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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

reigned in Jerusalem and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord after the abominations of the heathen for he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his Father had destroyed and he reared up the Altars for Baal and made a Grove as Ahab King of Israel did and worshipped all the host of heaven and he seduced the people to do more evil then did the Nations whom the Lord destroyed before all the Nations and made Judah also to sin with his Idols and he used inchantments Read 2 Kings 21. chap. and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards and observed times Now was not Manasseh one that did forsake the Lord and his commandments and did not he lead the peoplc on seduced them to do wickedly in serving strange gods and worshipping Idols in the houses of high places and thus you may see that the ground and foundation of the houses of high places which we in England call Cathedral Churches Churshes and Chappels was from the heathen and Idolatrous Kings and Rulers and popish Kings and others built up to worship their Idols in now in these our days are upheld in pretence to worship the true God in but I say that God dwells not in temples made with hands neither is he worshipped in them with those that assemble together in them for God is a Spirit and is wor●hipped in spirit and in truth And now I will compare those houses of high places which Jeroboam Ahab Manasseh and the heathens made with those that we have in England which are falsly called Churches and see how far short they have fallen and how far they do now fall short of being the same or such like as they were First The founders or builders of those houses of high places that the Scripture speak of that I have before mentioned were built up by the heathen and idolatrous people at the command of the wicked and ungodly Kings and Rulers of the Earth such as Jeroboam Rehoboam Ahab and Manasseh were and now by hypocritical Kings and Rulers and idolatrous Kings are upheld and maintained So these that we have here in England were all of them built up by the popish Saxon Kings and other Idolaters I will onely instance some particulars of them as I sound them written in our English Histories About the year 604. by two of the Saxon Kings viz. Etholbert King of Kent and Segebert King of Essex was founded the greatest house of high places in London falsely called by the name of the Cathedral Church FOXES Acts Monumen●s Vol. 1. or St. Pauls Church and through the instigation of Etholbert King of Kent a Citizen of London began in the year 614. to build the house of high places at Westminster falsly called a Church And in the year 636. King Gilsus King of the Moreians began and founded the house of high places falsly called a Church at Winchester but it was finished by his son Kenwalcus And about the year 932. by King Athelstone was founded and by him builded the Cathedral at Exceter HOLLINS Chr. pag. 1009. as said Hollingshood in his Chronicle who hath said likewise that it is recorded in the History of the said Cathedral thus as followeth Atholstone the Cornish being subdued returned to the City which anciently was called Monbeton but now Exceter and the●e sitting down Anno Dom. 932. he repaired the Walls of the same City not much torn also he gave a certain pension for the sounding a Monestry for the Monks of the Family of God and St. Peter alias who served God and St. Peter And Hollingshood saith that in the year 1198. Pope Innocent the third established the erroneous Doctrine of Transubstantiation and as it appeareth in the Decratals made it an Article of the Symbole And in the year 1218. his next successor Honorius the third did confirm the same and by a Decree also did establish Reservation Candle-light and praying for the dead by which means the great number of Sacrificing and Massing p●iests did not onely encrease but Churches falsly so called and Chappels began in all places every-where to be builded and erected for to wor●hip Images in and the Saxon Kings and others built Monasteries Abbies Nunneries Chantry-houses and Fryer-houses for their Monks Nunnes Priests Fryars Abbots And thus the founders or builders of your false Churches were Idolaters as those were spoken of in the Scriptures and it was one and the same Spirit of Error and Witchcraft that guided them to do them in rebellion against God for God never required it at their hands to do 2 King 17.12.15 Jer. 7.31 19.5 Secondly The Houses of high places that the heathen and the Idolatrous Kings of Israel built up were built so large for height length and breadth and so strange withall Iudges 16. 1 Sam. 5. that they did contain and hold thousands of people for the House that Dagon the god of the Philistine stood in was so large that it held about three thousand men and women upon the Roof and the House was full of men and women and the Lords of the Philistines were there And Jehu he proclaimed a solemn assembly for Baal 2 Kings 10. 