I Received your Letter, wherein you desire to know my reasons, why fifth parts should not be allow­ed to the Wives and Children of sequestred Mini­sters, by those Ministers that are put into Seque­strations, (which with some intermixed grievan­ces) I hereby humbly offer to your serious consideration, and candid interpretation. But to prevent mistakes I premise,

1 That I plead not against the States allowing fifth parts to the Wives and Children of sequestred Delinquents temporall E­states, except they be Offices into which others are put: Nei­ther

2 Do I intend any evill, but good, to those that have sate, and do now sit at the stern of our Commonwealth; (I am one of those that have acted with, and suffered much, in name, body and estate for them) but that you may see, lament, and reforme the hard mea­sure that some of their best friends have received, at the hands of some of their Committees, and worse may, if some good course be not speedily taken to reforme and restraine them; and therefore I hope, that neither you nor any others wel-affected, will take in ill part what I shall say in vindication of this Position.

That it is not warrantable for Committees to force poor plun­dered Ministers, put into Sequestrations, to pay fifth parts of the profits of them, to the respective Wives and Children of Ministers, that are sequestred from them.

And my Arguments to prove it are these.

1 Because they have no right unto them, for if they have any right to them, it is either in right of the sequestred Ministers, or [Page 2]of themselves, but neither of these waies, therefore no way.

1 Not in right of sequestred Ministers, because they have no right unto them, they had (it may be) a civill right unto them, but that they have lost by their convicted scandalousnesse and de­linquency, and are dead in Law, now (you know) when a Minister is dead, neither he, nor his Wife, nor Children have any right to any profits due after his death, and therefore not to a fifth part.

Obj. But you will say, they are not dead in law, because not legally put out, by a Judge at Common Law, or deprived by their Ordinary.

Sol. I Answer, 1 They are deservedly put out by the Authority of the highest Judicature in England, for most have been seque­stred by the late Committee for releife of plundered Ministers, who were all Parliament-men; and though some have been seque­stred by Country Committees, (who commonly Favoured De­linqent and scandalous Ministers, much more then the Commit­tee for Plundered Ministers did) you know these Committees were authorized to do what they did, who proceeded as favou­rably as they could, according to those Rules given them from a­bove, and secundum allegata & probata, the scandalousnesse and delinquency alleadged and proved against them; if not (as I have heard) they had their appeale even to the house it selfe, if made within halfe a year after sequestration,

2 You know that Juries are for the most part malignant and corrupt, favourers of malignant, and scandalous Ministers, and foreswore taking upon them to bring in their Verdict not accord­ing to the evidence, but to judge of the Law it selfe; So that if some good course be not speedily taken, Acts of Parliament, and mens proprieties will be little or nothing worth. I am confident there are no greater oppressions in England, then malignant and corrupted Juries are to honest men; and yet (though the Lives and Estates of Godly and Wel-affected men are to be tryed by them) there is no provision made against them.

3 And besides the fifth part is commonly allowed to the wives and children of those Ministers, who would undoubtedly have been se­questred, not onely by an honest wel-affected, and uncorrupted Jury at Common-Law, but by a Vote of the major part of the whole House it self.

4 And truely, many (if not most) of those that now stand seque­stred, were never legally, (if we take legally, according to Gods holy Word) put in, for God never sent them; For he never sends any but such as he quallifies with gifts of Illumination and Sanctification con­venient and necessary for them, both which many (if not most) of them wanted, when they were first sent by men.

5 And truely, many of those Patrons that presented them, as well as those Bishops that instituted them, were as sequestrable for delin­quency and scandall as themselves, and therefore sure they were not fit and competent Judges of them and their behaviour. But to leave this to the Parliament, who know upon what good grounds they have sequestred them.

