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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	great_a	lord_n	people_n	4,203	5	4.5705	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90205	An indictment against tythes: or, Tythes no wages for Gospel-ministers: wherein is declared, I. The time when tythes were first given in England. II. By whom, and by whose authority and power tythes were first by a law established in England. III. To whom, and to what end and purpose tythes were first given, and after continued in England. IV. Ministers pretending a threefold right to tythes, 1. By donation. 2. By the laws of the nation. And 3. By the Law of God; examined and confuted ... To which are added, certain reasons taken out of Doctor Burgess his Case, concerning the buying of bishops lands, which are as full and directly against tythes, as to what he applied them. Likewise a query to William Prynne. By John Canne. By John Osborne, a lover of the truth as it is in Jesus.	Osborne, John, lover of the truth as it is in Jesus.; Canne, John, d. 1667?	1659 (1659)	Wing O525; Thomason E989_28; ESTC R203025	30,438	45

understands the present state of the Nation how impossible it is that such unsavory salt should be cast out to the dunghil while Tythes do stand Those that would be rid of Rooks for the hurt and annoyance they do them destroy their Nest If England be ever freed of such unclean Birds viz. ignorant and scandalous Priests Tythes must be taken away for the truth is this is that which keeps them in publick places as the Nest doth the Rook. I cannot but wonder that such who pretend to a godly and Gospel-Ministry should plead for Tythes considering and they cannot but see it if they will open their eyes that so long as such a way of maintenance stands most unworthy wretches will creep into publick places what care soever be taken to prevent it But 3. Howsoever some men have very little hope 3 Reason as things now stand that this Parliament will take them away yet this I say whatever they do or not do many Reasons may be given why the contrary may be expected from them 1. It is well known that such as are the Parliaments best and real Friends and have at all times adhered to them have not onely often declared their dissatisfaction concerning Tythes but shewed in many particulars what a grievous burden and oppression they are to the Nation Alexander was wont to say His trusty Friends were his chiefest Treasure 2. Whatsoever encouragement is given to the continuance of Tythes yet this we know they who cry out loudest for them are for the most part for a Single Person or for them Interest of Charles Stuart I say more a great deal for a King then a free Commonwealth Ingratus si non quisquis amatur amat I much question whether the establishing of Tythes will ever bring over the National Clergy heartily to this present Government or to subscribe affirmatively ex animo to a Parliament without King and House of Lords Now it is a State-Maxime Not to trust such men too far whose Friendship if you have it must be bought or hired 3. Never Parliament had a fairer opportunity and more encouragement to do great things for the Interest of Christ and his people and the publick Freedom of the three Nations then this both in respect of the Army and good people every where But saith the Sluggard There is a Lyon in the way I answer It is onely feared and nothing else The ruines of Babels Tower seem big they say and very great at a distance But the neerer thou come to it the lesser Works of Reformation are Mountains far off but when Men come to them with Zeal and Resolution they are mole-hills And this the Parliament knows to be true by some former experiences 4. Who can think that the Lord will make use of him and honour him in things of great concernments if he have no heart for God and his Cause in lower and lesser matters He that cannot indure the light of the Candle how will he indure the Suns light If thou hast run with the footmen and they have wearied thee then how canst thou contend with horses Jer. 12. 5. There are things expected and to be managed by the Peoples Representatives far higher then what at present are under debate The Lord will do his work his strange work and bring to pass his act his strange act Isa 28. 21. And therefore if we are not fit to do a little much less a great deal 5. It is thought by some that the Parliament sees cause enough to take away Tythes and intend to do it when opportunity serves because they speak in their last Vote of looking out some better and more equal way If it be true what is commonly reported viz. That some poor men have been imprisoned for non-payment of a Groat and two Pence for Tythes others forced to pay them that had the Alms of the Parish Poor Labourers that could hardly get bread for their Families have had their little houshold goods taken from them Others forc't to pay 70 or 80 l. whereas the debt was not above 5 or 6 l. If these things I say be true and the Parliament upon examination shall finde it so I cannot but think they will consider of some better and more equal way and not suffer such crying sins in the Nation especially to be practised by men who call themselves the Ministers of the Gospel and Embassadors of Jesus Christ Besides in their last Act of Indempnity they declare to be much for mercy new one would think men of such vast pity cannot but take some pity on other poor people who are dayly undone through the oppression of