gratification of his Love in meeting him and setting Bread and Wine before him had given him one half of the Spoils this had been no binding Rule to Posterity 2d Objection is Jacob's Vow when he went to Padan-aram If God said he will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me Bread to eat and Raiment to put on so that I come again to my Fathers House in Peace then shall the Lord be my God and this stone my Pillow which I have set for a Pillar shall be Gods House and of all that thou givest me I will surely give a Tenth unto thee Gen. 28.20 Answer Here Jacob being gone from his Fathers House for it s said he lighted on a certain place it seems between Beersheba and Haran I suppose it was either in the Fields or Desart on the South side of Luz Joshua 18.13 however I suppose Jacob was in a desolate disconsolate condition Gen. 35.3 for it is said he took of the stones of the place and laid them for his Pillow and lay down to sleep Gen. 28.11 Now the Lord appeared to him in a Vision as He hath oft done to his Servants in such disconsolate conditions which makes His appearance more Glorious saying I am the Lord God of Abraham and of Isaac thy Father the Land whereon thou liest to thee will I give it and to thy seed after thee and thy seed shall be as the dust of the Earth and shall spread to the East West North and South and in thy seed shall all the Families of the Earth he blessed And behold I am with thee and will keep thee in all places and will bring thee again into this Land I will not leave thee untill I have done as I have spoken And he awaked and said surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not and he was afraid saying how dreadfull is this place it is none other but the House of God this is the Gate of Heaven c. mark the Lords appearance in an hour of great distress is very comfortable and also fearfull this is true fear indeed here is fear mixed with love here Jacob lays hold forth with upon the Love and Promise of the Lord and said If the Lord will do so c. then shall He be my God and this stone my pillow which I have set up for a pillar shall be Gods House and of all that he giveth me I will surely give a Tenth unto him mark I say Jacob being possessed with fear and overcome with love he vows and promises unto the Lord again this was a voluntary act in Jacob he obliged himself to the Lord after the Lord had promised to bless him and he performed his promise for after twenty years he purged his House of Idols and built an Altar unto the Lord at Bethel Gen. 35.6 which he called Elbeth-el viz. The God of Bethel But who did he give his Tenth unto or when did he give it that is yet disputable but suppose it had been to the Priesthood which some hold was annexed to the first-born of Families what will that argue for me to do so Jacob vowed but for himself not for his posterity after him and it was voluntary being filled with the Lords appearance in a day of distress Gen. 35.3 and not commanded by God neither compelled by Man and so not binding to any save Jacob alone only this may be observed if any one have vowed as Jacob did let such perform also also it was but once in Abraham and once in Jacob and that in cases extraordinary and who or what is he that can plead for annual payment of Tythes of every of a Mans encrease from these two places what suppose I being in distress as I have often been and few of Gods Servants are exempted should vow a vow unto the Lord that if he will preserve me this one time or deliver me from this great danger c. then will I give him one half of all that I enjoy or have received of him would this my vow being performed be binding to my Children and their Children after them from Generation to Generation for ever Object 3. Now in Exodus 23.19 it is said The first of the First-fruits of the Land thou shalt bring into the House of the Lord thy God This is the first express command but here is no certain dividual part expressed only the first of the First-fruits Exod. 34.26 Again Levit. 23.10 Moses instituting the Feast of First fruits When ye come saith he into the Land which I will give you ye shall bring a sheaf of the First-fruits of your Harvest unto the Priest and he shall shake it before the Lord verse 14. This shall be a Law for ever in your Generations Again that which is more express is Levit. 27.30.32 33. All the Tythe of the Land both of the seed of the Ground and of the Trees is the Lords and every tythe of Bullock and Sheep and all that goeth under the rod the Tenth shall be holy unto the Lord this is a more positive command then any before Again Numb 15.20 it is said Ye shall offer a Cake of the first of your Dough for an Heave-offering as the Heave-offering of the Barn ye shall lift it up and give it to the Lord in your Generations Again Moses being the Son of a Levite Exod. 2.1 2. Aaron was his Brother Chap. 4.14 the Lord bid Moses separate Aaron and his Sons for the Priests Office Exod. 28.1 and appoints him to make them holy Garments The Ephod and the curious Girdle c. and Aaron was to wear the Breast-plate of Judgment upon his Heart and upon it the names of the Children of Israel and in the Brest-plate of Judgment Moses was to put the Urim and the Thummim which he was to bear upon his Heart when he went in before the Lord c. Exod. 28. throughout So the Priesthood being setled to Aaron and his Sons as a Statute and an Ordinance for ever throughout their Generations he was to take unto him his Brethren the Tribe of Levi the Family of his Father they were to be joyned with him and to minister unto him and were to take the Charge of the Sanctuary of the Tabernacle and of the Altar only he and his sons was to execute the Priests Office in all things Numb 18.2 to verse 7. then all the Heave-offerings and the holy things that the Children of Israel offered to the Lord was to be Aarons and his Sons for ever by a perpetual Covenant of Salt as in verse 19. And Aaron and his Sons was to have no Inheritance in the Land neither any part among the Children of Israel for the Lord was their part and inheritance for ever Deut. 18.1 2. And to the Children of Levi the Lord gave the Tenth in Israel for their inheritance and for their service in the Tabernacle of the Congregation and they were to have
no Inheritance among the Children of Israel Numb 18.20 21 23 24. for the Tythe which the Children of Israel offered was to be the Levites Inheritance and out of them they were to extract a Tenth which they were to offer as an Heave-offering unto the Lord which was to be given unto Aaron and his Sons verse 26.28 only when they were come into the Land of Canaan Joshua by the appointment of Moses set forth Forty eight Cities with their Suburbs which the Children of Israel gave of their Inheritance at the Command of the Lord Joshua 21.1 2. c. Then again I read Deut. 14.28 29. beside the Tythe they were to bring year by year unto the Lord at the end of every three years they were to bring forth all the Tythe of their Increase and lay it up within their Gates and thither should the Levites come because they had no Inheritance among them and the Strangers the Fatherless and the Widows and should Eat and be filled that the Lord might bless Israel in all the works of their hands Deut. 26.12 13 c. Again Deut. 18.3 4. They which offer Sacrifice whether Bullock or Sheep shall give unto the Priests the right shoulder and the two Cheeks and the Maw and the First-fruits of the Corn the Wine and Oyl and the first of the Fleece of the sheep c. Then again Nehemiah when he came he saw the House of God was forsaken and the Portion of the Levites had not been given but every one was fled to his own Land he reproved the Rulers and set the Levites in their places and caused all Judah to bring their Tythe of Corn and Wine and Oyl into the Treasuries c. and appointed the Wards of the Priests and of the Levites every one in his Office Nehem. 13.10 11 12 30 c. Also King Hezekiah appointed the Courses of the Priests and Levites by their turns every Man according to his Office hence it is said Zacharias was of the Course of Abia and executed the Priests Office before God as his turn came Luk. 1.5.8 and commanded the People to bring in part for the Priests and Levites that they might be Encouraged in the Law of the Lord So the Children of Israel brought in abundance of First-fruits Corn Wine Oyl and Hony and of the increase of the Field and the Tythes of Bullocks Sheep and of the holy and consecrated things the Tythe of all things in abundance yea so much as they eat and were satisfied and there was many heaps laid up in store and Hezekiah commanded them to build Chambers and in them they laid up all their Tythe and their First-fruits and their dedicated things and set Overseers over them to whome they committed the charg of them who destributed with fidelity to their Brethren great and small by course 2 Chron. 