A Gospel Plea for Maintenance of the Ministers, Chapter 5

A Gospel Plea for Maintenance of the Ministers · Chapter 5

p. 123CHAP. V.

I Am now arived at the fifth and laſt Propoſition, That the preſent oppoſition and endeavoured abolition of Tithes and all other coercive maintenance for Miniſters, proceed not from any real grounds of Piety or Conſcience, or any conſiderable real Inconveniences or Miſchiefs ariſing from them, but merely from baſe, covetous, carnal Hearts, want of Chriſtian Love and Charity to, and profeſſed enmity and hatred against the Miniſters and Miniſtry of the Goſpel; and from a Jeſuitical and Anabaptiſtical deſign to ſubvert and ruine our Miniſters, Church and Religion; the probable, if not neceſſary conſequence of this infernal Project, if it ſhould take effect. Which would prove the **See Peter Martyr, in lib. 2. Regum Commen…. c. 5. p. 240.eternal Shame, Infamy and Ruine of our Nation, not its Glory and Benefit.

The firſt part of the Propoſition is ſufficiently manifeſted by the premiſes, wherein I have anſwered all Objections from pretended Grounds of Piety, Conſcience, and ſurmiſed Inconveniences or Miſchiefs made againſt Tithes, diſcovering them to be mere Impoſtures, and falſe Surmiſes, and the principal Objections againſt them are, that they are Jewiſh, Popiſh: And Iohn Canne in his Second Voyce from the Alehouſe (for ſurely it came from thence, not from the Temple) to ſhew his skill in Divinity moſt impudently aſſerts. That payment of Tithes is a Sin two waies againſt the ſecond Commandement, 1. In it ſelf, as being Iewiſh and Superſtitious, giving honour to the wayes and deviſes of Antichriſt. This way of Maintenance by Tithes being a Popiſh Cuſtom, impoſed by the Popes Authority, &c. 2ly. As paid to an unlawfull and Antichriſtian Miniſtry, &c. Surely a Lyer ought to have a good Memory; He confeſſeth, p. 15. That Tithes were paid by Abraham, vowed by Iacob, and preſcribed by God himſelf in the Ceremonial law. Therefore neither Jewiſh, nor Popiſh, nor Superſtitions, nor a Sin againſt the 2d. Commandement: elſe Abraham in paying, Iacob in vowing, God in preſcribing, p. 124the Iſraelites in paying them, ſhould tranſgreſſe this Commandement, and commit a Sin againſt it, I would demand of this Canne, how he can reconcile theſe his palpable Lyes and Contradictions unbecomming him who profeſſeth himſelf a true Minister of the Goſpel. 1. How Tithes can be merely Jewiſh, ſince paid by Gods direction and approbation, by Abraham the Father of the Faithfull, and that to Chriſt himſelf, in the ſhape of Melchiſedec, and preſcribed by Gods own ſpecial Precept? 2ly. How any thing commanded by God, even when the 2d. Commandement was given, recorded in the ſame Canonical Books of Scripture with it, practiſed by Gods ſpecial command by all his true Saints under the Law, and generally in all Chriſtian Churches under the Goſpel, as I have proved; can poſſibly be, a Sin againſt the 2d. Commandement in it ſelf? and whether it be not direct Blaſphemy in him thus confidently to aver it, in making Gods very Commandements to fight one againſt another, and to command one thing as a Duty in ſome Texts, and condemn it as a Sin and damnable Superſtition in another? 3ly. How Tithes if truly and orignally Iewiſh, can yet be truly and originally Antichriſtian, Popiſh, and the Popes device, many thouſand years after Tithes firſt Inſtitution and cuſtomary payment? Till he can ſatisfactorily reconcile theſe apparent contradictory Aſſertions, or publickly recant them if he cannot, all the world muſt accompt him for an Antichriſtian Miniſter and Lying Impostor, his Voyce, the Voyce of him that reproacheth and blaſphemeth both God and Men, Pſal. 44.16. and confeſs there is no ground at all in Piety or Conſcience againſt Tithes, or their payment, but grounds both of Piety and Conſcience for them, as I have proved; eſpecially for our Godly Miniſters and Preachers of the Goſpel (for whom I only plead) whoſe Calling being of unqueſtionable Divine Inſtitution, notwithſtanding all Cannes Alehouſe Arguments againſt them (not worth a Canne) and to continue in the world to the very end thereof, and the conſummation of all things, by Chriſts own reſolution, Matth. 28.20 Epheſ. 4.10, 11, 12, 13. they may and ought by Divine and Human Laws, to enjoy their Glebes and Tithes ſo long continued, maugre all the malice, power p. 123of their violent Oppugners, and will do ſo when they and their Poſterities ſhall not have ſo much as a Name or Being upon Earth or in Heaven (unleſs they repent) notwithſtanding they were juſtly taken from Popiſh Fryers, Abbots, Priors, Lordly Prelates, (of mere popiſh Antichristian Inſtitution, not Divine,) when their very Orders were ſuppreſſed, as mere Ʋſurpers, Encroachers of the Ministers Rights, Rewards alone, for their pains in preaching, exerciſing their Miniſterial Function in their reſpective Pariſhes, not in Abbies, Cathedrals, (no Pariſh-Churches for the people to reſort unto) to which by the aaSee Mr. Seldens Hiſtory of Tithes.Popes Bulls, they were unjuſtly appropriated heretofore.

To clear this Propoſition more fully in all its branches, I have obſerved, that there are five ſorts of perſons of late, very buſie, active both againſt our Miniſters tiths and callings too.

The firſt are Souldiers: The 2d. Anabaptists, Dippers, Quakers, with other late blaſphemous Sectaries and Hereticks: The 3d. prophane, covetous Earthworms, and Atheiſtical Wretches; who ſay in their Hearts, and ſometimes boldly profeſs, not only by their Lives, but with their Tongues in this lawleſs Age, There is no GOD. The 4th. prophane, ignorant, cheating Prognoſticators and Aſtronomers: The 5th. Jeſuites, popiſh Prieſts and Romiſh Emiſſaries, ſent from all parts to ruine our Miniſters and Religion.

For the firſt, they are either Officers and Common Souldiers, and thoſe, either ſuch who have gained or purchaſed Lands ſince the Wars, lyable to Tithes; for ſuch who have no Lands at all, and ſo not of preſent Ability, Capacity to pay Tithes. Thoſe who have any purchaſed Lands lyable to Tithes, are now ſo fierce againſt them, (for ought I can diſcern) not out of any grounds of piety or Conſcience; but, either out of an unworthy, covetous, degenerous, ſordid diſpoſition, to eaſe themſelves and their Heirs from this juſt antient Debt, yea a charge of Tithes upon their New cheap Purchaſes, and gain them as an Over-plus into their Bargains, to improve their Purchaſes to an higher value; the caſe of ſuch of them who approve of our Miniſters, our publick Ordinances, and are no Speakers, Anabaptiſts, Sectaries. Or elſe a like avaritious Diſpoſition, mixed with and heightned p. 126by a profeſſed Enmity, Malignity againſt the very Perſons, Calling of our Miniſters, whom they uſually revile by the names of Baals Prieſts, Black Coats, Antichriſtian Locusts, rotten, corrupt Clergy-men, Seditious, Factious Ʋarlets; and all other rayling Epithites, which Lilly in his late Almanacks and Scurrilous Pamphlets, hath furniſhed them with, which they much magnifie. This is the Caſe of ſuch Sword men, who are above, or againſt all Ordinances, Duties publick or private: or Antiſcripturiſts, Antitrinitarians, Anabaptiſts, Seekers, Quakers, Aſſerters of the Souls mortality, as riſing from and dying with the body; of all their ordinary unordained Speakers, Preachers, infected with any other erronious, heretical, or blaſphemous opinions; of all diſguiſed Jeſuites, Prieſts, Papiſts under the Profeſſion and Name of Souldiers. Thoſe who have no Lands liable to Tithes, petition and ſpeak againſt them; either meerly to pleaſe their Superior Landed-Officers, **See John Cannes Voyce p. 27. Mr. Edwards Gangrenaes, and Lillyes Ephemeris, 1650.for fear of being caſhiered by them; or becauſe they are infected with Anabaptiſm, Jeſuitiſm, Errors, Blaſphemy, Schiſm, Arianiſm, Atheiſm, contempt of all publique Ordinances, Duties, and a bitter Emnity againſt our Miniſters Perſons, Callings, or Intruders into their Office (as well as into moſt other Profeſſions) without any Lawfull call. Theſe, in my Obſervation (and I appeal to every of their own Conſciences in the preſence of the Searcher of all hearts, for the truth of it) are the only true Grounds, Motives of any Officers or Souldiers preſent ſtickling oppoſition againſt Tithes and Miniſters, ariſing from within them, as they are private perſons. And theſe unchriſtian Grounds, ſeconded with the open or under-hand ſollicitations of their Anabaptiſtical, Heretical, Schiſmatical, Jeſuitical, Aſtromatical Friends and acquaintance out of the Army; backed with a moſt impious, wretched, Sacrilegious Policy to pleaſe the ſimple oppreſſed, deluded Country people in diſcharging them at preſent from the payment of Tithes to their Miniſters, that ſo they may augment their Taxes to the full value of their aboliſhed Tithes, to ſupport themſelves and the Army the longer in a body, to uphold their Supream enchroached Powers, preſerve, encreaſe their New Purchaſes, Eſtates, depending wholly upon the New Law and Title of the longeſt Sword, are in my apprehenſion the only p. 127true cauſes why the General Council of Officers of the Army, with the Souldiers under them, by their directions, as a New created All-ſwaying Military Corporation, have ſo oft appeared publickly againſt our Miniſters Tithes to aboliſh them (and their Miniſtry by neceſſary conſequence with them) which all other Opponents (being inconſiderable) were never able to effect, but by their armed power. Theſe are all the real principles of Piety, Conſcience (if they deſerve the Title) I could ever yet find amongſt them; engaging the Army-Officers and Souldiers againſt Tithes, which how inconſiſtent they are with the real profeſſion, or grounds of Chriſtianity, Piety, Conſcience, Justice, Saintſhip, let their own Conſciences and the world reſolve; and what Cenſures, Execrations, Judgements they may in Juſtice expect from God, for ſuch a Sacrilegious Rapine, as they intend upon theſe carnal, impious, atheiſtical grounds, policies, hypocritically gilded over with the paint of Conſcience, Reformation, Religion, Propagation of the Goſpel, &c. which makes the Deſign more deteſtable both to God and all good men.

