with his hands as Paul did to support himself and preach gratis wherefore he tells him 2 Tim. 2.4 That no man that warreth a spiritual warfare as he and other Ministers do intangleth himself with the affaires of this life that he may please or serve him who hath chosen him to be a Souldier A direct inhibition to Ministers to follow Pauls Precedent who cannot serve and please God in their Ministry if they labour day and night in Mechanick trades for their living And upon this ground which is very observable the very Apostles themselves Act. 6.3 4 5 6. Calling the multitude to them said it is not reason pray marke it that we should leave the Word of God and serve Tables much lesse work day and night at a Mechanick Trade wherefore brethren looke ye out seven men of honest report full of the holy Ghost wisdom whom ye may appoint over this businesse but we will give our selves continually to Prayer and to the Ministry of the word And the saying pleased the whole multitude From which Texts it is clear 1. That the Apostles themselves resolve that they could not exercise the very antient office of a Deacon in serving Tables attending on Widowes and other poor aged impotent Saints without neglecting or giving over preaching of the Word much lesse then can Ministers labour day and night with their hands at some Trade or other to maintain themselves and their Families without neglecting and desisting from the Ministry 2. That Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel ought to give themselves wholly and continually to prayer preaching meditation reading and other Ministerial duties and therefore must not undertake or intermeddle with secular Imployments and Callings 3. That the Apostles themselves have punctually resolved and that all the primitive Christians unanimously assented to it that it is not reason that they should leave preaching the word of God so much as to wait upon Widdowes and poor people at their tables whereupon they elected seven Deacons to discharge that office Therefore it is far lesse reason and they are most wicked and unreasonable men without faith or charity from which the Apostle prayes God deliver him and all his Ministers 2 Thess 3.2 who now urge it to enforce all our Ministers to neglect forsake their Ministry Preaching Studies now to follow handicraft Trades to get their livelihood that so they might preach freely to the people without any recompence or reward at all 2. All godly Ministers people in all ages and the very Objectors themselves of late years have extremely condemned censured our Bishops and Prelatical Clergy together with Popes Popish Prelates and Clergy men for intermedling with and executing civil Offices Imployments and worldly affairs which necessitated them to neglect the preaching of the Gospel and their Ministerial duties whereupon not only many antient and late Councils Synods but Acts of Parliament have specially prohibited them to be Privy Counsellers of State Judges Justices of the Peace Lord Chancellors Treasurers Keepers of the Privy Seal Stewards of Courts Commissioners and our very last Parliament by several late Acts disabled all Bishops from sitting as Peers in Parliament and them with all other Clergy men to execute any temporal Offices or Commissions as incompatible with their spiritual Function and an impediment to their Ministry according to the old proverbial verse Pluribus intentus minor est ad singula sensus Which I have proved at large by testimonies in all ages in my Breviate of the Prelates intolerable Vsurpation printed Anno. 1637. My Vnbishoping of Timothy and Titus and Antipathy of the English Prelacy to Monarchy and Vnity Anno 1641. Therefore to force our Ministers to become Mechanicks and give themselves wholly to worldly callings imployments incompatible with their professions must needs be an irrational unchristian Project unworthy the profession or professors of the Gospel not justifiable from Pauls example in them that would enforce it 3. If this Precedent of Paul be a sufficient argument to prove that our Ministers ought to work for their living and to preach the Gospel freely without any reward or coercive Maintenance I shall then by the self-same reason prove that all Officers and Souldiers of the Army who make this Objection and all our publick civil Officers approving it ought likewise to fight and discharge their Offices without pay or salary and to work with their own hands to get their livings without oppressing the people with any Contributions of Excises to maintain them 1. Because Ministers and they are both of one profession in several senses to wit Souldiers 2 Tim. 2.3 4. as I have formerly proved Therefore to fare both a like in respect of pay or hire 2. Because God records in Scripture Ezech. 29.18 That Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon even by Gods appointment caused his Army to serve a great service against Tyrus every head was made bald and every shoulder was â—eeled Yet had he no wages nor his Army for Tyrus for the sâ—rvice that he served against it If Nebuchadnezzer and his Army served God freely against Tyre without wages many years Should not our present Army and Officers much more serve God and their Country freely without wages True it is God gave them after their service fully ended not any Taxes or Contributions from their own Country-men or Nation but the Land and spoyle of Egypt for their wages because they wrought for him verses 19 20. And if our Officers and Souldiers will have such wages it must only be the Lands and spoyles of forein Aegyptian enemies not our Churches or Crown-Lands or Revenues formerly easing the peoples Taxes and defraying all Garrisons and ordinary publick expences which they now claim and enjoy for Arrears of pay 3. Nehemiah both a godly Souldier General and Governour of his people records this for his own honour and others imitation Neh. 5.14 15 16 17 18 19. Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their Governour in the Land of Judah from the 20. even to the 32. year of Artaxerxes the King Even twelve years I and my Brethren have not eaten the bread of the Governor But the former Governours that had been before me were Chargeable and had taken of them Bread and Wine besides forty Shekels of Silver yea even their Servants bare rule over the people but so did not I marke the reason because of the fear of God Yea also I continued in the work of this wall neither bought we any Land as many Officers and Souldiers do now and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work Moreover there were at my Table an 150 of the Jewes and Rulers besides those that came unto us from among the heathen that were about us Now that which was prepared for me daily was an Oxe and six choyce sheep also Fowles were prepared for me and once in ten daies store of all sorts of Wine yea for all this required not I the breed that is the allowance
