admonished of God how to do it for said the Lord Heb. 8.5 Exod. 25.40 Acts 7.44 Heb. 3.2 3 4 5. See that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the Mount and verily Moses was faithful in all his House as a servant and did see that all things was done as the Lord commanded And according to all that the Lord commanded Moses so the children of Israel made all the work and Moses did look upon all the work and beâ—old they had done it as the Lord had commanded even so had they done it Moses blessed them And the Lord spake unto Moses saying And read Exo. 34 35 36 37 38 39 chap. On the first day of the first Month thou shalt set up the Tabernacle of the Tent of the Congregation and Moses reared up the Tabernacle according to all that the Lord God commanded him to do so did he And it came to pass in the first month in the second year on the first day of the Month that the Tabernacle was reared up and all things belonging to the service of the Tabernacle was brought and put into it and set up in it So Moses finished the work and God said Read Exodus 40. ehap I mill sanctifie the Tabernacle of the Congregation and there will I meet with the children of Israel and the Tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle And God said unto Moses Exod. 28.1 2. 29.44 I will sanctifie also both Aaron and his sons to minister unto me in the Priests Office And the Lord said unto Moses Take unto thee Aaron thy Brother and his sons with him from among the children of Israel that he may minister unto me in the Priests Office even Aaron Nadab and Abihu Eliazer and Ithamor Aarons sons and thou shalt make holy Garments for Aaron thy Brother for glory and for beauty And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Take Aaron and his sons with him and the Garments Lev. 8. chap. and the anointing Oyle and a Bullock for a sin-Offring and two Rams and a Basket of unleavened Bread and gather thou all the Congregation together unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and Moses did as the Lord commanded and the Assembly was gathered together unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and Moses said unto the Congregation This is the thing which the Lord commanded to be done and Moses brought Aaron and his Sons and washed them with water and he put upon Aaron the Coat and girded him with the Girdle and cloathed him with the Robe and put the Ephod upon him and girded him with the curious Girdle of the Ephod Exod. 28.30 and bound it unto him therewith and he put the Brest-plate upon him also he put into the Brest-plate of Judgement the Vrim and the Thumrim and he put the Mytor upon his head and upon the Mytor he put also the golden Plate the Holy Crown as the Lord commanded Moses and Moses took the Anointing Oyle and he poured of the Anointing Oyle upon Aarons head and anointed him to sanctifie him And Moses brought Aarons sons and put Coats upon them and girded them with Girdles and put Bonnets upon them as the Lord commanded and Moses took of the Anointing Oyle and of the blood wâ—ich was upon the Altar and sprinkled it upon Aaron and upon his Garments and upon his Sons and upon his Sons Garments with him and sanctified Aaron and his Garments and his Sons and his Sons Garments with him And thus Aaron and his sons were sanctified for to Minister to the Lord in the Priests Office Lev. 9. chap. in the Tabernacle before the Altar for the accomplishing the service of God to offer up unto the Lord sacrifices for himself Heb. 7.27 9.6 7. Numb 3. chap. and then for the errors of the people And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Bring the Tribe of Levi near and present them before Aaron the Priest that they may Minister unto him and they shall keep his charge and the charge of the whole Congregation before the Tabernacle of the Congregation to do the service of the Tabernable and they shall keep all the Instruments of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the charge of the children of Israel to do the service of the Tabernacle And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Take the Levites from among the children of Israel and cleanse them and thus shalt thou do unto them to cleanse them Thou shalt sprinkle the water of Purifying upon them and let them shave all their flesh and let them wash their cloathes and so make themselves clean then let them take a young Bullock for a Meat-Offring and another for a Sin-Offring and thou shalt bring the Levites before the Tabernacle of the Congregation and thou shalt gather tho whole Assembly of the children of Israel together and thou shalt bring the Levites before the Lord for an Offring before the Lord and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord for an Offring of the children of Israel that they may execute the service of the Lord and the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the Bullocks and thou shalt offer one for a Sin-offring and the other for a Burnt-Offring unto the Lord to make an attonement for the Levites Thus shalt thou seperate the Levites from among the children of Israel and the Levites shall be mine and after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation And Moses and Aaron and all the Congregation of the children of Israel did to the Levites according to all that that the Lord commanded But take notice a little That the Levites were not to go in to wait upon the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation till that they were twenty five years of age and upward and when they came to be of the age of fifty years they were to cease waiting upon the service thereof and to serve no more for the Lord spake unto Moses saying This is that belongeth unto the Levites Lev. 8.23 24 25 26. ver From twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof and shall serve no more Forasmuch as ye see God did require a Tabernacle an Ark and an Altar and all things belonging thereto to be made for himself to dwell in or amongst the children of Israel wherein he would meet them in their worship and service done unto him and so likewise you may see how he set apart consecrated and ordained Aaron and his sons and the Levites to Minister in the Priests Office and to do the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation so likewise
the children of Israel and unto them he gave his commandment so to do and to no other people Secondly God required first fruits and tythes to be paid in no other Land or Nation but in the Land of Canaan only Thirdly That when the children of Isral had possession of the land of Canaan and that when they enjoyed peace round about them then were they to pay first fruits and tythes and not before Fourthly That the tythes of the land of Canaan whether the seed of the land or the fruit of the tree the wine the oyle the encrease of the seed that the field bringeth forth yeer by yeer the tythe of the Corn and the tythe of the Flock or of the Herd the Lord God said was his and therefore said the Lord The first fruits of thy Land thou shalt bring unto the house of the Lord thy God And again said the Lord Bring ye all the tythes into the Store-hovse that there may be meat in my house and they that brought not in their tythes to that Store-House were cursed with a curse for they had robbed God of their tythes and offerings even that whole Nation had done it Fifthly That in the land of Canaan 2 Chron. 6.6 7.16 Deut. 12.11 Neh. 10.34 to 39. 2 Chron. 31.2 to 11. ver Ierusalem was the place where God did place his Name and there was the Store-house builded that the first fruits and tythes were to be brought unto and to that place were the tythes and first fruits brought according to the law of God that came by Moses and to no other place Sixthly The first fruits and tythes which God said was his Numb 18. ch Deut. 18.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Heb. 7.5 Numb 28.25 to 31. Deut. 17.18 14.29 26.12 Heb. 7.5 Numb 18.11 24. ver Deut. 18.3 4 5. he gave unto the children of Levi even all the tenth of Israel for an inheritance because the Levites had no inheritance among their Brethren Seventhly That to the sons of Levi who received the office of the Priesthood for their service which they served even the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation did God give the first fruits and tythes unto for their maintenance and likewise the fatherless the widow and the stranger that came within the gates was to eat thereof and be satisfied Eighthly God commanded the eleven tribes of Israel to pay tythes to the sons of Levi who received the office of the Priesthood and to no other Priesthood did he require tythes to be paid unto since the resurrection of Christ Jesus Ninthly That the first fruits and tythes were by a law that came by Moses due unto Aaron and his sons the Levites whom God had chosen and not man to minister before him at the Altar and to do the service of the tabernacle of the Congregation and to no other ministers or men whatsoever were nor are tythes since that command was given Heb 7.12 and the Priesthood changed and the Law disanulled And now by the way take notice a little what the service was that Aaron the Levite Exod. 4.14 and chap. 28. chap. 29. ver 29 30. Heb. 9. chap. and his sons the Levites did whom God did set apart thereunto Aaron and his sons God set apart from the other tribes of Iâ—rael for the service of the tabernacle of the Congregation who did minister before the Lord in the Holy place in the tabernacle of the Congregation unto the Lord accomplishing the service of the Lord which stood onely in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal ceremonies which was imposed upon them and the children of Israel to do until the time of reformation For first Gen. 17.12 Lev. 12.3 Iohn 1.22 Luke 22.1 they were to observe and keep the covenant of Circumcision every male child at eight dayes old was to be circumcised Secondly they were to observe and keep feasts viz. The Feast of the Passeover or the Feast of unleavened Bread the Feast of Penticost and the Feast of Tabernacle Now the people were to bring to the Feast of the Passeover a Lamb without blemish Exod. 12. chap. Acts 2.1 Exod. 23.16 a male of a yeer old Let every man said Moses take unto him a Lamb according to the house of the fathers a Lamb for an house c. and the flesh of the Lamb was to be rosted with fire and to be eaten with sowre Herbs and unleavened Bread and they were to eat unleavened bread seven dayes Again the Feast of pentecost that was the Feast that was of the first fruits of their Harvest Lev. 23.9 10 11 12 13 14. 33 34 35. Numb 29. ch the people they was to bring a sheaf of the first fruits of their Harvest unto the priest and the sheaf was to be waved before the Lord and the priest was to wave it on the morrow after the Sabbath c. and the feast of Tabernacles was to be kept on the seventh month at the end of their Harvest for seven dayes unto the Lord wherein was divers offerings viz. Burnt-offering Meat-offering Drink-offering Sin-offering c. Now the people they were to bring their offerings voluntary to the door of the Congregation of the Lord and there to offer it c. and if it was an offering of the Cattel of the Herd the priests Aarons sons were to sprinkle the blood upon the Altar and to lay the Wood in order upon the Altar and put fire to the Altar and to lay the parts the head and the fat in order upon the Wood that was on the fire upon the Altar and the priest he was to burn all upon the Altar These offerings were made for sin viz. for the sin of the Ruler Lev. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. chapters and for the sin of the priest of the Congregation and for the sin of any of the people which they have committed wilfully or through ignorance for which sins there was to be Burnt-offerings trespasse-offerings peace-offerings c. offered up by the high-priests first for himself and then for the errors of the people Exod. 29.1 17. Lev. 8. chap. So likewise there was divers washings First Moses he washed Aaron and his sons with water when he consecrated them according to the command of the Lord and Moses he washed the inwards and the legs of the Ram that was for a burnt-sacrifice at that time and a sweet sacrifice And Aaron when he offered up a burnt-offering for his own sin Lev. 9. chap. Lev. 1. chap. chap. 6.28 and for the sins of the people he did wash the inwards and the legs of the Ram and the inwards and the legs of the Bullock was to be washed in water that any of the people brought to offer for a burnt offering before the Lord and the brazen pot that the sin-offering was to be sodden in was to be both scoured and â—â—â—â—sed in water And again Lev. 11. chap.