1 Kings 18.22 and Jehu sent through all Israel and called for all the Prophets of Baal and all his servants and all the Priests of Baal and all the worshippers of Baal and they came all into the House of Baal and the House of Baal was filled from one end to another Now the prophets of Baal was in the dayes of Ahab four hundred and fifty men and sure his priests and his servants and his worshippers were many more for the House was filled with them from one end to the other as saith the Scripture So likewise the Houses of high places here in England which are falsly called Churches are for height length and breadth builded so strong especially the Cathedrals and some of the others that above in their Galleries and below they will hold thousands of men yea and the Princes and the Rulers and the Nobles and the Judges and the Priests that preach in them for hire and the Prophets that study or divine for money all in a Parish will but scarce fill them up from one end to the other and another to help them Thirdly The Houses of high places that Jeroboam and Ahab built they had Vestries and Vestments belonging to them and likewise they had men that had the charge over them take one for a pattern of all the rest 2 Kings 10 2● And Jehu said unto him that was over the Vestry Bring forth Vestments for all the worshippers of Baal and he brought them forth Vestments So likewise the Houses of high places falsly called Churches here in England they have men appointed to take the charge of them and their Vestries too who are called by the Name of Churchwardens Vestry-men Clarks and Sexstones and these with Priests and the Vestry-men are the Rulers of

and Diocess and of all other Suffragans to worship our Lady MARY the Mother of God our Patroness and Protectoress evermore in all adversity with such like kind of Prayer and accustomed manner of ringing as the Devotion of Christs faithful people is wont to worship her at the ringing of Coure Lesson when before day in the morning ye shal cause them to ring that with like manner of Prayer and ringing she may be every where honored devoutly by the aforesaid Our and Your Suffragans and other subjects as well religious as Secular in your and their Monasteries and Collegiate Churches And they had likewise the Image of St. Petronel and the Image of St. Christopher and the Image of the Crucifix all which and more were worshipped with Profession bowing of the Knees Oblations offering of Frankincense going on Pilgrimage kissings and setting up of Tapers or Images of Wax lighted and burning before them according to a Decree made by Pope Gregory the third at a Council at Rome held in the year 732. Fifthly In the Houses of high places that the Heathen and the Idolatrous Kings of Judah and Israel built they made Altars and reared up in them Ahab he reared up an Altar in the House of Baal 1 King 16.32 Chron. 33.3 and Manasseh he reared up Altars for Baal and a Grove as Ahab King of Israel did whereon they burnt Incense And Jeroboam stood by the Altar and he offered upon the Altar and burnt Incense And so likewise there was in those Houses of high places falsly called Churches here in England Altars and Super-Altars Rails Transubstantiation Reservation of the Lords Body as they called it and Mass Mattens and Evening-song holy Bread and holy Water Auricular Confession Absolution and Blessing and Cursing with Bell Book and Candle and singing of Dirges and playing on the Organs and burning of Lamps Now Now all this stuff and more was fetcht out of the bottomless Pit and turned into Decres to be observed and done by both Priest and people according to the Decrees made by the Popes viz Sebevianus Vitalianus Pelagius Martin and Benidicto the third And the ground and the end of all which doing was but to maintain the filthy lusts of the learned men who were trained up at Oxford and Cambridge to do all these things Sixthly The Houses of high places were consecrated for Pope Felix the third made a Decree That the Churches so called should be made hallowed by none but by a Bishop And Pelagius a Pope he devised a Memento to be used at the consecrating of them And Anselm Arch-bishop of Canterbury by the permission of King Henry the first and about the sixth year of his reign assembled a great Council of the Prelates and Clergy of England together at Westminster in which Synod and other Councils by them it was decreed That no Churches as they called them should be hallowed before the necessary provision be made for the priests and for the Church to be maintained And again the high places that the Heathens and the idolatrous Kings built up M●cca 10.83 84. Amos 6.13 were called by these Names following viz. Dagons House Dagons Temple Baals House and the House of High places that Jeroboam built up was called the Kings Chappel these Houses of high places are falsly called churches chappels Kings chappels Queens chappels Cathedal Churches and according to a device of Pope Felix the third they dedicated their Churches so called one to Christ and that is falsly called Christs Church and one to Peter and that is falsly called St. Peters Church and one to Paul and that is falsly called St. Pauls Church and others are falsly called by Name St. Georges Church St. James Church St. Maryes Church St. Katherns Church St. Bennits Church They might as well a called it Pope St. Benidicts Church and St. Martins Church or alias Pope Martins Church and Pope St. Nicholas Church Quest But some it is very like will say That their Churches are reformed of all such things as is before written To this I shall answer First The Names that was given them at their dedication by the Popes and popish bishops stands still as Christs Church St. Pauls Church St. Peters Church And again they are not yet reformed of all those PICTVRES and Images for still there remains the PICTVRES of men women and children in many of them and especially in and about London of Kings and Queens Earls Lords Ladyes and their children and others and in many places there is made by the Painters and others the likenesses of Angels Eagles Doves Lyons Wolves Hinds Asses Snakes the likeness of Boughs or Trees and the likeness of Water and the likness of the Sun Moon Stars and Firmament And their Churches so called are places of vanity and lightness and pleasures still and likewise they are places of false Worship Deut. 4.16 17 18 19. like the House of Rimmon still and they are Houses of Pictures and the likenesses of creatures is still in them which is contrary