excluding others of the like nature but that the same condemnation lies against pretended high Lights above Ordinances spiritualized above Christ above Scripture and what is Written contrary to Pauls advice 1 Cor. 4. 6. to wit not to presume above what is Written thereby winking at iniquity that will not do it themselves but appoint suffer others to do it as sprinkling of Infants take Tythes or contract for Preaching c. Neither will they discover the evil thereof and shew 〈◊〉 Judgement that lies upon the Nation for permitting thereof by those in authorâ—ty contenting â—â—â—…selves with a half-Reformation to wit so far as will stand with their Honour and profit not shewing such repentance as Simon Magus Acts 8. 13. nor those Conjurers Acts 19. 18 19. Who believing confessed and shewed their deeds and those of them which used curious arts brought their Books together and burned them before all men and they counted the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of Silver so mightily grew the word of the Lord and prevailed 〈◊〉 Demetrius like verse 24. to the 29. Who made Silver shrines for Diana whâ— called the Craftsmen together with the Workmen of like occupation saying sirs ye know that by this Craft we have our Wealth Moreover ye see and hear that not onely at Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia this Paul hath perswaded and turned away much people saying that they be no Gods that be made with hands so that not onely this our Craft is in danger to be set at naught But also that the Temple of the great goddess Diana should be despiâ—ed and her magnificence should be destroyed whom all Asia and the World worshippeth and when they heard these sayings they were full of wrath and cryed out saying great is Diana of the Ephesians and the whole City was filled with confusion c. compare with John 11. 48. Where the Jews said concerning Christ if we let him thus alone all men will believe on him c. And if any desire farther Information concerning the unlawfulness of paying or taking Tythes let them Read John Turner on Tythes Tyth-gatherers no Gospel-Teachers Gentil-Congregations no Tyth-payers or the Ordinances of Tythes dismounted and if all this will not serve those greedy Cormorants the Priests of these times to take them off from their ungodly gains let them then expect no quarter according to Zach. 13. 2. 3. Where it is said it shall come to pass in that day saith the Lord of Hosts that I will cut off the nâ—mes of the Idols out of the Land and they shall no more be remembred And I will cause the Prophets and the unclean spirits to pass out of the Land and it shall come to pass that when any shall yet Prophesie then his father and his mother that begate him shall thrust him through when he Prophesieth and it shall come to pass in that day that the Prophets shall be ashamed every one of his Vision when he Prophesieth neither shall they wear a Rough or Inckie garment to deceive or lie compare with 1 Kings 18. 21 to the 24. And Elijah came unto all the people and said How long halt yee between two opiniors If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him and the people answered him not a word c. compared with the 2 Kings 23. 4. 5. 6. Hosea 10. 5. Acts 6. 8. to the 13. And Stephen full of faith and power did great wonders and miracles among the people Then there arose certain of the Synagogue which is called the Synagogue of the Libertines and Cyrenians and Alexandrians and of them of Cilicia and of Asia disputing with Stephen And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake Then they suborned men which said We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God Rom. 2. 6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds c. Revel. 14. 9. and 10. And the third Angel followed them saying with a loud voice If any man worship the beast and his image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shallbe tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb Compared with Revel. 18. 23. 24. And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee and the voice of the bridegrome and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee for thy merchants were the great men of the earth for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived And in her was found the bloud of Prophets and of Saints an of all that were slain upon the earth FINIS
Fathers loynes 1 Kings 12. 10. And although Henry 8 Edward 6. Queen Elizabeth took away part of the said Orders yet as then the maintenance thereunto belonging was continued and inforced from the people even so now this burthen of tythes still continues and cleaves close unto us and that not only on our temporals and estates but upon our Consciences for if this Popish Ordinance be continued for we can judge it no other being instituted as before shewed for the maintenance of Prelates Priests Monks and Fryers c. If this we say be continued to Presbyters who received Orders from them as to the said Orders before then are we forced still to Popery and Popish Innovations no lesse sinful then the others And whether this be not a breach of our Protestation Oaths and Covenant which we have made with hands lift up to the most high God we refer to all judicious men to judge And whether these are not such as the Prophet speaks of Ezek. 33. 31. 32. 33. And they come unto thee as the people cometh and they sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousness c. Again we desire to declare as believers Christians free men of England that the Lord Jesus Christ as he hath ordained another Ministry then that under the Law so also hath he appointed another maintenance for the Gospel-Ministry then Tythes there being not one word in the Gospel for it they being to live upon their own hand-labor as before shewn or the peoples free gift Mat 10. 