Tithes A curse to all Nations but CANAAN, And a disturbance, and vexation to all people but the HEBREWS.  
Clearly demonstrated in the Case of ISAAC GRAYE, now a Prisoner, for the nonpayment of Tithes in the Counter of great Woodstreet, London.  
Exposed to public view for the discovering of the cruelties, persecutions, and oppressions of those that stand for its Maintenance.  
LONDON. Printed for the Author, and are to be sold by William Larner at the Blackamoors head near Fleet-Bridge, and Richard Moon at the Seven Stars in Paul's Church-Yara, 1654.   

For OLIVER Lord CROMWELL.  
My Lord,  
I Beseech your favourable aspect on a few rude, yet true ensuing lines; which for truth sake makes me implore your judicious eye; a weightier matter than use of conscience cannot be, did all consider it, I do, and by the Almighty's assistance, notwithstanding man's power, will not flinch an inch to save my life: You know you have done things past expectation, yet be pleased to favour my re-minding you, that there is one above, which to stand in awe of him is yours, mine, and all true Christians duty: in speaking plain is neither falsehood nor flattery, nor I hope to your Lordship, therefore I shall be humbly bold to subscribe myself yours  
In all Christian duty, ISAAC GRAYE. An ensuing perusal of what follows I humbly crave.   

To the Christian Reader.  
My Intentions,  
WIth endeavours to friends, for the delivery of a small Tract ensuing, being earnest and fervent to have truth take place, and having sought all opportunities to have the same made apparently known in writing, unto OLIVER Lord CROMWELL, before publishing in print, according to the usual custom or manner, by such friends as should have undertaken the business for presentation: But they upon perusal did find the Dedication was not according to the Title he now hath, or is sir-named by; and did thereupon reply, that it was in vain to attempt any such thing; for they were certain it would not be received, because it wanted his title: He now hath another company of friends whom I did endeavour to persuade, as the former they advised me, not to address myself for they were out of hopes of expectation of good, as to my relief; and therefore did dissuade me from prosecution thereof; yet finding in myself a conscientius tye unto the Almighty and eternal JEHOVAH, who is sole Protector, Justifier, Preserver, and Pleader of the cause of his People against the enemies, the dark, blind, ignorant powers of the world, that hates to be reform, and that I may departed from a lying tongue, do speak in and from Truth, my Conscience bearing me witness that I cannot call any man by that name; that is only and alone due to God; neither can I appear as a flatterer, to give unto that man a title in words, that I cannot own in conscience: although it may prove to the loss of my business; but I knowing the danger of flattery, that it is the mouth of flatterers that worketh ruin to him that is the flattered; and there upon my Lord, as I tender your everlasting welfare, I dare do no less than speak the truth in plainness, how ever I be judged, know, I have discharged my duty in answer to this part of the Scripture, look, Prov. 16. 28. so in speaking truth I am emboldened through the powerfullest, to let all such as love Piety and Godliness, know, that as long as I have breath, or being, I will not cease my continual supplications to him that made me, and the world to grant my uncessant suit, in the behalf of myself, and of the whole Nation, that open justice and right may be done to all, and that I lay open to the world's view, in a short volume, may by the Almighty's blessing beget many within the Pale of his Church, that too long have sat in darkness, and the shadow of death; and shall beseech all perusers of the same, so to estimate my small endeavours, as to cast a favourable and charitable aspect of the same, and to respect the inward intention, together with the outward substance, as from a friend:  
Owning myself to be any one of yours in brotherly affection, in answer to righteousness, the persecution whereof hath urged me to the Press, that I may not lay silence buried in the oppressors hell.   

