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act_n	law_n	parliament_n	repeal_v	2,928	5	12.0628	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79864	A rod discovered, found, and set forth to whip the idolaters till they leave off their idolatry (which yet remains in the rulers of England, their ministers, and the people who follow thier wayes) which doth consist in the houses of high places, falsly called churches; the two universities, Cambridge and Oxford, (and their ministers, which are made by man, and not of God) and their ministers maintenance (not the ministers of Christs) which is portions of lands, tythes, offrings, oblations, obventions, and great houses for a certain dwelling place on the earth, and forms of oathes, all which is the fruit of idolaters, and the abomination of the heathen. So likewise here is described the true magistrate and his work; and the way (for he who is not) to become such a one; and likewise, the way for all people to come out of their idolatry, vo worship the true God in spirit and truth. Written by me Henry Clark. Unto which is prefixed the epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Laodiceans.	Clark, Henry, 17th cent.	1657 (1657)	Wing C4457; Thomason E926_1; ESTC R207580	107,831	79

her Council and Parliament reformed many things that the others set up in the high places and otherwayes but still they left the Arch-bishops Bishops their great Lordships and the Glebe-Lands the Rectories and the Parsonages the first Fruits Tythes and the Houses of High Places standing for to be maintained still But then in the dayes of the late King the bishops and the Clergy by his Authority had got an encrease into their High places of their Organs their Rails their Altars Organists and Que●istors bowing and cringing to the Altars their white Surplisses Tippits Hoods and Copes and likewise Courts Canons and Intergatories Parrators-prisons Stocks Whips Gags Pillories for the honest Puritans to be punished withall but when the long Parliament sate they voted twelve of the bishops to be Traytors and cut off the head of one and put down all the rest with Danes and Chapters and all their Courts called Ecclesiastical Courts the Star-Chamber the High Commission Court and Counsel Table Anno 17. Caroli Regis and all their Officers and Attendants belonging to them and caused the Altars Rails Organs Quirestors Canons Singing-men and Singing-boyes to be all pull'd down and laid aside and caused the priests to lay aside their Surplisses Tippits Hoods and took away the great Lordships and Lands from the Bishops Danes and Chapters and sold them and their great Houses for the publike use and cut off the late Kings head and put down Kingly power or Government as oppressing and burthensom to the people and voted down the House of Lords as uselesse and made sale for the publikes use of the Kings Houses Lands and Estates and broke the Crowns to pieces for the publikes use as was repeated An Act Dei Vonens Sept. 1650. And likewise they repealed those Laws which the Enemies of God made use of to persecute the godly people by and so granted some liberty to religious and peaceable people as you may see by an Act of Parliament but notwithstanding all this they have left the High places falsely cal e● Churches standing still with the priests belonging to them and the Glebe Lands the Parsonages and the Viccarages and the Laws that the pope and popish Kings made to oppress the people by with paying of tythes and suing men at Law for tythes and imprisoning men for non-payment of tythes made an Ordinance for the taking trebble damages by distresse of mens goods for non-payment of tythes all this still remains undone and unreformed still by this present power that now rules and all those Judges and Justices in whom the Devil rules are protected who casts some of us the people called Quakers into prisons Rev. 2.10 and whip and stock us for bearing our testimony of Jesus by the spirit of prophesie And likewise our payment of tythes is our testimony that we thereby do own Christ Jesus come in the flesh and that for his sake do suffer both imprisonment and the spoyling of our goods and so own him to be to us both King Law-giver Judge and Priest and deny all Laws that are made in opposition to him who has changed the priesthood and disanulled the Law even Christ Jesvs the same yesterday to day and for ever who is over all God blessed for ever Amen But I say all those that make Laws for to pay tythes and all they who by those Laws require or force people to pay tythes and all they who do pay tythes and all they who receive tythes priests or improprietors deny Christ Jesus by their works to be come in the flesh and set at naught what he hath done upon the crosse and so likewise by their works own him not to be unto them neither King Law-giver Judge Priest nor Redeemer and so they all agree together and set themselves against the Lord and against his anointed but of tythes I have more to say against them hereafter Quest But it is very likely that some may say What wilt not thou pay thy money to the building and repairing of our Churches or of that Church of the Parish where thou dwellest for they that live in a Parish must do as the rest of the parish does and be subject to the Orders and Customes of the place where they live Prov. 15.9 Exod. 23.2 ver 24. Deut. 12.2 3. Ans The way of the wicked is abomination to the Lord and it is written Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil nor do after their works but I am to obey the Lord and to keep his Commandments therefore I have nothing to do with Ieroboams House of High Places neither go I to worship in the House of Rimmon therefore if Baal must have a House built or repaired let Omri and Ahab do it for I deny their works and therefore refuse to put a hand to it Isa 15.1 2. or to pay any money toward it for I go not with Moab to the high places to weep nor to howle neither do I take any delight in the high places that are decked with many colours upon the Walls with the likenesses of several creatures drawn by the painters and likewise their Scutchins and Streamers and carved and graven Images of dead men and women and children and the pillars of the high places likewise deckt with several colors ●zek 16.16 1● 18 19. all are whoredomes and abomination as you may read in the Scriptures And now I come to speak of the priests which now go under the title of Ministers of parishes but formerly they had titles given them by men of Arch-bishops Bishops Danes Prebends Arch-Deacons Parsons Rectors priests Clarks made after the manner of other Nations and not of God Isa 29.13 2 King 17.32 33. 2 Chron. 13.9 The people they feared the Lord but said the Lord Their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men And they made unto themselves of the lowest of them Priests for the high places which sacrificed for them in the Houses of high places and after the manner of other Nations Ieroboam he made priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the sons of Levi and he placed those priests in the high places which he had made at Bethel Now the lowest of the people were young men who were made priests of for Micah the man of Mount Ephraim he consecrated a young man Iudg. 17. chap. and he became his priest and he likewise had before consecrated one of his own sons who became his priest but the young man that Micah consecrated came out of Bethlehem-Iudah and he was of the Family of Iudah and a Levite as saith the Scripture and he took hire for Micah he hired him to be to him a father a priest for ten sheckles of silver by the yeer and a Sute of Apparel and his Victual so Micah hired him Mich. 3.11 and consecrated him and he became his priest The priests preach for hire the prophets divine or study for money

that lay upon the people and likewise for the unprofitablenesse thereof The children of Israel were by the law commanded to pay first fruits and tythes for the maintenance of the levitical priesthood And the sons of Levi who received the office of che Priesthood had a commandment to take tythes of their Brethren according to the law and of no other Nation or people were they to receive any first fruits or tythes but verily that commandment is disanulled and the law is changed by our King our Law-giver and our Iudge and Prophet and Priest for ever viz. Christ Iesus who having abolished in his Flesh the enmity even the law ef commandments contained in Ordinances and hath blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us and contrary to us which was a yoake of bondage upon the neck of the Disciples he took it and nailed to his cross tryumphing over them in himself and said It is finished for he is the end of the law for righteeusnesse to every one that believeth in him c. But wicked and ungodly men who believe not in him even Kings Rulers Pope Matth. 13.54 55 56 57. Mark 6.23 Ioh. 7.48 49. Bishops Priests for out of their own mouths they are judged Have any of the Rulers believed in him And said Paul Not many wise men after the flesh nor many mighty nor many Nobles are called even such as believe not in Christ Iesus will not that he should reign over them therefore they have made unrighteous unjust and unholy laws for to require people to pay tythes to the priests and ministers which they themselves have so ordained consecrated and sent forth and not God And the Priests and Ministers who are not ordained nor consecrated nor sent forth of God but by man even they by their unrighteous unholy and the unjust laws of men they take tythes and sue men at the unrighteous law for tythes and cause men to be put in prison by the unjust law for tythes and by the unholy law they take trebble damages of mens goods for non-payment of tythes thus contradicting what Christ Jesus hath done for Christ the true King and the just and righteous Lawgiver he disannulled the law Eph. 2.15 Col. 2.14 15. and abolished the law of Commandments and blotted out the Hand-writing of Ordinances and changed the priesthood that took the tythes so that when the levitical priesthood ceased to be a priesthood the tythes ceased also and the law likewise Therefore I say That the Kings and Rulers of the earth the Pope and his Adherents who have made laws to pay and to take tythes by they are such as believe not in Christ Jesus the Son of God for had they believed on Christ Jesus the Son of God they would have owned him to have been a King and a Law-giver unto them and likewise they would that he should have reigned over them as King and had they loved him Isa 26.12 13 33.22 Ioh. 13.21 Matth. 