and again as the Lord lives is an Oath or by the Lord that lives forever and ever is an Oath and yet we must needs deny that Paul Swore in the 1 Cor. 15.1 when he said by your rejoycing I die daily And we never said A. S. mistook himself in saying that by as the only mark and Character of an Oath and if Austin said upon these words of Paul as A. S. tells us per vestram gloriam juratio est upon Paul's words I suspect his judgment and therefore shall not so much regard it But A. S. seems not to be at Unity in his Book with himself notwithstanding all his raveling out where he seems in his 41. page to dislike of Nicholas Fuller's Judgment viz. that there is no Oath where God is not interposed and yet in the 56. page he saith That the Substance of an Oath consists in the
and are ready to answer all these necessary ends and as well and this is as good and expedient to be put in practice among Christians as interposition of Oaths enjoyned by God in the first Covenant and far more Evangelical and therefore shall conclude with that of Jerome The Gospel Truth admits not of an Oath His eighth Argument is That Christ did never any things without some Ground of reason but no reason can be shewed why all manner of Swearing should be forbidden in a due manner and upon a just and necessary occasion and therefore we may well believe that such Swearing was neither here or any where else forbidden Reply We shall not much dissent or disagree about terms with A. S. that Christ did never any thing without some Ground or Reason but yet we must deny his Conclusion that no Reason can be given why all manner of Swearing should be forbidden first of all there was a time since Man had a being in this Creation when he was in the Image of God and stood in the Covenant of God when there was no Oath neither any necessity thereof Man being endued with Power from God which was placed in him so that he was in a capacity to fulfill obey and serve and believe his Maker without an Oath for unbelief or Sin had not entred and this was before the Fall Gen. 1.26 27. Secondly Christ the unspeakable gift of God who is the Mediator of the everlasting Covenant yea the Covenant is self who is given for a Leader to the People and who is made a Propitiation for Sin and Transgression to end both Sin Transgression and Unbelief which was the cause of the Addition of the Law who leads to the beginning again all that truly do believe and are worthy to be called true Christians or by the Name of Christ to have Union with God again in that Life Power Truth Righteousness and Wisdom in which the Image of God truly consists which was before Sin and Transgression and before the Law which was added because of it which was commanded four hundred and thirty Years after the Promise was made Gal. 3.17 Thirdly After Sin was entred and Death by Sin an unbelieving part got up in all the Sons of Adam so that they could not believe God nor his Promises and yet such was his love unto Mankind considering the State into which they were plunged for confirmation of his Word unto Man he Swore by himself this was the Lord's condescension unto their low and unbelieving Estate all that time and no way exemplary for Christians truly such who are come into the Faith and to the Truth in it self who do believe that all the Promises are fulfilled in Christ yea and Amen who is the Author of Faith and of eternal Salvation to them that believe Heb. 9.12 who prohibited that by his command Mat. 5.23 which sometimes was permitted yea and commanded yea and added because of Transgression and for which the Law and the command for Oaths was only added which he did not destroy because he leads from under the Power of that which the Law came against which is just and good and Holy and the Seed fulfills it and hath Unity with it and with him who is the Judge and Law-giver and Saviour of all that do believe in him from Sin and Transgression Fourthly At that time when the Law was given forth at Mount Sina Exod. 19.20 generally all the Nations were given to Idolatry and to serve and Worship strange Gods as Baal Ashtaroth Chemosh Rimphan and many others as the Gods of Samaria which were said to be according to the number of their Cities and their Idols were called the Sin of Samaria Amos saith They Swear by the Sin of Samaria that did say thy God O Dan lives and the manner of Barsheba lives even they shall fall and never rise again Amos 7.14 Which was no other then the Calves which Jeroboam set up at Dan and Bethel which they feared Worshipped and Swore by therefore God having chosen a peculiar People to himself to Worship and serve him and honour him who should not walk after the manner of the rest of the Nations who knew not God he commanded them to serve him and Worship him and Swear by his Name as Jerome saith well to keep them from Idolatry and that they should not Swear by the Gods of the Heathen as the rest of the Nations did round about yet still this must be considered that this State of the minority of the Jewish Church wherein God gave them Ordinances suitable to their State but it doth not follow neither can it be reasonably concluded that these Ordinances were to be perpetually binding unto all future Generations especially when Christ the Seed unâ—o whom all the Promises are in whom the Law is fulfilled and in whom the former Ministrations end that his Disciples and true Christians should always be bound to these things once commanded especially seeing Christ their Master in whom the Father is well pleased hath prohibited this about Swearing and also did Prophesie of the time to come after his Resurrection and his Ascension that those Visible things which were as a Ministration for a time should end as to the outward exercise and Typical and Figurative appearance of them and that all these things should be revealed within by the Spirit and felt in the Power of God in all that did believe when the Holy Ghost should be poured forth and the Promise of the Father be made manifest Fifthly Now considering that the Name of God is believed in and he is confessed unto and his Christ and that there is not that Idolatry especially outward as there was in the Nations before and after the Flood especially in that which is called Christendom though we dare not conclude that all are Israel that are of Israel or that all are Christians that have the Name yet generally I say the Name of God and his Christ is acknowledged and worshipped and not Idols and false God's therefore there is no necessity of Swearing by the Name of God as there was at the time of the giving forth of the Law but especially among them that the Father will reckon as truly his subjects and Disciples of Christ who are partakers of his divine Nature here is not that necessity among them for they through the Law being dead to it it hath no more Power over them and therefore no reason that they should be kept as under Tutors and Governours seeing that the Age and Ages is come which the Apostle spoke of Eph. 2.7 wherein Christ is revealed the hope of Glory and whom he makes free are free indeed Joh. 8.32 36. Sixthly and lastly The command of Oaths was given for the ending of Strife and Controversies among Men Heb. 6. which hath relation to the Law and to the State of the Jews and their Political proceedings the Apostle brings but that in as an instance or an example and
