A DESCRIPTION OF The Prophets, Apostles, and Ministers OF CHRIST, And Also Of those called Ministers of England, by men which say they are Ministers of CHRIST, but are found to be Blasphemers and Liars, and none of the Ministers of Christ jesus; and wherein the difference plainly appears, and they made manifest.  
With an Exhortation to the People of England; to forsake them, their Blind-Guides, and to follow Christ jesus, the Shepherd of their Souls; the Way, the Truth, and Life, who saith, come learn of me, for I am meek and lowly, 
My Sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And the good Shepherd goeth before his Sheep, and they follow him, for they know his voice; and a stranger they will not follow, but will fly from him, for they own not the voice of strangers: john the 10. chap.  
Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2.12. Thus saith the Lord, what House will ye build me? and where is the place of my rest? but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word, Isa. 66.1, 2. And dwell with him that is of an humble and contrite spirit, Isa. 57.15. Fear ye not me, saith the Lord? will ye not tremble at my presence? but this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart, they are revolted and gone; neither say they in their hearts, let us fear the Lord our God, jer. 5.22, 23, 24.   
Given forth to undeceive the simple hearted; by him whose Name in the Flesh is, HENRY CLARK.  
LONDON, Printed for Giles Calvert, and are to be sold at his shop, at the Black-spread-Eagle near the West end of Paul's. 1655.   

A Description of the Prophets, Apostles and Ministers of Christ, etc.  
THE Prophets, Apostles, and Ministers of Christ are called and chosen and approved out of God, sent out of their own countries, their father's house and kindred, into all Countries and Cities to declare the message of their Lord and Master Jesus Christ.  
But those called Ministers and Teachers in England, they are only chosen and approved off by men, and not called of God; so that they are no Ministers of Christ, but are men's Ministers, sent forth by men into a particular Parish to preach; but the sheep of Christ them they follow not, nor their voice do they own, because they are strangers and aliens from the life and covenant of Grace.  
The Apostles and Ministers of Christ forsake Father and mother, Brethren and sisters, Wife and children, House and lands, Trades or occupations, honours and pleasures, and delights; deny themselves of all, and take up their cross daily, and follow Christ Jesus whethersoever he goes, and goes where he sends them, as lambs amongst wolves.  
Those called Ministers of England, have not forsaken nor denied themselves of any thing, but enjoy all things, as Father & Mother, Brethren and Sisters, Wife and children, house and land, honours, profits, pleasures and delights, tithes and money, for which they preach in the Parish where they are settled by men, and stay, being not sent thither of God; so that Christ they follow not, but are such who mind earthly things, whose God is their belly, whose glory is in their shame, and are enemies to the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, and therefore are no Ministers of Christ.  
The Apostles, and Ministers of Christ, have a dispensation of the Gospel committed to them, and a command from the Lord Jesus Christ to go into all countries, or nations, to preach the Gospel in every creature, and woe unto them if they preach not that Gospel; which command they obey, and go out into all countries, and provide neither gold nor silver in their purse, nor two coats, neither shoes, nor scrip for their journey, neither staff in their hands, neither are they to stay in a parish to take tithes, gifts, nor rewards, but to go from city to city, and from one town to another, and as they have freely received, so freely give, without taking thought for the morrow, what they shall eat or what they shall drink, or wherewith they shall be clothed, but cast their care upon him, who taketh care and provideth things convenient for them, without taking tithes, gifts or rewards.  
Those called Ministers of England have no dispensation of the Gospel committed to them by the Lord Jesus Christ, neither are they by the Lord of the Harvest, sent to labour in his Vineyard, neither in it do they labour, but are sent by men to preach in a parishes high place, where they being settled, have for their preaching, some 40, 50, 60, 80: or 100 l. a year, which they know of before they will be settled there, which is in tithes, gifts, and rewards, to  themselves in long Robes, and rich Black Attire, and their Wives in Silk, Gold and Silver Lace, Rings, and costly Raiment, with changeable suits of Apparel; and yet with this they are not contented, but seek for gain from their Quarters, and if they can hear of a Parish, whose Minister is dead, or turned out of his place, and if there be but 10, 20, or 30. l. a year more than he had from the people of the parish where he is, if all the means and friends he can make, can and will help him into it, that for his preaching he may get more money, which is the Root of all evil; he will leave his Flock, and like a Hireling fly away, because he is an Hireling, to the other, where none pursues him, or else will seek a Lecturers place, as they call it, in another parish, where he may have 20. or 30. l. a year more, and no further will they go to preach, than for their own advantage, as witness their Funeral Sermons, so called, that when a Rich man or woman is dead, and to be buried, for 10. s. 13. s. 4: d. or 20. s. they will preach a Sermon; but if a poor man or woman die, that hath not 10. s: to give them, they will not preach nor give them praise as they do the rich for their money, when they are dead; therefore it doth plainly appear they are none of the Ministers of Christ, but such as go when they are not sent, and come when they are not called of God, and clothe themselves with the fleece, and feed themselves with the fat, and take no care for their Flock, but for their gain; and such the true Prophets and Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ were, and are, sent to cry woe against.  
The Ministers, Prophets, and Apostles of Christ, they wandered about in sheepskins, and Goatskins, in Deserts, and Mountains, and lad in dens and caves of the earth, and had no certain dwelling place on the earth, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, and suffered cruel mockings, stripes, and imprisonments, having their Legs put in the Stocks, yet were no Vagabonds, Vagrants, nor Wand'ring disorderly idle persons, but Fellow-labourers in the Gospel, whose habitation is with God, and for his sake, who loves them with an everlasting love, and for the people's sakes, women they are contented to spend and be spent; for the gaining of their souls to life, do they suffer all things.  
