Gemitus Ecclesiae Cambro-Britannicae: OR, THE CANDLESTICKS REMOVED, By the Ejectment of the Ministers of WALES, under the power of the late Act, for the Propagation of the Gospel there.  
Being a Declaration to All Christian People, and more especially the Reverend Ministers of ENGLAND.  
Expressing the sad Condition of the several Parishes, and Ejected Ministers in that Country.  LAM. 1.12. 
Behold and see, if there be any Sorrow like unto my Sorrow, which is done unto me.  
LONDON, Printed in the year, 1654.   

TO ALL CHRISTIAN PEOPLE, and more especially to the 
* Dr. Jo. Owen Dr. Tho. Goodwin.  Reverend Ministers of the Gospel, and other Commissioners appointed for the approbation of public Preachers, withitn this Commonwealth of England, Grace and Peace be multiplied from the Author thereof, Christ Jesus our Saviour.  
THE poor Ejected Ministers of Wales, (who) have long borne their Griefs in silence, and poured out their complaints in secret before the All seeing and All-knowing God, committing their sad condition to him alone, who searcheth the Heart and Reynes, and will judge their Cause in the balance of his Mercy, and Compassion, Have taken the boldness with the Power of his Blessed Spirit to publish to your Christian Souls, both theirs, and the sufferings of their several Congregations, (who have often called upon them,) and to present the same unto your public view; That the whole Nation of England, and more especially their dear Brothers and Fellow-labourers in the Truth and purity of Christ's Gospel, entrusted with the settlement of his Church-government, may take notice of the Reformation in Wales, and learn by the abuse and miscarriages of persons empowered in that great Work to discover Truth, and walk according to the Rule of God's Spirit, discerning between the true Ministers of the Gospel, the true people of God, and Saintlike Impostors, who have masked the foulest intentions under the fairest pretences.  

1. The Midwifery of the Act for Propagation of the Gospel in Wales.  
In the year 1649. There was an Act passed by the Parliament, Entitled, An Act for the Propagation of the Gospel in Wales. A specious Title; But how fare cunning Heads, and bold Informers may impose upon a Parliament, and abuse a wise Council; This one Act may be a sufficient evidence; teaching others to be more circumspect and cautelous hereafter. For some men of their own Nation, driving more at self ends and interests than the Glory of God, or the Propagation of Christ's Gospel (as the issue of their Actions hath now fully discovered their Aims) did represent, to the Honourable House of Parliament, the condition of Wales as most sad, and deplorable, overspread with Ignorance and profaneness (as the words Run in the said Act;) I As though Wales were still a Land of Darkness, the poor Inhabitants thereof out of Christendom, sitting in the Region and shadow of Death; Which Information (though a frontless untruth in itself, and a shameless Aspersion upon the whole Nation, as we shall show anon,) yet served to bring their ends about, who framed it. The Inhabitants thereof having few Representatives to make known the true state of their Country, For the Parliament in their Charity to the Country, and care of the public good, Did take this Land of Darkness into Consideration, And did put the Act above mentioned upon the Anvil to be framed and filled for the Work, pretended and desired.  
This was the Midwifery of this Act, and the manner of bringing it to the Birth.  
Now for the Munagery thereof, and how it was executed, we intent herein to declare with all Plainness, Sincerity and Candour, and with as much Charity towards the Actors, as the truth of the Relation will permit.   

2. Concerning the ignorance, and profaneness, cast upon the Nation.  
But we will first speak something to the Ignorance, Heathenism, and Profaneness cast upon the Nation by those, that did own better Offices to their Country, and then proceed what we chief intent in this Narration.  
And we say first (and speak it to God's Glory, and not our own) That not only our Nation was converted to Christianity as soon almost as our Saviour suffered; But also the Countries of Wales are by the blessing of God, and the light of the Gospel of Christ Jesus civilised in a very good measure, 
1. A vindication of the Laity.  and in an equal degree to divers places of England; The Gentry are Men of Knowledge, Religion, and Breeding, most of them having had their Education in the best Schools and Universities of this Land; And the Commonalty generally careful to bring up their Children in Private Schools. So that they are fare from that wild Heathenism, and brutish Ignorance, which these Men have injuriously aspersed th●m with.  

