world know you not that Christ Jesus is in you except you be reprobates but he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him and if we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit Believe therefore in the light receive the light love the light bring your deeds to the light that they may be proved whether they be wrought in God for to as many as receive Christ Jesus the light and believe in his Name to them he gives power to become the sons of God and the sons of God are led by the Spirit of God and the spirit of God leads into all truth and the spirit it teacheth to worship God in spirit and in truth and hereby know ye the spirit of God That spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and that spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God Therefore hearken to the Lord and hear what he saith incline your ear and hearken to his word that is nigh you in your hearts hear what the spirit of God saith unto you who speaketh expresly Be obedient to the spirit of God for there is no condemnation to them who walk after the spirit for the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus frees from the law of sinne and death and it is the grace of God that hath appeared unto all men that teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present evil world and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin for he became the Author of eternal â—alvation unto all that obey him Therefore mind the light for they whose minds are stayed upon the Lord he keeps them in perfect peace but there is no peace to the wicked for their minds are out from God minding earthly things so that God is not in all their thoughts therefore the wicked and all that forget God shall be turned into Hell Therefore love not the world nor the things of the world for he that is a friend of the world is an enemy to God for the whole world lies in wickedness and God is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity and he that delighteth not in the Law of the Lord takes pleasure in unrighteousness and he that takes pleasure in unrighteousness will do no true justice righteousness nor judgement for the Lord betwixt man and man Wisdom is profitable to direct and it is God that gives wisdom Solomon asked of the Lord and said Give therefore thy servant wisdom and an understanding heart to judge thy peogle that I may discern between good and bad Who teacheth like God that giveth wisdom that teacheth the Senators wisdom and he is a wise man that will be ruled by the Law of God the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and he that is without this and unruled by the Law doth neither righteousnesse justice nor true judgement for the Lord God Therefore ye Rulers and Judges of the earth let wisdom guide you and the spirit of God teach you to serve the Lord and to judge for him the people at all seasons and see that ye respect not persons in judgement but hear the cause of the poor as well as the cause of the rich and rid the afflicted out of the hands of the wicked speedily and let justice be done speedily upon the evil doers and answer the people of the Land Concerning their parish-Ministers their Houses of High-places falsly called Churches and tythes oblations obventions c. as Ioash did the Midianites when his son Gideon had thrown down the Altar of Baal and cut down the Grove that was by it And Ioash said unto all that stood against him Will ye plead for Baal will ye save him He that will plead for him let him be put to death whilest it is yet morning If he be a God let him plead for himself because one hath cast down his Altar Judg. 6.28 29 30 31. And so it is concluded READER thou art desired in thy reading to take special notice of the Errata's in the ensuing pages and lines which have been committed at the Press let them and all other litteral faults which thou findest be mended with thy pen for thy own and others clear understanding viz. Pag. 5. lin the last read the hands of the Philistines p. 8. l. 33. r. House p. 9 l. last r. the Levites p. 14. l. 23. r. Kine Gilsus King of the Mercians l. 30. r. Monketon p 15. l. 3. 1. so strong p. 16. l. 3. dele formerly p. 17. l. 19. r. Legate of the See l. 27. r. Courelefu p. 19. l. 41. r. his Army l. 43. r. Iehu the Seer p 23. l. 42. r. our non-payment of tythes p. 49. l. 43. r. to bear witness of Christ p 55. l. 14. r. but onely the children of Israel p. 56. l. 33. r. the head
that lay upon the people and likewise for the unprofitablenesse thereof The children of Israel were by the law commanded to pay first fruits and tythes for the maintenance of the levitical priesthood And the sons of Levi who received the office of che Priesthood had a commandment to take tythes of their Brethren according to the law and of no other Nation or people were they to receive any first fruits or tythes but verily that commandment is disanulled and the law is changed by our King our Law-giver and our Iudge and Prophet and Priest for ever viz. Christ Iesus who having abolished in his Flesh the enmity even the law ef commandments contained in Ordinances and hath blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us and contrary to us which was a yoake of bondage upon the neck of the Disciples he took it and nailed to his cross tryumphing over them in himself and said It is finished for he is the end of the law for righteeusnesse to every one that believeth in him c. But wicked and ungodly men who believe not in him even Kings Rulers Pope Matth. 13.54 55 56 57. Mark 6.23 Ioh. 7.48 49. Bishops Priests for out of their own mouths they are judged Have any of the Rulers believed in him And said Paul Not many wise men after the flesh nor many mighty nor many Nobles are called even such as believe not in Christ Iesus will not that he should reign over them therefore they have made unrighteous unjust and unholy laws for to require people to pay tythes to the priests and ministers which they themselves have so ordained consecrated and sent forth and not God And the Priests and Ministers who are not ordained nor consecrated nor sent forth of God but by man even they by their unrighteous unholy and the unjust laws of men they take tythes and sue men at the unrighteous law for tythes and cause men to be put in prison by the unjust law for tythes and by the unholy law they take trebble damages of mens goods for non-payment of tythes thus contradicting what Christ Jesus hath done for Christ the true King and the just and righteous Lawgiver he disannulled the law Eph. 2.15 Col. 2.14 15. and abolished the law of Commandments and blotted out the Hand-writing of Ordinances and changed the priesthood that took the tythes so that when the levitical priesthood ceased to be a priesthood the tythes ceased also and the law likewise Therefore I say That the Kings and Rulers of the earth the Pope and his Adherents who have made laws to pay and to take tythes by they are such as believe not in Christ Jesus the Son of God for had they believed on Christ Jesus the Son of God they would have owned him to have been a King and a Law-giver unto them and likewise they would that he should have reigned over them as King and had they loved him Isa 26.12 13 33.22 Ioh. 13.21 Matth. 