Tythes Oh let not that be said of them Dat veniam corvis vexat Censura Columbas I have but this to add and it is to wipe off an aspersion which some would fasten upon us as if in seeking to have Tythes down we sought to destroy the preaching of the Gospel To which I answer We are so far from seeking to stop the passage of the Gospel as that one main end why we desire the removing of them it is to have the Gospel thereby advanced and ignorant and carnal people the sooner turn'd from the Errour of their Wayes And doubtless whensoever this shall come to pass the truth of God and the power of it will more increase and spread abroad then ever it hath done since the rise of the Beast Again Though we are against Tythes yet not against a Godly Gospel-Ministry but would have it in all places where it is encouraged yea and care taken that the people every where thorow the Nation may be instructed in a way agreeable to the Gospel I have been often askt by Friends why I have not answered William Prynne in regard there is scarce a book which he hath lately published but hath my name in it Now to satisfie such and others 1. I know how to improve my time better and to more advantage especially being an old man then to answer one who hath no reason with him but rayling and in his writing is like to one that turns himself many times about but moves not out of the place All that he saith concerning me is Homaeologia one thing often said over and over But 2. Howsoever he useth my name often and quotes a book of mine yet I never saw any Answer that he hath made to my Reasons there against Tythes But as Lizards who out of the open field do run into bushes so he leaves the Question and Case truly stated and hides himself under a multitude of frothywords bitter Invectives and old Moth-eaten Statutes not any thing to the matter or purpose What Origen said of Celsus works may fitly be applied to his later writings Non est periculum ut eis subvertuntum ullus fidelium Lib. 1. cont Cels There is no danger lest any faithful man be subverted by them But 3. That the man is so froward and angry I marvel not being as

is to be feared under the sprinkling of a Vial. He hath had something of the mark of the Beast so long upon him as no wonder if a noysome and Grievous Sore be upon him for it Neither do I expect under the pain and torment he is but he will more and more blaspheme the name of God his Tabernacle them that dwell in heaven 4. And to observe here the wise mans counsel Pro. 26. 4 5. thus far I take notice of the man seeing he will be doing and by the ten idle Queries which he put forth the other day it is apparent his wit lies not that way I will put this Question to him Suppose a man hath a fair pool of water in his ground the which in time becomes corrupted Weeds grow Mud increaseth and Frogs creep into it Now to help this the Owner cuts a new channel and draws the Water out to another place and leaves the filth and corruption behinde The Question is and the Case is put to Will. Prynne in the behalf of the Frogs Whether the water be the Frogs because the pit is theirs in which the waters formerly stood and whether the Frogs have cause to croak foam as if they had wrong done them or condemn those Fishes for Hereticks Sectaries and Schismaticks which refuse the stinking Mud for the other Christal Stream This pit we will take to be the old Form of Government by King Lords and House of Commons the Weeds and Mud Tyranny and Idolatry of all sorts and sizes the Frogs Archbishops Bishops and the whole Hierarchie down to the Parish-Clerk not excluding the Lawyers the Waters the just Rights and Liberties of the People in things Civil and Ecclesiastical the Owner the People in their Representatives Now something is already done in cutting a new channel and drawing the Waters to another place to wit a free Commonwealth and to leave the Weeds and Mud behinde And here is some work for William Prynne if he can leave his peevish passion and be sober a while to shew us what wrong the owner doth to these Frogs and why they must be Sectaries Anabaptists Jesuites c. that prefer the sweet and wholesome waters of Truth and Righteousness before the Weeds and Mud of Tyranny and Idolatry We will allow William Prynne the Pit and the Weeds and Mud But the water is the Owners of the ground And therefore if the Peoples Representatives shall go forward in bringing away all the good Water to this other place I mean a Commonwealth and leave the Weeds and Mud to the Frogs in the Pit there are not a few will justifie their doing against all that William Prynne can say for the Pit the Weeds Mud and Frogs For conclusion Great is the difference among us about the Good Old Cause one saith it is thus and another takes it otherwise Now the way to be patient quiet contented it is to take notice that the Lord is coming forth to decide the controversie And it will not be long I am strongly perswaded but he will make it clear and certain that he may run that readeth whether the Case which William Prynne hath stated be the Good Old Cause or what others otherwise have asserted It was the Lord who by a wonderful appearing decided the Controversie between Moses and the Magicians so afterwards between Elias and the Priests of Baal I am apt to think the present difference about the Good Old Cause will not be decided but by some visible and eminent hand of God There have been many Appeals especially of late put up to God about it and I am waiting and many more by faith and prayer for an answer from Heaven that is shortly to see shame and final confusion upon whatsoever is not the Good Old Cause but cried up by corrupt men for self-interest and what is the Good Cause indeed to be glorious and alone exalted Be silent O all flesh before the Lord for he is raised out of his holy habitation Zech. 2. 