2. Of the Ministry.  And in the second place for the Ministry, (To pass by many Apostolical Martyrs, and Planters of Religion here among us,) We say, That the Ministers of these Countries were not so few, nor so illiterate, nor so idle in their Function and Ministry, That any should fear the people (committed to their charge) were in a perishing state. Some of our own Nation (for a man's worst foes are of his own Household) Have Preached, and also Printed it for a preparative to the said Act, and to bring this Trojan horse into their Country; That there were not thirteen painful Preachers in the thirteen Counties of Wales. God is merciful, and may pardon Pulpit-slanders, and untruths, which are delivered openly in the face of Divine Majesty; But how great an untruth this is, we could soon evince if we were pleased (not speaking of divers most painful and Reverend Ministers therein of former times, and in our memory) To give here a List of the Doctors, Bachelors of Divinity, Masters of Acts, and other able men of Inferior degree in the Universities, that were lately planted in these parts, whose Doctrine dropped as the Rain, and made the Mountains of Gilboah fruitful.  
A great noise was made about the scandalous and illiterate Ministers of Wales. We do confess as in the neatest Gardens, there are some weeders, so there might be such in the Country; for there is, and ever will be in all Professions some that are scandalous to their Profession, yet there were fewer of these, than the Report made them. But there were scandalous Live too in these Countries, as well as scandalous Ministers, and those produced these. There were Vicaridges of twenty Marks a year and under that; There were Impropriators that would have Curates of the cheapest rate they could get, and every Parish was ambitious to have a Peculiar Minister; For Pluralities of Benefices was not long since as great a sin as Pluralities of Wives, though now an Itinerant may supply twenty; So these small means could have Men but of small Abilities. But those Benefices that were Presensative, and were endowad with competent maintenance, They were filled with able Teachers, whose lips did preserve knowledge, and whose Lives were consonant to their Doctrine.  
If the Gentlemen of the Ecclesiastical Commission, had trimmed the Lamps of the Church, or snuffed the Candles that burned dim, if they had spurred up the Lazy, and sharply admonished those that were fallen, if they had winnowed the Chaff from the Wheat; purged out the scandalous Ministers only, they had done God and the Church good service, but we have found their ends and aims to be fare more mysterious; Satan desiring not to Winnow out the Beneficiaires, but the Benefices, not Ministers, but their Live.   

3. The managing of the Act.  
But to return from this Digression into the Road, where we left. And to show how the said Act was managed, and put in Execution.  
For the better Propagation of the Gospel in this Country, the Ministers of the Gospel must be extirpated. This was Resolved on by some of the Commissioners (entrusted for that Work) before hand; we could name the place, where they entered into this holy League; And their own Tongues discovered their Resolutions.  
For one of them, and one of the highest form too, and who indeed was (Ecclesiae pestis & fundi nostri calamitas) the Ruin of our Church, could say to a Petitioning Minister, 
Major Gen. Harrison.  That his face was against all of the Order.  
Another could say, That All of them must be taken off from their Cures, and this man was the Hand of this Committee, as the other was the Mouth. A third (when a Minister did crave his favour) said, it was in vain to strive, for All were to be Outed first or last. And a fourth, (and he a Preaching Property, belonging to the Work) Did often Preach, That the Son of the Bond woman, must not inherit with the Son of the Freewoman, which Text he hath since more clearly expounded, by putting this in practice, and casting them out of their Inheritance.  
Thus according to the Westphalian Law, their Judges had passed their Sentence upon them, before any offendor was brought to the Bar, their Profession was declared Antichristian, and unlawful, and their Calling a Crime; For many were Ejected, and they know not as yet, wherefore, but because they were Ministers. Eusebius complains, that Dioclesian took away the Presbyters, But Julian the Presbytery; So here the Axe is laid to the Roo● of their Calling, to hue down, and level the very Function; If it were not so meant, surely some of the old Clergy might have been thought worthy and fit to keep their Stations. For all had not corrupted their ways, all were not scandalous, nor illiterate, nor dumb Dogs, as their common phrase and application was before their Ejectment.  
Now as in the case of Naboth, though his Vineyard was already forfeited in Ahabs thoughts, who was resolved to have it, yet to compass it more plausibly, there must be legal proceed to condemn his person: Sons of Belial must be h●d to prove the pretended Crime, that so he might commit. Murder and Robbery, in the habit of a Judge: So here in their business, though their Judges had already prejudged them, and others had already cast Lots upon their Inheritance, and divided the spoil, (which was the chief Propagation of the Gospel, that some aimed as, and the only thing that made them all criminal) yet to give the matter some gloss, and tincture of Justice, it must be carried on in the form of a Legal Process.   

