A brief discovery of the corruption of the ministrie of the Church of England, or, Three clear and evident grounds from which it will apear that they are no ministers of Christ published for the information of all by Thomas Colyer.

Second Parrallel. BETWEEN Them: and Simon the Sorcerer, Acts 8.

SImon Magus his sin is looked upon by those who know not what it was, as very horrid and wicked, and it's true, Peter said that he declared himself by it, to be in the gall of bitternesse, and bond of iniquity; the Priests give a very high and learned interpretation of it, (that is,) to buy a Parsonage; and this they call Simony, who so buyes a Personage as Simon Magus: But I believe if we come to examine what was Simons sinne, we shall finde more Sir Simons, then many are aware of.

Simons sinne, it was First, to buy the gifts of the holy Spirit.

2. As it is generally understood, to that end he might sell them again, and its likely to be true, for it would have gotten him much credit as well as profit;

he should have made a good exchange, for the losse of the spirit and power of divination and sorcery, to have gotten the Spirit of God, by which, he thought quick∣ly to inrich himself.

So then, here was Simons sin, he would have bought the gifts of the Spirit, to that end he might have sold them, that so he might inrich himself by it. See then how the Priests of our time run parrallel with him.

I argue it thus, Those who buy their gifts, of pur∣pose to sell them, are guilty of Simon the Sorcerers sinne. But the Priests of England buy their gifts of purpose to sell them, and get gain; Ergo, the Priests of England are guilty of Simon the Sorcerers sin. That this was Simons sin, is cleared; that who so doth the like, are guilty of Simons sin, is unquestionable; that only which remains to be proved, is, That the Priests of England, buy their gifts of purpose to sell them. First that they buy them it will appear, these things considered.

First, What gifts and abilities they have, are hu∣mane, such as they have attained in the Schools, which cost them much money, as well as industry for the gaining of them.

Secondly, Their appropriating all abilities of Preaching, to themselves, accounting it altogether impossible for any other to have any gift at all, who have not bought it like themselves; so that they doe not only buy themselves, but deny any other way of attaining gifts, to any else; pretending Phylosophy to be the Mother of Theology; Ah horrible blasphemy against the Spirit, who is freely given, and freely op∣perates as it pleaseth.

Thirdly, Their owne confession when they come to sell, that their gifts cost them much money;

and therefore they sell them at the dearest rate.

2. That they buy of purpose to sell, appears:

First, It was the great end for which they were by their Parents dedicated and set a part a purpose to get a living, even as they binde their children Appren∣tices, &c.

Secondly, It appears by their practise, which is, to sel all, and that at the dearest rate too; witnesse their looking after the greatest and fattest livings, where there are most▪Calves, Lambs, and Tyth-pigs, Corne, Hay, and Gleb-land, thither usually is their call; wit∣nesse their often removing from a lesser living to a greater, ten pounds more per annum is a sufficient call from one Parsonage to another; witnesse their first quere, what it is worth per annum, and if that pleaseth them, then they go, never querying what Saints be there: nay, so far are they from that, if they hear that Christ and Saints be there, then they dare not come there, for fear that light will discover their darknesse; witnesse their indenting for thus much by the weeke, in case they supply any place that wants, which is so much clear gain unto them, for their own pay goes on neverthelesse at home; witnesse, their Petitioning the Parliament for increase of maintenance, where they judge it is too little, although some of them have 40. pound, some 80. li. some 100. li. some 140. li. and besides a great wrong to the Parliament, or at the least to the Subject; witnesse the common practise of Towns and populous places, who beholding their temper, dare not attempt the getting of a Minister, as they desire to be called, untill they first make up, ei∣ther by petition to the Parliament for the states mo∣ney which poor Soulders want, or some other way, a round sum of money; which being effected, puts courage into poore simple Country men to ad∣venture

into their presence with all lowly submission.

Sir, we have maintenance for an honest man, per∣haps 100 li. per annum, if that be too little, wait a while, and perhaps 200. or 300. appears, which will serve to make up the bargain: just as a servant who puts forth himself for a year will make the most of his service; al∣though it's true, the conditions are contrary.

Conditions.

• INprimis, I will be your Minister (which signifies a Servant) or rather your Lord, on condition that you will engage to give me thus much by the year in money, or Tythes, as the condition is. Ergo, the Priests of England preach for hire.
• 2. I will be your Minister in name, provided I may be your Lord; for so they are indeed, and rule over you, and you will become subjects and slaves un∣to me, bow down before me, and call me your Master. Ergo, the Priests of England are the peoples Lords.
• 3. I will be your Minister, provided you will not contradict me in what I preach and teach you, if you will believe as I believe, and teach you; or rather then this Article shall make a breach, they will get an Ordinance from the House of Lords, which will serve their turn to prevent any from objecting against their Orthodox Divinity, although never so humane: O hor∣rible impiety! Men may now preach lyes by a Law.
• 4. And finally, I will be your Minister, provided that I may have my liberty to remove again when I see a call: which is like to be the next Parsonage tendred, wherein 10. or 20 li. per annum be augmented to his

• yearly maintenance: as the hired servant keeps him∣self at liberty for his own advantage, at the end of e∣very year.

Thus the bargain is made, and the condition is drawn, the Priests now with much comfort and ala∣crety, fals a preaching, for he knowes to a peny what he hath comming in for every Sermon he makes. One thing by the way I cannot omit, which I have known: in case any one be so simple as to limit himself for thus much by the year, while he live, unto a people, they have a way to fetch him off again with credit as thus: refer it into the hands of a Jury of Divines (as they call them) although indeed but humane, the sim∣ple people agree unto it; judging these men, if any, will be honest.

This Jury of humanes quaeries into the businesse, finde that their brother hath engaged himself for life, perhaps for some 70 li. per annum, the more simple man he: Now within a year after, some 6 or 7 score is tendred, the conclusion it delivered in, he may law∣fully suspend with his promise, and former engage∣ment, being called unto another place.

1. There is more maintenance, the great Lord that drawes; he is by the Scripture to provide for his own, or else he is worse then an Infidell.

2. There are perhaps more Souls, and so more need of a Preaching Ministry, &c. And thus the man may lawfully remove, his brethren so determine it: And why? It possibly may be their own turn next; that this is truth: witnesse Master Swayn at Trad∣brook in Suffolk, (with others) thus the minor appears, that the Priests of England buy, that they may sell for advantage; therefore guilty of the sin of Simon Ma∣gus: so that the truth is, we have many Sir Simons amongst us, though under fair pretences and colours:

only note one word by the way, wherein it will ap∣pear, that they exceed Simon in wickednesse.

1. Simon would have bought the gifts of the spirit, that so he might have done something for his money: but these men buy humane gifts instead of the spirit, and set up, and sell that, as if it were spirit.

2. Simon had good thoughts of the spirit, he would have bought it: but these cry down the spirit, calling it a spirit of giddinesse, and its like they know no other spirit, but that which comes from Oxferd, or Cambridge: Horrible blasphemy against the spirit! Mat. 12.

3. Simon did only desire the spirit himself, not to limit it to himself, as those who know not what the spirit is, who would have none to have it but them∣selves: no Fisher-man, as Peter; or Tent-maker, as Paul, &c.

4. And finally, Simon was made sensible of his sin, might repent for ought that any one knowes; he desired the Apostle to pray for him: but the Simo∣nists of our times are so farre from repenting, that they still justifie themselves in their wicked∣nesse, and I am afraid, it will be a very hard thing to recover many of them to repentance, unlesse when too late.