But the Ministers of England, and Preachers, so called, they set themselves down in a Parish, in one of the best live, and fairest houses therein, or it will not serve their turn, but till they can get a better, or more money, and never go abroad into all Nations, but live at their homes at ease with their wives and children, and friends, eating and drinking of the best of the land, and of the finest of the Wheat, and are merry, taking their pleasures, receiving their profits, Gifts and Rewards, Tithes, & Eeaster Reckon, which comes unto them by the sweat of other men's Brows, themselves feeling no Sorrow, nor being in Trouble, as other men, being invited to Feasts, set uppermost in the room, and are called of men Master, stand praying in Satan's Synagogue, and for a pretence make long prayer, to be seen of men, and think to be heard for their much babbling; but the prayers of the wicked are abomination to the Lord, and he will not hear their prayers, because their hands are full of blood, who murder by consent, for those that put into their mouths they cry peace to, let them be what they will, but those that do not bring unto them, and put in their mouths, they prepare war against, by suing men at Law for tithes, and making distress upon their goods for triple damages, or imprisoning their bodies, to the 〈◊〉 undoing of them, their wives and families, which the Apostles and Ministers of Christ never did, nor had any command so to do, and where the life and power of Godliness appears in any to their faces, they so hate them that live in it, that they stir up both Magistrates and people to hail them out of their high places, where their Steeple and Bells are, to be sent to prison, stocks, and Bridewell to be whipped, and are mocked, and scofft, and beaten, and stoned by those they teach so to do: Oh! what a horrible thing is here committed in England? the Ministers thereof so called by men, but not of God, preach for hire, gifts and rewards, and the Rulers and people bear rule by their means: Oh woe unto you! what will your end be, now the Lord God is coming to visit you for all these things!  
The Gospel that the Ministers of Christ preach, came not to them by man, neither were they taught it of man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ, and by Christ alone without man are they made able Ministers, not of the Letter, but of the Spirit, and have power given them from above of the Father to go labour in his vineyard, and to feed the Lambs and sheep of Christ, and to bare their testimony of Christ the everlasting Gospel, whose name is the Word of God, who is the light of the world, and is the true light that enlightens every one that cometh into the word, and that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all, which is their message, work, and the gift of God to turn people from darkness to the light Christ Jesus, and from the power of Satan unto God, who is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  
The Ministers and Teachers of England, so called by men, are set to School when they are children, to learn to read English, Latin, Greek and Hebrew, and to construe their Latin, Greek and Hebrew they learn into English; and when they are by their Schoolmaster thought fit, than they are sent to Oxford and Cambridge to learn of men how to preach, and not of Christ; and when they have learned of their tutors, how to compact up together out of the ancient Father's writings which was beyond Sea, and the ancient Father's writings here in England, as they call them, the Histories and Scriptures, of all together a form of words in writing which they get over and over, as a Scholar doth his lesson before he cometh to his master to hear if he can say it perfectly; so likewise do they before their tutors, and others, with their notes writ and laid before them, in their Bibles, and if they can say their studied form of prayer, which they have got into their memory, and that which they have compacted together in writing, perfectly in a pulpit, an hour by a glass without stuttering or stammering, and can come down again out of their Pulpits with their brazen faces undaunted, than they are approved of by men to be expert young men, and good Scholars, and will make able Preachers of the Gospel, as they judge; so they receive their degrees of Arts, and are set at Liberty from Oxford and Cambridge, to go have a further approving off by men, and of men do receive their commission to Preach, and not of God; so that how to preach is taught them by man, and not of God, and what they do Preach they have it not by Revelation from Jesus Christ, but from the Letter, and by works of other men's, their own study and maginations, which comes out of the bottomless Pit, and ascends up like a smoke; take away from them the dead letter and the dead Father's writings which they have had from beyond the Sea, and the dead Father's writings, histories, and records which are in England, which are the instruments and means by which they preach, and not by the Spirit, as their studies full of books will witness; and than it will appear in one quarter of a year you shall scarce have a Sermon preached by any of them that have the weakest memories, and very few by them that have the strongest memories: so that it doth plainly appear that they are but Ministers of the Letter, and not of the Spirit; therefore I deny them all to be any of the Ministers of Christ Jesus, and I deny their teachers and approvers, and commission-givers, all, from the greatest to the least, to have any thing to do in this work, for it is the proper work of Jesus Christ, who is the Lord of the Harvest, and saith the Harvest is great, and the Labourers are few, pray ye therefore, saith he, that the Lord of the Harvest would send forth more Labourers into his Vineyard: Therefore ye Commissions givers, and Approvers, and senders forth of Ministers, as you call them, who take this work upon yourselves, cease from your actings herein, and consider with yourselves what account you will give unto the Lord of the Harvest who is coming, and will say unto you, who hath required this at your hands that ye have done.  
The Ministers of Christ Jesus do declare by the Spirit, that which was from the beginning, which they have heard, and seen with their eyes, and looked upon; and their hands have handled of the word of life, and that life which is manifested unto them, and live in; whose fellowship is with the Father and the Son, they declare:  
But those in England, called Ministers and teachers, having gotten a form of some sound words from the Scriptures, and help of others, they preach by the Letter, and not from the life and power of those that gave the Scriptures forth; so that in what they preach they err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God, neither have they heard that which was from the beginning, nor seen nor tasted of the word of life, by the Spirit of life, which they preach of, but are as ignorant of the life and power, as they that hear them, whom their words profit not at all, because they come not from the life of them that gave the Scriptures forth, nor stand in the counsel of the Lord, therefore they are no Ministers of Christ, but are the many deceivers that are entered into the World, which by their works deny Christ come in the flesh.  
The Ministers and Apostles of Jesus Christ, they are sent to turn people from darkness to the light, Christ Jesus, the saviour of their souls, the light and life of men, the way to the Father, and the truth, and from the power of Satan unto God, who is Light, and in him is no darkness at all, and did and do turn many to righteousness, and for so doing are counted deceivers by this Generation, as they have been by former Generations, but are true, and the truth is in them, they being of God, and the whole world lying in wickedness.  