all Jesuites and Seminary Priests as Traytors restored the exiled Ministers of the Gospel suffering for Religion rewarding them with the richest Bishopricks and Church-Preferments and planting a faithfull painfull preaching Ministry by degrees in most dark corners of her Dominions endowed them with a setled competent maintenance which our subsequent Protestant Kings continued to them and their Successors without diminution All which considered we of this Isle may with much thankfulnesse to God and honour to our Princes without flattery averr before all the world That the forecited Prophecies of Kings being Nursing-Fathers and Queens Nursing-Mothers to the Church and specially Kings and Queens of this Isle have been more really accomplished in the Kings and Queens of this our Island than in the Kings and Queens of any other Isle Kingdom or Nation whatsoever throughout the world and God grant that those who shall succeed them in any other New-modelled-form of Government may not prove such Step-Fathers and Step-Mothers to our Churches and Ministers as to demolish the one and strip the other quite naked of all that former Livelihood and remaining small Revenues which they yet enjoy by our Princes Grants Gifts Charters Laws and Favours only and thereby give all Godly Ministers and people too in our Nation just cause to cry out with wringed hands weeping eyes and bleeding hearts in the Prophets words Hosea 10.3 4. For now they shall say We have no King because we feared not the Lord What then should a King do to us or amongst us They have spoken words Swearing falsely in making a Covenant Thus Iudgement springeth up as Hemlock one of the deadliest Poysons to destroy men in the fields Or else to speak in Solomons language to the same effect Prov. 28.2 For the transgression of a Land many are the Princes thereof as our Land had never so many Transgressions and Princes too as now But by a Man of Vnderstanding and Knowledge and where is such a one to be found to stand up in a Gap the state thereof shall be prolonged Now the Lord raise up such a Man or Men lest God say to our Nation and all Grandees in Power as he did once to the prophane wicked Prince of Israel whose day was come Ezech. 21.25 26 27. Remove the Diadem and take off the Crown this shall not be the same Exalt him that is Low and abase him that is High I will overturn overturn overturn Church State Laws and it shall be no more untill he come whose Right it is and I will give it him To prevent these treble fatal over-turnings with the wiping and turning of our Jerusalem UPSIDE DOWN like a Dish a certain Fore-runner of a Churches Nations ruine 2 Kings 21.13 Psal 146.9 I shall now in the last place present the whole Nation with a brief Catalogue of those manifold Laws Statutes which our Kings have successively made in their Great Councils and Parliaments almost from the very first establishment of Religion in our Island for the due payment of Ministers Tithes by coercive Means Forfeitures Penalties in case of willfull detaining or neglect in paying all or any part of them at the times appointed which those who please may peruse in Chronicon Johannis Brompton Mr. Lambards Archaion Sir Henry Spelmans Councils Mr. Fox his Acts and Monuments John Bridges his Defence of the Government of the Church of England Book 16. p. 1350. Our Statutes at large and Mr. Rastals Abridgement of Statutes Title Tithes which Laws being well known to most learned men are therefore needlesse fully to transcribe The first of them is the forecited Law Decree of the Council of Calcuth under King Oswald and Offa An. 787. of famous King Alfred Anno 887. of King Alfred and Gutburn the Dane cap. 9. De Decimis Deo Debitis about the year 890. of King Edward the elder and Guthurn Anno 905. or 906. as some Cap. 6. in some c. 9. DE DECIMIS ET CENSU ECCLESIAE RETENTIS of King Aethelstan made in the famous Council of Gratelean An. 928. cap. 1. DE DECIMIS REDDENDIS tam ex Animalibus quam de fructibus terrae which this King himself duly paid and then enjoyned all his great Officers and People duly to render of King Edmond An. 944. c. 2. concluding Qui non solverit ANATHEMA ESTO Of famous King Edgar Anno 967. c. 3. DE DECIMIS Canon 54. of the Kings and Presbyters of Northumberland made a little after that time Lex 51. of King Aethelred An. 1012. c. 1 4. of King Knute the Dane An. 1032. c. 8. but 15. in some Copies De Decimis reddendis c. 11 17. and a Statute law against obstinate Detainers of Tithes there stiled JURA ET DEBITIONES DIVINAE of King Edward the Confessor about the year 1060 confirmed verbatim by William the Conquerour in the fourth year of his Reign c. 8 9. forecited To which may be added the Great Charters of King Henry the first and King John recorded in Matthew Paris ratified by King Henry the 3d. in his Magna Charta c. 11. made in the 9th year of his Reign confirmed by above 37 Acts of Parliament since in many successive Parliaments That the Church of England shall be free now in greater Bondage than ever and shall have all her whole Rights and Liberties inviolable never so much violated diminished as now notwithstanding all Laws Covenants Declarations Protestations lately and all antient Solemn Curses and Excommunications annually made against the Infringers thereof 13 E. 1. 17 E. 3. 14. 2 H. 4. c. 4. Enacting the Cistertian Monks to pay Tithes to Ministers and Evangelists notwithstanding any Buls of Exemption from the Pope which the King and Parliament declared to be void and that the Promovers or Executors of any such Buls shall be attainted in a Praemunire It appears by the Parliament Roll of 2 H. 4. nu 40. This Act was made upon the Petition of all the Commons which because not extant in print pertinent to the present business of Tithes and unknown to most I shall here transcribe at large May it please our most gracious Lord the King to consider That whereas time out of wind the Religious men of the Order of the Cistercians of your Realm of England have paid all manner of Tithes of their lands tenements possessions let to farm or manured and occupied by other persons besides themselves and of manner of things tithable being and growing upon the same lands tenements and possessions in the same manner as your other Lieges of the said Realm Yet so it is that of late the said Religious have purchased a Bull from our Holy Father the Pope by the which our said Holy Father hath granted to the said Religious That they shall pay no Tithes of their Lands Tenements Possessions Woods Cattel or any thing whatsoever although they are or shall be leased or farmed notwithstanding any Title of Prescription or Right acquired or
