For first Lions get their prey by violence so doe they witnesse their holy Ordinance for Tythes witnesse their taking by violence from those to whom they might better give witnesse their greedy desire to devour with open mouth the Lambs of Jesus Christ would the Parliament once grant their unsatiable desire Witnesse their Petition to the Parliament to have them burnt with the letter B. to have them prosecuted as felons for their lives this was the good will of the Priests to the poore Lambs of Jesus Christ but when their Lion the Lord Jesus shall roar out of ZION all the Beasts of the Forrest shall tremble which will be ere long Thus are they like to be a Generation that must suffer want at least in their Souls in the time of drought when the Towers fall Isaiah 65. 11 12 13. Yea to wit The Saints shall eat but they shall be hungry yea shall drinke but they shall be thirsty c. 5. The Priests were the greatest enemies to Jesus Christ in those times they it were who hired Judas to betray him who cryed out crucifie him crucifie him a way with such a fellow from the earth they it was who gave large monies to the Souldiers to belie him and to say his Disciples stole him away by night c. This hath been and is the practise of the Priests in our dayes under the notion of Hereticks and Seducers to destroy the Saints And why Because the Saints discovering truth will destroy their errour and falshood we desire not the Magistrate to destroy them but liberty to professe and practise truth before which they are not able to stand no more then a morning dew before the Sun 6. The Priests under the Law they loved the uppermost rooms at feasts and the chief places in Synagogues and greetings in the markets and to be called of men Rabbi Mat. 23. 6 7. Quaere Were the Scribes and Pharises Priests Answ. Yea See Nehem. 8. 9. Ezra the Priest the Scribe c. And this is the expectation of the Priests now there need no Scripture to prove it they love the uppermost rooms at Feasts and usually have it and the Chief Seats in the Synagogues that was in their places of meeting now not for want of ignorance commonly called Churches who have the Chief Holy high place where none may come but themselves with their consent with reverence be it spoken and greetings in the markets the cap and knee is much expected and to be called of men Rabbi that is Master although there be no master in a Towne besides yet this Priest must be a master this is one of Solomons evils that he had seen under the Sun Servants on Horse back and Masters walking on foot as servants on the ground they are the peoples Servants they expect their wages from them Oh horrid pride Was ever such a thing as this heard of What Servants become their Masters Master Servants on horse-back riding ruling and their Masters on foot made slaves unto them 7. They built the Tombes of the Prophets and garnished their Sepulchers Matth. 23. 29. but they persecuted Christ and his Apostles so doe our Priestly Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites pretend to have high thoughts of Christ and his Apostles but are as ready to persecute and kil the disciples followers of Christ as ever the Priests of old they build their Tombes and garnish them they spend all their time and study to finde out the minde of Christ and his Disciples in their writings and yet come infinitely short of it Christ a Carpenter Paul a Tent-maker Peter a Fisher-man all of them poore tradesmen yet these men of Arts and parts spend all their time and make use of their Authors to understand what they write but if God raise up any Fisher-man Carpenter Cobler or the like in him and by him to reveal his truth O away with such a fellow from the earth he is a Mechanick fellow one of no breeding he knoweth not the Originall c. I warrant you if Christ and his Apostles were on the earth againe they should finde as hard measure from them as ever from the Priests of old What doe these but justifie the proceedings of all persecutors that have gone before them and so bring upon themselves all the righteous blood-shed even from the blood of Abel untill this time 8. And finally the end of all was that they might hold up their Religion and in that their honour and profits they knew if they should let Christ alone he would destroy their religion and so lay them open unto contempt This is likewise the ground of our Priests opposing and persecuting the Saints to uphold their Nationall Church Religion Worships c. And therein their Honour viz. the Cap and Knee of the Vulgar their profits Tythes their great DIANA This they can doe but by the exaltation of their humanity Arts and parts gotten by their industry at the Universities and this is their greatest Goddesse DIANA by which they uphold all and hope to keep in their credit with the ignorant still but this Diana learning in the things of God will fall and break its