TO THE Supreme Authority (UNDER GOD) OF THE COMMONWEALTH Of England, Scotland, and Ireland, THE COMMONS in PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED.  
The true and faithful Testimony of William Morris, a late Member of the Army in IRELAND.  
When the wicked rise, men hid themselves, but when they perish, the righteous increase.  
The fear of the Lord prolongeth days, but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.  
The memory of the just is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot  
LONDON, Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate, 1659.   

To the supreme authority (under God) of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, the Commons assemblies in Parliament.  
THe Lord Almighty, whose Name is Holy, whose power no creature is able to resist, hath heard the cry of the afflicted, and the cruelly oppressed Innocent, for his name's sake he hath beheld, and hath not ceased turning and overturning persons and powers, until he hath once more returned the desperate forlorn and sinking concernments of all the Godly in the Nations, into your bosoms, their tossed, tumbled, torn and tottering interest is once more imported into your harbour.  
And indeed the revival of your prestine Authority gins to appear like the resurrection of the just, before whom all the contrary is and must be judged and condemned; and this is seen and felt even by outward observation already in Ireland; O how do the scandalous and persecuting Magistrates, the greedy hirelings, and blind-guides, the profane and bloodthirsty people, even all the cursed briars, thorns, and brambles of all sorts, which of late have sprung up and flourished under the shadow of Henry Cromwell these four years bypast in this Nation now begin to droop, to hang the head and whither, as if their end (which is to be burnt) were near at hand.  
And now that the Lord hath once more put a price into your hands, and given you another precious opportunity, whereby you may be more serviceable than ever to the interest of his beloved Son, who is come forth a light into the World, and after a long and dark night of Apostasy hath arisen and is arising and coming in thousands of his saints (as it is written of him) who are gathered, gathering and to be gathered in this the day of his glorious appearance out of the Egyptian bondage of the mercenary hirelings, and soul-starving pastors, out of all opinions, forms, and practices, professing or profane, into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God, and into the unity of the eternal spirit, that therein they might have fellowship with the Father, and the Son.  
Beware that you turn not the edge of your authority against his Royal seed, who saith, touch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets no harm, yea, those that touch them, touch the apple of his own eye; and Kings hath he rebuked for their sakes, and brought down the mighty before them, And as in former ages and Generations, so in this present hath his mighty arm been stretched out, whereby he hath wrought deliverance for his chosen and redeemed his heritage, and the loftiness of man hath he bowed down, who took pleasure in unrighteousness in transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing from the way of God; fasting for strife and debate, and that they might smite with the fist of wickedness, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of deceit and falsehood, yet covering all over with pretence of reformation and settlement, until judgement was turned away backward, justice stood afar off, truth was fallen in the streets, and equity could not enter, for the wicked were set in high places, the proud were called happy, the greedy hirelings and soul devouring blind guides, the plundering parish Priests exalted against the Lord and against his truth, and upheld in their false Doctrines and cruel oppressions b a Law.  
And he that reproved in the gate was hated, and he that spoke uprightly was abhorred, and he that departed from inequity was made a prey, and many of the faithful in the Nations for their Testimony against the crying atominations of the times, and for tender conscience sake towards God, were thrust into prisons, holes, and corners, and otherwise persecuted, and cruelly entreated (and this was the true state of thecase) until the oppression of the innocent, and the cry of iniquity was exceeding great, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and looking down from the habitation of his holiness and his glory, he saw it, and it greatly displeased him; and his zeal, and his strength, and the sounding of his bowels, and his mercies towards them were not restrained; and after long waiting, and often warning (and things growing worse and worse) at last his wrath break forth and there was no remedy, and his purpose he established, and his decree was sealed; that although that Ruler had been as the Signet upon his right hand, yet would he pluck him off, and rend the government from him and from his house (as formerly he did the government of his people from Saul when he departed from him) and so by his own right Arm made way for you by overturning him, that neither Argument nor Arts nor Arms could overcome.  
And now seeing it is not by your might, nor by your power, but by the wonder-working hand of God alone you are restored; Be you warned from the Lord God Almighty, that you take heed of drinking in the murderous, Cain-like spirit of the greedy and mercenary hirelings, who teach for hire and Divine for sums of money, tithes and other customs (established by the Pope) whose God is their belly, whose glory is their shame, who mind earthly things, whose sacrifice the Lord abhorreth, and it is an abomination to him.  
I say take heed of drinking in that spirit, for it is the wine of fornication which they will be presenting to you in a golden cup of glorious and shining pretences to external holiness, formality, and lip Religion; but it is the cup of the Whore's ebomination, wherewith the Princes and Rulers of the earth, earth have been made drunk in all ages to this very day, by that persecuting generation, who have made themselves even drunk with the blood, and rich spoil of Saints.  
