The Storming and Routing of Tithes, Title page – Dedication
THE Storming and totall Routing of Tythes, wherein is ſhewed the unlawfullneſſe of claiming them by the now pretended Tribe of Levy, and both takers and payers therein, denying Chriſt to be come in the fleſh.
Or the humble repreſentation, declaration and proteſtation of Edward Barber, in behalf of himſelf and many thouſands of the Freemen of the Common-wealth of England, humbly preſented to the Right Honourable the Lord Generall Crumwell, Lieutenant General Fleetwood. Colonel Pride, with the reſt of thoſe worthies of the Nations Liberties,
Proving paying Tythes under the Goſpel to be againſt the Law of God, the Law of the Land, the Proteſtation, Covenant and Ingagement of the Army; And that if we ſhould ſtill continue the practice thereof after ſo many Ingagements, ſo much light breaking forth, we might Judge our ſelves guilty of perjury in the high Court of Heaven, and ſo ſtand guilty at the bar of Gods Juſtice.
1 Sam. 2. 36.And it ſhall come to paſſe, that every one that is left in thine houſe, ſhall come and crouch to him for a piece of ſilver and a morſel of bread, and ſhall ſay, put me (I pray thee) into one of the Prieſts offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.
Ezekiel 34. 2, 3, 4.Son of man, propheſie againſt the ſhepherds of Iſrael, propheſie, and ſay unto them, thus ſaith the Lord God unto the ſhepherds, wo be unto the ſhepherds of Iſrael, that do feed themſelves. Should not the ſhepherds feed the flocks, ye eat the fat and ye cloth you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed; but ye feed not the flock, the diſeaſed have ye not ſtrengthened, neither have ye healed that which was ſick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye ſought that which was loſt; but with force and with cruelty have ye culled them.
Micha 3, 5.Thus ſaith the Lord concerning the Prophets that make my people erre, that bite with their teeth, and cry; peace: and he that putteth not into their mouthes they even prepare war againſt them.
Matth. 10. 16.Behold I ſend you forth as ſheep in the midſt of wolves &c.
By Edward Barber freeman of England, Citizen and Merchant-Taylor of London.
LONDON, Printed Anno Dom 1651.
TO The Right Honourable Lord General Crumwel, Lievtenant General Fleetwood, Colonel Pride, with the reſt of thoſe worthies of the nations Liberties.
RIght Honourable and worthy Patriots, we having enjoyed much good and quietneſſe by Gods goodneſſe, through the care valour and prudence, God having by you brought us in ſome meaſure out of that thraldome and bondage we were in under the late Prelates that we may not be carried back again to more then Egyptian thraldome or Reheboams Reformation, and that you may not be a Moſes onelyonly, to go unto mount Nebo and there ſee the good land; But as our Joſuah to carry us into the good Land of a thorough Reformation, the which to do that God would give you ſelf-denying ſpirits, and to be a means to the Parliament to chuſe out according to Jethrows advice, and provide out of all the people able men, ſuch as fear God, men of truth, hating covetouſneſſe, and place ſuch over them &c. Exod. 18. 21. Such as would make it their work as Moſes did from morning till night, verſ. 13. That ſo poor people might not be totally ruined in Courts of Injuſtice or Committees, eſpetially for that Popiſh claim of Tythes &c. And to this end that none without a ſpecial occaſion might have plurality of places of profit, in Church or Common-wealth as too many have, whereby the work is left undone They like Locuſts going over the bredth of the Earth Exod. 10. 14. Revel. 9. 3. Or falſe Teachers that ſeek the fleece not the fleck, the love of money being the root of all evil; But that he that hath an Office might weight on his Office (not Offices) one place being ſufficient to take up the whole man of the ableſt ſelf-denying honeſt man in the nation, and that a ſufficient known ſalary may be allowed to each party for their ſervice, and not to live upon bribes called fees, or one to have ſeveral places and 500, 600, 1000, 1500. per annum, for that which others that have been as faithfull and are as able as themſelves for that ſervice, would perform for 100. per annum, againſt whom there can be no juſt exception, whereby it hath been proffered to ſome in Authority by 100. mens ſervice to ſave the nation 100000 per annum, which might be imployed towards the relief of the poor or the payment of the Souldiers & not ſome that had mean eſtates at the begining of theſe troubles, yet now glut themſelves with ungodly gains and the ruins of the nation, when others are ready to ſtarve, as too many have done, for want of means by honeſt imployment; all which is practiſed by reaſon of ſome time-ſervers that ſowe pillowe under their Arm-holes, as Iſa. 38. 12. and Ezekiel 13. 18. That by enjoying their great Benefices dare not with the Prophets ſay thou art the man, or with the watchman of the Lord tell the houſe of Iſrael their ſinns and tranſgreſgreſſions, yet they ſeek me dayly &c. ſaith the Lord, Iſa. 58. 1. Have not they diſcovered themſelves to be as Baals Prophets, 1 Kings 18. and 20. that ſeduced Ahab, or thoſe unclean ſpirits like froggs that came out of the mouth of the Dragon, and out of the mouth of the beaſt, and out of the mouth of the falſe Prophet, being the ſpirits of devils, working Miracles which go forth unto the Kings of the Earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battel of that great day of God Almighty, &c. Revel. 16. 13, 14. That therefore in performance of your Proteſtations Vows and Covenants, ye, would be inſtruments of eaſing this bleeding nation of this Popiſh burthenſome practice of Tythes, who as the rakers thereof, have been the cauſe of 12. years war, bloudſhed and ruin already, ſo had rather have an utter deſolation then looſe their ungodly gains: that by your doing this, the loyns of the poor may bleſſe God for you, and your Repreſenter with other free people of the nation may injoy this one thing, as a part of the firſt ripe Grapes of our Canaan, which will be as acceptable as the Olive-branch was in the mouth of Noahs Dove, and is the deſire of your humble ſupplicant
EDWARD BARBER.