Whosoever touched or did bear ought of the Carcases of any beast or creeping thing that was counted unclean he himself was unclean and was to wash his clothes and he that did eat of a Carkase of a dead Beast was to wash his clothes And again Lev. 14. chap. If a House that was spread with the plague of a fretting Leprosie and was by the commandment of the priest shut up because it was unclean then he that went into the House in that time and he that lay in the House and he that eat in the House were to wash their clothes And again If any man had a running issue out of his flesh he was unclean and his bed wherein he lay was unclean Lev. 15. chap. and the thing whereon he sate was unclean therefore whosoever touched his bed was to wash his clothes and he that sate on the thing whereon he sate that had the issue was to wash his clothes and bathe himself with water c. Of which divers washings Heb. 9.19 20 21. sprinklings feasts burnt-offerings meat-offerings drink-offerings sin-offerings trespasse-offerings the attonement for the sin of ignorance the free-will-offerings the peace-offerings c. ye may read of more at large in the Scriptures which things the Law required to be done were all by the Apostle Paul counted but carnal Ordinances and when the time of Reformation was come they were all put to an end Heb. 9.10 the hand-writing of Ordinances was blotted out the Law disannulled and the Priesthood changed c. Now I say That the Ministers of England never did this service for their tythes and first fruits as Aaron and his son did nor the Improprietors neither therefore neither the Improprietor nor the parish-Ministers have not any right to the tythes of the land nor the first fruits neither for the first fruits and tythes was Aaron and his sons due Heb. 9. chap. who received the office of the priesthood by the Lords appointment or command who were to attend continually yeer by yeer at the tabernacle of the congregation to accomplish the service of the Lord which was to offer gifts and sacrifices for themselves and for the errors of the people for which service doing the Lord God gave them for their portion of the most holy things reserved from the fire Lev. 2. ch 8.31 to 36. Numb 18. ch of every Oblation Meat-Offering Sin-offering Trespasse-offering Heave-offering Wave-offering c. all the best of the Oyle and the best of the Wine and the Wheat viz. the first fruits of them which the children of Israel should bring to offer unto the Lord even to Aaron and his sons who had the charge of the tabernacle of the Congregation and the office of the priesthood there to them the Lord God gave likewise of the firstling of a Cow or the firstling of a Sheepe or the firstling of a Goat which was brought for an offering made by fire Exod. 29. chap. for a sweet savour unto the Lord of the flesh thereof The Wave-brest and the right shoulder and the fat of the Ram and the Rump and the fat that covereth the inwards and the Caul about the Liver and the two kindneys and the fat that is upon them and the rig it shoulder and the breast of the Ram and whether it be of Ox or Sheep they shall give unto the priest the shoulder the two cheeks and the Maw Deut. 18.3 Numb 18.10 and a loaf of bread and a Cake of oyled Bread and a Wafer of unleavened Bread and this was by them to be eaten in the most holy place every meal And again Lev. 27.30 32 34. God he required the children of Israel to tythe all the encrease of their seed that their fields broughâ— forth yeer by yeer and he said that all the tythes of the land whether the seed of the land or the fruit of the tree and the tythe of the Herd or of the flock even of whatsoever passeth under the Rod the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord and all the tythes was brought into the House of the Lord for said the Lord unto the children of Israel Deut. 14.22 Exod. 23.19 34.26 Mal. 3.10 Deuc 14.28 26.12.13 Prov. 3.9 10. Thou shalt truly tythe all the encrease of thy seed that the field bringeth forth yeer by yeer and the first fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the House of the Lord thy God Bring ye said the Lord all the tythes into the Store-house that there may be meat in my House and the levite and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow which are within thy Gates shall come and eat thereof and be satisfied that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thy hands which thou dost And Solomon said Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thine encrease so shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy Presses shall burst out with new Wine And God gave to the sons of Levi who received the office of the priesthood a commandment to take tythes of the people according to the law Heb. 7.5 that is of their Brethren and the Lord he spake unto Aaron Numb 18.21 24. and said Behold I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance for their service which they serve even for the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the Lord spake unto Moses saying thus Speak unto the Levites and say unto them When ye take of the children of Israel the tythes which I have given you from them for your Inheritance c. Here you may plainly see and the Scriptures do testifie that God gave the first fruits and the tythes to the sons of Levi who received the office of the priesthood by his own command only and likewise the sons of Levi they received tythes of the children of Israel their brethren onely and of no other people or Nation by a law which law stood in force to be observed and kept by which law the eleven tribes of Israel was required to pay first fruits and tythes And likewise the sons of Levi who received the office of the priesthood to take tythes by and this commandment was given to Moses in Mount Sinai with other commandments for the children of Israel to observe and do Lev. 27.34 Iâ—h 1.17 Heb. 8.5 9 10. chap. and Paul said The Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very Image of the things for the law came by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ. Now those things which the law required was a figure for the time then present in which time were offered both gifts and sacrifices by the priesthood which was ordained thereunto and the law which was a shadow of good things to come did impose upon the people many things to be done which stood only in meats and drinks and divers
Congregation that was at Gibeon to Jerusalem and reigned over Israel and Solomon said Now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side so that there is neither adversaries nor evil occurrent Behold I purpose to build an House unto the Name of the Lord my God as the Lord spake unto David my Father saying Thy son whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room he shall build an House unto my Name Then Solomon began to build the House of the Lord at Jerusalem in Mount Moriah where the Lord appointed unto David his father Deut. 12.10 11 12. 2 Chron. 3.1 2. and that was the place that God did choose to cause his Name to dwell and thither was the people to bring their tythes and first fruits their Burnt-offrings and their Sacrifices And Solomon began to build the House of the Lord at Jerusalem in the second year of the second Month in the fourth year of his reign and when the House was finished throughout all the parts thereof according to all the fashion of it then Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated 1 Chron. 29.1 2 3 4 5. viz. the Gold the Slver and all the Instruments put he among the Treasuries of the Hduse of God and then Solomon assembled the Elders of Israel and all the Heads of the Tribes and the chief of the Fathers of the children of Israel unto Jerusalem to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of the City of David which is Zion and all the Elders of Israel came 2 Sam. 5.7 9. 1 Chron. 11.4 5 6 7 8. and the Levites took up the Ark and they brought up the Ark and the Tabernacle of the Congregation and all the holy Vessels that were in the Tabernacle these did the Priests and the Levites bring up And the Priests brought in the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord unto his place to the Oracle of the House into the most Holy Place even under the Wings of the Cherubins and Solomon said unto the Lord I have huilt an House of habitation for thee and a place for thy dwelling for ever And blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth to my Father David saying Since that day that I brought my people out of the Land of Aegypt I chose no City among all the Tribes of Israel to build an House in that my Name might be there neither chose I any man to be a Ruler over my people Israel but I have chosen David to be over my people Israel And said Solomon The Lord hath performed the word that he hath spoken for I am risen up in the room of David my Father am set on the Throne of Israel as the LORD promised to David my Father and I have built the HOUSE for the Name of the LORD GOD of ISRAEL and the Lord God said I have chosen Jerusalem that my Name may be there And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night and said unto him I have heard thy prayer and I have chosen this place to my self for an House of sacrifice for now have I chosen and sanctified this House 2 Chron. 33.7 Psal 132.13 2 Chron. 7.12 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22. that my Name may be there for ever and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually and my ears shall attend unto the prayers that is made in this place and as for thee said the Lord God to Solomon if thou wilt walk before me as David thy father walked and do according to all that I have commanded thee and shalt observe my Statutes and my Judgements then will I establish the Throne of thy Kingdom according as I covenanted with David thy Father saying There shall not fail thee a man to be Ruler in Israel but if ye turn away and forsake my Statutes and my my Commandments which I have â—et before you and shall go and serve other Gods and worship them then will I pluck â—hem up by the roots out of my Land which I have given them Deut. 12.10 11 and this Houâ—e whiâ—h I have sanctified for my Name will I cast â—ut of my ligâ—t Therefore â—ake notice First God told the â—hildre of â—raâ—l when â—heâ— were in the Wilderness That when they came into the â—â—nâ— whiâ—h he wâ—uld â—ive them to possess and that when he had given them rest â—rom all theiâ— Enemies round about then there should be a place which he would choosâ— to cause his Name to dwell in 2 Chron. 6.5 6. Secondly Thâ—t in the Land of Canaan Ierusalem was the place that God chose from amâ—ng all the Trâ—bes of Israel that his Name might be there Tâ—irâ—ly 2 Chron. 3.1 Deut. 12.5 Joh. 4.20 Exod. 23.14 15 16. Deut. 16.16 2 Chron. 8.12 13 14 15 16. That at Ierusalem Solomon built in Mount Moriah a House called a Temple unto the Name of the Lord and for his Worship according to the Command of God 2 Sam. 7.12 13 14. 1 Kings 5.5 6. chap. Fourthly That to Ierusalem was the people of Israel required to bring their Burnt-Offrings their Sacrifices their first Fruits and their tythes Then Solomon offered Burnt-Offerings unto the Lord on the Altar of the Lord which he had built before the Porch even after a certain rate every day offering according to the Commandment of Moses and he appointed according to the order of David his father the Courses of the Priests to their Service and the Levites to their Charges the Porters also by their courses at every Gate so the House of God was perfected Now that which I come to write of further is That God required the people of Israel to pay the Priests and Levites their first fruits and tythes unto them in the land of Canaan Deu. 10.8 9 14. cha ver 22 to the end 18.1 2 3 4 5 6. and that they were to bring their Offerings and Sacrifices their first fruits and their tythes unto the place which he should chose that to Jerusalem were the first fruits and the tythes brought into the House of the Lord to be for food for the Priests the Levites the fatherless and the widow and the stranger that they might eat and be satisfied And Hezekiah King of Iudah sent to all Israel and Iudah to come to Ierusalem to keep the Passeouer unto tne Lord God of Israel 2 Chron. 30 31. chap. and Hezekiah appointed the courses of the Priests and the Levires after their courses every man according to his service the Priests and tae Levites for Burnt-offerings and for Peace-offerings he appointed also the Kings portion of his substance for the Burnt-offering to wit For the Morning and the Evening Burnt-offerings for the Sabbaths and for the New Moons and for the set Feasts as it is in the Law of the Lord Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to
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 their 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 to worship the true God in spirit and in truth Reward her as she hath rewarded you and double unto her double according to her works Rev. 18.6 7 8 9. The commandment is a Lamp and the Law is light and reproofs of Instruction are the way of life Pro. 6.23 The Rod and Reproof gives wisdom let the righteous smite me and it shall be a kindness let him reprove me it shall be an excellent Oyle VVhen the righteous are in Authority the people rejoyce but when the wicked bear rule the people mourn Psal 141.5 Prov. 29.2.15 Written by me HENRY CLARK Unto which is prefixed the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the LAODICEANS LONDON printed for the Author the sixth Month in the Year 1657. THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE LAODICEANS 1 PAUL an Apostle not of man nor by man but by Iesus Christ 2 To the Brethren which are at LAODICEA Grace and peace be with you from God the Father and the Lord Iesus Christ 3 I thank my God in all my Prayers that you remain stedfast in him and in all his works waiting upon his Promises to the day of judgement 4 And be not seduced by some unprofitable talkers who go about to cause you to fall from the Gospel which was preached unto you by me 5 Oh that they that were inctructed by me might serve to the profit of the Gospel of truth and become diligent in good works of eternal life 6 And henceforth are my bonds manifest which I suffer for Christs sake 7 Whereof I rejoice in heart and account it eternal salvation 8 That such is done through your prayers by the working of the holy Spirit whether by life or death 9 For I have a will and a joy to dye in Christ who will through the same mercy give you to have the same love and to be of one mind 10 Therefore beloved brethren as you have heard in my presence that keep and finish in the fear of God so shall you have eternal life for God will work it and perfect it in you without delay 11 My beloved rejoice in the Lord and take heed of them that are desirous after filthy lucre 12 Let your prayers be manifest unto God and remain firm in the knowledge of Christ. 