neck ere long as Dagon before the Ark it begins to tremble already it dares not look truth in the face without the power of Parliament to assist c. Second Parrallel BETWEEN Them and Simon the Sorcerer Acts 8. SImon Magus his sin is looked upon by those who know not what it was as very horrid and wicked and it 's true Peter said that he declared himself by it to be in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity the Priests give a very high and learned interpretation of it that is to buy a Parsonage and this they call Simony who so buyes a Personage as Simon Magus But I believe if we come to examine what was Simons sinne we shall finde more Sir Simons then many are aware of Simons sinne it was First to buy the gifts of the holy Spirit 2. As it is generally understood to that end he might sell them again and its likely to be true for it would have gotten him much credit as well as profit he should have made a good exchange for the losse of the spirit and power of divination and sorcery to have gotten the Spirit of God by which he thought quickly to inrich himself So then here was Simons sin he would have bought the gifts of the Spirit to that end he might have sold them that so he might inrich himself by it See then how the Priests of our time run parrallel with him I argue it thus Those who buy their gifts of purpose to sell them are guilty of Simon the Sorcerers sinne But the Priests of England buy their gifts of purpose to sell them and get gain Ergo the Priests of England are guilty of Simon the Sorcerers sin That this was Simons sin is cleared that who so doth the like are guilty of Simons sin is unquestionable that
only which remains to be proved is That the Priests of England buy their gifts of purpose to sell them First that they buy them it will appear these things considered First What gifts and abilities they have are humane such as they have attained in the Schools which cost them much money as well as industry for the gaining of them Secondly Their appropriating all abilities of Preaching to themselves accounting it altogether impossible for any other to have any gift at all who have not bought it like themselves so that they doe not only buy themselves but deny any other way of attaining gifts to any else pretending Phylosophy to be the Mother of Theology Ah horrible blasphemy against the Spirit who is freely given and freely opperates as it pleaseth Thirdly Their owne confession when they come to sell that their gifts cost them much money and therefore they sell them at the dearest rate 2. That they buy of purpose to sell appears First It was the great end for which they were by their Parents dedicated and set a part a purpose to get a living even as they binde their children Apprentices c. Secondly It appears by their practise which is to sel all and that at the dearest rate too witnesse their looking after the greatest and fattest livings where there are most Calves Lambs and Tyth-pigs Corne Hay and Gleb-land thither usually is their call witnesse their often removing from a lesser living to a greater ten pounds more per annum is a sufficient call from one Parsonage to another witnesse their first quere what it is worth per annum and if that pleaseth them then they go never querying what Saints be there nay so far are they from that if they hear that Christ and Saints be there then they dare not come there for fear that light will discover their darknesse witnesse their indenting for thus much by the weeke in case they supply any place that wants which is so much clear gain unto them for their own pay goes on neverthelesse at home witnesse their Petitioning the Parliament for increase of maintenance where they judge it is too little although some of them have 40. pound some 80. livre. some 100. livre. some 140. livre. and besides a great wrong to the Parliament or at the least to the Subject witnesse the common practise of Towns and populous places who beholding their temper dare not attempt the getting of a Minister as they desire to be called untill they first make up either by petition to the Parliament for the states money which poor Soulders want or some other way a round sum of money which being effected puts courage into poore simple Country men to adventure into their presence with all lowly submission Sir we have maintenance for an honest man perhaps 100 livre. per annum if that be too little wait a while and perhaps 200. or 300. appears which will serve to make up the bargain just as a servant who puts forth himself for a year will make the most of his service although it 's true the conditions are contrary Conditions INprimis I will be your Minister which signifies a Servant or rather your Lord on condition that you will engage to give me thus much by the year in money or Tythes as the condition is Ergo the Priests of England preach for hire 2. I will be your