may have life and therefore they cannot tast of the Tree of Life and eat and live for ever John 6. 50. This is the bread saith Christ that cometh down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not dye I am saith Christ the living bread which came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world And this is he that giveth povver to understand the Scriptures that are dark to the understanding until he that gave them forth open their understandings as you may see in Luke 24. 45. Then opened he their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures the onely vvay to obtain this favour from the Lord is to love the pure seed of God in the vvhich is Gods vvitness in thy Conscience and is his written VVord in thy heart vvhich vvas that VVord to David that he had such a love unto that by loving of it God made him vviser then his Teachers and it vvas sweeter then the honey and the honey comb and it vvas better then thousands of Gold and Silver and Solomon saith of this vvisdome The merchandise is better then the merchandise of silver and the gain thereof is better then gold And this is the Pearl of great price that the man sold all to buy it therefore my desire nay the desires of my soul thirsteth after the Salvation of all men And therefore dear Friends and People all be kept lovv in the fear of God at all times and learn of Christ to be meek and lovvly that you may find rest unto your souls and consider that the onely thing is to fear God and keep his Commandments for they that hath the Commandments and keepeth them dvvelleth in Christ and Christ in them and much reading is a vveariness to the flesh here the end of all is To fear God and keep his Commandments this is the vvhole duty of man for he that manifests his faith by being obedient he shall live for ever for the Kingdome of God consisteth not in vvords but in life and povver vvhich is righteousness and that procureth true peace such peace as men and Devils can never take from you and so vvalking in this peace the God of love and peace vvill be vvith you to the end Now unto God our Father be glory and everlasting praises ascribed both novv and for ever and for ever Amen The eighth Epistle To Richard Allen a Priest in the Parish of Crundal in Kent and also to be communicated to the rest of his Brethren the Priests to shew them the unlawfulness wicked Practice of receiving of Tythes contrary to the Practice of Christ and his Apostles and yet call themselves A Gospel-Ministry But they must know The terrible day of the Lords Wrath is at hand and this their Act of Oppression must come to Judgement WHat hast thou to do to take the Name of the Lord in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed for Let him that calleth on the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity and He that saith he is in Christ ought so to walk as Christ hath walked and He that hath Faith it purifieth the heart and he purifieth himself as Christ is pure Now he that liveth in any known sin is a transgressor of the Law and He that keepeth the vvhole Law and yet offendeth in one point is guilty of all and He that breaketh one of these least Commandments and teacheth men so shall be called the least in the Kingdome of Heaven Now I do charge thee with the desiring of thy Neighbours Goods which thou hast no just right to neither by the Law of God nor just Law of Man but the Reason is there is Laws in being for thy wicked lust because all things are out of Gods order for our Judges are not as they were at first nor our Counsellours as at the beginning if they were they might tell the people of the Law what it is for the power of the Nation of England hath had their Laws invested and enacted by Parliaments and they chosen by the people Now it vvas never conceived that a people should be so void of reason as to give a company of persons a power to destroy their Birth-Right the property of their Estates for they are called to provide for the safety and weal of a people not for their hurt or damage and all Laws are grounded upon Reason or ought to be and where Reason ceaseth there the Law ceaseth Now thou art so ingenuous to confess that Tythes came first into England by the appointment and command of the Pope and Popish Laws and is it reasonable that those Laws should binde us that vvere first made by them vvhen vve are so distinct from them that vve now in our times have had Laws made amongst us for the selling and sequestring of their Estates quatenus as Papists and that an Act of Parliament made against common Right as Tythes is common Equity and common Reason is therefore null and void in it self in Law and ought not to be executed as appears by these following Laws See the first part of Doctor Bonham's Case fol. 118. and the eighth of Edward the Third fol. 3 30 33. E. Cassanet 32. and the 27 H. Annuity 41. and the 1 of Eliz. Dyer 113. and first part of Cook 's Institutes Lib. 2. Chap. 11. Sect. 209. fol. 140. and the fourth of Edward the fourth 12. 