By'r the Ministers, so called, in England, which preach in the high places, teach the people lies, and so lead the people into darkness from the light; and now I appeal to that of God in all your consciences, both Ministers, so called, and people, for who hath taught the people to call the high places, with the steeples and bells in them the Church? have not you their Ministers? and is this any other than a lie, for the Church is in God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the body of Christ is the church, which is the ground and pillar of truth, made up of living stones, Christ Jesus being the chief cornerstone, which you bvilders, called Ministers, refuse, and is become a stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offence to you, but you that stumble thereat, great shall be your fall. And who hath taught the people that God dwells in those places, called the church, in a more special manner than in any other place, but you their teachers? and is not that another lie? for God dwells not in temples made with hands: and who teaches the people to say God is worshipped in those places, but you their Ministers, so called? and is not that a lie? for God is a spirit, and is worshipped in spirit and in truth, and not in those high places. And when a company of proud high minded people, scoffers, scorners, covetous, earthly minded, lovers of Money, the Root of all evil, Whores, and Whore-mongers, Adulterers, Fornicators, Thiefs, Cursers, swearers, Liars, Drunkards, Fighters Quarrellers Reprobates which know not that Christ is in them, are all gathered together at your call and invitation, to come customarily to that which you call a SACRAMENT, and set together to eat the Bread that you break, and when you give it to them, that they must take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for them, and be thankful; and when you pour out the wine, do not you tell them that the blood of Jesus Christ was shed for them, and for the Remission of their Sins? Do not you herein tell them lies? Are not the wicked reserved for the day of judgement? And the wicked, and all they that forget God, shall be turned into hell, their condemnation is ordained of old, being none of the seed that the promise is to, nor the Sheep that the good Shepherd laid down his life for.  
And who hath taught the people to call that which you call a Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, the Supper of the Lord, and the Table of the Lord? have not you their Ministers (so called) taught them, both by preaching and writing, which are lies? for I tell both you, and all such persons afore named, that the Lord Jesus Christ neither Sups with you, nor you with him, for there is no fellowship betwixt Christ and belial, nor no communication betwixt Light and Darkness: and that which you call the table of the Lord, you make it a table of devils, for it is no other, for he that committeth sin is of the devil: and are not ye, and all such aforementioned, committers of sin? and so of the Devil your Father, whose works you all do, and ye cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and the table of devils.  
And who hath taught the people and made them believe that when their children are sprinkled with a little water on their faces, which you call baptism, that then they become members of the church, and christians; do not you their teachers teach them so, that they become members of Harlots, and Members of the Synagogue of Satan, setting together in the Idolls-temple, being led captive by you, ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth by your preaching, so that ye are none of the Ministers of Christ, but are the evil men and seducers, that wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived; Ah! woe unto you ye blind guides, called Ministers of England) which lead the blind out of their way, ye are all under the Curse of God, for cursed is he that leadeth the blind out of his way, and the wrath of God is to be revealed against you all, who hold the truth in unrighteousness, tribulation and anguish be upon every soul that doth evil, ye workers of iniquity.  
And again who teacheth the people to make songs of the Saints conditions, and to turn the Scriptures, which is a Declaration of the things, which are most certainly known and believed amongst us, into lies and blasphemies? do not you the Ministers of this Nation, so called, teach them who are proud heady, high minded people, drunkards, swearers, liars, whores, and whore-mongers, covetous, envious, malicious, scorners, scoffers, thiefs and murderers, when they are met together in the high places of the Nations; Come (say they) let us sing to the Praise and Glory of God, Psal: 116.1, 2: I love the Lord, because my voice and prayer heard hath he, whenas they that walk in Darkness hate the Light, for God is Light, and in him is no Darkness at all; and the wicked through the pride of his heart, will not seek after God, for God is not in all his thoughts: The wicked say unto God, depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways, and what is the Almighty that we should serve him? And what profit should we have if we pray unto him? say the wicked that are friends of the world and enemies to God; yet their teachers will teach them to lie, and say, I love the Lord, because he hath heard my prayers, when the prayers of the wicked is abominable to the Lord.  
And again, Psal. 119. ver. 97: where they are taught to sing, What great desire and fervent love do I bear to thy Law? whenas the wicked turn away their ears from hearing the law of God, cast it behind their backs, and will have none of his counsel, but despise reproof, crying, it is a hard saying, who can bear it? they will have none of his ways, because they hate knowledge, and chose not the fear of the Lord, and yet say in their songs, they delight in his Law, of which they are not ashamed.  
And again, Psal. 139: ver. 21, 22. say they, let us sing to the praise and glory of God, Hate I not them that hate the Lord? I hate them with unfeigned hate: but the world love their own, and hate those that are not of the world, the wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth, and blesseth the covetous whom the Lord abhorreth, his mouth is full of cursing, deceit and fraud, under his tongue is mischief and vanity, he setteth in lurking places; in secret places doth he mu der the innocent, and in his pride doth persecute the upright in heart.  
And yet they will sing Psal. 16. ver. 2, 3. That they give their Goods to the Saints, the Faithful Flock that in virtue excel: But saith Christ, when saw ye me an hungry, and gave me meat; thirsty, and gave me drink; naked, and clothed me, or the least of these my little ones? Did not the wicked give the just and pure in heart, Gall for his meat, and in his thirst, Vinegar to drink? Do they not cause the naked to lodge without clothing, so that they have no covering in the cold? and here the mercies of the wicked are cruelty, and yet their Ministers; so called, teaches and leads the wicked to sing that they give their goods to the Saints on earth.  
And in the 119. Psal. 139. they sing; With zeal and wrath I am consumed, and even pined away; when at the very same time the eyes of some stick out with fatness, and in their own fat they are enclosed, and have more than heart can wish, his breasts are full of Milk, and his bones are full of Marrow, and he increases in riches, and is not in sorrow like other men:  
Again they say, let us sing to the praise and glory of God, Psal. 96: verse 12. If I for grief and pain of heart, in Sackcloth use to walk; and at the very same time their filthy Flesh is adorned with Silk, and Gold and Silver Lace, Rings, and Rich Attire, costly Arraiment, and not with modest Apparel, but are haughty, and walk with stretched out Necks, with wanton Eyes, and tinkling with their Feet as they go along, spending their days in Pleasures and Vanity, upon the VIAL TIMBREL and HARP, and rejoice at the sound of the ORGAN, living in Chambering and Wantonness, Rioteousness, Gluttony, and Drunkenness, and never wear Sackcloth in all their lives, nor you their teachers neither:  
Now all you that are called Ministers, do but see and behold what you do, do you not teach the people to Sing and say that which they do not, nor yourselves neither, so that you teach the people to Lie, and Blaspheme, which is the work of the Devil, your Father, who was a Liar from the beginning, whose Children ye are, and for him are compassing Sea and Land to make one profit, and when he is made, you make him two fold more the Child of Hell than he was before, by leading them from Light into Darkness, and from the TRUTH into LIES, as is here made manifest; Depart ye Workers of Iniquity into utter Darkness, and receive your Portion among the Hypocrites, and all the Damned in Hell, for I deny you all to be any Ministers of Christ.  