23.23 Luke 18.12 they would have kept his commandments but such as own not Christ to be King and Law-giver believe not in him and so will not that he should rule and reign over them These as the Scribes Pharisees and Hyyocrites did so do they pay tythes of Mint Annis Cummin Rue and all manner of Herbs yea and of all that they possesse and so by their works they deny Christ to be King and Law-giver and Priest too but said Christ Those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring them hither Luke 19 27. and slay them before me Now there was a time that the Hypocrites Scribes and Pharisees paid tythes as said Christ Ye pay tythes c. and at that time that they paid tythes they omitted the weightier matters of the law Judgment Mercy and Faith which said Christ ye ought to have done and not to leave the other that is tythes undone which tythes was to be paid according to the law by the people of Israel which law and carna ordinances imposed upon the people continued for them to observe and do until the time of reformation which reformation was by Christ Jesus who changed the priesthood and disannulled the law and said Paul He having abolished the law of commandments and blotting out the Hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us nailing it to his crosse so that after that time that Christ had fulfilled the law and put an end to that law which was a shadow of good things to come and changed the Priesthood to which the tythes was paid I say again That there was no more tythes nor first fruits to be paid and all they that refused to pay tythes and first fruits after that time of reformation which was made by Christ Jesus who offered one sacrifice for sins for ever and after he had so done Heb. 10.12 Rom. 4.15 he sate down at the right hand of God they transgressed no law in so doing for where there is no law there is no transgression But the Heathen at this they raged and the people imagined a vaine thing the Kings of the earth they set themselves and the Rulers and the Pope and the Cardinals the Bishops and the Popes Adherents took counsel together against the Lord and against his annointed saying Come let us break their bonds asunder and cast their Cords from us such would not that Christ should rule and reign over them these were and are enemies to God they have made the Word of God of non-effect they have set Christ at naught and have lightly esteemed the Rock of their salvation they have cast his Law behinde their backs and will have none of his reproof they have not taken up the Crosse of Christ nor gone in the strait way that leads unto life but have gone in the broad way that leads unto destruction being led by a spirit of error in their Councils whereby they did make Decrees Canons Constitutions Laws Statutes Acts and Ordinances which are unjust unrighteous impure and not good for said the men of Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire and Herefordshire speaking of the Acts and Statutes made in former Kings dayes for the payment of tythes said they The Husband-mans Ploa against tythes printed in the year 1647. Because Acts of Parliament are Acts of men and not Oracles from Heaven a Parliament said they as well as a Council may be led by wrong Principles and so erre and so make Laws or Statutes that are unjust c. So acting against the Lord and against his Annointed in making Laws Canons Acts c. to pay tythes by for after that Christ had disannulled the Law and put an end to it they made Laws to uphold and to pay tythes therefore those Councils and Parliaments c. who have acted and made such Laws formerly and those that do act and make such Laws to pay tythes by now were and are led by a spirit of error to bring again upon the necks

against all those above-named unrighteous unjust and impure Decrees Laws Statutes Acts Constitutions Canons and Ordinances that have been made by men for to require the people to pay first fruits tythes offerings oblations obventions rates for tythes or such like that they are not of God and likewise That all those men who sate in councils and parliaments and have made those laws whether kings popes earls lords lords and commons protector and council or parliaments I say That they were not guided nor taught nor led by the spirit of God so to do but by a spirit of error were they ruled by for to bring again a yoke upon the neck of Christs Disciples by those unjust and unholy and unrighteous laws decrees constitutions acts and ordinances and clauses in ordinances whereby they require and compel Christs Annointed to pay first fruits tythes offerings oblations obventions or any other rates in lieu of the same I say That those laws for the payment of tythes c. are not good for whatsoever law it is that is not good in its original or foundation can never be made good by any act or acts of man subsequent Now I say That the ground and original of these laws for the payment of first fruits and tythes c. since the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was from the pope and his adherents the pope and his adherents are Idolaters and all the Idolaters are ungodly and such as hate the Lord Read 2 Chron. 