23.23 Luke 18.12 they would have kept his commandments but such as own not Christ to be King and Law-giver believe not in him and so will not that he should rule and reign over them These as the Scribes Pharisees and Hyyocrites did so do they pay tythes of Mint Annis Cummin Rue and all manner of Herbs yea and of all that they possesse and so by their works they deny Christ to be King and Law-giver and Priest too but said Christ Those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring them hither Luke 19 27. and slay them before me Now there was a time that the Hypocrites Scribes and Pharisees paid tythes as said Christ Ye pay tythes c. and at that time that they paid tythes they omitted the weightier matters of the law Judgment Mercy and Faith which said Christ ye ought to have done and not to leave the other that is tythes undone which tythes was to be paid according to the law by the people of Israel which law and carna ordinances imposed upon the people continued for them to observe and do until the time of reformation which reformation was by Christ Jesus who changed the priesthood and disannulled the law and said Paul He having abolished the law of commandments and blotting out the Hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us nailing it to his crosse so that after that time that Christ had fulfilled the law and put an end to that law which was a shadow of good things to come and changed the Priesthood to which the tythes was paid I say again That there was no more tythes nor first fruits to be paid and all they that refused to pay tythes and first fruits after that time of reformation which was made by Christ Jesus who offered one sacrifice for sins for ever and after he had so done Heb. 10.12 Rom. 4.15 he sate down at the right hand of God they transgressed no law in so doing for where there is no law there is no transgression But the Heathen at this they raged and the people imagined a vaine thing the Kings of the earth they set themselves and the Rulers and the Pope and the Cardinals the Bishops and the Popes Adherents took counsel together against the Lord and against his annointed saying Come let us break their bonds asunder and cast their Cords from us such would not that Christ should rule and reign over them these were and are enemies to God they have made the Word of God of non-effect they have set Christ at naught and have lightly esteemed the Rock of their salvation they have cast his Law behinde their backs and will have none of his reproof they have not taken up the Crosse of Christ nor gone in the strait way that leads unto life but have gone in the broad way that leads unto destruction being led by a spirit of error in their Councils whereby they did make Decrees Canons Constitutions Laws Statutes Acts and Ordinances which are unjust unrighteous impure and not good for said the men of Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire and Herefordshire speaking of the Acts and Statutes made in former Kings dayes for the payment of tythes said they The Husband-mans Ploa against tythes printed in the year 1647. Because Acts of Parliament are Acts of men and not Oracles from Heaven a Parliament said they as well as a Council may be led by wrong Principles and so erre and so make Laws or Statutes that are unjust c. So acting against the Lord and against his Annointed in making Laws Canons Acts c. to pay tythes by for after that Christ had disannulled the Law and put an end to it they made Laws to uphold and to pay tythes therefore those Councils and Parliaments c. who have acted and made such Laws formerly and those that do act and make such Laws to pay tythes by now were and are led by a spirit of error to bring again upon the necks
man in an evil cause because he is poor neither is he to countenance a rich man in an evil cause because of his riches and high titles of honour neither is he to pervert the words of the righteous whether he be rich or poor Neither is he to judge for reward nor to take bribes or gifts because they blind the eye and so they cannot see to do just judgement nor to judge righteously for the Lord betwixt man and man rich and poor great and small c. 4. The Magistrate that ruleth over man must not accept the person of the wicked Psal 82.2 3 4. Deut. 16.18 19 20. but he is to defend the poor and fatherlesse and to do justice for the afflicted and needy and to deliver the poor and needy and to rid them out of the wicked speedily Therefore he is not to be afraid of the fear of man but to fear the Lord God and him alone to serve in doing of true justice and in judging righteously and he is to follow altogether that which is just that so he may leve and inherit the land which the Lord God giveth him Hear O ye Kings Rulers and Iudges of the earth the double-minded man is unstable in all his wayes he wavereth like a wave of the Sea that is driven with the winde and tossed to and fro Therefore let your eye be single that your whole body may be full of light that ye may behold the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ and so ye may see to do true justice and judgement for the Lord betwixt man and man but if your eye be evil your whole body is full of darknesse confusion and every evil thing and so no justice nor true judgement is then done by you for the Lord. Be wise therefore O ye Rulers and Iudges of the earth serve the Lord with fear the fear of the Lord is to depart from iniquity and the beginning of wisdom Therefore kisse the Son least he be angry with you and when his wrath is kindled ye perish from the right way of truth and judgement And ye that rule while ye have time prise it and rule with diligence and be not sloathful in your businesse but be fervent in spirit serving the Lord and meddle not with things that be too high for you nor with those things which ye ought not to have to do with Read 1 King 12.31 13.33 34. 