4. The Itinerants became Captains.  
Observe how warily they proceed. That the Action may be better countenanced, and attended, Commissioners are obtained by such as were to be Itinerants, Gospel's Preachers (as they are termed) and some of them approvers nominated in the Act. They raise Horse and Foot in most Counties, especially in South-wales, with which they suppress the poor Ministers, and discourage, and affrighten their several Congregations from following and assisting them; That this great Work may go on, and be more vigorously put in execution, with such Instruments, the cry of the Children Sacrificed unto Moloch, must be drowned and suppressed, we believe they have left but few other Monuments of their valour unto posterity. We could name their persons, and Counties, and Actions, but that we are resolved neither to digress, nor stigmatize them.  
The first thing they do, is to disarm the Ministers, by disabling them of any means of defence; And to perform this the better at a private meeting of some of the Commissioners; All Tithes in general were sequestered in the County of Radnor, before any of the Ministers are questioned; Thus they are sent to the Field without weapons, They may sue and Appeal, but they shall do it, sub formâ Pauperum, poor Men, they are exposed to ruin without Mercy, being utterly deprived of any means either of subsistence or defence.   

5. Registers, Solicitors, chosen.  
This being done, and All obstacles Removed, Registers are named, Articles must be exhibited, Solicitors must be appointed to receive Accusations, and Witnesses must be examined with all closeness, and secrecy without their knowledge or privity; Yet there is neither Commissioner, nor Register, nor Solicitor, nor any other Officer sworn, nor any set Examiner of all: And who are their Accusers, ad Witnesses against them?   

6. Who are Accusers, and Witnesses against them.  
Truly they, who enjoyed their Houses, or Glebes, or Tithes (A tender of a good bargain of any parcel of their Tithes, being made to such as would join with them to do this great Work they had in hand.) And judge you, whether that Hellish Aphorism was not put to the uttermost? Calumniare fortiter, & aliquid inhaerebit.  
They are Resolved to brand them deeply, That their Marks may appear, being spiteful Accusers to suggest any thing, And such bold Witnesses, that no want of proof might frustrate the Ejectment.  

1. They laid to their charge things that they knew not Psal. 35.11. Contrary to all Verity, struunt de proprio calumnias innocentiae.  
2. They wrested their words, Psal. 56.5. contrary to all Ingenuity.  
3. And they pressed the very rigour of the Letter of the Act against them, being not the intent and sense of the Enactours, contrary to all Equity.   
The smallest offences of 20 or 30 years standing, were freshly Arraigned as Capital Crimes, and their least Infirmities were unpardonable, without any respect, had either to their Abilities, fidelity in their Callings, or submission to that present Government.  
Thus they pursued them so hard, That they could not give them over, as long as they had any thing worth the losing.  
Sic Reus omnis orit, de quo victoria lucro  
Esse potest— Ovid.  
When they or their distressed Wives came to the Doors, either to Petition, or to hear their accusation (though their good Names, and Being lay at the stake) yet they are violently thrust back, or scornfully abused, and trampled upon by the Itinerants' Soldiers, prepared for these insolences.  
How then could they choose, but be found Guilty, when they had been long before condemned; And so by this formal kind of Judicature (this pomp and Ceremony of Justice) they thought they had sufficiently satisfied the people, though we confidently believe, they had either lulled asleep, or seared up their own consciences.  
But to make up the Scene and solemnity of this Assize, A Preacher 
* Va powel preaches a railing Sermon.  must come in to Act a part, and that trust be the Devils' part, To be an Accuser of the Brethren, Rev. 12.10. and to do that, which Michael durst not do against the Accuser himself, that is, bring a railing accusation against him; And that in the Pulpit, and in numerous Assemblies and concourse of people come together from several Counties, 
Jud. 9  Reviling them as the worst and vilest of men, and condemning them for unsavoury Salt, 
Mat. 5.13.  fit only to be thrown into the Dunghill, and to be trodden upon. When we call to mind King David's enemies, whose Tongues were Spears and Arrows, and Razors, and sharp Swords, as though their Mouths had been an Armoury or Magazine; This man was not inferior to them for such Artillery, and was as free of them as they were, which he shot at all of the profession, without any distinction, There was not one Grape of the cluster good and sound.  
O Modesty and Charity, where are ye fled? O the mercy, and goodness of God, and the cruelty of men?  
His chief Aime and task was to Murder their good names, and to possess the people how justly they were divested of all their fortunes, putting them in all the deformed shapes he could invent, to stir up the people to a hatred of them and their calling, accounting them (as another of that rank did.) To be men, forsaken of God and man.  
Thus as the Ancient Christian Martyrs, they are transformed into other shapes, and clad in the Skins of wild Beasts, that they might be sooner fastened upon, and torn in pieces.  
But we will pass over this hired Balaam, for which he received the wages of unrighteousness; And when you hear that he railed for that, you may suppose he did it to some purpose, though he was a stranger in the Country, where he Preached, and knew not one of the Ministers (by face) he did so roundly rail against: but we find now, it is his Pocket-Invective, through which he travaileth, seeing his present Highness the Lord Protector, his sage Council, the Commanders, Officers and Soldiers, have not escaped him; what could the poor Ministers, (whose calling he accounteth uscles and Antichristian) expect at his hands.  
This was the course and Method of the Propagation of the Gospel in Wales.   

