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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
end_n	law_n	priesthood_n	tithe_n	1,449	5	10.7437	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44231	A brief relation of some part of the sufferings of the true Christians, the people of God, in scorn called Quakers, in Ireland, for these last eleaven years, viz, from 1660 until 1671 with an occasional treatise of their principles and practices briefly stated, whereby the innocency of their cause, for which they so suffer, is not only plainly demonstrated, but also from all false asperations and causeless pretences sufficiently vindicated / collected by T.H. and A.F.	Holme, Thomas, d. 1695.; Fuller, Abraham, d. 1694.	1672 (1672)	Wing H2514; ESTC R7372	56,059	82

made of necessity a change also of the Law and a change of the Command concerning their Maintenance the first Priesthood terminating in and by Jesus Christ the perpetual High Priest So here 's an end of the Levitical Priesthood Off rings Tythes c. But if all this will not satisfie and that any will yet plead for Tythes jure divino and so deny Christ to be come and the Law and Priesthood and the Command to be changed then we answer and say 1st Be sure that he that claims Tythes be a Levite of the Tribe natural of Levi that hath no Inheritance with the rest of the Tribes and that he wholy gives himself to the Service of the Alter Temple Offerings Sacrifices and he himself to offer his Heave Offerings 2dly Let him that payeth the Tythes be an Israelite of one of the other 11 Tribes naturally descended of the other 11 Sons of Jacob afterwards called Israel Jews or Israelites 3dly Let the very Tythes be brought into a publick Store-house and part given to the Levite part to the Widdow part to the Stranger and part to the Fatherless and look that the Levite hath no more then his due a part that the rest may have their parts for they have as much Right as the Levite lest the Levite get all as the Priests do in our dayes that take Tythes and let the Law that was in force before Christ came in the Flesh be fulfilled which if done yet such do not acknowledge Christ come in the Flesh But we are of the Gentiles Stock of another Race or Line natural and therefore are not in the least concerned in any respect about Tythes the Law and its Ordinances for Sacrifices Tythes Priest-Maintenance c. being given and delivered to the Israelites and not to the Gentiles Objection If Christ by his coming ended the Law Priesthood Tythes c. and ordained another way of Maintenance for Gospel Ministers as is before shewed and that the Churches in the primitive Times of Christianity practized so how comes it to pass that the Ministers of our Nations and perochial Congregations in these Gospel times do now not only demand but force us to pay them Tythes or other Maintenance compulsively Answer The Apostles in their dayes fore-told and prophesied of the great Apostacy that would ensue them 1 John 4. 1 3. 2 Pet. 2. 1 2 3. 2 John 7. Jude 11 18. for in their times and whilst the primitive Church kept the good Gospel-Order there was no such thing as Tythes amongst them nor yet any other compelling way either of Maintenance for the Ministry or foreing to worship but as the Apostacy crept in and spread it self over Nations in and by which the Apostates lost the true Power of God and thereby the good Gospel-order and then they framed and set up Worship Orders and Maintenance in their own Imaginations for their self-interest and to maintain themselves in Pride yet not without some likely Imitations to cover themselves and delude the people into a belief that their Wayes and Worships were all right and for a while kept up some part of the primitive Form and so they being erred from the Power and Guidance of God's Spirit that should call and send forth Ministers as at the first that would be content with Christ's Allowance at last lost the very Form it self and so invented Forms Ways Worships and ordaining Ministers and then durst not trust to the Charity and free Benevolence of the People or Churches nor yet to Christ's Allowance and then amongst other things set up Tythes again that had been ever discontinued among the true Christians pretending Scripture Plea viz. That it was the way of the Priests Maintenance under the Law and the People being with their Teachers in the Apostacy and so their Understandings darkened could not tell but that both their Teachers and their way of Maintenance together with the Worship and the Form of Worship was all well so great was the Apostacy Rev. 18. 