13. From my house without Bishopsgate at the three Stills the 13th of the 5th month 1659. John Canne AN INDICTMENT Against TYTHES THe consideration of the great oppression that is now exercised in this land by imposing upon men that intolerable burthen of Tythes wich lieth heavy upon and is grievous to the people of this Nation in general and more particularly to the Husbandmen and Farmers of Lands who after great labor and charges in plowing and ordering their Land and sowing their Seed and maintaining their Family and Cattel and payment of Rents and other Charges and Taxes imposed upon them wait patiently for a plentifull Harvest to countervail their pains and charges but then cometh a Tythe taker with his Cart and sweepeth away in the name of a Tenth a fourth if not a third part of the Husbandmans profit But most especially this unlawfull payment of Tythes is most burthensome to the conscientious and faithfull Servants of Jesus Christ who desire to obey him and his Commandments These I say and such like considerations have incited me to inquire seriously and to search out diligently First the time 1. The time when 2. By whom 3. To whom and to what end when Tythes were first given in England Secondly by whom and by whose Authority a Law for payment of Tythes was first established and after confirmed And thirdly to whom and for what end and purpose Tythes have been formerly and yet are paid in England And of these I shall speak briefly in order as I have laid them down And first to the time when Tythes were first given 1. The time in England I finde it affirmed by several Authors that in the first Three hundred years after Christ no Tythes were paid in England but the Priests in those times were maintained by the free benevolence and contribution of the people as Tertullian Origen and Cyprian do testifie And in the next Three hundred years in the time of the Danes and Saxons Heathenism and Paganism did totally overspread this Land until about the year of our Lord Six hundred when Gegory the great sent over Augustine the Monk into England assisted with forty Preachers to convert the Saxons from Paganism to Popery which was effected in the time of Ethelbert the first Christian King of Kent who being converted was afterward an instrument for the conversion of his Nation the Saxons This Ethelbert is reported to have been very bountifull to the said Austine the Monk and gave him the Lordship and Royalty of his chief City Canterbury but that he gave him any Tythes or ever commanded Tythes to be paid to him or to any other or made any Law for payment of Tythes it doth not appear to me by any History Nor can it be proved that any Law was made for payment of Tythes in England until the year of our Lord 786. And then in the time of Off a King of Mercia which was in 2. By whom the time

AN INDICTMENT Against TYTHES OR Tythes no Wages for Gospel-Ministers Wherein is declared I. The time when Tythes were first given in England II. By whom and by whose Authority and power Tythes were first by a Law established in England III. To whom and to what end and purpose Tythes were first given and after continued in England IV. Ministers pretending a threefold Right to Tythes 1. By Donation 2. By the Laws of the Nation And 3. By the Law of God examined and confuted By John Osborne a Lover of the Truth as it is in Jesus To which are added Certain Reasons taken out of Doctor Burgess his CASE concerning The buying of BISHOPS LANDS Which are as full and directly against Tythes as to what he applied them Likewise a QUERY to William Prynne By JOHN CANNE Micah 3. 5. Thus saith the Lord concerning the Prophets that deceive my people and bite them with their teeth and cry Peace but if a man put not into their mouths they prepare war against him Isa 57. 14. And he shall say Cast ye up prepare the way take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people London Printed for Livewel Chapman at the Crown in Popes-Head-Alley 1659 To the Supreme Authority the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England now sitting at Westminster FOrasmuch as it hath pleased the great Jehovah who is the onely wise Disposer of all things to re-call You to Your Places from whence You were unjustly deposed by an Usurped Power Therefore I beseech You consider that great things are now expected from You And I do humbly intreat and beseech You that You will be pleased to act prudently and vigorously for the Glory of GOD the Peace and Tranquillity of this Nation and the Comfort Liberty and Freedome of all the faithful Servants of the Lord Jesus Christ within this Commonwealth And forasmuch as some grievances and pressures rest upon the hearts and Spirits of many Godly Conscientious People of this Land and one especially upon mine own Spirit and Conscience in particular as well as upon divers others I mean that unsupportable burden of Tythes so dishonorable to God and destructive to his true Worship and so much tending to the abasement of the Kingdom of Christ and the advancement of the power and dominion of Satan and Antichrist This I say is a grievance necessary to be considered and speedily reformed Because I do not finde any Warrant in in the Word of God to uphold Minister Maintenance by Tythes And therefore I as a Lover of the Truth as it is in Jesus and as an obedient Servant and Subject to the Lord Jesus Christ do exhort and beseech You that You will have a tender care and compassion upon all fad oppressed Souls And to stir You up thereunto am bold to offer to Your view the short ensuing Treatise humbly desiring that You will be pleased to read it deliberately and consider it seriously and to make it a chief part of Your work according to the counsel of the Lord by the Prophet Isa 58. 