MINISTERS FOR TITHES, BEING A manifest proof That these Men are No MINISTERS of the GOSPEL, Who follow the Magistrate for a worldly maintenance, and Fee the Lawyers to plead for Tithes. By WILLAM ERBERY. But they shall proceed no farther, for their folly shall be manifest unto All men, 2 Tim. 3.9. London, Printed by J.C. For Giles Calvet, at the Sign of the Black spread-Eagle, at the West end of Paul's, 1653. TO Doctor SEAMAN, Doctor BURGESS, AND The rest of the Ministers FOR TITHES. Gentlemen, I Have been a Minister of the Church of England, as you are; Master of Arts of both Universities, and might have been Dr. in Divinity as well as you, had I so much money, as the Ministers have in their purses. But coming last Wednesday to the Committee for Tithes, I expected there the Ministers for Tithes, Sept. 2. to hear what they could say for themselves. A Committee for Tithes is a proper name, Honourable and honest men, being on a debate for Tithes on a civil account in point of Law: but Ministers for Tithes is such a thing, and Ministers of the Gospel to demand it as their spiritual due, it's such a monster, that it made my Welsh blood to rise at your English religion. I heard that Dr. Seaman was that day to prove himself and his fellows Ministers of the Gospel: but because he is a Godly man, and may serve to make a Chaplain for the Navy at Sea, I shall rather deal with Dr. Burges, because he is a landed man, and has a great deal of money, being the better Sailer, who can shift his Sail and turn with the wind: Rev. 18.17. for as the Ministers are Merchants; so they are those Ship-masters and Seamen, who have all the trade this day. Truly, I will not meddle with Dr. Burges his money, nor covet his Achans wedge; only because his Babylonish Garment is so threadbare, I took him once for a poor Sir John, or Welsh Curate, not for a Dr. or rich Divine, he was so meanly clad. No wonder that he and his brethren Petition for maintenance, for the Rich Ministers are the poorest Men of the Nation; but because I see the Priests and University-Doctors join together for Tithes, I'll tell them a Geneva note worth their learning, Act. 6.9. The first bloody persecution of the Church of Christ, began from a council of Priests, with the suggestion of University-Doctors. And I believe the last persecution of the Church, and of Christ in the Spirit, The Churches of Devon. Exeter, Bastabl●, etc. willbe by such; for as the present Churches comply with the Presbyters in this of a settled maintenance, so this being only by Tithes, or some like thing, these must be accounted persecuters of the Spirit as well those. I will not speak of men, how much they suffer by this, but the blood of God is shed this way, yea shed in vain, when made but the blood of a dead man. Act. 20.28. Rev. 16.3. Joh. 19.24. Act. 1.4, 5. 'Twas water and blood came forth from Christ's side in his death, to show that the Spirit of life, or living water was shed forth with it; as 'tis expressed Act. 2.32. the promise of the Father and power from on high, or Baptism of the Spirit, Act. 13.2. being only that which constituted a Gosple-Church, and made Ministers of Gospel; to go forth without this, is not only to deceive men, but to deny God, to crucify Christ, to stifle the Spirit, and strangle the babe, even the newborn glory, Zach. 2.5, 6, 7, 8. Dan. 7.27. beginning to rise on the Saints of the most High. The Saints of the most high being men whom the Ministers know not, I shall forbear to busy their heads with this, only because the Committee have business enough besides, and better work to do then to wait on Ministers for Tithes, therefore I shall propose two words to their Honour's consideration. 1. That you have not the Mission, Nor 2. 1 Tim. 4.14. 