YOur Lordship hath here presented to your view, Millions of humble acknowledgements for the reception of an unexpected favour upon solicitation of precious Christian Friends in and about the City of London, granted to be by your ever to be Honoured self to your poor then suffering supplicant in the Gatehouse Westminster, 1653. having remained there many months upon great charge, yet by your gracious favour was then enlarged and did then enjoy about a month and odd day's Liberty, but ever since April the third 1654. have again been cast into Woodstreet Counter London, where at present I remain a Prisoner, questioning not upon your Lordship's perusal of these my humble addresses to find as formerly; your never to be forgotten clemency hath emboldened me the second time to remind your Lordship for justice and for right from my illegal, Antichristian, tyrannical imprisonment in the place aforementioned, wherein I lie and suffer for Christ and a good Conscience, in that I dare not sin against Right as to pay Tithes, and this by one Budgger of Bassenburn in the County of Cambridge, Impropriator and Tithe-renter, for which revenues of Antichrist he hath been a cruel persecutor of me, and my Family, and for some time enforced me for to forsake my poor wife and children, and relations, and to fly for Scotland unto the Army of the Commonwealth of England for refuge, that I might have my inward peace in preserving Faith and a good Conscience for nonpayment of Tithes: so through much danger and hazard of my life, through great and miraculous preservations I returned from thence with the Army, and came up to Worcester fight, and engaged the enemies there as a Soldier for Christ and his cause against Antichrist that interest, and when God had given us the victory there, my life being wonderfully delivered, I gained leave to go home to my poor distressed wife and family, but because this bloody antichristian brood of Tithe-mongers, did gape for my Liberty, I was forced, the time of my staying there, to make a prison of my house; and after I had been with my Family a certain time, my Adversary Budgger hearing of me at home, got up a certain company of wicked men by his appointment, and sent them to take me, and to carry me away to prison, who did violently break into my house with their swords drawn, and threatening cruelly the destroying of my life, whereupon I was forced to defend myself with sword and pistol, and make my retreat into my upper Chambers; but they pursuing me with a great vehement resolution, and threatening to pull my house down over my head, and to have me dead or alive, and broke open my stairs foot door upon me, as also to raise the town; yet through the strength of God in me, and with me, I made a strong resistance against them for some time, and so came to a Parley with them, in the mean time my distressed wife gained another sword into her hands, and then made good the stairs head against them, whilst I forced my pass out at my upper window, and so I scaped them with my life, through the exceeding goodness of the Lord, and returned again to the Army: but a while after I was gone to the Army, another new; a bigger company was again sent by the appointment of my Adversary Budgger, which forced themselves into my house full of envy, rage, and malice, to the great astonishment of my poor wife and children, they being alone at home; and after these raging wretches had rifled and searched my house to find me and could not, they returned in great heat and fury, and threatening my poor wife set a naked sword to her breast, using lewd and unsufferable language to her, still threatening to kill her, if she did not tell them where I was, but at length when they saw that they could not prevail, they left her in a very sad condition grievously affrighted, and my poor afflicted children, so that upon this inhuman bloody usage of theirs, and all for the Whore that sits upon the cruel beast, my Wife fell into a great fit of sickness, which almost cost her her life, yet in all the time of her fierce disease and great calamity, which did aggravate my affliction, I myself durst not so much as to come home to administer comfort to her: for such snares, (and privy Ambassadors plots and designs) were laid by these nursed Accomplices, to take me into their merciless claws, that by the means of these cruel, unjust, Antichristian persecution for Tithes by the known enemies of Christ and his people, I have been at last wasted and utterly ruinated in my Family's estate, above the value of four hundred pounds and upwards, by which means I am come to be much indebted, and have been forced to remain as a banished man from my Family, and County of my Nativity for some years, and have been, and am still exposed to great want, and much more misery had fallen upon me had not the mighty God raised me up Christian Friends, in the Borough of Southwark and City of London for my relief, when I was cast into Northampton Prison, where I was committed for my Judgement and Conscience in this Cause of Christ: viz. For declaring at Wellenborough Market-crosse in Northamptonshire against that Merchandise of Babylon, that great Prop of Antichrist, the payment of Tithes and forced maintenance, and for the same I was two several days brought to Northampton Castle, and tried at the general Sessions of the Peace held there the first day I being examined upon several interrogatories by Judge Clark, Judge Parker, and several others, as to the best of my remembrance their names were so, and little being done the first day against me, they committed me back again into Ptison, giving the Gaoler a strict charge for my safe custody, and to bring me before him on the morrow, after which accordingly he did, which was the same day the long sitting old Parliament was turned out of doors; I will not say for their wickedness or oppression, but leave England to Judge; and on that day I was also examined upon several interrogatories, the which I refusing to answer to, they remanded me back to Prison again, saying that I had committed Treason, yet would they not discover against whom, nor what statute or Law I had broken, although I often desired of them to know the same, and without receiving any satisfaction from them; only they asked whether I had read Littleton or no, Because I alleged that all Statutes or most were made in relation to Kings: but then being no King, I could be no offender, if it could have been proved that I had broke a statute: I was by their wills again ordered to be kept in prison, until the Assizes being to be held in August following, in the year one thousand six hundred fifty and three, but I then being a Member of the Army, the Court Martial who then sat at White-Hall, in the same year were pleased to send a Messenger of their own for me, that they might hear the cause before them, wherefore I was imprisoned, and have it before them, so that after I came to London, I did attend them certain days, though a Prisoner under the custody of the Marshal General, and when their pleasure was to hear me, I gave them a true Account of my imprisonment in Northampton, which was by a Justice of peace so called, or rather a Justler of Peace, who himself was a Tithe-monger, and in regard thereof, without showing any just cause, sent me to prison, and for the first day of my hearing before the Court Martial, notwithstanding that I had given them a full Account of all my sad sufferings and what distress my wife and poor Family were in by the aforesaid devoted servants of Antichrist that interest yet some Presbyterians amongst them, who were none of the least in power and rule, were very much incensed and embittered against me, after they had heard me declare why I could not, nor should not in conscience pay Tithes, so that they also were vexed at me, and did ask me how the Ministers should live, so giving of them my Answer, they would not release me that day, but gave a charge to the Marshal to bring me before him again, in the mean time, my precious Christian friends in the Borough of Southwark, hearing what hard measure I was like to undergo, did repair with me the last day of my hearing to the Court Martial at White-Hall, near about twenty of them, to give in their testimony in my behalf against the wickedness and evilness of paying Tithes, but they might not be permitted to come into the Court Martial, although by myself much importuned, and so after they had examined me (High Commission Court like) upon several interrogatories, they consulted among themselves what to do with me; and in the mean time they commanded me out of the room: And after their large consultation, I was called in again amongst them, and by the overruling power of the Presbyterian, or ridgid party amongst them, I was dismissed the Army, and so through the blessing of God became a freeman again, notwithstanding that Colonel Pride, and other honoured friends and Officers of the Army did then oppose their proceed against me, so God knows, for no other cause or crime was I dismissed but for declaring against Tithes.  