The ſecond ſort of Tithe-Oppugners are profeſſed Anabaptiſts, Dippers, Seekers, Quakers, and other blaſphemous Sectaries and Heretiques, lately ſprung up amongſt us, many of which have crept into the Army for their greater ſecurity, and the better accompliſhment of their dangerous deſtructive Deſigns againſt our eſtabliſhed Government, Magiſtrates, Laws, but eſpecially againſt our Religion, Church, Miniſters, Miniſtry, their Tithes and Glebes. Scarce one of a thouſand of theſe poor Sneaks were of ability to pay any Tithes of late; and thoſe of this prevailing Faction, who have crept into Sequeſtrations, Offices, Imployments of late, and thereby gained any Eſtates, for the moſt part, have enriched themſelves by ſequeſtred Tithes, Glebes, Biſhops, Deans, Chapters Lands and Revenues, which theſe hungry Harpyes have moſt greedily preyed upon, not out of any real grounds of Piety or Conſcience (as they pretend) which I could yet ſeldom or never find in any of them; but out of an unſatiable greedy aaQuid nor Mortalia pec…ora cogit AURI SACRA. FAMES.HOLY HUNGER OR THIRST (in the Poets ſence) after Gold, Gain, Spoyl, the Revenues of our Church, and an implacable bitter Enmity againſt our Miniſters Perſons, Callings; whether Presbyterians p. 128(the chief Butt againſt whom their Malice is bent) or Independents of a more moderate ſtrain; whoſe Miniſtry is the main Fort they level all their preſent power againſt, to raze it even to the very Foundation; now proſecuting the total abolition, not only of their preſent Tithes, Glebes, but of all other future coercive maintenance in lieu of them, only to ſubvert their Miniſtry, and quite ſtarve (if they cannot violently storm) them out of it. This is moſt perſpicuous, not only by their manifold former libellous Pamphlets againſt our Miniſters Calling, and the late Ordinances for Tithes, which I have aaIn my freſh Diſcovery of New lights.elſewhere collected, refuted, but by their freſh Petitions both againſt their Tithes and Ministry too, as Antichristian, Jewiſh, Popiſh, &c. eſpecially by John Canne the old Amſterdam Anabaptiſts Second Ʋoyce from the Temple (or bbRev. 3.9.Rev 3:9Synagogue of Satan rather) newly dedicated to thoſe he ſtiles The Supream Authority of the Nation, wherein he exhorts and ſtimulates them, by all the Art, Rhetorick, Motives, falſe Arguments he can muſter up, to do execution, and take vengeance upon Babylon (to wit, the National Miniſtry, Church-worſhip & Government of England, as he explains it, p. 2.) till it be wholy deſolate, not a Stone left upon a Stone, till it be thrown down: To take a moſt effectual and certain courſe to ccIs this Chriſtian Goſpel Charity conſiſtent with Mat. 5.43, to 48. c. 10.9, 10. Rom. 12.9, 10, 13, 20, 21. c. 13.7, 8, 9, 10. Epheſ. 5.2. 1 Cor. 13.1, 2, 3, &c. 1 John 3.10, to 20. c. 2.9.10, 11. c. 4.20, 21.Matt 5:43–48Rom 12:9Rom 12:10Rom 12:13Rom 12:20Rom 12:21Eph 5:21 Cor 13:11 Cor 13:21 Cor 13:31 John 3:10–20ſtarve and famiſh theſe Antichriſtian Idols, by taking away the Food and Maintenance whereby hitherto (as at this preſent they are nouriſhed, fed and left alive) and more particularly their Tithes. To repeal all Laws and Statutes formerly made, whereby the Whore hath lived deliciouſly and proudly, and keeps on to this Day her Whoriſh attire. To make the Whore deſolate and naked by making no Act or Law to ſtand in force which doth yield any relief to her. To ſet themſelves in array againſt her (by the Armies power no doubt, which he alludes to) bend their Bow, fan and empty her. To ſet upon this work ſpeedily, in good earneſt (as it ſeems they do) whiles it is to day: And why ſo? Becauſe the Lord himſelf hath by a Call more than ordinarie, called them to this more than ordinary Imployment, (if he could have proved it by Scripture or Law, it had been more worth than all his Pamphlet) put this fair (or rather foul) opportunity into their hands; hath commanded his ſanctified ones, and called his Mighty ones (the Army-Officers) p. 129to fulfill his pleaſure upon this great Whore (the Church and Miniſtry of England) and SION is in travel and ready to bring forth (this Monſter of Deſolation and Confuſion:) which if they neglect or delay, then mark how he briefly menaces them with the Fates of their late Predeceſſors, I would think you ſhould never be ſitting in that Houſe, but be thinking ſtill on thoſe who ſate there before you (and why not as well on Faux and the Gunpowder Trayto…s, as thoſe, ſince there ſeems another Powder-plot in the Vault to blow them up, intended by Canne and his Confederates if they fail in accompliſhing this their deſired work?) whom the Lord hath lade aſide as deſpiſed broken Idols and Veſſels, wherein his Soul had no pleaſure. And why? As they knew not their Generation-work (which he excites them to) neither were faithfull to the intereſt of Jeſus Chriſt. God is no reſpecter of Perſons, as men ſow, ſo they ſhall reap. Ex ungue Leonem, ex cauda Draconem. You may ſee by theſe paſſages, and his whole Pamphlet purſuing them, what theſe malicious, inhuman, barbarous, irreligious, hypocritical Anabaptiſts aym at in their preſent violent proſecutions againſt Tithes; even utterly to ſtarve, famiſh, ſubvert, extirpate our Miniſters, Miniſtry, Church, Worſhip, Government, and make our Land a mere Spoyl, Deſolation, as their Predeceſſors did Munſter, and ſome parts of Germany, whiles in their power. But let Canne and his Anabaptiſtical Confederates remember what tragical aaSleiden… Commentaries, l. 9, & 10. See my ſword of Chriſtian Magiſtracy ſupported, p. 46, 47, &c.ends their New King John, with all his Princes, Grandees, Officers, Prophets, Followers came to in concluſion in Germany: And what fatal ruine befell bbSee Speeds Hiſtory of Great Bri…ain, Stow, Holmſhed, and the Survey of London.Jack Cade, Iack Straw, Wat Tyler, Sharp and other levelling Companions, who had the ſelf-ſame Deſigns againſt our Engliſh Laws, Lawyers, Clergy, Tithes, Glebes, as He and they have now, animated thereto by the new-dipped Ieſuites, and other Romiſh Emiſſaries lately crept into their Anabaptistcal Fraternity to further this their Infernal Gunpowder-plot againſt our Church, Religion, Miniſters, Magiſtrates, Government, Laws, and let them thereupon repent of, deſiſt from, abominate this their Diabolical, wicked Deſign, leſt they incur the ſelf ſame puniſhments in concluſion, by ſtirring up God and all the whole Nation againſt them, as moſt accurſed Rebels, Traytors, Instruments of Satan, yea that p. 130very Antichriſt and Whore of Rome, they pretend they are blindly acting againſt, whoſe deſigns in truth they are but accompliſhing in the higheſt degree.

I muſt here obſerve (and deſire all others to take notice of) three things. Firſt, that in Cannes Voyce, and in all other late Pamphlets, Petitions of the Anabaptiſts, wherein they ſeem to vent their moſt paſsionate zeal againſt Antichriſt, Babylon, the Whore of Babylon, their chief Inſtruments and Supporters, I cannot find ſo much as one Clauſe or Syllable againſt Ieſuites, Popiſh Prieſts, Papists, Romiſh Emiſſaries; or exciting the execution of any Laws or Statutes formerly made againſt them; but the whole ſtream, bent of them all is only againſt the Godly Miniſters, Miniſtry, worſhip of the Church of England, the Presbyterian Government, and our preſent Church-worſhip, the only Babylon, Whore, Antichriſt, they intend and fight againſt, not the Pope and Church of Rome. 2ly. That they are ſo far from pleading againſt the Pope, Popiſh Prieſts, Ieſuites, and urging the execution of the good Oaths, Laws, made by late and former Protestant Parliaments …gainſt them and their Treaſonable practices, that they have frequently written, petitioned for their Repeal, Abolition, as bloody Tyrannical Laws, unlawfull Oaths, and procured their Repeal or Suſpenſion at leaſt, in their favour from ſome late and preſent Powers. 3ly. That when ſome conſciencious pious Stationers late in their Beacons fired, diſcovered to thoſe then in Power, The many ſorts, multitudes of Jeſuites, Popiſh Books printed in England within 3. years laſt paſt, in defence of the Pope and Church of Rome, all Popiſh Doctrines, Ceremonies, and reviling our Church, Religion, as Heretical; deſiring them to take it into their timely conſiderations, to ſuppreſs this growing Miſchief, Deſign to corrupt the People, and reduce them back to Popery, ere they were aware: Kiffin with other Anabaptiſts in the Army, headed by Colonel Pride, taking an Alarum thereat, ſubſcribed and printed a Book intituled, The Beacons quenched, (penned they know beſt by whom, not the Subſcribers of it, not yet inſpired with the gift of all the Tongues therein contained) pleading for a free Tolleration of ſuch Popiſh Books printing, diſperſing amongſt us, of publick Diſputes by thoſe of that Religion, p. 131traducing, accuſing the Presbyterians throughout that Pamphlet, and thoſe honeſt zealous Stationers in particular, of no leſſe than a New Gunpowder-plot, Mine, Train, (then ready to be ſprung) to blow up thoſe, Colonel Pride and his Confederates firſt made, and then ſtiled, The Parliament of the Commonwealth of England, and the Army too; only for diſcovering theſ… Popiſh Books and Trains to blow up our Religion: Which Scandal, as the Stationers then fully cleared by their ſatiſfactory Reply to that impertinent Pamphlet, ſo the Subſcribers of it their Fellow-Souldiers of the Army (better verſed by far in Mines and Fireworks to blow up Parliaments, and nearer related to old aaSpeeds Hiſtory of Great Britain. The Arraignment of Traytors, 3 Jac. c. 1, 2, 3, 4.Jas 1:2Jas 1:3Jas 1:4Guy Faux, a Low-Country Souldier, by reaſon of their Military profeſſion, than theſe Stationers and Presbyterians, they thus falſly ſlandered) have ſince cleared before all the World, to be a malicious Calumny, of which themſelves only are guilty, and given juſt cauſe of Jealouſie, Fear, to all Presbyterians, old Proteſtants and P… ritans to apprehend, that they now really joyn their Forces and Heads together with thoſe thus pleaded for, to ruine our Church, Religion, Ministry, under the Notion and Project of ſuppreſsing Tithes, and of all future compulſory Maintenance for the Miniſters of England, whom they intend to ſtarve and famiſh (ſuch is their Charity) if they can but vote Tithes down, before they provide any other Maintenance; which Vote once paſſed, the next will be, to vote them both out of their Rectories, Glebes, Churches, Miniſtry too, as Cannes Voice, and the Kentiſh Petition againſt Tithes root and branch, ſufficiently diſcover to all who are not wilfully blind: enough to make all men now to look about them.

That the Dominican, Franciſcan, and other Popiſh Fryers, were the firſt Broachers of this Opinion, That Laymen were not bound to pay Tithes to their Miniſters by any Divine law or right; on purpoſe to draw the Tithes of Miniſters and Curates to themſelves, and exempt whatever Lands or Things were given to them from payment of Tithes; I have elſewhere evidenced out of aaH…ſtory of Tithes, p. 14, 166, 167, 170, to 175, 1…7, 128.Mr. Selden and others; whe…eupon bbDe Nugis Cu…ialium, l. 7. c. 21.Johannes Sarisburienſis Biſhop of Chartres thus cenſured them, Miror ut fidelium pace loquar, quodnam ſit ut Decimas & jura aliena uſurpare non erubeſcunt. Inquient ſortè Religioſi ſumus. p. 132Planè Decimas ſolvere Religionis pars eſt. Adding, that their Exemptions from payment of Tithes did derogare conſtitutioni Divinae, derogate from Divine inſtitution. And Petrus Bleſenſis, Archdeacon of Bath, in his 82. Epistle inveighs very much againſt the privileges of the Ciſtercian Monks exemption from payment of Tithes, as injurioſa immunitas, contra Dei justiciam: ſeeing Juſticiae Divinae manifeſtè reſiſtit, qui Miniſtris Eccleſiae nititur jus Decimationis auſerre: Which theſe Friers not only perſiſted in, by ſubſtracting their own Tithes from the Miniſters by colour of theſe Exemptions, but likewiſe the Tithes of their other Pariſhioners, eſpecially ſuch who contemning and deſerting their own Pariſh Prieſts and Churches, reſorted to theſe Friers Chapels, and acknowledged them for their Ghoſtly Fathers and Confeſſors. This is moſt evident by the Petition of the Pariſh Prieſts and Rectors of London to the Archbiſhop of Canterbury and the reſt of the Biſhops in a Synode, (about the year of our Lord 1240.) againſt the Dominicans and Franciſcans, who much impaired their profit; wherein they complained aaMs. and Dr. Tilleſley his Anmadverſions upon Mr. Seldens Preface. Animadv. 9.That their Pariſhioners who at leaſtwiſe on Lords daies and Feſtivals are bound to frequent their Pariſh Churches, and to receive Sacraments and Sacramentals in the ſame, and devoutly to hear Divine Service, as alſo to offer at Solemn Maſſes due and accuſtomed Oblations; did repair to the places and Houſes of theſe Friers, and ſcorn and forſake their Pariſh Churches, and ſo confer the due Rights of the Church wherewith the Churches were antiently endowed, upon the Friers. Alſo they who confeſs themſelves to theſe Friers, who before were accuſtomed annually by the Canon-law to pay Tithes of their Tradings to their Pariſh Churches, from the time ſince they ſubmitted themſelves to the Confeſſions of theſe Friers, modo debito ac conſueto negociationes ſuas decimare non curant, Neglect to pay Tithes of their Tradings, after the due and accuſtomed manner. And is not this the very preſent Grievance, Complaint of moſt London and other Miniſters throughout England, that ſince theſe diſguiſed Romiſh Friers & Jeſuits ſwarming in all places under the Masks and Titles of Anabaptiſts, Quakers, and other Sects, have in imitation of theſe their Predeceſſors, p. 133in their Writings, Preachments, and Conventicles declaimed againſt our Ministers Tithes, as not due unto them by any Divine Right, to rob our Miniſters of, and draw the value of them to themſelves; and ſince their Pariſhioners who are bound to reſort to their Pariſh Churches on Lords daies and Feaſtivals to hear Divine Service, Sermons, and receive the Sacraments in a devout manner have reſorted to the Conventicles and Meetings of theſe Friers and Jeſuites, and ſubmitted themſelves to theſe new Ghoſtly Fathers and Confeſſors, they have quite contemned, deſerted their own Pariſh Churches, neglected, refuſed to pay any perſonal or predial Tithes or Oblations to their Miniſters after the due, and formerly accuſtomed manner, and beſtowed the due Rights and ancient endowments of their pariſh Churches, (in value or ſubſtance at leaſt, though not in kind) upon theſe Friers and Romiſh Loc…ſts, whoſe very Doctrin, Practice in this particular of our Miniſters Tithes and Oblations, and their ſubſtraction of them (yea in moſt other Tenents now broached by them for New light) are the very ſame in all particulars which theſe Friers in former ages both at home and abroad, as I have evidenced in my Quakers unmasked, my New Diſcovery of Romiſh Emiſſaries; and our London, Lancaſhire, Newcaſtle and other Miniſters, have plentifully demonſtrated in ſundry publications, with Mr. Edwards in his Gangraenaes? We may then moſt clearly Diſcover theſe Romiſh ddMat. ….15, to 15.wolves now crept in amongſt us in Sheeps-clothing, by theſe their Fruits, and practices; whoſe Pleas againſt our Miniſters Tithes, reſolve into theſe Atheiſtical, unchriſtian Concluſions. 1. That the Tithes of Chriſtians increaſe are too much for God himſelf who created them, and gives all to them. 2. Too much for Chriſt who redeemed them, who gave himſelf to death for them, and is a Prieſt for ever unto God the Father after the order of Melchiſedec in their behalf. 3. Too much for the Miniſters of Chriſt, whoſe lives, ſtudies, ſpirits are wholy ſpent in miniſterial inceſſant labours for their eternal welfare. 4. Too much to be layd out for the Inſtruction, Salvation, of their own immortal Souls; when as the other nine parts are conſumed on their p. 134Bodies, Families, if not Sins and Luſts. 5. Too much for an Orthodox Proteſtant Miniſter; but not for a diſguiſed, ſeducing Popiſh Jeſuitical Prieſt or Frier. O brutiſh, fooliſh, bewitched, infatuated Engliſhmen, now at laſt conſider this your deſperate folly, deluſion, before it be over late, in following theſe diſguiſed Seducers, to your own and our Religions ruine.