31.2 4 5 6. to vers 14. c. And in Nehemiah 10. they were all sworn and sealed to fidelity both Priests and Levites Porters Singers Nethinims and all the Children of Israel to keep the Law and the Ordinances of it and to bring in all the First-fruits the Tythe and the dedicated things Corn Wine and Oyl c. into the Chambers and Treasures c. Then Ezekiel setting forth the glory of the Temple and measuring it with the measuring Reed he shews who shall be admitted to the service of the Temple and who not he also divided the Land into four Portions one for the Priests one for the Levites one for the House of Israel and one for the Princes Ezekiel 44. and chapters 45 46. also he sets forth the Offerings of the Princes and their Ordinances as Meat-offerings Drink-offerings Burnt-offerings Sin-offersings Trespass-offerings and Peace-offerings c. also the Sacrifices of their New-moons their Sabbaths and solemn Feasts c. Also Amos coming to cry against the Idolatry in Jeroboam's time and against the Princes and Prophets of Bethel he calls their Princes Kine they oppressed the Poor and destroyed the needy and multiplyed Transgresssion in Gilgal and said bring let us Drink c. and yet they would go to Bethel and bring their Sacrifices in the Morning and their Tythes after three years they could offer Thanksgiving and proclaim Free-Offerings and this they liked then as the Priests of our Age loves Free-offerings and give ye now so they might live in their sins but the Lord swore by his Holiness he would take them away with Thorns and their Posterity with Fish-hooks and he gave them cleanness of Teeth and scarceness of Bread He with-held the Rain in its season and he sent Blasting and Mildew and Pestilence and Sword amongst them Then again the Prophet Malachi cries out against the Priests how they dispised the Name of the Lord they said the Table of the Lord was not to be regarded and said it was polluted and snuffed at it when as it was they that polluted it by offering unclean Bread the Blind the Lame the Torn and the Sick for Sacrifice Mal. 1 6 7 8. Go offer it to your Princes saith the Lord and see if they will accept it from you you have fed your selves and served your selves and not the Lord For who among you saith he will shut a door or kindle a fire on mine Altar for naught verse 10. Cursed be the Deceiver that hath in his Flock a Male and sacrificeth a corrupt thing And chap. 2. O ye Priests saith Malachi this Commandment is for you ye have broke the Covenant of Levi even my Covenant of Life and Peace ye have been partial in the Law if you will not hear and consider to give glory to my Name I will corrupt your seed and cast dung upon you faces and will curse your Blessings chap. 2.2.4 5 c. for the Priests lips should preserve knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth c. but ye are gone out of the way ye have broken Covenant and caused many to fall c. And in chap. 3. he saith Behold the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple but who may abide the day of his coming for he sitteth to try and fine as silver yea he will fine and purifie the Sons of Levi mark it is the Sons of Levi that they may bring Offerings of Righteousness and he will come near them to Judgment and will be a swift witness against the Adulterer false swearer and those that keep back the Hirelings wages that vex the Widow and the Fatherles and oppress the Poor and Stranger and fear not me saith the Lord for from the days of your Fathers saith he ye are gone away from mine Ordinances and have not kept them Will a Man rob God saith he yet ye have robbed me in Tyths and Offerings ye are cursed with a Curse Bring all the Tythe into the store-house that there may be meat in my House and prove me therewith and see if I will not open you the windows of Heaven and
the Minister said God was to be found and all to obtain Peace with my Maker but it as it were fled from me and was not to be found amongst them and and then this cry was great in me O that I knew the Truth Oh that I knew the True and Living Way to the Kingdom of God! O that I could feel that Testimony of Spirit which they so much spoke of bearing witness with my Spirit that I was in the Sonship though I felt and knew I was in the way according to their Judgment and had the signal tokens of a Christian as they produced from that spiritual progress and operation the Saints and Servants of God went through in Ages past which was as Way-marks set up by Patriarchs the Prophets and Children of Israel in their Travel to Canaan and by the Apostles and Servants of our Lord Jesus Christ in their Spiritual Travel to the Heavenly Canaan through the Regeneration and New Birth But being as I said before often deeply humbled before the Lord and tendred and broken in my Spirit distressed in my Soul afflicted in my Body day and night panting and breathing after the Lord as the Hart panteth after the water Brooks being many times deprived of my natural rest and sustenance mine eyes preventing the night Watches as David said watering my Bed with my Tears being almost overwhelmed in the Floods multitudes of Afflictions compassing me about Wars and Commotions on every side Famine and Pestilence and Earthquakes fearful Sights and great Signs appearing from Heaven these were the beginning of Sorrows and Days of great Tribulation then did the sign of the coming of the Son of Man appear in the Clouds of Heaven with Power and great Glory whose appearance was as the Lightning that appeared from the East and shined unto the West by which it pleased the Father to manifest the way of Life and to reveal his Son in me and by his Light that gives the Knowledge of the glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 He was pleased to give me a glimpse of that heavenly Land and of the Way to the Kingdom of God which I saw to be in and through the Light of Christ Jesus which Lighteth every Man that cometh into the World as it was then Preached and testified by the Servants of the Lord a measure of which I felt in my self which told me all that ever I did secretly condemning every work in me with every word and action that was against or contrary to the mind and will of the Father and also justifying every good word and work that was according to his Will Thus the Lord having opened my understanding and given me in measure a feeling of himself I was forced to conclude as the woman of Samaria did that this was the Christ this was the Way this was the Truth as by daily experience I found by the operation of the Light in my own heart compared with the Testimony that the Saints and Servants of God had given in Ages past and thus in the mouths of two or three Witnesses this Testimony was established and confirmed in me but how to receive and give obedience I knew not the Enemy often raising Doubts and Fears in me often disswading me from embracing the Light with much questioning whether it were the Truth yea or nay Then as soon as the Seed the Man-child appeared the Dragon appeared also ready to Devour the Man-child then the Read-Sea was as it were before and Pharoh and his Host behind and fear fell on every side then appeared Father against Son and Son against Father one Nation against another and still the greatest Enemies were in mine own House and then was I in great distress then was the Dayes of great Tribulation perceiving the Way strait and narrow being to forsake Father or Mother House or Lands Friends and Relations and all old acquaintances and cast down all Crowns Dignities Wisdom Riches or what other Enjoyments whatsoever and deny my self and become a Fool and a Reproach a Scorn a By-word and a Hissing to the Men of the World and take up the Cross daily and follow the Lord through great Tribulation through the Red-Sea through the Wilderness yea even through Death it self then was I ready to faint and to say with them This was a hard saying who can bear it then the Dragon cast out Floods after the Manchild but God prepared a place in the Wilderness and the Child was preserved then was the warfare great between the Flesh and the Spirit the Law in my Members waring against the Law in my Mind doing that which I allowed not and leaving undone that which I allowed with my mind I served the Law of God but with my Flesh the Law of Sin the Spirit indeed was willing to Drink that bitter Cup but the Flesh was weak then when I would have done good Evil being present prevented me then I became as one destitude of all succour comfort and support not knowing whither to fly or how to escape from the dreadfull wrath of God that was then impending over me if I disobeyed then was I forced in the fulness of time not only to stand still and see the Salvation of God but also to resign my self into his Blessed Will and sweetly to Drink that bitter Cup that was given me to Dâ—iâ—k allowing that the Will of the Lord and not my will should be done being willing to undergo any thing so the Lord be glorified and my Soul might rest in Peace being that for which I had long travelled in spirit having been often as it were at the Pâ—ts brink and as it were at the mouth of the Furnace having Drunk deep of the Cup of Judgment and of Indignation and of the Wrath of the Lord for Sin and for Iniquity often travelling as with my Hands upon my loyns pained and crying outin my Soul as a Woman in Travel that longeth for the appointed hour of her Deliverance often in that state blessing the Lord for the Ministration of condemnation which at that Day was glorious to me often doubting and fearing in my self least the Lord should cease striving with me and have left me and given me up to a reprobate Mind and to heardness of Heart being often ready to Dispair of obtaining the promised Land that was before me considering the many lets impediments obstructions hazards dangers which like Mountains of opposition appeared as high as the top of Carmel And thus being assaulted by the Enemy reasoning in my self I was at a point what to do to turn back to Egypt the Land of Darkness or House of Bondage again I durst not knowing the Light in me the Piller of fire that appeared for my Guide and Leadâ—r led me Canaan ward and knowing the Terrors and Judgments of the Lord that had not only passed upon me but was still impending over me for sin disobedience because I offered not up freely nor sacrificed