2 I say they have no right in themselves to fifth parts. For 1. Though it be said by some that the Parliament hath given them to them, and therefore, that they have as much right to fifth parts, as the Ministers put into sequestrations have to the four parts: The Parliament seeing how forward some were to cut such large thongs out of honest mens, their good friends, sides (if I may so speak) as to allow third parts to the sequestred Ministers under the colour of their Wives and Children, did, as in the case of Usury, make a Law to restrain them to fifth parts; and thereby did indeed tollerate, but not command their Inferiors, nor necessitate themselves to allow fifth parts from poor plundered Mini­sters, which Law of theirs, is (God knows) much abused by their Committees, to their great dishonor, and the grief and undoing of many godly Ministers and their Families, and the maintaining and re­joycing of their irreconcilable Enemies. Secondly, I deny the Argu­ment. For it doth not follow, that because the State doth tollerate and restraine Usury to 6 l. per cent. that therefore it is lawful and just; So neither doth it follow, because the State doth tollerate a maintenance to the wives and children of sequestred Ministers out of those Seque­strations where godly and plundered Ministers are placed, and re­strain their Agents to fifth parts, that therefore it is lawful to force them to pay them to them.

Ob. You will say it is lawful by mans Law, though (it may be) it is not lawful by Gods Law.

Sol. Sir, Grant the latter and you must yeeld the former, for mans Law must be rightly grounded upon Gods, else it will not be a righteous but ungodly Law. But more of this hereafter. For Answer [Page 4]I say, with submission to all in Authority, that they have no right unto fifth parts by Mans Law, for

1 The Parliament did not command, but only tollerate fifth parts, as it doth not follow, that because our state doth tollerate men to take 6 l. per cent. that therefore they must take so much, for men may lend for lesse; or freely for nothing if they will. But Committees force poor plunder­ed Ministers to pay them to the Wives and Children of sequestred Mi­nisters, though people pay them not their Tythes and Dues.

2 Their Committees are Patrons pro tempore of all sequestred Li­vings, to which they present their Ministers when they send them to the Assembly, or other godly Orthodox Divines, and institute and in­duct them, when they give them Orders for their respective places; now by that good old unrepealed Law against Symonie; it is unlawful for any Patron, when he presents any Minister to a presentative Living, to reserve a fifth part, yea, any part of the profits of the same, either for himselfe or any others (be they never so poor) as all skilled in our Laws, know right well; and therefore I conclude, that it is not lawfull for Committees to force poor plundered Ministers, to pay to the wives and children of those that have been sequestred, a full fifth part of the profits of their Livings, as they doe, under the penalties of Sequestra­tion, or imprisonment.

Ob. But you will say, that every inferior Patron is, but Committees are not, tyed to that Law.

Sol. Sir, I profess I am very loath to write any thing that may be by any construed against the late Parliaments just proceedings but I hope I may do this without offence, as wel as others write against Usury which is tol­lerated by them. Therefore in answer I say, That it is contrary to the late Parliaments Declarations; For, you know, the late Parliament Declared and Promised to repaire the losses of those that were plundered for their adhering to them, which this forcing of them to pay fifth parts doth not doe, but (I will not say) plunder them more. And also to maintaine the good and wholesome Laws of our Land, of which kind that known Law against Symonie is one, and as yet is not formally re­pealed, but even by the Parliament and Judges justly punished; now to force Ministers to pay fifth parts to the Wives and Children of them that are sequestred, hath the materiality, if not the whole formality of Symonie; And besides, you know that Committees are not supream but subordinate Patrons, and therefore are bound to observe the Laws of our Land as wel as any others.

Second Argument, To force poor plundered Ministers to pay fifth parts to the Wives and Children of sequestred Ministers, is contrary to their proceedings, with others in like cases. For

1 Many men have been sequestred from Offices of great profit, which they or their friends have bought with great sums of mony, and which they did and might hold by the Laws of the Land as well as Mi­nisters, and yet Committees though they have continued those Offices, and put others, though not plundered, into them; yet have not enjoyned, much lesse forced them to pay fifth parts to their Wives and children, though they were poor and had nothing else to live upon but their la­bour, which was never yet denied to the Wives and Children of seque­stred Ministers.