abroad and at home in England The Ecclesiastical Laws of King Edgar An. 967. c. 1 2. The Council of Eauham under King Edgar An. 1010. and his Laws near that time c. 14. and the Council of London under Archbishop Hubert An. 1200. 15 years before this of Lateran All which enjoyn the people to pay their Tithes to their own Mother-Churches where they heard divine Service and received the Sacraments and not to other Churches or Chapels at their pleasures unless by consent of the Mother-Churches Hence Petrus Blesensis Archdeacon of Bath about the year 1170. 45. years before the Council of Lateran in his 62. Epistle writes thus to the Praemonstraticatian Monks who procured an Exemption from paying Tithes out of their Lands That their Lands were obnoxious to Tithes before they became theirs and were paid hitherto not with respect of Persons sed ratione Territorii but by reason of the Territory and Parish Precincts And Pope Innocent the 3d. his Decree dated from Lateran An. 1200. mistaken for the Council of Lateran cited in Cooks 2 Instit p. 641. was but in confirmation of these precedent Authorities 2ly The abuses complained against and reformed by this Council was not the lay Parishioners giving away of their Tithes from their own Ministers and Parish-Churches at their pleasures not a word of this but a New minted practice of most covetous Monks Religious Houses and some secular Clerks to rob the Parish-Churches and Ministers of all the Tithes of the lands held of them by compelling their Tenants and Lessees by special covenants in their Leases and Bonds to pay their Tithes arising out of their Lands only to themselves and their Monasteries not to their Parish Churches as formerly which the Pope and this great General Council resolve to proceed merely from the root of Covetousness let Canne and his Comrades observe it who pretend Conscience to be the ground whereupon they condemn reform this practice null the Covenants Bonds Deformations and decreed Restitution of all profits by these Frauds to the Parish-Churches And was not this a just righteous and conscionable Decree rather than an Antichristian and Papal as Canne Magisterially censures it 3ly Admit the Parochial Right of Tithes first setled in and by this Council which is false yet being a right established at 438. years since confirmed by constant use Custom Practice ever since allowed by the Common law of England ratified by the Great Charter of England ch 1. with sundry other Sâ—atutes Acts of Parliament Canons of our Councils and Convocations and approved by all our Parliaments ever since as most just expedient necessary Yea setled on our Parish Churches by original Grants of our Ancestors for them their Heirs and Assigns for ever with general warranties against all men with special Execrations and Anathemaes denounced against all such who should detain or substract them from God and the Church to whom they consecrated them for ever and that as sacred Tribute reserved commanded by God himself in the Old and New Testament as a badge of his Vniversal Dominion over them and their Possessions held of him as Supream Landlord as the Council of London under Archbishop Hubert in the 2d year of King John with another Council under Archbishop Replain 3 E. 3. The Council under Archbishop Stratford with others resolve There neither is nor can be the least pretext of Iustice Reason Prudence Law or Conscience for any Grandets in present Power by force or fraud to Null Repeal Alter this Antient Right and unquestionable Title of our Ministers to them now and set every man loose to pay no Tithes at all or to dispose of them how and to whom they will at their pleasure to destroy our Churches Ministers Parishes and breed nothing but Quarrels and Confusions in every place and Parish at this present when all had now need to study to be quiet and to do their own Business and not to disturb all our Ministers and others Rights without any lawfull call from God or the Nation Which unparalleld incroachment on our Ministers and Parish-Churches Rights if once admitted countenanced all the people in the Nation by better right and reason may pull down all the Fences and Inclosures of Fields Forests or Commons made since this Council deny substract all Customs Impositions Duties Rents Payments publick or private imposed on or reserved from them since that time by publick Laws or special Contracts and pay all their Rents Customs and Tenure-Services to whom and when they please which our Grandy late Army-Purchasors of Kings Queens Princes Bishops Deans and Chapters Lands with other Opposers of Tithes may do well to consider for their own Advantage and Security their Titles to them being very puny crazy disputable in comparison of our Ministers to their Tithes Now whereas Thomas Walsingham Randal Higden a Monk of Chester in his Polichronicon and Henry Abbot of Leycester write that the general Council of Lyons in France under Pope Gregory the tenth An. 1274. Decreed what others ignorantly attribute to the Council of Lateran aforesaid An 1215. Vt nulli homini deinceps liceat decimas suas ad libitum ut antea liceat assignare sed matrici ecclesiae omnes decimas persolverent Which seems to imply that before this Council every man might give his Tithes from the Mother Church to whom he pleased notwithstanding the Council of Lateran and Innocents Decrees I answer 1. That there was no such Canon made in this Council as these ignorant Monks mistake which is undeniable by the Acts and Canons of this Council printed at large in Binius Surius and other Collectors of Councils but only one Canon against Clergy-mens alienation of the Revenues of the Church and another against the Vsurpation of the Churches Revenues by Patrons in time of their vacancy which have no affinity with that they mention which if true then that which Canne and others object that the Council of Lateran made this Inhibition and took away this Liberty of disposing Tithes at pleasure from the Parishioners is false as I have proved it Secondly That from this mistake of these Monks it was as Mr. Selden probably conjectures that William Thorp ignorantly affirmed that one Pope Gregory the tenth first ordained new Tithes first to be given to Priests now in the new Law John Canne to manifest his great Ignorance both in History and Chronologie in his Second Voice from the Temple p. 13 14. Writes thus Before the Council of Lateran which was under Innocent the third any man might have paid his Tithes to any Ecclesiastical person he pleased but by that Council it was decreed That Tithes should be paid to the Parochial Priest which I have proved a grosse Forgerie and then he addes William Thorp saith That Pope Gregory the tenth was the first that ordained Tithes to be paid to Priests in the year 1211. Fox p. 494. Wherein 1. He mis-recites Thorps words who speaks not of Tithes in