pour you out a Blessing c. But your words have been stout against me saith the Lord ye have said It is in vain to serve God and what profit is there in keeping his Commandments and in walking humbly before him And therefore ye count the proud happy and sets up them that work wickedness and those that tempt God are delivered Now the next place which some account as formidable as all the rest is Luke 11.42 Christs own words saying Wo unto you Pharisees ye Tythe Mint and Rue and all manner of Herbs and neglect and pass over Judgment and the love of God these things ye ought to have done and not to have left the other undone These are the main grounds being under the Law of the first Covenant upon which the Ordinations Titles Claims and Propriety of Tythes do or ever did arise or spring and upon which all the Disputes Acts Decrees Laws and Tryals at Law Differences and Sufferings of what kind soever do originally arise and descend by which the reader may observe the rise and institution of Tythes and the end thereof and the observation of them from Moses or the Levitical Law downwards till Christ the end of the Law for Righteousness sake to all them that believe Rom. 10.4 I shall now proceed to give my Reasons whereupon I deny the Payment of Tythes First The Reader may take notice of the Institution of Tythes and by whom Here is Moses the Servant and Prophet of the Lord who was faithfull in all his House and was a Witness through Faith of those things which should afterward come to pass Hebr. 3.3 4. this was he whom the Lord chused and sent into Egyt for a Prophet Prince and Deliverer to the Children of Israel Exod. 3.10 Acts 7.34 35. and having brought them to Mount Sinai the Lord spake unto Moses saying Tell the Children of Israel You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on Eagles Wings and brought you to me Now if you will hear my Voice indeed and keep my Covenant then ye shall be my chief Treasure above all People though all the Earth be mine and ye shall be to me a Kingdom of Priests and an holy Nation Then Moses proposed to them what the Lord had said to him and the People answered unanimously All that the Lord hath Commanded we will do and Moses reported their words unto the Lord Exod. 19.3 4. c. So the Lord calling Moses and Aaron only up into the Mount said I am the Lord thy God that have brought thee out of Egypt c. Thou shalt have no other Gods besides me and he delivered to them his Precepts and his Law by the dispensation of Angels Exod. 20. c. Also he commanded them not to make unto themselves gods of silver or gold verse 23. Then he commanded Moses to make an Altar of Earth or Stone whereon to offer the burnt-offerings and peace-offerings c. And see saith he that a Tool be not lifted up upon it verse 24.25 Then he delivered to him the Temporal or Civil Laws Exod. chap. 21 22 23. c. So Moses wrote all the Laws and erected them an Altar under the Mount and Twelve pillars according to the Twelve Tribes of Israel and sent of the Children of Israel who offered Burnt-offerings Beaves and Peace-offerings c. and with half of the Blood he sprinkled the Altar and the rest he put in Basins And he read the Laws and all the words of the Lord to the People who said All that the Lord hath said we will do and be obedient So Moses sprinkled all the People with the Blood and said Behold the Blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you touching all these things Chap. 24. Then the Lord called Moses up into the Mount saying I will give thee Tables of Stone and a Law and Commandments which I have written that thou mayst Teach them to the People And Moses took his Minister Joshua and went up and Moses was in the Mount forty Days and forty Nights and God spake unto Moses to speak unto the Children of Israel that they should offer unto the Lord an offering of Gold Silver Brass Purple Scarlet and fine Linnen Oyl and Spices and precious Stones c. And that they should make the Lord a Sanctuary that he might dwell amongst them and that it should be according to the express Pattern shewed to him and also that he should make an Ark in which the Testimonies of the Covenant should be placed describing the fashion of the Tabernacle and the Order Place and Fashion of all the appurtenances thereunto belonging every thing was to be made placed and erected according to the express Patern shâ—wn to him in the Mount chapters 25 26. Mark what I say Moses having read the Law and the Book of the Covenant in the audience of the People they said All that the Lord hath said will we do and be obedient chap. 24.7 8. Then he took the Blood of the Covenant having with the one half sprinkled the Altar with the other half he sprinkled the People and the Covenant was confirmed for almost all things were by the Law purged with blood and without shedding of Blood is no Remission Hebr. 9.22 mark here is the establishment of the first Covenant which stood in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal Ordinances which was imposed untill the time of Reformation Hebr. 9.9 10. mark here again which was but a Figure for the time then present and could never make the Comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the Conscience But Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come mark by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle that is not made with hands nor not of this building I say also Christ Jesus being come who was the end of the Law for Righteousness sake to all that believe and the Substance of all Shadows Antitypes and Figures he hath brought in a more excellent Ministry being a Mediator of a better Covenant established upon better Promises wherefore coming into the World he saith Sacrifices Offerings and Burnt-Offerings for sin thou wouldest not which are offered by the Law but a Body thou hast prepared as it is written Lo I come to do thy Will O God by the which Will we are sanctified saith the Apostle mark He taketh away the first that he might establish the Second Now if the First Covenant had been faultless there should no place have been for the Second but finding fault with them under the First Covenant and why because it was not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sins for in those Sacrifices there was yea and is a remembrance of sins every year so that the Commers thereunto is not made perfect so finding fault with them he saith Behold the days come that I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah not
Countenance said O is it so that I who have written so much can scarce now write my Name well it must be so and the Will of the Lord be done I am content and thus was his precious time spent in giving and resigning himself up unto the Will of the Lord saying come Lord Jesus receive my Spirit And so about the sixth hour at Night as he was in a slumber fell into a Fit or Trance Jonathan Nicholson his Brother in Law being with him in Bed heard him say as he fell into a fit Farewell Farewel Farewell three times as if he had been waiting for the time of his change but in about half an hour he again revived and came to his perfect senses as before Three of his Children being brought to him he called to them by their Names saying dear Babes I am glad to see you expressing it with much joy and gladness advising them to live in the fear of God and to be good Children and to keep amongst Friends and said I have not much Gold and Silver to leave you but I hope the blessing of the Lord will attend you and so Kissing and Embracing them he took leave of them his dear Wife coming to him weeping he said to her Weep not thy care and tenderness hath been much over me and often seemed to lament and pitty his dear Wife that had been a true Help-meet unto him from the time of their first coming together unto that day in his Exercises and Weakness which were not a few And so after he had taken his leave of those about him he fell into another fit and in less then half an hour was taken away with little or no pain being the 18th Day of the aforesaid ninth Month 1684. This is to be noted that he often in his Life time when in great pain and affliction by reason of the Distemper of his Body did desire the Lord to mitigate his pain upon his Death-bed and not take him away in those Tortering fits which the Lord in great Mercy did Answer for he did say that he was not Sick and felt little pain but a great weakness and decay of outward strength yet still was well Preserved in a sweet Frame of Spirit to the great Satisfaction and Comfort of those that were with him at his last End Thus they are blessed that Die in the Lord from henceforth they rest from their Labours and their Works follow them where the voice of the oppressor is no more heard the Wicked cease from Troubling and the weary are at Rest George Rooke The TESTIMONY OF ANTHONY SHARP DEar Thomas Carleton was a True and Sound Meek and Faithful Friend that Loved the Blessed Truth and Faithful Brethren and was so much in the self denial and a Lover of the Brethren that he Preferr'd them before himself And having the marks of a True Desciple was a good Example and left a good Savour behind him and I am satisfied he is at Rest Anthony Sharp The Captives COMPLAINT OR THE Prisoners PLEA Against the Burthensom and Contentious Title of TYTHES With a True Relation of the Prisoners Spiritual Progress and Travel towards the New and Heavenly Jerusalem Together with the sad and grievous Sufferings he sustained by a Persecuting and Covetous High Priest in Cumberland for his Gospel Testimony against Tythes Here is also laid down several Grounds and Reasons against the Propriety Payment of Tythes in this Evangelical Day and Dispensation As also several Papers and Queries sent to the Priest which to this Day remains Unanswered All which is now referred to the view judgment and understanding of every Conscientious impartial Reader of what Profession