7. The Poverty of the ejected Ministers.  
And now their Persons b●ing thus defamed, and their Means Sequestered, they are exposed to Poverty and want in their old Age, and are like to bring their grey hairs with sorrow to the Grave, most of them having not as much as a House to put their heads in, but during pleasure, which was but a sickle Tenure, considering the affection and quality of their Landlords, they could nor be Tenants to their means, they were denied not only their Tithes, but also their Gleabes and Houses upon Rent. Nay a Command was given by the Commander in chief 
* Major Gen. Harrison.  (then) among them, for the Tumbling of them out of their Houses, to use his own words, of which command many felt the execution; And so were unhoused, as well at unchurched. The Prophet Jeremy compained that his Countrymen, Drank their Water for money, and their Wood was sold unto them, that is, 
Lam. 5.4.  they were feign to pay for their own, But these found harder usage than they: They could not have their own for Money.   

8. The fift either denied or undervalved.  
And to complete their M●series to the uttermost of their endeavours, Though there was Provision made by the Act for Propagation, for a Fift part towards the maintenance of their Wives, Children and Families, yet by the undervaluations made by the merciless Sequestrators, and their Farmours, and the tedious Petitioning to the Commissioners for the obtaining thereof (which wearied them and their poor Wives, with many hopeless journeys, and doubtful Answers.) They brought it to nothing, but labour and expense unto them, so that their Condition herein being like those Inhabitants of a Town in Holland, who upon surrending were promised their lives by the D. of Alva but after delivery they were starved to Death, they were Resolved (having spent the Water in their Bottles) to lay down their Wives and Children before the Lord, lifting up their voices and weeping before him, 
Gen. 21.15, etc.  hoping that the time of their Deliverance is at hand.   

9 The Appeal a remediless course.  
But you will say they were justly and legally outed, and ejected, otherwise why did not they take the benefit of Appeal?  
It was a remedy worse than the disease, The manner of their proceeding, according to the said Act being as followeth.  

1. Five Commissioners Examine and Eject.  
2. Twelve, upon the Ejected's Complaints, were to Review and Determine.  
3. The twelve Commissioners upon the Ejecteds Appeals, were to transfer and Certify the proceed to the Committee for Plundered Ministers.   
Now the Twelve did seldom meet, living remote, the one from the other, and the time and place of their meeting, was not usually published, nor generally known.  
And suppose that the twelve did meet: was it probable That they who adjudged the Cause would transfer and certify against their own Judgements? And there was no Provision in the Act to enforce them, in case they refused: But suppose they should transfer and certify the Proceed, yet the Act disabled the Appellants to examine any more Witnesses (whereas many of their depositions might be laid down contrary to the examinants intentions; most of them being illiterate persons, and ignorant of the English Tongue) and were thereby made uncapable of their just defence; so that being once ejected, they receive small benefit by their Appeals.  
Nay if any that conceived himself aggreived therein, did seek any Remedy in Law, which is afforded to all others the free People of the Nation: The Commissioners named in the said Act (as they were Commissioners of Indemnity,) Had Power to enforce Obedience, and Submission to their Orders, stop all the proceed of the ejected Ministers: And Indemnify themselves, and their Agents for any thing done by colour of the said Act.  
Who can find out a Clue in such a labyrinth to lead him forth? This we may boldly say, That the Profoundest subtleties of the ambiguous, and intrapping Articles of some former projects (which we leave to your thoughts) cannot outbid the Invention and Contrivement of this remediless Dilemm of Appeal.   

10. They are commanded not to preach.  
But this is not all, They are thought not to be sufficiently punished, by being deprived of their means, but they must be rob of their calling also; Being straightly threatened and commanded not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus; so that for their Talents what over they are, They are charged to lay them up in their Napkins, or bury them under ground, for with their leaves they must not use and employ them, though they earnestly did, and do desire to continue their pains in God's Vineyard freely, expecting their reward from the Lord of the Vineyard only, but it would not be granted.   