And as ever you expect the presence of the Lord with you, or his blessing upon your Government, beware that ye neither do nor cause nor consent to any act of cruelty against any sort of people in the Nations who have hungering and breathing desires after the clearest and most manifest enjoyments of Jesus Christ, and who are come to see the deceit of the hirelings and blind guides, and for tender conscience sake cannot pay towards their maintenance; And especially the Lords most tenderly affected and beloved friends, the seed of faithful Abraham according to the spirit, who greatly fear and tremble at his powerful word, and are by the scorners of this generation called Quakers; but know you this assuredly, that amongst those people, your greatest and most powerful interest truly stands, and upon your well or evil dealing with them, your welfare, or your ruin doth undoubtedly depend: for the Tabernacle of the Lord of hosts is with them, the Kingdom of his Son is exalted in them, his power and glory is manifested to them, the shout of a mighty King is among them, and all their enemies shall fall before them.  
Wherefore beware you undertake not to defend the hirelings in their opinions imaginations, or practices, touching the worship of God, by your authority, from the examinations, and trials of others who are or may be moved of the Lord to try their spirits and Doctrines, for the true worshippers of the true God did never appeal to any Humane Authority to defend them in their worship from the words of gainsayers, nor never will; but were always ready by sound Doctrines (not by prisons, stocking and whipping) to exhort, convince and silence such as did oppose themselves.  
And herein the late Tyrannical and conscience-oppressing Rulers have much exceeded the cruelty of the Jews; for although the Ministers of Christ (whose manner it was to go into the Synagogues on the Sabbath days, and reason from the Scriptures, persuading the things concerning the Kingdom of God (as his Ministers do in these days) were sometimes haled out and beaten, and brought before Rulers, who in their wills put them in prison, sometimes a day or two or three, and then let them departed; yet we never read that chief Authority or Rulers either of the Jews or Romans did ever so much aggravate their sin or harden themselves against the Lord and against his truth, as to make a Law to defend their teachers from the words of Christ's Disciples, either within or without the Synagogues; but this Apostatising and unbelieving generation have by a cruelly executed Law, upon pain of long imprisonment, fines and grievous punishments of the body, attempted to defend their public hirelings and soul devouring teachers, from the words of Christ's Ministers, who are sent of him to try their spirits and manifest their deceit; and that neither in their public places, nor in their going or returning to nor from them, the hireling must be spoken to.  
O high presumption against the Lord! as if they intended to to limit and circumscribe the spirit and power of the holy One within the bounds of their Arbitrary dictates! as if their Laws could prevent the wind from blowing, or their commands with hold the day from breaking, or their decrees obscure the Son from shining, or their power withstand the flowing of the Ocean, and not be overwhelmed in the vain attempt.  
Beware also that you compel not any by your Laws to pay their tithes or other considerations towards the maintenance of the common hirelings, who do deny them and their Doctrines; but if any sort of people in the Nations will voluntarily make choice such to be their leaders, it is but just, upon grounds of common equity, that, those who follow blind guides at their own peril, should also maintain them at their own charges.  
And so break ye the bonds of the late oppressing taskmasters; and set at liberty those who for several years, bypast have suffered cruel bondage besides the spoiling of their goods: and have not loved their lives unto the death, but given up all for conscience sake rather than betray their testimony, and deny the second Priesthood, Christ Jesus the everlasting high-Priest, (who was not made by the Law of a carnal commandment, but by the power of an endless life:) by whose coming the first Priesthood that took Tithes was changed, and the Law that gave Tithe (as well as that which required sacrifice of burnt-offerings) abolished as Heb. 7. nor can they give any part of the creatures whereof the Lord hath made them Stewards, towards the maintaining and upholding such a Minister, which Christ hath never sent.  
And think it not sufficient that the Saints have liberty to descent from and deny the false and will worship of the common hirelings, and yet must be compelled by Law to give them maintennance, or suffer spoiling; for it were as high iniquity in the sight of God, to cause the Saints to suffer because they cannot give their goods as sacrifice to the Idol, as to cause them suffer because they cannot bow and worship: and it were no loss cruelty to bind them to the one, then to the other.  
And therefore as ever you would be found Innocent before the Lord, and have the work of God to prosper in your hands, or you be prosperous in your undertake, forbear imposing tithes upon any people in the Nations against their consciences or any other Taxes upon his faithful ones towards the maintenance of the hired teachers?  
For this I have received of the Lord, and it is my faithful Testimony to you in the eternal word of truth that shall stand for ever, 

1. That no true Ministers of the true Christ did ever yet take tithes for Preaching, nor never will.  
2. That no true Ministers of the true Christ did ever yet demand or crave a settled maintenance from the chief Authority of any Nation for Preaching, nor never will.  