2 Yea, many Heads and Officers of Colledges and Halls in the U­niversities, have been sequestred from their several Headships and Of­fices, and yet have not forced those that have been put into them to pay their Wives and Children fifth parts, though some of them have neither Wife nor Children, neither have they been plundered as some Ministers (that are forced to pay fifth parts) have been, neither are they defrauded of, and troubled about their dues, as many poor plun­dered Country Ministers commonly are. I write not this out of any envy of them, God knows my heart, I wish them better then they have, for some of them have too little, but to let you see the inequa­lity of some Committees proceedings. Yet why both these sorts of men should be exempted from fifth parts, and other godly and plun­dered Ministers who have Wives and Children of their own should be charged with them, I see no reason at all, but only will.

3 It is inconvenient to force them thereunto in many respects;

1 To Committees, for there by they are many times put to a great deal of labor and charge, to watch and wait to make orders, and hear causes about fifth parts, which might well be spared, and better spent.

2 To the Parliament and Army. For 1. Thereby godly Ministers having been plundered for aiding of them, are disabled now to helpe them as formerly they have, and might, and would. 2. Malignants are not thereby made their friends, but the more able to hurt them, and their friends, and doubtlesse will when time serveth.

3 To their Ministers, and that many ways, for it takes them off from their studies, compels them to be absent from their Families, and flocks, and puts them to great trouble, labor, and charges to attend the hearing of [Page 6]their Causes. For many times they are put off until their friends be ab­sent, and a Committee made against them; yea, when they have shew­ed good cause, and that approved of, and have been thereupon dis­charged from fifth parts, yet many times they have been charged again, and hereby they are not only disabled from repairing their old dilapi­dated houses, and releiving the poor; but are necessitated to be more strict with their Parishioners about their Tythes and Taxes then other­wise they would be. Yea, further, it animates malignants against them, for they look upon fifth parts as an earnest that their old sequestred Mi­nisters have right to all, and shall one day enjoy all again; and this makes them many times, and wayes, to vex and oppresse the Parlia­ments poor plundered Ministers, by over-valuing, and over-taxing their Livings, that a fifth part is made a third part, and then there re­mains but two parts to the Parliaments poor plundered Ministers, to maintain themselves, their own Wives and Children, pay Taxes, re­leive the poor, repair their houses, and keep hospitality; and it may be are forced to goe to law with their Parishioners for all, and in the mean time borrow mony to pay taxes and fifth parts, and in the end compound for halfe the value of their Tythes, after they have spent twise as much as their Tythes were worth. Is this the way to releive poore plundered Ministers? Yea, further, it being left to sequestred Ministers Wives and Children to chuse their fifth parts of which Living they please (for many of them had two Livings, some three) it so fals out, that they commonly pitch upon the places where poor plundered Ministers are placed, and let the other alone, or make some under-hand bargain with them, and so it comes to passe, that many times godly Ministers, who have been deprived of the lives of their friends, of their estates in the wars, and have Wives and many small Children of their own, and friends, who have lost their limbs in the Parliaments Service to maintaine, are compelled to pay full fifth parts unto the Wife or child of the sequestred, that hath it may be good considerable temporall estate to live upon, and this without defalcation of taxes and charges, which were or are in many places above a fourth part of the whole; but this is occasioned by Committees giving them leave to chuse where they list, and alwaies, and all of one, and so Newters, yea, Malignants till of late, and young men, who have either none; or but little charge, and never lost any thing by the wars, escape fifth-part-free, and the burthen, as hath been shewed, is laid upon the aged wel-affected, poor plunder­ed Ministers, who have great charge of children and friends depending upon them.