13 And do that which is mete convenient just and reasonable and what you have heard and received that keep in your hearts so shall you have praise 14 The Grace of God and our Lord Iesus Christ be with your spirits Amen Cause this Epistle to be read unto the Colossians and read you that which is written unto the Colossians Read Col. 4.16 This Epistle of Paul to the Laodiceans was found in the oldest Bible that was Printed at Worms IN a translation of the New-Testament into both Latine and English each correspondent one to another after the vulgar Text commonly called St. Ieroms faithfully translated by Iohn Hollybush 1538. and printed in Southwark by Iames Nicolson and set forth by the Kings licence I finde in the sixt Chapter of Luke it is thus in the Margent after the fifth and sixth verses after these words The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath viz. in one of the Greek Copies this followeth Iesus seeing a cortain man working on the Sabbath-day said unto him O man if thou didst know indeed what thou dost thou wert happy but if thou knowest not thou art accursed and a transgressor of the Law A Rod discovered found and set forth c. WHen man hath forsaken the counsel of the Lord Deut. 9.12 16. Exod. 32.1 8. Psal 106.13 21. ver Numb 25.4 Iudg. 2.10 11 12 13. Psal 2.2 3. 1 Kings 11.38 12.28 29. 2 Chron. 12 1. 2 Kings 21. ch Read of Manassah and Amon and turned from the onely true God his Maker then he runs into the transgression and takes counsel of man and sets himself to act against the Lord and his annointed and in his imaginations he sets up other Gods for to worship and serve and this hath been the practise of the Kings and Rulers of the Earth and their Priests who have been the onely instruments together and the very Ring-Leaders of the people from the onely true God and his worship to fall down and worship the gods that they in their imaginations have set up which is Idolatry So likewise the Kings and Rulers of the Earth have done and do now in these dayes for the worship and service of their false gods and in pretence of worshipping the true God have those things in imitation which the only true God did do and required to be done for his worship and service but all those things which they in their imaginations did do in imitation of God was their sin for which the wrath of God was kindled up against them to cut them off and to destroy them And now I will instance some particular things that the onely true God did do and required to be done for his worship and service and afterwards shew how the Kings and Rulers of the earth have devised in their hearts to do the like for the worship of their false gods which was of their own setting up and a grievous sin they did commit in so doing And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Speak unto the children of Israel that they bring me an Offring Exod. 25 26 27 28. chap. and ye shall take my Offring of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart they were to take the offering of him that gave it willingly with his heart and with that willing offring that came from the heart they were to make the Lord God a Sanctuary that he might dwell amongst them And the Lord said unto Moses According to all that I shew thee after the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all the Instruments thereof even so shall ye make it and ye shall make the Ark of Shittim Wood and God shewed unto Moses the pattern of the Tabernacle how it should be built and of what it should be made of and all things belonging to it And when Moses went about to make the Tabernacle he was
God provided Maintenance for them who waited continually upon this service himself therefore said Moses At that time the Lord seperated the Tribe of Levi to bear the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord Dâ—ut 10.8 9. 18.3 4. and to stand before the Lord to Minister unto him and to bless in his Name Wherefore Levi hath no part nor Inheritance with his Brethren Therefore this shall be the Priests due from the people from them that offer a sacrifice whether it be Oxe or Sheep they shall give unto the Priests the Shoulder the two Cheeks and the Maw and the first fruit also of thy Corn of thy Wine and of thy Oyle and the first of the fleece of thy Sheepe shalt thou give him Lev. 27.30 31 32. and also the tythes of Land whether of the seed of the Land or the fruit of the Tree it is the Lords And the tithe of the Herd or of the Flock even of whatsoever passeth under the Rod the tenth thereof shall be holy unto the Lord for said the Lord unto the children of Israel viz. the eleven Tribes Thou shalt truly tythe all the increase of thy seed that the field bringeth forth year by year and ye shall bring all the tythes into the Store-house Mal. 3.10 that there may be meat in my House for the Levite because he hath no part nor Inheritance with thee in the Land whither thou goest to possess And the Lord God spake unto Aaron and said Behold Numb 18.20 21 24. I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an Inheritance for their service which they serve even the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation And God gave the sons of Levi who received the Office of the Priesthood a Commandment to take tythes of their Brethren because they had no part nor Inheritance with them Heb. 7.5 Now these tythes and first fruits were not required to be paid in the land of Aegypt nor yet in the Wilderness as they went toward the Land of Canaan were they to pay any tythes or first fruits nor in any other land but when ye go over Iordan dwell in the land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about so that you dwell in safety then was tythes to be paid and then was the first fruits and tythes to be brought in and no where else for said Moses Read Deut. 12. chap. to the 20. ver Then shall there be a place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause his Name to dwell there thither shall ye bring all that I command you your Burnt-Offrings and your Sacrifices and your tythes and the heave-Offring of your hand and all your choice vows which ye have vowed before the Lord and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God ye and your sons and your daughters and your man-servants and your maid-servants and the Levite that is within your Gates forasmuch as he hath no part nor Inheritance with you So that it is very plain first That tythes and first fruits were to be paid in no land but in the land of Canaan when that the children of Israel had the possession of it Secondly Tythes and first fruits were to be paid by the eleven Tribes in the Land of Canaan to the sons of Levi who had a Law to take tythes and first fruits of their Brethren when they had rest round about from all their enemies dwelt safely in the same land of Canaan Thirdly the first fruits and tythes were to be paid of the fruit or increase that the eleven Tribes had of the land of Canaan and of no other land for it is written When ye go over Iordan and dwell in the Land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit so that ye dwell in safety then there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose for to cause his Name to dwell there and thither shall you bring your tythes When the children of Israel had got possession of the land of Canaan it was a long time before they had rest by reason of their often rebellion and turning aside from the Lord 1 Sam. 4 5 6 7 chap. so that the Ark of the Covenent of the Lord was often removed and carryed from place to place besides it once fell into the Philistines who carryed it to Ashdod and they set it up in Dagons House by Dagon their god and after that they saw the hand of God against them for keeping it then they sent it to Gath and the Lord smote the men of the City both great and small with a very great destruction and they had Emrods in their secret parts and then they sent away the Ark to Ekron and the Ekronites they cryed out and said They have brought about the Ark of the God of Israel to slay us and our people and then the Ark was carryed into the Philistines Country for seven months and then it was sent in a new Cart to Bethshemesh and the men of Bethshemesh sent Messengers to the Inhabitants of Kiriathiearim to come down and fetch up the Ark to them and the men of Kiriathiearim fetcht up the Ark of the Lord and set it in the House of Abinadab in the Hill 2 Sam. 5 6 7. chap. and there it abode twenty years and after that time when David was King over Israel and that he had beaten the Philistines from Geba until he came to Gazer then David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel and David said unto all the Congregation of Israel If it seem good unto you and that it be of the Lord our God let us send abroad unto our Brethren every where that are left in the Land of Israel and with them also to the Priests and the Levites which are in their Cities and Suburbs that they may gather themselves unto us And said he Let us bring again the Ark of our God to us for we inquired not at it in the dayes of Saul And all the Congregation said that they would do so for the thing was right in all the eyes of che people 1 Chron. 13.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. So David gathered together all Israel from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entring of Hamath to bring the Ark of God from Kiriathiearim And David and all Israel went up and they carryed the Ark of God in a new Cart out of tht House of Abinadab and Vzzah put forth his hand to take hold of the Ark of God and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Vzzah and God smote him there for his error and there he dyed by the Ark of God and David was displeased because the Lord had made a breach upon Vzzah And David was afraid of the Lord that day and said How shall the Ark of the Lord cowe to me So David carryed the Ark aside into the House
of Obed Edom the Gittite and there it continued three Months and it was told David the King saying the Lord hath blessed the House of Obed Edom all that partain unto him because of the Ark of God So David went and brought up the Ark of God from the House of Obed Edom into the City of David which is Zion with gladness and David made him Houses in the City of David 1 Chron. 15.1 16.1 2 Chron. 5.2 5. which is Zion and he prepared a place for the Ark of God and pitched for it a Tent so they brought the Ark of God set it in the midst of the Tent or the Tabernacle that David had pitched for it Now it came to pass as David sate in his house that David said to Nathan the Prophet Lo I dwell in an House of Cedars but the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord remaineth under Curtains the Lord had given David rest round about from all his Enemies and Nathan said to the King Go and do all that is in thy heart for the Lord is with thee Read 1 Chron. 28 29. chap. now it was in the heart of David to build an House of Rest for the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and David had made ready Stuff for the building of it But the word of the Lord came to Nathan the Prophet saying Go and tell David my servant thus saith the Lord Thou shalt not build me an House to dwell in for I have not dwelt in an House since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day but have gone from Tent to Tent and from one Tabernacle to another and the Lord said unto David When thy dayes be fulfilled 2 Sam. 7. chap and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers I will set up thy seed after thee which shall proceed out of thy bowels and I will establish his Kingdom and he shall build an house for my Name Now when Davids dayes and his work was both near finished David assembled all the Princes of Israel and the Princes of the Tribes and the Captains of thousands and the Captains of hundreds and the Stewards and Officers and the mighty men and all the valiant men unto Jerusalem then David the King stood up upon his feet and said Hear me my Brethren and my People As for me I had in my heart to build an house of rest for the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and for the Footstool of our God and I had made ready for the building but God said unto me Thou shalt not build an House for my Name Because thou hast been a man of War and hast shed much blood Now said David to all the people The Lord hath given me many sons and out of all my sons the Lord hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon this Throne of the Kingdom of the Lord over Israel and the Lord said David said unto me Solomon thy son he shall build me my House and my Courts for I have chosen him to be my son and I will be his Father and he shall be my son And David called for Solomon his son and David said to Solomon My son as for me it was in my mind to build an House unto the Name of the Lord my God but the Word of the Lord came to me saying Thou hast shed blood abundantly and hast made great wars thou shalt not build an House unto my Name because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight behold a son shall be born unto thee his Name shall be Solomon and he shall be a man of rest and I will give him rest from all his Enemies round about and I wil give peace and quietness all his dayes unto Israel and Solomon he shall build an House for my Name and he shall be my son and I will be his Father and I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom over Israel for ever And David said Thou Solomon my son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an House for the Sanctuary be strong and do it and the Lord be with thee and prosper thou and build the House of the Lord thy God as he hath said of thee onely the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding and David gave unto Solomon his son the pattern of the Porch and of the Houses thereof and of the Treasures thereof and of the upper-Chambers thereof and of the inward Parlors and the place of the Mercy-Seat and the pattern of the Courts of the House of the Lord and of all the Chambers round about and of all the Treasuries of the House and of the Treasuries for the dedicate things and also 2 Chron 28. ch for the courses of the Priests and the Levites and for all the work of the service of the House of the Lord all that which David had given him by the Spirit shewed he unto Solomon for said David to Solomon the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me even all the works of this Pattern And when David dyed Solomon his son reigned in his stead when Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his Kingdom and found that the Lord his God was with him and magnified him exceedingly then Solomon spake unto all Israel to the Captains of thousands and of hundreds and to the Judges and to every Governor in all Israel and the chief of the Fathers so Solomon and all the Congregation with him went up to the High Place that is at Gibeon for there was the Tabernacle of the Congregation of God which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the Wilderness 2 Chron 1. but the Ark of God had David brought up from Kiriathiearim to the place which David had prepared for it for he had pitched a Tent for it at Jerusalem now in the night did God appear to Solomon in Gibeon and the Lord said Ask what I shall give thee and Solomon said And now O Lord my God thou hast made thy servant King instead of David my Father and I am but a child and I know not how to go out or come in and thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen a great people that cannot be numbred nor counted for multitude give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discover between good and bad And this speech of Solomons pleased the Lord and tho Lord said unto him Because thou hast asked this thing 1 Kings 3. cha 5. chap. and hast not asked for thy self neither long life nor riches nor the life of thy Enemies but hast asked for thy self understanding to discern judgement Behold I have done acording to thy word lo I have given unto thee a wise and an understanding heart Then Solomon came from before the Tabernacle of the
