part when so approved and aplauded a Doctor of their own gives his suffrage with us which I shall further and more fully manifest by other sayings of his and those more punctual and expresse to this purpose in the fift internal argument of this ensuing Treatise whereby all devout Roman Catholiques with us who have many a smooth tale told them by Priests and Jesuits of the unity and consent of all approved Doctors of the Church of Rome in all points of faith may see apparently that this it a false ostentation and a transparent untruth discovering it self also in many other points controverted between us and them and so may deservedly suspect them to be but seducers or at the best but self-seekers in their pretence of the Catholique cause I come now to a fourth evidence of the divinity of Scripture from within it self Argument 8 which is the admirable sympathy and consent the heavenly harmony and agreement between all the books and sayings thereof though penned by divers persons and those both in several places and ages and yet all conspiring together in delivering one and the same point of doctrine to wit That through the name of Christ all that believe in him shall receive remission of sins (a) Acts 10.43 And also the unanimity and concordance of all the Amanuenses and Penmen thereof being so many and yet all yielding their suffrage and approbation each to other as they succeeded one another without either detraction from one anothers persons or confutation or contradiction of one anothers writings This heavenly harmony I say suggests to the ear of an indifferent man that reads without prejudice that these holy men of God as S. Peter calls them (b) 2 Pet. 1.21 the Penmen of Scripture were God's notaries and both spake and writ as they were actuated and moved by the holy Ghost and that these their writings were the very dictates of that same spirit that searchâ—th the deep things of God (a) 1 Cor. 2.10 In which respect both Theodoret (b) In prefat in Psalm and S. Gregory (c) Grego in prefat in Psalm have fitly termed the tongues and hands of all the writers of Scripture the pens of the holy Ghost for such an agreement was never heard of amongst several Authors writing of the same subject since the beginning of the world But the contrary hath been most apparent among all sorts of humane writers every one hunting after his own praise by anothers disgrace whereof I might produce numerous instances Whereas here we have all the Canonical books of the Old Testament namely of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalmes approving each other as they follow in order and all approved of in the New Testament both by our Saviour John Baptist the Apostles and the Evangelists and all these also giving testimony and approbation each to other at all times upon just occasion as all though but slenderly versed in the reading of the Scriptures undoubtedly know Add hereunto that which wil drive this nail to the head the miraculous agreement of all these books together not only in the main point and drift of all which is the salvation of mankind by the alone incarnation death and suffering of Christ but also in all other points yea and in all circumstances as many learned Divines have sufficiently declared by clearing solving and reconciling all knotty doubts about this question and seeming contradictions whatsoever throughout the whole Scriptures that ever yet have been moved or mentioned Fifthly Argu ∣ ment 9 The certain accomplishment of those many prophesies and predictions of holy writ concerning things to come meerly causual and contingent and no way depending upon natural causes is an argument undeniable of the divinity of it if it can be demonstrated that the said prophesies were uttered before the events and were not any supposititious or counterseit writings published since the events to delude the world which I shall undertake to clear by undoubted testimony for that such prophesies must needs be truly divine no man can deny according to that in Isaiah where God himself provokes the Idols of the Gentiles to stand to their cause and to declare things to come that thereby they may be known to be gods (a) Isa 41.23 Now the precedence of these predictions both in the Old Testament and in the New before their events I thus demonstrate First For the Old Testament I will omit those many predictions which were fulfilled within the time of its own durance and continuance as not demonstrative to meer reason that they were by divine inspiration and insist onely in the prophesies about our Saviour Christ's incarnation miracles and passion and the vocation of the Gentiles to the Christian faith which were fulfilled in the time of the Gospel which being proved to have been fulfilled a long time after their prediction by the Prophets is an undeniable demonstration that they were uttered by inspiration from God himself Now that they were fulfilled a long time after their prediction and that the Books of Moses the