Downham Practice of Piety and others * See Gratian. Cans 16. qu. 1. Walafridi Strabi de Rebus Eccles c. 27. e In his second Voice from the Temple to the Higher Powers p. 1 2 7 11. and elswhere * ch 7. p. 166 167 170 171 172 173. * Vide Zonar in Concil Gangr Can. 7. * Clement in Tit. de Decimis c. 1. Religiosi ‖ Ad Extrav Tit. de Paroch c. ult significavit * Bochellus Decret Eccles Gall. l. 6. Tit. 8. c. 7 8 12 14 19 30. f Chaplain to Sir Arthur Haslerig 's Regiment and Garison heretofore * See Mr. Seldens History of Tithes and Review ch 3. a Heb. 5.17 18. a Page 13 14. a Joan. Capgrave in vita Josephi Chr. Glastoniens Vincentius Spec. Hist lib. 23. c. 147. with sundry others cited by Dr. Usher Britan. Ecclesiarum Antiquitates c. 2. p. 973 974 Spelman Concil p. 12 c. with the Authors quoted by them b Dr. Vsher Brit. Eccles Antiq. Spelmanni Concil p. 12. c. with the Authors quoted by them a Gildas Ep. Vsher Brit. Eccles Antiq. p. 193. Spelmanni Concil p. 36.45 b Spelman ib. p. 112 113. de antiquitatibus Eccles Brit. Dr. Vsher ‖ Malmsbury de Gestis Regum Angl. l. 2. c. 2. Mat. West Anno 854. Florent Wigorniensis An. 855. Spelmanni Concil p. 348 353. * Spelmanni Concil p. 292.293 298 to 302. Cent. Magd. 7. cap. 9. * See Augustin de Temp. Serm. 219. * In his second Voice from the Temple * Gen. 18.25 * John Canne His Second Voice from the Temple p. 2. ‖ Fox Acts Monuments Vol. 1. f. 602 603 604. * See Augustin de Temp. Ser. 219. Gratian Caus 16. qu. 1. †See the false Jew discovered at Newcastle for a cheat Jesuit p. 4 5 10 11 12 13. dipped by M. Tillam at Hexam a like Priest now Administrator of the Anabaptists there And Eliazer Bar Israel his Vindication of the Messiah a pretended converted Jew but sprinkled and baptized by the Jesuits dipped by our Anabaptists and a Jesuit in truth * John 8.44 * 1 Eliz. c. 2. 5 Eliz. c 1. 3 Jac. c. 4 5. 7 Jac. c. 6. 17 Car. The Act for Triennial Parliaments * 8 Eliz. c. 1 and Book of Ordination * See Antiqu. Eccles Brit. Spelmanni Concil Bp. Usher Eccles Brit. Antiqu. c. 1 2 3. c. Beda Eccles Hist * See Rastals Abridgment Tit. Provision Premunire Rome Crown Service and Sacraments Mr. Fox Acts and Monuments Bishop Jewels Apology * See Mr. Seldens History of Tithes c. 5 6 7 8 10. Bochellus Decr. Eccles Gal. l .6 Tit. 8. de Decimis * This was penned at Swainswick in the long Vacation 1653. * See Dr. Tillessee his Animadversions on Mr. Seldens History of Tithes where most of the Fathers antients are cited at large a Bochellus Decret Eccles Gal. 6. Tit. 8. c. 8. p. 904. b Edicts Ordenances Tom. 4. p. 493. c Thomas Waldensis Doctrâ—nalis Fidei l. 2. Artic 3. c. 64 65. ‖ Operum Tom. 1. Tiguri 1581. f. 273. * Operum Tom. 1. f. 319. b. * Spelman Conc tom 1. p. 259 268 396 347 402 418 554 620. Gulielmi Lambardi Archalon ‖ Seldens History of Tithes c. 7. p. 171 Object a See Gratian Caus 16. qu. 1. Answ a Luke 1.32 33. Rev. 22.16 Isa 9.6 7. Jer. 25.5 c. 30.9 c. 33.17 21 26. Ezech. 37.24 26. b Gen. 49.10 Deut. 17.20 2 Sam. 7.12 to 24. 1 Kings 2.4 c 8.20 c. 9.5 c. 15.3 4. Ps 89.3 4 28 to 39. Ps 132.11 12 13. 2 Chro. 6.10 16 17. c. 2.11 c. 13.5 c. 7.18 c. 21.7 c. 23.3 Jer. 17.24 25 26. c. 22.3 4. c. 33.17 22. c 2 Sam. 10.1 1 Chro. 19.1 2 Kings 3.26 27. c. 13.24 c. 14.37 Isa 19.11 c. 37.38 * See Rom. 12.1 ‖ Rev. 12.14 15. ‖ Levit. 27.30 31 32. Numb 35.2 3 4. * See My Quakers Unmasked and New Discovery of Romish Emissaries a Acts 13.22 b Matth. 1.6 c. 9.27 c. 15.22 c. 22.42 43 45. Rom. 1.3 Rev 22.16 c See Iohn Cannes Epistle before his second voyce nor from but against the Temple and many late Petitions against Tithes from Kent Somersetshire Wiltshite and other places d 3 E. 1. c. 5. See Cook ibidem 7 H. 4. c. 14. 1 H. 5. c. 1. 1 H. 6. c. 7.10 H. 6. c. 2.23 H. 6. c. 11.32 H. 6. c. 15.9 H. 8. c. 16.27 H 8. c. 26.35 H. 8. c. 11. Cook 4 Instit c. 1. e 2 Sam. 16.18 c. 19. cl 33 E. 1. m. 4. dors 43. Brook Parliament 101 Customs 6. 32. Grotius De Jure Belli Pacis l. 2. c. 15. sect 3. c. 6 sect 1 to 7. c. 13. sect 14. 33 H. 8. c. 17. * In my Quakers Unmasked 1655. and New dscovery of Romish-Emissaries 1656. * See my true and perfect Narrative p. 14.20.41.49.60 61 62 63· * From Somersetshire Wilshire and other places (f) De Republica Hebraeorum l. 3. c. 3. (g) Of the Incarnation of the Word Part. 1. Branch 2. ch 1. in his Workes in folio London 1636. p. 807. to 817. (h) Ephes 1.22 23. c. 4.6.15 16. c. 5.23 Col. 1.18 c. 2.10.19 Hebr. 7.1 to 15. Psal 110.1.4 Isa 9.6 7. Rev. 1.5 6. (i) Rom. 4.1 to 24. Mat. 3.9 Luke 16.22 24 30. Acts. 7.1 Rom. 9.7 8. Gal. 3.6 to the end (k) See Dr. Solaters Ministers Portions p. 18. to 40. (l) See Hebr. c. 5. to c. 11. 1 John 2.1 2. Ps 110.4 Dr. Jones and others on the Hebrewes Dr. Reynolds on Psal 110.4 (m) Acts 9.15 c. 11.1 to 19. c. 13.46 47 48. c. 15.7 to 20 c. 21.19 c. 28· 28. Rom. 1.13 c. 11.11 12 13.25 c. 15.9 to 19. c. 16.4 Eph. 3.5 6 7 8. Col. 1.27 2 Tim. 4.17 compared with Mat. 10 4. Luke 2.31 Isay 54.3 c. 60.3 to 17. c. 61.6.9 c. 62.2 c. 66.12.19 c. Ephes 4.11 12 13. (n) 1 Cor. 5.17 Eph. 5.2 Hebr. 5. to ch 11. 1 John 2.1 2.1 2. o The Kentish Petition John Cannes Voice Mt. Speed and many late Quakers rayling Pamphlets p 2 Cor. 12.15 Acts 6.3 to 7. 1 Tim. 4.13 15 16. Heb. 13 17. 1 Cor. 1.23 c. 2.2 Gal. 3.1 q Gen. 14.17 18 19. John 8.58 Heb. 7.1 to 15. compared with John 8.39 40. r See Gratian Caus 16. qu. 7. Surius Binius Crab Merlin in their Councilâ— Å¿ Hermoldus Hist Slarorum l. 1. c 92. Edit Franc. 1581. p. 76. t History of Tithes p. 34. u See Purchas Pilgrimage Edit 2. p. 304 616 621 630. Joan. Leo Africae descript l. 3. x Arnobius adversus Gentes l. 7. Cato de Re Rustica c. 152. Mr. Seldens History of Tithes p. 457 458. Mountagues Diatribae ch 3. y Pliny Nat. Hist l. 12. c. 15. Seldens History of Tithes p. 33 34. Mountagues Diatribae p. 551 552. z Dionysius Hallicarn Antiqu Rom. l. 1. Seldens Review p. 459. a Bibliotheca Hist l. 5. Justin l. 18. Mountagues Diatribae p. 448 449. b