give to the Priests and the Levites their portion that they might be incouraged in the law of the Lord as soon as the commandment came abroad the children of Israel brought in abundance the first fruits of Corn Wine and Oyle and Hony and of all the encrease of the field and the tythe of all things brought they in abundantly and the children of Israel and Judah that dwelt in the Cities of Judah they also brought in tythes of Oxen and Sheep and the tythe of holy things which were consecrated unto the Lord their God and laid them by heaps and Azariah the Priest said to the King and the Princes Since the people began to bring the Offrings into the House of the Lord we have had enough to eat and have left plenty for the Lord hath blessed his people of that which is left is this great store Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare Chambers in the House of the Lord they prepared them they brought in the Offrings and the Tythes the dedicated things faithfully into the House of God over which Azariah was Ruler And after the children of Israels return out of captivity from Babylon when they had builded up the Walls of Ierusalem and that they were setled again every one in their places Nehemiah went the two and thirtieth year to the King of Babylon and after certain dayes he obtained leave of the King Neh 10 12 13. chap. and he came again to Jerusalem and he found the House of God forsaken and perceived that the portions was not given to the Levites because that the Levites was fled every man to his field then Nehemiah contended with the Rulers and said Why is the House of G d forsakâ—n and he gathered them together and set them in their places and then brought all Judah the tythes of their Corn and the New Wine and the Oyle into the treasuries Now God had commanded to bring all â—he tythes into the Store-House Mal. 3.10 that there might be meat in his House And Nehemiah and the Rulers made Ordinances accordingly and râ—quiâ—ed the people the children of Israel to bring the first fruits of their ground and the firrst fruits of all their trees year by year unto the House of the Lord and that they should bring the firstlings of their Herds and of their Flocks to the House of God unto the Priests that ministred in the House of God and that they should bring the first fruits of their Dough and their Offâ—â—iâ—gs â—nâ— thâ— fruit of all manner of trees of Wine and of Oyle unto the Priests to the Chambers of the House of God and the tythes of their ground they were to bring unto the Levites that the same Levites might have the tythes in all the cities of their tillage and the Priest the son of Aaron was to be with the levites when the levites took tythes and the levites was to bring up the â—ythe of tythes unto the House of God into the Chambers of the treasure-House And so much I have in part set forth to shew what God did do and required to be done in his worship and service of which the Scripture speaks more at large And now I come to shew how that the Kings and Rulers of the earth who forsake the onely true God to serve strange gods were the onely and chief Ring-leaders of the people from the true God and his way of Worship to worship the Images that they had set up And likewise how they in their imaginations have in their actions imitated to do the like things for the worship and service of their false gods that they set up as was done for the worship and service of the onely true God by his Command And now I will lay down the particular things to shew wherein the Kings and Rulers of the earth have acted in their own wills by their imaginations to do those things for the worship of their false gods which things that by them done were sin and what things they are doing for a false worshipping of the onely true God which is sin and such as God never required at their hands The first is The building and repairing of the Houses of High Places 2. Kings 17.12 15. Jer. 19.5 Jer. 7.31 32. called Churches for the worshipping of their false gods in or otherwayes for a pretence of worshipping the true God which thing God never required at their hands to do For God dwells not in Temples made with hands nor is he worshipped in Temples made with hands but he is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth and such worshippers the Father looks for dmells with him that is of an humble contrite spirit Ioh. 4.20 21 22 23 24. Acts 7.47 48 49. Isa 57.15 The second is Their consecrating and making Priests to offer up Sacrifices to preach in those Hgh Places called Churches for money and tythes is a thing that God never required at their hands to do and therefore it is a sin for them so to do 1 K ngs 13.33 34. Matth. 9.37 38. The third is the Laws that the Kings and â—ulers with the Pope and Bishops of the earth who sate in counsel together have made by which they compel the people of God to pay the Priests or Ministers that they have made tythes and Hire by which are contrary to God and Christ and such Laws God never required them to sit together to make against him and against his anointed and therefore I say that those Laws are unrighteous unjust unholy because they are not of God but contrary to God and therefore they are not to be obeyed for God is to be obeyed rather then man Isa 10.1 2. Mic. 6.16 Amos 8.4 5 6. Isa 1.12 But of tythes I have something more to wâ—ite hereafter in its place First God exalâ—ed from among the people of Israel Jereboam the son of Nebat one of King Solomons servants 1 King 11. ch 14.7 8 9.10 and made him Prince over the people Israel but Jeroboam turned away from the Lord God and followed not the Lord to keeâ— his Comâ—andments with all his heart nor stood in his counsel who had exalted him from all the people but Jeroboam lightly esteemed of the Lord aâ—d set his counsel at naught and set himself to do evil above all that were before him and rebelled against the Lord then the loss of Jeroboams Kingdom was set before him and the fear of his life was upon him and thus being surprised with fear on evevy side he said in his heart Now shall the Kingdom â—eturn to the House of David for said he If this people go up to do sacrifice at Ierusalem then shall the hearts of this people return again unto their Lord Rehoboam King of Judah and they will kill me 1 King 12. chh and go to Rehoboam King of Iudah again Wâ—ereupon Ieroboam took counsel but not of the Lord God who exalted him and made two Calves
of Gold and the one he set up in a City called Dan and Iereboam built up at Bethel a House of High Places and he made an Altar at Bethel and Jeroboam he set up the other golden Calfe at Bethel and then Jeroboam said unto the people It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem to worship behold thy Gods O Israel which brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt And thus you see how one of the Kings of the earth was the Ring-leaders of the people from the true God to worship Idols for the people went to worship before one of the golden Calves even to the City of Dan and that thing became a sin unto them and Jeroboam he built an Altar at Bethel and he made Priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the sons of Levi and he placed the Priests in the Houses of High Places at Bethel And Jeroboam he ordained a Feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month which he had devised of his own heart like unto the Feast that was in Judah there was his imitation and Jeroboam offered upon the Altar sacrificing unto the Calves that he had made 1 King 13. ch and he stood by the Altar to burn Incense and the Priests that he had made of the lowest of the people for the High Places burnt Incense upon the Altar as it was done in Judah so the like did he do at Bethel But I do not find that the House of High Places was so glorious as the Temple was at Jerusalem But behold there came a man of God out of Judah by the Word of the Lord unto Bethel and as Jeroboam stood by the Altar to burn incense the man of God cryed against the Altar in the Word of the Lord and said O Altar Altar thus saith the Lord Behold a child shall be born unto the House of David Josiah by Name and upon thee shall he offer the Priests of the high Places that burn incense upon thee and mens bones shall be burnt upon thee Now Jeroboam who was turned from the Lord God that exalted him fell to persecute the Prophet of the Lord and Jeroboam himself put forth his hand when he heard the saying of the man of God and said lay hold on him but the Lord God was just in causing his hand that he put forth to be dryed up Read 2 Chron. 11. 12. chap. for that he could not pull it again to him yet the Lord God was merciful to his Enemy and at the request of the man of God his hand was restored to him again but after this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way but made again of the lowest of the people priests for the high places after the manner of the Nations likewise of other lands and for the Devils and for the Calves which he had made he ordained them priests and whosoever came himself with a young Bullock and seven Rams the same he made a priest to them that were no Gods and him who Jeroboam consectated became one of the priests of the high places and this thing became sin unto the House of Jeroboam even to cut it off and to destroy it from off the face of the earth But take notice that this House of High Places that Jerobam built at Bethel was called the Kings Chappel by Amaziah the priest of Bethel Amos 7.10 11 12 13. who was a persecutor of the prophet of the Lord as you may read Amos. 2 Chr. 12.13 14. And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned over Judah in Jerusalem the City which the Lord did choose out of all the tribes of Israel to put his Name there And when Rehoboam had established the Kingdome and made it strong then he forsook the law of the Lord and all Israel with him and Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord and they provoked him to jealousie with their sins which they committed above all that their Fathers had done for they also built them high places and Images 1 King 14 21 22 23. and Groves on every high Hill and under every green tree and there were Sodomites in the land and they did according to all the abominations of the Nations which the â—ord had cast out before the children of Israel And thus you see now that if the King turn from the Lord forsake his Commandments the peopâ—e generally follow to do wickedly with him and as these two Kings did so other Kings of Israel and Judah did the like as you may read of Nadab 2 Kings 15.25 26. and Baasha ver 33 34. and of Zimri and Omri 2 Kings 16.19 25 26. And Ahab the son of Omri King of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him and it came to pass as if it it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam 1 King 16 3â— 31 32 33. for he took to wife Jezebel the Daughter of Ethbaeal the King of the Zidonians and went and served Baal and worshipped him and Ahab he built a House in Samaria for Baal he reared up an Altar for Baal in the House of Baal which he had built in Samaria and Ahab had got for Baal four hundred and fifty prophets and he had got four hundred prophets for the Groves that fed at Jezebels Table 1 Kingâ— 18.19 and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger then all the Kings of Israel that were before him And the Samaritans they made Houses of high places in all their senced Cities from the tower of the Watchmen to the fenced City and they set up Images and Groves and they burnt Incense in the high places as did the Heathen and they served their Idols Jer. 7.31 19.5 2 Kings 17. ch ver 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. wherefore the Lord God said unto them Ye shall not do this thing And the Lord testified against Israel and against Judah by all the prophets and by all the Seers saying Turn you from your evil wayes and keep my Commandments and Statutes according to all the law which I commanded your Fathers and mhich I sent to you by my servants the Prophets But they would not hear but hardened their necks like the necks of their Fathers that did not believe in the Lord their God and they rejected his Statutes and Covenant and his testimonies which he testified against them and they followed vanity and became vain and went after the Heathen and worshipped all the host of Heaven and served Baal And Ahaziah son of Ahab he reigned over Israel and he walked in the way of his Father and in the way of his Mother and in the way of Jeroboam for he served Baal and worshipped him 1 King 22.51 52 53. And after a reformation that King Hezekiah had made as you may read 2 Kings 18. chap. Manassah his son
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 worâ—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 Monumenâ—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 theâ—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 pâ—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 worâ—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 2â— 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
