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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79864	A rod discovered, found, and set forth to whip the idolaters till they leave off their idolatry (which yet remains in the rulers of England, their ministers, and the people who follow thier wayes) which doth consist in the houses of high places, falsly called churches; the two universities, Cambridge and Oxford, (and their ministers, which are made by man, and not of God) and their ministers maintenance (not the ministers of Christs) which is portions of lands, tythes, offrings, oblations, obventions, and great houses for a certain dwelling place on the earth, and forms of oathes, all which is the fruit of idolaters, and the abomination of the heathen. So likewise here is described the true magistrate and his work; and the way (for he who is not) to become such a one; and likewise, the way for all people to come out of their idolatry, vo worship the true God in spirit and truth. Written by me Henry Clark. Unto which is prefixed the epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Laodiceans.	Clark, Henry, 17th cent.	1657 (1657)	Wing C4457; Thomason E926_1; ESTC R207580	107,831	79

their false Church which is but a house of high places For first at the end or in the middle of some there is a high place called the Steeple where the formerly christened Bells hang and that place is a high place for pleasure and a place for profit by their ringing of their Bells for when that one is dead they mourn and ring Bells and get money and when one is marryed they ring the Bells and rejoice and get money in the high place and formerly the Bells was wont to be rung to keep evil spirits and tempests from their Towns and when that the Pope or Bishop cu●st any for a sin as they called it they used to curse them with Bell Book and Candle then the Bells was rung that all might know that a he●etick or some such like was curst at high Altar So with the Bells they bless and with the Bells they curse with the Bells they weep and with the Bells they rejoice with the Bells they take pleasure and with the Bells they got money and with the Bells they used to call people to worship Images and now with the Bells the people are called together to worship a god a far off that they know not and at the ringing the bells the priests make themselves ready to go p●each for their hire who has the chiefest place in their Church so called viz the Pulpit and then there is a high place at the other end called the Chancel and high places of each side called the Iles and a high place called the Vestry in some where formerly the priests Vestments and Robes and other trinckits formerly lay in and then a high place in the middle called the body of the Church And thus I have shewed wherein and how they are called houses of high places and I deny them to be Churches c. Fourthly In the houses of hlgh places that the heathens and the idolatrous Kings of Israel and Judah built there was pictures images or the likenesses of creatures made and set up in them to be worshipped as gods which were not God but Idols the workmanship of mens hands for Jeroboam he made in likeness two Calves of gold and the one he set up at the City called Dan and thither the people went to worship and the other he set up at Bethel and Jeroboam said unto the people These are thy gods O Israel that brought thee up out of Aegypt 1 Sam. 5.2 by Tho. Grashop And the Philistines god was Dagon and he was as some write made from the Navil downwards in the likeness of a Fish and upwards like a man and to this I refer the Reader to the Marginal Notes of the great Bibles And the god that Ahab served was Baal which was set up in the house at Samaria which Ahab built for Baal and Baal is taken for Ashteroth the Idol of the Zidonians which Jezabel caused to be worshipped 2 King 10.18 1 Kings 16.31 32. Iudg. 16. and Baal was made in the likeness of a Ewe or a Sheep read I say your Marginal notes of your great Bibles upon the second chapter of Judges verse 13. And Micah the man of Mount Ephraim he had two Images made of Silver a graven Image and a Moulten Image and they were set up in the House of Micah for Micah had a House of gods and he made an Ephod and a Teraphim Now all these gold and silver gods were the workmanship of mens hands which the Carpenter the Founder the Graver formed and fashioned in the likeness of the creature the which doing was forbidden of God Deut. 5.8 who said Thou shalt make thee no graven Image or any likeness of that that is in heaven above or which is in the earth beneath or that is in the waters under the earth And now I come to shew what manner of Pictures and Images we had and now have in our high places falsly called Churches here in England First There was a Picture