denyes the veracity of his word or the immutability of the most high yet notwithstanding I cannot set up the changeable Priesthood and Covenant and the Ordinances belonging thereunto against the unchangeable and everlasting Priesthood and Covenant and as hath been said before as though that all the precepts therein were so unalterable as that of necessity they must needs continue as obligatory to Generations I might truss up together many Scriptures and thwack them one on the Back of another which belong to the Jews and the first Covenant most properly till the Seed Christ was revealed and offered up and I might bring in Scripture to prove that many things were commanded by the immutable God and by him who is uncapable of alteration and multiply many words as A. S. doth to little purpose and say what was written in the old Testament was by the Inspiration of God and that his precepts are no more alterable then the Laws of the Medes and Persians and therefore they must needs still be observed by all Christians to the World's end or else conclude they that do not are atheistical and deny God's veracity and make the Law of God void and what would all this in arguing prove nothing at all the Jews will confess as much and plead as hard as A. S. can who yet have not believed in him of whom the Prophets prophesied neither have received him who is the Substance of what Moses and the Prophets bore witness and in whom the Law is fulfilled and the Promises made good and confirmed with and in whom all the Shadows end and the vail done away and all the Worship precepts belonging thereunto who hath manifested and revealed the Father in all that believe who is the new and living way whose Worship is not now in the Letter nor in the Shadows nor Types nor in any outward Observations but in Spirit truth is he worshipped for he seeketh such to Worship him for the great Promise of reward was to as ever was to Swearing yet when they resisted him whom the Father had sent all their observances though never so strict did not avail but their Circumcision became Uncircumcision and their Worship and service became Prophaneness when they despised the substance by whom Grace and Truth came to all the Children of promise and we grant with A. S. that he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it and to end both Sin and Transgression and the Law which was added because of it and to bring in everlasting Righteousness and it to rule in the Hearts of all that believe and against such there is no Law and though Christ enjoyned the Disciples Mat 23. to observe what the Scribes and Pharisees bad them who sate in Moses's Chair and read the Law and performed those services in part commanded that was the time before he was offered up and the Ministration of that Covenant was not fully ended yet I hope A. S. with us will grant that they were not to heed them or to obey them in their vain traditions and false glosses and Interpretations and Evil manners which he cryed wo against Mat. 23.13 14. neither after his Resurrection did he enjoyn them to hear the Pharisees neither to observe the Legal Ordinances of the first Priesthood but they declared against them and their practice which continued in the Observation of those things which did not make perfect as pertaining to the Conscience Heb. 8.9 Heb. 9.9 and for all these Texts he alledges out of the Old Testament Mat. 6.13 Psal. 63.11 Jer. 12.16 unto these it hath been answered that this proves nothing that Christians under the second Covenant should Swear as they did in the first for these Precepts were only to keep them from Idolatry for Jer. 12.16 If you will diligently learn the wayes of my People to Swear by my Name the Lord liveth as they taught my People to Swear by Baal then shall they be Builded in the midst of the People And the 6th of Deut. 13.14 is to the same Effect You shall fear the Lord and serve him and Swear by my Name And Verse the 14. Ye shall not go after other Gods All these only prove that the Nations went after other Gods and Sware by them and served them and Israel too prone to follow their manners did so also and therefore he gave them these Precepts to serve him and fear him and acknowledge him to keep them from Idolatry as hath been said in the state of their Minority and weakness and that before the Seed was revealed and that which A. S. calls a Prophecy by Isa. 19.18 of Christians Swearing under the Gospel it 's no such thing but a Prophesie of Egypt his joyning to the Jews and owning their Worship and their God and acknowledge him and do Sacrifice and Oblation yea and vow a vow unto the Lord and perform it ver 21. Which clearly hath relation to the Law and the Worship of the Jews and not to the Gospel so that A. S. might have as well said it was a promise how Christians under the Gospel should offer Sacrifice and Oblations as under the Law as well as Swear But the Doctor hath traversed many Paths which are crooked winding and turning to gather something together and hath fetched it far to prove Swearing under the Gospel but all his proof falls short of his matter by much And that of Isaiah 5.23 is a Prophecy of Israel's return out of the Captivity of Babylon in the days of Cyrus whom the Lord called his Anointed and shepherd Isa. 44.28.45 who made a Decree for all Israel to go out of Assyria to Jerusalem and build their City and their Temple and Worship their God according as he had commanded as may be seen at large in the Book of Ezra and Nehemiah and this was fulfilled then when they builded the City and the Temple in those days long before Christ was manifest in the Flesh and then did Israel return and every Knee did bow and every Tongue did Swear by the Lord which before the Captivity had not bowed nor served nor acknowledged his Name but Idols which provoked the Lord and therefore gave he them into the hand of the Babylonians for seventy Years till they were humbled and then brought them back according to Jeremiah Isaiah Haggai and Zachariah's Prophesies for this was fulfilled then is spoken by Isaiah in this Prophesie Isaiah 5. ver 23 24 25. without contradiction to Christ's command and his command entrencheth not upon this prophesie neither doth this make the Gospel thwart the Law beyond all terms of Reconciliation as A. S. vainly suggests in his margent for this Prophesie was fulfilled long before Christ gave forth this command Swear not at all Moreover if this prophesie have any relation to the state of the Christian Church as A. S. supposes upon what Ground I know not saving his own affirmation then we shall consider and see how it is fulfilled under the