3. and thus the Whore Mystery Babylon with her enticing Cup of Fornication made Nations and People drink of and be drunk with her Abominations And as History relates Selden there was in these Nations no mention of Tythes in the first Three Hundred Years after Christ Free Benevolence being the Maintenance and then the Pagans much crushed the Christians in England and after that Popery increased and by degrees brought not only the Pagans but the Christians in England generally to Popery and then Tythes that had neither by the true Christians nor yet by the Pagans been ever paid were set up yet but as a Gift and for a while given and dispenced to the Priests and the Poor but in tract of Time Prescription was pleaded for payment of them till at last Ecclesiastical Courts were set up to demand and recover them for the use only of the Clergy the Poor being then excluded though the Poor was the Cloak under which pretence they got so much interest at first as to set them up against the payment whereof several Martyrs bore Testimony Then King Henry the Eighth and his Parliament being Papists made a Law for the payment of Tythes to the Clergy then Popish which was the first Establishment of Tythes by Civil Law but when the said King fell out with the Pope and denyed his Supremacy and pulled down many Abbies and Monasteries he then appropriated the Title of Supream Head of the Church instead of the Pope and most of the Tythes to himself and some of the Tythes he kept other some he gave and sold to Lay-men and so came Lay-men first to be entituled unto Tythes and the rest of the Tythes not so appropriated he and King Edward his Son confirmed to the Clergy yet left the Tryal of them unto Ecclesiastical Courts And thus the Maintenance that Christ appointed for true Christian Gospel-Ministers which was Food and Raiment came to be sleighted and lost and Tythes set up as aforesaid instead thereof and this is a manifest Token that the Priests now adayes called Ministers nay they would be called and esteemed as Gospel-Ministers are not the true Ministers of the Gospel or true Gospel-Ministers because they will not be content with a Gospel-Maintenance Christ's Allowance but flee for Refuge and Power to the old Laws of the Land made by Papists for the Popish Clergy for their Maintenance and thus the Plea for Tythes jure divino is turned unto jure humano And if now Lay-men plead Inheritance and Law for Tythes yet in the ground the derivation of them is from their being paid at first in right to the Jewish Priesthood and since the Apostacy unto the Popish Priesthood for since the Apostacy tke Clergy were invested in them in right of the Priesthood so the Priesthood is the Original and the first Pristhood being ended and changed by the coming of Christ the Law for Tythes Sacrifices c. is also changed and dissannulled therefore this

stand betwixt God and a mans Soul if the man hath acted contrary to his own Understanding and Conscience Can Priest or Magistrate then plead for or be heard against Conscience it self which is more then a Thousand Witnesses to excuse the Guilty Soul before God or Would our Persecutors be compelled to a Worship contrary to their own Consciences So that let our Persecutors pretend what they will or can it is evidently matter of Conscience rightly informed and surely grounded even God's Spirit Scripture Authority and the Practice of the Saints and primitive Christians that makes us thus meet and wait upon and worship God and suffer thus for the same Secondly Touching our not paying Tythes and Maintenance to the Priests and their Clarks we have good Ground for the same For First BEfore the Law Abraham was the first we read of who having rescued his Brother Lot by force of Arms from the four vanquished Kings gave the Tenth of the Spoil unto Milchizedeck Priest of the most High God Gen. 14. 20. Here the Original of Tythes was a free Gift and not a general Command for then all Princes should have paid the Tenth of their Spoils And Jacob also vowed the giving of the Tenths unto God Gen. 28. 22. Secondly Under the Law Tythes were ordained of God Deut. 14. 29. for the Levite Strangers Widdows and Fatherless and they were to be brought into God's Store-house to be dispenced to the Levite who had no Inheritance with his Brethren and Priesthood for their continual attendance about the Alter Sacrifices Offerings c. Num. 18. 24. And the with-holding of Tythes or the not duly paying of them on this account was no less then a Robbery done to God Mal. 3 8 9 10. and incurred a Curse and not Imprisonment to Death as they do now who set them up without Command from Christ who ordained them amongst other things holy and were to continue in force as long as the Levitical Priesthood Law and the Ordinances thereof lasted Thirdly But when the fulness of time was that the Messiah Christ Jesus Gal. 4. 4. came of whom Moses Prophesied saying Him shall you hear in all things and whom the Priests and Jews by the Scriptures professed should come yet when he came they believed not in his then appearance in the Flesh no more then the literal Professors of this Age can believe in his now Spiritual Appearance Rom 10. 16. 