called the Rood of Grace that was swayed up in a place called the Rood Loft and hung upon shrines which the people being seduced were led aside to worship for I will instance two or three particular Roods that the Reader may know what they were The first that I now am going to write of FOXES Acts Monuments Vol. 2. is a Rood that a Carpenter had made at a Town called Haddam in Lancashire in the fashion of an old man gaping and grinning in such a sort that their children were so frighted at it that they durst not look upon it whereupon the Inhabitants did not like it and because it was so ill savoured they would not have it But in the dayes of Queen Mary bloody Bonner commanded that a wel-favoured Rood should be made and of a tall stature which was done accordingly and the Rood was dressed in white and green and annointed with Oyle crept to and kist and weighed up and set in his old accustomed place called the Rood Loft in Pauls Cathedral Church so called by them and by Edmund Bonners Order the Bells were rung for joy at the setting up of the Wooden god alias the Rood Again I have read of another Idol which was called by the Name of the Rood of Dover Court unto which the people did much resort because a rumor was spread abroad among the people That the power of the Rood of Dover Court was so great that no man had power to shut the Church door so called where he stood therefore said they The door is fain to stand open night and day Whereupon one Robert King and Nicholas Marsh of Dodham and one Robert Debnam of Estborgholt being moved by the spirit of the Lord did like Gideon go in the night ten Miles and found the door of their Church open as was reported they took down the Rood from his shrine and carryed him about a quarter of a mile from his place where he stood and stroke fire with a Steel and a Flint and set fire to the Rood and burnt him for the which good act doing they all three good honest men did suffer death by hanging in Chains They had likewise in their Houses of high places falsly called Churches the Image of the Virgin-Lady Mary which they worshipped and called the Mother of God their Patroness and Protectress ever more in all adversity and therefore Thomas Arundal Arch-Bishop of Canterbury directed his Mandate to the then Bishop of London to warn people to say certain prayers at the toling of a Bell or ringing of Corphew his words were as followeth Thomas by the permission of God Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Primate of all England and Logate of the Suay Apostolike to the right Reverend our Brother the Lord ROBERT by the grace of God Bishop of of LONDON Greeting At the Request of the special Devotion of our Lord the King himself We command your Brotherhood straitly enjoyning you That you command the Subjects of your City

her Council and Parliament reformed many things that the others set up in the high places and otherwayes but still they left the Arch-bishops Bishops their great Lordships and the Glebe-Lands the Rectories and the Parsonages the first Fruits Tythes and the Houses of High Places standing for to be maintained still But then in the dayes of the late King the bishops and the Clergy by his Authority had got an encrease into their High places of their Organs their Rails their Altars Organists and Que●istors bowing and cringing to the Altars their white Surplisses Tippits Hoods and Copes and likewise Courts Canons and Intergatories Parrators-prisons Stocks Whips Gags Pillories for the honest Puritans to be punished withall but when the long Parliament sate they voted twelve of the bishops to be Traytors and cut off the head of one and put down all the rest with Danes and Chapters and all their Courts called Ecclesiastical Courts the Star-Chamber the High Commission Court and Counsel Table Anno 17. Caroli Regis and all their Officers and Attendants belonging to them and caused the Altars Rails Organs Quirestors Canons Singing-men and Singing-boyes to be all pull'd down and laid aside and caused the priests to lay aside their Surplisses Tippits Hoods and took away the great Lordships and Lands from the Bishops Danes and Chapters and sold them and their great Houses for the publike use and cut off the late Kings head and put down Kingly power or Government as oppressing and burthensom to the people and voted down the House of Lords as uselesse and made sale for the publikes use of the Kings Houses Lands and Estates and broke the Crowns to pieces for the publikes use as was repeated An Act Dei Vonens Sept. 1650. And likewise they repealed those Laws which the Enemies of God made use of to persecute the godly people by and so granted some liberty to religious and peaceable people as you may see by an Act of Parliament but notwithstanding all this they have left the High places falsely