16.30 31 32 33. In the time of ignorance God winked at many things but light is now come into the world and God calls upon all men every where to repent and would have them come to the knowledge of the truth that they may be saved Therefore come out of Babylon my people come out of Babylon saith the Lord and return O Israel if thou wilt return return unto the Lord the onely true God who is light and in him is no darknesse at all Christ Iesus is the light of the world he and his Father is one whoso followeth him shall not walk in darknesse but shall have the light of life He it the light and life of men and to as many as receive him and believe in his Name to them he gives power to become the sons of God and the sons of God are led by the spirit of God and the spirit of God it leads into all truth righteousnesse and peace But they who walk in darknesse they hate the light they hate God who is light they hate Christ who is the light of the world and the Law is light the reproofs of instruction are the way of life Christ Iesus is the way the truth and the life and light of men he that believeth not is condemned alâ—eady because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God and this is the condemnation Yhat light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light because their deeds be evil Every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh he to the light lest his deeds should be reproved Whatsoever is reproved the light makes it manifest What know ye not that Christ Iesus the light is in you except ye be reprobates the reprobates know not â—hat Christ is in them for light shines in darknesse and the darknesse comprehends it not and if the Gospel be hid it is hid to them that perish neither is there any communion betwixt light and darknesse nor no fellowship hath Christ with Belial for he that believeth not is condemned already because he believeth not in the onely begotten Son of God the light and the light is the condemnation of all that hate it The light shines in the heart Christ he opened their understandings For God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ whatsoever is reproved the light makes it manifest that which is reproved is sin and sin is the transgression of the law that is holy just pure and good Now the light makes every transgression of the law manifest the evil thoughts are made manifest by the light the evil deeds are made manifest by the light the evil words the light makes manifest yea the light makes manifest and brings to remembrance all things that a man hath done in his life time and sets his sins in order before him although they have been done in secret So that one man cannot reprove another for the thing done in secret yet there is that in him that makes it manifest to him and reproves him for it which is the light God is light Christ is the light of the world and doth enlighten eve-very man that cometh into the world The Law it is light and I had not known sin but by the Law and the Law is written in the heart by the spirit of the living God Now the same that makes sin manifest the same reproves for sin and this that reproves of sin is the spirit of truth who reproves the world of sin of righteousnesse and of judgement God he is a spirit and he is light Christ is the light of the world the last man was made a quickning spirit the second man is the Lord from Heaven who was made a quickning spirit it is the spirit that reproves the world or every man in the world of sin and the same that reproves of sin the same condemns for sin this is the condemnation that light is come into the world God sent his son to condemn sin in the flesh the condemnation of God is to them that walk after the flesh for this purpose was the son of God manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil but there is no condemnation to them that walk after the spirit Therefore take heed to the light that makes sin manifest believe in the light believe in God for he is light believe in Christ the light of the
their false Church which is but a house of high places For first at the end or in the middle of some there is a high place called the Steeple where the formerly christened Bells hang and that place is a high place for pleasure and a place for profit by their ringing of their Bells for when that one is dead they mourn and ring Bells and get money and when one is marryed they ring the Bells and rejoice and get money in the high place and formerly the Bells was wont to be rung to keep evil spirits and tempests from their Towns and when that the Pope or Bishop cuâ—st any for a sin as they called it they used to curse them with Bell Book and Candle then the Bells was rung that all might know that a heâ—etick or some such like was curst at high Altar So with the Bells they bless and with the Bells they curse with the Bells they weep and with the Bells they rejoice with the Bells they take pleasure and with the Bells they got money and with the Bells they used to call people to worship Images and now with the Bells the people are called together to worship a god a far off that they know not and at the ringing the bells the priests make themselves ready to go pâ—each for their hire who has the chiefest place in their Church so called viz the Pulpit and then there is a high place at the other end called the Chancel and high places of each side called the Iles and a high place called the Vestry in some where formerly the priests Vestments and Robes and other trinckits formerly lay in and then a high place in the middle called the body of the Church And thus I have shewed wherein and how they are called houses of high places and I deny them to be Churches c. Fourthly In the houses of hlgh places that the heathens and the idolatrous Kings of Israel and Judah built there was pictures images or the likenesses of creatures made and set up in them to be worshipped as gods which were not God but Idols the workmanship of mens hands for Jeroboam he made in likeness two Calves of gold and the one he set up at the City called Dan and thither the people went to worship and the other he set up at Bethel and Jeroboam said unto the people These are thy gods O Israel that brought thee up out of Aegypt 1 Sam. 5.2 by Tho. Grashop And the Philistines god was Dagon and he was as some write made from the Navil downwards in the likeness of a Fish and upwards like a man and to this I refer the Reader to the Marginal Notes of the great Bibles And the god that Ahab served was Baal which was set up in the house at Samaria which Ahab built for Baal and Baal is taken for Ashteroth the Idol of the Zidonians which Jezabel caused to be worshipped 2 King 10.18 1 Kings 16.31 32. Iudg. 16. and Baal was made in the likeness of a Ewe or a Sheep read I say your Marginal notes of your great Bibles upon the second chapter of Judges verse 13. And Micah the man of Mount Ephraim he had two Images made of Silver a graven Image and a Moulten Image and they were set up in the House of Micah for Micah had a House of gods and he made an Ephod and a Teraphim Now all these gold and silver gods were the workmanship of mens hands which the Carpenter the Founder the Graver formed and fashioned in the likeness of the creature the which doing was forbidden of God Deut. 5.8 who said Thou shalt make thee no graven Image or any likeness of that that is in heaven above or which is in the earth beneath or that is in the waters under the earth And now I come to shew what manner of Pictures and Images we had and now have in our high places falsly called Churches here in England First There was a Picture called the Rood of Grace that was swayed up in a place called the Rood Loft and hung upon shrines which the people being seduced were led aside to worship for I will instance two or three particular Roods that the Reader may know what they were The first that I now am going to write of FOXES Acts Monuments Vol. 2. is a Rood that a