soever wherein the Prisoner doth recommend himself his Sufferings and the empty groundless Cause thereof to every Mans Conscience in the sight of God as was the Practice of the Apostles and Saints of old in the primitive Times 2 Cor. 4.2 Re-printed in the Year 1604 The Captives Complaint or the Prisoners Plea c. FOrasmuch as it hath pleased the incomprehensible wise God who made Heaven and Earth and all that is therein to create Man and set him apart for his own Service Worship and Glory as the most competent Creature whereby to advance his glorious dreadful Name over all his Creatures upon the Earth over whom He gave Man dominion and for the better Ruling and Governing His Creatures and Worshipping and Glorifying Himself the Author and Creator of all He hath indued Man with Reason and Understanding and infused into him a Principle of his own Life and stamped or set His own Image in him thereby to beautifie His creature Man giving him dominion power and liberty over all that He had made both the Fruits of the Earth and every Creature moving thereon the Fishes of the Sea and the Fowls of the Air and every Creature moving therein save only of the Tree of Knowledg of Good and Evil he was not to Eat Now the Serpent being more subtil then all the Beasts of the field did insinuate it self into the affections of the Woman and having got room in the weaker Vessel did induce both the Man and the Woman through feigned smooth words and not by direct opposition mark that into disobedience to the Lord God of Heaven and Earth whose Image they then lost by the Serpents Transformation who raised the discontented aspiring self-seeking Principle that desired to be equal with God which they soon received and obeyed thereby losing the happy blessed and good estate in which he was placed and thereby fell into the knowledg of Evil and naked miserable estate with God being Transformed into the image of the Serpent was captivated in the Curse and so came to be driven out of the Garden of Eden in which he was placed and to be fenced out from the Tree of Life and from the Presence of the Lord in that State for ever And because the Serpent had done this the Lord cursed it above all Cattel and every Beast of the Field and put enmity between its seed and the Seed of the Woman saying The Womans Seed shall break its Head and it should Bruise his Heel so the Enmity being placed between the Seeds the warfare was begun which ever since hath continued through the Generations of Mankind and hence the striving between the Twins in the Womb comes to be known and the Elected and Reprobated Seed is known and the Seed of the Bond woman and the Seed of the Free-woman is known and the Fleshly Birth persecuting that which is born of the Spirit is known and the Promise of the Lord to the Seed of the Woman is known and fulfilled in those that witness the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven to be come and the Seed of the Covenant is known to such in which all the Nations of the Earth is blessed and blessed and happy are they that are apprehended and overcomes in this Seed for they shall again come to eat of the
as she said and indeed sprung of mean Parentage and low Degree according to the flesh and in my minority Educated a little at School but the most part about Husbandry Tilling or Hearding or the like bring an inferiour weak Child in comparison of Thousands but what I now am is by the Grace and sweet Love of God for which I have cause to bless and magnifie his Name for ever and let such I say as hath known both him and me and not only such but all that have any feeling or sense of the Way and Work of God judge of us and between us in every thing either before or hereafter inserted or recited being for my own part according to the principle of Light and Truth I profess willing to recommend my self to every Mans Conscience in the sight of God and also to give a reason to any Man that shall in Truth and Soberness demand a reason of me of the Faith and Hope that is in me according to the manifestation of the Grace of God received Now I say the said L. W. was no sooner setled in his place and I set to follow the Lord but he began to menace and threaten me together with other Professors to bring us under Conformity and by and by shewed his austerity by which he made many Professors and others inclining to Reformation bow and conform who came in by degrees and yielded Conformity at one time or other in one thing or other which strengthened his Lordly spirit in severity who should have been Minister and Servant to all thereupon perswading himself that a little more rigor a little more severity one twist more i' th rod one cord more i' th whip would subject all his Parishioners and make them Conform sometimes he would have drawn me with soft words pretending great kindness to me or any of my Mothers Children c. for our Parents sake the smalness wherof may appear by and by for he having no occasion at all against me save touching the Law of my God being that which was matter of Conscience and weight to me yet it seems occasion must be had and small ones must be taken where great ones are not and therefore he took it against me because for Conscience sake I could not pay him Tythes A thing never challenged nor paid for ought I know by any Gospel Minister nor any other under a Gospel Dispensation what ever any Man may pretend so he that flattereth and smootheth deceitfully crying Peace Peace to the Wicked because I cannot now run with them to their excess nor cannot return to their vomiâ— again but especially because I could not put into his mouth as Micah said Mic. 3.5 he now forthwith prepares open War against me and thus he begins for my first years denyal of Tythes to him he presents me to the Jury at a Temporal Court held at his own House in the manner of little Salkeld by the Dean and Chapter so called of Carlile he himself being one of the Lords of the Court so being called by the Jury I told them that for Conscience sake I could pay him none often saying to them that that Court had nothing to do to determine matters of that nature the Ecclesiastical Courts being provided for that purpose unto whom such things more properly belonged yet the Jurors slighted me and said I was a fool it was better for me to have them determined there c. So being willing to do the Priest a pleasure they proceeded to cast it for him and gave a Precept against me of One pound one shilling or there abouts for which the Prebends Bailiffs took a Cow from me woâ—â—h Three pound three shillings or upwards I having but one other the Priest called me to him required me to pay him I said no I could pay him none then he beckned to one of his Fellows another Prebend being then present to reason and expostulate with me endeavouring to perswade me to pay him and in our dispute he pleaded the Civil Law a third Priest standing by by way of Interlocution Promptingly said to the Ear of the other Jure Divino Sir Jure Divino to whom I answered either of you prove Tythes Jure Divino here before all this People and I will pay them which thing they stayed not to do for immediately the aforesaid L. W. taking one of them by the arm drew them away and they all three went to an Alehouse leaving me to the Court with whom I reasoned a while clearing my Conscience which I valued more worth then a Cow and then left them The Jury meeting at other times I still warned them not to meddle with it being it appertained to another Court nevertheless they proceeded as above but mark what befel about the very time the Jury delivered in their Verdict the Fore-man had a Barn burned by a sudden hand from the Lord as was believed amounting to a considerable dammage which thing I often pondered in my spirit though few looked on it otherwise then a common accident This being done from that time forward he proceeded to take my Tythes in kind as they fell due c. his Collectors taking Hay and Corn at their pleasure sometime going in at the wrong end of the Dale contrary to the order of Tything so taking the best of the Grain other sometimes taking three or four Stooks or a Cart load together off at one end and if I carried away any untythed they were sure to please themselves in the next Dale of mine where they came Thus they continued not shaming to bear and drâ—g away by force what they could apprehend mark even as the Priests viz. Eli's Sons and their Servants did in Israel of old who were Sons of Belial and with their flesh-hooks dragged out of the Pan Pot or Caldron either boyled or raw and if any denied to give them they took it away by force read 1 Sam. 2. from verse 12 to 17. but mark their end for the Lord was grieved with them and said he would cut them off that there should not be an old Man left in El's house and verse the 35 36. I will raise up a Priest saith the Lord that shall do according to all that is in mine heart and it shall come to pass that every one that is left in thine house speaking to Eli shall come crouching to him for pieces of Silver and morsels of Bread Mark the end of these Priests Sons of Belial who served themselves with the fat and kept Servants as vile as themselves who violently pulled and reaved away by force from the People even as the tything polluted Priests and their Servants doth now in our days are they not pulling rending and reaving throughout this Nation of England so barbarously and inhumanely that they have made their name to stiâ—k and they are become contemptible and base before all People read Mal. 2. to verse 9 and will not their end be like those Sons of