21. And Christ Jesus did chuse Apostles out of the Disciples that believed in him who were of several Tribes and not out of the Priests or Tribe of Levi only and he ordain'd them more Disciples and gave them Power and Authority and sent them forth to preach the Gospel Luke 6. 13. chap. 9. from 1. to 8. chap. 10. from 1. to 10. Here was neither Paper nor Parchment Commission nor their Authority to preach derived from the Jewish Rulers or Roman Power and for this their Gospel Mission and Preaching he instituted and appointed them a Gospel Maintenance suitable to their Gospel Dispensation Ministry read Mat. 10. Mark 6. 8. Luke 9. 10. where Christ giving the verbal Commission to the Gospel Preachers saith Freely ye have received freely give provide neither Silver Gold Brass Scrip nor Bread for your Journey salute no man by the way the Workman is worthy of his Meat and into what Town or City soever ye enter enquire who is worthy c. And after they had performed their Service and returned to Christ they rejoyced they complained not of a hard Master or hard Commission or of want in their Gospel Service of Preaching and Journeys neither asked they for any Augmentation for they lacked nothing Luke 22. 35. This was the first Call and Ordination of Gospel Preachers as also the Allowance and Maintenance for them and here is Scripture for it Come now ye that say You are the Minister● of the Gospel and say for you do but say That the Scripture is the standing Rule let us try you by that Rule for we dearly own and love the Scriptures of Truth which were given forth by the Inspiration of God for they are profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness 2 Tim. 3. 16. and we wish in our Hearts you would come so far as to the Rule of the Scriptures for then must you deny your Call Ordination Commission and manner of Maintenance yea your Doctrine Discipline Worship Manner and Places of Worship and Compulsion to your Worship with all your Height Pomp Mastership Lordliness and Court-Powers as being expresly contrary to the Scriptures so that in the true Ballance you are found wanting and by the very Scales and Waights which you have chosen to be weighed in and by you cannot hold out Waight and Measure by that which ye your selves say is the Rule viz. the Scriptures And so Christ in his Gospel Institution of Ministry never ordained Tythes or any other compulsive way or means for his Ministers Means and Maintenance but ordered a Maintenance as before said suitable to the Gospel Afree Gospel and a free Maintenance and Christ being offered up ended the Law and first Priesthood and the Commandment that gave them Tythes with all its Ordinances Offerings Sacrifices Tythes c. he remaining a Priest forever Heb. 7. 12. and chap. 9. vers 10 11 14. Fourthly In the primitive Church's time when there were many Disciples and Gospel Ministers that preached to the Jews and other Nations at great distances the Management whereof must needs be supported with a suitable Charge and Maintenance yet no mention of Tythes nor petitioning the Rulers either for Authority to preach or Maintenance for their Preaching and Service in their Ministry for they that were sent forth by Christ were content with his Allowance and the Churches made provision for all such necessary Supplies and also for the Poor by their Free Collections and Voluntary Contributions and there was no Lack or Complaint Rom. 15. 26. So that as under the Law God ordained Tythes for the Priests and Levites that were employ'd about the Temple-worship Sacrifices c. and for the Widdow and Fatherless c. so under the Gospel Christ Jesus the Saints and true Christians Law-giver hath alotted and provided for his Ministers that he calls and sends forth to preach the Gospel and his Church takes care of their Poor who appointed men to see that nothing was lacking Acts 6 3. 1 Cor. 16. 12. Is not this good Gospel Order and this we are for And the Apostle to the Hebrews in a great part of his Epistle to them strives to bring them off from under the Law the first Priesthood and all the Ordinances pertaining thereunto unto Christ Jesus the Everlasting High Priest Heb. chap. 3. to chap. 11. shewing them the invaliditity of the Law and its Ordinances in comparison of Christ as also how that they are ended and fulfilled in Christ saying The Priesthood being changed there is