8. And to eat such things as they have by their labor or is set before them Luke 10. 7. 8. For the Workman is worthy of his meat Mat. 10. 9. Also the first dayes collection 1 Cor. 16. 1. 2. As God hath prospered every man who loveth a chearful giver and for the orderly dispensation of the same he hath ordained an Office in the Church to wit the Deacons who is to dispose of the said free gift as every one needeth Minister or other poor Saint without respect of persons now compare Christs Commission and the Apostles practice with the Ordinance of Parliament and these mens practice in these times and you shall find a wide difference between them And upon examination you shall find that to set up or allow another humane invention for Ministers maintenance then the Lords own who is the only Law-giver to his Church is to frustrate the Deacons Office and so make the word of God of no effect by mens traditions as the Jews did Mat. 15. 6. 9. and so deny Christ to be come in the flesh c. Again it becomes not a true reformation to borrow of a false Church especially such as Rome so main a Pillar as Ministers or maintenance Inas much as Jeremiah saith Jer. 51. 25. 26 The Lord is against Babilon that destroying Mountain that destroyest the earth c. And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner nor a stone for a foundation but thou shalt be utterly destroyed for ever according to the Covenant root and branch compared with 2 Cor. 6. 14 to 18. The said practice of taking Tythes also introduceth Prelatical pride and time-serving with great men in Authority as Ezek. 13. 1. all the Ministers by that means being lifted up so far above their poor Brethren which causeth unaptness to teach their care being set upon the things of this life as how to get so also to keep the things of this World whereby he becomes a brawler a man of contention as too sad experience sheweth Courts of Iustice Committee for Plundered Ministers Sessions Iustices of Peace by their trouble and daily vexations Sutes through their covetousness can witness which causeth great covetousness and contention for the contending of which as the Apostle saith is the root of all evil 1 Tim. 6. 10. for instead of being given to hospitality these rob the poor that are forc'd to begg taking that by force which others get by great labor and toyl All which is clear against what the Ministers of Christ ought to be yea and must be if they perform their duty as 1 Tim. 3. 2. 3. where the Apostle saith A Bishop then must be blameless the Husband of one wife vigilant sober of good beheaviour given to hospitality apt to teach not a brawler much lesse a plunderer for Tythes not covetous c. And therefore if you will pretend your selves Ministers of Christ prove your ordination by the word and be content with your wages This is clear Acts 6. 2. where the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel of Christ would not leave the word to serve Tables to wit to supply the want of the poor Saints but gave direction for Deacons to be chosen for that service much lesse would they look after Tythes as these do by compulsion and cruelty A Husband-man one day declared at the Parliament door that he rented 300. Acres of Land and that he proffered the Priest 100 thereof gratis so as that he would manure it but he would not accept thereof now judge ye what a case we are fallen into Again consider how dishonourable it is that such as pretend that they are put in trust with the unsearchable treasure of the Gospel should so dishonour their pretended Master and hinder the receiving thereof by their forcing maintenance from people which themselves confess have not received the Gospel from them nor have they begotten them to the faith so that they are neither Fathers Planters Teachers Bishops c. unto them And yet will they force maintenance from them contrary to 2 Cor. â—2 14. 15. Behold the third time I am ready to come to you and I will not be burthensome to you for I seek not yours but you for the Children ought not to lay up for the Parents but the Parents for the Children And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you though the more abundantly I love you the lesse I be loved But instead of this I have seen that cruelty exercised by the Magistrate through these mens means already that I never saw in four years waiting at the high Commission Court But why have we not as well a Doctor of Physick and a Lawyer forc'd on every Parish as these would it be any more but the like Monopoly but that we should be forced to pay these men Tythes not owning them nor their work they having been the Priests of the Nation and chief cause of all the blood-shed yet now oppressing cruelly such as have adventured life and estate for the preservation of the same yet this to be call'd Primo Libertatis Angliae when instead of take him Jaylor at the high Commission Court it is said now take him into Custody where is demanded 10. times greater charge Oh Rehoboams Reformation was such proceedings cruel then and