See his Orations against them and Mountagues Diatribae p. 576 577. Xenophon de expedit Cyri lib. 5. p. 349.350 351. Richard Mountague his Diatribae c. 3. p. 500 501. * Xenophon Hist Graeâ— l. 3. p. 493. * Oratio de Agâ—silao Rege p. 657. c De Gestis Regum Anglorum l. 1. c. 2. p. 14. d Ecclesiast Hist Gentis Angiorum l. 4. c. 16. e 1 Cor. 14.33 40. f Psal 24.1 Psal 89.11 Psal 97.5 1 Chron. 29.11 12 15 16. g Psalm 115.16 Gen. 2.15 16 17. c. 3.17 h Exod. 3.14 i Exod. 20.10 Levit. 23 8. k See Doctor Sclaters Ministers Portion p. 23 c. l Luk. 17.12 17. c. 19.13 16 17. Mat. 25.1 2. Rev. 2.10 c 5.11 c 13.1 c. 17.3 1â— 16. Mat. 18.24 1 Cor. 4.15 Heb. 7.3 4. m Purchas Pilgrimage p. 304.616.621.630 The writers of these several Nations Realms and Republikes printed in 16. n Rom. 9. â—â— o Origen Hom in Num. c 18. Ambrose Serm. 5. Fer. 2 Augustin Serm. 219. Jerom in Mal. 3. p Matiscon 2. Can. 5. Moguntiense An. 813. 846. 847. Concil Lateran c. 54. Ticmense sub Leone 4. Londinense 2. Joan in Gratian Surius Hoveden q Extravag de Decimis c. 13 14 15 16. r See Mr. Seldens History of Tithes c. 5 6 7 8. Bochellus Decret Eccles Gall. l. 6. Tit. 8. Dr. Tillesleys Animadversions p. 4. to 30. Å¿ In his voyce t See spelmanni Concil Antiqu. Eccles Brit. Dr. Usher De Rerum Britanicarum Primordiis v See 25 E. 1. c. 5.34 E. 1. c. 1. Cooks 2. Instit p. 529 532 533 c. the Petition of Right 3. Car. x See Lucas Osiander Enchirid Contr. cum Anabaptistis Harmony of Confessions Sect. 19. of the Civil Magistrate My Swoâ—d of Christian Magistracy supported y John 10.16 c. 11.51 52. Eph. 1.22 23. c. 2.13 to the end c. 4.4 to 17. c. 5.23 to 33. Iohn 17.20 to 25. Cant. 6.9 Ezech. 37.16 to 24. Rom. 12.4 5. Eph. 1.10 1 Cor. 10.17 c. 12.12 13. Col. 3.15 Hebr. 12.22 23. Isay 66.18 to 24. z Mal. 3.6 Iam. 1.17 Hebr. 7.24 c. 13.8 1 Tim. 5.15 16. Psal 22.26 27. a Rom. 14.23 b Gal. 6.6 Gen. 14.12 Hebr. 7.2 c 2 Thess 2.3 4. d See Sclaters Ministers Porportion p. 214 225 226 where he proves this by their parallel a 3 R. 1. c. 1. â— R. 2. Stat. 2. c. 4. 12 R. 2 c. 12. 7 H 4. c. 14. 11 H. 4. c. 1. 1 H. 5 c. 1. 6 H. 6. c. 4. 8 H. 6. c. 7. 10 H. 6. c. 2. 23 H 6. c. 11. 32 H. 6. c. 15. 9 H. 8. c. 10. 27 H. 8. c. 26. 35 H 8. c. 11. 17 Car. The Act for Triennial Parliaments Cooks 2 Instit p. 168 169. 4 Instit p. 1. 45 46 47 48 49. * 1 Cor. 10.12 a 2 Sam. 3.39 b Heb. 10.31 a Rom. 12.18 b Cor. 13.11 2 Gal. 5.13 Ephes 4.2 1 Pet. 3.2 c 1 John 3.16 d Matth. 5.44 Rom. 12.20 a Isay 2.4 Micha 4.3 b Psal 47.2 6 7. 1 Tim. 1.17 c Psal 2.6 Ps 48.2 Rev. 15. 3. Iohn 1.44 Zech. 9.9 a Capgrave in vita Iosephi Will. Malmesbury De Antiqu Glastoniensis Ecclesiae Spelman Concil Epist Dedicatoria p. 1. to 12. Dr. Vsher Ecclesiae Brit. Antiquitates c. 1. Godwin Mathew Parker Speed and sundry others b Antiqu. Ecclesiae Brit. Fox Acts and Monuments Spelman Concil p. 12. c. Dr. Vsher Eccles Brit. Antiqu. c. 4 5 6. c Ad An. 187. Roger Wendever ad An. 184. Dr. Usher Eccles Brit. Antiqu. p 125 126 1078. Galfridus Monmuniensis l. 5. c. 1. Edit Hidelberg a Matth. Westm Grastonâ— Holinshed Fox and Speed b Matth. Westm An. 307. Dr. Vsher Eccles Brit. Antiqu. c. 8. Speeds History p. 156 c. Baronius An. 306. n. 16. c Eusebius Eutropius Zonaras Grimston Speed and others in his Life Fox Acts and Monuments vol. 1. a Eusebius de vita Constantini Gildas Matth. Westm An. 318 to 351. Speeds History p. 159 161. Spelman Concil p. 45. Dr. usher Eccles Brit. Antiqu c. 8. throughout a Asser and others in his life Spelman in his Epistle Ded. to his Councils b Cambdâ—ns Britannia Oxfordshire a Spelmanni Concil p 360. a Cambdens Brit. Heylins Microcosm p. 458. b de Jure Belli l. 3. c. 12. Sect. 5 6 7. Annotata a Capgrave in Prologo ad vitas Sanctorum Spelmanni Concil in Epist Ded. p. 433. a Antiqu. Eccles Brit. in the life of Cranmer Fox Speed Hall Grimston in H 8. Statut. Rastal Manassenas Rome b Mr. Cambdens Britania spelman and others a Pilgrimage l. 1. c. 7. p. 133. b Fox Acts Monuments and others in his Life and the Statutes in his Reign c 2 E. 6. c. 13. d Speed How Baker Cambden in her life and the printed Statutes in her reign Antiqu. Eccles Brit. in the life of Mathew Parker Godwins Catalogue of Bishops in her time a Ezech. 22 30. b Mr. Seldens History of Tithes ch 8. a Hist Angliae Tiguri 1589. p. 52 53 246 247 c. b See Sir Edward Cooks Preface to his 2. Instit on Magna Charta c See Matth. Paris Hist Angl. p 421 505 506 621 624.838 839. The Statutes at large An. 25 E. 1. after Confirmatio Chartâ—rum N. B. a Epist 82. Bochellus Decret Eccles Gal. p. 966. Bibl. Patrum Tom. 12. Pars. 2. p. 7667 67. a Cooks 2 Report The Bishop of Winchesters case b Fredericus Lindebrogus Codex Legum Antiqu. p. 703. a Rerum Vngaricatum Scriptores Bonfinius Nicholas Isthuansis in vita sancti Stephani Sancti Stephani Regis Decretum secundum c. 52. Status Regni Hungariae p. 190. 1 Cor. 6.8 a See page 56 58 59 65 68 75 79 83 84 85 89 90 241 243 268 297 298 584. b Ioan. Leo. Geographical Description of Africa l. 3. c Pilgrimage l. 6. c. 10. p. 614. d Microcosm p. 710 711 712. a Ps 105.14 15. a As appears by their late Petitions and Iohn Cannes Voyce a Exact Collection p. 59. c. a Isay 29.16 a Matth. 22.23 24. Luke 11.42 c. 18.12 b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Seldens Review p. 453. c Eccles Hist l. 4. c. 26. l. 6. c. 41 42. l. 7. c. 12. Fox Acts and Monuments vol. 1. a Apologet. c. 39. b Ambrose Offic. l. 1. c. 41. Fox Acts and Monuments vol. 1. p. 92 93. c Pr. Steph. Hym. 2. a Operum p. 278. b Matth. 24.12 Object 2. Answ a See my Legal Vindication against illegal Taxes and Humble Remonstrance against Ship-mony Object 3. Answ a Hierom. super Ezech. l. 14. ad cap. 44. Josephus Antiqu Jud. l. 4. c. 8. Chrysostom Hom. 4. in Ephes Serm. 103. Sir James Semple sacriledge sacredly handled Joseph Scaliger Diatr de Decimis Mr. Seldens History of Tithes and Review c. 2. Purchas Pilgrimage l. 2. c. 7. Richard Mountague Diatribae on Mr. Seldens History of Tithes c. 2. Dr. Tillesley