cal e● Churches standing still with the priests belonging to them and the Glebe Lands the Parsonages and the Viccarages and the Laws that the pope and popish Kings made to oppress the people by with paying of tythes and suing men at Law for tythes and imprisoning men for non-payment of tythes made an Ordinance for the taking trebble damages by distresse of mens goods for non-payment of tythes all this still remains undone and unreformed still by this present power that now rules and all those Judges and Justices in whom the Devil rules are protected who casts some of us the people called Quakers into prisons Rev. 2.10 and whip and stock us for bearing our testimony of Jesus by the spirit of prophesie And likewise our payment of tythes is our testimony that we thereby do own Christ Jesus come in the flesh and that for his sake do suffer both imprisonment and the spoyling of our goods and so own him to be to us both King Law-giver Judge and Priest and deny all Laws that are made in opposition to him who has changed the priesthood and disanulled the Law even Christ Jesvs the same yesterday to day and for ever who is over all God blessed for ever Amen But I say all those that make Laws for to pay tythes and all they who by those Laws require or force people to pay tythes and all they who do pay tythes and all they who receive tythes priests or improprietors deny Christ Jesus by their works to be come in the flesh and set at naught what he hath done upon the crosse and so likewise by their works own him not to be unto them neither King Law-giver Judge Priest nor Redeemer and so they all agree together and set themselves against the Lord and against his anointed but of tythes I have more to say against them hereafter Quest But it is very likely that some may say What wilt not thou pay thy money to the building and repairing of our Churches or of that Church of the Parish where thou dwellest for they that live in a Parish must do as the rest of the parish does and be subject to the Orders and Customes of the place where they live Prov. 15.9 Exod. 23.2 ver 24. Deut. 12.2 3. Ans The way of the wicked is abomination to the Lord and it is written Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil nor do after their works but I am to obey the Lord and to keep his Commandments therefore I have nothing to do with Ieroboams House of High Places neither go I to worship in the House of Rimmon therefore if Baal must have a House built or repaired let Omri and Ahab do it for I deny their works and therefore refuse to put a hand to it Isa 15.1 2. or to pay any money toward it for I go not with Moab to the high places to weep nor to howle neither do I take any delight in the high places that are decked with many colours upon the Walls with the likenesses of several creatures drawn by the painters and likewise their Scutchins and Streamers and carved and graven Images of dead men and women and children and the pillars of the high places likewise deckt with several colors ●zek 16.16 1● 18 19. all are whoredomes and abomination as you may read in the Scriptures And now I come to speak of the priests which now go under the title of Ministers of parishes but formerly they had titles given them by men of Arch-bishops Bishops Danes Prebends Arch-Deacons Parsons Rectors priests Clarks made after the manner of other Nations and not of God Isa 29.13 2 King 17.32 33. 2 Chron. 13.9 The people they feared the Lord but said the Lord Their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men And they made unto themselves of the lowest of them Priests for the high places which sacrificed for them in the Houses of high places and after the manner of other Nations Ieroboam he made priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the sons of Levi and he placed those priests in the high places which he had made at Bethel Now the lowest of the people were young men who were made priests of for Micah the man of Mount Ephraim he consecrated a young man Iudg. 17. chap. and he became his priest and he likewise had before consecrated one of his own sons who became his priest but the young man that Micah consecrated came out of Bethlehem-Iudah and he was of the Family of Iudah and a Levite as saith the Scripture and he took hire for Micah he hired him to be to him a father a priest for ten sheckles of silver by the yeer and a Sute of Apparel and his Victual so Micah hired him Mich. 3.11 and consecrated him and he became his priest The priests preach for hire the prophets divine or study for money

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

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

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 I●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 ●●●●sed in water And again Lev. 11. chap.