according to Revel. 16. 6. They have shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou last given them blood to drink for they are worthy And as was once said by Jehu to Joram 2 Kings 9. 22. being asked Is it peace what peace answered he so long as the whoredoms of thy Mother Jesabel and her Witch-crafts are so many so what hope of peace have we so long as the Whordoms Witch crafts and Sorceries of that Jesabel of Rome England Scotland that great City Babylon though divided into 3 parts Rev. 16. 19. remain with that spirit of persecution hatred malice evil contention and division against the Statute Laws of King Jesus it being contrary to Vows and Covenants c. in those that profess themselves Ministers of the Gospel of King Jesus who is that Prince of peace seeing the Lord hath said Isaiah 6. 1â— The Nation and Kingdom that will not serve him shall perish yea those Nations shall be utterly wasted which I cannot but judge to be one cause of the distractions Warres shedding of blood in the Nations of Christians as they pretend to wit the civil Magistrate intrenching upon the prerogative Royal of King Jesus and not permitting him to rule and raign by his own Laws in his Kingdom to wit over the Saints in the Churches as before is shewed These things considered we could not but in obedience to God love to the truth and ease of our own Conscience discharge our dutie herein to reminde you of the Protestation Covenant Declarations c. desiring to be eased of these burthens of popish Tythes c. That so the Land mourn not because of Oaths and no longer to inforce the same for Ministers maintenance they therein denying Christ to be come in the flesh As also wherein the civil Magistrate gives his power unto the Beast in upholding that popish practice and innovation by their Clergy c. And let the Ministers or Servants of the Gospel live upon the Gospel even upon their own hand-labor or the free and voluntary gift of the people which the Gospel allows them wherewith they will and ought to be content being better to be without a livelihood then rob and steal and sin against God in getting it by unlawful wayes and means But I doubt not but all true Ministers will be content with their true wages alotted for them by Christs appointment which we are confident will sufficiently satisfie all such godly ones as desire and seek not the fleece but the flock and with Paul seek them not theirs such as take the word of God for their Guide and Rule they having a word for their warrant not traditions of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth supposing gain is godliness or their own covetous hearts and mens precepts it being a meanes to hinder the free progress and imbracing of the Gospel-Administrations so shall we the Freemen of England be free from that burthen that doth so much inslave us making our very lives uncomfortable to us they eating up Caterpiller-like the best fruits of the Land and a great part of the Peoples Labours But if these Scriptures and Reasons cannot take place and cease upon your spirits to grant us relief in freeing us from this more then Egyptian bondage yet we having declared the truth we have discharged our duties and shall have peace of Conscience in warning you of it according to Ezek 3. 17. to the 21. 33. 2. to the 7. and shall with heart go on in the strength of the Lord in opposing that state of Antichrist head and tail root and branch Ministery and maintenance by Tythes or otherwise if we perish we perish and so in all other their practices that are contrary or without the word of God not daring to presume above what is written submitting our persons with Daniel and those worthies the three Children Apostles and Primitive Christians as in that Catalogue Heb. 11. Passively to the will and command of the Civil Magistrate as to the Fathers of our flesh but unto God who in Christ is the father of our spirits Actively that so we may live although in sufferings here yet in Glory hereafter For such as suffer with him or for him now shall one day raign Glorified with him and whosoever shall be ashamed of him and of his sayings to wit his Ordinances in this adulterous and sinfull generation of Tyth-taking Priests of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with his holy Angels to execute Judgment without respect of persons and whether these Tyth-takers be not as truly by the Gospel Thieves as such as Rob by the High-way side or break Houses and the upholders by pay or otherwise guilty of as great evils as they that uphold or countenance the other I leave to every inlightned man to Judge and although it be not so well known by reason they have deluded and bewitched the Nations yet now God having inlightned the Earth he requires an answerable obedience thereunto for where much is given much will be required Luke 12. 48. Thus have we declared our resolutions to go on in the Lord and the Power of his might in whom is our strength and no more to bow the knee to Baal or those Amalakites or Hamans of the times to whom as Mordecai so we resolve not to bow Hester 5. 9. to the 12. Although it cost us our goods by Plundering as they have done or our Liberties for if we perish we will perish with them and those worthies Dan. 3. The Lord being now at work intending to Level the Mountains Psal. 113. 7. 8. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill that he may set him with Princes c. Yea that great destroying mountain of Bable that destroyeth all the Earth Jer. 51. 24. 25 26. saying Behold I am against thee oh destroying mountain saith the Lord which destroyes all the Earth and I will stretch out my hand upon thee and rowl thee down from the Rocks to wit the shelter of Magistrates and I will make thee a burnt mountain and they shall not take of thee a stone for a Corner nor a stone for Foundations but thou shalt be desolate for ever saith the Lord This shall be done by the Lord Christ he being mounted on the white Horse Riding on Conquering and to Conquer Revellations 6. 2. by the Sword that proceedeth out of his mouth Isa. 30. 15. not by Carnal weapons 2 Cor. 9. 10. 4. Zach. 4. 6. Not by might or Army or Arm of flesh but by my spirit saith the Lord this being published for the conviction of the Priests and direction of all that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity resting your servant in the Faith and Order of the Gospel of King Jesus EDWARD BARBER Postscript ANd although the subject Matter of this discourse be principally against Tyth-takers and Tyth-payers yet not