Minister in name provided I may be your Lord for so they are indeed and rule over you and you will become subjects and slaves unto me bow down before me and call me your Master Ergo the Priests of England are the peoples Lords 3. I will be your Minister provided you will not contradict me in what I preach and teach you if you will believe as I believe and teach you or rather then this Article shall make a breach they will get an Ordinance from the House of Lords which will serve their turn to prevent any from objecting against their Orthodox Divinity although never so humane O horrible impiety Men may now preach lyes by a Law 4. And finally I will be your Minister provided that I may have my liberty to remove again when I see a call which is like to be the next Parsonage tendred wherein 10. or 20 livre. per annum be augmented to his yearly maintenance as the hired servant keeps himself at liberty for his own advantage at the end of every year Thus the bargain is made and the condition is drawn the Priests now with much comfort and alacrety fals a preaching for he knowes to a peny what he hath comming in for every Sermon he makes One thing by the way I cannot omit which I have known in case any one be so simple as to limit himself for thus much by the year while he live unto a people they have a way to fetch him off again with credit as thus refer it into the hands of a Jury of Divines as they call them although indeed but humane the simple people agree unto it judging these men if any will be honest This Jury of humanes quaeries into the businesse finde that their brother hath engaged himself for life perhaps for some 70 livre. per annum the more simple man he Now within a year after some 6 or 7 score is tendred the conclusion it delivered in he may lawfully suspend with his promise and former engagement being called unto another place 1. There is more maintenance the great Lord that drawes he is by the Scripture to provide for his own or else he is worse then an Infidell 2. There are perhaps more Souls and so more need of a Preaching Ministry c. And thus the man may lawfully remove his brethren so determine it And why It possibly may be their own turn next that this is truth witnesse Master Swayn at Tradbrook in Suffolk with others thus the minor appears that the Priests of England buy that they may sell for advantage therefore guilty of the sin of Simon Magus so that the truth is we have many Sir Simons amongst us though under fair pretences and colours only note one word by the way wherein it will appear that they exceed Simon in wickednesse 1. Simon would have bought the gifts of the spirit that so he might have done something for his money but these men buy humane gifts instead of the spirit and set up and sell that as if it were spirit 2. Simon had good thoughts of the spirit he would have bought it but these cry down the spirit calling it a spirit of giddinesse and its like they know no other spirit but that which comes from Oxferd or Cambridge Horrible blasphemy against the spirit Mat. 12. 3. Simon did only desire the spirit himself not to limit it to himself as those who know not what the spirit is who would have none to have it but themselves no Fisher-man as Peter or Tent-maker as Paul c. 4. And finally Simon was made sensible of
a shepherd to them this year sell his Interest in them the next go whither they will he cares not if he can get advantage a very hireling that doe not only fly from his flock when danger comes but sels his interest in them for gain come what wil come of them he cares not although it 's confest it 's better where they are not then where they are for there is some hopes of undeluding poor souls Thus it evidently appears that the artificial tradesman and the Masters of Arts the Priests run parrallel together as much spiritualnesse in the one as in the other I mean in relation to their calling although it s confest that the first is lawfull the second altogether earthly sensuall and devilish only take notice of a word by the way wherein it will appear that the Art and trade of making and selling of Sermons far exceeds all other arts and trades besides and that in these following particulars 1. In their Gentility they are masters before ever they open their shops or set up their trades 2. In their sale they usually have the highest markets they often sell their Sermons when cheapest for an Angel when one might buy as good in a book-sellers shop and it may be a better for three pence so that their ware comes usually to a good market especially of late except some poor ones or Cavaliers they it s like would be content with a reasonable market sometimes but its like ere long that this trade of Sermon-selling will be very dead and low so low that they will stand weeping and crying alas alas for no man buies their wares any more and how will their honour house-keeping