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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	hate_v	know_v	persecute_v	2,062	5	9.5855	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91119	A testimony of the Light within. A glorious truth, which all the holy men of God did bear testimony unto, and from which they spoke forth the Sciptures, and the end of all preachings and writings was to bring to Light within, to worship God in spirit and truth, and to Christ within, the hope of glory. The truth cleared from scandals, and some of the errors and false doctrines of two Cornish teachers laid open and testified against. With a description of the true ministers of Christ, and of the free ministery both under the law and Gospell administration; ... Also a testimony of the dawning of the glorious day of the Lord, ... Here is likewise, in short, declared the differences between the old Covenant, ... & the new covenant, ... Given forth from Christ the light within in love to the souls of all people, ... that they may have union with me in my fathers love ... whose name according to the flesh is Alexander Parker. Written chiefly to the inhabitants of the town and parish of Austell, in the county, of Cornwall, but may serve for any others who are in the same nature and condition with them.	Parker, Alexander, 1628-1689.	1657 (1657)	Wing P385; Thomason E909_6; ESTC R203124	42,617	54

in obedience to the Lord I have written what was given to me which here is committed to the view of the world Read with a single eye and examine those Scriptures that I have set down both in the Margine and other places and then try those men whom you have long looked upon to be Ministers of the Gospell and you may see them both in Doctrine and practice to be contrary to the Ministers of God mentioned in Scripture and in the steps of the false Prophets and false Apostles which the true Prophets of Christ and the Apostles testified against That which I have written it is not in envy to any of their persons God is my record it would rejoyce my heart that any one of them might turn from their wickedness and unchristian practices and cease deceiving and making Merchandize of poor Souls and lay down their Crowns at the Feet of Jesus and learn of him that their Souls might live and though I be hated of them and others for my love in dealing plainly not daring to speak peace to the wicked whom the Lord hath not spoken peace to but freely declaring the Truth as it is in Jesus owning the least appearance of Truth in any where ever I see it and cherish it but do witness against all hypocrisie and outside seeming holinesse and hyocriticall Professors it is abomination to God and the very prophane ones and the Publicans shall enter the Kingdom before such I say if I be hated for this my love in speaking and writing in plainness not respecting any mans person I have peace with God in what I have here written which I value much more than all the dearest love or greatest hatred and frowns of men So I do admonish all who read this or any other not to be hasty to judge nor to speake evill of things you know not but receive in love what you can reach unto and see to be truth and do not rashly censure that to be error which at present you do not well understand but try all things and hold fast that which is good From Tregangeeves in the Parish of Austell in the County of Cornwall the 15. day of the 9. month called November 1656. Writen by one who is a lover of the Truth and tenders all those who love the Truth in sincerity of heart who wait for the appearance of Christ in Spirit who am known to the world by the name of Alexander Parker A Testimony of the Light within a glorious Truth which all the holy Men of God did bear Testimony unto and from which they spoke forth the Scriptures and the end of all Preachings and Writings was to bring to Light within to Worship God in Spirit and Truth and to Christ within the hope of Glory TO all you People in the Town and Parish of Austel young and old high and low rich and poor Priests Professors and prophane ones of what sort or degree soever to you all am I moved of the Lord of Heaven and Earth to write and clear my Conscience whetheron will hear or forbear but chiefly to you who are breathing and hungring after righteousness in whom there are true desires and thirstings after the Waters of Life for you doth my Soul travail and for your sakes and the pure Truth which is daily slandered by false and back-biting tongues do I freely declare and write these following lines it being so the people of their Town and Parish many of them being so rude and bruitish that I cannot have liberty to speak by word unto you but they are ready to lay hands violently upon me and others of my dear friends who in meekness and innocency have come amongst you they have been haled forth and abused by the rude multitude as I my self was upon the sixth day of the week being the seventh day of the ninth moth called November 1656 when I was in your publick meeting-place and heard one of your Teachers whilest he uttered forth the Divination of his own brain that which by his study and labour he had composed and patched up and so spoke forth his conceiving and imagination and not the Word of God Now I having heard and having had some discourse with your Teacher William Vpcot and another of his Coat and being that divers reports and many slanders are cast upon me and my friends both by the Priests