Carpenter had made at a Town called Haddam in Lancashire in the fashion of an old man gaping and grinning in such a sort that their children were so frighted at it that they durst not look upon it whereupon the Inhabitants did not like it and because it was so ill savoured they would not have it But in the dayes of Queen Mary bloody Bonner commanded that a wel-favoured Rood should be made and of a tall stature which was done accordingly and the Rood was dressed in white and green and annointed with Oyle crept to and kist and weighed up and set in his old accustomed place called the Rood Loft in Pauls Cathedral Church so called by them and by Edmund Bonners Order the Bells were rung for joy at the setting up of the Wooden god alias the Rood Again I have read of another Idol which was called by the Name of the Rood of Dover Court unto which the people did much resort because a rumor was spread abroad among the people That the power of the Rood of Dover Court was so great that no man had power to shut the Church door so called where he stood therefore said they The door is fain to stand open night and day Whereupon one Robert King and Nicholas Marsh of Dodham and one Robert Debnam of Estborgholt being moved by the spirit of the Lord did like Gideon go in the night ten Miles and found the door of their Church open as was reported they took down the Rood from his shrine and carryed him about a quarter of a mile from his place where he stood and stroke fire with a Steel and a Flint and set fire to the Rood and burnt him for the which good act doing they all three good honest men did suffer death by hanging in Chains They had likewise in their Houses of high places falsly called Churches the Image of the Virgin-Lady Mary which they worshipped and called the Mother of God their Patroness and Protectress ever more in all adversity and therefore Thomas Arundal Arch-Bishop of Canterbury directed his Mandate to the then Bishop of London to warn people to say certain prayers at the toling of a Bell or ringing of Corphew his words were as followeth Thomas by the permission of God Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Primate of all England and Logate of the Suay Apostolike to the right Reverend our Brother the Lord ROBERT by the grace of God Bishop of of LONDON Greeting At the Request of the special Devotion of our Lord the King himself We command your Brotherhood straitly enjoyning you That you command the Subjects of your City
according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel And Iosiah he turned himself and spyed the Sepulchres that were at Bethel in the Mount and sent and took the bones â—ut of the Sepulchres and burnt them upon the Altar aâ—d polluted it according to the Word of the Lord which the man of God proclaimed by the Altar before the face of Ieroboam as he stood by the Altar at Bethel to burn Incense and he slew all the priests of the high places tâ—at were there upon the Altars and burnt mens bones upon them And then he returned to â—erusalem and that he might perform the words of the Law which was written in the Book that Helkiah the Priest found in the House of the Lord Iosiah he put away all the abominations that were spyed in the Land viz. the Images and the Idols and the Wizards and the workers with familiar spirits and the times that Manasseh observed too And thus Iosiah he went on and prospered in his work Lev. 26.30 31. Deut. 18.9 to the 14. and made a thorow reformation both in Israel and in Judah for he turned to the Lord with all his might and with all his soul and with all his heart according to all the Law of Moses neither after him arose any like him Here ye may see that King Iosiah did not do as other Kings did before him that is reform Idolatry in Judah and let it remain in Israel and take away Baal the Altar and the Grove and the House of Baal at Samaria and leave the two golden Calves the high place and the Altar standing still at Dan and Bethel which Ieroboam set up Nay he reformed Iudah and Ierusalem Israel Samaria Dan and Bethel Lev. 20.27 and all of the abominations that were spyed in the Land according to the Law of Moses And now ye shall see what reformation hath been made in England since that the Saxon Kings the Danes and other Idolaters built up the high places falsly called Churches Monasteâ—ies Nunneries Fryer-Houses Chantâ—y-Houses and Colledges Now the first beginning of any reformation that I find of the Idolatry that they had set up was in the dayes of Henry the eighth wherein a Parliament was called it was enacted and decreed That in causes and matters happening in contention no person should appeal provoke or sue out of the Kings Dominions to the Court of Rome Secondly It was designed and concluded That all exportation of Anuities first Fruits out of this Realm to the See of Rome for any Bulls Breefes or Palles or expedition of any such thing should utterly cease Thirdly It was enacted That the Pope all his Colledge of Cardinals with his Pardons and Indulgences which had so long clogged this Realm of England to the miserable slaughter of so many good men and which never could be removed before was now abolished eradicate and exploded out of this Land and sent home to their own country from whence they came and what reformation was this none at all for all this which they took away from the Pope in a manner was setled upon King Henry the 8th For first they made him Head of the Church as they called it instead of the Pope Their words of the Act are as followeth Be it enacted by this present Parliament That the King our Soveraign Lord his Heirs and Successors Kings of this Realm shall be taken accepted and reputed the onely supreme Head in Earth of the Church of ENGLAND so called Anglicanâ Ecclesia Secondly And shall have and enjoy annexed and united to the Imperial Crown of this Realm as well the Title and Stile thereof all Honours Dignities Preheminences Iurisdictions Priviledges See Foxes Acts Monuments Vol. 2. Authorities Immunitiâ—s Profits and Commodities to the said Dignity of Supream Head of the same Church belonging and appertaining Thirdly And that our said Soveraign Lord his Heirs and Successors Kings of this Realm shall have full Power and Authority from time to time to visite repress redress reform order correct restrain and amend all such errors abuses offences contempts and enormities whatsoever they be which by any manner of spiritual Authority or Iurisdiction ought or may lawfully be reformed repressed ordered redressed corrected restrained or amended any usage custome forraign Laws forraign Authority Prescription or any thing or things to the contrary hereof notwithstanding Now for my part I see that none of the poor common people were ever the more eased of their burdens onely the King and the Bishops with the rest of the Clergy except their paying of Peter-Pence to the Pope and that was none at all because now the Priests have a Penny for the smoke of every Chimney as the Pope had Now see where the reformation was first