Psalms and the Prophets where these predictions are recorded were extant before the events we have many pregnant proofs from the testimony both of Jews and Gentiles and those such as lived in the very interval of tiem between the prophesies and their accomplishment Amongst which the most remakable and famous is the Septuagints Translation of the Old Testament into the Greek Tongue still extant which was done by the means and at the charges of Ptolomy Philadelph a King of Egypt as before hath bâ—en mentioned neer upon three hundred years before our Saviour Christ and there laid up in the King's Library The History whereof is set forth by one Aristaeus a learned Gentile then living and highly in favour with the said King and the book is still to be seen Which Aristaeus together with one Demetrius Phalereus Master of the said King's Library was an especial instrument for the procuring of the said Translation to be done by 72. Elders of the Jews out of every Tribe six Which was doubtlesse purposely brought to passe by God's all seeing and all-swaying providence to take away all suspicion of contriving the prophesies of Scripture after the events Another witnesse of this Translation is Philo Judaeus (a) Philo de vita Moysis lib. 3. who lived in our Saviour Christ's time as before hath been said And a third witnesse is Josephus in his forenamed History of the Antiquity of the (b) Josep Antiq. Jud. lib. 12. cap. 2. Jews So that from these Authors testimony besides a number more that I might produce it 's most apparent that the Old Testamâ—nt and so consequently the prophesies lapped up thâ—rein were extant in their time which was long before thâ—ir evâ—nt and therefore were not forged since Now for the predictions of the New Testament I shall make it most clear and evident that they also did precede their event so many of them as are fulfilled
fire out of the earth where was no combustible matter and a voice told him that he should deliver the Jews and bring them into their Country whereupon without raising any force he by the counsel of his wives father declared the will of God to the King of Egypt who forthwith commitâ—ed him to prison but the prison doors were opened unto him by miracle and he went to the Kings bed side and summoned him again to obey God and when the King had asked him the name of the God Moses told it him in his ear whereat he fell into a swound But Moses raised him up again by the hand and the Priests that made a scoff at it died incontinently And afterwards this Author declareth how the King required signs and that thereupon Moses turned his rod into a Serpent and so in order recordeth almost all the wonders which Moses wrought in Egypt that are mentioned in the Scripture The miracles that were wrought by the prophet Elias as that of obtaining rain by prayer after a great drought in the dayes of King Ahab with some other are reported by one Menander an Ephesian in his Tyrian History (a) Mor. ibid. The miracles of our Saviour are avouched by a number and that both in general and in particular In general both Josephus in the place before cited and also Mahomet in his Alcaron confesse our Saviour to have wrought many miracles though Mahomet denied him to be God and affirmed that Christ had a check for it when he came to Heaven as Mr. Parsons hath it in his book quoted here in the Margint (a) Pason Resolut part 2. cap. sect 2. consid 3. In particular first the supernatural eclipse of the Sun at the passion of Christ is recorded by an old Astronomer called Aesculus who proveth by the aspect and posture of the Sun and Moon at that time that that eclipse could not be natural because all natural eclipses of the Sun are precisely at the change of the Moon and this was about the full for it was two dayes before Easter which solemn feast was always kept by the Jews in the full of the Moon as both Scripture testifies and that learned and credited Author before mentioned Philo Judaeus (b) Philo de Vita Moysis lib. 3. Of the truth of this miracle also I find a pregnant proof in an Epistle of Dionysius Areopagita to Polycarpus where Dionysius affirms that he and one Apollophanes being together in a City called Heliopolis at the time of this eclipse observed two supernatural occurrences in the same First they observed the Globe of the Moon to fall first upon that part of the body of the Sun which is toward the East and to proceed to a totall obfuscation or obscuration thereof and then to withdraw it self back again which it never doth in natural eclipses but begining to enter upon the Western surface of the Sun procreds to the Eastern where the eclipse ceaseth Secondly they observed again that by nine of the clock at night the Moon was withdrawn to a diametrous opposition to the Sun which by course of nature could not possibly come to passe in that space of time being but six hours And this miracle Dionysius entreated Polycarpus to urge Apollophanes withal to win him to the Christian faith in regard