convented and by them brought before such a company of forsworn murthering Lawyers whose continual practice is to engage themselves against the consciencious people of this Land even against their Commissions in the matter of Tythes as I have already declared for that the Law saith None shall expound it no other wayes to give remedy for tythes then what it doth of it self plainly express whereby cause of Action may be given or Suit commencâ—t in the Courts temporal against any person or persons which shall refuse or deny to set out his or their Tythes or shall detain with-hold or refuse to pay his Tythes or Offerings or any parcel thereof but that in such cases the persons or parties being Ecclesiastical or Lay-persons have cause to demand or have the said Tythes or Offrings in every such case in the Spiritual Courts according to the Ordinance of the first part of this Act and not otherwayes And thus unto you the Rulers have I made it plainly appear by the Lavvs and Statutes of this Realm That it is utterly unlawful for your Temporal Judges to give judgement in the matters of Tythes against the Saints as they dayly do in such Courts as are called Temporal Courts viz. The Exchequer Common-Pleas and in that other Court or Place called the Chancery which is called a Court of Equity If lyes may take place or rather a Court of Iniquity through which deceivable Name of Equity many people have made their Addresses from out of other Courts into that in hopes of gaining right there but have found as much wrong and have met with much inconscionable dealings as ever they did before the Lawyers being all agreed to destroy the poor wronged people that have been forced to seek help where none is to be had through their ignorance of not knowing that the Lawyers Tyade is upheld and maintained by fraud and wrong as doth appear in this great controversie of Tythes there shall need no other proof against them then this of Tythes as doth appear in their wresting and abusing the Law in that cause through which they promote all manner of injustice against the Saints by whom they both suffer imprisonment and also the spoiling of their Goods contrary to the Laws and Statutes of this Nation which in themselves require right should be done but contrary to that these Law-breakers do force Jury-Men through their being ignorant of the Law commonly to forswear themselves by giving up false Verdicts against their consciencious Neighbors in the matter of tythes by their fining for the ungodly Plaintiff against the poor Defendant for not dividing or setting forth and not paying their predual Tythes or for taking or carrying away the same before the tenth part be divided or set forth by which unlawful proceedings of wicked Plaintiffs before ungodly forsworn Judges in their Secular courts the Saints do greatly suffer by the Priests and others of their Antichristian Tribe who by them are well bribed for their pains so that betwixt the one and the other this poor Land and people is brought under the guilt of those horrible crying sins which Israel of old in their dayes suffered to be committed amongst them although they were the Lords beloved people unto whom he sent his holy Prophet to give them warning that the Lord had a controversie against the inhabitants of the Land for suffering those abominations through which there was no truth or mercy nor knowledge of God amongst them for by swearing lying killing and stealing and committing Adultery they brake out and blood touched blood therefore the Word of the Lord unto them was by the Prophet declared That the Land should meurn and every one that did dwell therein should languish with the Beasts of the field and with the Fowls of heaven yea the fishes also of the sea shall be taken away read Hos. 4. 2 3 4. The fore-promised matter being well considered by such as yet do live to fear the Lord may justly give their judgement for God That both the Rulers and people of this Nation are under the guilt of all those sins and are in danger of coming to suffer sad judgements from the Lord for that the Priests and the Lawyers and such as with them do live upon the gain of oppression are yet suffered to be the actors of all manner of wickedness that in this Land is committed under pretence of Law by whom this forementioned scripture is fulfilled as hath been by them made manifest from the beginning of all our troubles who yet do confederate together to divide the people from holding amity one with another that thereby they may hinder the promoting the cause of truth and the establishing of Justice through which wickedness of theirs when time was in dividing the people from the King and setting him against the people Justice by him was wholly neglected although he was much sought to by the people of God for to see the same duely administred as he was permitted of God to be the chief Magistrate of the three united Nations of England Scotland and Ireland but he not standing in the counsel of God would not hearken unto the desires of his people but grew weary in hearing them whereupon no more addresses by them unto him was made wherefore his end suddenly upon him came and therefore justly did the God of Justice deliver him up into the hands of those which sought his life Let good heed therefore be taken by you that are in present Power least the cause be forgotten which brought him to suffer the pangs of death for know you the Lords hand is not shortned but is stretched out still for to reach you also forth from all your Guards of Guns Swords and Pikes which by multitudes of men is made use of for to defend you yet notwithstanding your strong Arm of flesh you may take notice the King had as great a power in his time as you and was more esteemed regarded and beloved by the people as to the generality then possibly can be imagined you are but yet he not doing that which was right in the sight of God you see was cut off Oh therefore that you may remember with all speed for to establish Justice that so you may rule for him for the good and well-being of his poor distressed and every wayes afflicted and persecuted people who are at this day frustrated of all hopes of mans doing Justice and therefore cry they unto the Lord for to be delivered from the hands of their oppressors seeing hitherto you have denyed their redemption notwithstanding you have sworn unto the Lord you would give them deliverance This know therefore your time to perform what you have engaged and promised is almost past therefore what you do do speedily for I behold your night a coming and then will all your Works cease and then vvil all your intentions with former pretences come to be frustrated and annihilated and your memorials vvill also be blotted out