which saves you not from Guilt and Condemnation for the Word of the true Christ where it is owned cleanseth and takes away Sin and blots it out and destroyes the Root from whence it flows forth and works a new Creation in Righteousness and the Lamb of God takes away Sin in which the Churches of Christ believed and is Glad-tidings to all that do receive it now none can witness Gladness of Soul where there is Guilt which you all affirm is in every Christian while in this World and so you might see that it 's not the true Christ nor the everlasting Gospel you preach but this you cannot bear yet you say he hath taken away your Sin how much is Sin taken away if you say all how comes the Guilt and Trouble that is in you for if it be taken away and his Justice satisfied this was to make God unjust to charge it upon you again but I tell you when his Witness in your Conscience convinceth you and manifests unto you that you commit it and reproves for it I say you cannot witness his Justice satisfied for the Light is just which is one with God and when this condemns you there is no God that will justifie you but you use to say It 's all done in Christ I ask where if it be not taken away and unless you have the Witness of it in you your Faith is vain for he that believes hath the Witness in himself which none hath which walks contrary unto the Light the pure Witness of Christ for this convinceth you of Sin and bears Witness against you Now shew your Witness within you and your Assurance I say unto you while the Testimony of Jesus bears Testimony against you it bears not Witness unto you and so see your Confusion but after you have believed in Christ as you say and have received all his Ordinances if any thing after did judge you and bring Trouble upon you this you used to call a Temptation and so put Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light I say there is no Guilt where Sin is taken away and crucified but Peace and Rest in the holy God who is unchangeable and so his Witness is unchangeable which judgeth and condemns the changeable but you use to say His Love is uncâ—angeable and whom he loves once he loves to the End yea but it is to him who is begotten by the Immortal Word which was in the Beginning which Word leâ—ds to the Beginning again before the Hatred was the Promise is to this Seed not Seeds as to many but the Seed of the Covenant there he loves from the Womb yea the Womb that bears the Seed of Jacob and the Paps that give them suck and where this is known as to Enjoyment Esau is cast out and Ishmael and the Seed of Abraham inherits the Promise and Edom and Moab is laid waste and Amaleck is slain by the Edge of the Sword and the Seed of Evil-doers cut off blessed are they that can witness this in Truth and till this be known the everlasting Love of God is not known which is stronger then Death and Sin is Death and where it is acted and conceived Love is not witnessed nor its Strength but VVrath comes upon the Children of Disobedience are you not Children of Disobedience while you break the holy Law of God in which is Power which is in the Heart and bears witness against you and in you and yet say You cannot believe that ever you shall be able to fulfil it if you fulfil it not you break it and then the Wrath of God abides upon you but then you say If we must fulfil the Law what Use is Christ of I say he who abides forever fulfilled it and fulfils it in them who know him and his Work and this the Scriptures bear witness of and herein Man comes to be justified in God's Sight by Christ who works all our VVorks in us and for us and self becomes dead and because he lives we live also Glory unto him forever and therefore we cannot but lay open the Deceit of Satan and exhort all to come up to Christ out of the VVorks of Condemnation Oh foolish People and unwise when will ye seek after Wisdom and hearken that your Souls may live How long will ye trust to the Imaginations of your own Hearts Verely verely I say unto you The Time is coming your building shall fall and there shall not one Stone be left upon another that shall not be thrown down and the Shame of Ethiopia and Egypt shall come upon you and your old Garments shall be torn off you and you shall walk naked and bare and shall see your Shame and the holy Nation of the Lamb shall rejoyce and your Sorrow the Lord hastens upon you who will not own the Cross of Christ nor the Word of Life which would turn you from Unrighteousness and out of the World and its Nature but you harden your Hearts and bend your Bowes and shoot your Arrows against the Lord and his anointed Ones and take your Paâ—t with all the uncircumcised in the Nations in the Confederacy in the Nation against the Lamb yea even with them against whom you your selves have declared and many of you who have been a Reproach now reproach O! tell it not in Gath never let it come to other Nations shame shame and blush at this you who thus requite the Lord Evil for Good Hath the Lord broken the Band of the Oppressour without And have you not seen the Hand of the Lord against them that were Oppressours cut off in his Wrath and overthrown And are not many of you the highest Professors both in England and Ireland now acting in their Footsteps Even you who profess Separation from the World who have been taken from the Sheep-fold and as you were seeking the Asses and raised from a low Estate in the World now to Places of Dignity and Honour and to bear Rule and to sit as Judges among the People and now have you forgotten that you were Servants under Pharaoh but now have taken up his Power and have forgotten the Afflictions of Joseph and your Fingers are becoming heavier then your Fathers Loyns and now you are joining your Strength with the Canaanites and Egyptians against the Lord where is the Liberty of tender Consciences you have told of and what is become of your Reformation Is it ended in this like Absolon when you are come to be Judges in the Gate act in open Rebellion against the Lord and now would be Judges of him every where and would limit him and ' set a Bound unto him and would break his eternal Decree which stands forever Oh if they who had professed no Love to God had done thus it might have been born but ye treacherous Hearts your Ingratitude and Hypocrisie cannot be born but the Lord God will visit for these Things that you should now act by those Laws you cryed out