and others as that I deny Christ the Scriptures Prayer and the like which things are false and their accusation I do deny as to my own particular all their lies and slanders I do not value they are as dust under my feet and I stand clear and innocent in the sight of God and all just men and their lies and slande●s doth not touch me at all I know it is the portion of the Children of God to be reproached and reviled scoffed and scorned this is but a fulfilling of Christs words who was hated of the world and persecuted and put to death by the professing People and saith Christ as they have done unto me so they will do unto you if ye were of the world the world would love you but because I have chosen you out of the world therefore do they hate you but blessed are ye when men revile you Ioh 15 18 19. Mat 5 11 12. and persecute you and shall speak all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you these Scriptures are fulfilled in these daies upon this Generation and truly I can rejoyce in all this and count it joy that I am counted worthy to suffer for my Lord and Masters sake knowing this Acts 5 4● 2 Tim. 3.12 Heb. 11 26. that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution so their reproaches to me are great riches and truly for my own part I should be silent and bear all these things patiently But for the Truths sake and for their sakes who are tender hearted I shall declare and lay open some of their Deceits and Errors who profess themselves to be your Teachers I shall not speak by hear-say from others but what I have seen and heard with my own eyes and ears in tenderness and love to your Souls and not in envy to their persons Rom 13.8 Mat. 5.44 Acts 13.14 15. Joh 16 2. Mat 12 33. Jude 11. 1 John 3 12 15. 2 John 9. Acts 21. 27 28 29 30 31. Luke 10 3. Mat 6 5. for I owe to no man any thing but love my desire is that they might turn from their wickedness and live and so I shall declare and leave it to you to consider and with the Light of Christ in your Consciences rightly to judge John 7.24 According to the will of God as I was moved by the living power contrary to mans will upon the sixth day of the week being their Lecture day so called I

in the Lord Jesus Christ And this makes the heathen to rage and the world to wonder at the mighty works of the Lord our God But it is no new thing to be reproached by the world who knowes not God For saith Christ If ye were of the world the world would love you but because I have chosen you out of the world therefore doth it hate you While we were of the world we were loved of the world 1 Pet. 1.14 when we were alive in the old nature and did partake with them in their wayes of worship and in their vain conversation being one with them in vanity and run with them to pleasures and vain delights in vain and foolish jesting and idle and vain talking our tongues being our own and our wild natu●e not being tamed but we could do as they did and speak our own words and think our own thoughts and do our own works no knowing the Crosse of Christ nor bearing his yoak but were at ease in the flesh and in the carnall liberty feeding upon perishing things and created objects loving the world and the things of it and delighting in and loving the Creature more than the Creator I say when we were in that condition one with the world in most things then were we esteemed and loved of the world and they spake well of us if we did not crosse their wills but even then though we could talk of God and Christ and Scriptures we were strangers from God and Christ Eph. 2.1 2 3. Gal. 1.15 16. and from that pure life that the holy men of God lived in that spake forth Scriptures but then it pleased the Lord to manifest himself unto us and revealed his truth within us our understanding was opened by his pure light shining within whereby we saw the deceits of the world and their worship and the hypocrifie and dissimulation of professors Priests and people and that their religion was but a shew and shadow and meer outside seeming colour and talk of words and names Isai 29.13 drawing neer to God with their lips and mouthes when their hearts were after the things of the world and there was no life appearing nor fruits of righteousness from a true ground brought forth but pride and self-love and covetousness every one seeking themselves and to advance themselves by fraud and deceit guile and hypocrisie yea and all manner of wickedness we saw acted amongst them which did grieve our spirits and w●s a burden to our tender consciences and we separated from them and could not partake with them neither in their wayes of worship as it is established nor in their conversations but we seeing in the light of the Lord 2 Cor. 6.1 that they are out of the way and their worship doctrine and practices are contrary to the pure worship of God and the doctrine and practices of the holy men of God declared of in Scripture Tir. 1.16 as I have shewed before We seeing these things for Sions sake we cannot hold our peace but in love to the souls of all people do declare and testifie against the world and the unrighteousness of it and against the deceits and hypocrisie of the Parish Teachers and Hirelings of these times and against all the formall and carnall professors who in words profess God but in works deny him and for this cause are we hated reviled reproached beaten whipped stocked stoned and sent up and down the Countrey as Vagabonds and abused and sent to prison