from being put to death who had taken away goods from many people although for the Kings use but yet notvvithstanding that was not by the King owned because it was by his Lavv judged Robbery read Mirror of Justice fol. 241. Novv consider ye Rulers vvhat a vast difference there is betvvixt your doing justice upon the Lavvyers that live upon the abuse of the Law King Alpherets forasmuch as that you canot deny in your consciences you do permit of unsufferable Robberies daylie for to be done both by Priests Lavvyers yet seek not to have that Wickedness remedied besides the Murthers vvhich you suffer the Lavvyers to do against express Lavv upon their Opinions and false Judgements according to their Opinions by them given vvhereby many thousands have been murthered for theft vvhich is against the righteous Law of the Lord And therefore seeing that you knovv these evils and yet vvill not seek to prevent them of committing any more hovv can you expect any safety for to be given unto you from the Lord God of Israel vvhose Lavvs in effect you despise for vvhich things sake the vvrath of God vvill suddenly seize upon you as vvell as it hath done upon others before you unless there be a speedy returning unto the Lord whose Work vvhen time vvas you promised to do vvhich yet lieth undone which causeth the Enemies of the Lord to renew their strength again who did in the time of your seeming zeal for Christ and his now persecuted cause judge themselves as good as half hanged for what they had done in answer to their Opinions which they caused to take place in the room of Law through whose Villanous false Opinions and Judgements given the late King by them and the Priests were seduced and perswaded to permit of doing such things vvhich the Law did not justifie him in although Judge Jenkins and Judge Cook and some few others did as to the best of my remembrance perswade him what possible they could not to hearken to the false Opinions of those vvicked Judges vvhich he was deceived by These things being true as thousands of the well-affected then so called with my self at this day can also witness was in the matter of Ship-Money done contrary to Law and therefore hovv doth it behove you that are got into the present Rule and Authority of the three Nations for to take heed of your standing seeing you are Instruments that have come through much blood unto what 〈◊〉 are now possessed vvith Hovv much I say again doth it concern you for to see and consider vvhat you are doing and then I hope you vvill seek to stand for the putting into execution the Lavvs Commandments Statutes Precepts and Judgements of the Lord God of Israel instead of the Laws of Tyrants vvherein his Honor vvill be promoted and your souls eternally saved and your bodies prosperously from him protected and then will all plots and conspiracies cease from being contrived any more against you vvhen you shall learn for to do his Will according to his righteous Law vvhich requireth blood for blood life for life an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth a hand for a hand and a foot for a foot Thine eyes saith the Lord to his beloved people shall not pitty or spair such transgressors who have by their wickedness given themselves over to death which according to the Law are not to be excused by which example those that do remain alive may hear and fear henceforth that there may be no more such evils committed amongst you read Deut. 19. 20 21. Now I appeal unto your consciences there for to judge whether you are not such as do transgress vvhat the Lord hath commanded should be obeyed which is by reason of your suffering a company of Lavvyers to abuse and destroy the good people of this Nation by such a Povver as is not of of God and therefore if you do not see that remedied you cannot have thoughts to escape unpunished vvith the King because the Lord of Hosts hath expresly commanded his chosen people That they should not suffer the judgement of the stranger to be perverted lest their Right should be hindered much more ought you to be careful of the cause of the Widow and Fatherless Deut. 24. 17 c. vvho are yet by you permitted to suffer vvrong and therefore are they and their Estates spoiled and ruinated by both Priests and Lavvyers who act contrary to their expresse Popish Law as doth appear in that Statute made the 2. of the Reign of King Edward the sixt chap. 13. vvhich Statute saith Be it provided and enacted That if any person do with-hold or withdraw any manner of his Tythes Oblations Obventions Profits Commodities or other duties or any part of them contâ—ary to the true meaning of the said Act or of any other Act heretofore made that then the partyes so substracting or withdrawing the same may be convented sued in the Kings Ecclesiastical Court by the party from whom the same shall be substracted or withdrawn to the intent the Kings Judges Ecclesiastical may and shall then and there hear and determine the same according to the Kings Ecclesiastical Law And that it shall not be lawful for any Parson Vicar Propriator Owner or other Farmers or Deputies contrary to this act to convent or sue such witholders of Tythes Obventations or other duties aforesaid before any other Judge then what is Ecclesiastical Now knovv Oh you my dear friends for unto you do I make this knovvn who are the persecuted Saints of the Most High That these forementioned lines are the very vvords of that Statute novv judge ye Rulers how contrary these wicked Lavvyers that are yet in their vilanous beings upon their Stages at Westminster do act vvho as it doth appear are suffered by you their Masters for to be above the Law which is the only cause the Lords people for conscience sake in obedience to Christ Jesus are daylie sued convented and brought before them in their filthy Dens called temporal Courts contrary to their ovvn invented filthy tyrannical Laws as hath been already proved and as I could make more at large appear by many more Laws but only I fear being too large and therefore do I make use of no more then what may justifie me in the truth of what I have too charge against them for their abominations daylie committed against the very express Laws of the Land as doth further appear in that 22. of Henry the eight chap. the 7. which saith Be it provided alwayes That the last Act shall not extend nor be expounedete give any cause of Action or Suits in the Courts Temparal which notwithstanding they daylie do Novv judge O ye Rulers hovv you do think you can in conscience stand justified with the Lord and his poor oppressed people whom you suffer daylie for their consciences to be troubled afflicted and abused by your Priests and others of their spirit by their being