himself was an eye-witnesse thereof Again the resurrection of Christ hath open acknowledgement both from Josephus in the place twice above mentioned and from Pilate himself that put him to death by a Letter that he writ to his Lord Tiberius then Emperor of Rome wherein he certifies him how the Souldiers who were suborned and hired by the Jews to say that Christs Disciples came and stole him away in the night had confessed the plain truth unto him namely that Jesus was risen indeed to life again out of his Sepulchre and withall he sent to Tiberius the particular examination of divers other persons which he had taken about the same businesse who avowed that they had seen and spoken with such persons as were risen from death at that time with Jesus which said persons assured them also of his resurrection This Letter of Pilate's was laid up amongst the records of the Romans as witnesseth both Aegesippus in his History who lived in the next Age after the Apostles and immediately after him Tertullian in his book against the Gentiles where he professeth that upon his own knowledge such a Letter there was to be seen amongst the records of the Romans This Tertullian might very well know in regard he was a pleader of causes in Rome divers years before he was a Christian (a) Parson Resol part 2. cap. 4. sect 2. I might hereunto add sundry other testimonies out of Authors of adverse professions to Christian Religion to prove the truth of the miracles done by our Saviour and his Apostles for confirmation of the divinity of the Gospel but these are abundantly sufficient And therefore I hasten to the next argument of this sort Argu ∣ ment 3 which may be the infinite number of Martyrs that have laid down their lives and shed their blood in defence of the holy Scriptures and that with most admirable alacrity and cheerfulnesse and with most inseparable courage and fortitude For evidence hereof I will refer the Reader to these stories First For the Martyrs of the Old Testament to a very short story of the Martyrdom of the Macchabees written by the aforenamed Josephus and usually annexed to his other books agreeing with the 6. 7th Chapters of the second Book of the Macchabees at the end of the Old Testament a story it is worth the reading perhaps it may extract some tears which I speak out of experience but yet they may haply be sweetned with a mixture of gladnesse like those which dropped from Joseph's eyes at the sight of his brother Benjamin I will rehearse but one speech of the first of nine Martyrs there mentioned named Eleazar who when he had told the savage Tyrant Antiochus that instigated him to renounce Moses law that no torment should make him forsake Gods word and his Religion with undaunted courage and constancy turns himself away from him and addresseth his speech as it were to his Bible after this manner O sacred Religion I will never violate thee the foundation of my salvation the defence of the believer the ground of faith Never will I lift up my hands contrary to thy precepts never will I believe any thing to be just which is repugnant to that which thou hast taught me And whilst he spake thus saith the story he was haled to the torments For the Martyrs of the New Testament they are numberlesse and almost in every Ecclesiastical History as in Eusebius Socrates Evagrius Sozomen and many others who have recorded not only their sufferings for their witnesse bearing unto the Gospel of Christ but the manner thereof to have been in such sort that is with such innocency hilarity courage
3. 2 By miracles in the Church page 18. 3 By the death of the Martyrs of the Church page 24. 4 By the wonderful preservation of it against all adverse power that did rise up to abolish it page 27. 2 From within it self which are 8. 1 By the majesty of it page 30. 2 By the purity of it page 33. 3 By the profundity of it p. 37. 4 By the harmony of it p. 46. 5 By the prophesie of it p. 48. 6 By the repugnancy of it with man's nature page 56. 7 By the impartiality of the Pen-men of it page 58. 8 By the power of it which is manifested by four effects p. 60. 1 By revealing thoughts p. 60. 2 By terrifying consciences p. 62. 3 By converting souls p. 63 4 By comforting souls and consciences in deepest misery p. 65 2 Part The application consists of 2 parts 1 of consequents deducted for information which are two p. 76 1 That therfore no man may dare to dispence with any of the precepts of Scripture because it 's God's Word page 76. 