and Mr. Nettles Ibidem Dr. Solaters Ministers portion p. 17. a P. 299 304 306 312 314 315 316 317 331 333 336 337 341 345 346 371. and elsewhere Dr. Tillesley his Animadversions on Mr. Selden c. 11 12 13. Littleton chap. 6. Fâ—ankalmoign and Cooks Institutes thereon Petrus Damianus l. 2. Epist 14. Vt copiosiora in paupereâ— alimenta perficiant dantur in Monasteriis Eremitis DECIMAE Quorumcumque proventuum c. a See Mr. Seldens History of Tithes c. 7. sect 4. p. 165 166 c b Innocent 3. Epist Decret l. 1. p. 203. l. 2. p. 410. Extrav Tit. De Decimis c. 3. Ex multis a Ad Extr. Tiâ— de Parach c. ult Mr. Seldens History of Tithes p. 166 168. b Doctrinal Fidei Tom. 1. l. 2. Artic. 3. c. 64 65. a Epist 240. Object 4. b 7 E. 3. f. 5. 44 E. 3. f. 5. 10 H. 7. f. 18.7 6 Dyer 84.8 Cook 2 Report f. 44. b. c Voyce p. 13. d Surius Concil Tom. 3. p. 751. a See Rastals Abridgement Title Tithes and the Ordinances for Tithes Lindwood provinc Constit l. 3. Tit. De Decimis Mr. Seldens History of Tithes ch 8. b See Mr. Seldens History of Tithes p. 320 322 338 346 350. c Hoveden Annal. pars posterior p. 828. Lindwood Provinc Constit l. 3. Tit. De Decimis d 1 Thess 4.11 a Hist Angl. p. 4. b History of Tithes ch 7. p. 147 148. a Hist l. 16 17. Dr. Usher Annales Eccles Veteris Testam p. 516 525. b Voyce from the Temple Epist Ded. p. 23. If they were razed to the Ground IT WOVLD DO WELL. c Psal 137.7 8. a As is evident by compaâ—ing it with Isay 56.6 7 8. c. 61.1 to 11. c. 66.18 to 24. Jer. 33.15 to the end Proposition 4. a The Kentish Petition against Tithes John Canne Voyce from the Temple and others b Mal. 3.8 9. a Matthew Westm Florentius Wigorniensis An. 983. See my Humble Remonstrance against ship-money p. 19 20 21. b Spelman Concil 610. a Cooks 2d Report The Bishop of Winchesters case Summa Angelica Tit. Decima a For which there is suffient Allowance given in case of mere Heath and Baren grounds by the Stat. or 2 E. 6. c. 13. b See Augustine Serm. 219. Mal. 3.8 9 10 11. a Cottoni â—osthuma p. 174 179. The Acts of Resumption 6 H. 3.5 9.10 E. 2.1 2 R. 2.6 6 H. 4 1.2 H. 5.28 29. 33 H. 6.2.1 H. 7.4 5.12 E. 4. a Britan. p. 161 162. Purchas Pilgrimage p. 133. a 1 Tim. 3.2 b Sermo 219. Tom. 10. c Causa 16. qu. 7. d Decret Eccles Gall. l. 6. Tâ—â— 3. c. 19 3â— a Suidas in Leone b A thing formerly proposed by them in their Agreement of the People presented to the Commons House Jan. 20. 1649. p. 24. a Deut. 12.17 18. Neh. 13.12 19. 2 Chro. 31.5 6 7 8 9. Purchase Pilgrimage l. 2. c. 7. p. 130 131. Object a This Objection I finde recited in the Council of Lingon Anno 1404. there Answered Bochellus Decret Eccles Gall. p. 963. Answ a See the Levelers New Printed paper intituled Englands Fundamentall Laws and Liberties claimed c. and many Petitions of late b See all Acts for Tonnage Poundage and Impositions Mr. Hackwels argument against Impositions Cooks 2. Instit p. 58 59 to 64. b Mal. 3.5 10 11 12. See Augustine Sermo 219. a Gul. Malmesburiensis De Gestis Regum Angl. l. 1. c. 4. Juocus Chron. in Carolo Simplici Cent. Magd. 8. c. 7. 9. Dr. Tillesly in his Animadversions on Mr. Seldens History of Tithes p. 64 to 69. b Tom. 3. p. 648. c Review p. 466. a Extravag De Decimis c. 10. Joannes Sarisbur De Nugis Curialium l. 7. c. 21. Mr. Seldens History of Tithes c. 6. p. 120 121. b Cannes 2d voyce from the Temple p. 24 c. c 1 Pet. 2.5 9. d Rev. 1.5 a Gal. 6.16 1 Cor. 15.1 2 3. b Gen. 14.20 Hebr. 7.2 4 c. c 1 Chron. 26.26 27 28. a Herodotus l. 5. c. 25. Valerius Maximus l. 5. c. 3. Diodorus An. 4. Olymp. 98. Dr. Vsher Annales Veteris Testamenti p. 260. b See Holinshed Speed and others 10 11 R. 2. Mr. St. Johns Speech against the Shipmony-Judges a Gul. Malmesburi De Gestis Regum l. 1. c. 4. Vita Eucherii apud Surium Tom. 1.10 F. Gratian Caus 16. qu. 1. Edit Gregoriana Flodourdus Rhem. Hist l. 2. c. 12. Juonis Chron. Mr. Seldens History of Tithes p. 51.465 Dr. Tillesley p. 67. * Mat. 〈…〉 Flores 〈…〉 An. 853. â— 306. * Bibliotheca Patrum Tom. 9. pars 1. p. 600 601. a Aventinus Annal. Boyorum l. 3. p. 179. Centur. Magd. 8. c. 7 9. Goldastus Constit Imp. Tom. 1. p. 15. Dr. Tillesley Animadversions on Mr. Selden p. 64 to 75. a Exact Collection p. 340 342 376 572 631 632 641 743. A Collection p. 428 8 13 41 43 44 49 51 61 64 96 99 623 696 879. Appendix p. 15. and elsewhere a Luke 3.14 a Ambros Orat. in Julianum Grotius de Jure Belli p. 35 88. b Grotius de Jure Belli l. 1. c. 2. sect 3. p. 35 36 88. Crantzius Saxonitorum l. 7. c. 16. a Exttavag De Decimis c. 10 Mr. Seldens History p. 120 121. b See the Book of Judges Kings Chron. Maccabes Josephus Paul Eber and others c Antiqu. Ecclesiae Brit. p. 209 to 220 282 284 299 300. Thomas Walsingham Hist Angl p. 348. See the Acts for the Clergies Subsidies in all our Kings reigns granted only by themselves in Convocation d Xenophon Helien l. 4. Mountague Diatriba p. 500 501. e Lib. 4. Epist 38. f In his Exposition on 2 Thess 2. p. 116. a 2 Thess 2.4 b See Dr. Abbot Dr. Beard Dr. Squire of Antichrist and Dr. Sclater on that place c Luke 3.14 d Luke 7.2 to 11. b Matth. c. 26 27 28. Mar. 14 15. Luk. 22 22. John 18 19. a Acts 12.1 to 12. b Acts 21.31 32 33 c. c. 22.24 c. c. 23.23 c. to 35. c. 27 28. c Matth. 12.33 Luk. 6 43 44. d 2 Tim. 2.3 e Hebr. 6.6 a Rev. 1.5 1 Pet. 2.5 9. a See Col. Prides Beacon quenched a Titus 1.16 b 2 Pet. 2.1 2. Acts 26.13 c 2 Thess 2. a Mat. 15.14 b Eutropius Grimston in his Life Theodoret Nicephorus l. 10. c. 3 4 5 24 25 32 33. Mr. Fox Baronius Spondanus and others Centur. Magd. 4. c. 3 14. Col. 114 to 120 1438 1439. Nazianzen Orat. 2. in Julianum Ambros Epist l. 5. Ep. 29. zozomen l. 5. c. 22. Rushamus l. 1. c. 28. c Eusebius Eccles Hist l. 8. c. 13. l. 10. c. 8. Eutropius and Grimston in his Life Fox Acts and Monuments vol. 1. p. 113. Bishop Jewels Sermons p. d See Eusebius in vita Constantini Bacons Advancement of Learning Mr. Edward Waterhouse his Apology for Learning and Learned men a Asser Menevensis