of as oppressive and should deliver your Brethren up to the Devourer and Spoyler who have born a Part of the Suffering in the Nation 's Distress and Grief in the greatest Calamity would you be thus done by would you bear it well I will not â—omplain but I will shew you the Ground and lay it before you that if it be possible you may be ashamed and repent lest the Lord also avenge himself upon you as he did upon the Enemies before you Have not many of you in England been acting in the Steps of the prophane when the Lord hath given you what you sought after Liberty and Freedom in those Things and now you labour by all your Strength and Power to oppress them who walk blameless before the Lord and men also Oh what Is all your Preaching and Praying and Fighting and Warring come to this that none must declare the Mind of the Lord except it be in your Way or Will or Time under pain of Bonds and Banishment Fines and Imprisonment Stocking Whipping Stoning And you that have been Sufferers your selves now come to be chief Oppressors and Opposers of the Lord in his Way and all manner of Lyes and Reproaches you cast upon the Truth and you take Part with the rest of the Priests and Deceivers in the Nation which took Part against you when you were for the Lord and number us among Transgressors of every Hand to make the Truth odious to all from the least to the greatest and yet you would be accounted Christians and if you say you have thus learned Christ I say you know him not Can you limit the Ocean from flowing or can you command the Wind that it blow not or can you stop the Windows of Heaven that it rain not upon the Earth If you cannot at all do it all lie down he that reproves God let him answer it Have you given counsel to the Lord or have you been his Instructer or can you limit him in his Way if you cannot no more shall you be able to stop his VVay who is riding on in his Povver and overturns all the VVorld's VVisdom Povver and Strength and who is able to resist him who dryes up the Face of the Deep and saith to the Sea be still and to the Mountains be removed and they are so and he will advance his own Glory and Power against all mens wills and Laws which stand in man's Will and will break all your Cords as a Bulrush and overthrow all your Counsel and make it even with the Earth and Shame shall cover all his Opposers and therefore learn Wisdom Oh ye Potsheards of the Earth and cease to strive against the Lord and his Power which will be too strong for you and you shall not be able to limit him nor stop him in his Way who runs his Course as a Gyant and bruises all his Enemies Heads and cuts them in Pieces by the two-edged Sword of his Mouth which he hath put into the Hands of his Saints who follow him in the War and our Conquest is through Suffering Glory unto him forever who hath counted us worthy to suffer for his Name sake and to be brought before Rulers and Councils for his Name sake that the Scripture might be fulfilled in us in this Day as it was upon our Brethren who went before us And Oh ye Rulers of Ireland who have been Professors and Affecters of Liberty and for suppressing Cruelty behold now the Lord hath sent to try you and you are found in the same Footsteps when you are tryed as them that the Lord cast out before you and in the same Nature of the chief Priests and Elders and Councils who breathe out Threatnings and send out Warrants and Inquisitions to bind all and to send up all bound too before you that so Evil you say may be prevented in time and take reports from the Priests and false Prophets of the Nations who are Lyars evil Beasts whose Mouthes the Lord will stop and bring shame upon them who are Flatterers and have flattered the Powers and Rulers before you till they were all cut off and now they flatter you and cannot hold up their Divination without you help them what Gospel is this they preach when a few poor despised People who are hated of the World that the Sound of them makes them afraid Oh that ever you should be so ignorant to joyn to Baal but let him plead for himself and they stand by their God and their Gospel and if they be not able to defend themselves let them perish But them who come in their own Name you receive but them who come in the Name of the Lord and seek none of your Tythes nor Augmentations nor your Advance them you cannot bear should be in the Nation who are not troublesome to any nor desire to eat any man's Bread for nought and these you call of an evil Life And Men who have devoured their own Estates and others also and Drunkards and all manner of unclean Persons these may have Liberty Oh! do you think that he sees not your doings and that he will not call you to an account for these things and you must know our Country and calling I say unto you who live in Envy and Wrath if we declare unto you ye cannot believe But God gives no account of his Matters unto man where do ye read O ye foolish People and slow to believe but that the Ministers of Christ were called out from their outward Employments into the Lord's Vineyard contrary to their own Wills and were Ministers contrary to the Will of man and did mind the Calling of God to his own Work both the Prophets and Apostles and Ministers of Christ and also they Preached the Gospel who were never Church-Officers in all their Life-time as you may see Acts 8.4 But you say that was in a time of Persecution And what is this Time How many have been Persecuted from Town to Town from City to City put in Prison haled out of the Synagogues as most part of the Nation of England can VVitness And you in Ireland are following your Leaders who are in this Generation and fill up your measure also but Persecution was ever blind But you say They suffered for well doing but we justly Let that in your Consciences be Judge Would you not have judged Paul as you do us who went into the Synagogues on the Sabbath day and disputed and in the Markets daily and Christ who was their Example and ours also in the Synagogues he taught and in Ships and Towns and Villages and Desarts and wandred up and down and the Ministers of Christ had no certain dwelling-place and the Multitudes that followed them would you not have said These men are evil livers Your Generation said so then and that they were Sowers of Sedition and Heresie and Ring-leaders of Sects and Setters forth of Strange Gods and are accused to be the Disturbers of the Peace and