That a Bible of the largest Volume and in English be provided and set up in some convenient place of every Church as they called it Secondly The Pater-Noster was to be in English Thirdly Sermons was to be made quarterly Fourthly Such feigned Images but not all which were abused by Pilgrimage and Offerings were to be taken down without delay Fifthly Tho. Bockets day was forbidden to be observed but no other And sixthly The knoling of Aves was forbidden lest the people should hereafter trust to have pardon from the Pope for the saying of Aves between the said knoling as they have done in times past Seventhly The Abbies Monasteries Fryar-Houses were many of them pulled down destroyed And eighthly The Abbots the Monks the Fryars were suppressed but the Popish Bishops viz. Arch-Bishops Bishops and Priests were upheld stil maintained by their goodly Lordships Glebe-Lands Rectories and Tythes as well as when the Pope was the Head of the Church and men and women were burned for Hereticks as they called them then as they were when the Pope was Head of the Church so called And Transubstantiation and the Communion in both kinds and Vows of Chastity and the forbidding of Priests marriage and private Masse and Auricular Confession and all Images which served for no other use but as Books for unlearned men that can no Letters to be admonished by them as they said All such stuffe was left with the High Places falsly called Churches standing without any scruple at all And again in the dayes of King Edward the sixt many or very near all the aforesaid stuffe was laid aside onely the Houses of High Places the Bishops Arch-bishops Parsons Vicars Curates their great Lordships Rectories Parsonages Glebe-lands Tythes first fruits and all these remained still unpull'd down But when Queen Mary came to the Crown and ruled then all that her Father and Brother had reformed she set up again except Abbies Monasteries c. and fell to burning of men and women for declaring against her and her Bishops and the Clargies and the peoples abominations according to the measure of light by them received faster then all the Kings that were before her And Queen Elizabeth she and
preaching writing printing or otherwayes were counted Hereticks and then according to the Popes Canons Decrees and Institutions were the Cardinals Bishops and others of his Clergy to proceed against them in their Ecclesiastical Courts by iniquisition examination or proof of Witnesse c. and so to passe definitive sentence upon them according to the Popes Canons and Decrees c. and then those they called Hereticks were delivered by them to the Secular Powers viz. the Magistrates of the Land who did punish those that they called Hereticks by whipping stocking hanging burning chopping off of their heads or cutting out of their tongues and put balls of Iron in their mouths and boared their tongues through with hot Irons banishment and confiscating of Goods and many other torments c. And now I will instance one particular mans sufferings and that which they made his crime was for setting up a certain Bill upon one of their falsly called Church doors against the Popes pardons in which Bill he named the Pope to be Antichrist for the which he was three several dayes whipped and after that he was burned in the forehead I would have Parliaments to take notice of this whipping and burning and not do as the papists do and for pulling down the Images and breaking them to pieces he was by the Canons Priests and Monks c. judged and condemned and by the Secular Powers had his right hand cut off from his arm and with a sharp pair of pinsons they violently pull'd his Nose off from his face and his paps from his breasts and both his arms from his body and afterward burned him in the fire And so by this example let all judge what spirit these were of whether this spirit that led them on to do this was of God or of the Devil I say That that spirit that led them on to destroy mens bodies or otherwayes Luk. 9.54 55 56. Matt. 26 51 52 53. by burning was not the spirit of Christ Jesus for Christ answered Iames and Iohn saying The Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them therefore see how contrary that spirit was by which the Pope and his Clergy was guided by to destroy the lives of men to the spirit of Christ as you may read And the same spirit that guided the Pope and his Councils to destroy mens lives guided them to make Decrees to pay tythes for in the Council of Lateren under Pope Gregory the tenth said they Let no man give his tythes where he pleaseth as before but let them be paid to Mother-Church c. Now do but observe Tindall who said That all moral Divines have a wicked conscience TINDAL in his Book of the Revelation of Antichrist full of scrupulosity and said he All that do pursue are Antichrist the Pope the Cardinals Bishops and their Adherents Take notice and their Adherents do pursue therefore the Pope Cardinals Bishops and their Adherents are Antichrist and I say If of Antichrist then not of Christ but against Christ and his annointed did they sit in counsel and plotted against the just to destroy them And now ye shall see it appear that the Popes Adherents viz. the Bishops and the Clergy of England were guided by the same spirit as the Pope was Statute ex Officio Hen. 4. and also the Magistrates likewise for in the dayes of King Henry the 4th it was agreed upon by the King the Lords spiritual and temporal and by them enacted That no man within this Realm or other of the Kings Dominions do presume to preach teach inform maintain openly or in secret or make or write any Book contrary to the Catholike faith and determination of holy Church and if it happen that any person or persons of what kinde state or condition soever he or they be do attempt any manner of thing contrary to this Proclamation and Statute c. the Ordinary of the same Diocesse upon information had power by the said Statute so called to cause the party or partyes so defamed and evidently suspected to be arrested and to detain the party or parties in safe custody until he or they had purged themselves touching the Articles laid to his or their charge in that behalf or else till they had denyed and recanted c. And further If any person was lawfully convinced before the Ordinary of the place or his Commissaries of the said preachings teachings opinions writings c. and would not abjure and recant then sentence was to be pronounced by the Ordinary or his Commissaries upon the party or partyes and after sentence pronounced he or they were to be delivered over to the Secular Power viz. the Mayor Sheriffs or Sheriff or Bailiff of the City Town Borrough or Village of the same County who were to take unto them the said persons so offending and cause them to be openly burned in the sight of all people c. And Thomas Arundal Arch-Bishop of Canterbury with other of the Popes Adherents added to the Statute so called their own Constitutions whereof one was Item No manner of person shall presume to dispute upon the Articles