11 Keep School.  
Nay when some of them resolving by God's Assistance to obey God rather than men, did hold forth the word of truth unto thousands of people, who to this day endure a Famine thereof; They were drawn by the necks out of the Pulpits, abused, threatened, and imprisoned: and when others went about to keep private Schools, for the support of themselves and Families, they were straight commanded to supersede from that employment: And we must tell you, it was not safe to disobey such Ruling Masters.   

12 The Parishes not supplied.  
Among all this their Complaints, we may not forget those of their respective Congregations, who are forced to pay their Tithes more exactly than ever they did before; And yet have nothing in lieu thereof, neither the comfort of Praying, and Preaching, nor Sacraments, nor visiting the sick, nor of any decency of Burial, for few or none are substituted to these Offices in the rooms of those that performed them: And for the number of the Itinerants in each County, (whose Fathers had designed them to other vocations,) they do go up and down the Country to preach where, and when they please themselves: so that men are glad to hear a Sermon in some places once in a twelve month, and in most places once in a month; That were wont to have one at least, every Lord's Day.— Ei succus pecori & lac subducitur agnis.  
The Children cry for Bread (the Bread of life) and there is none to give it them, or else instead of Bread they have but a Scorpion, and are fed with Poison instead of Manna, and wholesome food, to wit, the poison of false Doctrine, Heresy and Sedition, being leavened with the sourest Tenets of Anabaptism, and whose ways (as is now too apparent) are destructive to Magistracy, as well as Ministry, which they boldly vent among their hearers.  
And this is a plain and brief Account of the Prosecution, and Managery of the Act for the better Propagation of the Gospel in Wales; and let all Christian people judge What Propagation this was.   

13. Conclusion.  
But if this Relation stagger any man's Faith, or may seem to him like those Marandae auditiones of Aristotle, more like a fiction 
Sen.  then real truth (Majora veris monstra vix capiunt fidem) we make bold to protest with the Apostle, That we take God to Record upon our Souls, we have delivered nothing but truth, passing by many Indignities, and Affronts, with divers Acts of cruelty, unfit to be acted by any towards their fellow Creatures, much more towards their fellow Christians; And since they will not give them leave to Preach, They will take leave to pray, That since they have no part nor portion left them in the Land, That God would be their Lot, an their Portion, and then they shall not want, that he would grant them to run with patience the Race that is set before them, looking up to Jesus the author and finisher of their Faith. 
1●. Tim. 1.13. Heb. 12.20.  And that he would bless their Widowed Congregations, and guide them with his Holy Spirit, That they may hold fast the form of Doctrine, which was once delivered unto them; And that the great Shepherd of the Sheep, would continually Lead and Govern them, To whose Gracious care and Protection, they do hearty Recommend them in their Prayers.  

1. That the reverend Ministers of England would commiserate the Ministers.  And do earnestly beseech you (the Reverend Ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in England) to lay to heart, and be grieved for the affliction of your poor joseph's, the ejected Ministers of Wales. And to be a means (at least) that their Wives and Children may enjoy a competency of livelihood, and subsistence, and that they may understand what hath been laid to ch●ir Charge, and be made capable without expense (being wholly disabled) to make their answer thereunto.  

2. And Churches of Wales.  O! mou●ne for the affliction of your disconsolate Sister: Is it nothing to you that pass by? Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto he sorrow. All beauty is departed from her Zion, 
Lam 1.12.  the Lord hath taken away the Tabernacle, destroyed his places of the Assembly, and caused the solemn Fast, and Sabbaths to be forgotten among them: 
Lam. 2.6.  Is this nothing to you?  
O! She is your little Sister, and she hath (now) no Breasts, 
Can. 8.8.  What will ye do for your Sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?  
O comfort her by the Comfort, 
2 Cor. 1.4.  wherewith ye yourselves have been Comforted of God; Plead her cause, as the Lord hath pleaded yours. For if it had not been the Lord, who was on your side (may now the Ministers of England say) if it had not been the Lord, who was on your side, 
Psal. 124.1.2.  when their Enemies risen up against you also; Then they had swallowed you up, and those proud Waters had overwhelmed, and gone over your souls.  
But praised be God, who hath raised you a Mighty deliverer in the Day of your trial, and praised by the God of your Salvation.  
FINIS.