3. That no true Ministers of the true Christ did over yet accept of (muchless compel) a settled maintenance for Preaching, from such as did deny them and their Doctrine, nor never will.  
4. That no true Ministers of the true Christ did ever yet petition the authority of any Nation to be defended in their doctrines or practices concerning the worship of God by a Humane Law from the gain say of others, nor never will.  
5. That no true Ministers of the true Christ did ever cause men or women to be persecuted, imprisoned, stocked and shamefully entreated, for speaking to them in their meetings, or ask them questions, nor never will.    
And therefore if any sort of people whatsoever they are called, (whether Presbyterians, Independants, Baptists, or Quakers) do come unto you and tell you they are Ministers of Christ, and demand of you a settled maintenance for Gospel Preaching; I do affirm from the Lord, they are to be denied as false witnesses, and no true Ministers of the true Christ.  
For those who are truly sent of him, they neither come to the powers of the earth for maintenance nor a probation; but do approve themselves to that of God in every conscience, and the Gospel doth maintain them.  
They covet no man's gold nor silver nor raiment, but freely as they have received of the Lord they freely give, & unto such Christ faith, He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that despiseth you, despiseth me, and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me; And when they come to a City or a Town, inquire who is worthy and there abide and eat such things as are set before them, for the workman is worthy of his meat; and if any do deny them and their doctrine, shake off their feet as a witness against them; Christ further tells them, he sends them forth as Lambs amongst wolves; and that they shall be brought before Rulers, and persecuted from City to City, and delivered into prisons, and betrayed by brethren and kinsfolk, and friends, and hated of all men for his names sakes and these are true Characters of such as are true Ministers of the true Christ.  
But such as run and were never sent of him, go forth like Wolves among Lambs, tearing, spolling, and devouring such as do not readily put into their mouths; and such were the false Prophets of old, against whom the true Prophets bore their Testimony, such were they that conspired in the midst of Israel, like a Roaring Lion ravening the prey and devouring souls, 
Ezek. 25, 26  taking the treasure and the precious things, & profaning the holy things of the Lord, putting no difference between the holy and profane nor between the unclean and the clean; such were they that eat the fat, and clothed themselves with the wool, & killed them that were fed, but fed not the flock; Such were they that did teach for hire and divine for money: Such were they that the Lord by his prophets calls Greedy dogs, that can never have enough, 
Micha 11. Isa. 56.  which all look to their own ways, every one for his gain, from his quarter.  
And doth not the Nations abound with such at this day, which run and are not sent of Christ? O what Legions of these devouring Locusts have spread themselves upon the earth! and what swarms of them hath the East winds brought into this poor wasted country of Ireland? as if all the Cages of unclean and hateful birds in the Nations had been set open, or Lucifer with his Regiments of unclean spirits intended to set up his kingdom in the midst of us. And these having obtained approbation and commission from the powers of the earth, and Tithes established by a humane Law, and triple damage the penalty of such as do (for conscience sake or otherwise) refuse to pay; Then forth they go like evening wolves, (the greediest of all dogs, ravening after their prey; And than their first enquiry is, not where's the best people but) where's the best benefice? Where's the parish that will yield most profie? Where's the quarter that will yield most gain? etc. And when he hath found out the best he can, then that shall satisfy, because he can get no better; and when he comes to the place, his next enquiry is (not as the Ministers of Christ, (who is worthy, or who is godly, but rather) who is wicked who is the most malicious spiteful man amongst his neighbours, or the most cunning knave in all the parish, that he may make him his Proctor (for no honest man will meddle with such an employment) and such an one must be employed to make a strict enquiry into men's estates, what quantity of corn they have, what wheat, Barley, Oats, Pease, Beanes they have, what Parsneps, Carrots Onions, Leeks, Pottatoes, they have, what cows, Calves and Sheep, and Lambs, & how many Pigs, and Ducks, and Geese, and Hens, they have, lest a tithe Chicken should escape his greedy Chaps. Are these ministers of Christ? And if any of the servants of Christ happen to be within his quarter, who for conscience sake cannot put into his ravenous mouth, then there's a prize for him; and if they have considerable outward estates, (that's the fish he angel's for) they are the people he looks for; Then never was cursed Cavileer more eager to plunder a Roundheads house in time of war, than this greedy hireling is to plunder these Quakers (as he calls them) And then another or two he must procure to go & view their substance and value it at the highest rate; and next teacheth them to break Christ's command, and to swear for him; and thus having sufficiently instructed them in wickedness, and made them sevenfold more the children of Hell than they were before, to the evil Magistrates they go, and there after swearing and for swearing he gets a judgement for triple damage, and so having got a commission to plunder, he than makes havoc; and what ever he finds of outward substance alive or dead that's movable, he sweeps away, not leaving either food to eat or  to cover either old or young, and then casts into prison the bodies of such as they had thus spoiled, and there cause them to be kept until they finished their testimonies with their lives.  
