General Reasons Against the Defalcation of a Fifth of Ministers Maintenance, Title page – Dedication 1
GENERAL REASONS, Grounded on Piety, Charity, Juſtice and Equitie, againſt the defaulcation of a fift part of the Miniſters Maintenance, who beareth the whole burthen of the Miniſterial Function to any Pariſh, or People.
Whereto are added, Particular Reaſons upon the like Grounds againſt the payment of a fifth part to Dr. E. H. out of the Rectory of Br. in Berks: Together with an Anſwer to a Letter of the ſaid Dr. E. H. occaſioned, by the late Inſurrection at Salisbury.
Written by John Ley, Preacher of the Word of God at Br. aforeſaid.
The Contents whereof follow next after the Epiſtle to the Reader.
Luke 10.7. The Labourer is worthy of his hire.
James 5.4. Behold, the hire of the labourers which have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back crieth, and the cries of them which have reaped, have entred into the Lord of the Sabbath.
Iſa. 61.8. I hate Robbery for Burnt-offering.
LONDON, Printed for Edward Brewſter at the Crane in Pauls Church-yard, 1655.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE my very good Lord Collonel Charles Fleetwood Lord Deputy of IRELAND.
Right Honourable,
THough, in an Anſwer to two injurious Petitions, put up the laſt year to the Parliament (that then was) againſt all ſet and certain Maintenance of Miniſters, I borrowed the Name of Theophilus Philadelphus, becauſe I was unwilling to own the many miſpriſions of the Printer, I made bold to acknowledge You*For the military men, I can ſay ſomewhat upon mine own certain knowledge: at the Committee for Plundered Miniſters, I found more favour from one Colonel (whoſe name I then knew not, viz. Collonel Fleetwood now Commander in chief over Ireland, and I thought he had not known me) then from any, yea or from all the reſt (one ancient friend excepted) though at that time they met in an extraordinary number. So in the Epiſtle to the Miniſters before the Anſwer to the Petitions in the laſt leaf but one. by your Name, as my Patron and Protector then, when I knew you by none other Title, then a Member of Parliament, and as ſuch an one (happy it had been for this Nation, if all had been ſuch) you acted (on my behalf) according to the uprightneſs of your heart, and equity of my cauſe, to bring mine adverſary to better terms then otherwiſe I could have hoped for. And when the Committee for Plundered Miniſters to make me ſome amends for my precedent ſufferings (whereof I can tell a true and a ſtrange Story, and it may be ſhall doe, when a fitter opportunity inviteth me to it) ſent me to officiate as Miniſter of Brightwell, and aſſigned unto me the Rights and Emoluments of the Rectory ſequeſtred from Dr. H. you were pleaſed to write a very reſpective Letter to the Governour of Wallingford, Mr. Arthur Evelin for his aſſiſtance and favour to me, as my juſt occaſions ſhould have need of it: and for your ſake I found him ſo ready to do me not only all Right, but ſo many courteſies beſides, that I muſt humbly beſeech your Honour, to thank him for me: and ſince we were well acquainted, I found him for mine own ſake, the beſt Neighbour that ever I enjoyed, and by his removal from theſe parts (upon the ſleighting of Wallingford-Caſtle) not onelyonly my ſelf, but all that are rightly principled, and ſincerely affected to the beſt Reformation of Religion and Government, are apprehenſive of a very great loſſe:Dr. Owen Dean of Chriſt-Church. Dr Stanton Preſident of Corpus-Chriſti-Colledge. D. Wilkins Warden of Waddam Colledge. Dr. Langley Maſter of Pembroke-Colledge. Dr. Wilkinſon Principal of Magdalen-Hall. Dr. Conaunt Rect. of Exeter. Mr. Corniſh Prebendary of Chriſt-Church, with others of eminent note for learning and godlineſs in that Univerſity. for he liberally and chearfully entertained a choice number of Preachers from Oxford, who (by turns) contributed their pains to a weekly Lecture at Wallingford, and hath managed both his military Authority, and the Office of a Juſtice of Peace, with ſuch conſtant Prudence and Impartiality, as made him both a great Comfort and Encouragement to the Good, and as great a Terrour and diſheartning to the wicked: which I the rather now profeſs in publick, becauſe I cannot (notwithſtanding the diſcontinuance of entercourſe betwixt us) either forget, or not gratefully remember, the many friendly and affectionate Offices I have received from him, and have not any other, or not any better way (at preſent) for that purpoſe, then this occaſion of thankful acknowledgement of your Lordſhips favour (immediate by your ſelf, and mediate by him) hath miniſtred unto me, which I conceive you will not take for an unpleaſing impertinency, or digreſſion: becauſe I have good reaſon to believe, that as he much honours you, ſo you have a good eſteem of him as worthy (for his Abilities and Fidelity) to be accepted under the relation, and with the affection and confidence of a Friend. And for my ſelf, as by the Divine Providence, and your own Goodneſs, I found you a gracious Advocate in my cauſe, when I knew you not; ſo now I do know you, I ſhall not doubt of your propitious Patronage in this, which now I humbly preſent to your equitable Cognizance and Conſideration, and ſhall endeavour by my heartieſt Devotions to Almighty God for your Honour, to make a ſupply for the unwilling defects and failings of more real returns, which if my Means were anſwerable to your Merit, or mine own minde, would certainly be made by
Your Honours deeply obliged, and ſincerely devoted Servant John Ley. Brightwell in Berks, Octob. 17, 1654.