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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

God and man and the Canonical Institutions in this behalf accustomed That such Hereticks convict and condemned in form aforesaid ought to be burned with fire We command you as straitly as we may or can firmly injoyning you that you do cause the said William Sautre being in your custody in some publike or open place within the Liberties of your City aforesaid the cause being aforesaid published to the people to be put in the fire and there in the same fire really to be burned to the great horror of his offence and the manifest example of other Christians Fail not in the execution hereof upon the peril that will fall thereupon Teste Rege apud Westmonast 26. Febr. An. Regni sui And the like was done upon Iohn Badly a Taylor and Sir Iohn Oldcastle alias Lord Cobham and William Thorp for denying swearing by the Book and saying the Priests had no title to tythes under the Gospel was committed to prison in which it was thought that he dyed Now here I observe that in the Scriptures and in the heart it is written that Christ said Swear not at all and likewise that those Ministers that he sent out to preach the Gospel writ to the Brethren saying My Brethren swear not neither by heaven nor by earth nor by any other oath c. Now Christ that taught men they should not sweare at all he was by the Scribes and Pharisees and the high Priests who taught men to swear counted a perverter of the Nation and was vehemently accused and said that they had a Law and by that Law he ought to dye and they did not cease till that he was put to death And Iames he was by Herod slain with the sword who writ to the twelve scattered Tribes saying Above all things my brethren swear not c. And William Thorpe for denying to swear by a Book at the Pope and his Adherents command was put in Prison wherein it was thought that he dyed And now in these dayes some lye in prison because they will not swear at all Now I suppose that none will be so impudent as to say that Christ and the Apostles were not guided by the spirit of truth but that they will say on the contrary viz. That Christ and his Apostles were guided by the spirit of truth Then I say thus That the Scribes Pharisees and the high Priests and the Pope and his Adherents viz. the Rulers of the earth the Bishops and the Clergy were and are all guided by a spirit of error by which spirit of error the Scribes Pharisees chief Priests the Pope and his Adherents viz. the Bishops and the Clergy and the Rulers of the earth taught men to swear and do teach and compel men to swear by the same spirit of error And again The same spirit which Christ Jesus and his Apostles taught men that they should not swear at all taught many of the Martyrs to deny swearing at the Pope and his Adherents command And the same spirit teacheth us the people called Quakers to deny swearing at all for say we It is better to obey God rather then man and therefore we rather choose to suffer for the name of Christ then to obey man by swearing contrary to the Law written in our hearts by the spirit and by the power of the spirit of truth are we taught and do deny the paying of tythes to the priests of this Nation who are called Ministers or any other and by the power of the same spirit of truth do we so many of us as are called thereunto suffer not only bonds with patience but likewise the spoyling of our goods with cheerfulnesse for the Name of Christ Jesus our Lord our Law-giver our Judge and our Priest for ever of God by the power of an endlesse life and not by a carnal commandment as the priests of this Nation called Ministers are now made by But of tythes I have more to say hereafter and the priests likewise Anno 1540. 31. year of H. 8. April 8. And now I come to shew what an Act was made in the dayes of King Henry the 8th the popes Successor here in England who by the means of Stephen Gardiner was stirred up to shew himself severe and sharp against those new Sectaries Anabaptists and Sacramentaries as they called them and that some Articles might be set forth to confirm the ancient Catholike Faith and for this and other ends through the device of the popes Adherents the King summoned a parliament to be holden at Westminster of all the States and Burgesses of the Realm also a Synod or Convocation of all the Arch-bishops Bishops and other of the learned Clergy of this Realm to be in like manner assembled in which Parliament and Synod of the Bishops and the Clergy and by their means viz. the Bishops and Clergy it was decreed in pretence of unity among the Kings subjects That the six Articles which they had made should be received among the people and withall a penalty to be inflicted upon them that refused them which penalty and the Articles were called the Whip with six strings And the six Articles consisted the first of Transubstantiation The second of their Sacraments of both kinds FOX Act. and Mon. Vol. 2. The third about Priests Marriage The fourth was about the Vows of chastity or Widow-hood The fifth was about private Masse helping of souls out of purgatory And the sixth was about Auricular Confession And for the bloody penalty that was annexed unto those six Articles take as followeth and then judge whether the King and his Bishops and Clergy did not act like the Pope and whether they were not led all by the same spirit as the Pope was led by yea or nay