O! How many examples of this kind of lingering Martyrdom hath there been in several places; as may appear in the records of furtering for tithes in England?  
And these and such like are the true characters of the fals● Prophets and Ministers of Anti-christ, and such is the ministry of these Nations at this day, who murder and martyr for their greedy bellies.  
And thus the land is defiled with blood, yea the blood of the Innocent cries to the Lord for vengeance, against unrighteous Laws, unjust and cruel Judges, and above all against the bloodsucking hirelings, and their upholders, against whom the controversy of the Lord is exceeding great, and when the measure of their iniquity is filled, and the sufferings of his saints accomplished then shall the vials of his wrath, and the wine of his indignation be poured out without mixture, and they shall surely drink it, who have drunk up the blood of the innocent, and have had no pity.  
And forasmuch as some of you have tasted of affliction under the late oppressing government, (and with other Noble and public spirited persons in the Nation) have been made the footstool whereby ambition and usurpation might enthrone it self; and arbytrary will and power kept you under bonds, while the plowers made long furrows upon your backs, because of the testimony you bore against the growing iniquities of those evil times; and now that the Lord hath given you liberty, and put the power of doing good into your hands; Remember ye the afflictions of every Joseph, and as feeling members of the miseries of others (who for the exercise of a good conscience towards God) have been left forlorn and fatherless in the Nations, forsaken of the Magistrates generally; all acts of Justice mercy and pity being denied to many of them from men of all estates, even from him that Swayed the Sceptre to him that held the plough, and they given up and exposed as a prey to the lust and spoil of any that would oppress them) let your bowels be enlarged, relieve ye the oppressed, help the helpless, Judge the cause of the fatherless, for herein you judge not for man, but for the Lord, who hath reserved you to stand in the gap in such a day as this is, and not to make it wider. And amongst the flock (whereof Christ Jesus is the true: shepherd) of which you are to have regard in England, let not the tender Lambs, who (in regard of outward habitation) are scattered here and there in this Nation, be forgotten by you; but speedily extend the power God hath put into your hands, to save them out of the mouths of the devouring Wolves, the insatiable hirelings, who are gaping ready to swallow up the heritage of the Lord; And those who have been faithful to the interest of the Nations, and with their lives and all that was dear unto them, waded through hazards and hardships in times of difficulty, and danger for the promoting the good old cause, the advancement of Justice, Righteousness and truth in the earth; have lately been insulted and Tyrannised over by the greedy hirelings, who wait to make a prey upon us; And because for conscience sake we cannot pay them Tithes, the hireling, in whose quarter any of us falls to be, seems to rejoice that he hath such a prize in hand, and glories in the Law that gives him Triple damage, that by colour thereof he might (according to the example of his brethren in England) Sweep away all in a day, and enrich himself with the spoil of the Innocent, O how he lunges for harvest, and boasteth what he will do if Tithes be 〈◊〉 denied him; 〈◊〉 was the case of several of the servants of the Lord (who had been faithful to their country and generation many years) when your authority revised, even ready to be devoured, our goods spoiled, our wives made widows, and our children fatherless by long imprisonments and lingering martyrdom (an cvil reward for our good service) which several of our dear brethren in England have lately undergone, who nevertheless have finished their course with joy, and through many tribulations have passed into everlasting rest; Although their wives and many innocent babes are left behind, surviving monuments of their opressors' cruelties.  
And that it purely is for conscience sake towards God we pay not tithes, you need no other evidence to convince you then the bloody characters wherein the truth hereof hath been so legibly written in these few years, by so many servants of the living God in several prisons in England whose testimonies were sealed with their lives; besides the sufferings of hundreds more, (both here and there) who suffered joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing where they have a better and more enduring substance.  
Wherefore if that gracious spirit of zeal towards God, of righteousness and Justice towards men, of love and meekness towards tender consciences, which formerly was manifest among you be not departed from you, then let it now appear and act for God, that truth and righteousness (the sum and substance of all our hopes and expectations) may be established in the earth, and oppression, tyranny and Injustice (the cause of all our sufferings) be removed; that tender consciences may be relieved, the kingdom of Jesus Christ exalted; and, than generations yet unborn shall call you blessed.  
But if a contrary spirit act and guide you, and you let slip this precious opportunity, and suffer Zion still to languish in the dust, spreading out her hands and there be none will help her, the Lord will send deliverance another way, and innocent blood will be required of you, and your names be numbered among those that the Lord hath overthrown before you,  
Written in Ireland the beginning of 5th Month 1659.  
THE END.