2 Therefore it s of supreme authority to the present Church-militant p. 78 2 of practicall inferences which are applied to 3 sorts of persons p. 82 1 To all in place of Magistracy to enduce them to defend Scripture p. 82 2 To all in the office of the ministery to induce them to dispense it p. 88 3 To all of all sorts to enduce them to these four duties 1 To learn it p. 94 2 To believe it p. 105 3 To embrace that religion which holds best correspondence with it 110 4 To obey it p 131 THE FORT ROYALL OF CHRISTIANITY DEFENDED IT s a confessed maxim a known and received truth in Theology that the seeds of all sins are transmitted and propagated into the nature of every son and child of Adam who descends from him by the common way of generation amongst which the seeds of Atheism are not the least predominant whence it comes to passe that the heart of man is oft sollicited to doubt whether the books of Scripture be the very Oracles of God or a humane invention to keep in awe such protervious refractory and unruly spirits as without these would no more be awed by the laws of man then Job's Leviathan by the hook and line To affront and discountenance this suggestion and silence these whisperings of incredulity about this particular that all doubting spirits may gain plenary satisfaction in it that will not wilfully shut the eye of their own reason nor damp the light of their own understanding against the Sun-shine of this heavenly truth I have selected or collected partly out of the writings of Orthodox Divines but principally out of Scripture it self these ensuing arguments Some whereof are not only most probable but to a clear apprehension demonstrative and so undeniable reasons to prove the Bible to be Gods own book And the structure of this discourse is framed and fashioned like to Jacob's ladder to lift up the imagination of man from-Earth to Heaven and to this end I have placed in it twelve arguments as so many rounds or stairs whereby the minds of rational men may be raised up by each step and gradation to a clearer speculation and view of that celestial splendour which is diffused throughout the whole region of Scripture till at the length namely by such time as they have ascended to the top of this scale they may be able to discry and discern here in open view such radiant beams of divine light as will readily dispell and drive away all foggy mists of ambiguity and hesitation that ecclipsed and shadowed this light formerly from their sight These twelve staves of this scale or twelve arguments are digested into this order The four lowest which are first sâ—t down are drawn from without the Scripture and the eight highest from within it Those from without the Scripture are of two sorts either from without the Church or from within it First Argu ∣ ment 1 From without the Church I find but one and that is an argument inartificial as Logitians call it but very energetical and valid which is the suffrage and testimony that many of the Heathen who were out of the visible Church have afforded of the divinity of our Scriptures and that both of the Old and New Testament And first for the divinity of the Old Testament I find a notable testification thereof out of Josephus his History of the Antiquities of the Jews and that from divers of the Heathen with which therefore I shall content my self and I hope the Reader also This Author saith (a) Joseph Antiq said lib. 12. cap. 2. in fine cap. That after the translation of the Books of Moses Law into the Greek Tongue by the seventy two Elders of the Jews was finished by the means and at the cost and charges of Ptolomy Philadelph King of Egypt the said King was highly contented therewith and took pleasure in reading the said Law admiring at the deep conceit and wisedom of the Law-maker And thereupon began to question with one Demetrius the Master of his Library and the chief instrument by him used to obtain of the Jews this translation of their Law what might be the reason that neither Poet nor Historiographer had made any mention thereof considering that in it self it was so admirable To whom Demetrius returned this answer That no man was so hardy to touch that work by reason that it was divine and every way venerable assuring him also that certain men who had attempted to set their hands thereto had been punished by God And thereupon acquainted him how one Theopompus an Historian intending to reduce certain contents of that Law into his History had been distracted in mind for more then thirty days and that having some intermission of his fit he appeased God by prayer as having perceived this attempt to be the cause of his malady and thereupon desisted from his foresaid intention He likewise certified him further That one Theodectes a Tragick Poet intending to make mention in some of his Poems of a certain History written in the sacred Scriptures was stricken blind acknowledging the cause thereof to proceed from his audacious presumption in that intent was restored to his sight after that he had appeased Gods displeasure meaning by his repentance and desistence from his said purpose He alledgeth there also to the King in the former part of the forementioned Chapter a saying out of Haecateus Abderita who was a Philosopher brought up with great King Alexander and writ a Book of the Jewish Nation who affirmed these Scriptures to be pure and not to be uttered by impure lips Hence we have clear testimony that the Scriptures of the Old Testament were at this time had in great reverence by the very Heathen as sacred and divine as there also Demetrius is said to have told the King several times Secondly For the Divinity of the Gospel it may be
