TO Doctor SEAMAN, Doctor BURGESS, AND The reſt of the Miniſters FOR TYTHES.

I Have been a Miniſter of the Church of England, as you are; Maſter of Arts of both Univerſities, and might have been Dr. in Divinity as well as you, had I ſo much mony, as the Miniſters have in their purſes.

But coming laſt Wedneſday to the Committee for Tythes, I expected there the Miniſters for Tythes,Sept. 2. to hear what they could ſay for themſelves. A Commit­tee for Tythes is a proper name, Honourable and honeſt men, being on a debate for Tythes on a civil account in point of Law: but Miniſters for Tythes is ſuch a thing, and Miniſters of the Goſpel to demand it as their ſpiritual due, its ſuch a monſter, that it made my Welſh blood to riſe at your Engliſh religion. I heard3 that Dr. Seaman was that day to prove himſelf and his fellows Miniſters of the Goſpel: but becauſe he is a Godly man, and may ſerve to make a Chaplain for the Navy at Sea, I ſhall rather deal with Dr. Burges, becauſe he is a landed man, and has a great deal of money, being the better Sailer, who can ſhift his Sail and turn with the winde:Rev. 18.17. for as the Miniſters are Merchants; ſo they are thoſe Ship-maſters and Seamen, who have all the trade this day. Truly, I will not meddle with Dr. Burges his money, nor covet his Achans wedge; onely becauſe his Babyloniſh Garment is ſo thredbare, I took him once for a poor Sir John, or Welſh Curate, not for a Dr. or rich Divine, he was ſo meanly clad. No wonder that he and his brethren Petition for maintenance, for the Rich Miniſters are the pooreſt Men of the Nati­on; but becauſe I ſee the Prieſts and Univerſity-Do­ctors joyn together for Tythes, I'll tell them a Gene­va note worth their learning, Act. 6.9. The firſt bloo­dy perſecution of the Church of Chriſt, began from a coun­cil of Prieſts, with the ſuggeſtion of Univerſity-Doctors. And I believe the laſt perſecution of the Church, and of Chriſt in the Spirit,The Chur­ches of De­von. Exeter, Baſtabl•, &c. wilbe by ſuch; for as the preſent Churches comply with the Presbyters in this of a ſet­led maintenance, ſo this being onely by Tythes, or ſome like thing, theſe muſt be accounted perſecuters of the Spirit as well thoſe. I will not ſpeak of men, how much they ſuffer by this, but the blood of God is ſhed this way, yea ſhed in vain, when made but the blood of a dead man. Act. 20.28. Rev. 16.3. Joh. 19.24. Act. 1.4, 5.'Twas water and blood came forth from Chriſts ſide in his death, to ſhew that the Spirit of life, or living water was ſhed forth with it; as 'tis expreſt Act. 2.32. the promiſe of the Father and power from on high, or Baptiſm3 of the Spirit,Act. 13.2. being onely that which conſtituted a Goſple-Church, and made Miniſters of Goſpel; to go forth without this, is not onely to deceive men, but to deny God, to crucifie Chriſt, to ſtifle the Spirit, and ſtrangle the babe, even the new-born glory,Zach. 2.5, 6, 7, 8. Dan. 7.27. beginning to riſe on the Saints of the moſt High.

The Saints of the moſt high being men whom the Mi­niſters know not, I ſhal forbear to buſy their heads with this, only becauſe the Committee have buſineſs enough beſides, and better work to do then to wait on Mi­niſters for Tythes, therefore I ſhall propoſe two words to their Honours conſideration.

1. That you have not the Miſſion,

Nor 2. 1 Tim. 4.14. 2 Tim. 1.6.The Maintenance of Goſpel-Miniſters this day.

I ſay, not the Miſſion nor Commiſſion of Chriſt; becauſe no gift of the Spirit by laying on of hands. You are all Antichriſtian Prieſts, and Parliament-converts at beſt: I ſpeak not of your perſons, but of your pro­per office, 'tis Antichriſtian: being made Miniſters by holy orders, Deacons and Prieſts, therefore you plead for Tythes, having not repented of your Epiſcopal ordination, nor publikely diſowned your Miſſion by them. Ezek. 45.10, 11Thus being not aſhamed of your whoredoms, nor putting away the carcaſes of your Kings (or Biſhops) you cannot ſee the pat­tern of the Houſe of God, the faſhion and form thereof, the going out, and the coming in thereof, and the ordinances thereof.