The 3d. ſort of Tithe-Oppugners are prophane, covetous Earth-worms and Atheistical wretches, who care not for God or Religion, ſaying unto God and his faithfull Miniſters, like thoſe Atheiſts, Job 21.14, 15. Depart from us, for we deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes; what is the Almighty, that we ſhould ſerve him? and what profit ſhould we have if we pray unto him? Yet becauſe few of ſuch are now active Sticklers and Petitioners (as ſuch) againſt Tithes, but only mere Subſtractors, Detainers of them at preſent, they are leſſe blame-worthy, and not ſo culpable as the two former, and ſubſequent Ranks, the chief active Sticklers, Petitioners, Writers againſt them.

The 4th. Rank of Grand Oppoſites againſt our Ministers and their Tithes are Prophane, Ignorant, Cheating, Monthly Prognoſticators and Aſtrologasters, as John Booker, Nich. Culpepper, and above all others William Lillie, a moſt bitter, rayling Rabſhekeh, whoſe late Almanacks, ever aaSince the Army-Officers in 1649. declared in print againſt Miniſters Tithes; theſe Prognoſticators guided by theſe All-ruling Martial earthly Planets, not the heavenly stars, have predicted their Downfall every year, but not before.ſince 1648. and other idle Prophetick Pamphlets, are ſo fraught with Scurrilous Invectives, Raylings, Predictions of our Miniſters, Presbyterians Downfalls, and their Tithes, the Souldiers, Peoples general Oppoſition, Inſurrection againſt them, &c. almoſt in every line, as if the Army-Officers, Souldiers, Anabaptists, Prieſts, Jeſuites, had purpoſely hired him, to carry on their Deſigns againſt our Ministers, their Tithes, Maintenance, to ſ…bvert our Religion; and the Jeſuites, Anabaptiſts, furniſhed him out of all their rayling Paſquils, Satyrs, with reproachfull Terms, Invectives, Slanders againſt them, which have ſwelled up his frothy, filthy Papers to an extraordinary Bulk, beyond his Fellow-Prognoſticators, and made them ſo much cryed up, read, ſtudyed both by Officers, Souldiers, Anabaptiſts, and other ſimple people, incenſing them againſt our Miniſters and their Tithes, as things p. 135which the late Constellations, Ecclipſes of the Moon and Sun have ſpecially deſigned to ſpeedy ruine. When I was cloſe Priſoner in Dunſter Caſtle in the year 1650. the Officers and Souldiers there, ſent me Lilies aaFor the year 1651.New Almanack to read, wherein I found, ſuch a world of bitter, rayling, Jeſuitical Epithites againſt our Miniſters, and predictions of the ſodain Downfall of their Minist…y, Tithes, Maintenance, from pretended Malignant Conſtellations, (which yet on the contrary at the ſame time did promiſe Acts of Grace and Favour to Popiſh Recuſants, who in their Zeal and Loyalty to the New Republick exceeded moſt Presbyterians; and preſoged ſome worthy Actions, in creating New Cardinals, &c. to be done in Rome and Italy as he therein predicted) as made me ſuſpect him to be more than half a Jeſuite, or at leaſt their Scholar, Confederate, Penſioner to promote their Deſigns againſt our Miniſters; and to acquaint Mr. Bradſhaw (my Committer) with others at Whitehall ſo mu…h in my Letters to them: But our Tithes and Miniſters not falling down that year, as he falſely prognoſticated, he ſtill continued to predict their Downfalls in his lying bbSince that in 1653, and 1654. he continues in the ſame ſtrain.Prognoſtications, 1651, and 1652. much read and cryed up by the Officers and Souldiers at Pendennys Caſtle in Cornwall, who ſent me them to read, wherein he retained his former malicious Raylings againſt our Miniſters and their Tithes, to render them odious to the Souldiers, Army, People, and all originally, becauſe reverend Mr. Gataker, with the Aſſembly of Divines in their Annotations to the Bible, on Jer. 10.2, 3. and other Texts, and others of them of late, had cenſured the Art of Judicial Aſtrology, Aſtronomy, and the principles of it (wherewith he and his Fellow-wizards cheat poor People of their mony, by calculating their Nativities, telling what Wives, Husbands, Fortunes they ſhould have, whether they ſhould recover their Sickneſſes, what good or bad Voyages they ſhould have, what was become of their loſt or ſtollen Goods, or where they ſhould find them, foretelling what Weather, Sickneſſes, publick Alterations in State, Church-affairs, and Churchmen too, ſhould happen from the Malign or Benign Aſpects, Conjunction of the Stars, Planets, or the Ecclipſes of the Sun and Moon) as a mere cheating Impoſture; a p. 136Heatheniſh, wicked, unchriſtian Practice, Deluſion, contrary to Scripture, Reaſon, Philoſophy, Theological Doctrin, Eccleſiaſtical Diſciplin; yea a meer impious Fraud and villany. The Sottiſhneſſe, Falſity, Groundleſneſſe whereof (built upon meer ridiculous Figments, Forgeries, Abſurdities, Dreams, imaginary Signes, Houſes built by them in the Heavens, and ſuch Malignant Qualities as their fancies have aſcribed, not God infuſed into the 7 Planets) thoſe who have been deluded by ſuch cheating Knaves and Pickpurſes, the greateſt Impoſtors of any (as learned Henry Bullinger in his Commentary on Jer. 10.2. Sixtus Senenſis Bibl. l. 6. Annot. 10. and the ſubſequent Authors ſtile them) may for their ſatisfaction read at large in Bardeſanis Syms (the beſt learned of all the Chaldean Aſtrologers) quoted by Euſebius De Praepar. Evangel. l. 6. c. 8. in Cicero De Divinatione, l. 2. in Picus Mirandula his 12. Books againſt Aſtrology, in Joſeph Scaliger his Preface before Manilius, in Dr. Chambers Book againſt Judicial Aſtrology, London, 1601. in Sixtus ab Hemminga, Lib. Aſtrologiae Refutatae, Antw. 1583. in Jo. Francus Offucius, in Larvatam Aſtrologiam, An. 1570. in Cornelius Scepperus, contra Aſtrologos, Col. 1548. in Georg. Trapezuntins, Libellus cur Aſtrologorum Judicia ſint falſa. Alex. De Angelis, in Aſtrologos Conjectores, Romae, 1615. in John Milton, his Aſtrologaſter, 1620. in Hieron. Savanorola, adverſus Divinatricem Aſtronomiam, Florentiae 1581. in Apologeticus Interpretis pro Tractatu Hieron, Savanorolae adverſus Aſtrologos, Flor. 1581. in Mr. Samuel Purchas his Pilgrimage, l. 1. c. 2. p. 12, 13. &c. 12. p. 64. in Ludovicus Vives de Corrupt. Artium, l. 5. who cenſures it as a Fraud, not Art, in Mr. Thomas Gataker his vindication of his Annotation on Jer. 2. againſt the Scurrilous Aſperſions of that grand Impoſtor, William Lilly; newly printed, 1653. and the Authors quoted by him, in Bochellus Decret. Eccleſ Gallicanae lib. 1. Tit. 14. where the Decrees of many French Councils are recited againſt this Diabolical cheating Profeſſion, prohibiting Chriſtians to buy, read, keep, or credit ſuch Books, in which many unprofitable, Superſtitious, falſe, yea impious and ſacrilegious things are contained, which Books ought to be ſuppreſſed, damned, and utterly aboliſhed (yea burnt p. 137like thoſe Acts 19.19. as the Council of Burdeaux, An 1582. and Johan. Charberius de Gerſonio, in his Trilogio Aſtrologiae Theologizaiae, proves at large. And thoſe who will compare Culpeppers & Lillies wild monſtrous falſe Predictions concerning the ſeveral States, Kingdoms mentioned in their Almanacks, Prognoſtications for this preſent year, and the great Plagues, Mortality which ſhould be both the laſt and this Summer in London (though never freer from Peſtilence than at theſe ſeaſons) with their, and others uſual falſe Predictions every Month concerning the Weather, their manifold Contradictions both to themſelves and one another, will eaſily diſcern them to be meer Lyars, Impoſtors, and their Art a Cheat. Now let them all tell me at their leiſure, by what warrant from Scripture, Philoſophy, reaſon, art, ſenſe, the Conſtellations of the Heavens, or Ecclipſes of the Sun & Moon theſe 2 laſt years only ſhould certainly predict, portend, excite Souldiers, Sectaries, or Country people by any Divine ordination, or real influence on their diſ-affected Spirits, to pull down the Miniſters of the Goſpel, & their Tithes, being both of Divine inſtitution and eſtabliſhment to aaMatth. 28.20.Matt 28:20continue to the Worlds end: When no other Conſtellations, Ecclipſes of like nature in any former Ages of the World ſince the Creation, portended or effected the like? Or how the Stars in Heaven ſhould thus profeſſedly fight againſt, and pull down thoſe bbRev. 21.1. Iohn 10.28, 29.Rev 21Stars (the Miniſters of the Churches) which Chriſt himſelf holds in his right hand (out of which none can pull them) and their Tithes too, being antient, perpetual appurtenant to Chriſts own eternal Prieſthood, Heb. 7.1, to 15? More particularly, I ſhall deſire this ſcurrilous Impostor Lilly to inform me, How it comes to paſſe, That the Celeſtial Stars, Planets, (and Good Angels which he oft couples together in his Merlius) who in the year 1647. (as he ccEpiſtle to the Reader, p. 4. and Aſtrological Diſcourſe in it towards the end.prints in his Ephemeris for it) by their good influence stirred up by Gods providence the Parliament to take care, that preaching Ministers ſhould be placed in every County of this Kingdom, and a ſufficient ſtipend allowed where formerly none was; For which We (writes he, including himſelf in the Number) muſt ever acknowledge our Thankfulneſs: And that the Figures he erects on the X. of March, 1647. Aſtrologically predicting the State of our Engliſh Affairs and Clergy, p. 138ſhould by the Rules of Astrologie, and his own Iudgement thereon (then printed, Venus being then found in the ninth Houſe) import, That many of the Clergy ſhould trot and trudge, or change their habitation out of one County into another, nay ſhall willingly travel long Journies; By which I conceive (writes he) is meant, That our preſent Parliament ſhall this year place worthy men into warm Benefices, and diſtribute the deſerving Clergymen of England into ſeveral quarters of this Kingdom, as in their wiſedoms they think convenient. Bleſſed be God, for his Creatures, the Stars, promiſe they may travel ſafe without prejudice, or at leaſt, they indicate ſo much, &c. And ſhall obtain profit and good by their oft changings, and remove of Habitations. And the Godly Miniſters ſo diſperſed into ſeveral Counties, ſhall prevail with the People to amend their Lives, and live more ſoberly, religiouſly, &c. As alſo, that moſt of thoſe itinerant Preachers, or Divines, ſhall leave behind them leſſer Livings, and go to enjoy better. To which he addes by way of Jeer this paſſage againſt Mr. Geree for writing againſt Aſtrology, Now for that ASTROLOGO-MASTIX is a Maſter of Arts, and capable of Preferment, I humbly implore, he may be made Prieſt of Teuksbury, from which place (per varios caſus) he once in haſte trotted, &c. That but 3 years after this, the Heavenly Stars, Planets, Angels in the year 1650. (as his aaIn the Epiſtle, Aſtrological Predictions, and Monthly Obſervations.Ephemeris then prognoſticates, very frequently) ſhould threaten ill and unwilling payment of Tithes, in many Counties to the Clergy: much heart-burning of the People towards them. That after a ſmall ſeaſon, or a very few years, no Tithes ſhall be paid them: For a plain people will ariſe, gifted by God with ſuch ſpiritual Knowledge, as the generality of the People will decline their Sophiſtical School Doctrines, and wholly adhere unto thoſe who preach God only, and Jeſus Chriſt his Son: And that they ſhould be ſo implacable, as to continue theſe and worſe threatnings againſt all Presbyterian Miniſters, Presbytery, Rectories, TITHES, and the whole Engliſh Clergy, ever ſince this year, ſo far, as to portend or aſcertain, not only their general p. 139Oppoſition by Swordmen, the generality of the Nation, and their Governours and people, but ſodain downfall and extirpation: Of which all his Merlins and Prognoſtications ſurfet. Tantaene Animis Caeleſtibus Irae? Doubtleſſe, the heavenly Stars, Planets, and good Angels are not ſo contradictory to themſelves, or maliciouſly, irreconcileably Malignant againſt our Miniſters Perſons, Callings, Tithes, Presbytery, as this Arch-Cheat, would make poor Simpletons believe. But it is only the Language and Malignity of his own malicious heart, tongue, Pen againſt them, becauſe Enemies to his abſurd, Diabolical, lying, cheating, Artleſſe Art of Aſtrology, witneſſe his own words; I hate Presbytery (and hatred and affection as himſelf writes, cauſe often Errours and Miſtakes in their Art and Predictions:) Art thou a Presbyterian? Thou art an enemy to Aſtrology, and wearieſt thy auditory with invectives againſt me. I deſire thee to conform, leſt a worſe thing happen to thee (than Deans and Chapters Lands) For if thou laboureſt to root up or pull down this Fabrick, which God hath erected, then I ſay, in a ſmall ſeaſon, or very few years, no Tithes will be paid thee, &c. with many ſuch like aaEpiſtle to the Reader in his Ephemeris, 1650, and 1649.Paſſages ſince, wherein he reviles, vilifies, Mr. Calvin, Perkins, Geree, Caſe, Calamy, Farmer, Gataker, Owen, with ſundry other Divines by name, and all of them in general, only becauſe, they have preached or writ againſt the vanity, falſity of his cheating Aſtrology, by which he gets his living; as much as he reviles, jeers his Companion, Wharton, (Naworth, Naw…rth,) for contradicting him in his own Science, whom yet elſewhere himſelf and Culpepper too, extraordinarily applaud for his exact tranſcendent knowledge in Astrology, though all 3. of them diametrically contradict each other in their Predictions from the Stars, or different factions rather. This malice of theirs againſt our Ministers and their Tithes (wherein they have proved lying Diviners hitherto, and will do ſo to the Worlds end, if we credit Matth. 28.20. Epheſ. 4.11, 12, 13) no doubt is elevated, augmented by Jeſuites and Popiſh Spaniſh Agents, the chief Promoters of this Study of Aſtrology amongst us, and very intimate with theſe Lunatique, Star gazing Incendiaries and Time-ſervers; it being p. 140the expreſſe adviſe and project of Thomas Campanella (a great Aſtrologer and Jeſuited Italian Fryer, much magnified by Lilly in ſome of his Merlins,) in his Treatiſe De Monarchia Hiſpaniae, wherein, as he ſhews the King of Spain the readieſt means to make himſelf Monarch of the whole world, and particularly of aaCap. 25, & 2…. worthy our moſt ſetious peruſal.England, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, (by dividing them one from and againſt another by unnatural inteſtine Wars, turning our Monarchy into a Common-wealth; dividing our three Kingdoms one from and againſt another, by making them Republicks or elective Kingdoms, breaking our naval Forces by the Dutch Fleet and other Nothern Nations, fomenting perpetual Diviſions and Schiſms amongſt us: thereby to deſtroy our civil Government, Forces, and become a prey to the Spaniards at laſt) ſo he preſcribes this, as bbIbid. p. 204, 185, 186, 234, 235, 236. which Art Lilly much promotes. See his Ephemeris, 1649, 1650.the readieſt way to undermine our Proteſtant Religion, and draw men from the Study, Love, Practice thereof, to promote the Art, Study of Aſtrology and Teleſian Arts amongſt us, to erect Schools of Aſtrology and Mathematicks, and encourage the Students of it with rewards. Which I wiſh all Lovers of our Religion, vigilant Stateſmen, and Lilly (with other Aſtrologaſters, the chief Promoters of this Deſign) to take ſpecial notice of, and thereupon to abandon, ſuppreſs this impious, atheal, ſottiſh, cheating Art, grounded upon no Rules of Reaſon, Philoſophy, Divinity, Experience, but mere imaginary Whimſies, Figments, Chymeraes, Signes, Houſes in the Air, of Lunatick cheats and Impoſtors, as all rational, judicious Scholars who peruſe their Scheams, Aſtrological Conjectures, Judgements, Predictions, Treatiſes, muſt acknowledge; and I by Gods aſſiſtance, may hereafter demonſtrate to the world if there be occaſion, being not ſo pertinent to my preſent Theam.

