convert you to remember them that have the rule over you; they that have spoken the word of God and rule well, are worthy of double honour.'

A. You are apostatized from those elders among the apostles, and from the apostles, in an usurped authority, ministers made by the will of men, at schools and colleges, not by the will of God, as the apostles were. So your honour must be defaced; and you are the dry branches, cut off from the true church, your church and ministry both wanting the virtue and life of God; so are broken into heaps, and sects, and names among yourselves, wanting the unity and bond of peace. The nations have gotten the name of Christians, but are dead, are from the life; and your prayers are as the Pharisees, you being found in their steps, as Matt. xxiii. read you all. You say none must be perfect upon earth, how then converted? who are converted are converted into Christ, who is perfect, out of the first, which is not perfect.

P. The enemies of the ministers are the forerunners of the heavy wrath of God; and the Jews were quite cut off from the church and made vagabonds upon the earth; they mocked the messengers of God, until wrath came upon the people. Ministers are either their fathers or nurses in the Lord. Their sin is killed, and grace is quickened by the ministers' means.'

A. It was the forerunner of the wrath of God upon the Jews, that they had temples and tithes, and stood against the ministers of Christ; it is so to you, as it was with them that saw not the substance, that now stand against the light, and fight against it. And were not railers, envious men, and persecutors always the vagabonds? And are not all you vagabonds from the life of the apostles, as the Jews were from the law of God? And are you not all on heaps about words and scriptures, showing you are without life? And are not the wrath and plagues of God, and overflowing scourge, come upon you who are thus standing against his ministers in this his day that are sent among you cages of unclean birds, who comfort not the people, kill not their sins, quicken not their grace, keeping the people in their sins, telling them they must have the body of sin, while they are upon earth! Are not you mocking the messengers and ministers of Christ? hath not the wrath come upon you? many of the people stricken dead for so doing? You are out of, and apostatized from the church of the apostles, that are persecuting and mocking the ministers of Christ who in scorn are called Quakers, who are sent freely amongst you, not for glebe-lands, tithes, Easter-reckonings, nor midsummer-dues; nor like you that put the Papists out of glebe-lands, tithes, Easter-reckonings and midsummer-dues, and get into them yourselves; that put Papists out of their mass-houses and run into them yourselves. So in this you are not like the ministers of Christ, who seek not these but them; but you are seeking these, not

them, but are putting them out; this causeth plagues to come upon you. And so it is because Papists and drunkards, and them that are now called ministers, are seeking the people's means, not the people, that makes the true ministers of Christ odious, who are in scorn called Quakers, who seek not theirs but them. And you are neither the true fathers nor the true nurses, but in the apostacy from them, and kicking against that which pricks you, going in Saul's steps, who went with priests that had tithes, who were strayed from the life, and saw not the substance, as you raveners from the spirit of God have set up tithes, who see not the substance; you harden yourselves, not hearing the voice, from whose eyes repentance is hid, posting on for your earthly interests and means, posting to courts, sessions, assizes, and benches. And this is the work you are doing, as the courts, sessions, and assizes declare, hurrying the people thither, seeking theirs not them; your spirits are tried at courts, sessions, and assizes, to be the false spirits that went forth into the world, which Peter, Jude, and John speak of, which went forth from them, and separated themselves, which the world since went after, who have been in Cain's, Core's, and Balaam's way.

P. Tradesmen and princes' labour preserves health, but mine consumes it.'

A. Here thou hast shown that thy labour, work, and ministry are not of God, that preserves health and strength; for the work of the ministry is to bring into the saving health, and preserve it, and not consume it, as thy work doth; that they may honour God with their substance, and serve him with all their strength.

P. The law gives tithes,' say the priests, and allow' we may forbear, working,' and we are content with food and raiment; and to give away our tithes, if the people will allow us food and raiment for us and our children, as is fit to make them serviceable, yet the Quakers call the ministers covetous.'

A. The Jews' priests who were made obedient to the faith, had a commandment, while they were under the priesthood, to take tithes according to the law, but the ministers now turn again from the faith to the law, and say the law of God gives it them, and say the tythes are not the people's but the Lord's. Did not the apostles cut off tithes before the law and in the law, the priesthood and law both? and have not you here shown yourselves apostatized from the apostles, so in the apostacy, who have set up a law, the first author whereof was the pope, and say the law gives it us, and that you would not leave tithes unless the people would make a bargain with you to maintain you, your wives and children? Was this the work of the apostles' ministry? What shameless words are these! What! set yourselves thus that all people may view your folly? What the apostles did give, was it upon condi