And omitting many other for brevities sake I will instance in some few best known and confessed of all to be fulfilled First Our Saviour Christ foretold the siege of Jerusalem and the destruction and subversion both of it and the (a) Luk. 19.43 44. Temple and the calamitous and distressed estate of the inhabitants of that City at that time to come to passe before one generation should passe (b) Matth. 24.34 away and the dissipation of the people of the Jews from thenceforth among all (c) Luk. 21.24 Nations The former of these Josephus a Jew before named and no Christian reports that he saw come to passe with his own eyes in a lamentable History which he hath written of the wars of the (d) Josep de Bella Jud. lib. 7. Jews And every Nation in Europe seeth likewise the fulfilling of the other over all which and many more Countrys also the Jews are all now dispersed and scattered Our blessed Saviour also foretold that the Gospel should be preached to all Nations before the finall (e) Mark 13.10 judgement The accomplishment of which prophesie having had its beginning in some measure in S. Augustine's time is noted by him as a special mark and cognisance of the Divinity of Scripture his words are these Ex uno homine quem primùm Deus condidit genus humanum sumsit exordium secundum sanctae Scripturae fidem quae mirabilem authoritatem non immeritò habet in orbe terrarum atque in omnibus gentibus quas sibi esse credituras inter caetera quae dixit verâ divinitate (a) Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 12. cap. 9. in fine praedixit From one man whom God first created mankind derived its beginning according to the testimony of the holy Scripture which hath admirable authority in the world and among all Nations and not without cause in that among other things which it hath divinely foretold this is one That all Nations should believe it And we our selves also see it to be dayly fulfilled still more and more for both the Indians from Spain and the Virginians and other barbarous people from England have of late years received the Gospel The Apostle Paul prophesied of some that should teach doctrines of Divels by forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from (b) 1 Tim. 4.3 meats This prophesie was fulfilled in the next succeeding age about 90 or 100 years after for then arose the Hereâ—icks Marcion Tatianus and Montanus and divers others discipled by them who taught that marriage was to be abhorred and commanded abstinence from living creatures that is from eating (c) Iren. advers Haere lib. 1. cap. 30. Euseb Hist Eccl. lib. 4. cap. 27. flesh Now that the New Testament was written and so these prophesies extant before their accomplishment we have a cloud of witnesses As Clement S. Paul's disciple Justin Marryr of whom Tatianus had sometime been an auditor and disciple who also writ a book against Marcion (d) Euseb Hist Eccl. lib. 4. cap. 11. Aegesippus Papias Polycarpus Ignatius with many others who writ books in their time wherein they quote the Scriptures of the New Testament and were all living in or before the time of the afore-named Hereticks which undeniably demonstrates the Gospel to be written and so these predictions to have had precedence before the event S. Pâ—ul also foretold of the conversion of the Jews to the Christian faith in several (a) Rom. 11.20 2 Cor. 3.16 places now this for ought we know is not yet fulâ—illed but undoubtly shall be in its due time which when it comes to passe shall cry down the incredulity of all such doubting spirits as will not receive the knowledge and love of this truth of the divinity of Scripture that they might be saved I have been long in this argument and yet I have not done with it for now again Mr. Parson's applause of the prevalent force of this argument as irrefragable and above all other for undoubted confirmation of the point in hand comes in my way and may not be omitted Who in the place formerly mentioned not very many lines intervening speaks thus This alone meaning the accomplishment of prophesies in Scripture doth convince most apparently all proofs and reasons and other arguments laid aside that these Scriptures are of God and of his eternal and infallible (a) Pars Resol par 2. cap. 2. sect 3. in 7. proof of Scripture spirit And again afterward he affirmeth That these prophesies being fulfilled are sufficient to establish any mans faith in the (b) Idem eâ—dem ca. 4. Ser. 1. in 4. consid world These sentences of Mr. Parson's do give his fellow Fisher such an affront for teaching the point formerly mentioned in the third internal Argument that I am confidently perswaded the most acute polite refinedwits in al that Fraternity wil never be able to reconcilethem Sixthly Let the whole form and frame of the doctrine of Scripture Ar ∣ gument 10 and the mould of mans