Third Argument, To force poor plundered Ministers, put into Se­questrations, to pay fifth parts unto the wives and children of seque­stred Ministers, is a practise not well grounded upon the Holy word of God, which ought to be the rule and foundation of Christian mens actions. Therefore it is not warrantable. — I know it is pretended to be an act of great mercy, and the Ministers that are against fifth parts (though they be truely godly and poor, and merciful to those that are poor indeed) are hardly censuRed, and looked upon, as covetous, selfe-lovers, and without natural affection; but it is for the most part by such that are so indeed, and also false accusers, and despisers of those that are truely good (2 Tim. 3.) But Sir, some wise and worthy men say, it was but an act of humane pollicy devised at first by some in favor of Malignants, and connived at by others (as in time of the wars) favour­ing honest godly Ministers, but continued to their undoing. Now to evidence it to be a practise not well grounded upon the Word of God, I suppose it will not be amisse to lay down those portions of holy Scrip­ture producible for the lawfulnesse of Committees forcing fifth parts from godly, poor plundered Ministers, to the wives and children of those Ministers that are sequestred by the Parliaments Authority, and then clear them.

Ob. First is or may be alleadged, 1 King. 2.26. And unto Abia­ther the Priest, said the King, get thee to Anathoth unto thine owne fields, for thou art worthy of death. Hereupon it is said that it is e­vident that though Solomon sequestred Abiather the Priest from being Priest unto the Lord, yet he did not take away all his main­tenance from him, but commanded him to goe to Anathoth to his owne fields there, therefore say they, fifth parts are grounded upon the Word of God, for here is example for a maintenance out of a se­questred Ministers own fields.

Sol. For Answer unto this, be pleased to consider these things.

1 That Solomon was an absolute King as most men hold, extraor­dinarily made by the Lord, as Adonijah said, 1 King. 2.15. and there­fore Solomons practise is no good president for our Committees, who are but conditional, else we are in a worse condition then wee were in formerly, but let it goe for good, then know

2 That Solomon (the Supream Magistrate) sequestred Abiather the High Priest, as a grand Delinquent for adhering to Adonijah, who would needs be King before King David was dead, or willing to re­signe [Page 8]his Kingdome into his hand, for which Solomon judged him worthy of death, and yet pardoned him as to life, and temporall e­state, and confined him to his fields at Anathoth, which belonged not to him as he was High Priest, if Solomons practise be a good president for fifth parts, why not for our Committees to sequester.

3 That Solomon pardoned Abiather as to life and temporal estate, for that time, for his former good Service done to his father David, and sufferings, for and with him, but thrust him out of the Priests Office and confined him to his own fields at Anathoth; So many Mi­nisters though they have more deserved death then Abiather did, yet have been pardoned by the Parliament, as to life and liberty, though they have done both them and their Fathers, and friends, all the mis­cheife they could. But now that Committees practise in allowing fifth parts to sequestred Ministers Wives and Children, and forcing godly poor plundered Ministers to pay them, is not well grounded upon So­lomons, nor consonant thereunto, is manifest. For

1 Solomon sequestred Abiather from being Priest before the Lord, and put Zadock in his room, but he did not allot Abiather or his wife or children a fifth part of the High Priests maintenance, and much lesse compell Zadock, who performed the Office to pay it him or any other; But now Committees doe commonly cut out fifth parts as large as third parts of the profits of sequestred Livings, to sequestred Ministers wives and children, and constrain godly, faithful, plundered Zadockes to pay them (besides performing the Office, to which by the Law of God and man they have ever been annexed and paying of all taxes and char­ges imposed, which Zadock knew not of.) under the penalties of se­questration or imprisonment, to sequestred Abiathers shall I say? that name is not convient, for they never bear the Arke before, nor suf­fer any thing with, or for the Parliament, but rather acted with Saul and Absolom, and either like Doeg murdered, or at lest, like Shimei cursed, and railed, and cast stones against them, and their friends, now whether most Committee-men have truly written after Solomons copy, let all seeing and uncorrupted men judge,