Secondly, What are you but Parliamentary con­verts? not like Maſter Stronge, who was of the Kings Army, a Cavalier Chaplaine, now an Independant Paſtor; but you are ſo weak, that you are faln not onely from your old profeſſed forms of Pariſh Churches, Com­mon-prayers,4 mixt communions, &c. but far below French and Scots Presbytery, who live not by Tithes (as you do, like legal Prieſts) nor having any tincture of a Prieſtly Ordination.

Secondly, As your Miſsion, ſo your maintenance is not according to the Goſpel, being meerly by cuſtome, compulſion, or compact with the people, contrary to the ex­preſs command of Chriſt, and practice of the Apostle, who lived (next to God) on the Free contribution of the people.

Firſt,Matth. 10.9, 10. ſaith Chriſt, The laborer is worthy of his hire, that is, when he ſent them forth without money in their purſe; therefore money, or a cuſtomary pay, is not according to Chriſt.

Secondly, If we have ſewen ſpirituals is it a great thing that we ſhould reap your carnal things? 1 Cor. 9.11.Mark, this is ſaid onely to the Church. Again, if to the world, thoſe who have received ſpirituals ought to return their temporals, elſe how can Miniſters in reaſon ſeek to reap where no fruit grows? Again, if any of the unconverted world, are willing to give, 'tis God and not man, Who can hinder their free-gift?

Thirdly, ſaith the Apoſtle, Even ſo hath the Lord or­dained that they which preach the Goſpel,1 Cor. 9.14. ſhould live of the Goſpel. True, 'tis ordained of God, not by Ordinance of Parliament. Again, you muſt Preach the Goſpel; that I queſtion,Eph. 3.3, 5. Col. 4.3, 4. and you can never anſwer (as I'lle tell you another time) the Goſpel being a Myſtery you know not, nor can manifeſt to men. Againe, to live of the Goſpel, is not by cuſtome, compulſion, or compact from people, but by divine providence, on that power and love of God in Men, to whom the Goſpel is preached, who would freely give, if you had that glad tydings to teach. 5But becauſe you ſtill oppreſs their eſtates and ſpirits by your legal teaching and Tythes;1 Cor. 9.18. therefore you are far from making the Goſpel without charge: which Scripture you dare not mention to the Committee.

Laſtly, let it appear to the Parliament and people of the Nation, that you are Miniſters of the Goſpel, that you have a Miſſion and Commiſsion from Chriſt, and the maintenance of Chriſt alſo; you may have liber­ty to preach the Goſpel freely, and go where you will, which is more then ever your forefathers ſaw, and a greater favour then any Governors of England gave to the godly preachers or people of God.

If you'l plead ſtill for Tythes as your right by law of the land, much more might the Biſhops do for theirs; who had the law for them, yet no lawyer to plead their cauſe: theſe fell to a worſe condition then you are yet, having not the fifth, nor a farthing of all their Lordly revenues allowed for their wives and children: The ſame wrath is coming on you apace, if love carry you not forth freely to Miniſter the Goſpel to men: but this you cannot do, therefore you muſt dye in want, though you are never ſo wealthy, that's your doom. Ah bleſſed God! how good men, and godly Miniſters are diſcovered this day? Sure 'tis the day of God, becauſe 'tis the diſcovery of man,Iſa. 40.5, 6. to make all fleſh bare before him, and the goodlineſs of the fleſh to wither alſo.

The man of ſin, and Myſtery of iniquity muſt be firſt manifest in the Saints (that's a Myſtery indeed) I mean fully manifeſt: 'twas revealed in part before,Iſa. 40.5, 6. in the Po­piſh and prelatique Clergy. Again, 'twas no diſpute, but their own diſcovery threw them down: That is, by their iniquity, the Myſtery of iniquity came forth. 6'Twas blood in the Papiſts, pride in the Prelates, per­ſecution, covetouſneſs, and cunning deſignes, in the Presbyter and others, makes it appear to All Men, they are no Miniſters of the Goſpel, But Miniſters for Tyths.

I was forced in my Spirit to write this to the world, to whom the Lord God will ſpeak good things, when all the Miniſtry of Man is ſilent.

The Lord will be terrible to them: for he will famiſh all the Gods of the earth: Then men ſhall worſhip him every one from his place, even all the Iſles of the Heathen, Zeph. 2.11.