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A27408 A true tryall of the ministers and ministry of England as also a true discovery of their root and foundation, and of the called English Church ... / written forth by Gervase Benson ... Benson, Gervase, d. 1679. 1656 (1656) Wing B1904; ESTC R20721 10,090 15

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hath cast down and disannulled and blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances the commandement by which the Priests took Tythes and changed the Priesthood that was changeable that had a commandement to take Tythes of the people during the first Priesthood as you may read Hebrews the 7. And do witnesse Christ Iesus the unchangeable Priesthood the end of all Types Figures and changeable things and the Priesthood that had a commandement to take Tythes changed and the Law by which they took Tythes disanulled because of the weakness and unprofitablenesse thereof for the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope made perfect whereby wee draw near to God Heb. 7. 18 19. And do own and witnesse the Ministery and Ministers of the Gospel which is not of man neither by man whose foundation standeth sure abideth for ever changeth not neither can be shaken who are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being their chief and head Ephes. 2. 20. who by him are gifted for the gathering together of the Saints for the work of the Ministery and for the edification of the Body of Christ till they all meet together in the unity of the Faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man and unto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Eph. 4. 12 13. And all who are Ministers of Christ have received a perfect Ministery which freely they have received and freely they declare without being burthensome to any And do witnesse and own the Church whereof Christ Iesus is the head which is his body which is holy and the assembly of the righteous from which all the ungodly are excluded Psal. 1. 5. And the Ordinances of Christ Iesus of which none that are unholy can partake And do own and witnesse the worship of God which is in Spirit and truth and the Law of God which is holy just and good which never changes by no diversity of place or time And do witnesse That all Lawes Statutes Ordinances Prescriptions or Customes brought in against this Law written in the heart which is the Law of the Eternall unchangeable God though called by many the Law of Reason or of Nature to be things void and against Iustice and being but the Lawes of men they are inferiour to the Law of God which is Superiour and therefore to it must they give place And being that Tythes by the Lawes and Statutes of this Nation are given to God and holy Church And being as before is proved That by God and the Church which is holy Tythes are denyed and that the called Church of England the body spirituall called the Spirituality who receive Tythes are unholy not being free from corruption and sinister affection but stand in need of honours and possessions to keep them from corruption and sinister affection for which end they were given them as by the Statute of the 24. Hen. 8 chap. 12. it appeareth Therefore by the Lawes and Statutes of England the cal●ed Priests Ministers Preachers Rectors Parsons Vicars Clerks and Curats who are unholy have no right to Tythes and an Evill custome or usuage is to be abolished and taken away saith Cook upon Little●on And that custome or usuage which requires me to give wages to him that never did nor doth any work for me or mine is against reason which is said to be the ground of all Lawes And being as afore is said That all Lawes Statutes Cnstomes or Prescriptions against the Law written in the heart called the Law of Reason or the Law of Nature are void and if any be brought in against it they be no Prescriptions Statutes nor Customes but things void and against Just●ce as you may read in Doctor and Student Chap. 2. Therefore all Lawes Statutes Customes Usuages or Prescriptions which would set up and uphold that which God hath disannulled and made void and his Law beares witnesse against and would have me to contribute towards the upholding of a Ministery which is changeable and makes nothing perfect who are not one amongst themselves neither the same this generation that was the last before but alters and changes with times and men as the called Ministers and Priests of England and their Predecessors have done as is manifest that in the time of Henry the éight the late King of England their predecessors denied the Pope for their head and owned Henry the eight for their head and in the time of Edward the sixt their Predecessors denied the M●sse Book and received the book of Common Prayer at his command And again in Queen Mary her time they denied the Common Prayer Book and received the Masse And in the time of Queen Elizabeth they denied the Masse Book and again received the Book of Common prayer And in the time of the late Parliament they denied the Common Prayer Book and received the Directory rather then they would deny their Honours and possessions and what they now own is manifest to all the Children of Light to me they are of no force nor of me can take hold being thereunto dead and therefore from them freed being to another married even the man Christ Iesus who is raised from the dead that I should now bring forth fruits to God and from henceforth serve Him in newnesse of life and not in the oldnesse of the Letter and in so doing by God and that of God in every m●ns conscience I am ●ustified who art thou oh man that condemnest Gods enemy thou art who contrary to that of God in thy conscience doth act And thus to all both Magistrates Priests and people have I cleared my conscience and laid down the grounds and reasons why I who of the world and to the world am known by the name of Gervase Benson deny the called Ministers and Priests of England aforesaid and to pay Tyths contrary to the Law of God which is written in my heart not with Ink but with the Spirit of the living God who am the servant of the living God who doth him obey whose soul is made subject to the higher powers for conscience sake and to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be unto the King as unto the Superiour or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evill doers and for the prayse of them that do well 2 Pet. 2. 13. 14. For so is the Will of God that by well doing I may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men who resisters are of the power which is the Ordinance of God which whosoever doth resist shall receive to themselves damnation for Rulers are not a terror to good works but to the evill Rom. 13. 2 3. And if for my subjection to the Higher Powers for conscience sake and for bearing witnesse against all resisters of the power according to the Ordinance of God or for not swearing contrary to the commands of Christ Iesus who saith Swear not at all Matth. 5. 34. And the doctrine of the Apostle of Christ James 5. 12. who saith Above all things my Brethren swear not neither by Heaven neither by the Earth neither by any other oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay least ye fall into condemnation or for not putting forth my hand to Act that which that of God in my conscience doth shew me to be evil or for not owning a form which is contrary to the Truth and so more then yea and nay I suffer I suffer knowing if the Will of God be so It is better to suffer for well doing then for evill And so to the Will of my God I commit my soul and body in wel-doing who saith If we suffer with him we shall raign with him And before Governours and Kings ye shall be brought for my sake for a Testimony against them and the Gentiles London Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black-Spread-Eagle near the West End of Pauls 1656.