2 Solomon did confine Abiather to his own fields or possessions at Anathoth, for near thereunto was the City of Nob before Saul destroy­ed it, where Abiathers land lay, as the learned * S. W. R. Knight observes. He did not give him leave to make away his temporall estate, and then chuse his maintenance where and when he would out of Zadocks (as [Page 9]some Committees have done) no, but he confined him to his owne fields belonging to his Person, not to his Office, and that was a speciall act of grace to Abiather, because he had carryed the Ark of the Lord before his father David, and had been afflicted in all wherein his father David had been afflicted. And truely, if we look back to the 1 Sam. 21.22. chapters, we shal find that Abiather deserved some favor, more then other. For he had done, and suffered much, he had born the Ark before David, and he had lost his Father, and friends, and moveable goods for Davids sake, and shared with him in all his troubles, and his fault was such as a wiser man might have slipt into; For Adonijah was the Kings eldest Son, a proper man, and Davids Darling, and the King had not declared any thing against Adonijahs succeeding him. And Joab (a wise and valiant man) the Kings General was also in the action; and these things, no doubt, if Abiather did not plead, Solomon (being a wise man) knew right well and also that this was the first time, that ever he was found faulty, and therefore he gracioufly pardoned him as to life and temporals, and only sequestred him from the Office and Pro­fits of the High Priest, both which he deservedly, freely, and fully gave to Zadock, who had faithfully adhered to his father David and him­self. Indeed Sir, those Abiathars that acted with, and suffered for the Parliament in the beginnings of our late troubles and changes, but failed (it may be, inconsiderately some of them) in the matter of A­donijah, might very well plead this practice of Solomon, as a good prefident for our wise Sages and Committees to follow: But why cur­sing Shimei's, and seditious Korah's, who have done what they could (and they are most of them the same they were) to subdue and destroy the Parliament and their adherents, should be permitted to plead this for themselves, their wives or children, especially against godly Zadocks who have faithfully adhered to, and constantly served the Parliament even in their greatest extremities, and suffered so much for them. I pro­fesse I see no reason at all.

Object. 2. The next place that is brought for fifth parts, is Mat. 5.5. Blessed are the mercifull for they shall finde mercy: therefore seeing poor plundered Ministers will not of their owne accord give the wives and children of sequestred Ministers fifth parts, it is law­full for Committees to force them.

Sol. To this I might answer thus; that they must shew,

1 That to give fifth parts is a duty.

2 That they are able to doe it, or else I beleeve they will not be blessed in their deed.

3 By way of question ad homines, pray what fifth parts do these mer­ciful men allow to those Bishops, &c. whose onely crime was, that they were Bishops, whose Lands and Possessions they have bought (for a smal matter yea, as some say) for a fifth part of the worth of them, and do they not appear so merciful to Malignants of purpose that they may speak well of them, or that they may obtain mercy from them if the times should alter, which they fear, and so is not all their specious shew of Charity to others, any other thing then plain selfe-love? I do not know their hearts (but God doth) and therefore I do but ask the question.

4 But I answer, ad rem, to the thing objected, and insinuated.

1 That those for whom they so stifly plead, and violently act, are not commonly such subjects of misery, and therefore not such objects of mercy, as they would make the world beleeve they are: For I know it is often pretended that there is a Wife and ten or twelve small Chil­dren like to perish if they be not releived by a fifth part of a poor plun­dered Ministers maintenance, but upon due examination there is found neither Wife nor Children but onely one single Son or Daughter, and either of them eighteen or twenty yeares of age, and well bred up, and provided for, and able to get their Livings, and maintained in their Silks and Sattens. Now let conscience speake whether it be the mercy here intended by our Savior to compell a poor plundered Minister (who hath really a Wife, and it may be eight or ten or twelve smal children unable to help themselves) to pay a full fifth out of the profits of his Living, for which he labours night and day to such a single person or persons who are well able to get their livelihoods by their labor, if they had not friends to help them.