6. To loose the bands of wickedness to take off the heavy burdens and let the oppressed go free and that You break every yoke And then in so doing God will bless You in all Your consultations and actions But I beseech You mistake not my good intent and meaning herein For I purpose not to take upon me to teach You Your Duties in Your places and callings but to inform You of such a growing evil in this Commonwealth as if it be not timely suppressed may speedily draw down the wrath and judgements of God upon this Nation Wherefore I desire to stir up your mindes that by your godly actings and proceedings God may be glorified your own souls comforted and poor oppressed Consciences relieved Which shall ever be the Prayer of Your most humble Servant in the Lord Jesus Christ John Osborne TO THE READER A Few months before the sitting of this present Parliament * In a Book Intituled A two-fold Shaking of the Earth I declared my opinion concerning the late Government by a Single Person or the Second State-Apostacy that is how it should be plucket up root and branch by the Representatives of the People This Representative of the People whoever they should be for I positively pitched upon none I took to be the Earth-quake in Rev. 11. 13. Now so it is and blessed be the Lord for it we see the same is come to pass to the great joy and comfort of all upright ones every where This blessed of the Lord which is marvelous in our eyes not onely strengthens me in my former opinion viz. That the Earth-quake is begun but likewise what I have there spoken concerning the effects of that Earthquake as to Tythes the carnal Church Ministry Worship and Government with all the corrupt Laws of the Nation will in some short time by this Earth-quake be utterly razed down The Sun may shine and yet not be seen because it is under a cloud I am perswaded the great works of the last day are upon us and the Spirit is moving upon the face of the waters howbeit darkness covereth the earth But to the end I may not be mistaken when I speak of the Earth-quake I would not be understood as fixing either Persons or Time For howsoever as I said before the Earth-quake I think is begun among us yet for the Instruments whom the Lord will make use of to carry on his work 't is known onely to himself So likewise for the Time though I humbly conceive it shall gradually go foreward and have no more such a death upon it as it had before Notwithstanding like the Hand of a Watch the motion may be such as men looking upon it may not perceive that it turns about But seeing at this time the great Controver sie is about Tythes awd that there is so much writing Pro and Con I shall therefore lay down some few Reasons why I think they will not long stand but be taken away as the first effect of the Earthquake That the Lord intends to have something done against 1 Reason Tithes I have cause to think so in that there hath been discovered of late such horrid Oppression and Cruelty in Tythe-Takers as I think the like was never heard of in any former Generation In truth it is almost incredible what inhumane and most unchristian cruelty hath been lotely exercised upon many poor people for refusing of conscience to pay Tythes Now doubtless this is for some good end I say there is something in it that the Lord should just now bring such things to light for if we observe his wayes of old Such wickedness as he brought to light by wonderful Providence he soon after punished most severely There seems to be by the godly on all sides a great desire to have all ignorant and scandalous Ministers rejected 2 Reason Now I think by this time it doth appear to every one that

of the Heptarchy there was a great Council holden in Mercia by two Legats sent from Pope Hadrian the first wherein as it 's reported Tythes were first established So that the first Law for payment of Tythes came from the Pope and decreed onely by his Agents in the Kingdom of Mercia being but a seventh part of England and afterwards as Popery increased so Tythes also were established in other parts of England by the several Kings thereof who out of an ignorant superstitious zeal being thereunto perswaded by the Pope and his Agents did many things contrary to the Law of God And this leads me to my third particular viz. to whom and to what end and purpose Tythes were formerly given and yet are paid in England It is reported that the foresaid Offa King of Mercia 3. To what end was a man of a high stomack and stoutness endeavouring by wars and bloodshed to enlarge his own Kingdom and after many conquests making Egfryd his Son a King with him in great devotion went to Rome where with the like zeal and example of Inas the West-Saxon King he made his kingdom subject to a Tribute then called Peter-pence afterwards Rome-scot besides other rich gifts that he gave to Pope Hadrian for canonizing