and hospitality go forwards then 3. They have one great advantage more they doe not only meet with the dearest markets but they can sell one Sermon diverse times they can sell a Sermon and yet keep him to make and sell twenty paire of sermons and yet have never the lesse Let any handicrafts man come forth and doe the like if they could they might well inrich themselves but was ever such a thing as this heard of What sell a thing and keep a thing and sell it again Yea and again too perhaps Should I know a shoomaker sell shooes and yet keep them and sell them again I would brand him for an arch cozoner or the like of any other calling 4. Advantage They can sell that which is not money nor ware as the proverb is so it be something it passes a tradesman must sell that which is good or else he shall be counted dishonest and the buyer hath so much liberty as to try it to look into the goodnesse of it if he like it he buyes it if not he leaves it but these Merchants have gotten an Ordinance to compell men to receive what they bring them be it good or bad Oh horrid wickednesse What must we have it whether we will or no You Merchants of London stir up your selves get you such an Ordinance if you can it must needs inrich you What sell all manner of stinking wares by a Law And none durst question it 5. They are Monopolizers too they have gotten their Pattentees to Monopolize all to themselves none must sell nay none may give when they sell a wonderfull way to inrich themselves Was there ever such a thing as this heard of What to Monopolize the gift of Preaching Quere Is not this against the liberty of the Subject Answ. Yea questionlesse Quere Have not the Parliament declared against it Answ. Yea. Quere Was it not one end of the Parliaments war to free the Subject from it Answ. Yea it was so pretended and I suppose it was really intended Quere Are not Monopolizes and Monopolizers much more dangerous and dishonourable in spirituall things then in temporall Answ. Yea For first Herein the free operation of the spirit is as much as lyeth in man prevented by it Secondly Poor ignorant English men are much aabused by it who know not their liberty Thirdly the spirituall Merchants of the man of sin the kingdome of Anti-christ are inriched by it Quere Did the Parliament thinke they had made a Patentee and the Priests Monopolizers when they gave them that Ordinance that none should preach but themselves Answ. I suppose they did not if they had they could not have walked in a way so directly against their own principles their own Declarations and the Subjects liberty Quere May we not expect that the Parliament will call in this Patentee again Answ. Yea questionlesse when they see the evil of it and it is the subjects liberty to expect it it is that for which they have adventured their lives suffered the losse of their estates and therefore it cannot but be a great bondage and burthen unto the subjects to see and feel the heavy yoak and bondage of Monopolizers yet remaining However God will take their Patentee from them for the Saints must speak those things they have seen and heard notwithstanding their engrossing all into their own hands Thus have I briefly and plainly discovered the carelesnes and corruption of the Priests of England notwithstanding their fair pretences not scandalizing their persons but discovering their evil conditions to that end that Englishmen might not be enslaved especially in their spirits unto such a generation who alone seek themselves Three Quaeries Answered QUaere 1. Was not the Jewish Priests and Levites typicall And did not they type forth the Ministry of the Gospel Answ. It s true they were typical but they typed forth Christ the great high-Priest of Saints Hebr. 9. Not the Priests of these times 2. They were a type of all the Saints in Christ for Christ and the Saints are one and all the Saints are the Lords portion an holy Priest-hood unto the Lord 1 Pet. 2. no Priest-hood by office but all the Saints are Priests Quere 2. Is it not necessary seeing the gifts of the Spirit are lost that there should be a getting of those gifts again by humane industry as Tongues Arts c. Answ. 1. It is all one as if a man should be so simple as having lost a pearl should instead thereof buy a clod of dirt a good satisfaction for such a losse the gift of the Spirit being lost get a little of the wisdome of man which is but as dung and drosse in comparison of it the wisdome of the flesh is death Rom. 1. 6. 