Cain in offering Sacrifices nor did either of them seek to compel the other to worship or offer after his way or manner but each of them and so of the succeeding People and Generations until the Law offered and worshipped in divers Places Manners according as they were led and guided in their respective Understandings and such of them as offered in the true Faith of the promised Seed Christ were accepted in their performances and those that did not so offer were rejected Thus Abel offer'd where what and when he pleased offering of the Firstlings of his Flock and the Fat thereof unto which being in the true Faith the Lord had respect And Cain he likewise offered how when and what he pleased viz. Of the Fruit of the Ground which was not accepted with God and so he persecuted and killed his innocent Brother Righteous Abel And Enoch walked with God and not after the manner of mens Wickedness then and thereby pleased God and was translated Noah a just man a Preacher of Righteousness who also walked with God and not after the manner of or with the wicked World then found Grace with the Lord and he and his Family were saved from the Deluge of the World and he built an Altar unto the Lord and thereon offered Burnt-Offerings of every clean Fowl and every clean Beast which was a sweet Savour unto the Lord. Abraham God's Friend believing in God that appeared unto him obtained Favour and was called The Father of the Faithful the Lord called him out of his own Country and from his Kindred and Father's House and he obeyed and went with his Family into Canaan a Land Promised to his Seed where he dwelt and built an Alter unto the Lord at Sichem and Bethel thence he sojourned into Egypt and returned into Canaan and built an Alter at Mamre and the Word of the Lord came unto him and God appeared unto him and made himself known by his Name The Almighty God unto Abraham and said Walk before me walk in my Wayes and not as the Nations walk amongst whom thou livest and be thou perfect he also dwelt in the Land of the Philistines but walked not after their wayes for he planted a Grove in Beersheba and there worshipped the Lord and in Moriah he offered a Ram instead of his Son and as he could not walk as the Nations did who walked not in the Fear of God nor joyn with them in their Worship so neither could he so much as joyn with them in the burying of the dead Body of Sarah but purchased the Cave of Machpelah of Ephron the Hittite for a Burying place And Isaac in whom the Seed was called dwelt under Abimelech amongst the Philistines and joyned not with them in their Worship nor yet in Marrying with them but obeyed his Father Abraham who had streighly charged him not to Marry any of the Daughters of the Cananites and also charged his Son Jacob not to mingle in Marriage with the Cananites which he also observed and the Lord appeared unto him at Beersheba and he there built an Alter to the Lord and called on his Name And Jacob or Israel the prevailing Prince with God in his sojourning in Padan-Aran and in Canaan also he dwelt and followed not the Worships of the Nations amongst whom he lived neither in their Worship as we read of nor in Marriage but erected an Alter at Shalem in Sichem and he built an Alter at Bethel and set up a Pillar of Stone and poured Drink-Offerings and Oyl thereon and he and his twelve Sons and their Families dwelt in Egypt under King Pharoah and after he had been there seventeen Years he dyed but charged his Son Joseph To bury him in Machpelah with Abraham and Sarah Isaac and Rebecca and Leah And we do not find that although he lived in several Countries that he worshipped with the National People nor could he give his dead Body to be buried amongst them And the like did Joseph his Son So as they could not joyn with the strange Nations or Nations that worship or serve strange godds that walked not in the Fear of God in their Life time so they could not give their dead Bodies to lay amongst them Secondly Moses the meek and great Prophet of God worshipped the Lord on an Altar in Rephidem and at Mount Sinai was the Law given forth then the Altar of the Tabernacle was prescribed in the Mount which was a moveable Altar to go along with Israel in their Travels and in the Law is mention made of several Altars for several uses an Altar of Earth for Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings an Altar of Shittim Wood for Burnt-Offerings an Altar of Incense c. And after the Lord had brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt into the Land of Canaan which he promised to Abraham and his Seed they were not to joyn with the National Worshippers or serve other Godds but worship and serve the Living God only whom they knew and whilst they continued obedient unto the Lord in the separation from the false Worshippers and kept the Laws Statutes and Ordinances given by Moses the Lord was with them and amongst them in Moses Josua and the Elders time Judg. 2. 7 8 9 to the end And when there arose a new Generation that turned from the Lord and so lost the knowledge of him and turned to the false Worships of the Nations and took them Wives of their Daughters and followed other Godds then the Anger of the Lord waxed hot against them and he gave them into the hands of their Enemies oftentimes Judg. 3. and when they cryed unto the Lord he heard and answered and sent a Prophet to reprove them for their Back-slidings Judg. 6. 