Belial and also what becomes of the Posterity of many of the Priests that are gone are they not already in many pâ—ces crouching for pieces of silver and morsels of bread yea even to such as their Fathers persecuted search and see if it be not so But to proceed this not answering his desire and end more mischief resting in his heart against me he cited me to the Bishops Court but for what I know little save that he himself said for all manner of Tythes since he became Incumbent in that place notwithstanding what was done as aforesaid his Libel I never got they commonly being Scrools of Lyes so the Court proceeded to Excomunication whereupon he procured a Writ called Excommunicate Capiendo and thereby cast me into Prison about the latter end of the seventh Month 1663. where I have continued these four years during all which time he never did so much as give me a visit in my Prison-house nor never laboured to convince me or regain me either by exhortation information or instruction c. as is provided and enjoyed in the Articles to be enquired of in their Visitation read Article the 10th concerning Ministers duty to Popish Recusants and other Sectaries nay he would never so much as allow me a fair sober Discourse to reason the case or matter in difference but when I have met with him having sometime gone to his house is soon as ever my judgment differed from his or that I either opposed or questioned any thing he said or held out forth-with he broke into passion and fury sometime buffetting me with his fist as he hath often done both to his own hearers and others other times calling me rogue and rascal with such like vilifying tearms in great fury Threatening he would humble me c. But still all this not answering his ambitious spirit and covetous ends he yet deviseth more mischief and presently he casts about to compass my little parcel of Land as Ahab did Naboth's yea worse then Ahab for he never profered me the rate in money 1 Kings 21.1 2. c. I read Ahab being sad and dejected because of Naboth's answer Jezebel his Wife could soon cure that malady saying to Ahab what art not thou King Arise and be merry and I le give thee the Vineyard so he soon devised a way to kill and take possession c. And indeed whether L. W's Wife hath not been a deviser and abetter against me it is questioned by some but I leave it to the Lord and themselves and he goes on in Law untill the Sheriff returned I could not be found although I was in his Custody and that the Priest L. W. knew well enough upon which false return a Writ of Outlawry came forth against me and then they knew where to find me for thereupon the Sheriff's Clark gave another Mittimus to the Goaler for me And untill that time I never had the least notice neither from him or any one of the Kings Officers save only that his Wife did once say I laid for contempt and that her Husband would take another course for his Tythes c. and the Jayler keeping me more strict then my Fellows I required a reason of him he said he had received another Mittimus for me I asked him for what cause he said he knew not but it was at L W's Suit I desired a sight of it if he pleased he said yes if I would give him thirty pence I said it were but reasonable that I knew upon what account I was so dealt with but no account could I have untill I bought a Coppy thereof of the Sheriffs Clark yet being as a Child very ignorant in matters of Law having never been concerned in matters of Law nor never had occasion at any Court with any person whatsoever save this with him I let it go on in singleness of heart resolving to leave the issue to the Lord knowing he was all-sufficient and chusing rather patiently to suffer then to involve my self into such dubious unseen troubles and vast expences as of the Law doth produce especially being so uncapable of things of that nature and thus it continued in suspence I still waiting to see the effect untill about a year after he stirred again and sought through smooth words subtilly to have enticed some of my Relations to have given him a Composition for me telling them one while Ten pounds another while Twelve or Sixteen pounds would do it pretending to shew them all the favour imaginable if they would do any thing and when his blandilocutions could not prevail then he sought to terrifie them with threats saying he had a Writ ready and the Sheriff would come and take possession and all I had would be Confiscated to the King c. also the People and Neighbours adjacent with great exclamation pressing them to compound saying it was pitty it should be forfeit which put them to a point not knowing what to do some of them gave me an account once and again with tears and great grief and vexation I as often before desired and also discharged them not to meddle in it it was my own and I knew not that it could go for a better Testimony I had nothing but what I had received of the Lord the loss was like to be solely mine so let him and me alone for what he could inflict I was to bear and that he could go no further then the Lord permitted and what he intended for evil the Lord turned to good and I hoped to be preserved and provided for upon which they were disswaded and would not be induced by him So by the aforesaid Writ he called a Jury and by compulsions summoned my Brother and others that farmed my Land to give an estimate of the Annual value of it and also what Goods and Chattels I was possessed of about two years before viz. the time when he began that Suit intending to make all Confiscate from that day forward so the Jurors gave in their Survey at Six pound per annum c. in the year 1666 Then after he had done all this what through the Exclamation of my Relations and Neighbors for the satisfying of them and what through the advice of others my Friends I procured a Reversal resolving to joyn Suit and try with him and never more I did neither to this day nor before in matters of Law proceedings in my own defence and how the Lord prevented or confounded him in his proceeding I know not but to this day his expectation hath perished and it is between three or four years since he begun and indeed I can truly say it was freely offered and not it only but Liberty and Life also if it had been required into the Will of the Lord feeling and enjoying his Peace and Presence I am satisfied and can say it is enough and in the uprightness of my Heart I desire I may honour him with life liberty and substance while this
hold forth which is the Key that opens the mystery ground intent and end of every Law and Statute whatsoever so that of Henry the 8th about Tythes doth not institute enact or ordain settle or impose them as a Temporal Civil Injunction but they are there called Spiritual gifts belonging to holy Church and because many doth deny the payment c. so this Act doth but enjoyn the payment of them as a supposed due and right formerly belonging to holy Church and therefore doth but at the utmost repair strengthen and preserve that which was like to decay but doth not set up any new structure property or title so the reasons of this Law being taken away which is that they are a supposed due this Act is nulled These before mentioned being the only main Grounds and Reasons whereupon Tythes are claimed and payed which I hope is satisfactorily answered indeed some more frivilous Objections are made as what will not many say to save themselves when they are in an exigent yea brawl menace perhaps beat with wicked fist revile or scoff and it may be set an Officer on one and hale him before a Magistrate c. I say many more they make to little purpose as that in Luke 18. where the Pharisee payed Tythes of all he possessed which hath little in it unless they would be condemned with him as a Pharisee with their outside holiness others say Thou shalt not muzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the Corn I say so too if they be Oxen let them be unmuzled and live of what they tread out which is so little that they never durst rely upon it yet but they are more idle then such Oxen c. this is like their plowing in hope and sowing in hope which for the most part fails before they either plow or sow for in which of the Priests did ever the hope endure untill he reaped the Fruit of his plowing or sowing but rather first he must know what Stipend there is what Tythes or Gleab-lands or other Revenue belongs to the Incombent and how it doth arise this you may say is too true Again say they He that gathers a Flock let him eat of the milk of the Flock indeed so say I but they either get no flock gathered or else their Flock is barren and gives no milk or otherwise the milk they give doth not satisfie which makes them pull tug and draw so hard for milk meat and maintenance from others pertaining to another Flock which they never gathered as daily experience teacheth to their shame and to the shame of all that are gathered by them Again say they If we have sown unto you Spiritual things is it a great matter if we reap your carnal things I say it s no great matter but rather the part and duty of a Christian but to whom have they sown Spirituals I am sure not to me for L. W. hath Ministred nothing to me but that which is Earthly and savours of Death as I have elsewhere said which deserves not my Carnals nor any other maintenance from me not that I am strait-handed or so knit and joyned to the things the Lord hath endued me with but I can destribute them freely to such as sow Spirituals and Ministers freely from the mouth of the Lord or to any other in necessity but L. W. as is well known hath no such necessity for all his eager pursuit after my Carnals these Three or Four Years last past but he hath coveted an evil covetousness to set his nest on high but thereby hath not delivered his Soul from the power of evil but hath consulted confusion to his shame