2 I say that the mercy to which blessednesse is promised is spiritual, and hath for its originall the Holy Spirit of God, Gal. 6.10. Dr. Har­rice in loc. for its subject a spi­rituall regenerated man, and for its cheife object, spiritual men (I mean spirituall, in opposition to carnal) and for its ends, spiritual mo­tives: Now whether this be such a spiritual mercy, let spiritual men judge.

3 True spirituall mercy is guided by the true rule of justice, so that he that doth not regulate his actions by it, is not to be reputed a spi­ritually mercifull man, Psalm. 112.4.5: a good man is righteous as well as merciful: Now whether this forcing of poor plundered Ministers [Page 11]to pay fifth parts to sequestred Ministers wives and children be an acti­on guided by the rules of true justice, let all just men judge. The Word of God, which ought to be the rule of Justice, saith plainly, That he that preacheth the Gospel, should live of the Gospel, 1 Cor. 9 14. And the laborer is worthy of his hyer, Luk. 10 7. And if any will not work they must not eate, 2 Thes. 3.10. And let the Elder that rules wel be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine; For the Scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne, and the laborer is worthy of his reward, 1 Tim. 5 17, 18. But now doth not this forcing of poor plundered Ministers to pay fifth parts, make them unable to live of the Gospel? and a Gospell maintenance ought to be more liberal and large then that before or under the Law; Because the ministration of the Gospell is more excellent then that before or under the Law, Heb. 8.6. but fifth parts make it much lesse, yea, then it was in times of Popery; they deprive the labourer of his hire and reward, and of that double, yea, single honor which is due unto him; they muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne, that gives their bread to them, that labor not for it. And if that remarkable Position of many learned and unbyassed men (Ministers and others) be true, as they boldly affirm, and strongly prove) that Tythes were alwayes paid to Christ, as they gather from, Heb. 7.5, to 10. compared with Gen. 14.18.19 20, And Christ being a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech, ver. 17. Then it will follow that they rob Christ, for robbing of his Ministers is robbing of Christ, Mal. 3.8. will a man rob his Gods, yet yee have robbed me but ye say where­in have we robbed thee? in Tythes and Offerings. Now I hope, Act 9 4, 5. they will not say that those able and godly, and painful Ministers which they have put into sequestrations, and labor in the Word and Doctrine are not Christs Ministers; and much lesse affirme that those scandalous and delinquent Ministers, whom they have justly and orderly cast out, are Christs Ministers, and yet many Committees take from the one to give to the other; Is this just, to force Christs Ministers to discharge the Office, and compel them to pay the fifth part of their maintenance, which Christ hath ordained for them, to the others, who neither rule well, nor labor in the Word and Doctrine? I trow, if a faithful Cap­tain, Steward or Ambassador, should be forced to pay a full fifth part of his pay or Salary to the Captains, Stewards, Ambassadors wife, or chil­dren [Page 12]that hath been justly cashiered, or displaced for insufficiency, scandall or delinquency, he would not like it very well, but complaine and cry out injustice, njiustice, especially if he should be compelled to do the Office of a Captain, Steward or Ambassador, seeing omne benefi­cium postulat officium. Every Benefice requireth the Office thereun­to belonging and omne officium beneficium postulat beneficium, Every Office requires the Benefice or Wages thereunto belonging? And what, is it Justice to compel the poor plundered Minister to performe all the Duties belonging to his Office, and yet force him to pay a fifth part of the Profits, Benefits or Wages thereunto belonging (whether hee can get them or not) to him or his, who perform not the Office, but is judged unable, or unfit to doe it?

4 That is not true spirituall mercy, which necessitates them to neg­lect their duty: But forcing of poor plundered Ministers to pay fifth parts to the wives and children of sequestred Ministers, necessitates them to neglect their duty, even those things which God himselfe hath com­manded them to doe, Therefore I conclude it is no spirituall mercy. The major is so clear, that I suppose, none will deny it. And the minor I prove thus.

1 It necessitates them to neglect their owne Families, their owne Wives and Children, for whom the Law of God and Nature requires them to provide for, He that provides not for his own family is worse then an Infidel, 1 Tim. 5.8. for it is impossible for them to pay fifth parts and provide for their own Families, and do other duties too.