determined by the * The Pope his Adherents were meant by them to be the Church Church as is contained in the Decrees Decreetals or Constitutions provincial or in the general Councils nor none shall call in doubt the Authority of the said Decreetals or Constitutions or the Authority of him that made them nor teach any thing contrary to the determination thereof c. and whosoever doth preach teach or obstinately affirm contrary to this and all other Constitutions and Decrees except he recant in manner and form aforesaid shall forthwith incur the penalty of Heresie and shall be pronounced an Heretiâ—k in all effect in Law And no sooner was these Constitutions and their pretended Laws finished but Thomas Arundall Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and the learned Clergy his Brethren Suffragans and Assistants fell to put it in execution and past sentence definitive upon William Sautre alias Chautre for an Heretick and delivered him over to the Secular Power viz. the Mayor and Sheriffs then of London to be put in execution and for fear said my Author that it should not be speedily enough done The Spanish Inquisition is no Law of God nor the Dominican Fryars that were deputed Inquisitors were no just Iudges of Heresie Neither was the English Clergy who were led by the same spirit See FOX Act. Mon. Vol. 1. Elizabeth Young denyed to swear in the dayes of Queen MARY Matth. 5.34 35 36 37. 23.16 17 18 19 20 21 22. Ier. 31.33 Heb. 8.10 11. Iames 5.12 Luke 23. chap. Act. 12.2 the Bishops called upon the King to make a Decre who thereupon did and sent it to the then Mayor and Sheriffs of London to put it in execution and the words of the Decree in the latter end of it are as followeth Provided alwayes according to the Law of
God and man and the Canonical Institutions in this behalf accustomed That such Hereticks convict and condemned in form aforesaid ought to be burned with fire We command you as straitly as we may or can firmly injoyning you that you do cause the said William Sautre being in your custody in some publike or open place within the Liberties of your City aforesaid the cause being aforesaid published to the people to be put in the fire and there in the same fire really to be burned to the great horror of his offence and the manifest example of other Christians Fail not in the execution hereof upon the peril that will fall thereupon Teste Rege apud Westmonast 26. Febr. An. Regni sui And the like was done upon Iohn Badly a Taylor and Sir Iohn Oldcastle alias Lord Cobham and William Thorp for denying swearing by the Book and saying the Priests had no title to tythes under the Gospel was committed to prison in which it was thought that he dyed Now here I observe that in the Scriptures and in the heart it is written that Christ said Swear not at all and likewise that those Ministers that he sent out to preach the Gospel writ to the Brethren saying My Brethren swear not neither by heaven nor by earth nor by any other oath c. Now Christ that taught men they should not sweare at all he was by the Scribes and Pharisees and the high Priests who taught men to swear counted a perverter of the Nation and was vehemently accused and said that they had a Law and by that Law he ought to dye and they did not cease till that he was put to death And Iames he was by Herod slain with the sword who writ to the twelve scattered Tribes saying Above all things my brethren swear not c. And William Thorpe for denying to swear by a Book at the Pope and his Adherents command was put in Prison wherein it was thought that he dyed And now in these dayes some lye in prison because they will not swear at all Now I suppose that none will be so impudent as to say that Christ and the Apostles were not guided by the spirit of truth but that they will say on the contrary viz. That Christ and his Apostles were guided by the spirit of truth Then I say thus That the Scribes Pharisees and the high Priests and the Pope and his Adherents viz. the Rulers of the earth the Bishops and the Clergy were and are all guided by a spirit of error by which spirit of error the Scribes Pharisees chief Priests the Pope and his Adherents viz. the Bishops and the Clergy and the Rulers of the earth taught men to swear and do teach and compel men to swear by the same spirit of error And again The same spirit which Christ Jesus and his Apostles taught men that they should not swear at all taught many of the Martyrs to deny swearing at the Pope and his Adherents command And the same spirit teacheth us the people called Quakers to deny swearing at all for say we It is better to obey God rather then man and therefore we rather choose to suffer for the name of Christ then to obey man by swearing contrary to the Law written in our hearts by the spirit and by the power of the spirit of truth are we taught and do deny the paying of tythes to the priests of this Nation who are called Ministers or any other and by the power of the same spirit of truth do we so many of us as are called thereunto suffer not only bonds with patience but likewise the spoyling of our goods with cheerfulnesse for the Name of Christ Jesus our Lord our Law-giver our Judge and our Priest for ever of God by the power of an endlesse life and not by a carnal commandment as the priests of this Nation called Ministers are now made by But of tythes I have more to say hereafter and the priests likewise Anno 1540. 31. year of H. 8. April 8. And now I come to shew what an Act was made in the dayes of King Henry the 8th the popes Successor here in England who by the means of Stephen Gardiner was stirred up to shew himself severe and sharp against those new Sectaries Anabaptists and Sacramentaries as they called them and that some Articles might be set forth to confirm the ancient Catholike Faith and for this and other ends through the device of the popes Adherents the King summoned a parliament to be holden at Westminster of all the States and Burgesses of the Realm also a Synod or Convocation of all the Arch-bishops Bishops and other of the learned Clergy of this Realm to be in like manner assembled in which Parliament and Synod of the Bishops and the Clergy and by their means viz. the Bishops and Clergy it was decreed in pretence of unity among the Kings subjects That the six Articles which they had made should be received among the people and withall a penalty to be inflicted upon them that refused them which penalty and the Articles were called the Whip with six strings And the six Articles consisted the first of Transubstantiation The second of their Sacraments of both kinds FOX Act. and Mon. Vol. 2. The third about Priests Marriage The fourth was about the Vows of chastity or Widow-hood The fifth was about private Masse helping of souls out of purgatory And the sixth was about Auricular Confession And for the bloody penalty that was annexed unto those six Articles take as followeth and then judge whether the King and his Bishops and Clergy did not act like the Pope and whether they were