Albane a Saint And returning home again about the year of our Lord 795. in honour of the Saint and pretending repentance for his sins built a Magnifick Monastery over against Verolanium indowing it with Lands and rich Revenues for maintenance of one hundred Monks Also in testimony of his repentance for the blood he had spilt and the sins he had committed he gave the tenth part of all his own goods to the Churchmen and to the poor hoping thereby to expiate his sins and to merit Salvation The next in order was Ethelwolph the nineteenth King of the Ethelwolph West-Saxons who in his youth was committed to the care of Helmestan Bishop of Winchester and by him to Swithun a famous learned Monk of that time took such a liking to the quiet and solitary life onely enjoyed by men of Religion that he undertook the Monkish vow and profession and was made Deacon and afterwards elected Bishop of Winchester But the death of his father King Egbert immediately following by great intreaty of the Nobles and partly by constraint of the Clergy he was made King and was by the authority of Pope Gregory the fourth whose Creature he was in both Professions absolved and discharged of his vows In the nineteenth year of his Reign remembring his former Ecclesiastical Profession ordained That Tythes and Lands due to holy Church should be free from all Tributes or Regal Services And in great devotion went himself to Rome where he was honourably received and entertained the space of a whole year new built the English-School that Offa the Mercian King before had there founded confirming also his grant of Peter-pence and further covenanting to pay yearly Three hundred marks to Rome to be thus imployed One hundred to St. Peter's Church another hundred to St. Paul's Light and the third to the Pope It is also said that Athelstan King of the West-Saxons Ethelstan about the year of our Lord 924. to pacifie the Ghost of his murthered brother Edwin to whose death he is said to have consenced did not onely undergo seven years Penance but also built certain Monasteries and decreed that Tythes should be paid by himself his Bishops and Officers but not by all his Subjects hoping thereby to expiate his sins Such was the blindness and ignorance of men in those times being seduced and led away from the truth by the Pope and his ungodly Agents being perswaded in their hearts that the Pope had power to pardon all their sins were they never so great and hainous Edgar about the year of our Lord 959 is said to Edgar have confirmed the payment of Tythes upon as bad a ground as Athelstan did This Edgar was a man of a vicious life favourable to the Monks he displaced the married Priests and brought in Monks of single life to possesse their places He built Forty seven some say and repaired divers Monasteries and Nunneries he was cruel to Citizens and a deflowrer of Maidens The first act was committed against the Virgin Wolfhild a sacred Nun the second offence was against the virgin Ethelfleda another of his lascivious acts was joyned with the blood of Earl Ethelwold that he might enjoy Elfrida his wife And as one saith For the most part such seed-plots were ever sown in the furrows of blood as plainly appears in these and divers other examples Canutus also the first Danish King who being guilty of Canutus the blood of Edward and Edmund sons of Ironside and Heirs to the Crown about the year 1016. confirmed Tythes built the Abby of St Bennet in Norfolk and in Suffolk he with great devotion built and endowed the Monastery of St Edmund which Saint he most dreadfully feared for the seeming Ghost of him often affrighted him for which cause as also to expiate the sins of his Father he confirmed Tythes c. Unto such strange illusions were the Princes then led by the blinde Guides that ever made gain of their devotions Many other such like examples I might produce but the few before mentioned may suffice to shew First When 1. The time when Tythes were first given in England Secondly By whom and whose authority the first Law for payment of Tythes in 1. By whom England was made And thirdly To whom and to what end and purpose Tythes were first paid in England not to Ministers 3. To what end of Christ to preach the Gospel but to Antichristian Idolaters and to a wicked idolatrous superstitious end viz. for satisfaction of the sins of the Donor to maintain a popish idle sottish Clergy to say and sing mass to pray for the souls of the Donors their wives and children living and dead And as at the first Tythes were given to Mass-Priests to read and sing the Latine-Mass So they have for many years been since continued for reading the English-Mass the book of Common-Prayer as may plainly be made to appear by the Statutes of the second year of Edward 6. and the Statute of the first of Eliz. and no Law extant for payment of Tythes to Ministers for preaching the Gospel For although heretofore in the time of the Bishops a Minister preached never so often yet if he refused to read the Book of the Common-Prayer he was by the Law to be deprived of his spiritual promotions Seeing then that Tythes were first established and since continued upon so evil and sandy foundation and to wicked ends Therefore they ought utterly to be abolished and rooted out of this and all other Christian Common-wealths as popish idolatrous superstitious and derogatory to the worship and service of God because God never commanded that Tythes should be paid to any man but to the Priests and Levites