So Still I say the grand Title stood in the Mosaical Institutions all which pointed at Christ and Christ being come they fall flat and to them a period is set for its Evident for some hundreds of years after Christ there was neither Claim nor payment of Tythes nor no setling or confining of Ministers to such and such Parishes or Places but they that received freely preached freely and went from one Country to another and from one People to another as they were drawn by the Spirit of the Lord and in those dayes there was no setled nor forced maintenance belonged unto them but they who received Spirituals and were brought into the Faith and Fellowship of the Saints they administred of their Temporals freely without any injunction as many hath done in England these late years and the Lord having opened the Hearts of many as Lydia they called them into their House being open to distribute to their Necessities so that they that set forth without money or scrip c. wanted nothing yea I believe many of the Lords Ministers and Servants called Quakers hath Travelled in these late years many Hundred of miles from one People and Nation to another having been persecuted and beat and haled to Prison and out of Prison here and there amongst a strange Nation and People which they knew not who when they set forth could not assure themselves of one Nights lodgings or one meals Meat and yet they were in every place sufficiently provided for and had no want they only cast their care upon the Lord and lived upon the Gospel being Preachers of it and by the Faith of the Son of God as did the primitive Christians in the Apostles dayes and some Hundred of years after untill the power of Christianity was lost and the Apostacy crept in and then they fell into Forms and Immitations Rome being the leading Church setled Bishops Vicars and Priests and erected Monasteries Abbeys and Religious Houses and placed them there and brought in the old Rites and Customs of the Jews again under a colour of Zeal and Piety perswading the People to give gifts to pious uses so enjoyning them to one thing after another until their Traditions were received as Canonical and amongst the rest brought in this of Tythes again which for a long time was payed at the Owners pleasure either to the Poor or to the aforesaid Monasteries and Religious Houses for pretended Spiritual uses and when they saw that the greater part destributed their Tythes to the Poor Pope Alexander the third did restrain the Peoples freedoms Anno 1180. And Pope Gregory ordained that Tythes should not be destributed to the Poor but to the Mother Church Anno 1274. And Pope Pius the Fourth ordained the payment of Tythes upon penalty of Excomunication by a Council at Trent about the year 1560. And thus they crept in again as they fell from the Power of Godliness then they began to build again that which was before destroyed and so brought in these old Ordinances again in immitation of the Mosaical Law and so came to force and compel a maintenance for a Priesthood and Ministry which was not of Levi's Linnage which was never used nor known amongst the Christians in the purity of the Gospel but being little acquainted or read in
Authority over all the Europian Nations as doth fully and largely appear in those pithy and ponderous works of the before recited Authors A. P. and F. H. this Title of Tythes having such a pleasant delightsom relish it hath been still retained amongst all the Reformed Rulers in Church and State who hath so largely professed to cast off the Papistical Yoke Now I shall proceed to say something to those my Neighbours and Parishioners amongst whom I have had my conversation in times past and a society when I wrought the will of the Flesh who have known my manner of Life from a Child I say to such what have I done what have I thought what have I acted or spoken that hath deserved any such measure as I have received from L. W or what evil have I done or what occasion have I given to any Mans person good name or estate at any time especially since I associated amongst the People called Quakers let him you or any of you or any other Person come forth that can justly charge any thing against me wherein I have damnified any one the value of a penny and have denied to give satisfaction or have offered violence to any ones Dog and I shall willingly upon due proof make acknowledgement and satisfaction to the utmost of my power for blessed be the Lord my Righteousness and Redeemer there is no thing upon my Conscience and Spirit but what is between the Lord and my own Soul in matter of my Testimony yea everlastingly magnified be the Righteous Lord my preserver to whose praise I desire to speak it that though L. W. and many others have sought occasion and have waited for my halting or falling they have not yet seen it nor got no occasion against me save about the Law and Worship of my God or the holding forth my Testimony and Exercise of my Conscience towards him for which I have been reviled mocked and reproached amongst you yea the Children in the Streets have played upon me with their Tongues this I speak to their or their Parents shame but was as joy and rejoycing to my Soul being for Righteousness sake the Blessing of the Lord was with me and mine Enemies knew it not nor they that dwelt in Darkness saw it not This further I have to propound to you whether ye can allow of it or that it would be justifiable in the Law of Equity and true Judgment that my Servant should Sue you at Law make spoil and carry away your goods and cast your persons into Prison and after all seek to make your Estates forfeit and confiscate and all for the wages and recompence of the Service he hath done for me which of you would approve of such work or of me in keeping such a Servant would you not rather say to me if I have hired a Servant and employed him pay him and maintain him also why doth he trouble you What have you to do to pay him for my work seeing he is my Servant Is not this the case between me and you Is not L. W. your Minister and also your Servant And by what Law or Reason ought I to pay him for doing your service Hath either you or he a President in all the Scriptures of any such unequal deeds Did ye ever Read of any of the Churches or Servants of God in Ages past that used such things I trow not If I had destributed voluntarily it had been one thing but being sued and compelled thereunto therefore I complain may not I say to you why do you hire more servants then you can pay Or why do you keep more then you are able to maintain Else why am I thus persecuted for his maintenance May not I speak this to your shame being so many as I may say for one Servant you are either hard Masters and very penurious and strait-handed to your Servants or else your Servants are very lavish proud profane and prodigal and hath much maintaining Did ever any Minister of ours called a Quaker come among you to sue and cast into Prison for their maintenance and livelihood or what would you say if they should I believe you would condemn both us and them and indeed we should be greatly ashamed if they should for my part I had rather Administer to the last mite then any such cause of aspertion should be given against us and also testifie against them as no Ministers of Christ that Preaches for any such ends if they be Gospel Ministers let their Gospel maintain them or let them labour with their hands though many have said we are a disorderly and unmannerly People but I affirm we have better orders and manners amongst us then you have for your Servants are become your Masters and Lords it over you and both in that and many other things disorder and confusion is come over you as they that built Babel of old I remember well what Malachi saith complaining of the Priests Mal. 2.2 3 c. to verse 9. I will send a Curse upon you I 'll Curse your Blessings yea I have Cursed them already Behold I 'll corrupt your Seed and spread dung upon your Faces and ye shall know that I have sent this Commandment unto you that my Covenant might be with Levi my Covenant was with him of Life and Peace the Law of Truth was in his mouth for the Priests lips should preserve knowledge but ye are departed out of the Way ye have caused many to stumble at the Law ye have corrupted the Covenant of Levi saith he therefore have I made you contemptible and base before all the People mark now Is not this the case and condition of the present Priesthood and Clergy of England those neutralists that are neither Ministers of the Law nor Gospel hath not the Lord made them contemptible and base before all the People yea where shall a Man come and have any Discourse about them but the most part if not all doth generally conclude they are Covetous vile proud and profane Persons Oppressors Drunkards Men-pleasers Time-servers Turn-coats Heady and High-minded lovers of Pleasures and filthy lucre more then of God having a Form of Godliness but denying the Power but their folly shall be and is made manifest it shall proceed no further said the Apostle May not I say the Merchants of this last Age hath exceeded all that ever went before them they can trade on those dayes called their Sabboths or Lords-dayes and prohibit all others from either trading or labouring in their lawful and honest vocations but if they 'l Play Drink Revel Swear and be Profane there they may have liberty enough on those Dayes Also whether any have need of their Merchandice or not or will come and Trade with them or not or will take any of their Commodities from them or not yet they have a Law and by that Law compel them to pay and that even their own Rates what they demand and if any refuse then