2 It compels them to neglect those that are poor indeed, and ought to be releived, 1 Tim. 5.16. In which Chapter the Apostle distin­guisheth of two sorts of Widowes. 1. Widowes that bee wanton. 2. Widowes that be godly and grave. And Widowes that are godly (widows indeed as the Apostle cals them) are of two sorts. 1. Some are poor and without friends. And 2. Others have rich friends able to releive them. Now those that are wanton must not be releived by the Church, nor those that have rich friends, lest it hinder the Church from releiving of those widowes that are poor indeed: Vide Per­kins. as strong and sturdy Beggars must not be releived (except in the case of extremity) lest we do thereby rob those that are aged, impotent, and unable to work, in the releiving of such; Ministers ought to go before others, not onely in Word and Doctrine, but also in Deed and Practise, Matth. 5.16. But the Wives and Children of sequestred Ministers, are sel­dome [Page 13]or never such widows indeed, and fatherlesse indeed, as the Apo­stle would have releived by the Church (much lesse onely by poore plundered Ministers) though they are looked upon as such, by some men that are better able to releive them then poor plundered Ministers, and yet when they are such indeed, they take no such care, and pains to releive, but leave them to the wide world to shift for them­selves (as godly Ministers Wives and Children have done and doe) and why not now, as well as when their Husbands and Fathers are dead.

3 It hinders them from distributing to the necessities of the Saints and keeping of hospitality, both which they ought to do, Rom. 12.13. for fifth parts devoure the meat, drink, cloaths, and lodging, which would else be given to Christs hungry, thirsty, naked, and harborlesse members, which mercy Christ accepts as done to himselfe Matth. 25.35.40. Indeed they may bee given to hospitality, and other such duties; but this forcing of them to pay fifth parts, makes them unable to perform them: for the neglect, or rather not doing of such good works they are deeply charged by some men, with covetousnesse and unmercifulnesse, and their names being thereby defamed, their persons are soon despised, and their doctrine contemned, and God much dis­honored. Is not the cause of the cause, the cause of the thing caused by that cause? And thus I hope I have sufficiently proved, that forcing of poor plundered Ministers (who labor in the word and doctrine) to pay fifth parts to sequestred Ministers Wives and Children, doth necessitate them to neglect, at lest, leave those things undone, which the Law of God commands them to doe: Therefore I conclude, that the forcing now, or lately in fashion, of poor plunder Ministers to pay fifth parts to sequestred Ministers Wives and Children, is not true spiritual mercy, especially that intended by our Saviour in Matth. 5.5. but rather un­mercifulnesse to those poor Ministers that have been plundered for their piety to God, and good affection to the Parliament, to their poore Wives and Children, to many hundreds of poor indeed; yea, mem­bers of Jesus Christ, who might and would be releived by godly Mi­nisters put into Sequestration (though they were kept out of, or under in the Ministery by those unworthy men in the Bishops time) were they not constrained to pay fifth parts to maintain Delinquents and scanda­lous Ministers their Wives and Children in pride, idlenesse, and ma­lignancy—. For if they pay them not, they will either sequester [Page 14]them, or imprison them, or seize upon their Estates, sometimes all three (there is no such course taken to recover poor plundered Mini­sters reall and just debts, which their people owe them for Tythes) or else they must leave laboring in the Word and Doctrine amongst the people that have duely chosen them, and leave them to Dogs, Foxes, and Wolves to be devoured, which in conscience they cannot do. Christ the great Shepherd, and Judge of all the world, seeth all these things, and will one day visite for them all; But God give the Causers, Actors, and Abettors of them speedy and unfeighned repentance for these and all other abusings of his faithfull Messengers and Witnesses.

Ob. But you will say still, that Sequestrations have been freely given by the Parliament to many Ministers, who had but little before Sequestrations were set on foot, and therefore met hinks they should not be averse from paying of that which they allow, and their Committees ordered to be paid.