to what God did forbid the doing of saying Take ye therefore g●od heed unto your selves lest ye corrupt and make you a graven Image t●e similitude of any figure the likeness of male or female the likeness of any Beast that is on the earth the likeness of any winged Fowle that flyeth in the Air the likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground the likeness of Fish that is in the waters beneath the earth for ye saw no similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb And so yet the Houses of high places here in England were never reformed but in part like those of Israel and Judah that Jeroboam Rehoboam Ahab Manesseh and of other of those Kings caused to be set up were but in part reformed until such time that King Josiah came 1 King 13.1 2 3. according to the Word of the Lord spoken by the prophet when Jeroboam stood by the Altar at Bethel to burn Incense of which reformation I have set down some particulars as followeth For although much of the Idolatry that Jeroboam Ahab and others had set up were pulled down destroyed at several times by other Kings that succeeded them yet the complaint was That the high places was left standing still and not pulled down And so say I that some Kings and Rulers that succeeded the Saxons here in England have reformed many things that the Saxon Kings and others did do but to this day the houses of high places falsly called Churches the Tythes and the Priests remain standing up still like the stump of Dagon For Asa King of Judah did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God for he took away the Altars of the strange gods 1 King 15.14 2 Chron. 14 15. chap. and the high places and he brake down the Images and cut down the Groves that his Fathers had made and Asa removed his Mother

c. but such a work God hath not required any one of them to do but they have in their own wills and by their own imaginations done it for I have read That it was thought good that the Election of the Bishop of Rome should be of no strength without the consent of the Emperor of Rome the Emperor did choose the Bishop of Rome But saith my Author This is now void for now the Cardinal they choose the Pope and the Pope he makes Cardinals and Bishops and the Bishops they ordain the rest with their Assistants viz. their Ordinaries Suffragans Arch-Deacons and by a carnal commandment did they ordain and consecrate them Pope Iohn the thirteenth writ to King Edger in England and willed him to see in his Cathedral Churches that none be promoted to be Bishops but such as were of the Monastical Religion Anno 747. And likewise willed the said King Edger To seclude all the Secular Prebendaries at Winchester to place in Monks And that no Secular Clark should be chosen a Bishop And so in King Edgberts reign Dunston Bishop of Canterbury Oswald Bishop of York and Ethelwaldus Bi●hop of Winchester they discharged the Priests and Cannons out of their Houses to place Monks in their Cells and Cathedral Churches as they called them but in former times the black Monks who went all in black clothes as the priests of England now do that followed the order of pope St. Bennit were called Regulars and Votaries and had nothing to do with any Ecclesiastical Ministry Anno 606. till the time that Bonifacius the fourth made a Decree that Monks might use the Office of Preaching Christening and of hearing Confessions and assoyling them from their sins And in King Edwins dayes the black Monks of Bennits Order began to swarm in England out of which Habite of black clothes the priests of England cannot yet get out of to this day And now seeing that I have mentioned these black Monks of pope Bennits Order I will put forth three Queries for the parish-Ministers so called of ENGLAND to answer with moderation First Seeing that you now in these dayes so many of you go in black Apparel and in long black clokes especially Whether the Chemarims which were certain idolatrous priests who wear black apparel as you may read in the Marginal Note upon the tenth chapter of Hosea and the fifth verse be your example so to do yea or nay Secondly Or whether do ye in love follow the fashion of the black Monks of Pope St. Bennits Order in your so doing year or nay Thirdly Seeing that Anselm Arch-Bishop of Canterbury with the Prelates and Clargy of England in their Synodal Council decreed Hen. 1. and about the sixth yeer of his reign at Westminst That the Garments of the priests should be of one colour and that their Shooes should be decent then I say Whether a black colour was thought to be most decent for the priests ga●ments and if it was then Whether you the priests of England who are now called Ministers do out of conscience at this day observe that Decree and so wear your garments all of a black colour as m●st decent yea or nay The Kings and Rulers of the earth with the pope made for themselves Bishops Danes Danes and Chapters Parsons Vicars Priests Ministers and by their own carnal commandments were they made and not otherwaies as you may see hereafter In the dayes of king Henry the fourth it was agreed upon by the king Statu●o ex Offi●i● Reg. Hen. 4. and the bishops and other lords That no man within this Realm er other of the Kings Majestyes Dominions presume to take upon him to preach privily or apertly without special License firct obtained of the Ordinary of the same place And in the dayes of the said king Henry the fourth Constitutions was made by Thomas Arundal Arch-bishop of Canterbury and others and he directed his Mandate and sent to all and singular as he said our Reverend ●rethren Fellow-bishops and our Suffragans and to Abbots Priors Danes of Cathedral Churches Arch-Danes P●ovests and Cannons also to all Parsons Vicars Chaplins and Clarks of parish-churches as he called them and to all