fear of the wrath of foolish proud vain man who is ready to be offended at what he ought rather to be ashamed of then to justifie himself Thus for conscience sake as I have learned of Christ am I freely willing to submit my self unto every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake although my deadly Enemies have reported otherwaies against me which the Lord our God knows I purely suffer for that I cannot give unto his Enemies that for Maintainance which belongs unto him viz. Tythes which unjust demands I must for conscience sake deny although I come to suffer death for the same seeing it is clearly manifest from the declaration of Christ and his Apostles that whosoever payeth Tythes denyeth Christ to be come in the flesh as all they do which at this day do either pay or receive the same as I have made fully appear from the sum of the holy Scriptures And thus to both you Rulers Saints and People of all forms sects and sorts have I truly discharged my conscience according to the gift of God in me by way of Grounds and Reasons laid down wherein I have shewn the justice of my cause and have therein matter of great comfort thus to declare why Tythes have been and are by me still denyed in which Grounds I have made an eminent discovery That Tythes in England have been and are forced to be paid contrary both to the Laws of God and also to the Laws of the Land which Laws I have not broke but do suffer for my obeying the Law of the Lord God of Israel in which obedience I hope he will help me to be continued in the further remaining part of the dayes of this my Pilgrimage whose servant I am and do finde in my self a freedom in like manner to be subject to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake onely whether it be unto the King as unto the supreme or unto Governors as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers and for the praise of them that do well according to that Declaration of the first Epist. of Peter ch. 2. v. 13 c. Isaac Craye AND lastly these few following lines I have been moved to write by way of humble desires the which lines are dedicated only unto all consciencious sincere faithful hearted Friends to that end and purpose that they would be pleased for the time to come to have a special care who and what they be are by them put in trust for to dispose of their Christian contribution which they may be from God moved for to give towards the relief of such as do for conscience sake suffer under the Enemies of the everlasting Gospel forasmuch as that I am given credibly to understand by some faithful Friends That they do fear some wicked persons under the profession of Godliness have made use of my Name and sufferings to gather moneys amongst several friends which they imploy to their own private benefit it is true the evil may be by them justly feared for in the time I was made to suffer under the Council of State I was was so served by some who did get large sums of money one of their Names I have not yet forgotten which I will here accordingly insert viz Horn a Cheese-Monger sometimes keeping his Shop not far from London-Bridge thus hath such wicked Wretches under the notion of Religion cheathed the truly religious and honest hearted and knowing that these evils hath been committed against me it is to be feared they are daylie put in practise still under colour of relieving such as are of late come to suffer for God as I do how much therefore doth it concern the truly charitable who do witness what the life of true Profession is for to take heed they trust none but such as are known truly faithful although never so much shew of outside seeming zeal for God and Christ be professed seeing it hath thus happened since the dayes of our great troubles that through such outside profession and hypocritical seeming zeal for God and cause of Christ the trul consciencious people of this Nation have been cheated out of their lives estates and liberties under which vilanous sort of professing Zealots or rather Trappanners of the innocent I have in a most wonderful manner many wayes suffered wrong both before this my imprisonment and ever since through their filthy invented lyes and giving forth notorious reproaches which they from the perswasions of the Devil and the Priests have been set on work to promote against me they thinking thereby to leave me friendless that so they may pine me to death in prison seeing they can no other wayes destroy me but the Lord having sa tisied me with inward comfort from which I find my self wonderfully supported with patience to be contented in every condition so that I can with abundance of unspeakable comfort inward peace undergoe the strife of wicked lying tongues and being fully satisfied from the measure of Christ in me that the Saints and dear servants of God in former ages have in like manner suffered under such as these English false Professors are who are unrighteously called Christians one place of Scripture for to make the same appear I shall quote and but one although I might instance the like reproaches against David the man after Gods own heart Job the servant of the Lord and Jeremiah his holy Prophet who also bore his sharein reproaches and many more of the dear servants of God as well as I at this day do it is a truth they that deserve no good Name nor righteous report themselves do give none to others The Scripture which I shall mention is Heb. 10. beginning at the 32. v. and so on where it doth and may appear That the Apostle was countenancing and counselling of such friends as he found one with them in the faith of Christ to be chearful in their sufferings wherevpon he bids them call to remembrance the former dayes in which after they were enlightned they endured a great fight of afflictions Partly saith he whilest ye were made a gazing-stock both by reproaches and affâ—ictions and parâ—ly whilest you were so used for ye had compassion on me in my bonds and then ye took oyfull the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that you have in Heaven a better and enduring substance cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompence of reward for you had need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receâ—ve the promise Thus from the enjoyment of that life which Christ the light of the light of the World hath given me to be possessed with do I come to see a full discovery who and what they are which are Enemies to the cross of Christ he having revived his witness in me I am thereby kept close to the Word of his Patience through whose help I am enabled to read with understanding the holy Scriptures with great joy and inward consolation according to that measure of life abiding in me by which they were given forth by way of Declaration as doth appear Luke 1. 1. and am assured the time is at hand wherein none of these fore-premised Enemies of Christ and Saint-reviling reproaching barking Dogs shall not move a Tongue as they now do Written from my unjust imprisonment in the VVood-Street-Compter London where I remain a suâ—ferer for Christ the everlasting Gospel which the Priests do daylie persecute The second Month 1657. FINIS