The fifth and laſt Squadron of profeſſed Enemies againſt our Miniſters Tithes, Glebes and ſetled Maintenance, are Jeſuites and Jeſuited Papists: and that not out of any Malignity againſt Tithes themſelves, which they all hold to be of Divine Right and Inſtitution, according to the definition of their idolized aaSurius Concil. Tom. 4. p. 992.Council of Trent, Seſſ. 25. De Reformatione, p. 141c. 12. which thus determines againſt their preſent practice and deſign: Non ſunt ferendi qui variis artibus Decimas Eccleſiis obvenientes, ſubſtrahere moliuntur, aut qui aliis ſolvendis temerè occupant, & in rem ſuam vertunt. Cum Decimarum ſolutio debila ſit Deo. Et qui eas dare noluerit, aut dantes impediunt, res alienas invadunt. Praecepit ergo Sancta Synodus, omnibus cujuſcunque gradus aut conditionis ſint, ad quas Decimarum ſolutio ſpectat, ut eas (ad quas de Iure tenentur) in poſterum Cathedrali, aut quibuſcunque aliis Eccleſiis vel Perſonis quibus legitimè debentur, integrè perſolvant : Qui vero eas aut ſubſtrahunt, aut impediunt excommunicentur; Nec ab hoc crimine niſi plena reſtitutione, ſecuta, abſolvantur: But merely out of malice and deſign againſt our Miniſters and their Miniſtry, of purpoſe to ſtarve and ruine them, thereby to ſet up Popery, and intrude themſelves into their Rectories, yea into our Biſhopricks and Deaneries too, and then they will not only cry up Tithes again, with the due payment of them to themſelves from the People, according to the utmoſt rigour of this Trent-Canon, and other Laws, for their due payment by Divine and Human Right, but likewiſe reſume all Biſhops, Deans, Chapters Lands, (if not Abby Lands too) into their hands, as ſacrilegiouſly alienated from the Church without lawfull power and Right, as Robert Parſons the Jeſuites Memorial for Reformation, (written at bbA Manifeſtation of the folly and bad Spirit of certain in England calling themſelves Secular Prieſts, p. 56.) Sevil in Spain, Anno 1596.) William Watſon in his Quodlibets, p. 93, 94, 144. with the ccRaſtals Abridgement of Statutes, Tit. Durham.Statute of 1 Mariae, Parl. 2. c. 1. for reviving the Biſhoprick of Durham, reſtoring all Eccleſiaſtical and Temporal Juriſdictions, Lands, Hereditaments whatſoever thereunto heretofore belonging, though diſſolved, ſetled in the Crown and Town of Newcaſtle, by the Statutes of 7 E. 6. c. 10. and another Act not printed, will inform the world, and Alfonſus de Ʋargas de Stratag. Jeſuitarum, p. 203.

Now that the Jeſuites (many hundreds of which Society now lurk every where amongſt us under the Diſguiſe of Anabaptiſts, Souldiers, Tradeſmen, Seekers, Dippers, converted Iews, Phyſicians, Gentlemen, Travellers, Merchants, and other like, to work our ruine) have a hand in this Deſign p. 142to deprive our Miniſters of their Tithes and Rectories, to work their ruine, is moſt apparent. Firſt, by their former procedings even againſt their own Secular Prieſts in England, where they ſeeking to work their utter ruine, ſubverſion, ſupplantation, to intrude themſelves into their imployments, by their Machiavel, Atheal plots, about the year 1600, to 1605, did firſt by their ſcandalous Books, Libels, Slanders againſt the…e Prieſts, bring their Perſons and Prieſthood into ſcorn and contempt amongſt the generality of the Engliſh Papiſts, preferring every Lay Brother of their Society before them, executing their Prieſtly Function without a lawfull Call, or Ordination: and then endeavoured to ſubſtract all Maintenance and Contributions from them; threatning to make them leap at a Cruſt, and to pine and ſtarve them; debarring, interrupting all their Maintenance from Engliſh Recuſants, in ſuch ſort, that many of them pined away through grief of Mind, want of Food, and were ſo near periſhing, that they were neceſſitated to petition Queen Elizabeth and her Council, for ſome Allowance in their priſons to keep them from ſtarving. Yea they and their Jeſuited Followers and Proſelites derided their Seminarie Prieſts and Ghoſtly. Fathers in this manner, Ah, hah, hah; A Seminary, and old Queen Mary Prieſt, a Secular, &c. You ſhall ſee them all leap at a Cruſt ere it be long, &c. And having got Iudas his Office (to carry the Mony bagg) into their own and Subſtitutes hands, they diſpoſed of the Wealth and Charitie of Catholicks (conſiſting of many thouſand pounds) where, how, and to whom they pleaſed, for their own enriching and advancement: which made the Secular Prieſts write, that England was become wild, Prieſthood and Sacraments had in contempt, Religion made but a matter of Atheal policy; and Prieſts through the Jeſuites Falſehood, Calumniations and untrue Suggeſtions to the Superiours and all Eſtates, brought into ſuch high contempt, that their verie Ghoſtly Children, whom they had begotten, had forſaſaken, houted, ſhunned, deſpiſed them, as if they were none other but their Stepfathers, and ſhewed their Charity p. 143ſo coldly to them, as many of them were in extream want, and few or none of them ſcarce able to live; as we may read in Watſons Quodlibets againſt Parſons and his Fellow Jeſuites, p. 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 31, 37, 38, 42, 43, 45, 50, 51, 52, 62, 63, 70, 71, 80, 81, 92, 93. and elſewhere throughout that Book: in Joan. Bogermanus Catecheſis Jeſuit. l. 3. c. 28. Thuanus Hiſt. l. 126, Mercurius Jeſuiticus, Tom. 1. p. 287. William Clark his Reply to Father Parſons Libel, printed 1603. fol. 17, to 32, which being the very condition and complaint of our Godly Proteſtant Miniſters in moſt places throughout the Nation at this day, is no doubt a ſtorm of theſe Jeſuites rayſing, a very Plot and Deſign of their hatching, fomenting to ruine our Miniſters and their Miniſtry now, as they would have done their own Secular Prieſts then in England, to advance their own power, profit, 2ly. It is evident by aaSee Watſons Quod…ibets, p. 93, 94, 281. Parſons his Manifeſtation, fol. 61. William Watſons Reply to Parſons Libel, fol. 74.Rob. Parſons and other Jeſuites old Project for Reformation of England, when they ſhould get power in it: To take away all Lands, Manors, Benefices and ſetled Maintenance of the Church from the Engliſh Clergy and Univerſities, and make all Miniſters, and Scholars mere Penſioners and Stipendiaries at their pleaſure…, ſet up Itinerary Preachers fixed to no particular Church, (like our wandring Quakers, Anabaptiſts, Sectaries of late) inſtead of Parochial Paſtors, of which more anon. 3ly. Alfonſus de Vargas Toletanus: in his Relatio ad Reges & Principes Chriſtianos, De Stratagematis Politicis Societatis Jeſu, ad Monarchiam Orbis terrarum ſibi conficiendam; printed 1641. cap. 40, to 51. proves at large out of the Jeſuites own printed Defence and other Writings; That theſe new Doctors, of no Conſcience, no Faith, no honeſty or ſhame, have perſwaded the Emperour and other Kings, againſt their Oaths, Truſts, Duties, Charters, the Law of Nations, and all Divine and Human Laws, that it was lawfull for them, upon a pretext of Neceſſity, for the eaſe of the people, and Maintenance of their Wars, Souldiers, to alienate the Lands, Revenues, Maintenance of Abbies, Religious men and of the Church, upon Souldiers, for the defence of their Bodies, and of the Church; that ſo themſelves might gain a ſhare of them for the advantage p. 144of their own Societies, contrary to the wills, intentions of the firſt Donors and Founders: Whereupon he thus juſtly jeers them, cap. 46. p. 222. That the inſtitution of the Jeſuites Society peculiarly tends to this, that their Colleges ſhould be inſtituted and Society maintained out of the ruines of the Church, and rapines of other mens Goods, à quibus Societatis Inſtitutor et Conditor Ignatius, cum etiamnum ad legionem bellator eſſet, minime alienus fuiſſe, nec a ſolita Militum rapacitate quicquam demutaſſe, ſine ulla ejus contumelia creditur, etſi autem Militiam mutavit ac ſimul cum Sociorum ne dicam furum manipulo Chriſto Imperatori Sacramentum dixit, non propterea rapinam omnem ejerare neceſſe habuit, &c. he remaining a PLUNDERER ſtill, after he became a SAINT: Seeing the Prophe… Iſay ſeemeth thus to prophecy both of his Rapine and Wound in his halting Legg, cap. 33. Tunc dividentur Spolia multarum praedarum: Claudi diripient rapinam. Therefore no wonder this Spirit of Rapine continues in his Diſciples: who doubtleſſe have infuſed the ſelf-ſame Spirit of Rapine into our Anabaptists and Souldiers, into whoſe Societies they have ſecretly inſinuated themſelves; ſomenting and intending to lengthen out our wars ſo long, of purpoſe to make a prey of our remaining Church-Revenues, Rectories, Tithes, and College lands too at laſt, (as they have done of other Church-Revenues already diſſipated) out of a pretext of Neceſsity, as is moſt tranſparant to all Intelligent peoples eyes, thereby to deſtroy our Religion by devouring our Miniſters, Churches Patrimonies, the probable, if not inevitable conſequence of this Jeſuitical project, if effected, as is moſt apparent by this notable paſſage of Roderyck Mors formerly a Grey Fryer, in his Complaint and Supplication to the Parliament of England, about 37 H. 8. after the Diſſolution of Monaſteries, pertinent to my purpoſe, and as worthy conſideration now as then, Ye that be Lords and Burgeſſes of the Parliament Houſe, (writes he) I require of you in the name of my poor Brethren that are Engliſhmen and Members of Chriſts Body, that ye conſider well (as ye will anſwer before the face of Almighty God in the day of judgement) this abuſe, and p. 145ſee it amended. When Antichriſt of Rome durſt openly without any viſor walk up and down thorowout England, he had ſo great favour there, and his Children had ſuch crafty wits (for the Children of this World are wiſer in their Generation than the Children of Light) they had not only almoſt gotten all the beſt Lands of England into their hands, but alſo moſt part of the beſt Benefices both of Parſonages and Vicarages which were for the moſt part aaThe Impropriations held by them were much more than the 3d. part of all the Pariſh Churches of England divided into 3 parts, and of greater value than the other 2 parts in Prieſts and Miniſters hands.all improved to them. And when they had the gifts of any not improved, they gave them unto their Friends, of the which alwaies ſome were learned, for the Monks found of their Friends Children at School. And though they were not learned, yet they kept Hoſpitality and helped their poor Friends. And if the Parſonages were impropred, the Monks were bound to deal Almeſſe to the poor and to keep Hoſpitality, as the writings of the Gifts of ſuch Parſonages and Lands do plainly declare in theſe words, In puram Eleemoſynam. And as touching the Almeſſe that they dealt, and the Hoſpitality that they kept, every man knoweth, that many thouſands were well relieved of them, and might have been better, if they had not had ſo many great Mens Horſe to feed, and had not been over-charged with ſuch idle Gentlemen, as were never out of the Abbies. And if they had any Vicarage in their hands, they ſet in ſome time ſome ſufficient Vicar, (though it were but ſeldom) to preach and to teach. But now that all the Abbies, with their Lands, Goods and impropred Parſonages be in temporal mens hands, I do not hear tell that one half peny worth of Alms, or any other profit cometh unto the people of thoſe Pariſhes. Your pretence of putting down Abbies, was to amend that was amiſs in them. It was far amiſs, that a great part of the Lands of the Abbies (which were given to bring up learnned men that might be Preachers, to keep Hoſpitality and give Alms to the poor) ſhould be ſpent upon a few Superſtitious Monks, which gave not XL. pound in Alms, when they ſhould have given CC. It was amiſs, that the Monks ſhould have Parſonages in their hands, and deal but the XX. part thereof to the poor, and preached but once in a p. 146year to them that paid the Tithes of Parſonages. It was amiſs, that they ſcarcely among XX ſet not one ſufficient Vicar to preach for the Tithes that they received. But ſee now, how it that was amiſs, is amended, for all the Pretence. It is amended even as the Devil amended his Dams Leg (as it is in the Proverb) when he ſhould have ſet it right, he brake it quite in pieces. The Monks gave too little Alms, and ſet unable Perſons many times in their Benefices. But now where xx. pound was yearly given to the poor, in more than C. places in England is not one meals meat given. This is a fair Amendment. Where they had alwaies one or other Vicar, that either preached or hired ſome to preach, Now is there no Vicar at all: but the Farmor is Vicar and Parſon altogether, and only an old caſt away Monk or Frier which can ſcarcely ſay his Mattins, is hired for xx. or xxx. ſhillings Meat and Drink, yea in ſome places for Meat and Drink alone, without any wages. I know, and not I alone, but xx. M. mo, know more than D. (we may now adde 5000.) Vicarages and Parſonages thus well Goſpelly ſerved, (yea not ſerved at all, but the Church Doors quite ſhut up) after the New Goſpel of England. So he.