The MINISTERS of CHRIST are all of one heart, and one mind, and agree together in the Unity of the SPIRIT and live in the Bond of Love and Peace, being guided, by the spirit of GOD, which is one, and leads up to one God and Father of our Lord Jesus Cnrist, one Faith, one Baptism, one Truth, and Saviour of their souls, Christ Jesus the Light, one in all, the Light of the World, that enlightens every one that comes into the World, and is the Condemnation of all the World that walk in Darkness and Hate the Light, God is Light, and in him is no darkness at all, and this is their message which they declare, in which they all agree:  
Those in England, called Ministers, they agree not in one, for they cry, lo here saith one, lo here saith another, and saith the Episcopal Government is the true way to worship God in: Another he saith the Presbyterian Government is the true way, and in it is God worshipped in spirit and in truth: Others are for the Independent Government, and they separate themselves a little from the other too, and say that is the way to worship God, and this, say they, is the true way. But being all in the many forms of bodily exercise, which profiteth little, and out of the true worshipping of God in spirit and truth, which is profitable unto all things.  
One saith that sprinkling of Infants, with the words spoken by him, is Baptism, and an Ordinance of God, and so he is for having all men and women's children baptised, as he calls it: Another he saith that none ought to be baptised but the children of believing parents, and will baptise no other, as he calls them: Another saith that believers that can give a good account of their faith, are to be baptised by dipping, or plunging all the body in water, and no other: and so here they are all in the many baptisms, not baptising, nor being baptised with that one Baptism of Christ, which is by Fire and the Spirit into his death, by one Spirit, into the one Body, wherein there is Unity, which they are all out of.  
Neither do they agree in the one Faith, for they tell people of miraculous Faith, and of Historical Faith, and of a dead Faith, and a justifying Faith, which they know not, nor are in, but are in the many Faiths, and out of that one Faith the just lives by, that purifies their hearts, and is their Victory by which they overcome the world:  
Some of them will receive all that come to their Sacrament, as they call it; others will receive none to partake with them of their Sacrament, but those who are of their own judgement and practice in worship with them; but at their Sacrament none of them sit at the Lords Table, nor discern the Lords Body, nor eat nor drink of the bread and water of life, but feed upon that which is carnal and not spiritual.  
Again, one preaches one Doctrine, another he preaches contrary to it, and one saith this is the meaning of this Scripture, and another saith it must be taken in another sense; another saith that the Hebrew, or the Greek Translation (which they call the Original, but is the confounded languages) renders it thus; another he comes and saith, this is the true meaning, and he brings his Author for it, an old Father's writing that is dead long ago; but none of them have the sense and true meaning of the Scriptures from the life, which the spirit of God that gave the Scriptures forth, which is the Key of David, that opens and no man shuts, and shuts and no man opens, but the sense and meaning is by them in their many meanings given out contrary, which is from their own imaginations, the bottomless pit, and being written, or preached by them, is the smoke that ascends thereout, and thus they twist and twine here and there, beguiling unstable souls, and by good words and fair speeches, deceive the simple hearted, which are ever learning of them, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, because they are led by those blind guides, which know not the way to the father of life, nor to Christ Jesus the saviour of their souls; so the blind leading the blind, fall both into the ditch, because they see not the way they go in, and yet these leaders are called Ministers and Pastors, but are not, but are blasphemers and liars, turning here and turning there, saying this is the way, and that is the way; O ye serpents, ye generation of vipers! how can ye escape the damnation of hell? as were your Fathers so are ye; fill you up therefore the measure of their iniquities, that all the righteous judgements of God may be poured out upon you all, who hold the truth of God in unrighteousness? for now is the Lord God gathering his army together, and coming to Battle, their weapons are not carnal but spiritual, and mighty to the throwing down of strong holds, and the Beast, and the Whore, and the false Prophet which deceive them that received the mark of the Beast, and worship his Image, shall be taken, and together cast into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, your just reward, ye serpents.  
To the Ministers and Apostles of Christ, is given the gift of the spirit, to profit withal in the work of the Ministry, for the perfecting of the Saints, and for the edifying of the body of Christ, till they all come into the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ their Master, and for their so doing their praise is not of man, but of God the father of Light, with whom their reward is, and from whence every good and perfect gift cometh that they have received, and the wisdom they have received is from above, and is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.  