and this is manifest at this day in England the war is begun already betwixt the Beast and the Lamb but the Lamb shal get the victory though all joyn hand in hand against the innocent it shall all be in vain they shall not prevail Rev. 17.14 Mica 4.1 2. Mat. 5.10 11 12. John 16.20 21. Psal 30.35 2 Pet. 1.19 Rev. 21.23 24 Heb. 11.26 but the Lord over all shall be exalted and his kingdom shall be established in righteousness and the Mountain of the House of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains and it shall be ex●lted above the Hills and people shall flow unto it and though we now be persecuted and hated and troubled on every side yet it shall not be long for the Lord will plead the cause of the innocent and though sorrow and trouble may endure for a night yet joy will come in the morning when the glorious day of the Lord doth dawn within and the day-star doth arise in the heart then shall darkness be expelled and all the children of the Lord shall walk in the light of the Lord and rejoyce in his presence and reproaches to us are great riches for we know it is our portion from the worldly and carnall professors those who have the name and form of godliness but are not in the life they are and were ever found persecuters of the life where ever it did appear As in the time of Moses administration when the Lord did appear darkly as it were under types and shadowes Mar. 23.31 John 5.35 John 1.14 and the people for a time were held under that administration And in the times of the Prophets more light was discovered and they saw through the shadows and declared against them and those who were in the types and shadows persecuted the Prophets The Law and the Prophets were untill Iohn and amongst all that were born of women there was not a greater than Iohn for he was a burning and a shining light and this was a greater light than the prophets yet the least in the kingdom is greater than Iohn And in the admistration of the Gospel when the fulness of time was come when Christ was manifest in the flesh who was the end of the Law and the Prophets Those who had the form of the Law and the Prophets words Mat. 26 3.4 Mark 15 15. Col. 1.20.21 22 23. they persecuted Christ the life of the Law and the Prophets as many do now in these our days who have got the words of Christ and the Apostles and cryes up names and words as the Ordinances of Christ and the Church of Christ and the Ministers of the Gospel and notwithstanding all this are persecuting the appearance of Christ and his life that is now manifest in his people as it was in former times under the Law those that multiplied their Sacrifices and burnt offerings but their hearts were far off and the bond of iniquity was not broken nor the oppressed set free but they lived in their sins and so were testified against by the Prophet as thou mayst read Isaia chapter 1. The Ox knoweth his Owner and the Asse his masters Crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider a sinfull Nation a people laden with iniquity a seed of evill doers children that are corrupters they have forsaken the Lord they have provoked the holy one of Israel to anger they have gone away backward The whole

A TESTIMONY OF THE LIGHT WITHIN A glorious Truth which all the Holy Men of God did bear testimony unto and from which they spoke forth the Scriptures and the end of all Preachings and Writings was to bring to Light within to worship God in Spirit and Truth and to Christ within the hope of Glory The Truth cleared from Scandals and some of the Errors and false Doctrines of two Cornish Teachers laid open and testified against WITH A Description of the true Ministers of Christ and of the free Ministery both under the Law and Gospell Administration and how those that preached for Hire and filthy Lucre were testified against both by the Prophets Christ and the Apostles Wherein the Nationall and Parish Teachers in England and else where who preach for Hire and set Maintenances and sue people at Law for Tythes and Maintenance are clearly proved by severall Scripture examples to be contrary to Law and Gospel both in Doctrine Practice and in the steps and wayes of those whom the true prophets Christ and the Apostles testified against Also a testimony of the dawning of the glorious day of the Lord and his appearing in power in the hearts of his people which makes the world to wonder and formall Professors to rage and persecute the appearance of Christ in power with severall Scripture Examples shewing how the Lord sent his Servants to testifie against such who had the Form but not the Power of Truth And how the Servants and Messengers of God in former ages and generations who were in the Life and Power of Truth were hated and persecuted by those who had the Form but were not in the Life of Truth as they are now in this Generation Here is likewise in short declared the difference between the Old Covenant where the Law Temple Sabbath Circumcision and other Services were without and yearly offering up Sacrifice for sin but did make nothing perfect the new covenant where the Law and Spirit and Circumcision and the life and and substance of the shadows are witnessed within and sin and iniquity done away and the bringing in of the better Hope known which makes perfect which is Christ within the Mystery and hope of Glory Also an Exhortation to all people to cease from Man and all their carnall and dead Observations without them which doth not satisfie and