This doubtleſs will be the general ſad condition of all England (as it is now in moſt part of Wales) if Tithes and Rectories be quite voted down, aboliſhed, or diſpoſed to the Souldiers, or brought into a common Treaſury (which will hardly leave Miniſters the Tenth of their Tithes, as our late Sequeſtrators left not the Tenth nor fifth part clear gains, and value, of all Sequeſtrations generally throughout England, to the State, as I found by examination of their Accompts upon Oath) which is now ſo violently proſecuted, endeavoured by many. And then we ſhall have a glorious bleſſed Reformation indeed, according to the Popes and Jeſuites hearts deſires, who like ravening Wolves will make a prey of all Flocks in the defect and abſence of able Pastors, through want of Maintenance and poverty, as they have done in many places throughout the Realm, ſeduced by them to Jeſuitiſm, Anabaptiſm, Atheiſm, through defect of able Miniſters, p. 147and ejection of former Incumbent Paſtors under pretext of Scandal, Inſufficiency, or Malignity, by Arbitrary or Anabaptiſtical Committees, Sequeſtrators, Proſecutors, without any legal Tryal by their Peers, or any care at all to place better, abler, or any Miniſter at all in divers Pariſhes in their places: Whereupon theſe active Jeſuites, with other Romiſh Emiſſacries under the Diſguiſes of Anabaptiſts, Seekers, Dippers, inſpired Brethren, Quakers, Ranters, Souldiers, New Illuminates of extraordinary Endowments, and Itinerary Predicants, who pretend to preach the Goſpel freely, have ſeduced thouſands, divided the people into ſundry Sects, and almoſt ruined our Church and Religion in a ſhort ſpace, which they will ſoon accompliſh to their hearts content, can they now but vote down Tithes, Glebes, and ſet up New Committees in all places of their own and the Anabaptiſtical party, (concurring in Deſign and moſt principles with the Jeſuites, as aaPage 26, to 31, 169, 186.Watſon in his Quodlibets, and others prove at large) to eject our remaining Miniſters at their pleaſure, under pretext they are Antichriſtian, Scandalous, and no Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt (as John Canne and others have already prejudge… them) that they and their Agents may ſtep into their places; and at laſt, when all their Deſigns againſt our State, Church, Governm. are produced to maturity, re-aſſume their Tithes, Rectories, with our Biſhops, Deans, Chapters and Abby Lands too into their actual poſſeſsion, according to the Jeſuite Parſons and his Companions long proſecuted project, at large related by William Watſon the Prieſt in his Quodlibets, p. 93, 94, 98, 288, …89, 332, 333. with other plots lately proſecuted ad unguem to ſubvert our Religion, Laws, Government, Monarchy, and enſlave us to the Ieſuits, Popes, Spaniards Tyranny and Vaſſalage in concluſion; firſt laid by Parſons and other pragmatical Jeſuites, then ſeconded by Thomas Campanella, in his Treatiſe De Monarchia Hiſpanica c. 25.27. and elſewhere: proſecuted of late years by the Jeſuites and Spaniſh Agents on the one hand; and Cardinal Richilieu and his Inſtruments on the other hand; who at his death in the begining of our late Warrs (which he was very inſtrumental to rayſe) recommended the proſecution of them to the French King and his Succeſſor Cardinal Mazarin; as A Noble Italian Count, Conte Galliazzo Gualdo Priorato, in p. 148his Hiſtoria, part 3. printed at Venice in 4to. Anno 1648. (dedicated by him to the King of Poland, and written in Italian) p. 175, 176 records in theſe words, worthy all Engliſh Stateſmens ſpecial notice: where Writing of the affairs of the year 1642. and the death of Cardinal Richelieu in particular, he records, That amongst other things he cauſed ſome Papers to be delivered before his death to the King of France, full of Policies and Maximes of State, directing him how to carry on his Buſineſs with all Forein States. His advice in relation to England was this. Che Sopra, &c. That above all other things the King of France ſhould endeavour to keep the Government of Great Britain divided, by upholding the weakeſt party, that the other might not make it ſelf too powerfull; Reducing the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland to be divided (by one of theſe two means or both) either by nominating (new) Kings: or by reducting them to a Common-wealth. Yet with this Caution, that when they are reduced to a Common-wealth, So to order it, that it may not be intirely one, but divided: For Republiques ever enemies to Potent Neighbours, and Iealous of their Liberties, ought to be Suſpected by the State of France. How punctually this advice hath been purſued by the French (as well as Parſons and Campanellaes Plots of like nature by the Spaniards) thoſe who pleaſe to peruſe the Lord George Digbies Cabinet Letters (printed in the Collection of all the Publique Orders, Ordinances and Declarations of Parliament in folio, by the Commons Order) 1646. p. 849, 858, 862, 863, 866, 867. and my Speech in Parliament p. 118. & 106, to 114. may read at leiſure, and every mans obſerving experience can ſufficiently atteſt. The Lord now at laſt give us hearts to be deeply ſenſible of it, and grace, zeal, courage to make timely uſe of it for the Preſervation of our Kingdoms, Nations, Churches, Miniſters, Religion from impendent ruine.

Having given the world this brief Accompt of the principal Promoters, Proſecutors of the preſent Grand Plot againſt our Miniſters, their Tithes and Rectories, I cannot upon ſerious conſideration of it but foreſee and divine, that if all or any of theſe Projectors (through Gods heavy Judgment on us for our ſins, and deteſtable violations of all Oaths, Vows, p. 149Covenants, Truſts, Proteſtations, Promiſes, Declarations Divine and Human Laws) ſhould by power, fraud, policy, or armed force ſo far prevail with our preſent Legifers or Swaying Grandees, as totally to take away and aboliſh the Rectories, Tithes and preſent ſetled Maintenance of our Miniſtry, for the Souldiers pay, or other ends; or elſe ſecretly to bring them all into a Common Treaſury, and reduce all our Miniſters to ſet arbitrary Stipends out of them, to diſpoſſeſs them of the future actual poſſeſſion of them, and make them wholy dependent on the arbitrary diſcretions of new intruding Land-Lords into their Churches, Patrimonies, Freeholds from whom they never received them at firſt; as it would inevitably produce a world of miſchiefs and Inconveniences both to all Patrons and Pariſhioners throughout the Nation, without the leaſt Eaſe or Benefit to the People; ſo it would certainly either totally ruine our Miniſters, making them all poor Fryers Mendicants, neglecting their Callings, Studies, to get their living by begging from door to door, and as aaIn. 2 lib. Regum c. 5. f. 240.Peter Martyr obſerves, to be ventris potius quam Eccleſiae Miniſtros, oſtiatim validè Mendicare, & non Mendicantes, ſed Manducantes appellari: and thereby ſubvert our Church and Religion with them in very few years ſpace, open ſuch a wide door for the Pope and whole body of Popery to flow in upon us again with an impetuous irreſiſtable Deluge, that we ſhould no waies be able to reſiſt their progreſs till they were re-eſtated in their former Supremacy and Prevalency amongſt us. And then rhoſe very Romiſh Factors who are now ſo violent againſt Tithes and Rectories, of purpoſe to ſtarve our Miniſters out of them, and their Miniſtry for the preſent, will not only forthwith reſume (as they did in bbSee 1. & 2. Phil. & Mar. c. 8. 1 Mar. Seſſ. 2. c. 3. Fox Acts and Monuments vol. 3.Mark 8:1Queen Maries daies) their priſtine aboliſhed Pontifical Power, and ſet up their Eccleſiaſtical Conſiſtories, High Commiſſions, and bloudy Inquiſitions amongst us, higher than ever they were in former ages, to the utter extirpation of our Proteſtant Miniſters and Profeſſors too, but likewiſe preſently reſume into their hands all thoſe Rectories, Tithes and antient Dues, whereof they now endeavour to deprive our Miniſters; with all our late Arch-Biſhops, Biſhops, Deans, Chapters, Cathedrals Lands and Revenues, as Sacrilegiouſly alienated from the Church, p. 150againſt the Lawes both of God and Man, as well as againſt their Popiſh bbGratian Cauſ. 16. qu. 1, & 7.Canons, by thoſe who had no right to diſpoſe of them, if they proceed to reſume all Abby Lands too in Proteſtant hands at leaſt. And then all late or antient Purchaſers of ſuch Lands, now confederating with them out of Covetouſneſs, Ambition, Rapine, or other reſpects, will repent too late of their inconſiderable, unrighteous, unchriſtian complyance with them againſt our Miniſters Glebes and Tithes, and have as ill a Bargain in concluſion, as divers old Projectors had in the purchaſe of our Crown Revenues, when reſumed, or ſetled in the Crown again, by many ſpecial ccSee 1 R. 2. rot. Parl. n. 148. 1 H. 4 n. 48, 100, 141. 6 H. 4. n, 14, 15. 8 H. 4. n. 52. 28 H. 6. n. 53. 33 H. 6. n. 47. … Edw. 4. …. n. 39.12 1.4. n. 6. 1 H. 5. c. 9. 31 H. 6. c. 7. with thoſe Reſumptions in former Ages, recorded in Daniels Hiſtory and others.Acts of Reſumption, for the publick weal and eaſe of the people in their Taxes, as being the conſtant, ſtanding Revenue of the whole Kingdom to defray its ordinary publick Expences, which none can or ought to Alien or purchaſe from the Republick to enrich themſelves by the publick Loſſe. Wherefore I ſhall now refer it to their ſaddeſt thoughts to conſider, whether it will not be far ſafer for all ſuch Army-Officers and others who have purchaſed Church Lands, to joyn together with all ſuch zealous Proteſtants who deſire the continuance of our Miniſters antient Tithes and Maintenance (more aimed at than Impropriators Tithes) againſt theſe Jeſuites and Romiſh Emiſſaries now oppugning them; and to uſe their utmoſt endeavours to detect, apprehend, proſecute, execute all our former good Laws againſt them, to prevent their miſchievous preſent and future Deſigns againſt our Miniſtry, Church, Religion, Nation; than ignorantly or wittingly to confederate with and aſſiſt them to accompliſh their preſent Sacrilegious Projects, to ruine us (and themſelves with their Poſterities) in concluſion; and thereby incur the ſelf-ſame Crime, Charge of High Treaſon which themſelves and the whole Parliament of England ſo lately proſecuted againſt Canterbury in the 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, & 14. ddSee Canterburies Doom, n. 26, 27, &c.Articles of his original Charge, for which he loſt his head on Tower Hill.

To draw to a cloze of this Propoſition, I ſhall deſire all truly fearing God throughout the Nation and Army too, ſadly to conſider theſe particulars.

p. 1511. That thoſe who are the chiefeſt Sticklers againſt Tithes and our Miniſters ſetled coercive Maintenance (eſpecially Jeſuites and Anabaptiſts) are the greateſt profeſſed open Adverſaries to our Miniſtery, Church, Religion of all others, deſiring nothing but their utter ruine, as their late printed Pamphlets and Petitions manifeſt: Therefore to gratify them in their Deſigns herein, is to ruine all at once, for whoſe defence we have ſpent ſo much Chriſtian Bloud, Treaſure, pains of late years, againſt the Common Enemy and Jeſuited Popiſh Party.