8. and afterwards Solomon built the Temple at Jerusalem for the People to worship in 1 King 6 38. and because of the great Idolatry of other Nations about and amongst them whereby Israel were often drawn away to serve their Godds they were confined to the Temple-Worship and there the Lord promised his Presence if they continued in his Statutes but Solomon went after other Godds and took Wives of the Idolatrous Nations and turned to their Godds and Worships and then the Lord stirred up Adversaries against him and was angry with him and he rent the Kingdom from him and gave Ten parts thereof to his Servant Jeroboam and the rest to his Son Rehoboam 1 King 11. thus was Israel divided and it was then the Duty of all Israel to worship at Jerusalem But Jeroboam after he was King would not observe what the Lord said to him by the Prophet Ahijah 1 King 12. 38. but disobeyed and set up his false National Worship at Samaria for his own ends in order to draw the Peoples minds from the Temple Worship at Jerusalem and to fortifie himself in his new acquired or rather given Kingdom for he for fear the People should worship there as

yea or Negation Nay nay And as the Jews under the Law confirmed their Testimony to end Strife Controversie c. by Swearing and bound themselves by an Oath sometimes by Vows and Curses so the Christians in the Gospel and New Covenant are bound in Conscience by the Power and Law of Christ in them which is a far greater Bond then Swearing To do to all Men as they would be done unto and to perform Equity and Righteousness in that Love which is the fulfilling of the Law in the Sight of God and Man without Swearing Oaths which were but Figures of this inward Bond or Covenant confirmed by the Oath of God to the Seed of Abraham which the True Christians are of who witness the Substance and End of all Oaths without and of Strife Doubts and Variances that occasioned the Oaths for the requiring of an Oath supposeth Doubt or Unbelief in the one Party which is no more to be pleaded for then it is to be practiced in a true Christian And we do affirm further for our Principle in this matter That to Swear at all is against the Law of the Spirit of Truth that dwells in us and is against the positive Command of Christ Jesus herein who said Swear not at all and this fully and plainly excludeth all the Glosses and Pretences of all men whatsoever who would take upon them to interpret Christ's Words and Meanings as they say in this as if he meant not to bar taking an Oath before a Magistrate or to end a Controversie in a Suit of Law betwixt two Parties c. but as if he meant only forbidding Vain Accustomary and Unlawful Oaths or Swearing and such like imagined Stuff many have writ about and pleaded for which if well considered is no great marvel For if they cannot believe in the Light that lighteth them the Son of God and his Covenant how can they own his Doctrine and Principle in this or other things published by him or by his Spirit and Authority 2dly From the positive Precept of the Apostle Jam. 5. 12. who preached his Lord and Master Christ Jesus his fame Doctrine against Swearing when he wrote to the Twelve scattered Tribes of the Jews who by the old Law were allowed or commanded to Swear truly but when they were converted to the Faith and come to own and believe in Christ and his Doctrine then they were oblieged and commanded not to Swear at all no not to Swear truly it self but to speak the Truth their word Yea to be Yea their word Nay to be Nay for the Apostle seeing may be finding and foreseeing that these converted Jews and Israelites because of former Precepts Customs in the Law which they had been under might use or plead for some sort of Swearing like People now who argue for Swearing before a Magistrate contrary to Christs Command therefore he puts a greater weight then ordinary upon this Doctrine as if the concernment thereby had exceeded his other Doctrine in saying But above all things Swear not by any Oath Neither do we read that any of the other Apostles used the like Doctrine to the converted Gentiles at Rome Corinth Ephesus Galatia c. against Swearing there being no such need to them that were not oblieged by the Law to Swear in any respect So here are two plain Scripture Proofs for our Principle and Practice herein and when any can produce Scripture in the New Testament to prove so plainly their Practice of Swearing in Gospel-dayes before a Magistrate which they call a lawful Oath or yet before any other or upon any occasion whatsoever to be lawful and allowed of or commanded by Christ or his Apostles who are the Authors of the Book called the New Testament then we may give further Answer or write more about it but till then they especially they that profess Christ and ought to obey his Command ought not to blame us much less to persecute fine or imprison us for obeying the Command of Christ and observing the Doctrine of his blessed Apostle James 3dly As Swearing was thus forbidden by Christ and his Apostle so the primitive