Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	pay_v	priest_n	tithe_n	4,836	5	10.3389	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76406	A true tryall of the ministers and ministry of England; as also a true discovery of their root and foundation, and of the called English Church, with its honours, possessions, tythes, and maintenance. Together with the fruits of the said ministers and ministry. Published for the sake of the simple ones, that they may no longer be deceived; but may come to witnesse the altar, whereof they have no right to eat who serve at the tabernacle, Hebr. 13. 10. / Written forth by Gervase Benson.	Benson, Gervase, d. 1679.	1655 (1655)	Wing B1903; Thomason E857_2; ESTC R206612	10,040	15

nor example in the Scriptures and take Tythes of the People and demand them as theirs by a humane Law made in the will of Man which the Ministers of Christ Jesus never did act any such thing nor sue any man at the law but he that preached the Gospel lived of the Gospel for so hath the Lord ordained Neither did Levi nor his Sons under the first Priesthood act any such thing for that Priesthood was made by a law Exod. 4.13 14. and Exod. 28.1 And had a commandement to take Tythes of the people according to the Law Hebr. 7.5 And no man took this honour to himself but he that was called of God as Aaron was Hebrewes 5.4 And those that did not bring their Tythes to the Store-house robbed God Malach. 3.8 10. and not the Priests neither were the Priests to go to the Magistrate to compell them by a law to pay them Tythes and Treble damages as the Priests now in England do but according to all that the Lord commanded so did they as you may read Levit. 8.36 But these men now in England who are called Ministers of the Gospel and of Christ are neither called of God who never heard his voice as Aaron was and those under the first pristhood who received their Law from God and had a commandement from Him to take Tythes of the People Nor as the Ministers of the Gospel were called who witnessed their call from God not of men neither by man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead Gal. 1.1 And the Gospell which was preached by them was not after man neither received they it of man neither was taught it but by Revelation of Jesus Christ And Christ-Jesus is the same yesterday to day and for ever and the Gospell is the same for saith the Apostle Gal. 1. If any preach another Gospell then that which we have preached let him be accursed And the Ministers of Christ are the same and are one who hold one Head who are led and guided by one spirit even the Spirit of Truth which the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him Joh. 14.17 And as many as are led by the Spirit of Christ they are the Ministers of Christ who abide in his Doctrine and do whatsoever he commandeth them But they that have not the Spirit of Christ even the same spirit which was in the Apostles of Christ they are none of his Ministers Rom. 8.9 And they that deny Revelation and affirm and say That all Revelation is ceased are no Ministers of Christ who know not the Father nor the Son For no man knoweth the Father but by the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him Matth. 11.27 And they who were the Ministers of Christ Jesus witnessed Revelations and delivered and preached to others no other doctrine but what they received of the Lord. Even that which from the begining was which they had heard which they had seen with their Eyes which they had looked upon and their hands had handled of the Word of Life 1 John 1.1 1 Cor. 15.3 which Word of Life those called Ministers in England who deny Revelation who sue men at the law for Tythes and maintenance never heard who are yet in their sins who live in pride covetousnesse and oppression who hold and teach that none can be free from sin nor overcome sin whilest they live here contrary to plain Scriptures Rom. 6.18.22 and 1 John 2.13 14. And so they being servants of sin are free from righteousnesse for it is they that are free from sin that are the Ministers of Christ Rom. 6.18 For he that commits sin is the servant of sin and no man can serve two Masters none can be the Servant of Christ whilest he is the servant of sin John 8.34 For Christ and sin are two contrary Masters and betwixt light and darknesse there is no fellowship 2 Cor. 6.14 For whosoever finneth hath not seen Christ neither known him 1 Joh. 3.6 And how can they be Christ Ministers who neither knew him nor ever saw him For who are Christs Ministers he is their Lord and Master and they do whatsoever he commandeth them Iohn 13.13 And where Christ Jesus is made manifest the works of the Devill are destroyed 1 Iohn 3.8 Now sin is of the Devill 1 Iohn 3.7 8. And the Devill is no Minister of Christ nor none that are of him and he that commits sin is of the devill who was a lyar from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him Iohn 8.44 neither is there truth in them who teach for doctrines the Tradition of men Matth. 15.9 Who hold up a worship and maintenance and the high places devised by man which they received by Tradition from the Pope and his Prelates after the customes of the Nations and not after Christ who make the Commandements of God of none effect by their traditions these are such as the Apostle spoke of 1 Tim. 4.1.2 who give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devills speaking lies in hypocrisie having their consciences seared with a hot Iron who run but God never sent them and say Thus saith the Lord when he never spoke to them and therefore it is they have not profited the people at all because they stood not in the counsel of the most High God who are not built upon the foundation of Prophets and Apostles and Ministers of Christ Jesus the Rock of ages but from the foundation of the Prophets Apostles and Disciples of Christ Jesus they are razed and excluded who are unholy for if their Root had been holy the branches would have been holy also Rom. 11.16 but their fruits have made them manifest to have sprung up from the bitter root who have troubled and defiled many Hebr. 12.15 themselves being unclean manifesting their root And therefore all people every where consider what ye are doing that hold up a Generation of men whom you call Ministers of Christ and of the Gospel who be unholy and uncleane who do the Temple of God defile who in the way of Cain do go and after the Errour of Balaam for rewards run greedily These are they that be spots in your feasts of Charity when they feast with you they feed themselves without fear clouds they are without water carried about of winds Trees whose fruit withereth without fruit who are Murmurers and Complainers who can never have enough who say What shall we eat what shall we drink wherewithall shall we be cloathed Matth. 6.25 c. Heathens they are and no Ministers of Christ who after their own ungodly lusts do walk whose mouthes speak great swelling words having men persons in admiration for advantage sensuall they are who have not the same spirit which was in the Apostles and Ministers of Christ as sundry of them have confessed and published in print whose Foundation and Root is now discovered and made

