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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10796	The reuenue of the Gospel is tythes, due to the ministerie of the word, by that word. Written by Foulke Robartes Batchelour of Diuinitie	Robartes, Foulke, 1580?-1650.	1613 (1613)	STC 21069; ESTC S115987	99,848	152

which will not pay them doe inuade or take away other mens goods So then whether we consider the dignitie of the Minister of the Gospel compared with the Leuite o● that the speciall seruice and seruants of God are to be maintained by Gods speciall reuenues it will appeare most agreeable vnto reason and equitie that the Minister of the Gospel ought to liue vpon tythes receiued in the name of God at the hands of their brethren And so much shall suffice concerning the right of Tythes both originall and assigned we come now to consider what hath beene practised CHAP. VI. The practise of paying tythes in the olde Testament both before and vnder the lawe THe first practise of performing tribute vnto God is that of Cain and Abel which because it appeareth Gen. 4. not in plaine termes that it was by tythes I will not dwell vpon it though there want not probable coniectures that what they brought was the tythe of their increase as I haue alreadie intimated in the third chapter I come therefore as there I promised to compare that practise with other examples to the like effect vz. of men ●end●ing part of their goods as a rent or tribute vnto Almightie God The second instance therefore is that of Abraham paying tythes to Melchisedech And hee gaue him tythe of all Ge● 14. 20. In the whole booke of Genesis hitherto there is not a word of any priest of God this is the first place where the priesthood is mentioned howsoeuer there are afore found some priestly practises of Noah and Abraham yet the name of a priest is not found vntill now which I obserue to the end that it might be noted that euen where there is the very first mention of the priest there also is mention of paying tythes vnto that priest by reason of his priesthood yea such a mention as that it sheweth these tythes to be not any either voluntarie fact or such transient action as was no more to be renewed but rather both a permanent practise and also proceeding from bounden duties for the words are manifest Hee paid him tythes miccol of all Some doe restraine that All to the spoiles which Abraham had taken from the foure kings afore mentioned And that thought semeth to be fauoured by diuers translations reading in the Epistle to the Heb. cap. 7. v. 4. Vnto whom the Patriarch Abraham gaue tythe of the spo●les but I say first vnder correction as learned men are also of iudgement for I durst not be the first censurer of that ●●●let tyth cap 4. translation that the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie spoile nor is it so to be Englished The word is a compound of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie the vppermost or vttermost end of any thing as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the fingers ends tropically the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie the best or the chiefe The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie an heape and then the meaning of the compounde word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is either the vttermost or vppermost of the heape according to the naturall meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or else the best or chiefe of the heape according to the metaphoricall signification of the same word And hereupon first fruits are vsually termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they were the vttermost or that which first came to hand or if there was any choise then they were the best and principall And not only the first fruits of corne and cattell but of the first fruits also of spoiles haue bin termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But that the spoiles themselues haue euer beene called by that name is denied by those who are learned but not auouched by any so much as by one paralell place either of holy or seculer writing So that where the Apostle saith Abraham paid tythes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meaning is both by the naturall sence and also by the figuratiue vse of the word that Abraham euer paid his tythes of the very best of all his increase after the example of Abel who brought of the first fruites and of the fattest of them and so doth Ierome translate the place saying de praecipuis that is of the principall And hereupon it should seeme that the word Decumanus the tenth became prouerbially to signifie any thing bigger then the rest of his kind as decumanus sluctus a huge waue Ovid describing a fearful great waue faith of it posterior nono est vndecimoque prior that is it is after ●ist 1. the ninth and before the eleuenth as if he should haue said it is the tenth or a very great one so decumana oua E●urn p. 94. great eggs decumana porta a great gate decumanus limes a great boundmarke because common practise euer taught that the tenthes which were offered either to the true God or to the Idols were no shrimplings but the goodliest and the fairest And so Abraham paying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did paie of the best of his increase and paying miccol of all did make these payments either yearely o● oftener or seldomer but vsually and certenly as God blessed him Secondly if we duely examine the very text of Genesis in that place we shall finde great reasons to induce v● to thinke that it was not of the spoiles but of his other estate and increase that Abraham tythed to Melchisedech For first Abraham v. 22. 