Sol. Sir, I doe not any way desire to undervalue the Parliaments free bounty to any Godly Ministers, much lesse to them that have ad­hered to them in times of their extremity, and suffered for their sakes, but honor them, and praise God that he did at first put it into their hearts to sequester scandalous and delinquent Ministers, and put godly and wel-affected Ministers in their roomes: For by it much glory hath redounded to God, and good to his Church, themselves, and the Commonwealth; I wish them well, and pray for them; but yet I cannot blame those poor plundered Ministers that struggle as for life to be freed from that intollerable, and unlivelihooding bur­then of fifth parts, arbitrarily, and contrary to the Parliaments inten­tion, imposed on them by Committees, who compell them to make their full tale of Bricks, and yet make them borrow, yea, goe to law for straw. I have heard so many sad complaints by those that are truly Godly and dare not lye, that I dare not condemn them, but as you see me thus pleading for them.

But Sir, Your Object on I suppose is fully answered already, if all that hath been said be well weighed, in the even Scales of unbyassed judgement. For though Patrons give Livings freely (as they ought to doe) yet if they impose or expect more from their Ministers then is reasonable and just, they must excuse them, if they cannot comply with them. It is true indeed that many young men, who had no­thing before the Wars, stood still for a time, till they saw which [Page 15]way the scales would or did turn, have been freely preferred to consi­derable Places, and either they are not marryed, or but lately, and so have no charge, or but little, and have their Wives portions unspent. Your argument might be somewhat to move them to a willing compli­ance in what is just, and not prejudicial to their elder brethren; but many, yea, most of them dealt so warily as to refuse such Sequestrations as they thought were or would be cumbred with payment of fifth parts; but poor plundered Ministers could not deale so circumspectly; for be­ing plundered and having wives and children to maintain, and other plundered friends to releive, they could not pick and chuse where and when they listed, but were constrained through necessity to lay hold on that which was first offered, and therefore there cannot be in reason so much expected from them, as may be from some others, who lost neither friends nor means, but have abundance, and no charge.

But Sir, If your Argument were good, it would make that good Law against Symonie unjust, and lay open a wide gap for the admissi­on of the lame, and the blind, and the unworthiest of the people to enter into the great worke of the Ministery, as it was in the daies of Jeroboham in Israel, and of the Pope here in England. To prevent which inconveniencies, that necessary Law against Symonie was wisely made by our Ancestors, who though they had lesse knowledge of God, yet had they more zeal for him and his Servants, then many of us, their degenerating posterity have.

Sir, You knowing the scantling of time I have had to answer your Question, will (I hope) excuse my plainnesse, and pardon my con­fusednesse, and whatsoever failings else may, upon serious perusall, be found in this my indigested Answer. What I have done hath been to satisfie your desire, and clear those Godly Ministers that lay under many hard thoughts, and bitter and heavy aspersions, and move some compassion towards them, hoping that you and other godly men, will make what good use you can of all your interest both in Heaven and Earth, in and out of the House, that those poor Ministers who have great charge of children, and have been plundered for their piety towards God, and faithfull serving the Parliament, may be absolute­ly discharged from that heavy burden of fifth parts and settled by Act of Parliament for their lives, where they have been placed by Authori­ty of Parliament; especially seeing some of them, upon promise of many Parliament men, that they should be settled for their lives, have [Page 16]left those Places they formerly had, and have promised to stay with those godly people that duely made choice of them, and have laid out much in repairing their old ruined Parsonage and Viccaridge houses where they are, and also seeing if they are not both they, and their wives and children, and godly people will suffer many inconveniencies, and as bad put into the Ministery againe, as have been cast out: By this means also, if others yet left in, shall be duly cast out, young-men re­tired into the Universities may be invited out, and chearfully goe on in the service of God and the Commonwealth, in their Places and Callings. In considence of which, I subscribe my selfe,