Item That if any person or persons within this Realm of England or any other of the Kinge Dominions after the twelfth day of Iuly next coming by word writing printing cyphering or any other way should publish preach teach say affirm declare dispute argue or hold any opinion that the blessed Sacrament of the Altar under the form of bread and wine after the consecration thereof there is not present really the natural body and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ conceived of the Virgin Mary or that after the consecration there remaineth any substance of the bread and wine or any other substance but the substance of Christ God and man or after the time abovesaid publish preach teach say affirm declare dispute argue or hold opinion that in the flesh under the form of bread is not the very blood of Christ or that with the blood of Christ under the form of Wine is not the very flesh of Christ as well apart as though they were both together or by any means abovesaid or otherwayes preach teach declare or affirm the said Sacrament to be other substance then is abovesaid or by any means contemn or deprave or despise the blessed Sacrament that then every such person or

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

after they had sung a Psalm the Assembly was to be dismissed with a blessing Canon 33 35. and then they was to give with him a Testimonial of his ordination for the which he was to pay ten shilllings to the Register of the Assembly March 20. 1653. Ordinance O. P. and his Council Can. 39. and Can. 51. And an Ordinance was made by the present Rulers of this Nation for appointing Commissioners for Approbation of publike Preachers that the places destitute throughout this Nation may be supplied with able and faithful Preachers And for this end Commissioners were authorized to judge and take knowledge of the ability and fitness of any person that was nominated and presented to them and before any person was to be admitted to be setled in any Benefice or publike Lecture to preach and to take the stipened or profits thereof he was to be judged and approved one by the persons hereafter named in the Ordinance of whom you may see in the said Ordinance at large First They were to see if the party nominated and presented be a person for the grace of God in him Can. 36. 39. Secondly of his holy and unblameable conversation And thirdly as also for his knowldege and utterance able and fit to preach the Gospel And fourthlyly upon their Approbation of such his ability and fitnesse according to the qualification above mentioned they are to grant unto such Parson admission to such Benefice or Lecture by an Instrument in Writing under a common Seal Can. 41. The Bishops Cannons and Constitutions and the two Ordinances are in part equivolent each with other But in the latter end of the Ordinance they conclude and say It is not intended n●r shall be construed to be any solemn or sacred setting apart of a person to any particular Office in the Ministry of which I let passe for others to judge what difference there is betwixt this solemn and sacred setting apart and fome others in the foregoing generations for the Pope he gave power to the Cardinals who were his Legates and by them to the kings and the bishops And a Parliament they set King Henry the eighth in the seat of the Pope and then the bishops received their power from the King and the Parliament to make Ministers by a carnal commandment and so it continued so long almost as Kings and Queens reigned in England And the Parliament of Lords and Commons they took that power from the late King and his Bishops Articles of Religion 36. to themselves and gave power to an Assembly of Presbyter Divines to make Ministers by but that lasted but until the Parliament was dissolved And since the dissolution of the short Parliamont O. P. and his Council have taken the like Power and given the like power to their Commissioners for to judge and approve of who are fit to be preachers only in those places destitute throughout this Nation So that the Kings Queens and other Rulers of this Nation having got into their hands the same power that the Pope had did and do the same works in effect as the pope did but say I Who hath required this at their hands to do seeing that it is the alone and proper work of Christ to make and send forth his Messengers and Ministers as the Scripture testifieth how that Christ Jesus said unto his Disciples Luke 10.2 Matt. 9 37 38. Eph. 4.8 9 10 11 12. 1 Cor. 12.28 The Harvest truly said he is great but the labourers are few pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest that he would send forth labourers into his Harvest And Christ when he ascended on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men and he gave some Apostles and some Prophecs and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers And said Paul God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ and for the perfecting of the Saints Now I say That God nor Christ did not give that power neither to pope nor to Cardinals nor to Bishops nor to Kings or any other Rulers nor to Councils or Assemblies nor to Commissioners since the dayes of the Apostles neither did he command them nor any one of them to go and ordain men to be preachers for hire nor to make ministers of the Gospel nor to give any man a commission to go to a parish in a city or to a town or to a village and there of the people take