from being Queen because she had made an Idol in a Grove and he cut down her Idol and stamped it and burned it at the brook Kedron and he took away all the high places and the Images out of the Cities of Judah but the high places were not taken away out of Israel 2 Chron. 16.7 8 9 10. And Asa he commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers and to do the Law and the Commandments yet notwithstanding all that Asa had done he was wrath with the Seer and put him in a Prison-House for he was in a rage with him for what he spoke unto him and Asa oppressed some of the people the same time 2 Kings 11.1 2.12.18 ver 12. chap. 2 Chron. 24.1 2 17 18 19 20 21 22. And Joash the son of Ahaziah King of Judah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his dayes wherein Jehoiada the Priest instructed him for all the people of the Land went into the House of Baal and brake it down his Altars and his Images brake they in pieces thorowly and slew Mattan the Priest of Baal before the Altar but after the death of Jehoiada the Priest they left the House of the Lord God of their Fathers and served Groves and Idols and they sacrificed burnt Incense in the high places for the high places were not taken away And Jehosaphat King of Judah he sought not after Baalim 2 Chron. 17.1 2 3 4 5 6. 1 King 22.43 2 Chron. 20.32 33. but sought to the Lord God of his Fathers and walked in his commandments and not after the doings of Israel Moreover he tooke away the high places and Groves out of Judah but they were not all taken away for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts to seek unto the God of their fâ—thers but burnt yet in the high places Incense so that all the high places were not taken away for Iehosaphat he had a love to the Idolaters and not onely in bearing with them but he joyned himself and his arm to them 2 Chron. 18.3 19.1 2 3. and said unto Ahab I am as thou art and my people as thy people and we will be with thee in the war for the which he was reproved by Iohn the Seer who said unto Iehosaphat the King Shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord So that Iehosaphat went not on thorowly with his reformation for the people offered and burnt incense in the high places because they were not taken away viz. their high places were not all taken away 2 King 18.3 4 5. And Hezekiah King of Judah he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that David his father had done and he and all Israel that were present went out to the Cities of Iudah and brake the Images to pieces 2 Chron. 31.1 and cut down the Groves and threw down the high places and the Altars out of all Judah and Benjamin in Ephraim also and Manasseh until they had utterly destâ—oyed them all and he trusted in the Lord God of Israel And Jehu King of Israel with his Captains and his Guard he smote with the edge of the Sword the Prophets and Priests 2 King 10. the servants and the worshippers of Baal and they brought forth the Images out of the House of Baal and burnt them and they brake down the Image of Baal and brake down the House of Baal and made it a draught House Thus Iehu destroyed Baal out of Israel howbeit from the sins of Ieroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin Iehu he departed not from them to wit the two golden Calves that were in Bethel and that were in Dan. But now it came to passe That God raised up Iosiah King of Iudah according as he had spoken by the Prophet in the dayes of Ieroboam 1 King 13.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. saying Behold a child shall be born unto the House of David Josiah by Name and he shall O Altar Altar offer upon thee the Priests of the high places that burn Incense upon thee and mens bones shall be burnt upon thee And Iosiah commanded that the House of the Lord should be cleansed and the Keepers of the door brought forth out of the Temple of the Lord all the Vessels that Manasseh had made for Baal and for the Grove and for all the Hoste of Heaven and he burnt them without Ierusalem in the fields of Kedron and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel and he brought out the Grove from the House of the Lord without Ierusalem unto the brook Kedron stampt it to powder and cast the powder thereof on the graves of the children of the people and he brake down the Houses of the Sodomites that were by the House of the Lord and he defiled the high places wherein the Priests had burnt Incense from Geba to Beersheba and brake down the high places of the Gates and he defiled Tophet which is in the Valley of the children of Hinnom that so no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Moloch and he brake down the Altars that were on the top of the upper-Chamber of Ahaz which the King of Iudah had made and the Altaâ—s which Manasseh had made in the two Courts of the House of the Lord did Josiah the King beat down and break them down from thence and cast the dust of them into the Brook Kedron and the high places that were before Ierusalem which Solomon King of Israel had builded for Ashteâ—oth the abomination of the Zidoniaens and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites Read 2 Kings 23. chap. and for Milchom the abomination of the children of Ammon did the King defile and he brake in pieces the Images and cut down the Groves and filled their places with the bones of men and he put down the idolatrous priests whom the Kings of Iudah had ordained to burn Incense in the high places in the Cities of Iudah 2 Chron. 34. ch and in the places round about Ierusalem and he put down them also that did burn Incense unto Baal and to the Sun and to the Moon and to the Planets for Jupiter had a Priest as you may read Acts 14.13 and to all the Host of Heaven Moreover Iosiah he broke down the Altar at Bethel and the high place that the King of Israel Ieroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin had made yea both that Altar and the high place which was at Bethel he brake down and burnt the high place and stampt it small to powder andf burnt the Grove and all the Houses of high places that were in the Cities o Samaria which the Kings of Israel had made to provoke the Lord God to anger Iosiah the King took away and did to them
and such were never made priests by the command of the Lord but by man onely for Ieroboam he returned not from the evil of his wayes but made again of the lowest of the people priests for the high places and whosoever would he consecrated him and he became one of the Priests of the high places after the manner of other Nations viz. the Heathen 1 Kings 13.33 34. 2 Chron. 13.9 and this thing became a sin unto the House of Ieroboam even to cut it off and to destroy it from off the face of the earth And the Kings of Judah they set themselves against the Lord and agaist his Anointed as the Kings of the Heathen did do so did they for they ordained priests to burn Incense in the high places in the Cities of Judah 2 Kings 23.5 Acts 14.13 and in the places round about Jerusalem unto Baal the Sun the Moon and the Planets viz. Mars Venus Mercury Iupiter and Saturn and to all the host of Heaven after the abomination of the heathen and the Kings of the earth made Iupiter a priest and Pharoah King of Aegypt he had made him priests gave them portions to eat the Land the priests of Pharoah had Gen. 47.22 26 2 Kings 17.13 was not sold with the rest of the Aegyptians and Baal had priests made for him Now in the dayes of these Kings of Israel and Judah God raised up his own prophets and sent them to declare against these priests false prophets which the Kings of Judah and Israel had made for the Houses of high places like unto other Nations and likewise against both the Kings 2 Chron. 36 1â— Ier. 25.3 4. the people and the high places too for all had transgressed very much after all the abominations of the Heathen go read and see the testimony that the man of God bare against Ieroboam 1 King 13.1 2 3 4. and of Elijah against Ahab and the prophets of Baal 1 King 18. chap. and the Vision that Isaiah saw in the dayes of Vzziah Jotham Ahaz and Hezekiah Kings of Judah Isa 1.1 2 3. concerning Judah and Jerusalem Thy princes said he are rebellious and companions for thieves every one loveth gifts and followeth after rewards And of such priests as they had made he said His Watchmen are blind they are all ignorant they are all dumb Dogs they cannot bark yea they are greedy dogs which can never have enough they are Shepherds that cannot understand they all look to their own way every one for his gain from his Quarters Isa 56.10 11 12. Ier. 1.1 2 3. 2.13 7.31 8.1 2. 19. chap. And Ieremiah to whom the Word of the Lord came in the dayes of King Iosiah and in the dayes of Iehoiakim King of Judah unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah and unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive saying My people have committed two great evils they have forsaken me the Fountain of living Waters and hewed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that can hold no water they had forsook the Lord and his Commandments and his House at Ierusalem wherein he had placed his Name They have forsaken me said the Lord and have estranged this place both the Kings of Judah and the inhabitants of Ierusalem They have built also the high places of Baal and have burnt incense unto other gods and they have built the high places of Tophet which is in the Valley of the son of Hinnom which I commanded them not and the prophets prophesied by Baal and walked after things that do not profit And said the Lord the prophets prophesie lyes in my Name I sent them not so the Lord by his true prophet Jeremiah Ier. 14.14 Read Ier. 23. chap. whom hee sent himself disown'd those that the kings of the earth had made and sent forth neither have I said the Lord commanded them neither spake unto them they prophesie unto you said the Lord a false vision and a divination and a thing of naught and the deceit of their heart Ye may see that the prophets the priests and the high places that the kings of the earth 2 Kings 17 1â—â— 15. Ier. 7.31 19.5 who sate and took counsel together and built high places and made priests for them that was such a work and is such a work now as God never required at their hands to do for the Lord disowns all and said Who hath required this at your hands I commanded them not nor spake it neither came it into my minde and those priests they preacht for hire and studyed or divined for mony but such the Lord never sent for see Ezekiels testimony against them Ezek. 13. chap. of Israel And in chap. 22. against both the princes prophets priests and people of Ierusalem And likewise in chap. 34. against the shepherds of Israel And Hosea he bate testimony against them Hos 4.6 7 8 9. 5.1 8.3 4 5. 10.8 And Amos he bare testimony against them Amos. 7.9.10.11.12.13 ver And Miaah he bare his testimony against them also Mic. 1.5 3.1.2.3.5.9.10.11.12 ver and Zachariah 11.17 And thus you may here all see how the Lord God by his prophets disowned and abhorr'd the works of the Kings and Rulers of the Earth and peoâ—le for making Images and worshipping of them and for building up of Houses of high places such as are now called Churches and likewise for their consecrating and ordaining of priests for those high places Well then was it a sin in those days And do not the Kings and Rulers of the earth that do the same things either in whole or in part now commit sin as well as they did And do ye think that the Lord God does not abhor their works now as he did then And do ye think ye Rulers of England priests and people to escape the judgements of the Lord for your doing of such things more then they Or do you think that they were greater sinners then you are I tell you nay for except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish You see that many generations passed before King Iosiah came and what do you think that the Lord cannot raise up the like in England to do the like work here as Iosiah did do and proâ—per in it likewise till it is finished I tell you all That your time is drawing on and a reward for your works you shall be sure of for such as you have sown such you shall reap for in aâ—l that ye have done ye have but sown to the flesh and of the flesh ye shall reape death and destruction from the Lord God Dist 23 â—ist 3. Can. ADRIANUS â— P. FOXES Acts 1 oMnumentt Vol. 1. Constitutions Canons 32 39. And now I shall shew you that read this Treatise what I have read and gathered out of Histories how that the Rulers of the Earth have with the Pope made Cardinals Bishops Deacons Suffragans Priests
of Gold upon their heads to win them honour and reputation from all people who have been under the delusion of Antichrist and in the confirming of those Graduations or Degrees which is also done fâ—r a sum of money they give the Graduates License and power to preach and to expound the Scriptures and that by the sole Authority of the Vniversity for said he The Vice-Chancellor admitting a Batchellor in Divinity to his Degree useth these words In the Name of the Vniversity we admit you to declare all the Apostolical Epistles in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost And so the Batchellor in Divinity hath power in his Degree onely to deal with the Apostolical Epistles but must go no farther And admitting a Doctor to his Degree the Vice-Chancellor saith thus We admit you to interpret and profess all the holy Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost c. So that it is plain That the Parish-Priests of the Nations called by the world their Ministers buy their Power their Gifts at the Vniversities of men for a sum of money Simon Magus-like that they preach by for hire and study or divine for money by Therefore they who are made Ministers at Cambridge and Oxford are the worlds Ministers and not Christs Ministers for Christ Jesus said All power in Heaven and in Earth is given to me and he ascended up on high Eph. 4.8 9 10 11 12. Matth. 28.18 19. and he gave gifts unto men for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ and for the perfecting of the Saints And to those that he gave gifts to he sent them forth to preach the Gospel in all Nations saying Go ye into all Nations and preach the Gospel in every creature And he gave them power and of him they received power and were by Christ alone made able Ministers Matth. 10.8 Acts 2.4 Gal. 1.11 12. 