2. It s the Anointings of Anti-christ the Spirit being lost Antichrist sets up the wisdome of the flesh in room of it for in all things Antichrist seeks to imitate Christ as well in the flesh as in the spirit 3. The Saints are made pertakers of the same Spirit the Apostles were for if the spirit of Christ be not in you yee are none of his Christ is in you else you are reprobates if so then no need of all this Humanity 4. This Spirit of God manifest in the Saints will discover and destroy this Humane spirit of Anti-christ by things that are not in the worlds eyes wil he bring to nought things that are Quere 3. If Ministers of the Gospel may not lawfully indent for maintenance for their Preaching seeing the labourer is worthy of his hire and he that provides not for his own is worse then an Infidel Answ. 1. If Christ and his Apostles or either of them did so then they may else not Gal. 6. 2. If it stands with the fidelity of a servant to his master else not freely ye have received freely give 3. Christ hath undertaken to care for those that trust him Luke 10. Matth. 6. Sixteen Queries of concernment Propounded with a desire of an Answer from those who can or please 1. IF ever the Lord made use of any as Ministers of his minde unto the people that were bread idle at Schools and Universities all the daies of their lives without a calling as the Priests of England but rather the contrary as Moses a shepherd Elisha a Plough-man David a shepherd Amos a Herds-man Christ himself a Carpenter Paul a Tent-maker Peter a fisherman c. 2. If ever Christ and his Apostles did get a Patentee viz. an Ordinance from man to Monopolize the gift of Preaching to themselves 3. If ever Universities and Schools of humane learning were in Scripture called the fountains or well-heads of Divinity 4. Whether ever Christ and his Apostles did Indent with their hearers what to have for preaching before they preached unto them 5. Whether ever Christ and his Apostles built their Churches by humane Authority 6. Whether Christ and his Apostles did at any time gather the prophane carnal men of the world into the Church excluding the Saints who out of tendernesse and light follow him 7. Whether ever Christ and his Apostles deterred any from Preaching the Gospel by the powers of the earth 8. Whether ever Christ and his Apostles made use of these two great bug-bears so common in use with the Priests of England to prevent the Saints from preaching the Gospel and the world from hearing them viz. 1. The approbation and ordination of the men of the earth 2. Humane learning the language of the Beast without which men are in their account altogether unmeet to medle in the things of God 9. Whether ever Christ and his Apostles first baptized and then twenty or fourty yeares after taught them faith 10. Whether ever Christ and his Apostles deluded the World viz. the ignorant and prophane with the name of Christians when there was no such thing appeared 11. If ever Christ or his Apostles had a hundred or two hundred pounds per annum for Preaching 12. If ever Christ and his Apostles appropriated Tythes to themselves for preaching 13. If ever Christ and his Apostles did remove from one Parsonage to another 14. If ever Christ and his Apostles did confirm the truth they delivered by the power of the Magistracy Authors Fathers c. 15. Whether the Spirit teaching be not sufficient in the things of God 16. Whether it be not the work of Christ and that which is to be expected in these later daies to overturn overturn overturn all these things acted by men contrary to his own minde FINIS
his sin might repent for ought that any one knowes he desired the Apostle to pray for him but the Simonists of our times are so farre from repenting that they still justifie themselves in their wickednesse and I am afraid it will be a very hard thing to recover many of them to repentance unlesse when too late A Third Parrallel BETWEEN Them and the Artificiall Merchandizing Tradesman THe onenesse between the Artificiall Tradesman and the Priests will appear these few things considered The tradesman before he attains his craft or calling must first be an Apprentice seven years that so he may get understanding and art in his calling for there is some mystery in every calling therefore time is required for the understanding of it which by the Law is not judged lesse than seven years So it is with the Priest he must before he can be his crafts-master spend many years in the Schools perhaps twice seven before he comes to maturity at least he had need be one seven years in the University commonly called the schools of the Prophets the nursery of piety or rather of impiety and wickednesse the well-head of Divinity or rather humanity and then by this time he hath gotten a pretty good head and hand he is its likely able to make a sermon now and then or else he must needs be a very dunce for he hath a very dull head that cannot learn his trade in seven years yet so it comes to passe among these men very often as well as other tradesmen some are more ready and handy in it then others one can make two Sermons perhaps while another can scarce make one so it is with your Shoomakers Taylers or any other handicrafts-man and so like other tradesmen they prove differently some prety