tythes and money for their preaching to the value of 100.l 200.l more or less by the yeer this is a work that God never required at any one of their hands to do no more then he did of Ieroboam who for making and consecrating of the lowest of the people to be priests for the high places which thing doing became a sin unto the House of Ieroboam even to cut it off from the face of the Earth 1 King 13.33 34. and to dedroy it Ye may read in the Scriptures that Moses he had a command from God alone for to go and take Aaron and his sons the Levites with him Exod 28 29 chap. to 12 13 14 15. c. Lev. 8.1 2 3 4 c. Numb 8.5 6 19. ver from among the children of Israel that they might minister unto the Lord in the priests office and to do the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation But who gave Ieroboam and other the Kings of Israel and Judah any command to make priests for the houses of high places And who required any Emperor King Queen or any other Ruler of the Earth to make ordain or consecrate bishops priests ot ministers for to pray read or preach in the houses of high places falsly called churches And Elijah he had a command from the Lord to go and annoint Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-Meholak to be a prophet in his room 1 King 19.16.19 20 21. ver FOXES Acts Monuments Vol. 1. but by what authority did the pope go annoint cardinals bishops c. for did not the Emperor and others choose the pope or popes then had not the pope his command and authority from the Emperor and others and not from the Lord God that commanded Elijah to do what he did Matth. 28.19 20. And Je●us Christ said unto his Disciples All power is given to me in heaven and in earth go ye therefore and teach all Nations teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway unto the end of the world But the Bishops of England they had their power in the dayes of King Henry the eighth An. 25. Hen. 8. cap. 20. Luke 24.49 Acts. 1.4 and 2.4 Eph. 4.11 from him and the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament to make ordain and consecrate Arch-Bishops Bishops Deanes and Chapters Deacons Priests Ministers

persons so offending their aiders comforters counsellors consenters and abettors therein being thereof convinced in form under-written by the Authority abovesaid shall be deemed and adjudged Hereticks and every such offence shall be adjudged manifest Heresie and that every such offender and offenders shall therefore have and suffer judgement execution pain and pains of death by way of burning without any abjuration Sanctuary or benefit of Clergy to be therefore permitted had allowed admitted or suffered and likewise the forfeiture of all the Estate real or personal to the King c. And by the same Parliament it was likewise enacted That Parliament confirmed the Spanish Inquisition The Oath for the Commissioners of the bloody Inquisition That for the more effectual execution of the Premises full Authority of Inquision of all such Heresies c. should be committed and directed down into every Shire to certain persons provided that the Arch-Bishop or Bishop or his Chancellor or his Commissary to be one and that every person that should be named Commissioner in this Inquisition should first take a corporal Oath the tenor of which Oath here ensueth Ye shall swear that ye to your cunning wit and power shall truly and indifferently execute the Authority to you given by the Kings Commission made for correction of Hereticks and other offendors mentioned in the same Commission without any favor affection corruption dread or malice to be born to any person or persons as God you help and all Saints c. All you Rulers and Magistrates of England that swear and take Oaths what spirit is it that teaches you to frame Oaths leads you to swear Oaths and to give Oaths to men or women Heb. 6.16 Exod 22.10 11. 1 Kings 8.31 were they that forged the Oath above-written and sware and required people to take the said Oath guided by the spirit of God so to do yea or nay And again Was that Oath the Oath of the Lord that they had forged to be taken yea or any Did the Pope and his Adherents give or administer the Oath of the Lord to any yea or nay Was the Pope and his Adherents taught by the spirit of God to frame Oaths to be taken yea or nay Or did the spirit of God lead the Pope and his Adherents to swear and to take Oaths against the Saints and Servants of God whom they persecuted to death yea or nay I say Nay the spirit of God neither taught them to make or to forge Oaths neither did the spirit of God teach or guide them to swear by their own forged out of the bottomlesse pit Oaths Neither are Parliaments nor Councils in these our dayes taught by the spirit of God to make Oaths nor doth the spirit of God teach them to swear neither by the Bible or by their hand Iames 5.12 Matth. 5.34 35 36. 