2 Cor. 3.6 1 Cor. 12.28 Eph. 4.11 not of the Letter but of the Spirit and for this they gave not any money for said Christ Freely have ye received freely give neither did they learn the Gospel of man but had it by the revelation of Iesus Christ And those whom Christ sent out to preach the Gospel were called Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers c. But those that are made Ministers at the Vniversities of Cambridge and Oxford are called Batchellor of Art Master of Art Batchellor of Divinity Master of Divinity Doctor of Divinity c. and these receive their power from men and not from Christ We saith the Vice-Chancellor admit you to declare c. Now Christ told his Apostles That all power in heaven and in earth was given to him of his Fatther but of whom received the Vice-Chancellor his power not of Christ but of man as appears by a Statute-Law the words are these Anno 1. MARY 1 Parl. cap. 3. a carnal commandment to make Ministers by Prov. 15.8 9 26. ver If any person or persons shall molest disturb vex or misuse any Preacher or Preachers that at any time hereafter shall be licensed allowed or authorized to preach by the Queens Highness or by any Arch-Bishop or Bishop of this Realm or by any other lawful Ordinary or by any of the Vniversities of Cambridge and Oxford c. Here by mans Laws the Vice-Chancellors receive their power and Authority to make Preachers and for money do they admit men to preach and for their gifts they pay men for and for their admittance to preach they give money for and for hire they preach and for money they study and divine and all that is done by the means of the two Vniversities which is an abomination to the Lord for a corrupt fountain cannot send forth at the same place both sweet water and bitter for I say There is three sorts of men or four that ascends out of these two Fountains viz. Cambridge and Oxford and these four sorts are all learned men and men that are in high esteem with the men of the world and these are the Lawyers the Priests called Ministers the Doctors of Physicks and the Astrologers which the world runs after a whoring as after so many Idol-gods for first many people if they have lost any thing or have any thing stolne from them then they run to the Astrologers to know where it is and there goes one part of their money for casting of a figure and telling of a lye Secondly If they be sick a little then they run to the Doctors for help and not to God for he is not in all the thoughts of the wicked and so the Doctor he gets another sum of money for his imaginary directions that profits not but does hurt to the bodyes of men women and children Thirdly If any difference or quarrel befall amongst men then straightwaies they run to ask counsel of a Lawyer and ask not cousel of the Lord and of the Counsellors Lawyers c. they take counsel to arrest and sue one another at the Law and they get another part of the peoples money Fourthly The people run generally after the Priests who they call Ministers that preach to them for hire and divine for money thinking that by those unprofitable talkers they shall be taught the way to heaven and to them they pay tythes and to them they give money gifts and rewards and of them they are ever learning but are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth because they are seduced by such unprofitable talkers PAULS Epistle to the Laodiceans ver 4. and so the Priests take the peoples money for nought and the people being seduced by these unprofitable talkers give their money for that which is not bread whereas if they would come and learn of Christ who is the true way and the way to the Father and the way to peace and rest for their souls he would lead them and teach them and feed them freely without money and without price Therefore I say to all people So long as you follow the unprofitable talkers which you call Ministers Psal 107.19 20. Mark 5.25 26 27 28 29. Luke 4.38 39. you will never come to the knowledge of the trâ—th nor to rest and peace for your souls Thefore cease from them and come to Christ Jesus the light that by the light ye may come to the Father and behold the Lamb of God Christ Jesus that takes away the sins of the world and behold the glory of God in the Grace of Christ Iesus And again leave of going to ask counsel of the Lawyers neither do ye take counsel of them for so long as ye take counsel of them ye will never keep money in your purse nor your selves be at peace Therefore I say people When there ariseth any difference amongst you go and ask counsel of the Lord and take counsel of the Lord what ye shall do therein and
the Lord God will lead you out of all strife and contention and teach you how to agree with your adversaries quickly and to love your neighbor as your self and to forgive your enemies and to live in peace with all men Therefore I say to all people Cease from the Lawyers and follow the Lord wholly who giveth to man every good thing And again I say people Cease from the Doctors for so long as ye follow them ye will never enjoy your healths and come to God who sent his Word and healed the people and delivered them from their destruction Christ healed the woman of her Issue who had spent all that she had and had suffered many things of many Physicians and was nothing bettered but grew rather worse Therefore I say Forsake the Physicians and come to Christ who rebuked the Feaver and it left Peters Wives Mother God he wounds and he heals he kills and makes alive he brings down to the Grave and raiseth up again But some it is very like may say Must we not use the means when we are sick and take something to do us good Yea but I say Wait with patience upon the Lord stand in awe and sin not and if the Lord command thee to go and take a Plaster of Figs and lay to thy sore or to go and drink water 2 King 20.5 6 7. 2 King 5.14 Luke 17.19 or wash in the water and thou shalt be whole then go in the name and in the fear of the Lord and do as he commands and believing in the Lord so shalt thou be made whole Now I say That these three sorts of men for I will put the Doctors and Astrologers together the Priests who are called Ministers the Lawyers and Physicians are all unto the people like the Locusts the Caterpillar the Palmor-worm for all of them will have the peoples money and what the one leaves the other comes after and takes And again I say That these learned men have been ever a generation of persecutors of the people and servants of God and the Scriptures doth testifie with me that those Priests that were made and consecrated by men end the false Prophets were in all generations persecutors of the true Prophets and servants of the Lord which he sent forth to declare his Messages and this I will prove both by Scripture and History to be true For it is thus written in the Scriptures That Ieroboam the son of Nebat King of Israel 1 King 12.31 13.33 34. made at Bethel Priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the sons of Levi for the high places But in the dayes of Ieroboam the son of Ioath King of Israel God sent Amos an Herdsman of Tekoa to Bethel and Amos in the Name of the Lord declared against the high places and said The Land should be desolate and the Sanctuaries of Israel should be laid waste and that the Lord would rise against the House of Ieroboam with the Sword But Amaziah the Priest of Bethel he sent to Ieroboam King of Israel Amos 1.1 7.10 11 12 13 saying Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the House of Israel and the Land is not able to bear all his words for thus saith Amos Ieroboam shalt dye by the sword and all Israel shall be led away captive out of their own Land And Amaziah the Priest of Bethel said unto Amos O thou Seer go flee thee away into the Land of Iudah and there cat bread and prophesie there but prophesie not again any more at Bethel for it is the Kings Chappel and the House of the Kingdome 1 King 22.11 22 24. ver 2 Chron. 18.10 11 23. ver And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah one of Ahabs false prophets went and smote Micaiah the true Prophet of the Lord upon the Cheek c. And in the dayes of Iehoiakim King of Iudah God sent Ieremiah to go and stand in the Court of the Lords House and God commanded Ieremiah saying All the words that I command thee to speak unto them diminish not a word And Ieremiah said unto all the people that came to worship in the Lords House Thus saith the Lord I will make this House like Shiloh and I will make this City a curse to all the Nations of the earth c. And when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking Ier. 26.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 11 16. ver Luke 22.2 66. ver Matth. 26.3 4. 2â— 1 2. then the priests and the false prophets and the people took Jeremiah saying Thou shalt surely dye And the priests the prophets spake unto the princes and to the people saying This man is worthy to dye but the Princes and all the people said unto the priests and to the prophets This man is not worthy to dye for he hath spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord our God c. And the chief Priests and the Scribes and the Elders conspired against Christ Jesus the Son of God and held a consultation and they and the whole Council took Jesus and bound him and carryed him away and delivered him to Pilate and would not cease till they had got him crucified and put to death for said they We have a Law Iohn 19.7 Act. 4.7 chap. 23. ch v. 2. 25. ch v. 2 3 and by our Law he ought to dye because he made himself the Son of God c. And so likewise in the dayes of the Apostles if any tumult or imprisonment or death fell upon them the Priests the Scribes and the Rulers of the Temple would often have a hand in in it first or last And as the priests and false prophets were that Jeroboam and other of the Kings of Israel and Iudah had made such like persons for persecuting were the Bishops and the Clergy of England who were bred up at the Vniversities of Cambridge and Oxford and such are the priests who are called Ministers in these dayes for I say The same spirit that ruled the Pope Cardinals Bishops c. in the persecution of the servants and saints of God the same spirit ruled the Bishops and the Clergy in the dayes of the Kings and Queens of England and the same spirit rules the priests called Ministers in England now in these dayes as it did them in those dayes Pope INNOCENT the third Pope LEO at RATISBONE See the form of the Spanish Inquisition FOX Act Mon. Vol. 1 2. See the Table of Germany Spain France Italy and other Countreys as well as the English Martyrs JOHN CLARK of Melden in France a Wool-Carder by Trade This latter was done upon him at METZ in LOTHERING 1524. for the Pope in his Councils made Degrees and Canons Institutions for the correction of Hereticks as they called them for whosoever did speak against him his Laws Decrees Canons and Institutions or the Popish Religion in general or particular either by disputing
then others are and will not put their hands to do violence and blood as others do but of this better sort there is the lesser number And so I say of those who are called the Parish-Ministers take notice that for all this I do not own them to be Ministers of Christ that some of them and but few are more wise in their generation sober and moderate men and have not yet put forth their hands to do wickedly as the other have done who professe themselves to be Ministers of Christ but are not his as appears by their pride covetousness envy malice wrath for they are fierce despisers of those that are good heady Epist of Paul to the Laodic v. 11. high-minded and are desirous after filthy lucre and seek the honor of men and not of God and the ruine and destruction of mens bodies and so are out of the faith patience gentleness quietness and the meek spirit which is of great price with the Lord and could they have the Magistrate in all things to do their will they would have had fire and Faggots put to the people called Quakers to have burned them or else to have had us banished out of the Land before this out of their way nay they would not have spared some of their own Brethren the Ministers so called for they would have done by them as Stephen Gardiner and Edmund Bonner did by Ridley Latimor and Philpot in Queen Maryes dayes or as the late Bishops did to Henry Burton for the same spirit as was in Gardiner Bonner and the late Bishops is ruling in the Parish-Ministers now but that they cannot get all the Rulers of the Land to joyne with them to accomplish their designe and these are such who are made Ministers and Teachers by a carnal commandment of men and the people who will not endure sound doctrine but turn away their ears from hearing the truth are turned unto fables and according to their own lusts having itching ears they heap up to themselves Teachers made of Cambridge and Oxford Schollars heaps of teachers made by a carnal commandment to be be Preachers Ministers of Parishes but not Ministers of Christ Parsons Vicars Curates Lecturers Rectors Chaplains viz. His Highnesse Chaplain the Ladys Chaplain the Earls Chaplain and their Lords Chaplain and these Chaplains feed at their Earls and their Lords and Ladyes Tables like the prophets of the Groves that fed at Iezzabels Table And thus they creep into Houses and leadsilly women captive who are laden with sin and lead away with divers lusts ever of them learning but by their preaching are not yet come to the knowledge of the truth And again by the means of these parish-Ministers who are so made by a carnal commandment rule hath been born and is born to persecute the righteous under the Notion of Hereticks Sedition Schism Seducers Blasphemers c. whenas all discord debate strife erroneous Opinions and divisions in matters of Religion and what points of Religion they will believe and what they will not believe and blasphemy imitations deceiving and beguiling unstable souls is amongst the learned men themselves who are trained up and have been traind up at the Vniversities in Logick Rhetorick Philosophy and vain deceit for are not some of those who are called Ministers for the Pope and his Religion in general and others for the Episcopal Religion and others for the Scottish Presbyters Religion and are not some of them of the Independents Religion and others of the Anabaptists Antinomians Arminians and Fifth Monarchy-Men so called and from whence arise all these Nick-names and ill-favoured tearms but from these Cambridge and Oxford Schollars those unprofitable talkers Epist of Paul to the Laod. v. 4 who are made Ministers by a carnal commandment of man and not of God for the Ministers of Christ were not made Ministers by a carnal commandment but by the Spirit for said Paul Our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 6. who also hath made us able Ministers of the New-Testament not of the letter but of the spirit It was and it is the work of the onely wise God Heb. 11.5 Iude 14. Exod. 3.2 3 4 5 6.10 11 12 13 14. Ier. 35.15 Isa 6.8 9 Ier. 1.5 Mat. 9.37 38. 10.1 5 6 7. 28.18 19 20. Mark 16.15 Luk. 24.47 48 49. Act. 1.4 2.2 3 4. 1 Cor. 12.28 Eph. 4.8 9 10 11 12 13. Gal. 1.11 12 15 16 17. 2 Tim. 4.2 Epist Paul to the Laod. ver 1. and our Lord Jesus Christ to ordain to call to elect to sanctifie to give power gifts and commissions and to send forth all true and faithful Messengers Prophets Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel for to declare his Messages in particular and likewise to preach the Gospel in all Nations in Cities Towns and Villages unto the utmost parts of the earth and to bear witness of his Name before the Gentiles Kings and Rulers and the children of Israel in season and out of season to divide the word aright And with this work God never did trust nor put into the hands of Pharoah King of Aegypt to do nor Jeroboam nor the Turk nor the Emperors nor the Kings nor Dukes nor any other sort of Magistrates to do for God neither did God put this work into the hands of the Pope nor his Cardinals Ier. 7.31 19.5 Isa 1.12 John Goodwin in his book of Tryers p. 5. Matth. 28.18 19. Mark 16.15 Rev. 1.17 18. 21.6 22.13 nor his Bishops nor the Priests nor the Vniversities nor the Commissioners of Tryars to do for him therefore I say Who hath required this at any of their hands to do and by what Authority did any of the aforesaid make Ministers seeing that God never required it at their hands to do for said John Goodwin in his book The two Commissions we implead the one for Tryers the other of Ejecters being neither of them given in charge by Jesus Christ For Christ Jesus spake unto his disciples saying All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth go ye therefore into all the world and preach the Gospel and teach all Nations Christ Jesus the Son of God the same yesterday and to day and for ever the first and the last it is he that liveth and was dead but behold he is alive for evermore he was before his works of old he was set up for an everlasting salvation unto the ends of the earth Prov. 8.23 Isa 49.6 from the beginning before ever the earth was made when there was no depths when there was no fountains abounding with water and before the Mountains and the Hills was setled was Christ the Light brought forth and was by his Father while as yet he had not made the earth nor the fields nor the highest part of the world Prov. 8.22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. for when God prepared the heavens when he set a compasse upon