Discover these Romish wolves now crept in amongst us in Sheeps-clothing by these their Fruits and practices whose Pleas against our Ministers Tithes resolve into these Atheistical unchristian Conclusions 1. That the Tithes of Christians increase are too much for God himself who created them and gives all to them 2. Too much for Christ who redeemed them who gave himself to death for them and is a Priest for ever unto God the Father after the order of Melchisedec in their behalf 3. Too much for the Ministers of Christ whose lives studies spirits are wholy spent in ministerial incessant labours for their eternal welfare 4. Too much to be layd out for the Instruction Salvation of their own immortal Souls when as the other nine parts are consumed on their Bodies Families if not Sins and Lusts 5. Too much for an Orthodox Protestant Minister but not for a disguised seducing Popish Jesuitical Priest or Frier O brutish foolish bewitched infatuated Englishmen now at last consider this your desperate folly delusion before it be over late in following these disguised Seducers to your own and our Religions ruine The 3d. sort of Tithe-Oppugners are prophane covetous Earth-worms and Atheistical wretches who care not for God or Religion saying unto God and his faithfull Ministers like those Atheists Job 21.14 15. Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes what is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him Yet because few of such are now active Sticklers and Petitioners as such against Tithes but only mere Substractors Detainers of them at present they are lesse blame-worthy and not so culpable as the two former and subsequent Ranks the chief active Sticklers Petitioners Writers against them The 4th Rank of Grand Opposites against our Ministers and their Tithes are Prophane Ignorant Cheating Monthly Prognosticators and Astrologasters as John Booker Nich. Culpepper and above all others William Lillie a most bitter rayling Rabshekeh whose late Almanacks ever since 1648. and other idle Prophetick Pamphlets are so fraught with Scurrilous Invectives Raylings Predictions of our Ministers Presbyterians Downfalls and their Tithes the Souldiers Peoples general Opposition Insurrection against them c. almost in every line as if the Army-Officers Souldiers Anabaptists Priests Jesuites had purposely hired him to carry on their Designs against our Ministers their Tithes Maintenance to sâ—bvert our Religion and the Jesuites Anabaptists furnished him out of all their rayling Pasquils Satyrs with reproachfull Terms Invectives Slanders against them which have swelled up his frothy filthy Papers to an extraordinary Bulk beyond his Fellow Prognosticators and made them so much cryed up read studyed both by Officers Souldiers Anabaptists and other simple people incensing them against our Ministers and their Tithes as things which the late Constellations Ecclipses of the Moon and Sun have specially designed to speedy ruine When I was close Prisoner in Dunster Castle in the year 1650. the Officers and Souldiers there sent me Lilies New Almanack to read wherein I found such a world of bitter rayling Jesuitical Epithites against our Ministers and predictions of the sodain Downfall of their Ministâ—y Tithes Maintenance from pretended Malignant Constellations which yet on the contrary at the same time did promise Acts of Grace and Favour to Popish Recusants who in their Zeal and Loyalty to the New Republick exceeded most Presbyterians and presoged some worthy Actions in creating New Cardinals c. to be done in Rome and Italy as he therein predicted as made me suspect him to be more than half a Jesuite or at least their Scholar Confederate Pensioner to promote their Designs against our Ministers and to acquaint Mr. Bradshaw my Committer with others at Whitehall so muâ—h in my Letters to them But our Tithes and Ministers not falling down that year as he falsely prognosticated he still continued to predict their Downfalls in his lying Prognostications 1651 and 1652. much read and cryed up by the Officers and Souldiers at Pendennys Castle in Cornwall who sent me them to read wherein he retained his former malicious Raylings against our Ministers and their Tithes to render them odious to the Souldiers Army People and all originally because reverend Mr. Gataker with the Assembly of Divines in their Annotations to the Bible on Jer. 10.2 3. and other Texts and others of them of late had censured the Art of Judicial Astrology Astronomy and the principles of it wherewith he and his Fellow-wizards cheat poor People of their mony by calculating their Nativities telling what Wives Husbands Fortunes they should have whether they should recover their Sicknesses what good or bad Voyages they should have what was become of their lost or stollen Goods or where they should find them foretelling what Weather Sicknesses publick Alterations in State Church-affairs and Church-men too should happen from the Malign or Benign Aspects Conjunction of the Stars Planets or the Ecclipses of the Sun and Moon as a mere cheating Imposture a Heathenish wicked unchristian Practice Delusion contrary to Scripture Reason Philosophy Theological Doctrin Ecclesiastical Disciplin yea a meer impious Fraud and villany The Sottishnesse Falsity Groundlesnesse whereof built upon meer ridiculous Figments Forgeries Absurdities Dreams imaginary Signes Houses built by them in the Heavens and such Malignant Qualities as their fancies have ascribed not God infused into the 7 Planets those who have been deluded by such cheating Knaves and Pick-purses the greatest Impostors of any as learned Henry Bullinger in his Commentary on Jer. 10.2 Sixtus Senensis Bibl. l. 6. Annot. 10. and the subsequent Authors stile them may for their satisfaction read at large in Bardesanis Syms the best learned of all the Chaldean Astrologers quoted by Eusebius De Praepar Evangel l. 6. c. 8. in Cicero De Divinatione l. 2. in Picus Mirandula his 12. Books against Astrology in Joseph Scaliger his Preface before Manilius in Dr. Chambers Book against Judicial Astrology London 1601. in Sixtus ab Hemminga Lib. Astrologiae Refutatae Antw. 1583. in Jo. Francus Offucius in Larvatam Astrologiam An. 1570. in Cornelius Scepperus contra Astrologos Col. 1548. in Georg. Trapezuntins Libellus cur Astrologorum Judicia sint falsa Alex. De Angelis in Astrologos Conjectores Romae 1615. in John Milton his Astrologaster 1620. in Hieron Savanorola adversus Divinatricem Astronomiam Florentiae 1581. in Apologeticus Interpretis pro Tractatu Hieron Savanorolae adversus Astrologos Flor. 1581. in Mr. Samuel Purchas his Pilgrimage l. 1. c. 2. p. 12 13. c. 12. p. 64. in Ludovicus Vives de Corrupt Artium l. 5. who censures it as a Fraud not Art in Mr. Thomas Gataker his vindication of his Annotation on Jer. 2. against the Scurrilous Aspersions of that grand Impostor William Lilly newly printed 1653. and the Authors quoted by him in Bochellus Decret Eccles Gallicanae lib. 1. Tit. 14. where the Decrees of many French Councils are recited against this Diabolical cheating