23. had lift vp his hand vnto the most high God that hee would not take of all that appertained to the King of Sodome so much as a thrid or shooe latchet If it be answered he would not take to himselfe any thing but that doth not conclude that he offered no part of those spoiles to God We must consider farther the text which addeth the reason of Abrahams refusall vz. Least the King of Sodome should say I haue made Abraham rich Abraham depending vpon God and hauing experience of Gods bountie in so wonderfully increasing him as that hee maintained in his owne familie 3●8 fighting men would haue all the world to take notice that the seruice of the true God and not any fortunate accidents which are adored by the foolish heathen brought him his abundance least therefore when Abraham at any time hereafter ascrihing his wealth to the prouidence of God should praise his God for the same the King of Sodome or any for him should say whatsoeuer he talketh in boast of his God yet the truth is hee may thanke his good fortune in conquering the foure Kings and he may thanke the King of Sodome for so bountifully rewarding that peece of seruice To eschew therefore this calumnie doth Abraham refuse the wealth of the King of Sodome Now if Abraham were l●able to the like imputation from the enuious grudging Heathen by offering a sacrifice of their goods vnto his God as well as by appropriating the same vnto his owne

God secundum literam literally and precisely as they were in the old Testament And vntill the times of Alexander de Hales who was the master of Aquinas which was about the yeare 1240. after Christ howsoeuer there was much wrong and sacriledge practised there was not other doctrine taught concerning tythes But from that time as we shewed ●●pra cap. 6. before haue the Schoolemen in the steppes of Alexander trampled downe this truth and yet not with out resistance from time to time For in the time of Clement Carlet tyth cap. 5. the eight Pope of Rome about the yeare 1266. liued Iohannes Semeca author of the Glosse vpon Gratian. The opinion of this Semeca as wee cited before in the 12. Chapter is plaine that both prediall and personall tythes are alike due by the law of God And M. Carleton in the fift Chapter of his booke of Tythes citeth out of Krantzius how this Semeca withstood the Pope Clement exacting Th●●amest●●● of Semeca called also 〈◊〉 is cited out of the sea of histories State of the Cha● p. 303. acting tythes out of Germanie and was thereupon deposed by the Pope from the gouernment or prouostship of Halberstade And some fourescore yeares after Semeca liued Nicholaus Lyra who howsoeuer hee be corrupt in diuers points according to the errors of the time yet hee taught this point of tythes not after the corrupt doctrine of the Schoolemen but after the Fathers as we doe now Strabus also is plaine In vtroque testament● Ministris altaris decimae oblationes ad necessaria tribuuntur 〈…〉 Numb 1● that is In both the Testaments tythes and offerings are giuen to the Ministers of the altar for their needefull maintenance But the truth is that in those corrupt midnight times of Poperie they were very few though alwaies some thorough Gods goodnes who did maintaine any point of truth then suppressed or oppressed the greater number yea almost all betooke themselues to sooth the Pope in his sacriledge amongest many other grosse falsehoods this one point of Poperie also preuailed vz. that tythes were not due by the word of God Indeed as we said before Cap. 2. this point was not so fully discouered to be Poperie by all our late blessed reformers but that diuers of them beeing busied with waightier matters more needfull for the time they either passed by this point as wanting time to examine it or else they tooke it as they found it without any great scanning yet not so as they were all deceiued in it for the Lord did not suffer all of them to let slip a truth so needfull for his Church but would needs that some of them should plainely auouch it Gualter that godly and learned doctor of Tigurie in his Gualt in Matth. 23. 23. homilies vpon Matt. hauing shewed both the originall of tythes before the law and also the vse of them vnder the law at last he addeth Debent hac ad ecclesiam noui testamenti transferri e●si enim Leuiticum sacerdotium abolitum si● sacra legalia cessarint manet tamen Ministerium euangelij c. that is These tythes ought to be translated vnto the Church of the new Testament for though the Leuiticall preisthood be abolished and the legall rites ceased yet the Ministerie of the Gospel remaineth c. and by and by he saith further in the same place At quae iustior ratio excogitari potest alendi ministros quàm vt ex decimis viuant that is what more equall course can be deuised for the maintenance of Ministers then that they should liue of their tythes Of the same opinion also is Zepperus Zeppe● d● l●g Mos l. ● cap 40. a late and learned German writer Decimae pars sunt illius stipendij quod ministris pro officij sui laboribus diuino naturali iure debetur that is tythes are a part of the stipend which by the law of God and of nature is due to the Ministers for the labours of their calling And now further by the good endeauours of our owne learned Countrimen who haue laboured in this point the matter