not led all by the same spirit as the Pope was led by yea or nay Item That if any person or persons within this Realm of England or any other of the Kinge Dominions after the twelfth day of Iuly next coming by word writing printing cyphering or any other way should publish preach teach say affirm declare dispute argue or hold any opinion that the blessed Sacrament of the Altar under the form of bread and wine after the consecration thereof there is not present really the natural body and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ conceived of the Virgin Mary or that after the consecration there remaineth any substance of the bread and wine or any other substance but the substance of Christ God and man or after the time abovesaid publish preach teach say affirm declare dispute argue or hold opinion that in the flesh under the form of bread is not the very blood of Christ or that with the blood of Christ under the form of Wine is not the very flesh of Christ as well apart as though they were both together or by any means abovesaid or otherwayes preach teach declare or affirm the said Sacrament to be other substance then is abovesaid or by any means contemn or deprave or despise the blessed Sacrament that then every such person or
against all those above-named unrighteous unjust and impure Decrees Laws Statutes Acts Constitutions Canons and Ordinances that have been made by men for to require the people to pay first fruits tythes offerings oblations obventions rates for tythes or such like that they are not of God and likewise That all those men who sate in councils and parliaments and have made those laws whether kings popes earls lords lords and commons protector and council or parliaments I say That they were not guided nor taught nor led by the spirit of God so to do but by a spirit of error were they ruled by for to bring again a yoke upon the neck of Christs Disciples by those unjust and unholy and unrighteous laws decrees constitutions acts and ordinances and clauses in ordinances whereby they require and compel Christs Annointed to pay first fruits tythes offerings oblations obventions or any other rates in lieu of the same I say That those laws for the payment of tythes c. are not good for whatsoever law it is that is not good in its original or foundation can never be made good by any act or acts of man subsequent Now I say That the ground and original of these laws for the payment of first fruits and tythes c. since the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was from the pope and his adherents the pope and his adherents are Idolaters and all the Idolaters are ungodly and such as hate the Lord Read 2 Chron. 18 19. chap. for Ahab the King and Israel was an Idolater and he was led by a lying spirit to go up to Ramath Gilead Iehosaphat King of Iudah joyned with him and said to Ahab I am as thou art my people as thy people but Hanani the Seer said to Iehosaphat Shouldst thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord such are the pope and his adherents ungodly and such as hate the Lord therefore those laws that had their original foundation from the pope and his councils were and are altogether illegal and unjust in their original for can a corrupt fountain send forth sweet water neither can the pope and his adherents who are led by a spirit of error send forth pure and just laws Therefor say I to all the Rulers of England Should you help the ungodly to make laws against the Lord against his Annointed do ye not make your selves manifest by your actions herein to be such as love them that hate the Lord do not ye do the same things in nature though not in substance as the pope and his Adherents do or worse for the pope used to excommunicate or to curse out of his Church those that would not pay tythes and happy they were that were so excommunicated out of his church by him and his adherents See the Petition of Right and 〈◊〉 Act for regulating the Privy Council and taking away the Star-Chamber Anno 17. Caroli Regis but ye make laws to take three times the value of the tythes from them that cannot in conscience pay tythes c. and put men in prison for non-payment of tythes to the undoing of them their wives and small children which is contrary to the Common-law of the land And again It is a Maxime in the laws of this land That whatsoever in its original is altogether illegal and unjust can never by tract or length of time or by Actor Acts subsequent be they what they will in any kinds or construction of law be made just or legal And for the clear proof of which read Judge Huttons Argument against Ship-Money pag. 48 49. and Vox Plebis pag. 20. 43. and the fourth part of Cooks Reports pag. 125. and Vernons Case See also John Lilburns Grand Plea made against the Lords Jurisdiction over the Commoners Anno 1647. pag. 8. 13. And said the men of Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire and Herefordshire See the Booke called The Husbandmans plea against tythes Printed 1647. Because said they Acts of parliament are Acts of men and not Oracles from Heaven a parliament as well as a Council may be led by wrong principles and so erre and so make laws Acts or Statutes that are unjust c. And again I say That all they who put those unrighteous and unjust laws for tythes c. in execution and all they who receive tythes firrst fruits oblations obventions offerings or any other thing in lieu of the same and all those who either through subtilty or willingly payes the said first fruits tythes oblations obventions or offerings or any thing in leuâ— of the same in obedience to those laws that are made by the ungodly and such as hate the â—ord I do judge them all to be enemies of God and such as will not that Christ Jesus should rule and reign over them neither do they own him to be unto them a King Law-giver and Judge but by their works do make themselves manifest to be such as deny Christ Jesus to become in the flesh for did they love Christ Jesus they would suffer the spoyling of their goods for his Names sake and keep his Commandments and did they own Christ to be King and Law-giver then they would obey no laws but his and submit to him that hath disanulled the law which was a shadow of good things to come and blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances having abolished in his flesh the law of commandments contained in Ordinances and changed the priesthood who by a law took tythes and not have revived an old law that was done away by Christ Jesus at the time of reformation by himself for who hath required that law to be revived again by them at their hands but onely the Pope and his Adherents whose work they do for his servants ye are to whom ye obey Therefore my son if sinners entice thee consent thou not neither follow a multitude to do evil walk not thou in the way with them refrain thy foot from their pathes for the wayes of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord therefore go not in the way of evil men as for God his way is perfect his work is perfect all his wayes are judgement a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he and the way of God is strength to the upright an dt they that walk in his pathes finde peace but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity c. And now I come to shew out of Histories the testimonie that others in former yeers have born for Christ and against tythes Fox Acts and Mon. Vol. 1. and them that took tythes I finde written that about the yeere 1360. in the prayer and complaint of a Plow-man wherein he said as followeth Ah Lord he that * Calleth cleepeth himself thy Vicar upon earth viz. the Pope hath ordained an order of Priests to do thy service and therefore he chargeth | Lay-men lewde men in pain of cursings to bring his