natural disposition be compared together and we may observe and discover such a repugnancy between them as may induce us to believe that no man would ever write the same for it futits not at all with mans liking or desire nor accommodates it self in any place to humour man and please his corrupt nature But contrarily laies open the basenesse of his birth and the foulnesse of his sin and shame which every man naturally desires to conceal and cover crosseth his desires frustrates his hopes recordeth accusations indictments and restimonies against him finally denounceth judgment condemnation against him in that way which seems good unto him (a) Prov. 14.12 in that course of life which he best likes and loves Who then can imagine this to be mans devise or composed by him which is so derogatory from his estimation whereof he is so tender so averse from his humor and disposition to which he is so indulgent especially considering with what earnest and vehement asseverations the positions and doctrines of Scripture are a vouched and avoived to be divine truths If indeed this book did seem to be composed but jocose and not in earnest as that doth which Erasmus writ in the praise of folly or to be penned for â—stentation of eloquence and ingenuity like Craneades his second Oration which he made before Cato the Censor in dispraise of justice having made one the day before in the high commendation of it in the same place Then there might be some ground for surmise and suspition that some man might be the Author of it But seeing neither of these can be collected from the context and that the whole scope and drift of the book throughout is truly and verily to abase and humble all men before God it cannot probably be reputed to be any mans work In the seventh place Ar ∣ gument 11 the integrity and impartial fidelity of the writers of several
In the Old Testament God commanded that the Levites who were the persons set apart to attend upon the service of God in those times under the Law as the Ministers of the word are under the Gospel should have allowance both by Tithes and other emoluments and profits out of sacrifices and oblations as every one knows and moreover they had given them by God's appointment 48. Cities with their suburbs and land annexed and appropriated to every one of them extending in quantity to 2000. Cubits of ground round about every City as it 's recorded in the 25th Chapter of the Book of Numbers and the first verse and so forward Secondly In the new Testament our Saviour Christ sending forth his 70. disciples to preach the Gospel bids them take neither bag nor scrip nor shooes but to eat and drink with those into whose houses they entred for the labourer is worthy of his hire Luke 10.4 5 6 7. verses S. Paul also justifies this at large and several times in 1 Cor. 9.9 10 11. verses He writes thus It is written in the Law of Moses Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corn Doth God take care for Oxen or saith he it altogether for our sakes for our sakes no doubt this is written that he that ploweth should plow in hope and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope If we have sowen unto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things And then he addeth in the 23. verse Do you not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell Here is no ambiguity nor obscurity in this Text but a plain and punctual affirmation that they which preach the Gospel should have their maintenance and livelihood for preaching of it But see yet further proof hereof to beat down if it may that unreasonable and unjust desire that is in some niggardly people who would have Ministers do all their work and labour for nothing Gal. 6.6 The Apostle gives this precept Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things And again in 1 Tim. 5.17 18. verses Let the elders which rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the word and doctrine For the Scripture saith Thou shalt not muzzle the Oxe that treadeth out the corn and the labourer is worthy of his reward Here then is plentiful proof of Scripture for the justification of this point But now see it proved also by force of reason which I have learned out of Scripture also namely out of 1 Cor. 9.7 8 12. here the Apostle reasons after this manner Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock Say I these things as a man or saith not the Law the same also And then in the verses following rehearsed before applies it to the Ministers of the Gospel As if he should have said Every vocation and profession from the highest to the lowest from the King to the day-labourer affords some emolument and recompence to them that labour in them this cannot be denied And therefore if all other men live by their functions and callings it 's just that Ministers also should also live by theirs Again I read in Scripture namely in 1 Tim. 3.2 That a Bishop should be hospitable Now if people should afford him no allowance and compensation