2 Tim. 1.6. The Maintenance of Gospel-Ministers this day. I say, not the Mission nor Commission of Christ; because no gift of the Spirit by laying on of hands. You are all Antichristian Priests, and Parliament-converts at best: I speak not of your persons, but of your proper office, 'tis Antichristian: being made Ministers by holy orders, Deacons and Priests, therefore you plead for Tithes, having not repent of your Episcopal ordination, nor publicly disowned your Mission by them. Ezek. 45.10, 11 Thus being not ashamed of your whoredoms, nor putting away the carcases of your Kings (or Bishops) you cannot see the pattern of the House of God, the fashion and form thereof, the going out, and the coming in thereof, and the ordinances thereof. Secondly, What are you but Parliamentary converts? not like Master Strong, who was of the King's Army, a Cavalier Chaplain, now an Independent Pastor; but you are so weak, that you are fallen not only from your old professed forms of Parish Churches, Common-prayers, mixed communions, etc. but far below French and Scots Presbytery, who live not by Tithes (as you do, like legal Priests) nor having any tincture of a Priestly Ordination. Secondly, As your Mission, so your maintenance is not according to the Gospel, being merely by custom, compulsion, or compact with the people, contrary to the express command of Christ, and practice of the Apostle, who lived (next to God) on the Free contribution of the people. First, Matth. 10.9, 10. saith Christ, The labourer is worthy of his hire, that is, when he sent them forth without money in their purse; therefore money, or a customary pay, is not according to Christ. Secondly, If we have sewen spirituals is it a great thing that we should reap your carnal things? 1 Cor. 9.11. Mark, this is said only to the Church. Again, if to the world, those who have received spirituals ought to return their temporals, else how can Ministers in reason seek to reap where no fruit grows? Again, if any of the unconverted world, are willing to give, 'tis God and not man, Who can hinder their free-gift? Thirdly, saith the Apostle, Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel, 1 Cor. 9.14. should live of the Gospel. True, 'tis ordained of God, not by Ordinance of Parliament. Again, you must Preach the Gospel; that I question, Eph. 3.3, 5. Col. 4.3, 4. and you can never answer (as I'lle tell you another time) the Gospel being a Mystery you know not, nor can manifest to men. Again, to live of the Gospel, is not by custom, compulsion, or compact from people, but by divine providence, on that power and love of God in Men, to whom the Gospel is preached, who would freely give, if you had that glad tidings to teach. But because you still oppress their estates and spirits by your legal teaching and Tithes; 1 Cor. 9.18. therefore you are far from making the Gospel without charge: which Scripture you dare not mention to the Committee. Lastly, let it appear to the Parliament and people of the Nation, that you are Ministers of the Gospel, that you have a Mission and Commission from Christ, and the maintenance of Christ also; you may have liberty to preach the Gospel freely, and go where you will, which is more than ever your forefathers saw, and a greater favour than any Governors of England gave to the godly preachers or people of God. If you'll plead still for Tithes as your right by law of the land, much more might the Bishops do for theirs; who had the law for them, yet no lawyer to plead their cause: these fell to a worse condition than you are yet, having not the fifth, nor a farthing of all their Lordly revenues allowed for their wives and children: The same wrath is coming on you apace, if love carry you not forth freely to Minister the Gospel to men: but this you cannot do, therefore you must die in want, though you are never so wealthy, that's your doom. Ah blessed God how good men, and godly Ministers are discovered this day? Sure 'tis the day of God, because 'tis the discovery of man, Isa. 40.5, 6. to make all flesh bare before him, and the goodliness of the flesh to whither also. The man of sin, and Mystery of iniquity must be first manifest in the Saints (that's a Mystery indeed) I mean fully manifest: 'twas revealed in part before, Isa. 40.5, 6. in the Popish and prelatique Clergy. Again, 'twas no dispute, but their own discovery threw them down: That is, by their iniquity, the Mystery of iniquity came forth. 'Twas blood in the Papists, pride in the Prelates, persecution, covetousness, and cunning designs, in the Presbyter and others, makes it appear to All Men, they are no Ministers of the Gospel, But Ministers for Tyths. I was forced in my Spirit to write this to the world, to whom the Lord God will speak good things, when all the Ministry of Man is silent. The Lord will be terrible to them: for he will famish all the Gods of the earth: Then men shall worship him every one from his place, even all the Isles of the Heathen, Zeph. 2.11. FINIS.