they 'l menace and thunder out their Comminations and Excomunications and some they 'l cast in Prison it may be till Death and yet cloke themselves over with the name of Gospel Ministers and plead innocency and say its the Law that requires it and binds Men to be subject to Ecclesiastical Canons and Censures now wherein doth their innocency appear unless in putting a white Coat above a black one a Popish dress and if the Figure be true they are but outside Pharisees appearing white and clean without and that in Apparel only Yea I may say they are as wise expert Marriners in that Babilonish Wisdom as ever Trafficked or Sailed upon the Waters of the Great Whore they can Sail with any Wind that blows within the Circuit of Babylons Coasts but that Prophesie comes to be fulfilled upon them Evil Men and Seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived c. But blessed be the Lord the Day is dawned that declares them and the Light that makes them manifest with their all Abominations and the Son is appeared that will disperse them as the Morning mist so that their skirts shall be uncovered and their nakedness shall be laid open and their visage shall be no more Vailed for the Judgment of the Great Whore is come and coming wherein all her Merchants shall weep and mourn because no Man buyeth their Merchandice any more So this Mite of my Testimony I have cast in being but a Mite indeed in comparison of the many weighty praise-worthy works given forth by many of the dear and faithful Servants of God upon this very Subject in this very Age from the breakings forth of the Glorious Light in them revealed and made known And for the clearing my Conscience in the sight of the Lord I refer this to publick view and give this Testimony to my Countrymen and Acquaintance or any others that yet see not the difference between us and the Priests in this very point and partly for satisfying or silencing of others especially the People of the Independants or Congregational Church at Melmerby so called who though as I have said before they once made the non payment of Tythes an Article of their Judgment yet have of late since I became a sufferer for them whisperingly or clandestinely condemned me in secret more then many if not all others that have less profession and seem more profane rendring me foolâ—sh and unwise to suffer so much and so long for such a trivial external tempory matter as they call it but to me it was and is no smâ—ll matter being to the Contrary perswaded in my Conscience and knowing by good experience and assured Testimonies that I must stand or fall by obedience or disobedience to the manifestation of the Lords precious Gift and Light in my own Soul and Conscience I therefore value not the Judgment of any Man or People being from the Light the Line of True Judgment and Rule of Life to me and to be accounted a Fool is no new nor strange thing for a Fool I am to their Wisdom as was the good and precious Servants of God in Ages past For the Wisdom of God is foolishness with Men and casting things upon me behind my back becomes them not it were more Christianly for them to Admonish or Instruct me face to face and to give me their Advice and Reasons in matters of this nature which if I found to be more weighty sound and agreeable to the Witness of God in my Conscience I should be very ready willing and glad to receive them and be informed by them I am neither so far remote nor so much a stranger to them though my Principle may but this way they chuse not but makes War and fights as Men that beat the Air hiddenly or a far off slighting and contemning my Principle and me for its sake above most of People as though I had been Poysonous and Infectious where I came prohibiting some of their Society and Members so called to have any Fellowship or Converse with me or to receive either Books or Papers from me or come where I was and one of their leading Teachers G. Nicholson by Name denied to make good their own Principles and Tenents held forth in their own Defence against us and also to make good several contumelious aspertions cast upon us in my Hearing by him and others and also denied to give an account of his Faith and Hope in Christ Jâ—sus saying It was in vain c. with several such like matters which I shall now omit and yet these People will be Slighting and Villifying us in secret indeed we have much more cause to have disesteemed them and their Principles having more knowledge of both them and it when we were amongst them then ever they had of us or ours and in villifying our Principles they speak evil of things they understand not being a Treasure whose worth and value they never knew the mystery whereof is hid and sealed from that state and nature they live in we have known theirs but they never knew ours yea for my own part I can truly say in the Light and Presence of the Lord that I had more love and affection in my Heart for those people then any other Profession that was from the Light yea many a time I could have mourned in secret and been willing to have undergone great hardship that they might have been won and gained to the Lord yea I could as it were have plucked them out of the fire many a time other times my spirit hath been weighed and burthened yea filled with indignation against some of them that were Elders Teachers and Leaders that caused the rest to Err who like the Pharisees of old have Shut the Kingdom of God as it were but I am sure they have drawn backward and hindred the work of the Lord both in themselves and others for they would neither enter themselves nor suffer those that would but have made War against the Light in themselves and others and I testifie they are Strangers to the Covenant of Promise Christ Jesus the Light the New and Living Way who is the Light of the World John 8.12 Who is in the World and the World knows him not and lighteth every Man that comes into the World John 1.4 5 6 7 8 9 unto whom John came to bear Witness and yet how few will believe how few doth receive John's Testimony though he was sent from God to bear Witness of the Light and all hold John as a Prophet also how few do receive Christs own Exhortation who said While you have the Light believe in the Light that you may be Children of the Light John 12.36 no marvel if they receive not ours may it not well be said unto them Behold ye Dispisers and wonder I will work a Work in your day which though a Man declare it unto you yet will you in no wise believe Acts 13.41 mark ye Despisers
that Despise the Light accounting it as a thing of nought calling it Natural or Diabolical or an unholy thing esteeming it too mean a Meat for your stuffed up Stomachs and cannot yet be digested by you what better Testimony would you have Would you have one arise from the Dead here 's John a Man sent from God and here 's Christ Jesus which rose from the Dead which Death could not bold also we have the Testimony of the Spirit of Truth and having received this Testimony we have the Witness in our selves and can set to our Seals that God is True John 3.35 and that there is no other way to the Father but by Christ Jesus the Light which is the Life and Blood of the Everlasting Covenant though many set it at nought and will not stoop to so small a thing yet all the Powers of Darkness cannot comprehend it it will break thorow them all to your condemnation that are disobedient and for proof thereof I appeal to every of your Consciences in the sight of God and let the Light therein which abideth in you which is Truth and no Lye John 2.27 let it declare for me whether any of you can hide you from it If you take the Wings of the Morning as David said and fly into the uttermost parts of the Earth it will find you out do what you will it will declare the nature of your deeds when you do evil at home or abroad never so secretly when no man sees it will condemn you and when you do well it will justifie and you will feel peace and joy in that Work it will tell you all that ever you did as the Woman of Samaria said Is not this the Christ come and see then they came and saw and believed also not because of her words but by what they heard from him themselves saying they knew indeed that this is the very Christ John 4.42 So be intreated as a Man would intreat his Friend whom he loveth to come with the Samaritans and see wether it be not so as we have said she was but one and that a Woman yet they came forth with her to see if it was he and it was he and they believed but we are many Witnesses and Testifie what we have heard and seen and handled of him So once more I say be intreated to come and see not to come forth after us and follow us as he said Luke 17.21 23. but to turn in your minds I mean to the Light of Christ Jesus in your own Hearts for the Kingdom of Heaven is within you and there hearken to him that is the Light of the World mark the World is set in Mans Heart Eccles 3.11 and when you have heard and obeyed for that is believing indeed I question not but you will be ready to say with the Samaritans That ye know that he is indeed the very Christ So put not off by delays but while the Lord calls do you answer and while he seeks be you gathered Prov. 1.24.26 yea while the Light and Love of God is with you believe in it receive it and walk in it for Darkness comes when no Man shall walk or work John 22 35 36. And the Light of the wicked shall be put out and the spark of his fire shall be quenched Job 18.5 6. Then shall his Wrath and Fury increase which will torment the Conscience for ever where they shall feel the Worm that dies not and the Fire that never goes out then Sorrow Mourning and bitter Lamentation shall fall upon them then may they cry to the Mountains fall on us and to the Hills to cover