23.16 to 22. or by any other creature or part of any creature nor by any of their framed Oaths but the spirit of God did teach and does teach the contrary now as it did in the dayes of Christ and the Apostles which spirit I own and obey but that spirit that frames Oaths which are not the Oath of God and swears and requires people to swear by an Oath forged out of the bottomlesse pit FOX Act. Mon. Vol. 2. L. CROMWEL made Earl of Essex Great Chamberlaine of ENGLAND and Vice-go●●rnor to the King I deny that spirit and its practise for it is not the spirit of God but the power of the prince of the Aire that rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience I have read in the Book of Martyrs of one Thomas Lord Cromwel that in the dayes of King Henry the eigth did this Nation of England a deal of good service as the story of his life death doth relate how profitable an Instrument he was in destroying Abbies Monasteries Nunneries c. and routing out of the Land the works of the Monks Fryars Nuns and other such like brutish drones and pulled down the Rood called the Rood of Grace and all his Engines and shewed them openly at Pauls Crosse with the blood of a Duck which the papists made the people to believe it was the blood of Hailes and other such like pieces of Idolatry and Witchcraft he removed out of the way that the people was seduced by with the learned men of Oxford and Cambridge So likewise he was an Instrument to discover the treachery of the Bishops and the Clergy who had sworn to be true to the King and afterwards swore also to be so to the pope and for the proof of the same he produced a copy of their oath to the pope which was read in the Convocation-House before them and the matter was so plain that they could not deny it And likewise Thomas Lord Cromwell presented the Bible to the King and obtained License that the same might freely passe to be read amongst all his subjects This Bible was of the lesser volume but a Bible of a large Volume began to he printed at Paris with an intent of Marginal Notes to it of which the said Lord Cromwel was a great helper of it forward At which the Clergy was offended and the cursed Bishops bringing their purpose to passe brought Thomas Lord Cromwell out of favor with the King and after to his death For after the six Articles with the penalty annexed to them and the full Authority of the bloody Inquisition was confirmed then the said Thomas Lord Cromwell being in the Council-chamber was suddenly apprehended and committed to the Tower of London and sundry crimes surmizes objections and accusations as they called them were brought against him c. The best of men in their generations have alwayes been counted Hereticks by they who are Hereticks indeed 1. The first and chiefest Article that they had against him to accuse him with was above all others Heresie alias an Heretick 2. That he was a supporter of them whom they counted for Hereticks as Barns Clark and many others who he by his Authority and Letters written to the Sheriffes and Iustices in divers Shires rescued and discharged out of Prison And I say he did well in so doing 3. That he did disperse among the Kings subjects great numbers of Books containing as they said manifest matter of much Heresie Diffidences and Misbeliefe was their manifest Heresie in the Bible that he disperst abroad let the Hereticks themselves answer 4. That he caused to be translated into our English Tongue books comprizing matter expresly against their Sacrament of the Altar and that after the translation thereof he commended and maintained the same for good and Christian Doctrine and good reason he should so do 5. They charged him with some hainous words spoken against the King in their falsly called Church of St. Peter the Poor in the month of March so called in the thirteenth year of the Kings reign which was about 18. years before but

if any such words was spoken as tended to Treason they were Traytors for concealing it so long Read the story of the life and death of THO. L. CROMWEL in FOX Act. Mon. Vol. 2 Here you see what was charged against the man for his good service and for all his good service that he had done the King and the Nation by the means of the blood-thirsty clergy had his head cut off at the Tower-Hill in London One thing I observe at the doing or bringing about this thing to be done is That before time the two Bishops viz. Sardiner Bishop of Winchester and Bonner bishop of London were made friends who before were the greatest enemies each to other that might be and by their means Barns Clark and many others were burned all that was contrary to themselves must be burned in the fire and they so delighted in burning of people that they burned some papists of their own Religion as well as Hereticks as they called them And thus ye may see what a bloody generation these learned men have been who were brought up at Cambridge and Oxford and other schollars and by a carnal commandment of man made Ministers and Preachers for no sooner did any thing of God appear in a King or other Magistrate but these like the red Dragon were ready to deuour that good thing in them For I find that young King Edward was one of a meek spirit Re● 12.4 and much inclined to clemency for he alwayes spared and favoured the life of man and favoured the life of those they called Hereticks for one Ione Butcher should have been burned and all his Council could not move him to put his hand to have her burned but were fain to get bishop Cranmer to perswade him to do it but Cranmer could not with much labour induce the King to do it do but take notice of the Kings answer to bishop Cranmer said the King What will ye have me to send her quick to the Devil in her error And yet although one Cheek the Kings School-Master could not perswade the King nor his council could not perswade him to set his hand to the burning of the woman Yet the bishop like the old Dragon overcame him to put his hand to the writing but Cranmer confessed that he had never so much to do in all his life as