By this, my Lord, we may see how men are fallen: For where I did expect to have had most relief, there I found the most rigour and unkindness, yet it was just with my God so to suffer it, that I might see it no good bottom to trust in men, or upon deceitful, and uncertain arm of flesh as I had done, whereby I was deceived, and did too much departed from the living God, whom I have found since to be my preserver and Protector, blessed be JEHOVAH: Oh that I had been so guided before, for I was deceived by the flatteries of men in power, and by their fair and religious pretences, which have and did deceive me, and many thousands, and by their not performing their Oaths, Vows, and Covenants, I am bereft of my calling, which God did then enable me to follow, being the just and honest employment and order which God appointed mankind unto us from the beginning, viz. To till and manure the earth, that it may bring forth fruit unto his Creation, and this was my righteous calling, and I would their callings were as righteous that have rob and imprisoned me, although by the power of the oppressor I am taken there from, and by the worst of Thiefs and Robbers am destroyed, as my conscience with God beareth me witness that they are enemies to Christ and his Gospel, seeing it is in mere conscience that I cannot pay Tithes, for if I do, I sin against the Light of knowledge, and so become an enemy to the truth of the Scripture, and should thereby deny my Christ to be come in the flesh, and the better hope of the Gospel, which all they do that either pay Tithes, or take Tithes, as Heb. 7. 12. verse doth witness with me: For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the Law, which is recorded in Deuterenomie 18. 3. verse pointing out the then Priests portion, and saith, what should be their due from such a people as offered sacrifice, whether of ox or sheep: that they should give unto the Priest, the shoulder, and the two cheeks also and the maw: 4. verse, the first fruits, of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thy oil, etc. so that it doth clearly appear that there is a great difference between the Priesthood under the Ordinance of the Law, and under the Gospel, which did but figure out Christ to come in the flesh, therefore when Christ the substance was come, the shadow was done away, as Heb. 9 8. verse. Chap. 10. 1. doth witness, Christ being come an high Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building, ver. 11. 23, 24. Thus it is evident by the Scriptures, and doth plainly appear unto all those who live in obedience to the knowledge of God, and doth make the Scripture their rule to walk by, and do use no hypocrisy, so as to make Religion a cloak to cover their wickedness, for which if they do not, they can do no other but witness with me, that to take or pay Tithes, hath and doth plainly deny Christ to be come in the flesh, and so do they also that lend their power to force the payment and maintenance thereof: For our Saviour doth testify and saith, as by the report of the Scripture, The tree is known by the fruit, for an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit, neither do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles: Therefore my Lord, if you be a real Professor of Christ indeed and in truth it will manifestly appear in your actions, whilst you have power in your hands you may appear to be for Christ, for it doth clearly appear that such a power that forceth the payment of Tithes is not of God, but is of the Beast, and therefore not to be permitted, and is of the Army of Antichrist, for they force the shadow or type which was but figurative to take place of the substance, viz. Christ, and therefore take heed what you do in siding with, or giving forth your power; for this is the time that you will show yourself either to be a friend or an enemy if an enemy? then know, you deny Christ, and his Mediatorship, his Redemption, Justification, and the Resurrection, etc. for Christ saith unto all his, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me, Luk. 9 23, 24, 25, 26. verses: for if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him, if we deny him he also will deny us, therefore once more, my Lord, implored, I beseech you well to consider what you do or suffer to be done, now you are got ●…o to be chief Magistrate of the Nation or Nations; will you permit the permit the people of God in this nation any longer to be thus persecuted and cruelly used by the means of wicked Laws, or rather lusts of wicked men, which tyrannically compels and takes away our Liberties, Lives, Estates and goods, many ways, and amongst others by way of Tithes, and forced maintenance by Priests, and Impropriators, my hearty desires to Almighty God for you my Lord, is, that your assistance be not nor subsistence by those oppressors or oppressing ways which proceeds from those bottomless pit, locusts and caterpillars of this Commonwealth, viz. The Armies of Antichrist, that lives by devouring, destroying, and imprisoning the Saints of God; My Lord, if it must be so that we must pay Tithes against our Conscsences, let there be storehouses appointed throughout the whole Nation, that the Tithes may there be kept that the strangers, the fatherless