gatherer of Sycamore fruit and Amos was among the Herdsmen of Tekoa and said Amos The Lord took me as I followed the flock and the Lord said unto me Go prophesie unto my people Israel Here you may see that Amos was not tryed by Commissioners of Tryers nor sent out to prophesie by any such as they are but he was sent out of the Lord alone to prophesie and he said The Lord will roare from Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem c. Ezek. 1.1 2 3. 2 3. chap. Neither was Ezekiel sent by man to prophesie nor by man made a Watchman over Israel But the Word of the Lord came expresly unto Ezekiel in the Land of the Caldeans by the River Chebar and Ezekiel said that he saw the appearance of the likenesse of the glory of the Lord and when he saw it he fell upon his face and he heard the voyce of one that spake and said Ezekiel He said unto me Son of man stand upon thy feet and I will speake unto thee and the spirit of the Lord entered into me when he spake unto me and set me upon my feet that I hrard him that spake unto me and he said unto me Son of man I send thee to the children of Israel and thou shalt speak my words unto them whether they will hear or whether they will forbear And Ezekiel said Moreover he said unto me Son of man Eat that thou findest eat shis Roll and go speak unto the House of Israel So I opened my mouth and he caused me to eat that Roll and he said unto me Son of man Cause thy belly to eat and fill thy bowels with this Roll that I give thee Then did I eat it and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetnesse And he said unto me Son of man go get thee unto the House of Israel and speak with my words unto them c. So the spirit of the Lord lift me up and took me away and I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me And it came to pass at the end of seven dayes that the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man I have made thee a Watchman unto the House of Israel therefore hear the word at my mouth and give them warning from me c. Neither was Jeremiah ordained by man to be a Prophet nor was he by any King of the earth Ier. 1.4 to 10. 27 ver 2. chap. 1 2 5. ver chap. 3.6.12 4.1 or other consecrated nor by any man sent forth to prophesie but said Jeremiah The word of the Lord came unto me saying Before I formed thee in the Belly I knew thee and before thou camest out of the Womb I sanctified thee and I ordained thee a Prophet unto the Nations And the Lord put forth his hand and touched Jeremiahs mouth and the Lord said unto him Behold I have put my words into thy mouth and the Lord said unto Jeremiah See I have this day set thee over Nations and over Kingdoms to root out and to pull down and to destroy and to throw down to build and to plant Thou therefore gird up thy loynes and arise and speak unto them all that I command thee be not dismayed at their faces lest I confound thee before them And the Word of the Lord came moreover unto Jeremiah saying Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem saying Thus saith the Lord What iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after vanity and are become vain And again in the dayes of Josiah said the Lord unto Jeremiah Go and proclaim these words toward the North and say Return thou backsliding Israel saith the Lord if thou wilt return O Israel saith the Lord return unto me and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight then shalt thou not remove and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord and I will not keep mine anger for ever And the Lord said unto Jeremiah â—er 1.18 19. Behold I have made thee this day a defenced City an Iron Pillar Brazen Walls against the whole Land against the Kings of Judah and against the Princes thereof and against the priests thereof and against the people of the Land and they shall fight against thee but they shall not prevail against thee for I am with thee said the Lord to deliver thee c. read the 20. chap. the 23. and 26. chap. of Ieremiah c. And Isaiah was made a Prophet but not by man neither by any King or Ruler of the Earth was he sent forth to prophesie Isa 6. chap. but he was consecrated and sent forth of the Lord alone for said Isaiah In the year that King Vzziah dyed I saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up and his Traine filled the Temple and above it stood the Seraphims and one cryed unto another and said Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory And the posts of the door moved at him that cryed and the house was filled with smoke Then said Isaiah Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts Then flew one of the Seraphims unto me having a live coal in his hand which he had taken with the Tongs from off the Altar and he laid it upon my mouth and said Lo this hath touched thy lips and thine iniquity is taken away and thy sin is purged And Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord saying Whom shall I send And who shall go for us Then said Isaiah Here am I send me And the Lord said unto Isaioh Isa 8.1.11 ver 50.4 5 6 7 Go and tell this people Hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not c. And Isaiah said the Lord spake unto him with a strong hand and instructed him that he should not walk in the way of the people and he said the Lord gave him the tongue of the learned that he should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary and the Lord opened his ear and said Isaiah I was not rebellious neither turned away back c. And thus ye may see that the true prophets of the Lord and the true and faithful Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel were ordained of the Lord and chosen and called and sanctified by the Lord alone and not by the Kings and Rulers of the earth nor by the Pope and his Adherents neither by Commissioners that were appointed by them or any of them so to do And again Those Prophets Apostles and Ministers that God and Christ sent forth were no raylers nor scoffers nor
Vicarage-Lands and other Lands and likewise for what use the parties gave them the end wherefore they gave them and by this you may see how the Kings of the earth provided for the Clergy of their own and the Popes making but for the Prophets and Apostles and Ministers of Christ they would not provide any such things for them but instead thereof they and their Churches provided for them Prisons Dungeons Whips Stocks Bridewells Saws Swords Wracks Fire and Faggots And as for the Messengers and Ministers of Christ that he ordained and sent they would not receive them into their Houses nor their Doctrine neither but those who they ordained and consecrated themselves See Cesar Due by Tho. Bradley D.D. and Minister of Nettlebed in Oxfordshire but not Minister of Christ. or such as were made by a carnal commandment by the Pope and his Adherents or by a Commission of Tryers that come in their own names and not in the Name of the Lord such are received and provided for and called by them Master and a House and Land for a certain dwelling place is prorided for them worth 100. l. or 200. l. more or lesse by the year for the Rectory of Alsford in Hampshire stands in one of the Kings Books at 29. l. a yeer but said Bradley It was let at 450. l. communibus annis viz. one year with another beside a reserve of 30. l. a yeer that the Rector lived in himself And this was not sufficient but the Kings of the earth have taken away from the people and given to their Ministers as their servants to preach them up their Fields their Vinyards and their Olive-yards even the best of them and given them to their servants and the tenth of the peoples sheep and the tenth of their seed and of their vinyards and given them to their Priests Ministers and servants And thus the Kings of the earth have done according as God bad Samuel tell the people the King they asked for would do 1 Sam. 8.1 to the 18. But some it is like will say that the Kings gave their own lands to the Clergy Read Hollinshead Chron. Fox Act. Mon. Vol. 1. But I say How came the Saxon Kings by their Lands here in England that they gave to the Clergy Did they not take it from the people by their Swords And did not William the Conqueror do the like And did not the Saxon Kings and William the Conqueror prove tyrants to the people and treacherous likewise And one thing I do grant that is this That the Kings or Rulers of the earth may with the consent of the people assembled in counsel raise money for the publike good that is for the defence of the Nation and for the preservation of the Nations peace and welfare at home or abroad by Land and Sea and defence of the nations enemies But I say again That the Kings and Rulers of the earth ought not to take away the peoples Goods or the Fruits of their labour nor the increase of their seed nor the increase of their Flock or Herd or their Vinyard to give unto others nor to sell unto others Isa 1.23 Hos 4.6 7 8 9 Lam. 4.13 as some Kings of this Nation have done and taken away from the people the tythes and sold them to Improprietors others they gave to their own Ministers which thing is not good but evil and abomination in the sight of God and the buyer and the receiver are as bad as the seller and the giver But some will say it is like Must not our Ministers be maintained how should they live for they cannot work for they were never brought up to work and they cannot starve Thus I answer That they are big enough and strong enough to work therefore it is now time for them to begin to labour with their hands the thing that is good Act. 20.33 34. 1 Cor. 4 12. 1 Thes 2.9 2 Thess 3.6 7 8 9 10 11. and in the sweat of their brows to eat their own bread for our order is That they that will not work shall not eat provided that they be strong and able to work as your Ministers are and they that set them to work let them pay them their wages out of their own Purses and not out of theirs that own them not And again The true Prophets and Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel that Christ sent they did not take tythes nor gifts nor rewards for preaching nor prophesying for tythes was not the Gospel that they liv'd by But those Ministers that the Kings and Kulers of the earth the Pope and his Adherents make and sent forth they take gifts and rewards and tythes for their preaching therefore they commit sin with greedinesse and do the thing that is not right in the sight of God for God did not require tythes to be paid to those Ministers that are made and sent out by the Kings and Rulers of the earth the Pope and his Adherents but when God required tythes and first fruits to be paid he required that the tythes and first fruits should be paid to the Levites Aaron and his sons whom God did â—et apart to minister in the Priests office Exod. 24.12 Lev. 27.30 to 34. Ioh. 1.17 and for the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Exod. 28.11 Numb 3.12 Heb. 7.5 I find in the Scripture that God gave the Law in Mount Sinai unto Moses for the children of Israel to observe and keep even the Law which was a shadow of good things then to come for said Iohn The Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Now I say Deut. 26. chap That Law by which the children of Israel was commanded to pay tythes was given in Mount Sinai to Moses for the children of Israel to observe and keep when they came into the Land of Canaan Heb. 10.1 Deut. 7.6 7 8. 14.2 Ps 147.19 20. And this Law which was a shadow of good things to come was committed unto the people of Israel to observe and keep and to no other Nation for the Lord God had chosen them to be a peculiar people unto himself above all people that were upon the face of the earth and said David He hath shewed his word unto Iacob his Statutes and his Iudgements unto Israel he hath not said David dealt so with any Nation for his judgements they have not known And Paul said Rom. 3.1 2. That unto them were committed the Oracles of God And now I come to write more largely of tythes then hitherto I have written Exod. 34 26 27 28 29. Lev. 27.30 to 34. Deut. 10.8 9 10 11 12 13. 18.1 2 3 4. Deut. 12.10 11 12. 26 1 2. 19. v. 25. c. Lev. 27.30 32. Exod. 34.26 Mal. 3.8 9 10 First I finde that God did not command or require any people to pay tythes and first fruits but only by
Priests tythings and offerings to * To maintain finden his Priests but Lord in the old law the tythings of the lay-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-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 gâ—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