Lay dwelling in his province of Canterbury Greeting That no manner of person secular or regular being authorised to preach now by the Laws prescribed or licensed by special priviledge shall take upon him the Office of preaching the Word of God or by any means preach unto the Clargy or Laytie either within church or without in English except he first present himself and be examined of the Ordinary of the place w●ere he preacheth and so being found a fit person as well in manners knowledge he shall be sent by that said Ordinary to some one chur●h or more as shal be thought expedient by the Ordinary according to the quality of the person Now take notice that all Laws Decrees Ordinances and Constitutions were made and established by the Authority that the kings and bishops had from the pope and by the pope and his authority was all the bishops danes arch-deacons suffragans priors priests vicars chaplains made and ordained here in England An. 25. Hen. 8. chap. 20. For first the king he was to nominate who should be appointed to be bishop to any See or Diocesse within this Realm and that then every person so presented to the pope and by him approved of was to be consecrated here in England by the Arch-bishop in whose province the said bishoprick shall be Read the Act at large An. 26. Hen. 8. cap. 14. but when king Henry the eighth had cast off the pope then it was enacted by the King and the Lords spiritual and temporal and Commons assembled in parliament That no person or persons that the King should nominate to be a bishop or arch-bishop in this Realm hereafter should be commended to the pope or to the See of Rome to have the dignity or office of arch-bishop or bishop within this Realm And it was likewise enacted That King Henry the eighth should nominate the person to be bishop or arch-bishop to the bishopprick that shall hereafter be void and that he was to send his Letters Missive to the Prior and Covent or the Dane and Chapter of the cathedral Churches where the See of such Arch-bishopprick or bishopprick shall happen to be void and they was to choose and elect that person whose name was contained in the Letter Missive to the Office and Dignity of the arch-bishopprick and then the party so chosen was to be presented to the King the other bishops was to consecrate him and then he was to be invested into his place And so king Henry the 8th was set in the popes place to be Head of the church An. 26. Hen. 8. cap. 1. and the Defender of the Faith and the same thing that the pope did for the most part he did with his bi●hops and others to help

him And so likewise I finde among the Injunctions and Ecclesiastical Orders drawn out by the King and his Council FOX Act. and Mon. Vol. 2. Constitut and Can. made by K. JAMES and the Bish. 50 51 it was agreed upon and directed to the Parsons Curates c. That they should not ●dmit any man to preach within their Cures but such as were lawfully licensed thereunto by the king or the bishop of the Diocesse Now it is to be observed That none was to preach but such as was licensed thereto by the king and his bishops And so likewise in the dayes of Queen Mary none was to preach but such as should be licenced or allowed by her authority An. 1. MARY 1. parl cap. 1. or by any arch-bishop or bishop of the Realm or by a lawful Ordinary or by the Vniversities of Cambridge or Oxford So that all the preachers was made either by a woman or by men that preached and they whom God ordained and sent was not suffered to preach but must be burnt And in the dayes of Queen Elizabeth it was enacted That every person under the degree of a bishop which doth or shall pretend to be a priest or minister of Gods holy Word and Sacraments shall in the presence of the bishop or guardian of the Spiritualities subscribe all the Articles of Religion which was agreed upon by the arch-bishops and bishops of both provinces Ann. 13. ELIZ. cap. 12 and the whole clargy but if the party did affirm or maintain any Doctrine directly contrary to those articles except he did revoke his error he was to be deprived And again Constitut and Can. 34. made in K. JAMES dayes None was to be made a Minister or admitted to preach or administer the Sacraments being under the age of 24. yeers unless he bring to that Diocesse from men known to the Bishop to be of sound Religion and a testimonial of his honest life and of his professing the Doctrine expressed in the said Articles So that all the preachers and ministers and priests was made ordained and allowed on by a Woman and her Bishops and all that they did was contrary to what God had done as you shall see hereafter And thus the Kings Queens Lords and Commons set themselves in councils and took counsel together but not of the Lord how to make to themselves Bishops Arch-bishops Danes Priests Preachers Ministers c. and if they did not like their preaching then they did turn them out when they had so don but who required any of all this at their hands did God requre it at their hands I say Nay for although God did long bear with them yet you may remember what end they came to by the Parliament in those yeers they sate in from 1641. to 1653. But in the yeer 1644. the Lords and Commons then assembled in Parliament The parish Ministers of Engl. are made by a carnal commandment they made an Ordinance to give power to the Presbiter Assembly of Divines so called by them and the Presbyters for the Ordination of Ministers according to the Directory for Ordination and they gave the Assembly of Divines Rules for examination of them they ordained to be Ministers as hereafter is expressed 1. He that was to be ordained was to address himself to the Ministers appointed to ordain and he was to bring with him a testimonial that he had taken the Covenant of the three Kingdoms Can. 