to turn their minds to the true light and wait for the appearance of Christ within who gives rest and peace and satisfies the hungry thirsting Soul With a few words to those Dear ones who are torn to see the deadness of the formall profession who are waiting upon God whose faces are turned Syon-wards Given forth from Christ the light within in love to the souls of all people who are groping in the dark without that out of death and darkness they may be brought turned to the true light that they may have union with me in my fathers love who am redeemed and brought forth of Pharoah's Court and do count it greater riches to suffer affliction with the despised people of God rather than enioy the pleasures of sin for a season Whose Name according to the Flesh is Alexander Parker Written chiefly to the Inhabitants of the Town and Parish of Austell in the County of Cornwall but may serve for any others who are in the same Nature and Condition with them London printed for Giles Calvert at the Black spread-Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1657. To all You to whose Hands this shall come OR To whom soever it shall be committed to to read AND To all in whose hearing it shall be read IT is not that I desire to be seen in Print that was the cause of my writing of that which here doth follow if otherwise I might have been cleared But thus it was upon the sixth day of the weeke being the seventh day of the ninth month 1656. there was a Lecture so called at the Town of Austel in Cornwall and as I lay upon my bed in the morning of the day aforesaid the living power of the Lord did arise in me and a great burden fell upon me and waiting in the fear of God where the secrets of the Lord are known it was laid upon me to go to the Steeple-house at the place aforesaid and I knowing the terror of the Lord durst not withstand nor consult but gave up my self in obedience to the Lord and to his protection though I knew the people to be a wicked gainsaying rebellious people yet I knew him who limits and sets bounds to the raging Sea that it cannot passe its bounds and my life being given up in the service and work of the Lord not fearing what man could do unto me in the power and dread of the Lord I went to the Town and so into the Meeting-place where were two of the professed Teachers and in meekness and patience I waited though under much burden of Spirit untill the Priest had ended his confused gathered in imagined stuffe And afterward I standing up to speak and to clear my Conscience and the Truth from his Lies and other things spoken at that time by him both the Priests began to pass away and would not stay though in the Name of the Lord I charged them to stay and answer for I had some thing to speak unto them but notwithstanding all this they would not stay but went away and left me amongst the rude and ungodly people where like ravening wolves they haled and punched both me and other of my friends that were there that so it was I could not clear my Conscience nor ease me of that burden which was laid upon me concerning them though much was spoken at that time but little received after a little time without much harm I and my friends came away But my burden was not taken off though some of my friends seeing their rudeness perswaded me to let them alone and not to come any more amongst them But on the first day of the week af●er our meeting was ended I passed down to the Town with some friends and having written to the Priest after one Letter was burnt another was delivered to him though at that time he would not read it neither was very free to speak with me Yet notwithstanding though there was little freedom I passed to the Priests house accompanied with one of my friends where coming to the house I found them very light and scoffing and little freedom I had to clear the Truth though much was spoken it was but like water cast into the Sea And after some little time I shaked off the dust of my feet as a testimony against them and came away But I was not eased of my burden though I laboured to put it off seeing I had been amongst them but it lay still upon me and I waited on the Lord and on the second day of the week at night lying on my Bed I was commanded to write and so

in the of the house of the ruder sort 2 Thes 1 7 8 9 10. did threaten mischief against me but neither of the Priests nor any other did reprove them for it but did encourage them rather in their wickedness but the Lord God of power is now appearing and will render vengeance in flames of fire upon all that know not God Psal 111 2 3 Rom 11.33 Rom 1 21 to the end and that do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe read 2 Thes 1.7 8 9 10. and truly his work is wonderful and marvellous in our eyes his waies are past finding out by any worldy wit or wisdom as it is written the world by wisdom knows not God for the preaching of the Cross of Christ is foolishness to worldly wise and Scripture-learned ones but unto all that believe both Jews and Gentiles Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God because the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men for saith the Apostle Ye see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base things of the world and things that are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are Christ Jesus the beloved son of God when he chose himself disciples and Ministers he did not choose them by their greatness in the world nor by their