and the Widows may come thither to be filled within the Priests and Impropriators gates as was in the time of the Law of Moses, who was Judge of all Israel, and gave forth this Order which he had received from God which was in the first Covenant a figure of the everlasting Priesthood, yet for all this know my Lord, if you do, thus, that the Priests and other Tithe-mongers have storehouses to put Tithes and the tenth of men's estates into, to fill the strangers, widows, and fatherless withal, that there may be no beggars in England, though it be a good thing in itself, yet you do but act according to the figure, & own not Christ come in the flesh, as I do through grace obtained in the acknowledgement of the truth of the Scriptures, and of the Priesthood to be changed, and of the everlasting high Priest over the household of God according to the report of the Scriptures, and therefore do I suffer, unworthy as I am, as to be a witness, the spoiling of my goods, and Imprisonment in a joyful Spirit; Ah, my Lord, if you would but own the report of the truth of the Scripture, you could not but acknowledge that the Priesthood is changed, and by your Actions you would appear changed too; for Christ and his Cause which now suffers; Oh then, how would you own Jesus Christ with his people, who witnesseth the end of the Levitical Law and the end of the Priesthood at whose Name every knee should bow, and every tongue confess him, for it is he that inlightens every one that cometh into the world, though some hate it and him, and a few love him and his, yet they that hate him shall one day confess to their shame, and see that their deeds be evil when they have their reward, for lo, I come, saith he, and my reward is with me, to give to every one according to their works, whether they be good or evil; he that saith so is the Mighty King of Saints and Nations: Now my Lord, by the favour of truth, give me leave to reason with your Lordship a little according to the Scriptures: Did you ever read or hear from them that ever any was cast into prison for his conscience, by those that owned Christ, as I and others are, and my goods spoiled, and my Family ruinated, and left open to enemies by those that did own Christ, as I and others are, and their goods spoiled, and families ruinated; I am sure the Law of God in the rigour of it, as it was delivered unto Moses, doth not witness any such cruelties as I have undergone, and many in this Nation besides myself, and I am made to suffer for not paying Tithes, neither doth the Law of God witness the taking of treeble damages, surely, surely, my conscience telleth me, and in the discharge thereof must declare it unto you, that if you will not do justice herein, or suffer it to be done, so as to take off this murdering oppressing power that now is for the help of Antichrist, and tyranny which lieth upon the people of God, or cry for vengeance to the Almighty, will ere long be heard arising from the poor despised, oppressed, and dear people of God in this Land, who are precious in the sight of heaven; therefore, my Lord, while you have time, and power is now in your hands, make good your promise, as taking of oppression from the people of God, together with a new promise, as I am imformed, which by you was made after the turning out of doors of the late last Parliament to divers special friends of the City, to wit, that if tit he were not taken off the Nation before September were out or fully ended, never trust you more, as I hope we shall have no such cause to judge of you, but that you will acquit yourself in all; and of all former and hoped not to be forgotten promises, as at Newmarket Heath, and Triplo Heath, with several other places, what protestations you made there in the eyes of heaven and earth: Oh, remember, remember, the days of your then calamity, when you were in great distress, with the Army of the Common wealth of England, which you were then entrusted withal, when you and they were in great jeopardy of life, whose General you then were at Dumbar, and also at Worcester fight, when and where myself with you was engaged, and at several other places which you may remember, did not we all there declare for Christ King of his Saints, and have not all your pretences then and since as before been to take off oppression tyranny and absoluteness, and for this very cause expressed, we rest in hope that the strength of God may cause you to yield obedience so far to deny yourself, as in answer to that blessed Scripture which gives a good report of the words of our Saviour Christ, for I was hungry and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink naked & ye clothed me, in prison and ye visited me, etc. And so far as you are found performing the work of the Lord, the answer of the King to you will be, for as much as you have done it to one of these my Brethren, you have done it unto me, whose blessed example my desires are unto God for you that you may follow, so humbly taking leave of you, my Lord, I  
Devote myself yours so far as you are Christ's, ISAAC GRAYE. August the 9th 1654. From my burdedsome, oppressive, illegal, antichrestian, and tyrannical imprisonment in great Woodstreet Counter, London, the place of my present captivity.