Profession prohibiting Christians to buy read keep or credit such Books in which many unprofitable Superstitious false yea impious and sacrilegious things are contained which Books ought to be suppressed damned and utterly abolished yea burnt like those Acts 19.19 as the Council of Burdeaux An 1582. and Johan Charberius de Gersonio in his Trilogio Astrologiae Theologizaiae proves at large And those who will compare Culpeppers Lillies wild monstrous false Predictions concerning the several States Kingdoms mentioned in their Almanacks Prognostications for this present year and the great Plagues Mortality which should be both the last and this Summer in London though never freer from Pestilence than at these seasons with their and others usual false Predictions every Month concerning the Weather their manifold Contradictions both to themselves and one another will easily discern them to be meer Lyars Impostors and their Art a Cheat. Now let them all tell me at their leisure by what warrant from Scripture Philosophy reason art sense the Constellations of the Heavens or Ecclipses of the Sun Moon these 2 last years only should certainly predict portend excite Souldiers Sectaries or Country people by any Divine ordination or real influence on their dis-affected Spirits to pull down the Ministers of the Gospel their Tithes being both of Divine institution and establishment to continue to the Worlds end When no other Constellations Ecclipses of like nature in any former Ages of the World since the Creation portended or effected the like Or how the Stars in Heaven should thus professedly fight against and pull down those Stars the Ministers of the Churches which Christ himself holds in his right hand out of which none can pull them and their Tithes too being antient perpetual appurtenant to Christs own eternal Priesthood Heb. 7.1 to 15 More particularly I shall desire this scurrilous Impostor Lilly to inform me How it comes to passe That the Celestial Stars Planets and Good Angels which he oft couples together in his Merlius who in the year 1647. as he prints in his Ephemeris for it by their good influence stirred up by Gods providence the Parliament to take care that preaching Ministers should be placed in every County of this Kingdom and a sufficient stipend allowed where formerly none was For which We writes he including himself in the Number must ever acknowledge our Thankfulness And that the Figures he erects on the X. of March 1647. Astrologically predicting the State of our English Affairs and Clergy should by the Rules of Astrologie and his own Iudgement thereon then printed Venus being then found in the ninth House import That many of the Clergy should trot and trudge or change their habitation out of one County into another nay shall willingly travel long Journies By which I conceive writes he is meant That our present Parliament shall this year place worthy men into warm Benefices and distribute the deserving Clergy-men of England into several quarters of this Kingdom as in their wisedoms they think convenient Blessed be God for his Creatures the Stars promise they may travel safe without prejudice or at least they indicate so much c. And shall obtain profit and good by their oft changings and remove of Habitations And the Godly Ministers so dispersed into several Counties shall prevail with the People to amend their Lives and live more soberly religiously c. As also that most of those itinerant Preachers or Divines shall leave behind them lesser Livings and go to enjoy better To which he addes by way of Jeer this passage against Mr. Geree for writing against Astrology Now for that ASTROLOGO-MASTIX is a Master of Arts and capable of Preferment I humbly implore he may be made Priest of Teuksbury from which place per varios casus he once in haste trotted c. That but 3 years after this the Heavenly Stars Planets Angels in the year 1650. as his Ephemeris then prognosticates very frequently should threaten ill and unwilling payment of Tithes in many Counties to the Clergy much heart-burning of the People towards them That after a small season or a very few years no Tithes shall be paid them For a plain people will arise gifted by God with such spiritual Knowledge as the generality of the People will decline their Sophistical School Doctrines and wholly adhere unto those who preach God only and Jesus Christ his Son And that they should be so implacable as to continue these and worse threatnings against all Presbyterian Ministers Presbytery Rectories TITHES and the whole English Clergy ever since this year so far as to portend or ascertain not only their general Opposition by Swordmen the generality of the Nation and their Governours and people but sodain downfall and extirpation Of which all his Merlins and Prognostications surfet Tantaene Animis Caelestibus Irae Doubtlesse the heavenly Stars Planets and good Angels are not so contradictory to themselves or maliciously irreconcileably Malignant against our Ministers Persons Callings Tithes Presbytery as this Arch-Cheat would make poor Simpletons believe But it is only the Language and Malignity of his own malicious heart tongue Pen against them because Enemies to his absurd Diabolical lying cheating Artlesse Art of Astrology witnesse his own words I hate Presbytery and hatred and affection as himself writes cause often Errours and Mistakes in their Art and Predictions Art thou a Presbyterian Thou art an enemy to Astrology and weariest thy auditory with invectives against me I desire thee to conform lest a worse thing happen to thee than Deans and Chapters Lands For if thou labourest to root up or pull down this Fabrick which God hath erected then I say in a small season or very few years no Tithes will be paid thee c. with many such like Passages since wherein he reviles vilifies Mr. Calvin Perkins Geree Case Calamy Farmer Gataker Owen with sundry other Divines by name and all of them in general only because they have preached or writ against the vanity falsity of his cheating Astrology by which he gets his living as much as he reviles jeers his Companion Wharton Naworth Nawâ—rth for contradicting him in his own Science whom yet elsewhere himself and Culpepper too extraordinarily applaud for his exact transcendent knowledge in Astrology though all 3. of them diametrically contradict each other in their Predictions from the Stars or different factions rather This malice of theirs against our Ministers and their Tithes wherein they have proved lying Diviners hitherto and will do so to the Worlds end if we credit Matth. 28.20 Ephes 4.11 12 13 no doubt is elevated augmented by Jesuites and Popish Spanish Agents the chief Promoters of this Study of Astrology amongst us and very intimate with these Lunatique Star gazing Incendiaries and Time-servers it being the expresse advise and project of Thomas Campanella a great Astrologer and Jesuited Italian Fryer much magnified by Lilly in some of his Merlins in his Treatise De