18 19. chap. for Ahab the King and Israel was an Idolater and he was led by a lying spirit to go up to Ramath Gilead Iehosaphat King of Iudah joyned with him and said to Ahab I am as thou art my people as thy people but Hanani the Seer said to Iehosaphat Shouldst thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord such are the pope and his adherents ungodly and such as hate the Lord therefore those laws that had their original foundation from the pope and his councils were and are altogether illegal and unjust in their original for can a corrupt fountain send forth sweet water neither can the pope and his adherents who are led by a spirit of error send forth pure and just laws Therefor say I to all the Rulers of England Should you help the ungodly to make laws against the Lord against his Annointed do ye not make your selves manifest by your actions herein to be such as love them that hate the Lord do not ye do the same things in nature though not in substance as the pope and his Adherents do or worse for the pope used to excommunicate or to curse out of his Church those that would not pay tythes and happy they were that were so excommunicated out of his church by him and his adherents See the Petition of Right and 〈◊〉 Act for regulating the Privy Council and taking away the Star-Chamber Anno 17. Caroli Regis but ye make laws to take three times the value of the tythes from them that cannot in conscience pay tythes c. and put men in prison for non-payment of tythes to the undoing of them their wives and small children which is contrary to the Common-law of the land And again It is a Maxime in the laws of this land That whatsoever in its original is altogether illegal and unjust can never by tract or length of time or by Actor Acts subsequent be they what they will in any kinds or construction of law be made just or legal And for the clear proof of which read Judge Huttons Argument against Ship-Money pag. 48 49. and Vox Plebis pag. 20. 43. and the fourth part of Cooks Reports pag. 125. and Vernons Case See also John Lilburns Grand Plea made against the Lords Jurisdiction over the Commoners Anno 1647. pag. 8. 13. And said the men of Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire and Herefordshire See the Booke called The Husbandmans plea against tythes Printed 1647. Because said they Acts of parliament are Acts of men and not Oracles from Heaven a parliament as well as a Council may be led by wrong principles and so erre and so make laws Acts or Statutes that are unjust c. And again I say That all they who put those unrighteous and unjust laws for tythes c. in execution and all they who receive tythes firrst fruits oblations obventions offerings or any other thing in lieu of the same and all those who either through subtilty or willingly payes the said first fruits tythes oblations obventions or offerings or any thing in leu● of the same in obedience to those laws that are made by the ungodly and such as hate the ●ord I do judge them all to be enemies of God and such as will not that Christ Jesus should rule and reign over them neither do they own him to be unto them a King Law-giver and Judge but by their works do make themselves manifest to be such as deny Christ Jesus to become in the flesh for did they love Christ Jesus they would suffer the spoyling of their goods for his Names sake and keep his Commandments and did they own Christ to be King and Law-giver then they would obey no laws but his and submit to him that hath disanulled the law which was a shadow of good things to come and blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances having abolished in his flesh the law of commandments contained in Ordinances and changed the priesthood who by a law took tythes and not have revived an old law that was done away by Christ Jesus at the time of reformation by himself for who hath required that law to be revived again by them at their hands but onely the Pope and his Adherents whose work they do for his servants ye are to whom ye obey Therefore my son if sinners entice thee consent thou not neither follow a multitude to do evil walk not thou in the way with them refrain thy foot from their pathes for the wayes of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord therefore go not in the way of evil men as for God his way is perfect his work is perfect all his wayes are judgement a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he and the way of God is strength to the upright an dt they that walk in his pathes finde peace but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity c. And now I come to shew out of Histories the testimonie that others in former yeers have born for Christ and against tythes Fox Acts and Mon. Vol. 1. and them that took tythes I finde written that about the yeere 1360. in the prayer and complaint of a Plow-man wherein he said as followeth Ah Lord he that * Calleth cleepeth himself thy Vicar upon earth viz. the Pope hath ordained an order of Priests to do thy service and therefore he chargeth | Lay-men lewde men in pain of cursings to bring his

under the Gospel deriving its being and institution from the injunction of the Pope and his Council doth subject us to the dictates of the See of Rome against which we are all engaged by our former protestations c. And the men of Middlesex in their first Letter to his then called Excellency the Lord General Cromwel said That tythes is an usurped popish Relique And in their petition to the Parliament they said It is very clear that tythes have been formerly by the popish Clergy subtilly perswaded or rather extorted from our Ancesters Wherefore said they we humbly desire that all tythes and tenths may be speedily removed as a great oppression and usurpation c. And Aug. Wingfield calleth tythes the Nursery of contention and strife and that the proud and pompous priests did constrain the poor people of England viz. the popish Canons to pay their tythes unto them In his Book called Tythes totally routed by Magna Charta printed 1653. So that tythes were grounded meerly upon a popish Canon contrary to Magna Charta which is acknowledged