had a Commandement to take Tythes of the people during the first Priesthood as you may read Hebrews the 7. And do witnesse Christ Jesus the unchangeable Priesthood the end of all Types Figures and changeable things and the Priesthood that had a Commandement to take Tythes changed and the Law by which they took Tythes disannulled because of the weaknesse and unprofitablenesse thereof for the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope made perfect whereby we draw near to God Heb. 7.18 19. And do own and witnesse the Ministery and Ministers of the Gospel which is not of man neither by man whose foundation standeth sure abideth for ever changeth not neither can be shaken who are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being their chief and head Ephes 2.20 who by him are gifted for the gathering together of the Saints for the work of the Ministery and for the edification of the Body of Christ till they all meet together in the unity of the Faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man and unto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Eph. 4.12 13. And all who are Ministers of Christ have received a perfect Ministery which freely they have received and freely they declare without being burthensome to any And do witnesse and own the Church whereof Christ Jesus is the head which is his body which is holy and the assembly of the righteous from which all the ungodly are excluded Psal 1.5 And the Ordinances of Christ Jesus of which none that are unholy can partake And do own and witnesse the worship of God which is in Spirit and truth and the Law of God which is holy just and good which never changes by no diversity of place or time And do witnesse That all Lawes Statutes Ordinances Prescriptions or Customes brought in against this Law written in the heart which is the Law of the Eternall unchangeable God though called by many the Law of Reason or of Nature to be things void and against Justice and being but the Lawes of men they are inferiour to the Law of God which is Superiour and therefore to it must they give place And being that Tythes by the Lawes and Statutes of this Nation are given to God and holy Church And being as before is proved That by God and the Church which is holy Tythes are denyed and that the called Church of England the body spirituall called the Spirituality who receive Tythes are unholy not being free from corruption and sinister affection but stand in need of honours and possessions to keep them from corruption and sinister affection for which end they were given them as by the Statute of the 24. Hen. 8. Chap. 12. it appeareth Therefore by the Lawes and Statutes of England the called Priests Ministers Preachers Rectors Parsons Vicars Clerks and Curats who are unholy have no right to Tythes and an Evill custome or usuage is to be abolished and taken away saith Cook upon Littleton And that custome or usuage which requires me to give wages to him that never did nor doth any work for me or mine is against reason which is said to be the ground of all Lawes And being as afore is said That all Lawes Statutes Customes or Prescriptions against the Law written in the heart called the Law of Reason or the Law of Nature are void and if any be brought in against it they be no Prescriptions Statutes nor Customes but things void and against Justice as you may read in Doctor and Student Chap. 2. Therefore all Lawes Statutes Customes Usuages or Prescriptions which would set up and uphold that which God hath disannulled and made void and his Law beares witnesse against and would have me to contribute towards the upholding of a Ministery which is changeable and makes nothing perfect who are not one amongst themselves neither the same this generation that was the last before but alters and changes with times and men as the called Ministers and Priests of England and their Predecessors have done as is manifest that in the time of Henry the eight the late King of England their predecessors denied the Pope for their head and owned Henry the eight for their head and in the time of Edward the sixt their Predecessors denied the Masse Book and received the book of Common praier at his command And again in Queen Mary her time they denied the Common Prayer Book and received the Masse And in the time of Queen Elizabeth they denied the masse Book and again received the Book of Common prayer And in the time of the late Parliament they denied the Common Praier Book and received the Directory rather then they would deny their Honours and possessions and what they now own is manifest to all the the Children of Light to me they are of no force nor of me can take hold being thereunto dead and therefore from them freed being to another married even the man Christ Jesus who is raised from the dead that I should now bring forth fruits to God and from henceforth serve Him in newnesse of life and not in the oldnesse of the Letter and in so doing by God and that of God in every mans conscience I am justified who art thou oh man that condemnest Gods enemy thou art who contrary to that of God in thy conscience doth act And thus to all both Magistrates Priests and people have I cleared my conscience and laid down the grounds and reasons why I who of the world and to the world am known by the name of Gervase Benson deny the called Ministers and Priests of England aforesaid and to pay Tyths contrary to the Law of God which is written in my heart not with Ink but with the Spirit of the living God who am the servant of the living God who doth him obey whose soul is made subject to the higher powers for conscience sake and to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be unto the King as unto the Superiour or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evill doers and for the prayse of them that do well 2 Pet. 2.13.14 For so is the Will of God that by well doing I may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men who resisters are of the power which is the Ordinance of God which whosoever doth resist shall receive to themselves damnation for Rulers are not a terrour to good works but to the evill Rom. 13.2 3. And if for my subjection to the Higher Powers for conscience sake and for bearing witnesse against all resisters of the power according to the Ordinance of God or for not swearing contrary to the commands of Christ Jesus who saith Swear not at all Matth. 5.34 And the doctrine of the Apostle of Christ James 5.12 who saith Above all things my Brethren swear not neither by Heaven neither by the Earth neither by any other oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay least ye fall into condemnation or for not putting forth my hand to Act that which that of God in my conscience doth shew me to be evil or for not owning a form which is contrary to the Truth and so more then yea and nay I suffer I suffer knowing if the Will of God be so It is better to suffer for well doing then for evill And so to the Will of my God I commit my soul and body in well-doing who saith If we suffer with him we shall raign with him And before Governours and Kings ye shall be brought for my sake for a Testimony against them and the Gentiles London Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black-Spread-Eagle near the West End of Pauls 1655.