lying and hereby they did give sufficient caution against all inconveniences which may come thereby as to Government in general for where a Testification or Assertion is made without an Oath is as sure as if it had been sworn to And Bishop Usher doth esteem that place of Matthew the fifth Swear not all to be a sufficient plea for the Waldenses against Swearing and therefore they who have any Esteem of the aforesaid Authors and of their Doctrine must not condemn the Quakers as for Novelties or for Broachers of new Doctrine for Reynerius one of the popish Inquisition saith amongst all the Sects which are or have been there is not any more pernicious to the Church meaning the Church of Rome then the Waldenses and that for three Reasons 1. Because of their Antiquity 2. Because of their Universality 3. In that they did profess iâ— no Way lawful for a Christian to swear on any Occasion which Doctrine was contrary to the Church of Rome which made Rinerius and Jâ—nsenius two Papists so much envy the Waldenses in this thing about keeping the Commands of Christ and yet notwithstanding all this Cloud of Witnesses both in primitive times and after Ages divers who suffered as Martyrs did hold the same and also the many Testimonies of them who have dyed in the Faith yet many are so wilful and so peevish and so envious against every thing which they cannot joyn unto as that they will brand this Doctrine for Novelty and Heresie let such consider how they will condemn this Doctrine and yet justifie Christ's Words and them that have been reckoned as Fathers and Martyrs and as Orthodox and found in the Faith by all except the Church of Rome who too much imitate the Jews and yet are no Jews and they have been the chief Cryers up of Oathes and Swearing and afterwards give Dispensations to them that break them And therefore all who reckon your selves as Christians keep to the Docrtine of Christ and the Doctrine of the Apostles who were Followers of him and run not back to the Jews Ordinances which continued but till the time of Reformation and you that reckon your selves as Protestants for Shame leave off that Doctrine which hath been brought in by the Apostates who have mingled things together without having Respect either to Time or Age or People and so have run back to the Jews and bring those Commands and Injunctions which pertained to the Jews and lay them as Yoaks upon the Necks of Christians remember what the Apostle said to the Galatians concerning the Works of the Law and concerning Types and Figures Gal. 1.2 If you be circumcised Christ profits yâ—u nâ—thiâ—g and an Oath was a Type as well as Circumcision to the Jews and what if I say of all Swearers who have no better Ground for so doing then the Jewish Oathes which were Types and testifie unto every one that he that takes an Oath and swears at all is bound to keep the whole Law Christ profits him nothing And so let all People who fear the Lord and do believe that they have received Christ in their Hearts the End of the Law for Righteousness not turn back to the changeable Covenant again lest he who is the everlasting Covenant say unto them who hath required these things at your Hand and also raise up his swift Witness to condemn them who transgress his pure and holy righteous Commands and would compel others so to do CHAP. XVIII Tythes in their first Institution unto whom they were due according to the Command of God declared and that Tythes are no Way lawful to be received neâ—ther sought for by any who are Ministers of the New-Covenant and the everlasting Gospel proved out of the Scripture and Antiquity TO omit Abraham's giving Tythes or the tenth Part to Melchizedeck after the Overthrow of his Enemies and Jacob's vowing to give the tenth when he should inherit the Land of Canaan because a voluntary Promise only bindeth him that promiseth and a free Gift from one to another is no Command neither binding to all Generations because Abraham gave the tenth Part to Melchizedeck freely of the Spoil he had taken and that but once not of his Family's Labours or Industries but of the Spoil this was a voluntary and a free thing both in Jacob and Abraham if Jacob had not vowed he had not sinned and if Abraham had not given the tenth Part of the Spoil he had not sinned so this is no Command or binding Example unto future Generations especially of them that pretend they are Ministers of the second Covenant and the Gospel but a very feeble and a poor thing for them to alledge Tythes were never commanded to be paid by the Lord to any but Israel whose Law was given forth 400 Years after the Promise as saith the Apostle neither were ever payable but by the Jews in the Land of Canaan and to Levi's Tribe only and to the Jewish Priests that had no Inheritance allotted them by the Lord of all the Land of Canaan or beyond Jordan but only Tythes or tenth Part among the Brethren and that only according to the Command of the Lord Deut. 18.4 Ezek. 25.13 for the Office of the Priesthood and for the Service of the Tabernacle At the giving forth of the Law after Israel came out of Egypt God chose Aaron and his Sons for the Office of the Priesthood and the rest of the Tribe of Levi for the Service of the Tabernacle God gave unto the Levites by Commandment all the Tenth in Israel for an Inheritance for their Service and the Levites out of their 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 and no other portion had the Levitical Priests out of the Tythes but the Tenth of the Tenth as for the rest of the Tythes they were for the Levites that did serve at the Tabernacles and for Strangers for Fatherless and Widdows Moreover the tenth of the Tythes the Priest had the first ripe Fruits of the Ground of Wheat of Barly of Figs Grapes and Olives of Pomegranatâ—s and Dates at what Quantity the Owner pleased a Heave-offering also of Corn Wine and Oyl Fleece were given to the Priests at the 60th part sometime the 50th at the Devotion of the Owner But how comes it to pass that they that pretend another Priesthood then this should receive the tenth of all of unclean Beasts as Pigs and Foâ—ls aâ—d of such things as we never read of tythable under the Law of Eggs Geese and Turnips and the tenth of the Wood for Faggots for the Fire and yet are not of this Priesthood but pretend to be Bishops and Elders in the Christian Church so they cannot distinguish of the Time neither of the Ministration neither of Service and Worship that belongs to each Covenant else they would be ashamed to claim Title to Aaron's Tythes and the Levites