But the wisdom that the Ministers (so called in England by men) have, is not from above, because it is earthly, and scornful, and devilish, by which wisdom neither they, nor the rest of the world, know God, neither can they know him that hath not the son, for God hath no union with them, neither doth he make himself manifest unto them who live in strife, and bitter envying and confusion, and every evil work as they do, by stirring up the Magistrates and people to take counsel together against the Lord, and against his anointed, & if the Magistrates will not do as they would have them, they will rail against them openly in their Pulpits, and wrest the Scriptures to their disgrace, and their own destruction; and those Magistrates that will cause the people to hale the Servants of the Lord out of their Synagogues to the Stocks, and Prisons, and Bride-wells, to be whipped and beat, and put into Dungeons (as the Rulers, Elders, Scribes, and high Priests did in the days of the Apostles) such Magistrates and Rulers shall have their praise; but saith Christ, what ye do to the least of these my little ones, I take as done unto myself, and it were better for you that a Millstone were hanged about your necks, and ye cast into the Sea, then that you should offend the least of these little ones, for you that touch them touch the Apple of his eye: and plainly I tell you all that are of men called Ministers, that all the stuff you labour for, and by your works have got together (it being not the gift of God) doth not perfect the Saints, nor edify the body of Christ, for you yourselves being dead in trespasses and sins, cannot by your dead Letter, dead Works of Doctrines, Reasons, and uses raise the dead; for it is the living that raises the dead to praise the Lord in the Land of the living, as in the Scriptures you may read, that it was Christ that raised up Lazarus out of the grave, where he lay dead, which is to you a mystery: Woe unto you hypocrites, that do all to be heard and seen of men: And woe unto you that all men speak well of, whose praise is of the men of the world, and not of God, that are respected of men, and do respect the men's persons of the world, and have the great men's persons of the world in admiration for advantage sake, and love salutations by the way, and greeting in the Market places, and to be called of men Masters; seeing ye thus to be out of the Doctrine of Christ, and in the practice of the Heathen, Scribes, Pharisees, and Hypocrites, therefore I deny you all to be any of the Ministers of Christ Jesus, and your voice I disown, it being the voice of a stranger which I am fled from. And now all you that are by men called Ministers of England, you are weighed in the balance, and found too light; your Kingdom is divided and shall be taken from you, for it is given to another, even to him to whom all the ends of the Earth are given for his possession, who will break you with a Rod of Iron, and dash you in pieces like a Potter's Vessel, for the bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days. Weep and howl, weep and howl, all ye who are called of men Ministers of England, who have sat at ease, decked like a Queen, and faired deliciously, and have felt no sorrow like other men, for now is your misery coming upon you like an armed man, prepare yourselves, put on your strength, make ready your weopens, and come and see if you can withstand the Lord in his fury, or overcome him by all your strength. God gave the Woman jezebel, that calls herself a Prophettess, and takes upon her to teach and seduce my servants to commit fornication with her, space to repent of her fornication, and she has not repent; therefore behold, saith the Lord, I will cast her upon a bed of torments, and them that have committed adultery with her, and great shall be their tribulation, except they repent, therefore while you have a little time prise it, and break of your sins by repentance, cease from the evil of your do, and learn of God to do well, and if you will return, return to the Lord God, who is gracious and merciful, and in patience hath born long with ye all the time that ye were learning to preach, who then saw what you were going about to do, and all your actings in that time, and all the time you have been preaching, which hath brought forth nothing but vanity and lies, for all the profession of Religion that you have taught the people all this while stands in a lie, and their fear of the Lord is taught them by your precepts, who are men; for what do you, or they all possess of what you profess? nothing at all, therefore it is lightness, and vanity, and is unto the Lord as loathe some, as if you cut off a Dog's head, or offered to him Swine's Flesh in abominable broth; nay he will not accept of the hire of a whore that you bring before him, it all stinks in his Nostrils, and is cast out from before him, as a filthy Dunghill. Your sacrifice is abomination, and all your works are as filthy Rags; and as the cloth of a monstrious woman, ye are defiled, and with your defilements you defile. Oh stop your mouths and be silent, ye men who are called. Ministers of the Gospel, but are not the Ministers of Christ! and let shame cover your faces in the presence of the Lord God of life and power, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity.  
Therefore all people, High and Low, Rich and Poor, Bond and Free, who have been hearing and learning for many years together of those you call Ministers, and are not the Ministers of Christ, by whose Ministry ye are not yet come to the knowledge of the truth by their long preaching: Cease from man, whose breath is in his Nostrils, and spend not your money for that which is not bread, nor your labour for that which satisfies not, but return to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Light, the Saviour, and Bishop of your souls, who saith, come learn of me, harken diligently, hear and your souls shall live, who filleth the hungry with good things, and the rich he sends empty away: A Prophet hath the Lord God raised up amongst you, hear ye him, saith the Lord, in all things, who teaches the way of truth and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, and this is my beloved Son, saith God, he that refuseth to hear him shall be cut off from the land of the living, for God so loved the world, that he sent his only begotten Son into the world, and this is the condemnation, the light which is into the world come, Christ Jesus the Son of God the light of the world that makes manifest in you sin and evil deeds, and shows you all things that ever you have done in your life time; and this is Christ the Prophet, that meets with you whithersoever you go, and shows you that sin which you have committed in secret, which none can reprove you for but he that seethe in secret and in the dark places; and this is Christ the light of the world, that enlighteneth every one that comes into the world, and is made manifest in the conscience, and to as many as receive him, and believe on his name, he gives them power to become the Sons of God; whom he teacheth in his ways, so that they need not another to teach them, being the children of the Lord, are taught of the Lord, and Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God into all truth, and can read the Law writ in their hearts. Now people every one of you, mind that which makes manifest your sin unto you, and checks you for the sin you commit, by bringing upon you tribulation, and anguish upon every one that doth evil. Those that walk in darkness hate Christ jesus, the light that is come into the world, and is the condemnation of those that love darkness and not the light because their deeds be evil, and the light reproves them because their works are of the Devil; but he that doth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be tried whether they be of God, who is light, and in him is no darkness at all: Now people ye have a Light in your consciences, which makes manifest your sin unto you, unto which ye do well if ye take heed, as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the Daystar arise in your hearts, which is the sure word of prophecy; and the Son of righteousness that rises with healing in his wings, therefore come to him that ye may have life, wait upon him who is worthy of waiting on, who will anoint you with an unction, by which you shall know all things, so that you need not to be taught of man, and gives to every one freely, without money, and without price, bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty soul, clothing to the naked, eyesalve to the blind; the poor he fills with good things, and those that fear him shall not want; but the whole need no Physician, and the rich he sends empty away: Therefore while you have time, people prise it, draw nigh unto God, and he will draw nigh unto you; cleanse your hands you sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded, cease from evil, and put not from you the evil day afar off, but put away from you the evil of your do, and learn the fear of the Lord, which is to departed from sin, and the beginning of pure wisdom, which teaches how to do righteously, justly, and to walk humbly with the Lord, and this is the grace of God that appears to all men, that brings salvation, and teaches men to deny all ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godlike, holy as he is holy, in this present world, in all manner of conversation; here is life and death set before you, people, choose which you will; for if you neglect so great salvation, how do you think to escape the damnation of hell? Therefore people in the fear of the Lord, search and try all things, forsake the evil and hold fast that which is good of God, who is faithful and deceives none, for the Kingdom of heaven is within you, and the many deceivers are in the world, look not out at them, neither go after them, but keep your heart with all diligence, for out of them are the issues of life, for in Israel abides in his tents, and do not say but in your life-time you have been warned of the many deceivers, by him who is a lover of your souls; who is known by the name of  
Henry Clark.  
Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the Figtree, my brethren, bare olive-berries, either a Vine Figs? so can no Fountain both yield salt water and fresh, Jam. 3.12.  
Here followeth a Declaration of some Laws made by the pope, and the popish Saxon Kings, who governed England, and were the first erecters of all the Abbeys, Monasteries, Fryer-houses, Chantry-houses, Cathedrals, etc. as I have them out of the first and second volumes of the Books of Martyrs.  
BEnedict, an Abbot of the Monastery of Peter and Paul at Wirr, brought with him from Rome one John, the Arch-chantler, who first taugt in England how to sing in the Choir after the manner of Rome.  
In the year 747. at the beginning of King Edgberts' reign, the Synod of Bishops disputed the profit of singing of the Psalms in the Church as they called it, and made a decree that with a modest voice they should sing in the Church, so by them called.  
In the Year 747. at the beginning of King Edgberts' Reign, the Synod of Bishops disputed the profit of singing the Psalms in the Church, as they called it, and made a decree that with a modest voice they should sing in the Church, so by them called.  
In the Year 924. King Ethelstone, alias Atelstone, made a Law that fifty Psalms should be daily sung in the Church, as he called it, for the King.  
In the Year DCCXII. King Inas alias Ina, or Iue, made a Law, that Infants should be baptised within thirty days: This King Ina or Iue, gave up the Government of the Kingdom of England unto Ethelardus his Nephew, and he himself took upon him the habit of a poor man, and with great devotion traveled to Rome, and was there made a Monk, and the said King Ina made a Law, that the first fruits of all that was sown, to be paid at the day of St Martin, as he called it, and about 720 he caused throughout his Dominions, that every house that had a chimney should pay a penny to the Pope in the name of Saint Peter: this King was the first that brought up Peter-pences in England.  
In the Year 933. King Atelstone made a Law, that Tithes should be paid of all the proper Goods, as well of living Cattle as of Corn, and first fruits of the Ground.  
In the Year 940. King Edmond made a Law, that Tithes, with the first Fruits of every man's crap, should be duly paid.  
In the Year 959. King Edgar ordained and decreed, concerning Liberties and Freedoms of the Church, as they called it, that Tithes, and first fruits of Corn, and Peter-pences, be all paid.  
Pope Innocent the third (with all his Rabble of Monks and Friars) was the first that brought in private Tithes, to be paid at Easter, about the time of King John's reign in England.  
Now people here you may in part see who were the authors of Tithes to be paid out of the fruits of your labour. So here follows what the Church was the tithes were paid to, and in particular, what the tithes were that was paid and received.  
THeir Church was a company of strange Puissant, counterfeit, holy, idle Vagabonds, and ravening wolves, so called (by one Simond Fish) which were Abbuts, Priors, Deacons, Arch-Deacons, Suffragans, Priests, Monks, Canons, Friars, Pardoners, and Summoners, these had the goodliest Lordships, Manors, Lands, and Territories in the Land in their possession, and in particular, the tithes they had was the tenth part of all the Corn, Meadow, Pasture, Grass, Wood, Coults, Calves, Lambs, Pigs, Geese, and Chickens, and the tenth part of every servants wages, the tenth part of Wool, Milk, Honey, Wax, Cheese and Butter; and they looked so narrowly to their profits, that if they had not every tenth Egg, the women could not have their due at Easter, but were counted Heretics. Again they had four offering-dayes, privy-tythes, offerings to their Pilgrimages, money for Diriges to be sung at the Burial of every man and child, or else they would accuse their friends of Heresy: And besides this they had money for probates of Testaments Mortuaries, and Confessions hallowing of Churches, Altars, super Altars, chapels, and Bells, by cursing of men, and absolving them again: Finally, the infinite number of the five Orders of Friars, who had of every house a penny a year; the five Orders of Friars had five pence a year of every house; and in King Henry the eights days, the sum being cast up to him, what came in yearly to these five Orders of Friars, it did amount to 430333. 6. s. 8. d. a year, as is set down in the Book of Martyrs (by one Simond Fish) and not above four hundred years before that time, they had not one penny, for the ancient Britain's ever stood free from such burdens, till that time that the pope and the Saxon Kings laid them on us, who now bear the same in part, as hereafter is made appear.  
And now you shall see if those now in England, called Ministers, do not tread in the same steps, and how far they come short of their forefathers: First, it is undeniable that they baptise Infants within thirty days, according to the law of the Monkish King, Ina, and not according to any law of God (that they have to sprinkle little children on the face with water, & call it baptism) but by the pope's, and their own imaginations, consequences, and conceivings of the Scriptures:  
And according to the Bishop's decree, and the King's law, they sing, and teach to be sung in the high places where the Steeples and Bells are, the Psalms and Saints conditions, that they two Poets, Sternhold and Hopkins, with others, have turned into Meeter, by their fallen wisdom, and not by the spirit of God; but they will say they have a rule in the Scripture to sing Psalms by, Is any merry? let him sing Psalms: but what have drunkards swearers, proud and covetous persons to do to make songs of the Saints conditions, that was never none of their own? or to take the name of God in their mouths, seeing they hate to be reform; therefore ye singers, stop your mouths, and be silent before the Lord God of heaven and earth, for it were better for you to be in the house of mourning, than in the high places of mirth, for the day of the Lord is coming, wherein your songs shall be turned into howling, and your joie into bitter lamentation,  
And as concerning Tithes, do not the Ministers of England, so called, take tithes of the people, even the tenth part of their Corn, and hay; Wool, Lambs, Pigs, Geese, Eggs; and have they not tithes of Coults, Calves, and dead sheepskins, and of Bees, from whence the honey and wax comes, and tithe apples, pears, hemp and flax, and in some places of this land tithe milk, and at Easter some part of the servants wages, and Easter Reckon; they have two pence of the husband, and two pence for the wife, and two pence for the chimney, and herein they outstrip the pope, for he had but a penny a chimney, and they have got beyond the five Orders of Friars, for they had but five pence a year of a house, and they have six pence a year, besides the two pence for a son, and two pence for a daughter, and two pence for a apprentice, if a man have them, and they come to their Sacrament: And have they not money for burial of the dead, and as it was the Monk's office to mourn, so will they put on a black mourning suit of the party's gift that is dead, and imitate the Monk in his dissembling-mourning, heathen-like, who made cuttings in their flesh, and bauldness between their eyes for the dead, which the children of Israel were not to do, because God had chosen them to be a holy and peculiar people to himself.  