2. That many of thoſe who in their printed Papers, have decryed our Miniſters Tithes and coercive Maintenance as inconſiſtent with the Peoples Liberties, and a great Bondage to them, have as bbThe Levellers late printed Fundamental Lawes and Liberties. n. 15, 16, 25, 27.earneſtly declaimed against all Incloſures, Coppy hold Tenures, Land-Lords old Rents, Services, antient Cuſtomes, Impoſts ▪ which being not ſo antient, nor ratified by ſo many Statutes, Charters, Muniments of all ſorts as Tithes are, will not be able to ſtand before their Oppoſition and Arguments againſt them, if our Tithes and Miniſters Glebes ſhould once fall before them

3. That if our beſotted Nation ſhall be ſo ſtupid as to admit or permit any company of perſons whatſoever a ſufficient Legal Power or Juriſdiction without any pretended Crime, Attainder, Legal Conviction, or Trial by their Peers, at their meer wills and arbitrary diſcretions, to deprive all our godly Miniſters throughout the Nation of their Rectories, Tithes and antient Dues, though ratified by the Law yea Goſpel of God himſelf, by an uninterrupted Title, Preſcription in their Predeceſſors from the very firſt planting of the Goſpel in our Nation, and more hundreds of years, than the antienteſt Families in the Nation have enjoyed their Inheritances, by more Charters of our Kings, more particular Lawes, Statutes of our ſucceſſive Parliaments in all ages, than all the Nobility, Gentry, Corporations, Commons of the Realm are able to produce for the Rights, Titles, Defence of their particular Lands and Inheritances, againſt the Rapines, Intruſions, Claims, Seiſures, Confiſcations, Sales, Alienations of any either claiming or uſurping ſuch a Power or Juriſdiction by the Sword or otherwiſe: p. 152They will thereby both admit them and inveſt them in as ſufficient a Legal Power and Juriſdiction, without the leaſt pretended Crime, Attainder, Legal Conviction, or Trial by their Peers, at their meer arbitrary wills and Diſcretions, to deprive, ſtrip all the Nobility, Gentry, Corporations, Commons of the Realm of all their Mannors, Lands, Inheritances, Eſtates, Chattels, Privileges, Franchiſes whatſoever; being not ſo well fenced by the Laws of God and Men againſt their Rapines and Depredations as Tithes are; and thoſe who will make no conſcience upon any grounds or pretences to invade the one, will make no Scruple to act the other, as the Hiſtories ofaaSpeeds Hiſt. p. 733, &c. 836, 849, 850, 851. Sleidens Comment. l. 7. c. 10. Jack Cade and his Complices Practices, Deſigns at home, and the Anabaptiſts abroad will ſufficiently atteſt. Yea it will be but juſt with God to engage ſuch Arbitrary Powers to act the later, to the ruine of them and their families, if they ſhall either aſſiſt, permit, encourage them by their ſilence or cowardice, to perpetrate the other, to the diſinheriting of the Church, the ruine of their faithfull Miniſters themſelves, and that very Religion which they pretend to profeſs and practice.

4. That as Tithes are the fitteſt Maintenance for Miniſters of all others, as invented, appointed by the very Wiſdom of God himſelf, and the beſt, the wiſeſt of his Saints in all ages; holding the ſelf-ſame proportion in relation to the Miniſters and Pariſhioners in times of Plenty and Dearth, good years or bad, fair harveſts or foul, riſing or the falling of the prices of Corn, Lands, and other Commodities; affecting them both alike with the mercy and bounty of God in times of Plenty, and the Judgments of God in times of Scarcity, or unſeaſonable weather; more eaſily parted with by the Country-man in kind, by ſeveral ſmall parcels as they grow due, than in ready money in one or two intire ſums, which they are moſt loth to render and part from of any thing, as that they bb1 Tim. 6.10. Eccleſ. 5.10.1 Tim 6:10Eccl 5:10moſt affect: yea farr leſſe troubleſom to, more convenient for our Miniſters Perſons, families and neceſſary Cattel, than bare ſtipends, which muſt enforce them to run to Markets to buy all their Corn and other proviſions both for their Houſhold, Horſes, Cattel at the deareſt rates. So if this Maintenance by Tithes be once p. 153aboliſhed, either before any other competent Maintenance ſetled in its ſteed, leſſe grievous and inconvenient than Tithes, (which all wiſe men in the world will never be able to invent, much leſſe to eſtabliſh as things now are ſetled;) or Miniſters left wholy to an arbitrary, unconſtrained Benevolence without any limited Proportion, or means to recover it if detained, as ſome now petition: This expected propoſed unconſtrained Maintenance would in verity and reality, ſignify juſt Nothing, and be no Maintenance at all, in the Petitioners own ſence and intention; as appears by John Cannes forecited paſſages, and the very words of their Petitions; ſince they refuſe to pay them their very Tithes yet due by Law, and never freely contributed one penny to them for their Miniſtry, which they revile, diſclaim as Antichriſtian. Wherefore if any New-fangled Politicians reſolve to ſettle ſuch a new Maintenance only inſteed of the old, for the peoples pretended Eaſe; let them firſt eſtabliſh, ſettle an arbitrary Exciſe, Cuſtome, uncoercive voluntary Impoſt, and monthly Contribution as this on the people for Maintenance of the Army and Navy, (not ſo ſimply neceſſary as the Miniſtry for our real welfare) without any compulſory means to recover it if not freely rendred, till the next harveſt come, and ſee what a competent Maintenance that will be for the Souldiers and Seamen; and provide that all Tenants for the year enſuing, ſhall render only what Rents they pleaſe to the State, their Landlords, & Leſſees, who ſhall have no power to diſtrain, ſue, or enter upon any of them in caſe they deny to pay their Rents: and trie what a certain Annual Revenue this whimſy will produce to the States and Land-Lords purſes: Or elſe give over this Jeſuitical Anabaptiſtical deviſed new Maintenance for our Miniſters, as a Stratagem only to ſtarve their bodies, and their Peoples ſouls, without any more Debates concerning Tithes, to gratify ſuch malicious Projectors, and offend all Godly people through the Nation, who deem this old way of Maintenance, of Gods own Preſcription, farr better, leſſe inconvenient in all reſpects than this arbitrary or any other new-fangled way of theſe or other mens invention.

5ly. That although God by his divine Providence is p. 154able to ſupport the faithfull Miniſters of the Goſpel, though totally ſtripped naked of all their Glebes, Tithes, antient Maintenance, through the unrighteouſneſſe or malice of ungodly men, as he did the Apoſtles and his Miniſters in all ages, in times of Perſecution; yet let all ſuch who have, or ſhall have a hand in ſuch a Sacrilegious deſign conſider,

1. That they ſhall be as bitter Enemies to and Perſecutors of the Miniſters of Chriſt amongſt us in and by this very Project, as aaSee Nicephorus Eccleſ. Hiſt. l. 10. Gent. Magd. 4. c. 3.14.Julian the Apoſtate Chriſtian was to Gods faithfull Miniſters in the primitive Times, when he took away their Preferments, Glebes, and Church Revenues; as the High Commiſſioners and Prelates were of late to all thoſe godly Puritan Miniſters whom they deprived of their Benefices for Nonconformity to their Ceremonies, and no real Crime deſerving ſuch an inhuman Cenſure, depriving them of their Livelyhoods.

2ly. That they ſhall hereby draw a great Scandal upon our very Religion it ſelf, Church, Nation, render them odious, Sacrilegious to all foreign Churches, Nations; gratify, rejoyce the hearts of the Pope, Jeſuites, Papists and other profeſſed Enemies of our Religion; accompliſh their Deſigns againſt our Church and Miniſters; exceedingly ſad the hearts, and grieve the righteous ſouls of all Gods faithfull Saints amongſt us, of all Proteſtant Churches in Foreign parts, and draw this juſt Cenſure on themſelves. 2 Pet. 2.14, 15. An heart they have exerciſed with covetous practices, curſed Children, which have forſaken the right way, and are gon astray following the way of Balaam, the ſon of Boſor, who loved the wages of unrighteouſneſſe. Theſe are wells without water, Clouds carried with a Tempeſt, to whom is reſerved the miſt of darkneſſe for ever.

3ly. That although God ſhould miraculouſly preſerve a faithfull able Miniſtry and his true Religion ſtill amongſt us through the bounty and charity of other well affected Chriſtians, yet they have done their uttermoſt endeavours to deſtroy them, and the peoples ſouls with them, both for the preſent and ſucceeding ages.

4ly. That this unrighteous violent act will in all probability bring in a world of Confuſion, Atheiſm, Schiſms, p. 155Hereſies, Diviſions, Contentions, Blaſphemies, diſorders amongſt us, in all places; a bbAmos 8.11.Amos 8:11famine of the ſincere preaching of Gods word; a neglect and contempt of Learning and Piety; a ccAnte haec ſ…c exiſtimatum eſt, ſpecioſa ſtruere ſapientum eſſe, & civilis vitae ſcientium; ſtructa demolire, ſtultorum & vecordis animi ſigna ad poſteros tranſmittere, non erubeſcentiam: Procopius Gothico…ii. l. 3. Grotius de Jure Belli. p. 522.dilapidation, Spoliation of all or moſt Pariſh Churches, Chapels; a confuſion of the bounds of all Pariſhes, and Parochial Congregations; and bring all thoſe Calamities on our Nation, as it did upon the Iſraelites when Jeroboam thruſt out the Prieſts and Levites from their Glebes, Suburbs, Miniſtry: thus regiſtred 2 Chron. 15.3, 5, 6. Now for a long ſeaſon Iſrael was without the true God, and without a teaching Prieſt, and without Law (as ſome would have us now) And in thoſe days (mark the conſequence) there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great veration upon all the Inhabitants of the Country: And Nation was deſtroyed of Nation, and Citie of Citie, for God did vex them withall Adverſity. In which condition they continued, till King Aſa and the people renued, repaired the decayed Altar, Houſe and worſhip of the Lord, Gathered all the people to Jeruſalem to worſhip God, and enter into a Solemn Covenant and Oath to ſerve the Lord God of their Fathers, with all their hearts, and with all their ſoul: And that whoſoever would not ſeek the Lord God of Iſrael, ſhould be put to death, whether ſmall or great, man or woman: Offred Sacrifices to the Lord of the Spoyl they had taken from the Enemy, 700. Oxen and 7000. Shéep; and brought into the houſe of God, the things that his Father had dedicated, and himſelf had dedicated, Silver and Gold and Veſſels (formerly taken thence) and then there was no more war in divers years. v. 8. to the end of the Chapter. And probably our Wars, Taxes, Vexations will never end, till we give over our late irreligious, Sacrilegious Rapines, Church Robberies, and do the like, as this pious King and his people here did.

5ly. That this diſcouraging, robbing, abuſing, deſpiſing, mocking, miſuſing, of Gods Meſſengers, Prophets ſent amongſt us, and of all his and their words againſt our wicked Atheiſtical, Sacrilegious Rapines, is the High way to provoke the wrath of God to riſe againſt us till there be no remedy, yea to bring in a powerfull p. 156Foreign Nation upon us to pillage, waſte, deſtroy, enſlave our whole Nation, extirpate us out of the Land of our Nativity, and carry us Captives to a Foreign Nation, as it did Gods own people heretofore. 2 Chron. 36.15, to 22. Sufficient motives to deter us from ſuch a dangerous practice.

6ly. I muſt inform our Army-Officers and Souldiers, that it is expreſly againſt the very Laws and Rules of War even in a Foreign Enemies Country won by Conqueſt, to rob, destroy, pillage Churches, Temples, or things devoted for the Maintenance of Gods publique Worſhip; which not only the beſt Chriſtian Generals, and Souldiers, but many Heathen and Mahometan Generals, Princes, Commanders made conſcience not to plunder, deface, demoliſh or ſubstract, as Grotius proves at large by many inſtances in his Book De Jure Belli. l. 3. c. 2, 12. ſect. 6, 7, 8. Annotata on them. How much more then is it againſt the Law of War and Armes it ſelf to make a prey, plunder of Churches, Rectories, Glebes, Tithes in their own native Country, againſt their own Conſciences, Covenants, Commiſſions to defend them? Yea ſuch Generals, Souldiers and whole Armies who have made no Conſcience to obſerve it, have been frequently deſtroyed for their Sacrilege, as many Heathen Hiſtorians obſerve, as well as Chriſtian: Herodotus, in my Edition p. 7, 8, 44, 167, 168, 169, 170, 187, 349, 350, 460, 461, 568. Diodorus Siculus Bibl. Hiſt. p. 622, 781, 782. Dion Caſſius Rom. Hiſt. p. 589. Juſtini Hiſtoria l. 8. p. 87. l. 24. p. 227, to 231, 269, 271, 308. Caelius Rhodiginus Ant. Lect. l. 18. c. 29 Eutropius Rer. Rom. Hiſt. p. 175, 228, 334. Paulus Diaconus p. 417. Nicetus Hiſt. p. 48, 50. Laurentius Begerlink. Chronogra: p. 137, 189, 263. record ſundry examples of this kind, both among Pagans and Chriſtians, to deter others from this dangerous deſtructive ſin: which if they neglect & ſcorn, I ſhall then deſire them to remember that ſaying of Euripedes an Heathen Poet in his Troadibus, that he ſhall receive the like exemplary puniſhment.