ONE OUT-CRY More against TYTHES Vnto the Chief RULER of the Nation of ENGAND and all that are with him of God permitted to be in present Authority whether Parliament Councel or Army by whatsoever Name or Title known or called But in a more especial manner To such of them as are yet remaining faithful unto the former declared for and never to be forgotten Cause of KING JESUS who are such as have not departed through sinning against the light of a good conscience by opposing such as would have promoted the same nor have sought by any secret endeavours to hinder and obstruct the performing to God Almighty and making good unto his poor every-wayes-wronged people viz. All those many National-Engagements Declarations Remonstrances Protestations Vows Oaths and Covenants with solemn Appeals which unto him were in the dayes of greatest distress made for obtaining deliverance from Sions destroying bloody Enemies to the end Christs Kingdom might be advanced and Satans Kingdom of Tyranny defaced and the Government of the Lord God of Israel by his holy just and good Laws Ordinances Statutes and righteous Judgements be established in the room of the Popes destroying Power which upholdeth wicked devouring men as yet to tyranize over the dear Saints and Servants of God for their consciences as much as ever they did in the Kings time who in his Days regarded not what tyranny by his Power and in his Name was done against the Members of Christ as did appear by his suffering of them to be so inhumanely used as they were both by imprisonments banishments and setting of them gagged in Pillories burning of them with hot Irons and cutting off their ears from their heads besides whipping and stocking with many more bloody cruelties all which cruelties being by the King suffered and connived at was the only cause why the wrath of God with his revengeful Judgements came upon him his posterity and the three Nations of England Scotland and Ireland c. And yet notwithstanding you that are in present Power know these things do even as he did suffer the Saints in your Name and by your power daylie to be imprisoned and otherwayes afflicted and that you may not be ignorant thereof I have been moved to make the same known unto you by way of declaration which is grounded upon the Holy Scriptures wherein is contained the manner of our sufferings and by whom Together with serious Advertisements concerning the abuse of Power and the abominations of Priesthood the wickedness of Lawyers with them combining for to destroy the Just from off the earth Written the beginning of the second Month 1657. by ISAAC GRAYES Prisoner for the cause of Christ in the Wood-street Compter London where I have been kept above three years Given forth for the sake of such as with my self do suffer for the testimony of Faith and a good Conscience For if I build again the things which I have destroyed I make my self a transgressor Gal. 2. 18. And thinkest thou this O man that judgest them which do such things and dost the same that thou shalt escape the judgement of God Rom. 2. 3. Let all such therefore take heed that their own wickedness of backsliding do not come when it is too late to correct them let him that is wise in heart read with understanding Jer. 2. 19. LONDON Printed for the Author and some of them are to be sold at the Black-More neer Fleet-Bridge 1657. The unlawfulness of the National Priesthood with their unjust demands proved by way of grounds reasons laid down according to the holy Scriptures why there ungodly Wages of Tythes by the suffering persecuted and every wayes afflicted Members of Christ Jesus in this their day of faithfulness to him are denyed as by this following Declaration will be made appear HUmbly sheweth unto you O ye Rulers of the people the abominations which are committed in the matters of tythes by the called Ministers of England and others for as much as that it doth evidently appear by the Law of the Lord God of Israel Tythes were given to Levi and his sons and to such as with them were appointed of God unto the Office of the first Priesthood and none else who had a commandment to take tythes of the people according to the Law that is of their Brethren as may appear of vvhich Priesthood the Priests of this Nation are not for they cannot prove themselves made by the Law of God as the first Priesthood vvas neither can it be made appear they ever received from the Lord God of Israel any such commandment for their taking tythes of the people of England as the Aaronical and Levitical Priesthood did for their taking tythes of their Brethren the children of Israel as for the Priests of this Nation it vvill appear they never vvere made Priests of God but by the late Bishops who themselves vvere formerly made by the Pope of Rome as I shall make appear tovvards the later end of this Treatise by the Lavvs and Statutes of this Nation And again I find that the Priests the Levites and all the Tribe of Levi had no part of Inheritance vvith Israel and therefore vvere they appointed to eat the Offerings of the Lord made by fire because they had no Inheritance amongst their Brethren for the Lord vvas their Inheritance Read Deut. 18. v. 1 2. And as it doth appear by Moses in his refusing to give them any possessions of Lands vvith their Brethren after God had given them victory over such of their Enemies as they became possessors viz. of the Lands of those many Kings vvhich vvere slain of them by the edge of the Svvord and nothing vvas by Moses given to the Tribe of Levi because said he the Lord God of Israel vvas their Inheritance as he had said unto them Josh. 19. 3 c. And again it doth and may appear that the Lord God of Israel did appoint Store-houses unto vvhich the people were expresly commanded in the time of the first Covenant for to bring their tythes that thither the Widovv the Fatherless and Stranger might also come within the Gates of the Priests to be filled by which it is manifest That the Widovv Fatherless and Stranger had as much right to the Tythes as the Priest through vvhich relief there vvas not a beggar in Israel neither vvere they the Priests and Levites permitted to persecute any upon Trebble Damages vvho did not bring their Tythes according to the Commandment of the Lord for they that did neglect vvere cursed vvith a curse as it is evident Mal 3. Novv the contrary doth appear among the Priests of England whom I have heard often say They vvere of Gods ovvn Tribe of Levi and yet live in the practise of such abominable things and do also justifie such as with them do the same as never vvas committed nor done in the time of the first Priesthood as is daylie made manifest in that unsufferable vvickedness of theirs in taking