And again, if the people did not pay the Abbuts, Priors, Priests, etc. their tithes and money, they accused them for heretics, and so for heresy they proceeded against them; and you may see in the Book of Martyrs what became of Heretics, they were tied to a stake, and fire and faggots put to them and burnt by that bloody generation of men.  
And do not these in England, called Ministers? if men who own Christ, and for conscience sake cannot pay them tithes, they will sue them at Law, and proceed to make distress upon their goods for treble damages, or get an Order from a Court to send their bodies to prison, there to lie at great charges to the undoing of them and their families; and the same spirit that c●rcies them on to do this, will carry them on to do more if they had but a Popish King, and a law, and popish Magistrates that would put it in execution, And again, have they not the best live and fairest houses, that are in most Country Villages in England, yea and in some Towns to: and now people you may see how far your Preachers, called Ministers, go in the steps of their forefathers, as their forefathers were so are they; but they will say they deny the pope, and the Bishops, and their orders: I answer, I know they do in words, but in their works they own them; so in their words they profess Christ, but in their works they deny him, for they that pay tithes, and they that receive tithes, both by their works deny Christ come in the flesh, for Christ is the end of the Law, for righteousness to every one that believeth; the priesthood, and the Levites tithes, and first fruit-offerings and sacrifices, ordained by the Law of Moses, the Altar and Tabernacle, and the Temple, were all but figures and shadows of good things to come; now Christ Jesus, the sum and substance of all these, being come, the priesthood is changed into one, who is made after the power of an endless life; there is of necessity made a change of the law also, by which law they had a command to take tithes of the people; but Christ being come, put down the priests and the Levites, that were maintained by the first fruits and tithes, and he himself being in their place, he did not take tithes, for he had no store-house to put them in; for saith he, the Foxes have holes, and the Birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath no where to lay his head, ye may read in the Scriptures; and so he had no certain dwelling place on the earth; for he was sometimes on the seaside, sometimes upon the sea, and in the WILDERNESS and in desert places, sometimes at Jerusalem, and went round about the villages teaching, and upon the mountains, and went into the land of Genazereth, into the villages, cities, and countries to Tyre and Sidon, and from thence to the sea of Gallilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis, he being come to do the will of his father; he had no long time to stay in a place to take tithes, neither did he give any command to his Apostles and Disciples to receive any tithes, for he commanded them to go into all Nations, Mat. 28. and he sent them by two and two, Mark 6. ver. 7: and he sent them to preach the Kingdom of heaven, and to heal the sick, and they departed and went through the towns, preaching the Gospel, and healing every where, Luke. 9 ver. 2.6. and saith Christ to them, freely have ye received, freely give, Mat. 10. ver: 8. and into whatsoever city ye enter into, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: and into whatsoever House ye enter, first say, peace be to this house, and if the Son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it, and in the same House abide till ye depart, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the labourer is worthy of his Hire, Luke 10: ver. 7, 8. Mark. 6. ver. 10, so that their meat and their drink that was set before them by these that received them, was their wages, and not tithes. Here it plainly appears that those that owned Christ and received his Apostles, they paid no tithes, neither did the Apostles receive any tithes, nor Christ neither,  
To whom were tithes paid? and who were they that paid tithes? those that did not own Christ Jesus, but denied him to be the Son of God, saying, is not this the carpenter, the Son of Mary, the brothers of james and joseph, etc. but the chief priests, scribes, and pharisees, rulers and elders, these received not Christ, not owned him to be the Son of God, these paid tithes of mint and coming, annis, rue, and all manner of herbs, and crucified the Lord of glory; so that it is plainly seen, that those that pleaded for tithes, and paid and received tithes after Christ came, were those that denied Christ come in the flesh, both by their words and works; and as it was then, so it is now, for those now in these days, that profess Christ in word to be the Son of God, and pay tithes, and receive tithes, as the people and Ministers of England, so called, do by their works deny him: and those that deny him to be Priest and Prophet, deny him to be King and Lawgiver; as the Pope, and popish Kings and Priests, who (contrary to his Law, Swear not at all) in their own wills made several forms of oaths and laws to compel people to swear by, one form of an Oath to swear by to the Pope, another form of Oath, called the Oath of Supremisie; another form of an Oath, called the Oath of Allegience; another form of Oath, called the Oath of Abjuration, one form of an Oath for Judges and other Magistrates and Officers to swear by, and so likewise for witnesses, and all were to swear upon the four Evangelists, or their hand upon the Bible, or else they must hold their hands up and swear, all which way of swearing is contrary to the Law which is holy, just, and good, which is given out by the pure Lawgiver, Christ Jesus, Emanuel, God with us, who saith swear not at all, neither by Heaven, for it is God's throne, nor by the earth, for it is his footstool, nor by jerusalem, for it is the City of the living God; nor by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white nor black; he that sweareth by the Altar, sweareth by all things thereon, and he that sweareth by the Temple, sweareth by him that dwelleth therein; and he that sweareth by Heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon: and he that sweareth by the Bible, sweareth not only by it, but sweareth at once by all things therein declared of; and he that holdeth up his hand, and sweareth by it, sweareth by him that made it; and he that sweareth committeth sin, and is a Transgressor of the righteous Law of God, and he that committeth sin is of the Devil. And now thou Pope that was the inventor of the forms of Oaths, and ye Popish Kings and Rulers, which make Laws to compel men to swear, and you who are called Ministers, who teach people, and say that they might swear when they are called before Magistrates: Oh ye enemies of God by whom do your children cast out devils? Doth not he that committeth sin by swearing, punish, or cause to be punished, him that transgresseth your Law, or else without an oath, he that is a transgressor is not punished? Do not you herein go about to cast out devils by the power of Belzebub? Or do you think ever to cleanse the Land of evil doers by swearing? I tell you nay, the Land is not cleansed of evil doers, because justice is not speedily executed, therefore the hearts of the sons of men are set on to do evil; and where are the hands of wicked men more strengthened, and evil doers more encouraged to do evil, than by lying so long together in Goals? Let the transgressors be speedily brought to justice, & the innocent quit, lest he be defiled by him that is guilty: So long as the murderer lives after the murder is committed, the land lies polluted in blood. Let the thief that is taken stealing restore fourfold, & if he have not wherewith to restore, let him be sold for his theft, that he steal no more, but labour with his hands the thing that is good, & in the sweat of his brows to eat his own bread. A word is enough to the wise, but a fool will not hear, nor learn wisdom.  