hath beene more thoroughly examined and the cleare truth is come to light so as many who haue bin otherwise minded doe now acknowledge that doctrin which the word of God and the auncient Fathers and reason it selfe doe so fully importe and auouch vz. that true payment of tythes is due to the Ministers of the word of God by that word whereof they are Ministers and quia magna est veritas praeualebit because great is the truth it will preuaile by the blessing of God which makes it powerfull Obiection 10. Yet hereby doe you but bewray your couetousnesse while you contend and striue so much for worldly maintenance Answer I haue in part preuented this cauill in mine answer to the eight obiection but because I am desirous what I can to remooue all rubbes I will here adde something more fully and say First our strife herein is no way blameable whilest we doe but modestly demand by an orderly proceeding that thing which the word of God assigneth vnto vs. Secondly he is not couetous who asketh his own but he is couetous and iniurious also who detaineth the good from the owner thereof Thirdly it is not riches but the truth that wee striue for God the searcher of the hearts doth know our harts if it were not more for desire to bring the truth to light as much as we can then for any hope of gaine by so vnthankefull a worke we should not once goe about either to write or to speake one word in this argument And so for mine owne part I giue thankes to God vpon the knees of mine heart that I haue not vndertaken this labour either at the first in preaching or since in preparing this treatise for the presse either of a mind desirous to oppose any who is as yet of differing iudgement from me in this matter nor yet vrged by extreamitie of neede or discontentment at my portion such as it is by the bountie of God for naked I came and so I shall re●u●● But onely I am willing to declare vnto others so much as I can of this truth as the goodnesse of God hath reuealed the same vnto me vpon my meane industrie in the search thereof and according to my poore faith and iudgement to giue my voice and suffrage as weake as it is in the cause with those who haue pleaded the same before mee with greater dexteritie So farre forth as shall please almightie God to open mens eyes and to incline their hearts to see and acknowledge this doctrine we shall haue cause with reuerend thankfulnes to praise his name and gladly to enioy the fruit of our labours And whereas otherwise any bodie shall repute our arguments sleighter then to be yeelded vnto yet neuertheles we shall by the grace of God go on chearefully and faithfully in the worke of our calling knowing assuredly that while we labour sincerely to glorifie the Lord and to edifie his Church in all needefull knowledge our reward may a while be deferred and denied by man in this world but it will be heaped vpon vs with the greater measure of true happines in the kingdome of heauen by almightie God And therefore in regard of these wordly things I say vnto my brethren and to my selfe as the Apostle speaketh to seruants Art thou called beeing a seruant care not for it but ●f thou mayest bee 1. Co● 7. 21. 22 free vse it rather for he that is called in the Lord beeing a seruant is the Lord freeman likewise also he that is called beeing free is Christs seruant So if we must continue still in this more seruile condition to be prouided for a● the curtesie of our Churches let vs not care for it but if we can happily obtaine the more free estate to receiue the tythes which are our due let vs vse it ●ather for he that ministreth in meanesse and needinesse he is rich and eminent in the Lord for great is his reward in heauen and he that aboundeth in the riches of this world is in Christ but all one with the meanest of his brethren Wherefore I conclude with this earnest supplicationn vnto all men of reason and ciuilitie namely Whatsoeuer you shall thinke of tythes yet for Gods sake wee beseech you and for his sake who bledde and dyed for you in vnconceiueable tortures vpon the accursed and yet most blessed crosse that as you doe professe his name so you would haue his ministers in due account professe not by neglecting and contemning them that the religion of Christ which you magnifie in word you repute indeede to be little worth and so meanely to be maintained Let vs finde that our preaching hath as deliuered you from the superstition and myserie of Poperie so also seasoned you with true powerfull Christianitie Let vs find that whilest we haue informed your vnderstanding the enemie hath not peruerted your affections with irreuerence and neglect of religion We referre the cause to be scanned by your discretion and your discretion to be directed by the grace of God AMEN MATTH 22. 21. Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and vnto God that which is Gods FINIS TO THE READER Who faulteth not liueth not who mendeth faults is commended The Printer hath faulted a little it may be the author ouersighted more Thy paine Reader is the least then erre not thou most by misconstruing or sharpe censuring least thou be more vncharitable then either of them hath been heedlesse God amend and guide vs all Pag. lin       12. 30 when he was not bound   if he had not beene bound 32. 11. bidgnadha● rach   hilgnadhai rak 56. 1. absoletum reade absoletum 79. 5. as   then 83. 18. those   these 134. 18. then the ciuill   then that the ciuill 28. 21.   blotte of 53. 35.     did Marg. pag. 1. for Eph. read Tim.