Homo quiſquis urbes vaſtat, & Dis Manibus

Sedes Sacratas, Templaque, haud recte ſapit,

Nam ſimilis ipſum Peſtis Excidii manet

7ly. It is the Reſolution of ddDe Beneficiis p. 121.Seneca the Philoſopher. p. 157Quiſquis id quod Deorum eſt, ſuſtulerit & conſumpſit, atqu… in uſum ſuum vertit, ſacrilegus eſt : and all eeGratian Cauſ. 16. qu. 4. summa Angelica & Roſella, Tit. Sacrilegium.Canonists, Caſuiſts, Schoolmen, Divines whatſoever accord; That it is Sacrilege for any Perſons or Powers whatſoever to invade or take away any thing which our Anceſtors or any others have ſolemnly vowed, dedicated for the neceſſary maintenance of Gods publique worſhip and Ministers under what ſpecious pretext ſoever it be done. Therefore to take away or aboliſh our Miniſters Tithes, Glebes, Rectories and other Dues conferred on them by our pious Anceſtors, and make ſpoyl, havock of the Churches, Edifices erected by them for Gods publique worſhip, muſt queſtionleſſe be Sacrilege; as God himſelf expreſly defines, Mal. 3.8, 9. With all commentators thereon, old and new; and Gratian Cauſ. 16. qu. 1. This the famous Emperor, Souldier Charles the Great, and Ludovicus ſurnamed the Godly and moſt Christian, joyntly reſolve, Capit. Caroli & Ludovici l. 6. cap. 285, 295, 296, 115, 305. & l. 7. c. 104. where they thus conclude. Scimus res Eccleſiae Deo eſſe ſacratas; Scimus eas eſſe vota Fidelium, & pretia peccatorum. Quapropter, ſi quis eas ab Eccleſiis quibus a Fidelibus collatae Deoque Sacratae ſunt, aufert, proculdubio Sacrilegium committit. Caecus enim eſt qui iſta non videt, &c. Si ergo amico quippiam rapere furtum eſt, Eccleſiae vero fraudari, vel abſtrahi indubitanter Sacrilegium eſt Omnes enim contra Legem facientes Reſque Eccleſiae dirimentes, vel Eccleſias Sacerdoteſque contra Divinas Sanctiones vexantes Sacrilegi vocantur, atque Indubitanter infames Sacrilegique Habendi ſunt, &c. What Penalties have been inflicted upon ſuch who were guilty of this ſin by Chriſtian Princes in foreign parts: I ſhall briefly inform this Sacrilegious age. ffFredericus Lindebrogus Codex Legū Antiquarum. p. 257,Theodoricus King of the Gothes in his Edict. c. 125. enacted: That if any man ſhould violently take any thing from Churches, he ſhould loſe his head. And Alaricus the Gothiſh King, though an Arrian, when he took Rome by force of Armes, and his Souldiers had taken the Sacred Veſſels out of St. Peters Church there, and brought them to him; commanded them to carry them back again to the Church, with their own hands which took them thence, ut cupiditas quae depraedationis ambitu admiſerat ſcelus, devotione largiſſima deleret exceſſum: as Caſſiodor relates, l. 12. Epiſt. p. 15820. Among the aaFredericus Lindebrogus Codex Legum Antiquarum p. 508, 702.Friſeans Laws made by their wiſemen, Tit. 12. De Honore Templorum; this is one; He who ſhall break a Church, and take away the holy things thence, let him be carried to the Sea, and in the Sand which the Tide is wont to cover, let his cares be ſlit, and he be gelt, and then let him be ſacrificed to the Gods whoſe Temples he hath violated. The Neopolitan Laws l. 1. Tit. 5. enact; That whoſoever ſhall violently break open a Church, and take away any Gifts or conſecrated Veſſels thence, ſhall be puniſhed as a Capital Off…nder, and loſe his life.bbFredericus Lindebrogus Ibid. p. 997, 998. Bochellus Decret. Eccleſ. Gal. l. 8. Tit. 61. p. 1308. Charles the Great and Lewes the Godly, enacted; That if any perſon violently took from any Church, Prieſt or Miniſter any thing belonging to them, and were convicted thereof, or confeſſed the ſame, he ſhould have ſentence of death given againſt him, as guilty of Sacrilege, and that it ſhould be not only lawfull, but commendable, to proſecute and avenge this Sacrilege and Injury done to the Church, Prieſts and Miniſters, as a publique Crime, deſerving puniſhment, and that if any did Sacrilegiouſly invade or moleſt the Poſſeſſions and Lands of the Church, he ſhould be perpetually baniſhed for it. Capit. Caroli & Ludovici l. 6. Tit. 113, 125. And Tit. 305. they thus determine. All things that are offered to the Lord, are without all doubt conſecrated to the Lord, and not only the Sacrifices, which by the Prieſts are conſecrated upon the Altar to the Lord, are called the Oblations of the faithfull, but what things ſoever are offred to him by the faithfull, whether in Sacrifices or in Fields, Vineyards, Woods, Medowes, Waters, Water-ſtreams, Artifices, Books, Utenſils, Stones, Buildings, Veſtments, Wools, Garments, Cattel, Parchments, Moveables and Immoveables, or whatſoever, which of theſe things are made to the praiſe of God, or the Supplement of the holy Church of God, and his Prieſts, and which may give ornament unto them, whether they be freely offered by any one to the Lord and his Church, are undoubtedly conſecrated to the Lord, and belong to the Prieſts Right. And becauſe we truly acknowledge the Lord and his Church to be one perſon; what ever things are the Churches are p. 159Chriſts; and whatſoever is offered to the Church, either in the aforeſaid things, or in any other Kinds, or by promiſes or pledges, or writings, or in corporal things are offered unto Chriſt, and what thin…s by any deviſe are alienated or taken from his Church, either by alienating, or by waſting, or invading, or by diminiſhing, or by rapine, are taken from Chriſt. And if it be Robbery to take any thing from a friend, it is Sacrilege to take away, alienate, ſubſtract, or waſte any thing eſpecially from Chriſt, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. For all Robbers of the Church are moſt apparently Sacrilegious perſons, and no Sacrilegious perſon, unleſſe by pure, approved and publique Repentance, and by ſatisfaction to the Church, and by impoſition of the Biſhops hands, and reconciliation according to the Canonical Sanctions, ſhall Inherit the Kingdom of God; and ſhall not only be ſecluded the Kingdom of God, but likewiſe be ſhut out of the limits of the Church, eſpecially of the Church he hath ruined, and ſhall be excommunicated thence, until the foreſaid Satisfaction given. And the perpetrators of ſuch wickedneſſes, ought to have no Communion at all, either with the living or dead, till after ſuch Satisfaction given. Becauſe who ever violently takes away his Neighbours money, commits Iniquity, but Sacrilegious perſons are not only Théeves, but likewiſe Wolves and Man-ſlayers and Murderers of the poor, and accurſed, damned perſons before God and his Saints.

And if ſo, as theſe two pious Emperors, by their Lawes, with many aaSr. James Semple Sacrilege ſacred…y handled. Sir Henry Spelman de non Temerandis Eccleſiis. Mr. Seldens Review. Dr. Sclaters Miniſters Portion. Summa Angelica, Roſella & Tho. Zerula Tit. Sacrilegium: with many more.Proteſtant Writers (as well as Papiſts) reſolve; and all Sacrilegious Perſons, taking any Veſſel or Vtenſil out of a Church, though of ſmall value by our bbSee We is Preſidents, Indictments and Offences. Sect 196, 197. p. 127, 128. 1 E. 6. c. 12own Lawes too, as well as theirs, be Sacrilegious Perſons worthy to ſuffer pains of death, as Felons; thoſe who ſhall openly Sacrilegiouſly Rob, or attempt to Rob and ſpoyl all the Godly painfull Ministers of our Nation of all their Tithes, Rectories, Glebes, Churches and Church-yards too at once, are doubtleſſe Sacrilegious Perſons in the higheſt degree, deſerving to ſuffer a temporal infamous death and execution, (better p. 160than any High-way Theeves or Robbers) at Tiburn, or to be eternally baniſhed the Nation, ccArticuli Cleri. 9 E. 2. c. 12.excommunicated all Chriſtian Society, and had in perpetual execration, for this Sacrilegious Rapine, both by God himſelf and all good men, unleſſe they repent and make full publique Restitution, Satisfaction for this their detestable Sacrilege.

Object.Laſtly, If any Officers or Souldiers pretend, we are now a Conquered Nation; that Conquest makes all ſacred things, prophane and common to the Conquerors; and that Churches may be juſtly ſpoyled of their Materials, Veſſels, Glebes, Tithes, in ſuch a caſe for the pay and benefit of the Conquering Souldiers, as ddGrotius De Jure Belli. l. 3. c. 5.ſome affirm. Therefore they may now juſtly deprive our Miniſters of their Tithes, Glebes, Rectories, Churches, Church-yards, to pay, maintain themſelves and the Conquering Army, yea alter, change our Laws at preſent; as they now attempt, and divers of them openly profeſſe they intend to doe.