the Mount of God And when Iezzabel cut off the prophets of the Lord 1 King 18.4 Obadiah hid a hundred of them by fifty in a cave and fed them with bread and water c. And now see after what manner Elisha the prophet of God was maintained It fell on a day that Elisha passed to Shunem where was a great woman and she constrained him to eat bread and it was so 2 King 4.8 9 01. that as oft as he passed by he turned in thither to eat bread And the woman of Shunem said unto her Husband Behold now I perceive that this is an holy man of God which passeth by us continually let us said she make a little Chamber I pray thee on the Wall and let us set for him there a bed and a Table and a Stool and a Candlestick and it shall be when he cometh to us that he shall turn in thither And it fell on a day that he came thither and he turned into the Chamber and lay there c. By these ye may see now that the Kings of the earth would not provide first fruits tythes offerings oblations obventions nor set out portions of land and great Houses for the prophets of God which he sent to live in 2 Chron. 18 25 26 as they did for their own that they themselves sent worth 100. l. a yeer more or lesse nay said Ahab by Micaiah the prophet of God Go take Micaiah and carry him back unto Amon the Governor of the City and to Ioash the Kings son and say Thus saith the King Put this fellow in prison and feed him with bread of Affliction and with water of Affliction until I return again in peace And this is that which the Kings and Rulers of the earth the Pope and his Adherents provide for the prophets that come and go in the Name of the Lord but the prophets of the Groves that come and go in their own Name they shall feed at Iezzabels table And Iohn the Baptist the Messenger of the Lord Matth. 3. chap. Luk. 1.15 Luk. 3.1 2 3 4 Matth. 1. chap who was filled with the holy spirit of God from his Mothers Womb went preaching in the Wildernesse of Iudea and in all the countrey about Iordan preaching the baptism of Repentance for the remission of sins and he was great in the sight of the Lord but his Rayment was of Camels Hair and a Leathern Girdle about his loins and his meat was Locusts and Wilde-Honey Here was nothing provided for him by the Kings of the earth to maintain him the messenger of the Lord no but instead of a great House Glebe-Land Tythes and Offerings Oblations and Obventions and 100. l. Matth. 14 ch a yeer Herod the Tetrach laid hold on him and bound him and put him in prison and afterward cut off his Head And such is the provision that the Kings and Rulers of the earth the Pope and his Adherents make for the Messengers of the Lord But the priest and preachers and teachers and Ministers that are of their own ordaining consecrating or by their appointment and law so made are well provided for so that they eat of the fat of the land and the finest of Wheat and drink Wine and strong Drink and take Tobacco and go clothed in black soft Raiment Cuffs and Rings on their fingers Ribans and Boot-hose-tops and sit at ease like a Queen and feel no want in the outward like other men Aaron and the sons of Levi who received the office of the priesthood they were maintained by first fruits offerings tythes c. according to the law which was a shadow of good things then to come until the time of reformation But when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the law who in the fulnesse of time came having compassion on the ignorant of them that were out of the way and being made perfect he became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him but Christ Jesus he glorified not himself to be made an High-Priest but he that said unnto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee the same said unto him thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec Now Christ Jesus he was called of God an High-priest and made an High-priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec of God not by a carnal commandment but by the power of an endlesse life and he offered up his body a sacrifice once for all and by that one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and after he had offered that one sacrifice for sins for ever he sate down at the right hand of God and now where remission of these is there is no more offering for sin So that Christ Jesus who is the Mediator of a better covenant then that of the old is the sum and substance of all figures and shadows held out by the Law which he put an end to for he changed the priesthood and disannulled the Law which was a shadow of good things to come by which the tythes was paid So that it is evident that Christ Jesus was not maintained by first fruits offerings nor tythes neither did the Kings and Rulers of the earth provide any House or Lands for him whom God sent For God so loved the world that he sent his onely begotten Son into the world but they would not bestow hundreds of pounds a yeere to maintain him with nor settle him in a Vicarage Parsonage nor in a Rectory of two or three hundred a yeer for said Christ Jesus The Foxes have Holes and the Birds of the Air have Nests Luk. 9.58 Luk. 8 1 2 3. Ioh. 13.29 but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head For he went throughout every City and Village preaching and shewing the glad tydings of the Kingdom of God and those that received his Doctrine and believed on him such ministred unto him of their substance and Iudas carryed the bag and he betrayed him into the hands of the chief priests the Elders the Rulers Herod and his men of War who delivered him up to Pilate to be condemned and to be crucified and platted a Crown of thorns and put it on his head and provided a Crosse and crucified him upon it and mocked him and thrust a spear in his side and cast lots for his Garment and gave him Vinegar to drink and this was all that they provided for the Son of God but they did not serve their own so for the world loves their own and calls them Master Master and sets them at the uppermost room at their feasts and in the highest seat in their Assemblies c. Neither was the twelve Apostles nor the seventy Disciples that Christ called and gave power to and sent forth to preach the Gospel maintained neither with first fruits offerings tythes oblations obventions c. for Christ