the Mount of God And when Iezzabel cut off the prophets of the Lord 1 King 18.4 Obadiah hid a hundred of them by fifty in a cave and fed them with bread and water c. And now see after what manner Elisha the prophet of God was maintained It fell on a day that Elisha passed to Shunem where was a great woman and she constrained him to eat bread and it was so 2 King 4.8 9 01. that as oft as he passed by he turned in thither to eat bread And the woman of Shunem said unto her Husband Behold now I perceive that this is an holy man of God which passeth by us continually let us said she make a little Chamber I pray thee on the Wall and let us set for him there a bed and a Table and a Stool and a Candlestick and it shall be when he cometh to us that he shall turn in thither And it fell on a day that he came thither and he turned into the Chamber and lay there c. By these ye may see now that the Kings of the earth would not provide first fruits tythes offerings oblations obventions nor set out portions of land and great Houses for the prophets of God which he sent to live in 2 Chron. 18 25 26 as they did for their own that they themselves sent worth 100. l. a yeer more or lesse nay said Ahab by Micaiah the prophet of God Go take Micaiah and carry him back unto Amon the Governor of the City and to Ioash the Kings son and say Thus saith the King Put this fellow in prison and feed him with bread of Affliction and with water of Affliction until I return again in peace And this is that which the Kings and Rulers of the earth the Pope and his Adherents provide for the prophets that come and go in the Name of the Lord but the prophets of the Groves that come and go in their own Name they shall feed at Iezzabels table And Iohn the Baptist the Messenger of the Lord Matth. 3. chap. Luk. 1.15 Luk. 3.1 2 3 4 Matth. 1. chap who was filled with the holy spirit of God from his Mothers Womb went preaching in the Wildernesse of Iudea and in all the countrey about Iordan preaching the baptism of Repentance for the remission of sins and he was great in the sight of the Lord but his Rayment was of Camels Hair and a Leathern Girdle about his loins and his meat was Locusts and Wilde-Honey Here was nothing provided for him by the Kings of the earth to maintain him the messenger of the Lord no but instead of a great House Glebe-Land Tythes and Offerings Oblations and Obventions and 100. l. Matth. 14 ch a yeer Herod the Tetrach laid hold on him and bound him and put him in prison and afterward cut off his Head And such is the provision that the Kings and Rulers of the earth the Pope and his Adherents make for the Messengers of the Lord But the priest and preachers and teachers and Ministers that are of their own ordaining consecrating or by their appointment and law so made are well provided for so that they eat of the fat of the land and the finest of Wheat and drink Wine and strong Drink and take Tobacco and go clothed in black soft Raiment Cuffs and Rings on their fingers Ribans and Boot-hose-tops and sit at ease like a Queen and feel no want in the outward like other men Aaron and the sons of Levi who received the office of the priesthood they were maintained by first fruits offerings tythes c. according to the law which was a shadow of good things then to come until the time of reformation But when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the law who in the fulnesse of time came having compassion on the ignorant of them that were out of the way and being made perfect he became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him but Christ Jesus he glorified not himself to be made an High-Priest but he that said unnto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee the same said unto him thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec Now Christ Jesus he was called of God an High-priest and made an High-priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec of God not by a carnal commandment but by the power of an endlesse life and he offered up his body a sacrifice once for all and by that one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and after he had offered that one sacrifice for sins for ever he sate down at the right hand of God and now where remission of these is there is no more offering for sin So that Christ Jesus who is the Mediator of a better covenant then that of the old is the sum and substance of all figures and shadows held out by the Law which he put an end to for he changed the priesthood and disannulled the Law which was a shadow of good things to come by which the tythes was paid So that it is evident that Christ Jesus was not maintained by first fruits offerings nor tythes neither did the Kings and Rulers of the earth provide any House or Lands for him whom God sent For God so loved the world that he sent his onely begotten Son into the world but they would not bestow hundreds of pounds a yeere to maintain him with nor settle him in a Vicarage Parsonage nor in a Rectory of two or three hundred a yeer for said Christ Jesus The Foxes have Holes and the Birds of the Air have Nests Luk. 9.58 Luk. 8 1 2 3. Ioh. 13.29 but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head For he went throughout every City and Village preaching and shewing the glad tydings of the Kingdom of God and those that received his Doctrine and believed on him such ministred unto him of their substance and Iudas carryed the bag and he betrayed him into the hands of the chief priests the Elders the Rulers Herod and his men of War who delivered him up to Pilate to be condemned and to be crucified and platted a Crown of thorns and put it on his head and provided a Crosse and crucified him upon it and mocked him and thrust a spear in his side and cast lots for his Garment and gave him Vinegar to drink and this was all that they provided for the Son of God but they did not serve their own so for the world loves their own and calls them Master Master and sets them at the uppermost room at their feasts and in the highest seat in their Assemblies c. Neither was the twelve Apostles nor the seventy Disciples that Christ called and gave power to and sent forth to preach the Gospel maintained neither with first fruits offerings tythes oblations obventions c. for Christ