great learning and Scripture knowledge he did not choose him disciples of the great Doctors and learned Rabbies of those times neither of the Rulers nor chief of the people and this made the Rulers and chief Priests to rage and despise and called him a Carpenter Mark 6 3. Jo 7 48 49. Mat 26 3 4. Acts 4 13. Mat 4 18 21. and those that followed him a cursed people that knew not the Law and the Rulers and chief Priests took counsel against Christ to put him to death such as were of great esteem in the world he did not choose but he choosed ignorant and unlearned men and despised ones in the worlds account many of them Fisher men such did Christ make-choice of 1 Cor. 2 cha that the power might be of God and not of man that no flesh should glory in his presence but he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. And when Paul came to the Corinthians he came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom declaring unto them the testimony of God for saith he I determined not to know any thing amongst you save Jesus Christ and him crucified and I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling but now trembling is despised and made a mock and a scoff at in your Towns streets and villages and most places the Children of God who fear God and tremble at his word are made a mock and a by-word under the name of Quakers it is become their Table talk and at their Ale-houses and Taverns and indeed most places where they come the children of God are become the reproach and as a by-word amongst them every one giving their censures Jer 6 10. Mat 10 22. Jam 3 15. one crying one thing another crying another thing and all are in confusion but these are them whom the Lord doth love and regard who tremble at his word as it is written in the prophets Heaven is my Throne Isa 66 1 2. and Earth is my footstool what house will ye build unto me saith the Lord or what is the place of my rest hath not my hand made all these things and all these things have been saith the Lord but to this man will I look to and regard he that is of a meek and a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word But such are now reproached and beaten and whipped and stocked and sent up and down the Country as Vagabonds Prov. 19 29. Prov 10 6 7. Phil 2 12. and abused and sent to prison but God will plead the cause of the innocent and the scoffers and scorners he will judge and bless and preserve them that love righteousness that work out their salvation with fear and trembling And further Paul declares that his speech and his preaching was not with enticing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the spirit and of power that their faith should not stand in the wisdome of men but in the power of God howbeit saith he we speak wisdome amongst them that are perfect yet not the wisdome of this world nor of the Princes of this world that come to nought but we speak the wisdome of God in a Mistery even the hidden wisdome which God ordained afore unto our glory And this wisdome and this mistery the Lord hath revealed unto us for his Names sake that we might be to him a praise and a glory and an honor in walking answerable and worthy of his love in all humility and godly conversation and we cannot partake with the world in their waies of worship Ephes 4 1 2. Col 1 10. Ephes 5 11. Jam 3 15. Tit 1 16. Rom 1 18. which is carnal invented intheir faln estate by their carnal wisdome which is earthly sensual devillish the root and ground of sin and the body and many branches of the cursed Tree is alive and not killed and they live in sin and pleads for a continuance in sin while they live on the earth such are they who profess God in words but in works deny him and such are they who hold the truth in unrighteousness gathering in the Saints words the Scriptures which were given forth from pure life and spirit within these they gather into their unrighteous minds and talks of God and Christ with their vain minds but deceit and iniquity lodgeth in their hearts Mat 23 28. such a Worship and a formal profession we do deny and against them do testifie and cannot joyn with them nor have fellowship with them and therefore are we hated and reviled and made a prey upon and so the Scripture is fulfilled which saith Isa 59 15. they that depart from iniquity are become a prey to this generation 1 Cor 2 9 10 and this wisdome and mistery is hid from the worlds eye and from their ear they cannot see nor hear nor understand the things of God as it is written eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea

the deep things of God for what man knows the things of a man but the Spirit of a man that is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God then all they that deny the Spirit and say there is no Ministers of the Spirit now as Priest Vpcot did knows not the things of God but what they know naturally which Jude speaks of as bruit beasts in those things they corrupt themselves woe unto them for they have run in the way of Cain and run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward read Iude 10 11. And wo unto all such now that deny the Ministration of the Spirit and saies there is no Ministers of the Spirit now their knowledge is natutal and carnal and they go in the way of Cain which is envy and run greedily after the error of Balaam for gifts and rewards as the Priests and Parish Ministers in England do and as Vpcot your Teacher doth therefore turn from him and all such for the