33 34 36. and how long he had been in the Vniversity and of his diligence in his studyes and what Degrees he had taken up there and of his age which was to be twenty four years at least but especially of his life and conversation 2. They was to proceed to inquire touching the Grace of God in him and of his learning and sufficiency and they were to make tryal what skill he had in the original tongues by reading the Hebrew and Greek Testaments and of his other learning and skill in Logick and Philosophy and what Authors in Divinity he had read and they were to make tryal of his knowledge in the chief grounds of Religion and of his ability to defend the Orthodox Doctrine against that which they called unsound and erroneous Opinions and of his skill in the sense and meaning of such places of Scripture as shall be propounded to him in case of conscience and likewise what skill he had in the Chronologie of Scripture and of the Ecclesiastical History and he was to expound a place of Scripture before the ordainers of him and frame a discourse in Latine and he was to preach before the people and the Ministers that were appointed to ordain him and then after he was approved of he was to be sent to the Church where he was to serve and a Writing was to be read afore all the people and after it was to be fixed upon the Church door so called and if no just exceptions was found against the party that was to be ordained So it was done in the dayes of the Bish s●●● Constit Con. 31. then they that were appointed to ordain him were to proceed to ordination by fasting and prayer to God for a blessing upon him that was to be set apart to the office of the Ministry and seven of them that was appointed to ordain was to be at the place and one of them was to preach to the people of the office and duty of a Minister of Christ and how the people ought to esteem of him for his work sake And after Sermon was ended he that preached was to demand of him that was ordained concerning his faith in Christ Jesus and his perswasion of the truth of the then reformed Presbyter Religion of his resolution to be diligent in prayer reading meditation preaching and his zeal against Error and Schism and his care that himself and his family walk unblamably And when he had declared his willingness and promised his endeavours by the help of God so to do then they that were appointed to ordain was solemnly to set him apart to the office and work of the Ministry by laying their hands upon him with a short prayer to this effect Thankefully acknowledging the mercy of God in sending Iesus Christ for the redemption of his people and for his ascention to the right hand of God the Father and the pouring out his spirit and giving gifts to men Apostles Evangelists Prophets Pastors and Teachers for the gathering and building up of his Church and for fitting and inclining this man to this great work to beseech him to fill him with his holy sptrit whom in his Name we * Here let them impose their hands upon his head set apart to this holy service to fulfil the work of his Ministry in all things that he may both save himself and the people committed to his charge And then after they was to commend by prayer him and his Flock to the grace of God And

c. and the like power and command they received from other Kings Queens and Parliaments afterward but not from Jesus Christ for they whom Christ sent out to preach to them he gave power and to them he gave some Apostles some prophets and some Evangelists Pastors and Teachers But those who were made by the power and command of the pope the kings and rulers of the earth they were called cardinals arch-bishops bishops suffragans priors covents deanes and chapters deacons arch-deacons prebends parsons vicars priests rectors clarks ministers c. And the Assembly of presbyter Divines so called and the Commissioners for approbation of publike preachers they received their power rule and command to ordain ministers and preachers and to set them solemnly and sacredly apart to the office and work of the Ministry from the Rulers of the earth as you may read at large in the two Ordinances made one by the parliament of Lords and Commons and the other by Oliver protector and his counsel by them they had their power and command See JOHN GOODVVIN's Book of TRIERS pag. 5. and not from Christ for without their power and command they did not act and by that rule viz. Acts and Ordinances that the Rulers of the earth set them they acted by and not by the power or spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ as did the Apostles and therefore all both popes emperors kings queens counsels parliaments or rulers bishops assembly of divines protector counsels and commmissioners their works that they have done herein are abomination unto the Lord because they are not done by his power nor his spirit but by the imaginations and devisings of their own hearts w●ich by the light are seen and made manifest to the children of the day whom Cod hath by his spirit called out from amongst the Babylonians to dwell in the city of God and to worship him in spirit and in truth for God dwells not in temples made with hands nor is he worshipped in these churches that are made with hands And now I shall come to shew you something of what I have both heard read and seen and understand by the two Vniversities of Cambridge and Oxford and likewise of their teaching and bringing up and their making of young men Masters preachers Doctors c. As for the two Vniversities they were founded by the popish Saxon Kings and other popish Kings Bishops Knights c. men and women The first common School in Cambridge was founded by Sigisbert King of the East-Angles and the Vniversity colledge in Oxford was founded by Allured one of the Saxon Kings and Baylie