Against

TYTIIES.

OR,

Tythes na Wages for Gospel-Minifters:

Wherein is declared,

I. The time when Tythes were first given in England.
II. By whom, and by whofe Authority and power Tythes were
firft by a Law established in England.

III. To whom, and to what end and purpofe Tythes were first gi-
ven, and after continued in England.

IV. Ministers pretending a threefold Right to Tythes, 1. By Do-
nation. 2. By the Laws of the Nation. And 3. By the Law
of God; examined and confuted.

By John Osborne, a Lover of the Truth as it is in Jefus.

To which are added,
Certain Reasons taken out of Doctor
Burgeß his CASE, concerning
The buying of BISHOPS LANDS,
Which are as full and directly against Tythes, as to what
he applied them.

Likewifea QUERY to William Prynne.
By JOHN CANNE.

Micah 3.5. Thus faith the Lord concerning the Prophets that deceive
my people,and bite them with their teeth, and cry Peace; but if a man
put not into their mouths, they prepare war against him.
Ifa.57.14. And he shall fay, Caft ye up, prepare the way, take up
Fumbling-block out of the way of my people.
110. k

London, Printed for Livewel Chapman, at the Crown in Popes-Head-Al

110

To the Supreme Authority, the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England, now fitting at Westminster.

Orasmuch as it hath pleased the great Jehovah, who is the onely wife Difpofer of all things, to re-call You to Your Places, from whence You were unjustly depofed by an Ufurped Power; Therefore I befeech You confider, that great things are now expected from You: And I do humbly intreat and befeech You, that You will be pleased to act prudently and vigorously for the Glory of GOD, the Peace and Tranquillity of this Nation, and the Comfort, Liberty and Frecdome of all the faithful Servants of the Lord Jefus Christ, within this Commonwealth. And forafmuch as fome grievances and preffures rest upon the hearts and Spirits of many Godly, Confcientious People of this Land; and one efpecially upon mine own Spirit and Confcience in particular, (as well as upon divers others) I mean that unfupportable burden of Tythes,fo difhonorable to God, and deftructive to his true Worship, and so much tending to the abasement of the Kingdom of Chrift, and the advancement of the power and dominion of Satan and Antichrift: This, I fay, is a grievance neceffary to be confidered, and fpeedily

A 2

re

reformed; Because I do not finde any Warrant in in the Word of God, to uphold Minifters Maintenance by Tythes. And therefore I, as a Lover of the Truth as it is in Jefus, and as an obedient Servant and Subject to the Lord Jefus Chrift,do exhort and befeech You, that You will have a tender care and compaffion upon all fad oppreffed Souls. And to ftir You up thereunto, am bold to offer to Your view the fhort enfuing Treatife, humbly defiring 10% amb that You will be pleased to read it deliberately,and confider it seriously and to make it a chief part of Your work,according to the counsel of the Lord,by the Prophet,fa.58.6. To loofe the bands of wickedness, to take off the heavy burdens and let the oppreffed go free, and that You break every joke. And then in fo doing, God will blefs You in all Your confultations and actions.

But I befeech You mistake not my good intent and meaning herein: For I purpose not to take up on me to teach You Your Duties in Your placesand callings; but to inform You of fuch a growing evil in this Commonwealth, as if it be not timely fuppreffed, may speedily draw dov the wrath and jndgements of God upon this Nation.

Wherefore I defire to ftir up your mindes, that by your godly actings and proceedings, God may be glorified, your own fouls comforted, and poor oppreffed Confciences relieved.

Which fhall ever be the Prayer of

Tour most humble Servant in

the Lord Jefus Chrift,

John Osborne.

TO THE

READER

A

Few months before the fitting of this prefent Parliament, * I declared my opini. *In'a Book on concerning the late Government by Intituled, A two-fold a Single Perfon, or the Second State- shaking of Apoftacy; that is, how it should be the Earth. pluckt up root and branch, by the Reprefentatives of the People. This Reprefentative of the People, (whoever they fhould be, for I pofitively pitched upon none) took to be the Earth-quake in Rev. 11.13. Now fo it is (and bleed be the Lord for it) we fee the fame is come to paß, to the great joy and comfort of all upright ones every........ where.

This bleffed work of the Lord (which is marvelous in our eyes) not onely strengthens me in my former opinion, viz. That the Earth-quake is begun: but likewife what I have there Spoken concerning the effects of that Earthquake (as to Tythes, the carnal Church, Miniftry, Worship and Government, with all the corrupt Laws of the Nation) will in fome fhort time, by this Earth-quake, be utterly razed down. The Sun may Shine, and yet not be seen, because it is under a cloud. I am perfwaded the great works of the last day are upon us, and the Spirit is moving upon the face of the waters, howbeit darkness covereth the earth.

But

I