he had to cause the King to do it for said the King to Cranmer I will lay all the charge upon you before God So likewise his council sent the said Cranmer then Arch-bishop of Canterbury and Ridley bishop of London to perswade the King to permit his Sister the Lady Mary that bloody Queen to have private Masse in her House without prejudice of the Law for the which they alledged their reasons and perswasions for the accomplishing of the same but the King replyed to them by answering to them from the Scriptures so that they confessed what he said was true But still they like the Devil did urge him to it politickly and alledged what danger it might be to him if he should deny such a thing but the King answered them and willed them to be content for he would said he spend his life and all he had rather then agree and grant to that which he knew certainly to be against the truth Yet notwithstanding they urged him still to grant it and would by no means have his nay whereat the King seeing their importunity burst out in bitter weeping and sobbing and desired them to be content c. And by these two before writ of viz. King Edward and Thomas Lord Cromwell ye may see how those learned men could turn and wind about to destroy the appearance of God not onely in Kings and Rulers but likewise in others and if they could not destroy it one way they would destroy it another and that was by causing their bodyes to be imprisoned wracked whipped hanged burned c. as witness all the Martyrs in Queen Maryes dayes whereof Cranmer himself was one and the same spirit that ruled in those bishops and the clergy ruled in the bishops and the clergy in the days of the late King as witness the cruel sufferings of Henry Burton Iohn Lilburn William Prynne and Iohn Bastwick c. and the same spirit of envy and cruelty reign now in these dayes in the parish-ministers * But not in the Ministers of Christ of England for the Tree is known by its fruit for not only by their deeds but by their words do I judge them to be such as for what I have heard from some of their own mouths I shall let it pass and their deeds to me likewise But by the way take notice what Mercurius Politicus said viz. that several petitions were presented to the House Thursday the 18. day of Decemb. 1657. containing divers complaints against the growth and exorbitances of the people called Quakers and so did Pharoah against the children of Israel was this day read Exod. 1. chap. The first was from the county of Devon and Exceter The second was from the Ministers of Northumberland Durham and New Castle upon Tine but not from the Ministers of Christ And the third was from the Justices of the Peace Gentry Ministers of the Gospel as he said and others in the county of Palatine of Chester and the attestation of the same petition by the Mayor Aldermen and Ministers of the city of Chester not the Ministers of Christ The fourth was from the Mayor Aldermen and Common-counsel of the city of Bristol with the Ministers of the Gospel as he said and other chief Inhabitants there The fifth was the humble petition of divers well-affected persons Gentlemen Ministers he did not say here Ministers of the Gospel and others in the county of Cornwall which said Politicus were all referred to a Committee to consider of them and to collect such heads as may be fittest for a Bill for the suppressing of the mischiefs and inconveniences complained of therein c. And let the prisons in England testifie of the sufferings of those people called Quakers by the means of the Parish-Ministers of England and also the losse and spoyle of their goods for non-payment of tythes and likewise the whipping stocking and stoning of them by the brutes of this Nation above all other Nations for whereever they have yet come the Rulers hath not dealt the like to them as they of their own Nation have done unto them which Nations may be a witness against England in the day of Judgement for the hypocrisie and cruelty in her Rulers and their Ministers c. Quest But it is very likely that some may say They be not all such as thou shewest them to be for some of them are better then others therefore thou must not condemn all to be alike c. Answ I do grant that amongst the Rulers and Magistrates of this Nation there is some that are more sober moderate and discreet

of the Disciples Christs Annointed a yoke of bondage which Christ their King and Law-giver hath freed them from as hereafter you may read how the Saxon Kings who governed or ruled this Land About the year 604. they began to build the high places called by the Names of Cathedral Churches Churches and Chappels And about the yeer 635. they began to build up Crosses and Altars And about the yeer 666. they began to build up Abbiet Monasteries Fryar-Houses See Fox Act. Mon Vol. 1. Chantry c And about the yeer 720. King Inas alias Ina King of the West-Saxons made a Law That the first fruits of all that was sown should be paid at the day of St. Martin as he called it And in the yeer 933. King Adlestan made a Law That tythes should be paid of all the proper goods as well of living Cattel as of Corn and the first fruits of the ground c. And in the yeer 940. King Edmond made a Law That tythes with the first fruits of every mans Crop should he duly paid c. And in the year 959. King Edgar ordained and decreed concerning Liberties and Freedoms of the Church as he called it That tythes and first fruits of Corn and Peter-pence be