that were given to them that had no Portion among their Brethren in the Land but these Bishops Presbyters and Priests have a great Part of some Counties and Diocesses for their Revenue and their inferior Officers Tythes of such things as were never tythable under the Law so what damnable Deceit and Hypocrisie is this is it any other but the Pope's Yoak an absolute Apostate for Hundreds of Years and must this be received and enjoyned as Apostolical Doctrine Oh for Shame let it never be mentioned among them that call themselves Ministers of Christ neither of any who profess themselves to be Christians But to return to the Levitical Priesthood no Tythes did the Priests receive under the Law of the People for those belonged to the Levites Exod. 13.2 that were appointed over the Tabernacle to bear it and to take it down and to set it up to serve Aaron and his Sons and to keep the Instruments thereof and for the better ordering of things they were divided into three parts the Coathites the Gershonites and the Mararites and these received Tythes of the People and delivered the Priests did not all so our Tythe-taking Priests are contrary to the Law and first Covenant and the Gospel also and therefore to be looked upon as no other then Anti-christians but to return to Aaron's Priesthood in the first Covenant they grew and multiplied and then the Priests were divided into twenty four Ranks or Courses of which our Prebends Deans and Chapters take their Example or Imitation so to serve by their Turns at Cathedrals as they are called or else from the Church of Rome which is worse but the latter I am rather enclined to believe because there was no such Name of any Ministers among the Jews neither in the primitive Church truly so called but the Priests gave Attendance to execute their Office and burn Incense as his Turn came and hereupon Zecharias who is said to be of the course of Abiah Luke 1. The Levites that were Singers were divided into twenty four Ranks also or Courses of which I believe the present Quiristers or Surpless-men do imitate and will bring the Levites for a Proof concerning their Office but we cannot receive Judaism for Christianity neither their Practice for Apostolical Ordinances in the Church of Christ. The Priests and the Levites being separated for the Work of the Lord in the Tabernacle and Temple ministred according to the command and ordinances of the first Covenant which were only Figures of things to come and Shadows of things that were but to continue until the time of Reformation and then they all had an End both the Priesthood and the Levites and their Service and Office and Maintenance and Tythes ended as the Apostle saith to the Hebrews The Priesthood is changed and the Law is changed by which they received these Tythes for the Work aforesaid but to descend and to come unto the primitive time we shall see whether Tythes were paid or no to Gospel-Ministers in the second Covenant In the Fulness of time God raised up another Priest Christ Jesus who was not of the Tribe of Levi nor consecrated after the Order of Aaron so he pertained to another Tribe of which no man gave Attendance to the Altar he obtained a more excellent Ministry and of a greater and a more perfect Tabernacle not of the former Building he being the Sum and Substance of all the Figures under the first Covenant he put an End to the first Priesthood with all its Shadows and carnal Ordinances and changing the Priesthood which had a Command to take Tythes of their Brethren there was made of Necessity also a Change of the Law and a disannulling of the Commandment going before Christ Jesus when he had finished his Office upon Earth by fulfilling all Righteousness he offered up himself through the eternal Spirit a Sacrifice unto God without Spot the Apostles and Ministers who were made Partakers of the Divine Nature and of the Word of Reconciliation did not look back to the former Ordinances of the first Priesthood but testified an End was put to them and witnessed against the Temple wherein the Priests ministred Paul and likewise Stephen were stoned and against Circumcision saying It was not that of the Flesh and against all the outward Ordinances of that Covenant and called them Carnal and preached up Christ Jesus and his Doctrine the new and living Way which was not manifest while the first Tabernacle was standing they preached freely the Everlasting Gospel and did not desire or require setled Maintenance but were ministred to only by them who had believed their Report and were turned to Christ Jesus and were made Partakers of spiritual things though they often denyed that which was given unto them here was no Tythes spoken on either to the Jews or Gentiles who believed At Jerusalem and thereabouts such was the Love and Unity of Heart among the Saints in the Apostles Time that all things were in common and none wanted so likewise the Church gathered by Mark at Alexandria in Egypt followed the same Practice and the Church at Jerusalem and Philo Judeus saith in many other Provinces the Christians lived together in Societies In the Church of Antioch Galatia and Corinth the Saints possessed every man his own Estate where the Apostle ordained that a weekly Offering should be made of the Saints that every one might offer freely of that which God had blessed him with which was put into the Hands of the Deacon of the Churches whereby the poor was relieâ—ed and other necessary Services were supplyed In the next Age monthly Offerings were made not exacted but freely given as appears plainly by Tertullian Apologet chap. 29. where he upbraids the Gentiles with the Piety and Charity of the Christians he saith Whatsoever we have in the Treasury of our Churches it is not raised by Taxation as though we put Men to ransom their Religion but every Man once a Moneth or when he pleaseth himself gives what he thinks good for no Man is compelled but left free to his own Discretion and it is not bestowed in Vanity but relieving the poor and for Maintenance of poor Children destitute of Parents and aged People and such as are cast into Prisons for professing the Christian Faith and that this Way of Contribution continued till the great Persecution under Maximinian and Dioclesian about the Year 304. as Eusebius witnesseth â—nd so dâ—th Tertullian Origen Cyprian and others Also about this time some Land was given to the Church by them that believed the revenue thereof was distributed as other free Gifts were by the Deacons and Elders to the poor for the fore-mentioned Uses but the Bishops or Ministers medled not with them Origen saith It is not lawful for any Minister to possess Lands given to the Church to his own Use. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage about the Year 250. testifieth the same and sheweth how the Church maintaineth