for his labour and pains but rather subduct that which hath been formerly given both by God as I shall make appear hereafter and devout men to the support of the Ministry I demand which I know cannot be rationally answered by what means a Bishop should maintain hospitallity So that very reason equity and justice claim an allowance to be yielded to the maintenance of the Ministry 2. Now I shall prove That it stands with equity and justice That Ministers have Tithes for their allowance And this I prove four ways or by four Arguments Argument 1. First Because God himself appointed this payment of Tithes first to his Ministers the Levites as was mentioned before in way of compensation for their work of the Ministry And therefore it stands with equity and justice because it hath him for the first Author who doth all things justly Argument 2. Secondly Because the payment of Tithes hath been used and continued here in England many hundred years by the appointment of the supreame Magistrates from time to time without any interruption and hath been also confirmed and established by sundry laws under the Saxon Kings of this Realm long before the Conquest and by many Acts of Parliament since in their several Ages which never yet were repealed Who herein have followed the pattern which God had set them so that to charge them with injustice herein is both against Reason Religion Duty and charity From whence it 's clear that Beneficed Ministers of the Church of England in their several respective Incumbencies have as full just and legal title and claim to their Tithes and as much right thereunto as any Lord of a Mannour Freeholder or other person hath to any of the Lands or Goods whereof he standeth possessed to wit Per Leges Consuetudines Angliae Wherefore seeing it's evident out of the Chronicles and Histories of the Politick Government of this Nation that Tithes have been so long alienated from the Layity and dedicated and given to the maintenance of the Ministry by those persons in supreme power from whom Lay-mens title to their Lands and to the other nine parts of the increase and fruits of the same was derived it 's therefore contrary to all equity and reason that they should claim any property or interest in Tithes now who have been so long time out of possession of them and divested of all interest and property in them Argument 3. Thirdly Because Tithes are assigned to the Ministers in England by the peoples own consent and Vote in Parliament For the Parliaments Vote is their Vote the Parliament being the Representative body of all the people in the Land Furthermore it 's also to be considered for the defence of the justice of the peoples payment of Tithes to Ministers that seeing it 's not nominated in the New Testament where a compensation is allowed and enjoyned for the work of the Ministry what or how much this compensation or allowance shall be therefore there was great equity that the supreme lawful Magistrate and the Parliament should determine and appoint what it should be as being the fittest intermediate Judges between the Ministers and the People For it was neither fit that Ministers should have
First Some say that Ministers should take nothing for their labour because our Saviour said to his Apostles Freely ye have received freely give Mat. 10.8 1. Answ To this I answer 1. That our Saviour spake these words to his twelve Apostles to whom he gave commission and command to go and preach the Gospel to all the world as it 's recorded Marke 16.15 So that they could have no leasure to stay in any one place so long as to gather Tithes having so great a journey to travel 2. Answ Secondly I answer That he bade them not only to preach but to heal the sick raise the dead and cast out divels and then said Freely ye have received freely give because to do such miraculous works as to heal their sick and cast out divels and raise their dead he knew that the people would be hasty to give large moneys and therefore he commanded his Apostles to do such miracles freely lest through avarice they should abuse his free grace to their own private gain And that he meant not to forbid them to take any reward for preaching though they took nothing for working miracles is apparent from the two next verses following where he subjoyns these speeches Provide neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses nor scrip for your journey neither two coats neither shooes nor yet staves for the workman is worthy of his meat By which speeches he approves of their receiving of meat and other such needful things before named from such to whom they preached the Gospel for otherwise he would not have forbidden them the provision of such necessaries without which they could not subsist 2. Objection Some again object and say That Ministers should not preach for money 1. Answ To this I return a double answer also First I say that yet they are not bound to preach for nothing unlesse they could live like Chamelions without meat