us even they I mean that slighteth their day of Visitation and hate to be reformed For behold the Days come that shall burn as an Oven wherein all the proud and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble the Day that cometh shall burn them up and shall leave them neither Root nor Branch but to them that fear my Name saith the Lord shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his Wings and they shall go forth and grow as Calves in the stall and they shall tread down the Wicked yea the Wicked shall be as Ashes under the soles of their feet in that Day when I shall do this saith the Lord he that can believe it let him This is my Testimony given forth in the same Love wherewith the Lord my God hath loved me not desiring to Eat my Morsel alone nor yet to conceal the loving kindness of the Lord which is held forth freely unto all of which I am made a partaker according to the measure of that Grace and Love received in Christ Jesus who would not that any should perish but that all Men might come to the knowledge of the Truth and be saved who was the First-fruits of Righteousness leaving us an Example to follow his steps So desiring that all might come to partake of the same Grace with us and walk in the same Light with us where there is no occasion of Stumbling and come to drink of the same Living Water with us which whosoever drinketh thereof shall never thirst again but is satisfied for ever this none knows save they that drink thereof and they are but a few Having for the Reasons aforesaid committed this to publick view it s now other Mens as well as mine to judge of and no doubt may be by some opposed as well as by others approved I therefore desire the discreet Reader having soberly and piously pondred this short Treatise in the fear of the Lord not rashly to asperse either me or it behind my back thereby to make my Principle or Testimony odious in the Eyes of such as are weak and unstable in Judgment but rather having any thing to object against the Truth of any particular herein to make known their Objections to me either by word or writing and I shall be very willing to be Christianly informed or else to give a Christian information and sober Reply for their satisfaction and for the clearing and vindicating of every particular herein according to that Talent of knowledge that is given me to improve and this I hope will be easily granted by such as is willing to do unto me as they would have me or others to do unto them which is according to both Law and Prophets Given forth about the 6th Month 1667. Tho. Carleton THE END To the CALLED OF GOD And true Professors of the LIGHT SPIRIT of Jesus Christ in these Northern Nations To the Called of GOD c. OH my well-beloved Friends Brethren and Sisters in that Spiritual Heavenly Relation that stands in the power of an endless Life do I tenderly Greet you all and in the sensible Feeling thereof do I at this time with much tenderness and fear communicate these following Exhortations unto you Upon the Second day of the Tenth Month at Even after I was returned from waiting upon and serving
warn you all that are Parents to watch over your Children and bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord and beware you breed them not up in the World's manners nor customs nor in pride lightness and vanity nor in things that puff up and lead away their minds from under the Cross of Christ Jesus but rather breed them up in Humility Lowliness and Self-denial and in the Fear of the Lord which is the beginning of true Wisdom and gate of Virtue and so endeavour to train them up in the right Way to Life and lay a good Foundation in them while they are young and then both you and they may expect a blessing from the Lord which is better then all So away with all Manners and Breeding and Education that is out of the Fear of God for you your selves know the first Nature in it self is too inclinable to be taken with the Manners and Customs of the Egyptian-Spirit and to take pleasure and conceit it self and be puffed up with and in those things that lead from God without nursing and encouraging thereunto so keep all Low in Meekness and Self-denial that God's Fear may be timely planted in their Hearts and the Principles of Life and Peace they may be instructed in as you your selves have learned them of the Lord that so the loving-kindness and gentle dealings of God towards us we may tell of them to our Children and they to another Generation so all learning the way of the Cross and Self-denyal that Will that is carnal and earthly will be mortified and slain and the Spirit of the World and the Customs thereof will be Crucified to you all and you all unto it and then how can they that are Crucified to the World live any longer therein and so Spiritual Men and Spiritual Women Sons and Daughters of the incorruptible Seed begotten again by the Power and Spirit of Christ Jesus and so dead to the World's Spirit Ways Customs Manners Traditions Ordinances and Worships all in the Fall and Degeneration from God and every one Living up to this being guided by God's Wisdom keep their Testimony clear and unviolated in the sight of God and Men. So stand true Witnesses for God and be Faithful or full of Faith in the Lord believe in Him love Him above all and trust Him with all Wife and Children Estate and Life and take heed of giving Offence or of causing Truth to suffer in its Esteem for God hath glorified it and will glorifie it and Wo from the Lord is to them that cause Truth to be Evil spoken off that brings a blot upon their Testimony and so marreth the Visage and Countenance of Truth in the particular or in the general And dear Friends stand living Witnesser for God's Truth and be not cowardly but valiant as Soldiers of Christ Jesus and stand up against all the Works and Workers of Iniquity against all Hirelings and false Shepherds against the grand Oppression of Tythes with the abolished Ceremonies and Ordinances of the first Covenant and Jews outwardly which Antichrist and the Deceivers that are gone into the World having lost the Power would innovate and set up again among the Gentiles and Jews inward contrary to the Institution of God and stand up against all Swearing and that which leads to Swearing and against Lying or Stealing and against Fighting or Killing since our Kingdom is not of this World and against Fornication Adultery Whoredom Lasciviousness Luxury and all manner of Uncleanness the sins of this World which are so vile they are scarce fit to be spoken of or named amongst the Saints so as becomes Warriours for God and the everlasting Gospel of Christ Jesus stand clear of them all and against them all and then there will be no need of shifts and excuses and crooked Reasons in the fallen wisdom to hide or cover any one with And my dear Friends let your Yea be Yea and your Nay be Nay and keep to the form of sound words in all your Communications Bargains and Dealings one with another and also with them that are without that so you may honour the Lord and honour his Truth and convince all with whom you have to do that Truth and Righteousness lives in you and you live in it this is the glory of all Profession And be not forward and rash in Words and Promises for some there are yea too many that make Profession of Truth and true Religion and yet know not a bridle for the Tongue and the Apostle said such Mens Religion was vain yea and too many there are that are hasty to promise and flow to perform and then shuffle to excuse themselves as Eve did where no Excuse can properly bear in the Truth so beware of it I desire you all for this was one express Token the Apostle laid down of the falling away therefore be slow to promise but careful quick and forward to perform when promised and that keeps Truth clear and answers the Expectations of all and Preaches to all with whom we have to do and hereby the Saints reached God's Witness in one another in the beginning so keep to it still and every one speak the Truth from his Heart without Dissimulation and learn not the slighty words and cunning evasions of the deceitful Spirits of this World which darken knowledge thereby to drive Bargains to accomplish self-ends and covetous designs for such things though never so fairly glossed are inconsistent with the innocency and naked simplicity of our Gospel neither is Truth honoured by such deceitful coverings so all Friends keep clear of such things and be plain-hearted with all Men for no coverings will hide or avail in this bright lightsome Day but that of God's Eternal Spirit which will stand over all and Darkness cannot comprehend it but going from the Light and Spirit of God into the fallen deceitful wisdom then the World comprehends and sounds and bottoms all such and so Truth suffers in the particular and in the general so the Law of the Spirit of Life which we profess is beyond all Laws and a Rule beyond all Rules and reaches further to the ordering and guiding of all those that are resolved and given up to it in Obedience then all Laws Precepts Canons or Injuctions that are outward whatsoever so the Righteosness that is God's which Christ Jesus is the Author of is beyond all and exceeds all the Righteousness of other Professions Scribes or Pharisees whereby its plain every Righteosness doth not enter nor is accepted of God but only that which exceeds the Scribes and Pharisees which Christ works in all his by the Operation of his eternal Spirit So my dear Friends wait to feel it and the effectual Works of it brought forth in you all which to feel is more then words that your Faith may stand in it and in a living Enjoyment of it for that Man or Woman that doth not feel it and the efficacy and vertue of