should have set it right he broke it quite a pieces the Monks gave too little Alms and set unable Persons many times in their Benefices but now where twenty pound was given yearly to the Poor in more then one hundred places in England is scarce one Meals meat given this is a faire amendment where they had alwayes one or other Vicar that either preached or hired some now there is none at all but the Farmer is Vicar and Person and all and only an old cast-away Monk or Friar which can scarcely say his Mattens is Hired for 20. or 30. Shillings meat and drink yea and in some places for meat drink alone without any Wages I know not I alone but 20000. more know more then 500. Vicaridges and Parsonages and thus well and Gospelly serv'd after the new Gospel of England And so the Author goes on in his complaint because that the Maintenance was taken away and there was a great Famine for want of Pastours By all which may be seen what Condition those religious Houses and Abbies as they were called were in at that time and how they only served to maintain idle and superstitious Monks and Fryars which did deceive the Nations with fabulous Stories under pretence of preaching the Gospel and now these Benefices being taken away from the Papists their Gospel ceased in England and have been translated over and over unto divers Sects who separated from them but it is to be observed that as the Tythes and Hire was taken away and converted to other Uses their Sect did alwayes fall and it is a Lamentation that these Tythes and now foreed Maintenance which was first decreed by the Popes Canon Laws should now be holden up by them that profess Reformation and Separation from them and Scriptures to be their Rule Having thus briefly run over the Doctrine Decrees Practices and Opinions concerning Tythes from the Apostles time downwards we find them various as may be understood by that which is before-written and the Right of Tythes was never clear but remained in Controversie even amongst the â—ost great and learned Men in divers Ages since the time of Christ yea even amongst the greatest of Papists in the time of the Pope's Domination and in all Ages there were that withstood the payment of them until this Day and many of the Martyrs for that amongst other things suffered in the Flames and at great Difference they ever were as about the End the Property and the Use of them as may hereby be collected into several Heads And First of all the Tythes among the Jews were payed to the Levites and Priests Secondly that they were not for the Priests only but for the Strangers Fatherless and Widdows Thirdly when the Levitical Priesthood was taken away by the coming of Christ the Law for tything was also changed Fourthly that neither Christ nor his Apostles in their Age ever received any nor demanded any Fifthly that in the Beginning of the Church for the first 300 Years whilest the Simplicity of the Gospel was retained no Tythes were either claimed or payed amongst Christians Sixthly but as the Power of Godliness came to be lost and the Mystery of Iniquity began to work Mens Imaginations taught instead of the Doctrine of Christ began to preach up Tytheâ— fetching the Ground from Moses's Writings that in the first practice of the payment of Tythes after the Apostacy was entered in they were not payed as Tythes but as free Offerings and as the Bounty of the Giver and were not given for the Ministers Maintenance only but chiefly for the poor it was not received Doctrine generally that Tythes ought to be payed till near a 1000 Years after Christ that the Pope had set up his Authority and Dominion over the greatest part of Europe Seventhly that after they were confirmed by the Pope and commanded to be payed there was no compulsary Law made but only Excommunication Eighthly after that they were accounted an Ecclesiastical Duty and never called a civil Right but were tryed in Ecclesiastical Courts Ninethly until about the Year 1200. the common practice was for every one to bestow his Tenths where he pleased Tenthly they were first brought in as Duty owing to God and to the Church and so were required and enforced and therefore there is no civil Property or Right in him that claims them that first Fruits and Tenths are but a late invented thing and claimed by the Pope as Successor to the Jewish High Priest as he sayes Eleventhly that Tythes were the same in the Ground and Foundation whether claimed by a Priest Impropiator or by an Aâ—bey and differed nothing but in the person of him that possessed them Lastly all may see the declining Estate the Corruption and Error that crept in among Men after the power of Truth was lost so was the Fruit also which caused such earnest pressing to needful Contributions and then afterward was it necessary for Laws and Decrees to enforce them but in the Beginning it was not so while that Purity and Simplicity of the Gâ—spel râ—mained for then their Charity abounded even oftentimes beyond their Ability to whatsoever need the Church required But now to proceed to answer some other pleâ—s which are come up in these latter Dayes for now the Priests of this Age begin to be ashamed to make claim for Tythes Jure divino they have been so bear out of that their Hole and their pleas Jure ecclesiastico was but determined in the Mid-night of Popery and they are ashamed to derive their Authority from the Pope or his Decrees but now humane Right is pleading sometime by Gift of Kings and Princes others plead the temporal Laws of Kings and Parliaments others plead prescriptions by a legal Right of their possessions others plead a legal Right by purchase And Lastly the Priests they plead the Equity of the Law of Moses still to be in Force and alledge all the Scriptures in the New Testament for their proof unto which hereafter somewhat is said these are the most pretences that of late have been made by the Priests of ouâ— Dayes or the main Reasons that have been alledged for Tythes And first whereas they pleâ—d the Gift of Kings as one by King Ethelwolfe as before in this Book to that is answered that iâ— iâ— could be proved that the whole Land had been in the 〈…〉 of any such King they had sâ—id something but by what Rigâ—â— câ—â—ld he give the tenth part of all the Enâ—rease and Fruits of the Labours of all the people of his Dominions who had no legal property therein But if â—ind Ethelwâ—lâ—'s Grant must be the Foundation of Tythes then how many succeeding Kings and Bishops have violated his Deed by appropriating them to Monastâ—ries and Abbies and such like Houses which shews the Vanity of this Argument Another Argument which seems more strong is urged That the temporal Laws of Kings and Parliaments say by the Law they have as good