all duly paid c And about the sixt yeer of King Henry the first Anno 1106. Anselme Arch-Bishop of Canterbury by the permission of the King assembled a great Council at Westminster of the Prelates and Clergy of England and amongst other Councils and that it was decreed That no tythes should be given but to the Church so called And in the yeer 1215. Pope Innocent the third sent his Decretal Epistle into England to the then Arch-Bishop of Canterbury by whose means it was decreed That private tythes should be paid at Easter so called And in th● yeer 1274. at a Council at Lateran held under Pope Gregory the tenth a Canon was made in this manner that is Let no man give his tythes where he pleaseth as before but let them be paid to Mother-Church as he called it And in the dayes of King Henry the 8th by his Authority and the Lords spiritual and temporal and the Commons assembled in Parliament an Act was made for the payinng of tythes offerings and other duties of Holy Church Now I say What were these Offerings Were they Heave-offerings or Wave-offerings or Burnt-offerings or Sin-offerings or Trespasse-offerings that were to be paid to the Parson Vicar Curate c. I would have all people to take notice also of the Preamble of the said Act because that Thomas Bradley tells us Tho. Bradleys Book called Cesars Duc. That the Lords spiritual sate in one Parliament in the Vpper-House in great Power and with them in that Parliament twenty six Abbots which together with the Bishops were able to carry a great Vote against the Lords temporal which in those dayes said he were not so numerous and besides there was full convocation of the Clergy sitting and unanimously assenting c. I do not doubt but the Bishops the Abbots and the Clergy would assent to any thing for their own profit right or wrong But wo be unto them that decree unrighteous Decrees and that write grievousness which they have prescribed Isa 10.1 2. and to turn aside the needy from judgement and to take away the right from the poor of my people that the Widows may be their prey and that they may rob the fatherlesse c. The words of the Preamble of the Act are as followeth Forasmuch as many evil disposed persons have attempted to withhold their tythes as well predial as personal An. 27. Hen. 8. ch 20. due unto Almighty God and holy Church and also have contemned and disobeyed the Processes and Decrees of the Ecclesiastical Court of this Realm Be it enacted c. that every subject of this Realm according to the Ecclesiastical Laws of this Church of England and after the laudable usage and custom of the Parish where he dwelleth or occupieth shall pay his tythes offerings and other duties of holy Church c. An. 26. Hen. 8. cap. 1. An. 28. Hen. 8. cap. 11. Now they had made King Henry the eighth the supreme Head of their Holy Church by an Act of Parliament instead of the Pope so that their Churh was as unholy as the Popes was and is for one and the same spirit guided them all in making their unrighteous Decrees for tythes first fruits and offerings c. So in the dayes of King Edward the sixt Personal tythes was the tenth part of a Tradesmans clear Gaius an Act was made for the true payment of all manner of predial Tythes and personal Tythes Offerings Obventions Profits Commodities or other Duties to the Parsons Vicars Proprietories c. Be it also enacted c. That every of the Kings Subjects shall from henceforth truly and justly without fraud or guile divide set out yeeld and pay all manner of their predial tythes in their proper kind as they rise and happen c. And the parsonal tythes was to be paid at Easter An. Ed. 6. cap. 13. and the offerings were to be paid at four offering-dayes or in default thereof to pay the said offerings at Easter then next following And likewise the Parliament of Lords and Commons they made an Ordinance for the payment of tythes c l take their words as followeth Ordinanee of Lords Commons Die Veneris 8. Novemb 1644. Be it therefore declared and ordained by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled That every person and persons within the said Realm and Dominion shall fully truly and effectually set out yeeld and pay respectively all and singular tythes offerings oblations obventions rates for tythes and all other duties known by the Name of tythes to all and every the respective Owners Proprietors Improprietors and possessors Ordinanco of Lords and Com. Dei Luna 9. Aug. 1647. as well Lay as Ecclesiastical persons respectively viz. Parsons Vicars Rectors c. And another Ordinance they made to award trebble damages to the parties complaining of the non-payment of tythes whether minister or other person which Ordinances of the Lords and Commons was renewed and confirmed to stand in force by Oliver Protector and his then Council Ordinance of O.P. and his Council Aug. 1654. by a Clause in an Ordinance made for the ejection of scandalous ignorant and insufficient Ministers and School-Masters And this last parliament that sate have confirmed the said Ordinance made by Oliver Protector and his then Council to continue for three years for the proof of which see their Declaration of Acts and Ordinances made by this last Parliament and assented unto by Oliver protector When thou sawest a thief Psalm 50.18 thou thou consentedst with him and hast been partaker with the Adulterers And now I say In the presence of the Lord God and from his power who bears me witness and whose testimony I bear