honest in their way others knaves some drunkards others sober some whore-masters others chaste some more wise and crafty others simple and foolish and thus now their Apprentiship being expired they are become Masters of Art The second thing to be expected is their freedome to set up their trade so it is with the handicrafts-man especially in the City of London or other priviledge places for a small matter they are declared free-men of London So it is with the priests after they have served their Apprentiships gained the Art of making a Sermon and before two some of them they now must get their freedom which is the approbation and ordination of some principle men of the same Art thus it is with the tradesman and thus it is with the Priests that is either the hands of the Prelat or some other Prelaticall Episcopall creatures newly Anabaptizeed into the name of Presbyters or CL Asses 3. The tradesman having obtained his freedome he now opens shop-windows and sets himself to work so likewise those Priests they have their shops viz. their studies full of good old books Authors Fathers all expositures of Scripture and they set themselves to work search one Author and another Author and for the most part these are the fountains from whence they draw all come to ask their judgement upon any text of Scripture you must tarry till they have looked their expositers and then they will tell you what their expositers say whether it be true or false for you must note they are not infalliable nor Apostolicall 4. The tradesmen must have a time to make their wares he cannot make them with his word nor blow them together with the winde the shoomaker must have his time to make his shooes the Tayler to make a garment c. and when it s made it s made not before So must these tradsmen of another nature have their times to make a Sermon some a moneth some two weeks some one some two or three in a week when like to have good sale but a time they must have to make it up they cannot preach by the spirit alas they know not what it is they are strangers unto it they oppose it this is that will throw down these Sermon-makers in conclusion when poor tradesmen Coblers Taylers Tinkers Plow men Carpenters all sorts of men shall preach the everlasting Gospel with so much light life and power that will darken all the light of these Sermon-makers and then none will buy their wares any more 5. When the tradesmans ware is made it is then fit for sale and he hath his free market in his owne town he steps forth sometimes into other markets that so he may vend his wares at the dearest rates it is his liberty and doubtlesse he may lawfully doe it and sometimes when he wants ware he buies of another to fit his customers that so he may keep his calling going so it is likewise with our spirituall merchandizers when their Sermons are made they have their market daies to set them at sale their Sunday or their Sabbath the first day of the week well might they as I have heard them formerly stir up people to come to their spirituall markets for they sell all and that at an excessive excised rate too and they have their change of markets if it make for their advantage they can sell one year perhaps for twenty shillings a Sermon the next they have found a new market place where they can sell it may be for 40 shillings or three pound a Sermon then Sermon-making is worth somthing a goodly trade many Gentlemen of note and quality bring up their children to this craft and they can besides this break forth now and then a day into a new market which ads unto the old store for this they are sure their own goes on at home although themselves keep market in another place and sometimes when necessity or idlenesse drives them to it they buy of other men viz. Preach a Sermon of another mans if the people know it not it goes for currant though sometimes they can read along with them as they preach but I must confesse this is something base Thus it appears that our spirituall Merchants run parrallel with the temporall and that Preaching is become a meer art amongst men and truly they have their shops full of godly wares by which they delude and deceive souls John in Revel. 18. 11 12. Opens their shops or rather their pack where he gives them the tearm of Merchants and abundance of good ware there is and they sell all and the souls of men too Quere How may they be said to sell the souls of men Answ. In that they own those to be Christians which are no Christians and those to be Churches which are no Churches for this very end that they may inrich themselves thus they sell souls that is delude and undoe souls under the name of Christians for money witnesse their readinesse to sprinkle and cozen Infants if their parents pay them Tythes else not they sell the souls of men for five or ten pound they will forsake their cure of souls as they call it sel them for gain be