12. Edward the Fourth 18. 1 Henry the Seventh 12 13. Plowd Com. fol. 369. Yea saith that Learned Oracle of the Law of England Edward Cook in the fourth part of his Institutes fol. 330. where Reason ceaseth there the Law ceaseth for seeing Reason is the very Life and Spirit of the Lavv it self the Law is not to be esteemed to respect that vvhich hath no Reason although the generality of the words at the first Institution or after the Letter seem otherwise And saith the Learned Author in his first part of Institutes fol. 140. all Customs and Prescriptions Acts of Parliament Lavvs and Judgements that be against Reason are void and null in themselves And saith the Armies Atturny John Cooke in the late Kings Case stated page the 23. That by the Law of England any Act or Agreement against the Laws of God and Nature as I shall prove Tythes are against both is a meer nullity saith he for as a man hath no hand in making the Laws of God and Nature no more hath he power to mar or alter them and he cites the Earl of Leicesters adjudged Case for a proof and all the Judges in England cannot make one Case to be Law that is not Reason no more then they can make one Hair white that is naturally black for Law must be Reason adjudged and every Law of man must be consonant to the Law of God otherwise they are not Righteous nor Obligatory Now
or did espie 2. BEfore or rash receive Or rash reject they durst First if his Doctrine swerve Detest him as accurst But if of heresie Thou canst not him detect Stay till thou see the truth Made plain by the effect It is a wickedness To which men are not slow In rage to cast away That which they do not know so Josephs brethren did His Dreams as Dreams deride But them their reverend King Up in his bosome laid And though he thought them strange Durst not yet vilipend But humbly did observe Until he saw the end So Moses brethren durst His zealous loving fact Reprove as deed accurst And as Usurpers act 3. THough Moses knew that God Had sent him to that end And hop'd his brethren would This secret understand Eldad and Medad when I' th' Camp they prophesie Even Joshua is rash To blame them foolishly But Moses tells him plain Not zeal doth him inflame But envie and disdain And would God would his name Not in these two alone In this sort glorifie But in all Jacobs seed When Gideon did destroy In his heroick rage The Altar which the Jews To Baal had set up Oh how this people spews Dire wrath and fell despight But Joash bold replies Will ye for Idols fight That dares this morning dies 4. WHen Saul from that he was Was suddenly transum'd And with the Prophets did As now he was indu'd Some spake of this amiss But some were better skill'd And said they cannot chuse Which with God's Spirit are fill'd VVilt thou the winds forbid To blow where they are sent Shall sacred Prophesies In Schools or Cells be pent VVhen David offered His service to his King VVhat a loud peal did then His eldest brother ring As if God might not send VVhen whom he thinketh best And as to him seems good To relieve a State distrest As if God might not set On Shepherds head the Crown VVhen they themselves forget That must be tumbled down 5. BUt let Eliab storm Let Saul himself run mad Let him and all his crew Conspire against the Lad Prince Jonathan is wise And for his brother glad And for his thankless King Religiously is sad Michal shall be his friend And so shall all the best And above all his choice VVhat cares he for the rest VVhat weighs he Nabals scorn The Ziphims treachery Abner his skill in war Dog Doegs villanies VVhen Jeroboams King A Prophet reprehended His Majesty incens'd Bid him be apprehended For this his hand he lost Until he su'd for grace Kings 't will be to your cost If Prophets you disgrace 6. DId not King Ahab so And with him that abus'd His Prince with tales and false Micaiah just accus'd The Bethelites prophane That taught as we to swear Their Boys and Gyrls to mock Him that had power to tear And with a word destroy Their lives did in one day Four hundred children loose Naaman went away From Elisha his gate VVith scorn and rage fulfill'd Because so wise men are Learned and deeply skill'd In their own judgments blind The word which him was sent Did not his prouder thoughts And high conceits content But though his footing slid His servants were more wise And boldly faithful did Their foolish Lord advise 7. IF Lords or Kings misdeem You that on them attend Be not base flattering Parasites But your best counsels lend Do not your selves and them Fond Parasites for fear Fearless down headlong cast In Pits of deeper care Yet if you be but stout To speak as you believe You may your froward Lord His leprosie relieve Or if he needs must wend After his own advise