avvay peoples Cattel out of their yards and Goods out of their Houses for pretended Tythes upon trebble Damages which is three for one against the express Lavv of God vvhereby it doth and may appear unto such as are vvith my self of the seed of Israel That it is not only the Priests fault alone who are not of God but you sin in suffering of them as you are the Rulers of the people who do permit them in your Name and by your Povver to do what they do These evils rightly considered doth give a discovery that you are departed from the Lord God of Israel whom you once declared for as doth appear by your taking part vvith the Priests who are his Enemies or else if it were not so your consciences would teach you to obey observe and keep the Laws Statutes Commandments Precepts and Judgements of the Lord as vvell as my self vvho for keeping the same do suffer which would not be if you did stand in the counsel of the Lord vvhich then you vvould seek to do his will by seeing his Laws duly and truly executed upon such as are the breakers thereof vvhich vvould cause your dayes to be prolonged in the Land vvherein ye yet live as so many Enemies to that most holy God whose just and righteous Laws yea even hate to obey observe and keep and in effect do amongst your selves conclude That the Government vvhich God Almighty did appoint his people to be governed by according to his righteous Order vvhich by you is not judged good enough nor wise enough to be governed by in your generations as is evident by your ruling of the people with such Laws as you and other transgressors before you did from Imagination make and set up to oppose the Laws Commandments and Statutes of the onely wise God for vvhich vvickedness of theirs so committed the just judgement and vengeance of the Lord hath from one generation to another destroyed both them and theirs from off the earth and yet you are not sensible for what they have been cut off although he hath made use of you as Instruments in his hand to cut off the late King for his disobedience to the Lord God of Israel who stood not in his counsel but vvas driven aside by the flattery of wicked Priests and Lawyers as you are although little notice by you is taken thereof I therefore desire from my heart in love to your souls that you did fully understand and know wherefore the Lord did permit you to put the King to death and then you would seek how to do his vvill and not your own and then who do you think would harm you but because you do not therefore it is that you delight not in the Law of the Lord as King David his servant did for which cause plots and conspiracies are daylie and justly â—y him suffered for to be contrived against you which hitherto hath been discovered to that end and purpose that you might be warned for to return unto the Lord from the evil of your doings before destruction in good earnest doth come upon you and then it will be too late to seek repentance or to wish you had unto God and his people paid your vows now know that through your disobedience unto him whom you have promised reformation unto and yet have not performed what you have so promised the number of of oppressors under you have taken boldness for to increase at which the lying National Priests do rejoyce who do in like manner make their boast and say That they will have Tythes paid unto them upon force by such people as do refuse for conscience sake or else they will take away their goods which daylie they do in your Name that are the chief Rulers of these three Nations viz. England Scotland and Ireland and by your Power they also imprison the Saints as they did in the Kings time for that they cannot in conscience pay Tythes the Priests excusing the manner of their tyranny so committed doth lay the fault and blame upon you they saying they are enforced to do what they do because you require of them Offerings or first Fruits which they cannot pay unto you unless the people first pay the same by way of Tythes unto them now if it be so betwixt you and the Priests then where is that Liberty of Conscience performed with your former Engagemens Declarations Remonstrances and those many Oaths Vows and Covenants discharged which were made in the sight of heaven in the dayes of your distress when you were entrusted by the people of God as their servant to fight their Battels viz. at Dunbar Worcester-Fight and several other places as you cannot but remember was put forth under pretence of Publike Liberty but are all yet unperformed with your last Promise also which you made to my loving friend Mr. Iessie and several other friends concerning your taking away of that yet continued Antichristian Oppression of Tythes which should be done said you by the third day of Siptember which was in the year 1654. or if they were not taken away then you bid them call you Juglers Novv knovv that had this last Promise vvith your former Remonstrances Engagements and Protestations c. been by you really intended for to have been performed according to vvhat you pretended then my self vvho formerly have made redress unto you and many more of the dear Saints and faithful Servants of the Lord God of Israel could not have been by you suffered for to be thus ruinated in our outvvard Estates many of us as are and yet notvvithstanding our persons kept prison for that vve cannot sin against our consciences in paying Tythes in vvhich Prison I have been many times in danger of being throvvn into the Hole through poverty vvhich hath made me unable of my self for to provide moneys for to pay my Chamber-Rents so that if my sufferings must for conscience sake be by you stil continued then that you vvould be pleased to shevv some compassion unto me by taking care for to have my Chamber-Rent satisfied I shall remain very thankful to you for the same through vvhich kindness of yours if I may so finde it I shall be the better enabled for to be kept from perishing till the Lord is pleased to give deliverance some other wayes it may be through the death of my cruel Enemies if it may not come from you for I am wel assured from the Lord a deliverance I shall have from my oppressors ere long And thus having discharged my conscience in what I have already declared I shall return again to my former Matter from whence I am a little digressed Giving of you to know and all in Authority with you That forasmuch as you by your Power do uphold the Priests of this Nation for to take the wages of the Law of the Lord God of Israel by way of tythes which peculiarly was given unto the first Priesthood for their service done