colledge at Oxford was founded by Iohn Bailiol King of the Scots and it is recorded That Queens Colledge at Cambridge was founded by Margaret the Wife of King Henry the sixth and finished by Elizabeth the Wife of King Edward the fourth and the Brazen-Nose-Colledge at Oxford was founded by William Smith bishop of Lincoln but St. Iohns colledge at Oxford was founded by Sir Thomas White Alderman and late before Mayor of London and for the other Colledges they were founded in the honor of one Saint or another and called by their Names viz. St. Iohns Colledge All-Souls Colledge Magdalene Colledge and another is called falsly by the Name of Trinity Colledge and another by the Name of Jesus Colledge and one by the Name of Christs Colledge and one by the name of Corpus Christi Colledge that is the Body of Christs colledge and another by the Name of Christs Colledge So by these Names and Titles ye may see what the founders were and what their religion was and now you shall see hereafter by the practise that is in these colledges that the great and wise men of the world so highly esteem of for their works sake are But first you shall see what the learned themselves have writ of them Wickliffe terms the Vniversities to be the Synagogue of Satan and John Hus. called them Lievetenants of Antichrist And Luther called them the Gates of Hell the Stews of Antichrist Houses of Lyes for said he TINDALL in his Book of The Revelation of ANTICHRIST They are all Heretical by their School-Divinity and they are Dens of Thieves said he And Tindal said That whosoever ordained Vniversities be it Alexander at Halis St. Thomas or any other he was a star that fell from Heaven to the earth for there are brought in said he moral vertues for faith and opinions for truth and said he The Vniversities are the very confused Cloud and opened Gate of Hell and said he This Cloak meaning the Vniversities is of all other most noysome and doth most hurt and damage for said he All moral Divines have a wicked conscience full of scrupulosity And Will Dell sayes That yet the Vniversities are the strongest holds that Antichrist hath had amongst us So that notwithstanding all their reformation in their Religion the Vniversities remain in a manner as bad as they were Now for their works first When any Schollar comes to any of these colledges he is examined of his Latine and Greek and Hebrew Tongues and if he be a good schollar and perfect in his answers he is approved of and when he has got him a Gown and a pair of Cuffs he is admitted into the colledge to be a Student and if he be a great mans son or one that can make great friends to the Vice-chancellor or the head-man of an House then he gets the greater place in the colledge but if he be a poor young man and of mean parentage then a mean place must serve his turn So that in their Fountains of learning to be Ministers is respecting of persons for there is saying to the rich Sit or be thou here and to the poor Be thou in one of the meanest places And then they are set to study Logick that is the Art of Reason Philosoyhy that is studying for Wisdom And there they read Aristotle and Plato's Works and others that they may become able disputants that they may dispute at Schools and make Theams and Verses And in that time called Lent one colledge disputes against another Now do but observe a little of their behaviour and carriage in that time of their disputations Those colledges who are to dispute one against another makes choice of one amongst themselves in each colledge to dispute that by their disputations it may be seen which is the greatest schollar And he that they have made choice of to dispute they take him up upon their shoulders carry him out of the school and in the time of their disputing there is such hissing and shouting like a company of Gamesters at play and when they cannot get mastery with their tongues by disputing then they fall together a fighting for mastery and teares the Gowns from one anothers backs and lose their hats and beats one another along the streets and some of them go away with black eyes And at the end of four years if

preaching writing printing or otherwayes were counted Hereticks and then according to the Popes Canons Decrees and Institutions were the Cardinals Bishops and others of his Clergy to proceed against them in their Ecclesiastical Courts by iniquisition examination or proof of Witnesse c. and so to passe definitive sentence upon them according to the Popes Canons and Decrees c. and then those they called Hereticks were delivered by them to the Secular Powers viz. the Magistrates of the Land who did punish those that they called Hereticks by whipping stocking hanging burning chopping off of their heads or cutting out of their tongues and put balls of Iron in their mouths and boared their tongues through with hot Irons banishment and confiscating of Goods and many other torments c. And now I will instance one particular mans sufferings and that which they made his crime was for setting up a certain Bill upon one of their falsly called Church doors against the Popes pardons in which Bill he named the Pope to be Antichrist for the which he was three several dayes whipped and after that he was burned in the forehead I would have Parliaments to take notice of this whipping and burning and not do as the papists do and for pulling down the Images and breaking them to pieces he was by the Canons Priests and Monks c. judged and condemned and by the Secular Powers had his right hand cut off from his arm and with a sharp pair of pinsons they violently pull'd his Nose off from his face and his paps from his breasts and both his arms from his body and afterward burned him in the fire And so by this example let all judge what spirit these were of whether