Lords hand is stretched forth against them The Ministers of Christ were not called by Man nor made Ministers by the will of Man Cal. 1.1.12 2 Cor. 5.19 they were not brought up at Schools to get human learning to fit them but they were called by God Rom. 10.8 John 17.17 1 Cor. 3.16 2 Pet. 1.20.21 and made Ministers according to the will of God and fitted and prepared by God and had the word of Life and Reconciliation committed to them which was within them quick and powerfull and wrought powerfully in their hearts by which word they were sanctified and the holy Spirit was within them and as the holy Spirit moved so they spoke forth the Scripture not by mans will but by the will of God as they were moved by the holy Ghost But the Teachers of England are not so made nor called For in the first place they are sent to School to learn humane wisdom in the will of man after they are sent to Oxford or Cambridge and there by their cunning Craft they learn the Trade of Preaching having men over them and Books for that purpose And when they have learned their Trade served their Apprentiship then their Masters give them the Commission to preach and commit unto them the Scriptures which were the Saints testimony within them but these Priests have it without them and it is neither quick nor powerful but weak and dead and their hearts are not sanctified but they plead against purity and holiness of life telling people it is impossible to live without sin in this world and they do not preach as they are moved by the Spirit but they study in the week daies what to speak and many of them have an hour-glasse and most of them limit themselves to a time and when they have uttered forth all that they have many times tell the people they would have enlarged if the time would permit when indeed they have no more to say and so decieve the people telling them they preach the word of the Lord when it is no more but a divination of their own brain and though they use some Texts of Scriptures that is the greater deceit to colour their hypocrisie and to make their ware the better to go off But the Lord is coming to lay open their deceit and to take from them their stollen garments and the shame of their nakednesse shall appear and none shall buy their Merchandize any longer Rev. 18.11 Here you may see their call into the Ministery is contrary to the Ministers of Christ and their preaching contrary and so they are to be denied When Jesus Christ sent forth his Ministers he did not give them power to take tythes Mat. 10. chap. Luke 10. chap. nor any set or forced maintenance but as they had recived freely so they were to minister freely And into what City Town or Countrey ye come enquire who is worthy and if they receive you there stay and abide eating and drinking such things as they set before you Mat. 10 14. for the Labourer is worthy of his Hire and the Workman is worthy of his Meat Here he gave them power to eat and to drink with such as were worthy to receive them but they were not to do so amongst those that did not receive them but depart and shake the dust off their feet they were not to compell them to give them maintenance nor meat nor any thing else but they were to minister freely 1 Tim 6.8 and if any did freely set meat before them if they would use their power they might eat freely And I do not read in the the testimony of the Apostles and Disciples and Ministers of Christ that they did ever receive any thing further than to supply their wants and necessities for having food and rayment they were therewith content I never read that ever any one was compelled to feed them Gal. 4.14 15. or give them maintenance neither indeed was there any need for the Lord whom they served sent his power along with them and such a love was raised up among them that they did receive their testimony that Paul declares of some that if it had been possible they would have plucked out their own eyes and given them to him and it is so now with those that receive the Truth in the love of it nothing can be too dear for them for they are as one anothers lives and as they are hated by the world and opposers and gainsayers of the Truth with a perfect batred so they are loved by all those that in singleness of heart and uprightness receive the Truth with a perfect love But the professed Teachers of England are not so but they have usurped a power to take Tythes and set and forced maintenances of 100 200 or 300 pounds or as much as they can get by the year for they not having received freely as the Ministers of Christ did but have given a great deal of monies for gaining of their Art no more can they minister freely And they are more like to Heathens than to Christians they do not Christian-like Seek the Kingdom of God and the righteousness of it Mat. 6.32 33. Mat. 10.11 in the first place neither do they according to command Enquire who is worthy For their first and chief thing is what place or some great fat Parsonage that is vacant is sought after and enquire what the people will give and so make a bargain with them for so much by the year to be paid at such and such times and they are very loath to preach untill they have their maintenance made sure unto them and yet they will tell people to believe in God and trust God for food for their souls when they themselves dare not trust God for their Bellies and they make little conscience who they be that they take wages of believers or not believers so they can but get it