You have done nobly yet And as became the wise VVhen Elisha again In a sad time of want Did promise by next day Bread should be nothing scant This cannot be quoth he That thought God could not do That which he could not see VVas possible And so 8. IF men these Prophecies Judge as to sense they seem How can they feasibly Such uncouth wonders deem But learn of that proud lord Your judgements to submit For God is wise and strong To do all he thinks fit If in his name then hear You shall things difficult Do not with flesh and blood Too suddenly consult You may as did this Prince His life who therefore lost False sentence over-soon Pronounce unto your cost Do not with Jehu's friends If in your sight appear As will a Prophet ask What makes this mad-man here Alas can you streight know What God in heaven hath meant Can you sans tryal know Who is not surely sent 9. LEt us this Jeremie How to supplant devise Said the rash Jews for sure All that he tells are lies Is no man wise but he Is all the learning his Are there no Prophets more Do all else go amiss Poor men thus they must do That must themseves destroy Sad Jeremiah they 'll force Against their pride to pray I would their good my God But they reward me ill Let famine and the sword Them and their Infants kill As much did Pashur gain The chief of Clergie-men A sect which always hath Before all other been In mischievous designs And spightful machinations Be wise therefore you droans And shun these consultations 10. IF your Arch-Priests will needs Like Anti-christs resist Bid them alone for you Malicious blind persist He that these Priests huge fame And their foul friends found out Hath ever been the same And will still do not doubt They shall be terrifi'd That terrible now seem Magor-Missabib is This bul-beggers new names Poor wretches I do not Your pride at all envie I do not but lament And moan your misery And of these surly sect VVhich with Hilchias child At hand I do foresee Repentance be your shield VVhen Jeremie again By dreaful comminations His people would restrain VVith hideous exclamations 11. THe Priests they being chief Against him they conspire Treason must be his crime Destruction must be his hire For if you mark it well Priests they this use have got Reprove the state of sin And death must be thy lot If these blood-thirsty hounds Be suffered to prevail But Magistrates are wise Though cater-caps can rail And carry after them Sometimes with glosing lies As they Jehoiakim The King God op'd his eyes Yet you that fear the Lord And in his Son believe Do not too soon consent But boldly wise relieve And namely Shaphans child Such is thy prudence rare So art thou just and mild And for our weal takest care 12. ALthough Jehoiakim VVould not with reverence hear The Book of Jeremie But scornfully did it tear And in the fire consume Unto his greater hurt And of his royal race Yet some men had the heart VVhich next him were the first And sat in highest place The Prophet and his words To heed and to imbrace They tremble as they hear And amongst themselves confer VVhat course is best to take These judgements to aufer In Zedechiah's days Again this holy
had done and wrought that which was right in the sight of the Lord and he did it with all his heart in seeking the Commandments of his God and prospered in the work Josiah was a good Magistrate and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and walked in the wayes of David his father and did not decline from the right hand nor the left and the people sorely lamented his death for all Judah mourned for him and Jerusalem and Jeremiah lamented his death and he reigned one and thirty years And Paul saith of a good Bishop that he must be no striker blameless the steward of the Lord not soon angry not given to filthy lucre nor wine but a lover of hospitality a lover of good men sober just holy temperate holding fast the faithful word and he sheweth the reason That he may be able by sound doctrine to convince gain-sayers he exhorts that prayers and supplications may be made for kings and all in authority to what end he sheweth to this end That we may live peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable in God our Saviour and he saith The Magistrate beareth not the sword sor nought It is for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well Now that Magistrate whose heart is not touched with the true fear of the Lord and that seed of true faith that is as small as a grain of mustard-seed hath got the pre-eminence and is chief in his soul and Christ Jesus is set up in his soul in him on the throne that he hath the whole heart and the whole man is in his dominion that can truly say by bearing Testimony to the witness of God in him That to him to live is Christ and to die is gain unless the Magistrate be such he is not Christs Magistrate for those