This I have sufficiently proved before 2. Answ 2. I answer That in some sense they are not to preach for money that is as the onely and cheif end of their preaching for the cheif end of preaching is the glory of God and the edification of the body of Christ and the salvation of men which every faithfull preacher especially aims at But yet in some sense againe they may preach for money that is as deserving and expecting money as a due reward of their pains and the means of their maintenance and subsistence Having now finished what I propounded to discusse and debate I will tire the Reader with no farther discourse but wind up all with an apology for my selfe in presuming to publish this plain and impolisht canvise and discussion of these old controversies now newly revived which have been so largely and learnedly disputed and discussed by many great Schollers and Divines of exquisite and profound learning in former ages All that I have to plead for my selfe besides that I premised in my Epistle to the Reader is this That by the mouth of more witnesses every truth may still be more established FINIS Books Printed and are now to be sold by Nathanael Web and William Gratham at the black Bear in St. Paul 's Church-yard neer the little North-door 1657. Books in Quarto MAster Isaac Ambrose Prima media ultima First Middle and Last things in three Treatises of Regeneration Sanctification and with Meditations on Life Death Hell and Judgement newly published with large additions in 4. Mr. Richard Vines A Treatise of the Institution Right Administration and Receiving of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper delivered in twenty Sermons at St. Laurence Jury in 4. Newly published Mr. Nathanael Hardy Several Sermons preached upon Solemn occasions collected into one Volume in 4. The first Ep. General of St. John unfolded and applied in 22. Sermons in 4. History survey'd in a brief Epitome or a Nursery for Gentry comprised in an intermixed discourse upon Historical and Poetical Relations in 4. Mr. William Nicolson's full and plain Exposition of the Church Catechism newly published in 4. Dr. Stoughton's 13. Sermons being an introduction to the Body of Divinity in 4. Dr. John Preston A position delivered in Cambridge concerning the irresistiblenes of converting grace in 4. Mr. Thomas Cradock Gospel-Liberty in the Extention and Limitation of it in 4. Mr. John Browning concerning publique Prayer and the Fasts of the Church six Sermons or Tracts in 4. Mr. Thomas Parker The Visions and Prophesies of Daniel expounded wherein the Mistakes of former Interpreters are modestly discovered in 4. Reformatio Legum Ecclesiasticarum ex Authoritate primum Regis Henrici 8. inchoata in 4. Mr. George Strode The Anatomy of Mortality divided into eight Heads viz 1. The Certainty of Death 2. Meditations on Death 3. Preparations for Death c. in 4. Dr. Daniel Featly The Grand Sacriledge of the Church of Rome in taking away the Sacred Cup from the Laity at the Lord's Table in 4. Mr. Ric. Lewthwat Vindiciae Christi obex errori Arminiano A Plea for Christ in three Sermons in 4. Welch Common-Prayer with the Singing-Psalms in 4. Mr. John Lawson's Gleanings and Expositions of some of the more difficult places of holy Scripture in 4. Mr. John Cotton The way of the Churches of Christ in N. England in 4. Mr. Edward Thorp The New Birth or Brith from Above in 4 Sermons latly published in 4. Mr. John Vicars The Schismatick sifted c. in 4. Coleman-street Conclave visited and that grand Impostor the Schismaticks Cheater in chief truly and duly discovered in 4. Roberti Heggi Dunelmensis aliquot Sacrae Paginae Loca Lectiones in 4. Mr. John Lewes Contemplations upon these times or the Parliament explain'd to Wales in 4. The Beacon flaming with a non obstante against those that plead for Liberty of Printing and publishing Popish Books in 4. The Ranters Reasons resolved to nothing or the Fustification instead of the Justification of the mad Crew c. in 4. Mr. Nath. Stephens A precept for the Baptism of Infants out of the New Testament in 4. Mr. Josiah Ricraft A Nosegay of Rank-smelling Flowers such as grow in John Goodwin's Garden c. in 4. Dr. Sam. Anesly The first dish at the Wiltshire Feast a Sermon preached before many worthy Citizens of London born in that County in 4. Communion with God in two Sermons preached at Paul's before the Lord Major of London lately published in 4. Mr. Edmund Calamy The Monster of sinful Self-seeking Anatomized A Sermon preached at Paul's before the Lord Major of London lately published in 4. Mr. John Warren of Hatfield-Regis in Essex The Potent Potter A Sermon preached at a Fast before the Parliament in 4. The unprofitable Servant A Sermon preached at the Assize at Chelmsford in Essex lately published in 4. Man's Fury subservient to God's Glory A Sermon preached before the Parliament at Margarets Westminster Feb. 20. 1656. being a day of publique Thanksgiving newly published Dr. Robert Gell A Sermon touching God's