forth by which they are also known to be none of the Ministers of Christ nor Messengers of God but have made themselves fully manifest to be of the remainder of that cursed generation and stock of hypocrites which were devourers of Widows Houses as daylie doth appear which cannot be denyed for there never was greater devourers then they are since the world began who for a pretence make long prayers to accomplish their mischievous designs and was there ever the like praying and preaching in any age as hath been in this our age or last dayes of finishing iniquity under which pretence of theirs the innocent who are departed from evil are become the prey of the devourer but for their reward saith Christ They shall receive to themselves the greater damnation read Matt. 23. 14 c. And saith the Apostle Peter in his second Epistle chap. 2. They shall through covetousness and with feigned words make merchandize of the pâ—ople and was there ever such merchandise made of a people since they had a being upon the earth as now is made by these called Preachers and Minister's of the Gospel whose wicked fruits hath made them manifest to be those hypocrites and false Teachers which were afore spoken of should proceed from the corrupt Tree from whom the Man of God doth flee to follow after Righteousness Godliness Faith Love Patience and Meekness 1 Tim. 6 11 v. c. in which life they the Priests are not found as doth appear by their upholding and seeking to maintain by the power of the cruel Beast that which Christ hath disannulled because of the weakness and unprositableness thereof for that the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope made perfect whereby we draw neer to God Heb. 7. 18 19 v. c. And now for to take away all obstructions before I procced further I shall give an accompt of my Faith and hope by declaring what Church I am of that I so may remove the cause of jealousie vvhich is too often appearing in the ignorant yea even in such vvhich makes a high profession of godliness I shall therefore give you the Rulers and all that are vvise in heart for to know That I ovvn the Ministry and Ministers of the everlasting Gospel which is not of man neither are they made by man as the Priests of the Nation are but are such as Christ hath made whose foundation standeth sure which shall abide for ever vvhich changeth not neither can it be shaken being built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone Eph. 2. 20. And I do also vvitness and declare That all the Ministers of Christ have accordingly received a perfect Ministry which is free and not burthensome to any because they belong to the true Church whereof Christ is head which is his body according as the Scripture doth with me declare which Church is the Assembly of the Righteous who are holy from which the ungodly are excluded according as it is written Psal. 1. 5. The Lord knoweth the wayes of the righteous but the wayes of the ungodly shall perish I do also own the Ordinances of Jesus Christ which none that are unholy can partake of and the worship of God which is in spirit and truth read Joh. 4. 23. And likewise the Law of God which is holy â—ust and good which never changeth by no diversity of place or time And thus have I in brief declared an account of what Church I am and also of my faith and hope wherein I have truly discharged my conscience in brief and for which I am at this day a sufferer And so far as I can understand from friends which doth give me an account of what they understand from amongst you that there is nothing to be expected from you but more bonds to be laid upon the Saints at which nevvs I finde in my self a comfortable satisfaction for to continue my waiting upon the farther good pleasure of the Lord God of Israel rather then to sin against my conscience by giving way to break his Laws Commandments Ordinances and Statutes for vvhich I have suffered persecution for above this eight years together first by one John Lawson a drunken Priest belonging to the Parish of Basinborne in the County of Cambridge who for Tythes took away my goods and yet notwithstanding was not therewith contented vvhile such time as by his cruelty he drove me to flie with my Family twenty miles from that Town by the reason he had gained a Warrant from the Committees of that County for to carry my body to prison refusing to take Bail according as the Warrant did express But soon after I had removed my self and Family from his Tyrannie an other Enemy to the Gospel appeared against me viz. one John Budging of the same Town Farmer of the Tythes belonging to the Parsonage who persecuted me at the popish Law and after he had spent some time gained power also for to carry me away to prison notwithstanding he had carryed away a great part of my Corn out of the field through which Tyrannie of his I was forced to forsake my poor Wife and Children which constrained me to put my life upon the danger of loosing by reason I fled to the Army of the Common-Wealth of England for refuge into Scotland where as a Souldier I did engage in hopes of gaining not only victory over such as was then counted our Enemies but also to have seen an end of that their power by which tyrannie and oppression is still promoteed And after the wars of Scotland were over there followed on Worcester-Fight where I was also bodily engaged and after that Field-Battel was fought I returned privatelely home to visite my poor Wife and distressed Family but not long after my adversary obtained intelligence that I was at home and thereupon did send certain sons of Belial for to carry me away to prison which for to accomplish their end did by force of Arms break into my house upon me but being by me strongly resisted with Sword and Pistol they durst not proceed the attempting to come up into my Chambers where I was ready to receive them they perceiving of it did quarrel amongst themselves about raising of the Town for to pull down the house upon my head they threatning sorely to have me forth dead or alive I understanding the same did through the help of the Lord make my pass out of an upper-Windovv leaving my poor Wife and Children to their bloody rage who did accordingly set a drawn Sword to her Breast and did threaten to kill her after they did see I was escaped Many more insufferable cruelties have I and my Family undergone which are too many for me to give relation But to be brief So precious vvas my liberty unto me when time was that the very thoughts of a Gaol was unto me dreadful that vvhile I was at liberty I was in mighty