this spirit that led them on to do this was of God or of the Devil I say That that spirit that led them on to destroy mens bodies or otherwayes Luk. 9.54 55 56. Matt. 26 51 52 53. by burning was not the spirit of Christ Jesus for Christ answered Iames and Iohn saying The Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them therefore see how contrary that spirit was by which the Pope and his Clergy was guided by to destroy the lives of men to the spirit of Christ as you may read And the same spirit that guided the Pope and his Councils to destroy mens lives guided them to make Decrees to pay tythes for in the Council of Lateren under Pope Gregory the tenth said they Let no man give his tythes where he pleaseth as before but let them be paid to Mother-Church c. Now do but observe Tindall who said That all moral Divines have a wicked conscience TINDAL in his Book of the Revelation of Antichrist full of scrupulosity and said he All that do pursue are Antichrist the Pope the Cardinals Bishops and their Adherents Take notice and their Adherents do pursue therefore the Pope Cardinals Bishops and their Adherents are Antichrist and I say If of Antichrist then not of Christ but against Christ and his annointed did they sit in counsel and plotted against the just to destroy them And now ye shall see it appear that the Popes Adherents viz. the Bishops and the Clergy of England were guided by the same spirit as the Pope was Statute ex Officio Hen. 4. and also the Magistrates likewise for in the dayes of King Henry the 4th it was agreed upon by the King the Lords spiritual and temporal and by them enacted That no man within this Realm or other of the Kings Dominions do presume to preach teach inform maintain openly or in secret or make or write any Book contrary to the Catholike faith and determination of holy Church and if it happen that any person or persons of what kinde state or condition soever he or they be do attempt any manner of thing contrary to this Proclamation and Statute c. the Ordinary of the same Diocesse upon information had power by the said Statute so called to cause the party or partyes so defamed and evidently suspected to be arrested and to detain the party or parties in safe custody until he or they had purged themselves touching the Articles laid to his or their charge in that behalf or else till they had denyed and recanted c. And further If any person was lawfully convinced before the Ordinary of the place or his Commissaries of the said preachings teachings opinions writings c. and would not abjure and recant then sentence was to be pronounced by the Ordinary or his Commissaries upon the party or partyes and after sentence pronounced he or they were to be delivered over to the Secular Power viz. the Mayor Sheriffs or Sheriff or Bailiff of the City Town Borrough or Village of the same County who were to take unto them the said persons so offending and cause them to be openly burned in the sight of all people c. And Thomas Arundal Arch-Bishop of Canterbury with other of the Popes Adherents added to the Statute so called their own Constitutions whereof one was Item No manner of person shall presume to dispute upon the Articles determined by the * The Pope his Adherents were meant by them to be the Church Church as is contained in the Decrees Decreetals or Constitutions provincial or in the general Councils nor none shall call in doubt the Authority of the said Decreetals or Constitutions or the Authority of him that made them nor teach any thing contrary to the determination thereof c. and whosoever doth preach teach or obstinately affirm contrary to this and all other Constitutions and Decrees except he recant in manner and form aforesaid shall forthwith incur the penalty of Heresie and shall be pronounced an Hereti●k in all effect in Law And no sooner was these Constitutions and their pretended Laws finished but Thomas Arundall Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and the learned Clergy his Brethren Suffragans and Assistants fell to put it in execution and past sentence definitive upon William Sautre alias Chautre for an Heretick and delivered him over to the Secular Power viz. the Mayor and Sheriffs then of London to be put in execution and for fear said my Author that it should not be speedily enough done The Spanish Inquisition is no Law of God nor the Dominican Fryars that were deputed Inquisitors were no just Iudges of Heresie Neither was the English Clergy who were led by the same spirit See FOX Act. Mon. Vol. 1. Elizabeth Young denyed to swear in the dayes of Queen MARY Matth. 5.34 35 36 37. 23.16 17 18 19 20 21 22. Ier. 31.33 Heb. 8.10 11. Iames 5.12 Luke 23. chap. Act. 12.2 the Bishops called upon the King to make a Decre who thereupon did and sent it to the then Mayor and Sheriffs of London to put it in execution and the words of the Decree in the latter end of it are as followeth Provided alwayes according to the Law of