Christians observed the same accordingly For the Bishop of Smyrna a Martyr for the Truth refused to Swear saying That he was a CHRISTIAN so it seems the Primitive True Christians did not Swear and as his Answer importeth when they urged him to Swear he used no other Argument to respond or shew his refusal but to say He was a Christian that thereby his Persecutors might know That he would not Swear because he was a Christian as by that Profession bearing Testimony against Swearing or breaking the Command of Christ Hereto agree several old and eminent Writers as also the Testimony of divers Martyrs and Sufferers under the Papal Power in Peiedmond England c. who bore witness to our and the true old Christian-Principle herein Bishop Gawden bore the like Testimony and said Amongst false Christians Oaths are not to be regarded and amongst true Christians there was no need of them William Thorp his Testimony herein was said he It is a Sin to Swear well W. Brute also testified and affirmed That no Christian ought to Swear And so discend to our Times since the Lord hath called us to be his People our Principle in this as in all other things agrees with the primitive Christians being like-minded with them for if we should Swear and break Christ's Command his Light would condemn us as the Apostle James said lest ye fall into Condemnation Hereby it appeareth That our refusing to Swear proceedeth from sufficient Ground Christ's Command the Apostle's Doctrine and the Primitive Christians Practices so that it is Matter of Conscience to us not to Swear at all And because it is urged against us That hereby we are incapable to serve the King our Country To which we say we make not our selves incapable but we are made incapable by the Law of the Land that requires that of us which Christ has forbid us to give and seeing we live under such Rulers and Magistrates as profess Christianity and the Scriptures to be their Rule to believe in and to walk by we desire them to excuse us in this matter and well to mind Peter and the Apostles Answer to the Persecuting High Priest and his Council at Jerusalem who had imprisoned the Apostles and streightly charged them to Preach no more in the Name of Jesus We o●ght to obey God rather then men said they and not seek to compel or persecute us because we cannot we dare not Swear nor take an Oath either to serve in Offices or upon Juries or giving Evidence though we are willing and ready to serve in any Office or Place meet for us and which we are capable of faithfully to perform the same as also to give in Evidence by speaking truly so as that we may not break Christ's Command or stain our Consciences through Disobedience And for

a further Testimony of our Sincerity herein we further say and declare That we are content to suffer as much for not Serving truly and for not Speaking and Evidencing truly as those that are Perjured or Forsworn for we hold our selves as much yes more oblieged by affirming or speaking Truth by our word Yea and Nay as others do by Swearing truly or performing their Places by an Oath And if this sufficeth not then we must needs say It s hard to perswade men of a contrary mind to us herein until they come to own and believe in the Truth Christ the Light and then they will with us be like-minded with us that what we say affirm and witness is really Truth or truly said and done seeing they themselves are often doubtful of the verity of what is sworn or testified upon Oath by such as worship with them and are of the same Opinion with them and hold it as they do lawful to Swear for several times neither the Swearers nor the Matter sworn is believed by the Magistrate for men of good Fame are called and depended on for the truest Evidence So that it appeareth That it s not the taking of a bare Oath simply considered as an Oath which oblieges to perform or evidence and swear truly but rather the Honesty and good Conscience of the Party which proves the Performance from a Principle within and not from a formal Oath then we say Why should not a man as well be believ'd in speaking truly as swearing truly seeing all that swear cannot be believed there being so many Perjured False-sworn Secondly For not taking off our Hats which are part of our Bodily Garments and put and placed upon our Heads to keep them warm and dry as the rest of our Garments are for the other parts of our Bodies and so not Honouring mens Persons with pulling them off which it seems troubleth and distasteth the minds of some men that seek the Honour below in order to content and satisfie the Pride and Ambition for curreous and good-natured men contemn and disregard it looking upon it at best but an Alamode Complement of a late Edition and rather become a Fashion in our Country a National or general Custom then any absolute matter of Duty or Necessity And besides it would be no hard thing to prove the use of National or general Customs to be incongtuous with and dissonant unto the Life of a true Christian who is not to be fashionedunto the World 1 Pet. 1. 