bondage through the continual fear of being betrayed which at length vvas brought to pass by one Crooply a Broker Shop-keeper sometime of the Tovvn of Cambridge vvho as I understand did receive from my enemy a pretty roundsum of mony forto betray me vvhich accordingly he effected by his discovering where I vvas at a Friends house at vvhich house I was seized on by several Serjeants brought away to prison it being upon the third day of the second month called April in the year 1654. where I have ever since remained and many times and often in great necessity by reason my poor Wife hath not had left wherewith all to relieve me with the value of 12. d. in money all this time of my long and harsh imprisonment as she with weeping tears hath unto me exprest and I seeing her distress have been forced to borrow money for to relive her this being the truth according to what hath been by me declared I shall leave the consideration thereof unto you the Rulers for to judge according to conscience whether these outrages by you ought any longer to be suffered seeing they are done against the Law of the Lord God of Israel and also against your own promoted Laws as they are now become executed seeing the Ecclesiastical Courts are down and it is also contrary to Law for any man to be kept in prison as I have been and not relieved insomuch that had not the Lord in mercy towards me raised up some few of his beloved people who live in the life of Righteousness for to have taken care of me in this time of my harsh affliction I might unavoidably have perished not only by hunger and nakedness but by cold also for that I could not come to receive the benefit of the heat of fire for the space of two Yeers and seven months Now judge I pray you who are wise in heart whether my sufferings have not been sad yea or no as to the outward man although mine Enemies are pleased to laugh at my affliction they saying I would not accept of Liberty if it were given me I like the Prison so well but the Devil was a lyar from the beginning and therefore I shall not here stand to spend time to give any further answer to their lyes but do declare I am forced to be a Prisoner contrarie to the Law of the Lord God of Israel and also the invented Laws of rebellious men which are called the Laws of the Land Now seeing I do suffer for conscience sake this question I do propound Suppose there was a Law now in force as was in the time of the late Bishops by which I were commanded to take tythes yet how could that Law be esteemed or â—udged wholesome seeing it would enforce me to contribute unto such as do set up and uphold that which Christ hath abolished and mad of non effect who hath also blotted out the Hand-writing that stood in Ordinances by which Tythes were paid and hath the same nailed to his Cross Col 2. 12. Now I appeal to both â—ou the Rulers and also the Saints with â—ou for to judge according to conscience how this by me could be done without denying Christ to be come in the flesh as all they do that at this day pay tythes or receive the same Your answer to this I humbly desire seeing that Christ Jesus who is now the second Priesthood hath changed the first and also that Law by which they took Tythes as it doth appear Heb. 7. But yet you Rulers may object and say Tythes are not now demanded for to be paid upon a Gospel account but upon a civil account My answer is There was never no such Law which did require Tythes for to be paid upon a civil account but a Statute there is that was made the 27. of Henry the 8. chap 2. saith Tythes are due to God and holy Church But then it may be further said That although it be so yet Cesar ought to have his due and custom must be given to whom custom belongs so that Tythes upon the account of Custom and Tribute ought to be paid for we must be subject to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake that I do grant But what makes that for the lawfulness of paying Tithes not any thing at all because they were not customarilie paid but by a Law and Commandment from God were they given to the Tribe of Levi that Priesthood which Law and commandment I am sure doth not own neither English Priests nor Lay-men Therefore seeing there is no Law neither from God nor man that doth command Tythes to be paid then upon necessitie it must be by you granted there can be no transgression and upon that account it will appear that all such as do force Tythes to be paid are transgressors to God Almighty for that they are deniers to do what his Law doth require wherein is declared That Tythes were peculiarly appointed unto the Aaronical and Levitical Priesthood as I have said from which the poor were relieved and were not paid by custom as doth appear Mal. 3. and such as did neglect to pay robbed God and not the Priests And again if custom should have been observed by the Saints and faithful Servants of God then should they never have suffered such cruel persecutions as they did under the Rulers of the World that must also be granted but because they denie to observe their customes so soon as they came to know the Lord and did him obey then came their sufferings upon them as for Instance That famous Witness of Christ the Apostle Paul after he came to live in the enjoiment of the life as the Scriptures beareth witness he did then he denied to observe the customs of the Jews for which he was by the rude multitude abused and judged not worthy to live as the Saints now are who bears witness unto the same truth in life as Paul did which made the Jews say He taught all men every where against the people and the Law and that he brought in Greeks to pollute the holy Temple and had perswaded all the Jews and Gentiles to forsake the Law of Moses saying they ought not to be circumcised neither walk after their customs whereupon all the City was moved against him and the people ran together and drew Paul out of the Temple Acts 21. And is not the like trade of crueltie by the Priests of this Nation and such as are professors who are their Proselites still carried on against the dear Saints and Servants of God who are moved by the Lord for to go into their Steeplehouses for to declare against their filthy lying abominations this cannot be denied for it is too much manifested in the Citie of London but to hasten And also I find that Jeremiah said The customs of the people were vain Jer. 10. And likewise the children of Ifrael were from the Lord expreslie commanded not to observe the
