Long Parliament-vvork, (if they wil please to do't) for the good of the Common-Wealth: or, The humble desires of the well-affected, revived.: Tender'd to the most serious consideration of the Parliament, Army, and others, in XX. proposals, concerning I. Liberty of conscience. ... XX. About hospitalls and alms-houses.

VII.

That although its most requisite that a godly, faithful and painful Gospel-preaching-Ministry, be every where encouraged, countenanced and maintained, as in the seventh proposal of the Army, yet it is most humbly and earnestly desired, as it was formerly by the Army and ma∣ny other well affected people of this Commonwealth, that the way of doing it may be altered from what it novv is, Tythes being most apparently found to be very contenti∣ous and burthensome; extremity of the Law as to treble

damages being much made use of, and the paying of Tythes in kind in some respects in many places in stead of being the tenth part amounts to the fifth (or there abouts) and the payment of them being much scrupled (and that not altogether without good ground) by the consciences of many good people, as not being a Gospel maintenance, who are necessitated either to pay them against conscience, or else to run the hazard of undoing (almost) by enduring the execution of the Law, when the covetousness or envy of any will prompt them to exact the benefit (of that (harsh) law) of treble damages, and thereby also such Mi∣nisters, using such severity do occasion much dishonor, to the name of Christ in rendering the Gospel (in Scripture called glad tidings) to the poor very burthensome and greivous exactions; and surely if this un-gospel and Jewish like way were put to an end, and some other settled, much more consonant to the Gospel-rule, it would give great satisfaction, and render the Ministry more acceptable to the people, and their profession and injoyments would be much more comfortable to themselves and their friends; but here let there be no mistake in any, to think that such as are ignorant of the Gospel, scandalous and insufficient are at all desired to be encouraged and maintained, nay let not such be suffered to continue in the publike exercise of their calling or profession to deceive and destroy the souls of the people and their own together, but let them betake themselves to imployments for a livelihood, more expedi∣ent and safe for them.