said unto them Freely ye have received freely give Go ye preach saying Matt. 10 5. to 14. Mark 6.7 to 12. Luk. 9.1 to 6. Luk. 10.1 to 12 The kingdom of Heaven is at hand provide neither Gold nor Silver nor Brasse in your purses nor Scrip for your journey neither two Coats neither Shooes nor yet Staves for the workman is worthy of his meat And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter enquire who in it is worthy and there abide till ye go thence And he called the twelve and sent them forth by two and by two and they went out and preached that men should repent Christ said to his Apostles that the workman is worthy of his meat Now do but take notice how they were maintained that Christ sent forth said he Into whatsoever City ye enter and they receive you 1 Cor. 9.4 eat such things as they set before you for the workman is worthy of his meat And said Paul Have not we power to eat and to drink Yea Christ gave them power to eat and to drink such things as was set before them by them that did receive them they were to eat and to drink And again said Christ Into whatsoever house ye enter say Peace be unto this House if the Son of Peace be there your peace shall rest upon it and in the same House remain eating and drinking such things as they give for the labourer is worthy of his hire the workman is worthy of his meat And Iesus said unto the twelve When I sent you without Purse and Scrip and Shooes c. lacked ye any thing Luk. 23.35 and they said Nothing And again Christ said unto them Into whatsoever City ye enter and they receive you not go your wayes out into the streets of the same and say Even the very dust of your City which cleaveth on us we do wipe off against you notwithstandithstanding be ye sure of this That the Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you 1 Cor. 4.11 12 13. Acts 20.33 34 35. 1 Thess 2.9 2 Thess 3.8 9 10. And so likewise they was to do by a House where they would not receive them nor hear their words for of such they were not to take any thing of nor to abide with them to eat nor to drink for the world was not worthy of them for the world hated them because they were not of the world but of Christ therefore the Kings of the earth nor the Rulers nor the people would not provide for them neither parsonages vicarages rectories nor glebe-lands nor tythes nor first fruits nor offerings nor oblations nor obventions nor hundreds of pounds by the yeer to maintain them with but instead thereof they provided Swords to slay them with 2 Cor. 11.25 26 27. Acts 12.2 3 4. 16.23 24. and prisons to put them in and whips and stocks and stones to stone them to death Now had they been of the worlds Ministers the world would have provided for them for the world loves its own and provides well for them as you may see in these our dayes how the Kings and Rulers of the earth the Pope and his Adherents have provided for theirs here in England but as for those that are now come in the Name of the Lord there is prisons dungeons stocks whips passes stones threatnings and fines provided for them beside beatings and mockings and reproaches and spoyling of their goods But is this the work of the Magistrate to do and to suffer to be done I say nay For he that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God they must be able men men of truth fearing God hating covetousnesse for said David Exod. 28.21 The Spirit of the Lord spake by me the Rock of Israel spake to me his word was in my Tongue The God of Israel said He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God 2 Sam. 23.2 3 4. ver And thus the Magistrates ought to be from the highest to the lowest that ruleth over men and then shall he be as the light of the morning when the Sun riseth even as a morning without Clouds and as the tender grasse springing out of the earth by the clear shining of the Sun after rain c. Now the work of the Magistrate is 1. He is to be a protection to them that do wel that is 1 Pet. 2.14 Rom. 13.3 4. Tit. 2.11 12. Rom. 8.14 Gal. 5.22 23. to such who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit of God now they who walk after the spirit of God are taught by the grace of God to deny all ungodlinesse worldly lusts and likewise to live soberly peaceably honestly righteously and a god-like life and conversation in this present world and they who are led by the spirit of God are the sons of God and by them is the fruit of the spirit seen which is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance and such are the well doers that the Magistrate is to be a protection too for against such there is no law c. 2 Sam. 23.6 7. But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away because they cannot be touched with hands for the man that shall touch them must be senced with Iron and the staffe of a Spear and they shall be utterly burnt in the same place c. Therefore 2. The Magistrate is likewise to be a terror to the evil doers that is to such as are lawlesse 1 Tim. 1.8 9 10. Levit. 20.15 16 27. Gal. 5.19 20 21. disobedient unruly ungodly unholy and prophane murtherers man-slayers fighters quarrellers whores whoremongers adulterers fornicators Buggery Thieves Robbers men-steeaers swearers cursers drunkards lyars cheaters false-witnesses and perjured persons Idolaters witches amongst whom is hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions heresies and these and whatsoever things else that is contrary to the law that is holy just pure and good are the evil doers that the Magistrate is to be a terror too and for such the Law is made and not for a righteous man and that Ruler that doth contrary hereunto bears the sword in vain c 2 Chron. 19.6 Exod. 18.22 Deut. 1.16 17 e. 16.18 19 20. Exod. 23.3 6 7 8 9. 2 Chron. 19.5 6 7. Mic. 3.9 10 11 12. 3. The Magistrate that ruleth over men are not to judge for man but for the Lord and they are to judge the people at all seasons with just judgement He is not to wrest the law for if he wrest the Law he wrests Judgement which he ought not to do but to judge righteously between every man and his brother and the stranger that is with him he is to hear the cause of the poor as well as the cause of the rich the small as well as the great he is not to respect persons in judgement he is not to countenance a poor
world know you not that Christ Jesus is in you except you be reprobates but he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him and if we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit Believe therefore in the light receive the light love the light bring your deeds to the light that they may be proved whether they be wrought in God for to as many as receive Christ Jesus the light and believe in his Name to them he gives power to become the sons of God and the sons of God are led by the Spirit of God and the spirit of God leads into all truth and the spirit it teacheth to worship God in spirit and in truth and hereby know ye the spirit of God That spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and that spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God Therefore hearken to the Lord and hear what he saith incline your ear and hearken to his word that is nigh you in your hearts hear what the spirit of God saith unto you who speaketh expresly Be obedient to the spirit of God for there is no condemnation to them who walk after the spirit for the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus frees from the law of sinne and death and it is the grace of God that hath appeared unto all men that teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present evil world and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin for he became the Author of eternal â—alvation unto all that obey him Therefore mind the light for they whose minds are stayed upon the Lord he keeps them in perfect peace but there is no peace to the wicked for their minds are out from God minding earthly things so that God is not in all their thoughts therefore the wicked and all that forget God shall be turned into Hell Therefore love not the world nor the things of the world for he that is a friend of the world is an enemy to God for the whole world lies in wickedness and God is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity and he that delighteth not in the Law of the Lord takes pleasure in unrighteousness and he that takes pleasure in unrighteousness will do no true justice righteousness nor judgement for the Lord betwixt man and man Wisdom is profitable to direct and it is God that gives wisdom Solomon asked of the Lord and said Give therefore thy servant wisdom and an understanding heart to judge thy peogle that I may discern between good and bad Who teacheth like God that giveth wisdom that teacheth the Senators wisdom and he is a wise man that will be ruled by the Law of God the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and he that is without this and unruled by the Law doth neither righteousnesse justice nor true judgement for the Lord God Therefore ye Rulers and Judges of the earth let wisdom guide you and the spirit of God teach you to serve the Lord and to judge for him the people at all seasons and see that ye respect not persons in judgement but hear the cause of the poor as well as the cause of the rich and rid the afflicted out of the hands of the wicked speedily and let justice be done speedily upon the evil doers and answer the people of the Land Concerning their parish-Ministers their Houses of High-places falsly called Churches and tythes oblations obventions c. as Ioash did the Midianites when his son Gideon had thrown down the Altar of Baal and cut down the Grove that was by it And Ioash said unto all that stood against him Will ye plead for Baal will ye save him He that will plead for him let him be put to death whilest it is yet morning If he be a God let him plead for himself because one hath cast down his Altar Judg. 6.28 29 30 31. And so it is concluded READER thou art desired in thy reading to take special notice of the Errata's in the ensuing pages and lines which have been committed at the Press let them and all other litteral faults which thou findest be mended with thy pen for thy own and others clear understanding viz. Pag. 5. lin the last read the hands of the Philistines p. 8. l. 33. r. House p. 9 l. last r. the Levites p. 14. l. 23. r. Kine Gilsus King of the Mercians l. 30. r. Monketon p 15. l. 3. 1. so strong p. 16. l. 3. dele formerly p. 17. l. 19. r. Legate of the See l. 27. r. Courelefu p. 19. l. 41. r. his Army l. 43. r. Iehu the Seer p 23. l. 42. r. our non-payment of tythes p. 49. l. 43. r. to bear witness of Christ p 55. l. 14. r. but onely the children of Israel p. 56. l. 33. r. the head
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 thâ— 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
against all those above-named unrighteous unjust and impure Decrees Laws Statutes Acts Constitutions Canons and Ordinances that have been made by men for to require the people to pay first fruits tythes offerings oblations obventions rates for tythes or such like that they are not of God and likewise That all those men who sate in councils and parliaments and have made those laws whether kings popes earls lords lords and commons protector and council or parliaments I say That they were not guided nor taught nor led by the spirit of God so to do but by a spirit of error were they ruled by for to bring again a yoke upon the neck of Christs Disciples by those unjust and unholy and unrighteous laws decrees constitutions acts and ordinances and clauses in ordinances whereby they require and compel Christs Annointed to pay first fruits tythes offerings oblations obventions or any other rates in lieu of the same I say That those laws for the payment of tythes c. are not good for whatsoever law it is that is not good in its original or foundation can never be made good by any act or acts of man subsequent Now I say That the ground and original of these laws for the payment of first fruits and tythes c. since the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was from the pope and his adherents the pope and his adherents are Idolaters and all the Idolaters are ungodly and such as hate the Lord Read 2 Chron. 18 19. chap. for Ahab the King and Israel was an Idolater and he was led by a lying spirit to go up to Ramath Gilead Iehosaphat King of Iudah joyned with him and said to Ahab I am as thou art my people as thy people but Hanani the Seer said to Iehosaphat Shouldst thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord such are the pope and his adherents ungodly and such as hate the Lord therefore those laws that had their original foundation from the pope and his councils were and are altogether illegal and unjust in their original for can a corrupt fountain send forth sweet water neither can the pope and his adherents who are led by a spirit of error send forth pure and just laws Therefor say I to all the Rulers of England Should you help the ungodly to make laws against the Lord against his Annointed do ye not make your selves manifest by your actions herein to be such as love them that hate the Lord do not ye do the same things in nature though not in substance as the pope and his Adherents do or worse for the pope used to excommunicate or to curse out of his Church those that would not pay tythes and happy they were that were so excommunicated out of his church by him and his adherents See the Petition of Right and 〈◊〉 Act for regulating the Privy Council and taking away the Star-Chamber Anno 17. Caroli Regis but ye make laws to take three times the value of the tythes from them that cannot in conscience pay tythes c. and put men in prison for non-payment of tythes to the undoing of them their wives and small children which is contrary to the Common-law of the land And again It is a Maxime in the laws of this land That whatsoever in its original is altogether illegal and unjust can never by tract or length of time or by Actor Acts subsequent be they what they will in any kinds or construction of law be made just or legal And for the clear proof of which read Judge Huttons Argument against Ship-Money pag. 48 49. and Vox Plebis pag. 20. 43. and the fourth part of Cooks Reports pag. 125. and Vernons Case See also John Lilburns Grand Plea made against the Lords Jurisdiction over the Commoners Anno 1647. pag. 8. 13. And said the men of Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire and Herefordshire See the Booke called The Husbandmans plea against tythes Printed 1647. Because said they Acts of parliament are Acts of men and not Oracles from Heaven a parliament as well as a Council may be led by wrong principles and so erre and so make laws Acts or Statutes that are unjust c. And again I say That all they who put those unrighteous and unjust laws for tythes c. in execution and all they who receive tythes firrst fruits oblations obventions offerings or any other thing in lieu of the same and all those who either through subtilty or willingly payes the said first fruits tythes oblations obventions or offerings or any thing in leuâ— of the same in obedience to those laws that are made by the ungodly and such as hate the â—ord I do judge them all to be enemies of God and such as will not that Christ Jesus should rule and reign over them neither do they own him to be unto them a King Law-giver and Judge but by their works do make themselves manifest to be such as deny Christ Jesus to become in the flesh for did they love Christ Jesus they would suffer the spoyling of their goods for his Names sake and keep his Commandments and did they own Christ to be King and Law-giver then they would obey no laws but his and submit to him that hath disanulled the law which was a shadow of good things to come and blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances having abolished in his flesh the law of commandments contained in Ordinances and changed the priesthood who by a law took tythes and not have revived an old law that was done away by Christ Jesus at the time of reformation by himself for who hath required that law to be revived again by them at their hands but onely the Pope and his Adherents whose work they do for his servants ye are to whom ye obey Therefore my son if sinners entice thee consent thou not neither follow a multitude to do evil walk not thou in the way with them refrain thy foot from their pathes for the wayes of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord therefore go not in the way of evil men as for God his way is perfect his work is perfect all his wayes are judgement a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he and the way of God is strength to the upright an dt they that walk in his pathes finde peace but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity c. And now I come to shew out of Histories the testimonie that others in former yeers have born for Christ and against tythes Fox Acts and Mon. Vol. 1. and them that took tythes I finde written that about the yeere 1360. in the prayer and complaint of a Plow-man wherein he said as followeth Ah Lord he that * Calleth cleepeth himself thy Vicar upon earth viz. the Pope hath ordained an order of Priests to do thy service and therefore he chargeth | Lay-men lewde men in pain of cursings to bring his