by the learned viz. Magna Charta to be the Common-Law of England both before and after the Conquest c. And Cook that learned Oracle in the Laws of England said in his Chapter of tythes Eighth Book of Cooks Reports and in Dr. and Stud. JENKINS fol. 139. That all Canons which are against the common law or custome of the land are of no force And in Bonhams case it is laid down for law That Acts of Parliament made against common Right or Reason are ipso facto void And it is proved by Jenkins That the common-Common-Law shall controle Acts of Parliament made against Right or Reason and adjudge them to be void c. And such are all the Acts Statutes and Ordinances for tythes against both reason equity and truth And at a Parliament holden at Westminster in the two and forty yeer of Edward the third it was assented and accorded That the Great Charter and the Charter of the Forrest 42 Ed. 3. cap. 2. be holden and kept in all points and if any St●●nte be made to the contrary that shall be holden for none And the Free-men of Bucks Bedfordshire and Herefordshire said That Tythes t s the mark of the Beast or Antichrist spoken of in the Revelations the 13. chap. ver 16 17. for said they There is no ground in the New-Testament as can be found for them See their Booke called The Husbandmans Plea printed 1647. but onely from the Popes laws and canons and therefore may they be truly called a mark of the Beast or Antichrist the Pope of Rome Neither is there said they any greater tyranny of the Pope exercised over mens persons and goods then is by this law of tythes And said they in their Epistle That tythes is the most unequal the most irregular and the most unagreeable to the Word of God f●r said they in their Plea If theref●r● perfection had been by the Priesthood of the Levite then what further need was there that another priest should arise for under it was the law established unto the people the ceremonial law was but for a time even until the time of reformation which was done by Christ Iesus who changed the priesthood Col. 2.14 and at his death abolished the law bloting out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and tooke it out of the way nailing it to the Crosse And said they As the payment of tythes is contrary to the Doctrine of the Gospel so likewise it is repugnant to the power of godlinesse for said they Pope Gregory the tenth ordained that tythes should be given to the priests So that the customs that we pay tythes by at this day were setled upon this Kingdom by the Popes Legates in Provincial and Synodal Constitutions about the time of Hen. 3. and Hen. 5. And said they Tythes is a popish custom that is imposed by the Popes Authority and not by the Authority of God Seldons History of tythes chap. 11. without any warrant for it in the New-Testament So likewise tythes are a Relique of superstition because they were at first given out of a superstitious opinion viz. for satisfaction for the sins of the giver his wife and children as it appears by some of our old Charters recorded by learned Selden And said they Tythes are an oppression to the Husbandman and too heavy for him to bear because that the tenth of the Husbandmans stock and yeers labour is yeerly taken from him under the name of tythes which is every particular Husbandmans proper goods by a civil and natural right so that neither Kings nor Parliaments can take them from them nor any particular man by their appointment without giving to every particular man a consideration for it of equal value when he takes it from him Rom. 8.2 Acts 20.33 34 35. or else he sins against the eighth Commandment Thou shalt not steal and against the tenth Thou shalt not covet c. which Paul a Minister of Christ said he was free from c. And I finde in a Book wherein is contained certain grievances of divers persons of this Common-wealth of England See a Booke printed 1653. called The afflictions of the afflicted or The unjust exaction o● the Tythemongers discovered who suffered as the said Book relates both imprisonment and the spoiling of their goods for the testimony of Jesus and against tythes as appeareth both in the Epistle and Schedule of their particular sufferings in the Book They said That Antichristian Teachers Improprietors and all others which afflicts the consciencious people by owning receiving and urging of tythes and forced maintenance denieth the work of the Lord Jesus done at his death for in that he hath dissolved the levitical law and the priesthood for he said It is finished as you may see Ioh. 10.30 for said they Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth and Christ is our Law-giver and High-priest which came of the Tribe of Judah and so the priesthood is changed and therefore a necessity of a change of the law also Luk. 10.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. But said they Tythes is no law of Christ to us and it is a great sin to pay tythes and forced maintenance the payment of tythes said they is against the Law of Christ and the Apostles Doctrine Gal. 5.1 Act. 15.1 2 10 19 20. ver and that if the law of England be contrarary to the law of God we are not to obey it but to obey God for whether is it better to obey God or to obey man judge ye But said they Seeing that tythes is thus unjustly taken from the free people of this Nation it is absolutely treason both in the Priest and Improprietor for in so doing they destroy the fundamental law where it is ordained that no free-man shall be taken or