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 mony, as the Ministers have in their purses.

But coming last Wednesday to the Committee for Tythes, I expected there the Ministers for Tythes, Sept. 2. to hear what they could say for themselves. A Commit­tee for Tythes is a proper name, Honourable and honest men, being on a debate for Tythes on a civil account in point of Law: but Ministers for Tythes is such a thing, and Ministers of the Gospel to demand it as their spiritual due, its such a monster, that it made my Welsh blood to rise at your English religion. I heard [Page 3]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 winde: 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; onely because his Babylonish Garment is so thredbare, 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 joyn together for Tythes, 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 [...], &c. wilbe by such; for as the present Churches comply with the Presbyters in this of a set­led maintenance, so this being onely by Tythes, 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 Christs side in his death, to shew that the Spirit of life, or living water was shed forth with it; as 'tis exprest Act. 2.32. the promise of the Father and power from on high, or Baptism [Page 3]of the Spirit, Act. 13.2. being onely that which constituted a Gosple-Church, and made Ministers of Gospel; to go forth without this, is not onely to deceive men, but to deny God, to crucifie Christ, to stifle the Spirit, and strangle the babe, even the new-born 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 shal 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 Tythes, therefore I shall propose two words to their Honours 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 Tythes, having not repented of your Episcopal ordination, nor publikely 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 Stronge, who was of the Kings Army, a Cavalier Chaplaine, now an Independant Pastor; but you are so weak, that you are faln not onely from your old professed forms of Parish Churches, Com­mon-prayers, [Page 4]mixt communions, &c. 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 meerly by custome, 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 laborer 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 onely 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. Againe, to live of the Gospel, is not by custome, 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 tydings to teach. [Page 5]But because you still oppress their estates and spirits by your legal teaching and Tythes; 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 then ever your forefathers saw, and a greater favour then any Governors of England gave to the godly preachers or people of God.

If you'l plead still for Tythes 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 then 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 dye 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 wither 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. [Page 6]'Twas blood in the Papists, pride in the Prelates, per­secution, covetousness, and cunning designes, 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.