from under Heaven and your very Names vvill then become a stinck to all Nations and you posterities will be made miserable like unto the distressed children of the late King vvho being left without Habitation are become vvanderers about in strange Lands unto vvhom you cannot afford to shevv pitty nor compassion can you therefore imagine that if Justice vvhich is the exalting of a Nation be by you any longer neglected that you shall receive more favour then they have found at your hands surely no Therefore remember what Samuel did to Agag and for what he was hewed in pieces Read 1 Sam. 15. 33. Wo to him that increaseth that which is not his shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee and awake that shall vex thee and thou shalt be for booties unto them because thou hast spoyled many Nations all the remnant of the people shall spoyle thee because of mens blood and for the violence of the Land of the City and of all that dwell therein Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people and hast sinned against thy soul for which the Stone shall cry out of the Wall and the beam out of the Timber shall answer it Read Hab. 2. 6 7 8 9 10 11. But to hasten that so I may proceed to shew unto you the great abominations that are done committed by your Power in your Name viz. by those forementioned wicked wretches the Priests and Lavvyers who are together confederated for to commit the horrible and silthy thing in the Land as I have already shewn and shall make further manifest by those Laws which yov have sworn to maintain which Laws say it is utterly unlawful to imprison any one while they dye And yet notwithstanding how many hundreds in this Nation are unjustly kept in prison at this day ready to perish and many already since this time of your governing have perished I wish their blood may not be laid to your charge for suffering it seeing the Law doth judge it Man-slaughter be pleased therefore to read Mirrour of Justice pag. 88. 27 28. fol. 294. And again the Law doth further say That to suffer any to dy in prison through want as I am given to understand some lately in the Kings Bench have done is also by the same Law judged Man-slaughter and likewise for Judges to delay relieving Prisoners by the Law till they dye is also Manslaughter for suffering of which and for not doing what the Law did require for the relief of the imprisoned one Judge Pearne was convicted and hanged See for this Mirrour of Justice fol. 228. pag. 30. Now it doth evidently appear from this foregoing matter That there was a glorious face of Justice did in those times which were counted Pagan manifestly appear wherein Justice Righteousness and Judgment according to their agreed-upon Laws was duly and truly without respect of persons administred and executed upon such as were found the betrayers of the Rights and Priviledges of the people but since that time that Justice took his seat and Royal Throne in this Nation wicked and ungodly men have for many Ages together born Rule through whom Justice hath been kept as a stranger out of this Land whereby truth is fallen and such as have through the fear of the Lord departed from Iniquity are become a prey as is evident by such as with my self do at this day suffer imprisonment for our earnest contending for publike Justice and open punishment to be inflicted upon such as are known to be truths perverters betrayers and abusers of the righteous Laws Ordinances Statutes Precepts Commandments and Judgements of the Lord God of Israel as doth and may further appear by the Witness and Testimony Paul that called chosen and famous Apostle of Christ read 1 Tim. 1. 5 6 7 8 9 10 where it doth evidently appear Paul the true Minister of Christ was earnestly exhorting of Timothy above all things to take heed unto the Commandment unto the end that he might know charity from out of a pure heart was the sum wherein the whole was contained from whence the exercise os a pure conscience was to be set on work according to that unfeigned Faith that dwelt in the Apostle from which saith he some have swerved and turned aside desiring to be Teachers of the Law understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm These words considered by the wise in heart whom God hath filled with the spirit of Wisdom who are the persons I do appeal unto for to judge whether this Complaint and just Accusation of the Apostle is not as well against England as against those Usurpers and Abusers of the Law which did live in his time seeing we are the people that have broken so many Engagements which unto the Lord Jesus and his Members was made in the time of the beginning of the great troubles of these three Nations But I must hasten and come to the words of the faithful Minister of Christ from whence I have a little digrest from which declaration of his it doth appear how wonderfully he exalted the Law of God who said to Timothy We know that the Law is good if a man use it lawfully knowing this that it was not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient for unholy prophane for sinners for murtherers of Fathers Mothers for Man-slayers for Whoremongers and for them thus defile themselves with mankind and for Mâ—nstealers for Lyars perjured persons and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound Doctrine according to the glorious Gospel c. Now having thus far discharged my conscience I shal leave the whole mattter after perused to be considered of according to conscience who and what they are that deservedly ought to be brought to coudigne punishment seeing the Law from God hath been appointed for the punishment of evil doers for the praise of them that do well who are for well-doing by evil-doers contrary to the minde of God revealed in his law kept in Prisons in this Nation by whom at this day I am with many more unjustly kept in prison for conscience sake and not for any evil done whereby I am the better enabled to declare from a Principle of Faith that my sufferings are only for the Gospel sake who have accordingly learned from the teachings of the Lord not to with-hold any thing of what is called civil right from any man but have been free and willing aâ— all times to make good that which hath been due of right to men and am in like manner subject to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake knowing the Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof but yet notwithstanding that if any in Authority shall go about to take from me and mine any part of the Earth which God shall give us further to be possessed with then I shall not resist for I must needs be subject not only for