Priests tythings and offerings to * To maintain finden his Priests but Lord in the old law the tythings of the lay-people they were not due to such Priests but to that other children of Levi that served in the Temple The Pope used to curse those that paid not tythes But Lord Paul thy servant said that the Order of Priesthood ceased in Christs coming and the Law of that Priesthood But Lord What doom is it to curse the lay-people for tythes and not curse the Parson that robbeth the people of tythings c. And I finde in the story of Walter Brute in his Examination before the then Bishob of Hereford these words following viz. That no man is bound to g●ve tythes nor oblations c. said he and if any man will needs give he may give his tythes to whom he will and not to their Curates And said he Anno 1407. Fox Act. and Men. Wherefore seeing that neither Christ nor any of his Apostles commanded to pay tythes it is manifest and plian that neither by the law of Moses nor by Christs laws are Christian bound to pay tythes c. And William Thorp in his Examination before the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury in answer to their fourth Article he affirmed that in the new law that neither Christ nor any of his Apostles took tythes of the people nor commanded the people to pay tythes neither to Priests nor to Deacons but as Cistersiensis telleth that in the yeer 1211. one Pope Gregory the tenth ordained tythes to be given to priests now in the new law But said William Thorp The priests that challenge tythes now in the new law say in effect that Christ is not become man nor that he hath suffered death for man And said he again That those priests that will challenge and take tythes deny that Christ is come in the flesh and do the priests office of the old law for whom tythes were granted for else the priests now take tythes wrongfully And said he The parishioners that pay their temporal goods be they tythes or offerings to priests are partners of every sin of those priests because they sustain those priests folly in their sin with their temperal goods c. Now do but take notice of one question that Thomas Arundal Arch-bishop of Canterbury asked the said Will. Thorp that is said the bishop Why Lossel doest thou deem that Holy Church hath erred in the Ordinance for tythes c. Now I answer and say Yea their Church hath erred and doth erre in making Ordinances Constitutions Canons and Decrees both for tythes and all other things and all the Rulers of the earth that do the same things are the Popes Adherents and do erre likewise c. And here followeth in part the testimony of divers others in these late dayes that they have born against tythes A Book called led the Inditement of tythes Printed 1646. and also by their imprisoment and spoyling of their goods First Whereas divers honest and consciencious persons of the city of London of the parish of Brides and of the parish of All Hallows-Barking were convented before the then Mayor of London for their non-payment of tythes to their parish-parsons some of the Inhabitants of the parish of All-Hollows-Barking gave in their grounds and reasons for their so doing which were as followeth Said they 1. We humbly conceive that tythes and circumcision were to cease and to have an end at the coming of our Saviour Christ Jesus 2. We do not know of any place in the New-Testement that commandeth the payment of tythes nor that either the Apostles or Disciples required the same or pretend a right thereunto or to any other set-maintenance but on the contrary 3. Tythes Offerings c. being contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of godlinesse though the law of the land should require the same we conceive our selves and all others bound in conscience and by our covenant to endeavor the extirpation thereof and cannot without wilful sinning submit thereunto And said they We hope it will now appeare no more strange to abolish tythes or any other thing contrary to sound Doctrine then it hath been to abolish Episcopacy Prelacy and the Book of Common-prayer c. 1. The paying of tythes is a submission unto the Jewish bondage the law of tything being known to be a part of that ceremonial law and yoke of bondage which was laid upon Israel after the flesh The Testimony of Nicholas Waterson against tythes to be observed and born by them in the land of Canaan 2. The requiring and paying of tythes is an implicite denying that Christ is come in the flesh for said he If there be not a change of the law then the priesthood of Aaron remains Heb. 7.12 and if that priesthood remains then Christ is not yet come 3. The Doctrine that tythes ought to be paid to the priests presbyters or clergy is a popish Doctrine inasmuch as it hath been devised and maintained by the pope and his prelates and is contrary to the Doctrine of the Scriptures And said he The payment of tythes or any thing in the lieu of tythes doth and wil support popish and prelatical iniquity and those humane laws that have required such payment of tythes have been grounded upon popish Doctrine and therefore are no more to be observed then those laws that injoyned the use of the Service-Book And said he They which have vowed the extirpation of popery and prelacy have therefore bound themselves not to pay tythes nor any thing in the lieu of tythes c. If tythes said he be an Ordinance under the Gospel The Testimony of Tho. Bennet against tythes then they must be of an Evangelical institution even from the command of Christ as well as other Gospel-Ordinances but we find no other Ordinance for the exaction of tythes now but a bare Mosaical Ordinance therefore tythes are no Gospel-Ordinance Tythes said he were never ordained but for the wages of typical services therefore to continue the wages of such a work cannot in equity be without the continuance of the work which is a flat denyal of Christ come in the flesh And said he These that had the commandment for tythes were onely to receive them of their Brethren that is of the other eleven Tribes therefore not of the Gentiles or were the Gentiles by that command bound thereunto and if not in Moses time muchlesse now for said he They were imposed upon the land of Canaan therefore not upon England or English men being no part of Canaan or the people any of the twelve Tribes and the Iews to this day terminate the equity of tythes to their own land as said he Mr. Seldon a Member of the House of Commons writeth in his History of Tythes and likewise That no payment of tythes was ordained in Christian Churches as Mr. Seldon observeth till the General Counsel of Lateran Therefore the Ordinance for tythes