a Propriety to the tenth Part as any have to the nineth of their Lands Answ. To such may be said that the Law doth not give any Man a propriety either in Land or Tythes or any other things but doth only conserve and preserve every man in his proper Right whether by Gift or by Purchase or by Descent and doth secure him from the Inâ—uries or Violence of another But let us not be deceived with a new formed pretence lately taken up to blind the simple Minds with a Name of 〈◊〉 â—ropriety and Civil Right for that is but a meer Shift for I may give my hand which I have by Gift Purchase or Inheritance or I may sell 〈◊〉 â—nd so cannot they that seem to lay Claim to Tythes but it matters not much what any say when they see their other Claims will not serve they would evade and shift from one thing to another to blind People But let us hear what the Makers of the Law say of them though in the Height of Popery passing by the Saxon time and King Stephen who in their blind Superstition being perswaded thereunto by the Doctrinâ—â—hen taught of the Popish Clergy that Remission of Sins was obtained by good Works as aforesaid they gave divers Gifts and Tenths for the Health of their Souls and their Fathers Souls as is aforesaid but let us come to Henry the eighth upon whose Law all others that are since made are builded who in his time cast off the Pope's Yoak in that Act concerning Tythes it is declared that Tythes were due to God and Holy Church they blame Men for being so wicked as not to pay them and therefore that Law is made and here is the Ground of their Law viz. not any Property or civil Right in Priests or others for the Law requires them as due by divine Right therefore cannot be by any civil or temporal Right for a Man to claim that by human Right from human Law which commands them as due to God and holy Church as that Statute of Henry the eighth doth is but a meer Juggle and Deceit and that Law of Henry the eighth and the rest since take them as granted due to God and holy Church but if they be not but only supposed as a Duty then the Law cannot be binding as they are in all the Statutes That Tythes were never till of late pretended a civil Right is plain for as they were imposed by the Pope so they are tryable in his Courts those very Statutes which do plead made by late Parliament appoint them to be tryed in Ecclesiastical Courts And the Act of 42. of Hen. 8. Tythes are there called Spiritual Gifts and therefore no temporal or civil Right for before the Dissolution of the Monasteries in Henry the eighths Dayes thâ—y were never called a temporal Right But what is the Property that is now claimed it cannot be in a Person for the Priest hath them not until he enter into his Office and when he parts with his Office he looseth his Tythes so that the property cannot be in the Priest but it was supposed due to the Office and what is that it was a Popish Office when Tythes were first payed to it how should the Right continue now the Office being laid aside and the Pope also that set them up Others who plead a legal Right by Prescription because they have so long possessed them therefore they judge them their Right This was the old Device of the Pope first to preach that Tythes were due and then to limit them to Monasteries and Parishes when forty Years were past to claim that a Debt which before was payed as Charity or at the most as the free Offering of the Owner And thus the Pope got first Fruits and Tenths and Peter pence and great Sums of Money out of this and other Nations and he might as well have pleaded his Prescription as any of his Branches can do now is any so blind as not to see what poor Shifts are now made to uphold so great an Oppression that hath no better Support then this that it hath been so long payed But shall the Continuance of an Oppression give Right to perpetuate the Grievance How many great and heavy Pressures in this and other things lay upon the Nation as may be seen in Henry the third when the Pope got above one hundred and twenty thousand pound out of this Nation per annum which was then more Worth then the King's Revenue Now there is no such Office in being is plain for when Henry the eighth renounced the Pope he was declared by Act of Parliament assented unto by the Clergy to be Head of the Church and all the Ecclesiastical Orders were not to claim their Benefices from the Pope but from the King as by Act of Parliament but this is more fully and largely set forth in a printed Paper by Gâ—rvâ—sâ— Benson to which I refer the Reader And as to the Impropriators which lay claim by purchase and have bought them of the State and payed great Sums of Money for them and may be many have no other Substance Unto this it is answered that in the Root and Ground all Tythes are alike whether they be claimed by Priest or Impropriator but seeing thâ—se that sold them had no good Title these that are derived from them cannot then be good but being it was the King or State that sold them and that the whole Nation had the Benefit of their Money and the Nations were cased in other Taxes and Subsidies and Charge which unavoidably would have come upon the Nation at that time seeing the Nation had the general Profit it is equitable and just when they cannot have what is sold that the Impropriators should have their Money repayed which went to the bearing and paying of the publick Charge of the Nation and it is Reason that it should be payed by the Nation in general and so there would be no Detriment to any particular person only it is equitable that the Rate be moderate for it is believed upon good Ground that the Value was but little and the Rate small which the Impropriators payed for them because of the Charges and Hazards that was upon them for the Purchaser could buy no more then what the Monasteries had which were dissolved by Henry the eighth and these Monasteries were to find a sufficient Priest or Curate which had his Allowance out of them and a convenient Portion of Tythe and likewise a Portion of the Tythe was set apart yearly for the Maintenance of the poor of the Parish forever as is evident by divers Acts of Parliament after the Dissolution of the Monasteries the foresaid Charges were to continue upon them as before as may be seen at large in a Treatise called the poor Vicars Plea Others say The Laws were made by Parliaments the Representatives of People and though Tythes were not due before yet they might give Tythes because as their