14. so that the not putting them off to answer the Will a lofty part in man is also Matter of Conscience to us for God knows our hearts that it s done in the Cross of Christ Jesus and not in Contempt of Authority or mens Persons bearing Rule For we dare not Respect Persons act contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who said Jam. 2. 1 to 11. If ye have Respect to Persons ye commit Sin and are convinced of the Law as Transgressors to this agrees Christ's Saying to his Hearers John 5. 41 44. How can ye believe which receive Honour one of another and seek not the Honour that comes down from God only and we do not read in the Scriptures that of all that were brought or voluntarily went before Kings Dukes Governours and Magistrates that any were commanded to put off their Hats or Bonnets nay Nebuchadnezar was not offended as we read with the three Children for their Hats Dan. 3. 21. for they were cast into the Fire with their Hosen and Hats Doth not the Turk mock it Christians for putting off their Hats shewing their bare Heads Is not this a Reproof to Christians that Persecute Fine and Imprison for not putting off the Hat to them because they have not the Hat-Honour and Hat-Respect which they cannot say is the Honour from above which Christ commendeth to seek Thirdly For Working or Opening our Shops on the Week-dayes called Holy-dayes we have this to say which though little yet may suffice a moderate man and will a true Christian We find Exod. 20. 6. the Law allowed Six Dayes in the Week to Work or Labour on and neither Christ nor his Apostles did ever forbid it nor yet ordained any such dayes as Holy-days to be kept and observed by the Churches in the Primitive Times And the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Romans saith Rom. 41. 5 6. One Man esteemeth one Day above another another esteemeth every Day alike let every man be fully perswaded in his own Mind he that regards a Day regards it unto the Lord and he that regards not the Day to the Lord he doth not regard it And he also said They should not judge one another about such things And seeing that neither the Apostles nor the Councils in their dayes made any such Decree or Law for observing such dayes have not therefore these Decrees and Laws been made by the Pope and his Councils since the Apostles dayes And who shall be observed the Apostles or the Pope judge ye So that there being no Institution of such dayes by Christ his Apostles or Primitive Councils why should we suffer or be persecuted for following our lawful Labours and Callings thereon especially by such as are called Christians AND thus Reader in this foregoing occasioned Treatise of the several Branches of our beforementioned Sufferings we have used brevity in regard divers of our Friends have published much already to the same purpuse yet we cannot be altogether silent at this time Prudence prompting us to put thus much to publick view for no other Cause and End then so far to vindicate our Principles and Practices by the holy Scriptures of Truth Practice of Primitive true Christians and other good Grounds and Reasons as that thereby it may plainly appear to any Sober and Moderate Man that we suffer Innocently not for Evil-doing and that our Persecutors are the more culpable and so much the more for that they profess the Scriptures And notwithstanding their thus Vnjust Vnchristian-like Vsage and Persecuting of us we purpose and resolve in the Lord God That the Powers and chief Rulers of the Nations as hitherto so hereafter also shall never have more against us then Nebuchadnezar had against Shadrach Meshach and Abednego Dan. 3. and Darius against Daniel Dan. 6. 4 to the end for Daniel and the Three Children were Faithful to the Kings of Babylon and Medea as their Accusers acknowledged who sought Occasion against Daniel but confessed they could find none except concerning the Law of his God which was his Worship and Religion THE END Dr. Taylor late Bishop of Down Derry Chrysost Tertul. Haywardus K. James K. Car. 1. Isa 42. 4. Phil. 3. 15. Gal. 1. 15. 1 Cor. 2. 10. Mat. 11. 25. Luke 4. 23. Mat. 5. 16. Joh. 15. 8. 1 Cor. 6. 20. Mat. 20. 26. and 23. 10. 1 Pet. 5. 2 3. Luke 22. 24 25 26. 2 Cor. 4. 5. Da. 5 27 Act. Mon. Thorp Huss G. Clapham Priest of Mountmelick and Geo. Walker Priest of Kilmore Gen. 4. 4. Heb. 11. 4. Gen. 4. 3 5 6 7 8. Gen. 5. 24. Gen. 6. 9 18. Gen. 8. 20 21. Gen. 12. 1 5 6 7 8. Gen. 13. 18. Gen. 15. 1. Gen. 17. 1. 18. 1. Ge. 20. 1 2. 21. 33 34. 22. 9 13 14. Genesis 23. 19 20. Genesis 24. 3 4. Genesis 26. 25. Genesis 28. 1. 2 Genesis 32. 28. Gen. 33 18 19 20. Genesis 35. 7 14 15. Genesis 47. 28 29 30 31. Genesis 50. 24 25 26. Ex. 17. 15. 19. 20. 27. 1. 30. 1. Jerom Chrysoft Ambr. Origen Act. and Mon. Bish Gawden Wil. Thorp Wil. Brute Acts 5. 29.