The Ministers of Christ jesus taught the people, saying, above all things, my brethren, swear not at all, neither by heaven, neither by earth, neither by any other oath, lest ye fall into condemnation, but let your yea be yea, and your nay nay, for saith Christ, whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil, jam. 5.12. Mat. 5. Swear not at all: But you will say, this of Christ is meant by ordinary swearing, but whoever thou art, by thy earthly carnal wisdom knowest not what Christ means, it being hid from thy eyes. And the natural man perceives not the things of God, neither can he do, because they are spiritually discerned: And again, Is there not in this Land swearing before Magistrates every day in one place or other, City or Town, before one Magistrate or other, or else the Goals would not be filled so full as they be, and so many bound over to appear at Assizes and Sessions, besides other convictions for swearing, and drunkenness, and yet there is never the less; and I am sure it is common enough, swearing at Terms, Sizes, Quarter-Sessions, Court-Leets, and other Courts; and would you have it commonner than every day? Oh pitiful! the Land mourns, because of Oaths, and you who are called Ministers, stop your mouths for shame, and preach no more contrary to Christ's command, whose Law which is pure, ye make of none effect, by upholding men's traditions: And now all ye who are swearing by any oath whatsoever, be ye warned, for the day of the Lord God is coming, wherein ye shall give an account for every idle word, and for every oath you swear, and for all things done in the body whatsoever, the flying Role is gone forth, and the curse is entering into the house of the thief, and into the house of the swearer, and the Lord God will be a swift witness against him that sweareth and against him that sweareth falsely.  
But some will say an Oath binds men to speak the truth; therefore it is necessary that witnesses should swear, that they may speak truth.  
Answer, It is in a man's mind before he come to a court or magistrate, what he knows of the thing he is to speak of, and so likewise there is a resolution in the party what he will speak, whether it be truth or a lie, although he swear or not swear, but Christ saith, Swear not at all, men must not do evil, that good may come of it, nor sin that grace may abound. And again, If the witness be resolved to speak falsely, and the Magistrate or judge put upon him an Oath, he is the means to cause him to add sin unto sin: Now to prevent both swearing and lying by Witnesses, observe what here follows, one witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin in any sin that he sinneth, at the mouth of two Witnesses, or at the mouth of three Witnesses shall the matter be established; if a false Witness rise up against any man, to testify against him that which is wrong, then both the men between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the Priest and the judges, which shall be in those days, and the Judges shall make diligent inquisition; and behold, if the Witness be a false Witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother, then shall he do unto him as he had thought to have done unto his brother; so shalt thou put away evil from among you, and those which remain shall hear and fear, and shall from henceforth commit no more such evil among you, and thine eye shall not pity, but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Deut. 19.15, 16. You may see here was no command for witnesses to swear, therefore the Rulers, judges, and justices, here is righteousness and equity for you ro act by, according to that of God in your consciences, and so shall you bring the liar and the false Witness to justice, and prevent men for transgressing the Law of God, which is pure and good, by swearing, and so put away swearing out of the land, and do not compel men to swear, nor fine them that obey the commandment of the Lord jesus Christ, by refusing to swear, but lay your Sword of justice upon the evil doers, for whom it is appointed, and follow no longer the tradition of the Heathen, and do thereby, making the commandments of GOD of none effect; it is not good to respect men's persons in judgement:  
And he set Judges in all the Land, throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city, and he said to the Judges, Take heed what you do; for you judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in judgement; wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you, take heed and do it, for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts, 2 Chron. 19; 5, 6, 7.  
Babel's Prophets are four hundred and fifty men, and the Prophets of the Groves that fed at Jesabels' table four hundred, and but one, even one Prophet of Elijah that had bread and flesh brought to him by Ravens, and he drank water of the brook, and cherished and walked in the strength of the meat and cruse of water 40 days, and 40 nights, which was brought him in the wilderness as he lay a sleep under the juniper tree, and 400. of the Lords Prophets hid by fifty in a cave, and fed with bread and water, 1 Kings 18.19.  
If the Lord be God, follow him, if Baal be God, follow him still.   

PAge 1. line 2 read out on. p. 3. l. 17. r. lay, p. 6. l, 26. deal. of those, l. 32 deal. of them. p, 8. l: 18. r. communion, p. 11. l. 10, r. profit proselyte, p: 14. l. 12 r. scornful sensual.  
Page l. 18. 5 li. dee in, p: 19 l. 7 r. Wirr Wire, p. 28. l. 8, r. Babel's Paul's l. 20. r. one Prophet of the Lord Elijah, l. 12. r. brook Cherith.  
FJNJS.