I Anſwer,Anſw. 1. That the Lords and Commons, the very laſt Parliament, when they firſt raiſed the Army, in eeExact Collection p. 617.631.their Petition to the late King, ſent to his Excellency the Earl of Eſſex, to the Army, and by him preſented to his Majeſtie Sept. 24. 1642. or ſoon after, uſed this expreſſion. That the prevailing Popiſh party with his Majeſtie, who by many wicked Plots and Conſpiracies have attempted the Alteration of the true Religion, and the antient Government of the Kingdom, the introducing of Popiſh Idolatry and Superſtition into the Church, and tyranny and confuſion into the State, and by corrupting his Councels, abuſing his Power, and ſudden and untimely diſſolving of former Parliaments, had often hindered the Reformation and Prevention of thoſe Miſchiefs. And in proſecution of thoſe wicked Deſigns, had (as the moſt Miſchievous and Bloudy Deſigne of all) drawn his Majeſtie to make War againſt his Parliament and good Subjects of this Kingdom, and to lead in perſon an Army againſt them; as if he intended by Conqueſt (mark the word) to eſtabliſh an abſolute and unlimited power over them. And in their ffExact Collection p. 730.Remonſtrance Nov. 2. 1642. in Reply to his Majeſties Anſwer to their Remonſtrance of May 26. 1642. they charge this as the laſt Doctrin and Poſition of the Contrivers of his Majeſties Anſwer; That the Repreſentative p. 161body of the whole Kingdom, is a Faction of Malignant, Schiſmatical, and ambitious perſons, whoſe deſignes is and alwaies hath béen to alter the whole frame of Government both of Church and State, and to ſubject both King and People to their own lawleſſe arbitrary Power and Government, and that they deſign the ruine of his Majeſties Perſon and of Monarchy it ſelf; and conſequently that they are Traytors, and all the Kingdom with them: (for their Act is the Act of the whole Kingdom) And whether their Puniſhment and Ruine, may not alſo involve the whole Kingdom in concluſion,☜ and reduce it into the condition of a Conquered Nation (mark the words) no man can tell: but experience ſheweth us (as now it doth in good earneſt more than ever) that Succeſſe often carries men not only beyond their Profeſſion, but alſo many times beyond their firſt Intentions. For an Army, Officers then, profeſſing themſelves true born Engliſh men, eminent Godly Saints, preſervers of our Nations Liberties againſt Regal Tyranny and Enchroachments, originally rayſed, Commiſſioned by both Houſes to protect our Lawes, Liberties, Religion, Church, Government, Parliament, Nation, from an intended Conqueſt by the late Kings Army; to eſtabliſh an abſolute unlimited power over us, and from being reduced into the condition of a Conquered Nation, after the total routing of the Kings Army, Power, now at laſt to plead, to averr, we are now a conquered Nation; in reſpect of themſelves, and thereupon to endeavour to eſtabliſh an abſolute unlimited power over us, by altering the whole frame of Government both in Church and State, changing the body of our Lawes yea antient conſtitution of our Parliaments; aboliſhing our very Miniſters Rectories, Tithes, Dues, or diverting them to pay, maintain themſelves; yea now to act over the very ſelf-ſame things, which both Houſes then charged upon the late beheaded King and his Malignant Popiſh Councel; thereby verifying theſe his Predictions of their forementioned deſigns in every Punctilio, (then utterly diſclaimed by both Houſes as the Higheſt Scandal to them, and their ſincere loyal Intentions) and making him a truer Prophet, than their new Merlin, Lilly; will not be only moſt ſcandalous, diſhonourable to them, but monſtrous, treacherous, perfidious, if inſiſted on, or perſiſted in, both in the p. 162Judgement of God, Angels, Men, and their own Conſciences too. Wherefore I preſume on ſecond thoughts, they will diſclaim this Plea both in words and Actions. 2ly. They were all rayſed, waged, Commiſſioned by the late Parliament and well-affected People, not to fight againſt, conquer or ſubdue themſelves, but to preſerve them, their Lawes, Liberties, Privileges, Eſtates, our Churches and Religion against the Common Enemies and Invaders of them. Therefore they cannot ſtile themſelves Conquerors of tho…e Perſons, things they never fought againſt, but only for, unleſſe they will now declare their ſecret intentions, were ever croſſe and contradictory to their open Commiſſions, Vowes, Covenants, Proteſtations, Words, and printed Declarations to God and thoſe that raiſed, waged them for their ſafety and defence alone; and thereby proclaim themſelves the Greateſt Hypocrites under heaven, and therein as treacherous to their own Native Country and thoſe who truſted them, as theaaPurchas Pilgrimage l. 6 c. 5, 6. Heylins Microcoſm p. 146, 147, 613, 614, 756, 757. Mamalukes of Egypt, the Pretorian Soldiers of Rome were to their Lords and Maſters of Old; which I hope they will diſclaim. 3ly. It is a reſolved caſe by the Law of Nature, Nations and War it ſelf, as Grotius proves at large, De Jure Belli l. 3. c. 6. ſect. 8, 9, 10, &c. That things gained by Conquest in a War, ought to redound not to the Officers, Souldiers, Generals, who manage the War, but to the Kingdom, Nation whoſe ſervants they are, and both Commiſſion and pay them their wages, as the Servants, Apprentices gains redound to their Maſters Coffers, not to them. Qui ſentit Onus, ſentire debet & Commodum: being both a Principle in the Law of Nature, Reaſon, and in our Common Law too. Hence bbLipſius de Triumphis, Heylins Coſmography and others.all the Roman Generals and Military Officers, brought all the Silver, Gold, Treaſures, Spoyls of War into the publique Treaſury, putting none of it into their private purſes; and all the Lands, Countries they gat by Conqueſt were the Republiques only, which bore the charges of the War, not the victorious Conquering Generals or Souldiers. Therefore the Officers and Army being Commiſſioned, raiſed only for, and conſtantly paied by the Parliament, people, for the ends aforeſaid, never warring on their own free coſt; what ever Treaſures, Lands, Powers, Spoyls they have gained by their victories, Conqueſts, are of Right the Parliaments, Nations, Peoples p. 163only, not their own; Therefore the Parliament, Nation, people cannot, muſt not be over-awed, uſed, reputed by them, as their meer Conquered Vaſſals, but as their Soveraign Lords, and true Proprietors of all the Territories, Lands, Treaſures, Powers they have gained by their Conqueſts. 4ly. That Conqueſt is no juſt or Lawful Title, was long ſince reſolved by the greateſt Conqueror ever England yet bred, even our famous Britiſh Conquering King Arthur, in the greateſt Parliamentary Councel ever yet held within this Iſle, whereat were preſent no leſſe then 12. Kings beſides King Arthur, and an innumerable company of Princes, Dukes, Nobles, Prelates of the Britiſh, and moſt other Neighbor Nations; as Geoffry Monmouth, Hist. Regum Brit. l. 9. c. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20. records. All theſe, when Lucius Procurator of the Roman Republique, came to demand that antient Tribute reſerved by Julius Caeſar from this Iſle of Britain when firſt Conquered by him, then in arrear; and threatned to levy is by force of Arms, if denied; Meeting together in a great Councel or Parliament ſpecially aſſembled for that end: reſolved, That the ſaid Rent pretended to be due to the Romans from the Britons, becauſe Caeſar by reaſon of the Britons diviſions being invited hither with his forces, enforced them (their Countrie being then ſhaken with domeſtique troubles) to ſubmit themſelves to him by force and violence; could not in Juſtice be demanded of them: becauſe this Tribute being gained in this manner was unjuſtly received. Nihil enim quod vi & violentia acquiritur, Iuſte ab ullo poſſidetur qui violentiam intulit. For nothing which is gained by force and violence, is juſtly poſſeſſed by any who hath offered and done the violence. Irrationabilem igitur cauſam praetendit, qua nos Jure ſibi Tributarios eſſe arbitratur. Therefore he pretends an Irrational cauſe, whereby he ſuppoſeth we are of Right Tributaries unto him. And becauſe he preſumes to exact from us id quod injuſtum eſt, that which is unjuſt, by the like reaſon let us demand a Tribute of Rome from him; and he who ſhall prove the ſtronger, let him carry away what he deſires to have. For if becauſe Julius Caeſar and other Roman Kings heretofore Conquered Britain, he p. 164determines Tribute is now due unto him for this cauſe: I now alſo think, that Rome ought to render Tribute unto me, becauſe my Anceſtors heretofore got it by Conqueſt: Whereupon they all reſolved to aſſiſt King Arthur with their Armes againſt this unrighteous Tribute, and Title to it by Conqueſt; and profeſſed they would ſpend their lives in the quarrel. Ipſa enim mors dulcis erit, dum enim in vindicando Patres noſtros in tuendo libertatem noſtrant, in exaltando Regem noſtrum perpeſſi fuerimus. Wherefore Conqueſt now can certainly be no Juſt, no Lawfull Plea, Title for any of our Officers or Souldiers, which this Greateſt Conqueror and this Great Councel ſo long ſince damned as unjuſt and Irrational. To which I ſhall annex the Reſolution of our aaHoveden Annal pars poſterior p. 561, to 566. Math. Paris Hiſt. Angl. p. 127.Noble King Henry the 2d. and of all the Biſhops, Abbots, Peers, Earls, Barons of England aſſembled in a Parliamentary General Councel of the Realm at Weſtminſter, An. 1126. to determine a Controverſie between Alfonſo King of Caſtile, and Sancho King of Navarre, concerning divers Caſtles and Territories in Spain, won by War and Conqueſt by Sancho King of Navarre from Alfonſo, whiles he was a Pupil and Orphan; which they both ſubmitted to their final determination, who having heard both parties, unanimouſly reſolved; that theſe Caſtles and Lands ſhould be reſtored to Alfonſo, by King Sancho, with all their bounds and appurtenances: quia per Bellum violenter & injuſte abſtuliſſet: becauſe he had violently and unjuſtly taken them away by War: which reſolution was confirmed under the Kings Great Seal, and ſent unto theſe Kings. Therefore Conqueſt alone can be no juſt, no legal Saintlike Right, Title to any Lands, Poſſeſſions, Powers▪ violently, unjuſtly gotten, claimed by Wars by our Swordmen now, after theſe two antient famous Parliamentary Reſolutions in point, even between foreign Conquering Princes, much leſſe then between thoſe Native Engliſhmen, who raiſed, waged our Army and Officers to defend, not conquer them in a meer inteſtine civil War. 5ly. ****See Sr. John Davis Reports f. 40, 41, 42.William Duke of Normandy, Edward the 3d, Henry the 4th, Edward the 4th, and Henry the 7th, though they all came to the Crown by the Sword and Conqueſt of their Competitors, p. 165yet they never claimed the Crown nor Kingdom by Conqueſt, but Title only; nor eſteemed the Engliſh, Iriſh, or Welch a conquered Nation, nor altered our antient Government, Laws, Liberties, Parliaments, or Miniſters Tithes and Maintenance, but confirmed them, as all our Histories manifeſt in their Lives, and Statutes made by them in the beginning of their reſpective reigns atteſt, & I have aaPage 75, 76. Hoveden Annal. pars poſterior, p. 600, 601, &c.formerly proved in the caſe of William commonly ſtiled the Conqueror, who ratified all our Liberties, Laws, Cuſtoms, Franchiſes preſented to him upon Oath, without the least alteration, diminution, or prevarication, to the peoples Great content. Yea, King Henry the 4th. as Placita Coronae, rot. Parl. 1 H 4. n. 17. record; did in the firſt Parliament held by him after his Conqueſt of Richard the 2d. make this memorable Declaration to his people, entred in that Roll. That he claimed the Realm and Crown of England with all their Members and Appurtenances as right heir thereto by Bloud, by Deſcent, and by the right God had given him, through the ayd of his Parents and Friends for to recover the ſaid Realm, which Realm was upon the point to be undone for want of Government and abrogating of the Laws and Cuſtoms of the Realm. And that it was not his will, that any ſhould think, that he would by way of Conqueſt diſinherit any one of his Heritage, Franchiſe or other Right which he ought to have, nor to out (or deprive) any man of that he had or ſhould have by the good Laws or Cuſtomes of the Realm (all which he confirmed by a ſpecial Act before 1 H. 4. c. 1.) but only thoſe who were againſt his good purpoſe, and the common profit of the Realm, and were guilty of all the evil come upon the Realm, and were adjudged guilty thereof in that Parliament, as Sir William Le Scroop, Sir Henry Green, and Sir John Baſſy, whoſe Lands only he would have by Conqueſt, as forfeited by their Treaſons. Whereupon the Commons thanked the King, and prayſed God that he had ſent them ſuch a King and Governour. Upon all which Conſiderations, and the Reſolution of learned bbDe Jure Belli. l. 3. c. 14. ſect. 10, 11, 12. & Annotata, p. 538, 539, 540.Grotius, with others quoted by him; That by the very Laws of War even thoſe who are conquered by foreign Enemies, ought to enjoy by permiſſion of the Conquerors, their own Laws, Liberties, Magiſtrates, Religion, and a ſhare in their Government, (much more in ſuch a Civil War as ours, where the Souldiers, Generals can pretend p. 166no Conqueſt over thoſe who raiſed, waged them for their juſt defence againſt Conqueſt, and Invaſion of their Laws, Liberties, Government, Magiſtrates, Rights, Privileges) I hope thoſe vaporing Officers, Souldiers who have formerly cried up, pleaded, practiſed this pretended Title of Conqueſt amongſt us, and uſed many of their former Maſters, Raiſers, and the whole Nation, more like to conquered enſlaved People, than their fellow Chriſtian Brethren and Freeborn Engliſhmen, who have paid them ſo well for all thoſe Services they imployed them in; wi…l henceforth totally renounce this their falſe uſurped Injurious Plea, Title; and no more perſiſt under pretext thereof, to deprive our Miniſters, Church, Peers, Parliaments, Nation of their very Native Freedomes, Liberties, Franchiſes, Rights, Laws, Government, Lands, Poſſeſſions, which they were purpoſely commiſſioned, waged, and by all Sacred all Civil Obligations, Truſts, Oaths, Vowes, Proteſtations perpetually engaged to defend againſt the leaſt violation or Innovation, without their free and full conſents in a due and lawfull Parliament freely elected by them, not forcibly obtruded on them without their choiſe or privity. Yea I truſt they will be ſo juſt, ſo righteous towards me (ſo great a Sufferer by, under them only for diſcharging my Conſcience and bounden duty towards my God, our Church and Native Country of England) as no waies to be angry with me, or Injurious towards me for this my New Goſpel Plea (interwoven with a Legal and Rational) for the Lawfulneſs and Continuance of the antient ſetled Maintenance and Tithes of the Miniſters of the Goſpel, and the good old Fundamental Laws and Liberties of the Nation; which their preſent buſie Endeavours to aboliſh, alter, ſubvert, beyond, yea againſt their Truſts, Commiſſions, Callings, have neceſſitated me now to publiſh to the world, to preſerve our Church, State, Miniſtry from new Combuſtions and Impendent ruine: but rather found a Retreat from theſe their Heady Proceedings (which I fear the Jeſuites with their Confederates the Anabaptiſts, have engaged them ſo deeply in, to work as well their own as the publick ſpeedy ruine both of our Church, Religion, State, Miniſtry, Nation) and excite them to uſe the ſelf-ſame deportment, words to me (who have no private p. 167deſign nor intereſt of my own or other mens in this my voluntary undertaking, but only the publique Safety and Weal as enraged David did once to Abigail, when ſhe diverted him from his raſh, bloody reſolution to deſtroy Nabal and his family for a Churliſh Anſwer returned to him for his Kindneſs, 1 Sam. 25.32, 33. Now bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael which ſent thee this day to meet me; and bleſſed be thy advice, and bleſſed be thou which haſt kept me this day from coming to ſhed bloud, and to avenge my ſelf with my own hand: But if they ſhall by Gods permiſſion caſt me again bound hand and foot into another fiery Fornace for this my faithfull Service, or not falling down and worſhipping that Golden (or rather Wooden) Image which they have or would now ſet up: I doubt not but that Gracious God, who hath ſo miraculouſly preſerved me in, delivered me out of ſo many (a)(a)1 Pet. 4.12.1 Pet 4:12fiery Trials and Fornaces heretofore, will do the like again hereafter, and that in ſuch a viſible eminent manner, as ſhall enforce them at laſt to uſe thoſe words unto me as Nebuchadnezzar did unto Shadrac, Meſhac, and Abednego after their miraculous preſervation in the midſt of the fiery Fornace into which the most valiant men of his Army caſt them bound by his unrighteous Command, to their own immediat destruction by the flame, without the leaſt hurt to them. Dan. 3.28. Then Nebuchadnezzar ſpake and ſaid, Bleſſed be the God of Shadrac, Meſhac and Abednego, who hath ſent his Angel, and delivered his Servants that truſted in him, and have changed the Kings word, and have yielded their bodies that they might not ſerve nor worſhip any God (or Idol) except their own God. This being an undoubted Truth, which I have ever hitherto found experimentally true from and in my former cauſeleſſe Oppreſſors, (whoſe Erronious Practices, vices I have reproved) recorded by God himſelf and the wiſeſt of all Mortals. Prov. 28.23. He that rebuketh a man (for his faults plainly) ſhall afterwards find more favour, than he that flattereth (him in them) with the Tongue. And that ſaying of the truth it ſelf in ſuch caſes (of difficulty and concernment to the reprover) will ever prove an experimental verity, wherewith I ſhall conclude my Plea, which I deſire may be deeply engraven in the Hearts, Spirits of all timorous, baſe, unworthy Chriſtians, (who dare neither ſpeak nor write their Conſciences, p. 168nor Diſcharge their Duties in theſe times of danger, and will wrong both their Conſciences, Country, Poſterity, yea ſhame their God, Nation Religion to ſave their Eſtates, Lives as they fondly conceit, when they will loſe all with their ſouls to boot, by their baſe carnal fears) Math. 16. 24, 25, 26. Luke 17.33. If any man will come after me, let him deny himſelf, and take up his Croſſe and follow me. For whoſoever will Save (or ſhall ſeek to Save his life, ſo Luke records it) ſhall Loſe it; (and his Tithes, Lands, Liberties with it) and whoſoever will Loſe his Life for my ſake ſhall find it. For what is a man profited if he ſhall gain the whole World and Loſe his own Soul? Or what ſhall a man give in exchange for his Soul? I ſhall cloze up all with this notable Paſſage of our own learned Writer, John Sarisbury againſt ſuch Religious Hypocritical Ciſterſian Monks who in his age ſought exemption from payment of Tithes, and ſeiſed upon the Miniſters Dues about the year 1170. Joannis Sarisburienſis De Nugis Curialium l. 7. c. 21. De Hypocritis, qui ambitionis labem falſae Religionis imagine nituntur occultare—Hi ſunt qui poteſtatibus perſuadentes ut propter vitia perſonarum, jure ſuo priventur Ecclefiae. Decimationes et Primitias Eccleſſis ſubtrahunt, et Eccleſias ipſas accipiunt de manu Laicorum Epiſcopis inconſultis. Hi ſunt qui praedia avita ſubtrahentes indigenis vicos & pagos redigunt in ſolitudinem & in ſuos uſus vicina quaeque convertunt: Eccleſias diruunt & ut in uſus revocant ſeculares, Quae Domus Orationis fuerat, aut efficitur ſtabulum pecoris, aut opilionis, aut Ianificli Officina. Et ut ſe poſſunt plenius exhibere & charitatis implere manus ne decimas dent, Apoſtolico privilegio muniuntur. Miror tamen ut Fidelium pace loquar, quidnam ſit, quod Decimas et Iura aliena uſurpare non erubeſcunt: Inquient fortè, Religioſi ſumus: Planè Decimas ſolvere Religionis pars eſt. Et eas a Deo populus duntaxat religionis (ſolvere) exigitur. Hi adeo religioſi ſunt quod in Decimis vandis derogare poſſunt conſtitutioni Divinae, & in eo licenter minus grati ſunt gratiae Dei quo eam amplioribus beneficiis éxperiuntur.

FINIS.