that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts and no drunkard whoremaster swearer proud ambitious self-seeker lover of pleasures more then lover of God having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof no such can be said to be of God and so are not to have that double honour which is due to Magistrates that do truly rule in his fear And this discovers plainly how short those Judges and Justices come of being godly Magistrates that suffer and consent to the imprisoning of just and righteous ones whom the Lord esteemeth as the Apple of his eye and those that touch them to their hurt will one day find it that the Lord esteemeth them as his Jewels and yet how is the Goals filled with them through the Nation and some have perished to death because they cannot consent for conscience-sake to pay Tythes seeing them to be a great and abominable Oppression I could wish that Judges and all Magistrates would regard their Oathes to do equal Administration of Justice to every man alike to have no mans Cause in respect of person but rightly to judge for the Poor as well as the Rich and let the merits of the Cause carry it minding the words of Jehosaphat for he said to the Judges Take heed what you do for ye judge not for man but for the Lord wherefore let the fear of the Lord be upon you for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God nor taking of Gifts And let them that are contrary minded remember the ends of Empson and Dudly and mind the proceedings of Henry the Third in the five and thirtieth year of his reigne against Henry de Bath one of the Judges then And the sixteenth year of Edward the First there being a great complaint of the ill Administration of Justice by the Judges whereupon the then Parliament upon due examination and proofs of their Bribery and Extortion together with their injustice done to the people were fined to pay to the King as followeth Ralph Hengham chief Justice of the Upper Bench 7000 Marks John Lineton chief Justice of the Lower Bench 3000 Marks William Brompton Justice 6000 Marks Solomon Rochester 4000 Marks Thomas Lodington 2000 Marks Walter Hopton 2000 Marks Richard Boyland 4000 Marks William Sham 3000 Marks Robert Litbury Master of the Rolls 1000 Marks Roger Liester 1000 Marks Henry Bray Escheter and Judge for the Jews 1000 Marks Adam Streton chief Baron of the Exchequer was fined 34000 Marks and Thomas Wayland being found the greatest Delinquent for Bribery and Extortion and being of the greatest substance had all his Estate real and personal taken from him to the Kings use and this great Act of Justice was highly pleasing to the people and broughâ— much honour to the King as well as Treasure into his Coffers And one Bellknap and Trisillian being both chief Justices were executed for injustice In the year forty one Articles were exhibited against John Bramston chief Justice Robert Barkly Francis Crawly Humphry Davenport Richard Weston Thomas Trevor being Justices of both the Benches and Barons of the Exchequer and as I take it they were degraded for injustice done the people It is said of that great Tyrant Nero That he could not indure an unjust Judge for one being convicted before him for injustice he caused him to be flea'd alive and his skin to be nailed to the Judgement-Seat that whoever came on that Seat might have that act of Justice fresh in his memory Thou art inexcusable O man whoever thou art that judgest another for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self if thou dost the same things and thinkest thou to escape the judgement of Cod Now it were a good thing for the people of England that the chief Magistrates with their Council would erect a Court of Justice where every man by their Proclamation might once every quarter of a year appeal to the said Court for relief against any injury done them by Judges Justices or any Officers of the Commonwealth in private or in publick done to their detriment This would be a high Act of Justice from the Counsellors Magistrates or Rulers who should preserve Justice in the Land and it would be very satisfactory to all the people and this would make men follow the Command of Christ in time To do unto all men as they would have all men do unto them By all these Texts of Scripture before-rehearsed it is plainly shewed by the holy Ghost the marks of true Teachers and false the marks of hireling shepherds and such as fleece the Flock and such as are of Christ and are truly Ministers of Christ and have the Spirit of Christ God having revealed himself in them they do minister food in due season and they do feed the Flock of Christ over which the holy Ghost hath made them Overseers and they do turn people unto God unto the light that is single that knoweth the deep and hidden things of God for the Father that dwelleth in them sheweth them all things and they have the first Fruits of the Spirit