Moses and Aaron OR THE MINISTERS RIGHT AND THE MAGISTRATES DUTY Vindicated from the Exceptions made against both by Richard Kingsnoth in a late Book of his Entitled The true Tything of the Gospel-Ministers By DANIEL POINTEL a servant of Jesus Christ and Rector of the Church of Christ at STAPLEHURST Prov. 18.17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him Rom. 2.22 Thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit Sacriledge Psal 77.20 Thou leddest thy People like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron LONDON Printed by T. C. for Samuel Gellibrand at the Golden Ball in Pauls Church-yard 1657. An Apologetick INTRODUCTION to my dear Brethren the Church and People of STAPLEHURST I Have found this cause between me and my neighbour among the saddest things that have befallen me since God brought me to this place And of many things deeply afflicting this is not the least that I am forced to a publick vindication for a publick offence and therein know not how to clear my self without shaming an aged disciple who is both the wrong-doer and the false accuser It is not much agreeable to my spirit to print upon any thing especially in this youth of mine but to print upon this Subject hath been much more against my spirit then most things else not but that the matters are weighty and greatly useful to the Churches welfare and the debates of this present time so it will be a word spoken in season But many others are concerned in it and who am I that I should stand up as a Champion for the two great Pillars of the Land Magistracy and Ministry in a time of shaking through so many fierce contradictions against them both 2. Besides this Cause is fully pleaded already by sundry learned judicious pens never yet answered nor ever likely to be answered whereas as to the matter of Tythes though many indeed appear against the divine right especially of our beyond-sea Divines both Popish and Reformed yet few or none of any judgment appear against the lawfulness of them 3. Because all undertakings of this nature are likely to meet with misconstructions enough from those men that know not how not to look asquint upon any thing we either say or do That charity that thinketh no evil how is it fled from the earth it will be thought by many a sufficient answer to all that is brought on the Ministers behalf to cry out covetousness and to all on the Magistrates to cry out persecution 4. But then when an unwelcome cause must be managed after an unwelcome manner the cause not to be handled in Thesi but in Hypothesi and that drawing in many personal things and mixing affections with judgements so that we have now to answer not Errour onely but anger peevishness self-will self-interests and as flowing from them calumnies false accusings unfaithful dealings c. Upon these thoughts I have been tossed up and down in my minde sometimes for replying sometimes against it till very necessity hath compelled me At the first reading of this Book I thought I might safely let it alone and that it needed no answer but when I understood how it was cryed up by that party and how prized by himself and that this perswasion was entered into others not Anabaptists that some things in it were not to be answered and seeing how unlikely it was that any Books new or old would ever be looked after by them to remove this prejudice unlesse some one were brought to their hands from a person known to them and fitted to this Book and Cause in which many things of fact are mixed with the matter of right which no mans Book could answer but mine and which I have understood have and do lie in the way of some though I hope not of many who have had a greater account of my Ministry till this unhappy debate sprang up These things have resolve'd my former doubtfulnesse and produced this Treatise here presented unto you Dr. Tillesly's whole Book against Selden is of this purposely It hath added to my encouragement in this work to see not much time needed in this question to turn over the writings of Ancients they to whom I write valuing them not and that work being done to our hands already by many for their sakes who do value them and our Learned Adversaries of the Divine Right of Tythes acknowledging what is pleaded upon that account not onely out of the monuments of Heathens they are said to have done it astutiâ Diaboli more probable I think what we finde in the famous Law of Edward the Confessor That the withholding of Tythes was Instinctu Diaboli then that the meer paying of Tythes was Some also enquire why the 7th of time among the Heathens should not be as much astutiâ Diaboli Rivet in Gen. 19. as the tenth of goods As for Fathers they are after a cleanly ingenuous manner put with patres excusari possunt c. So then Heathens Fathers are confessedly ours Clem. Alex. Stro. 5. p. 600. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Similia 6 to Strom. 685. we must try out the rest by Scripture only for they that will not be pressed by us with the authority of Fathers will not I hope presse us with the Authority of later Popish Monks the Pontificial Schoolmen who are all in this cause and good reason why against us Had my neighbour spared injurious speeches and not filled his Book with so many unkind calumniations but kept himself close to the question of right I should never have found fault with his omitting the narrative of matters of fact But seeing he hath sprinkled his Book all over with so much of that unsavoury salt I am forced to let you understand thus much that covetousness is a sinne that hath deep roots and is not plucked up many times when we think it is and when it is stubbed up in the main root it will yet leave many small fibra's behind which will often be a springing above ground and require a constant hand watchfully and industriously imployed in plucking them up and it would be more worth my neighbors time now in his old age among other things to enquire curiously into his own heart about this sin rather then spend his approaches to the grave in peevish quarrellings with and revilings of his neighbour who would fain have liv'd at peace with him Did I take any joy in recriminations it were no hard matter to evidence sore suspicions of covetousness in him even in the matter in debate between us I offer to take half the worth of what was in my account due to me for peace sake he offered about half of that which I would have taken and no man but will say he might with as good conscience have offer'd enough as any thing a greater proportion then a tenth freely given would have prevented this suspicion whereas a much less offer'd and onely
Temple these and other things even in prayer were Ceremonial instance in what you will some thing will appear to have been appendant to it though the body of the duty be not so we must therefore forbear nailing Tithes to the Crosse of Christ among other Ceremonies upon this account till we can tell how to rescue all other duties from following them the same way No that whose use is meerly or at least principally to shadow let that cease as having its consummation at the Crosse of Christ but let not that be dealt so with which hath another perpetual use for its principal design and which alone is sufficient to support its standing because of some Ceremonialness annexed suiteable to the nature of those things for then we deface all So then the right of God in Tithes remains yet firm and the assignement of them for such uses remains good as to the principal uses and the ceasing of the rest overthrowes not the very assignement much lesse the Original Law by which they are due to God Yet again consider we the assignement Num. 18.21 P. 10. Eph. 5.3 4. in respect of the persons to whom it was made I have given the Children of Levi. To omit the merry jesting Triumphs we meet with here only sayiâ—g thus much in a serious cause against many that hold the same foundation with us jesting and that with bitterness is not convenient and does ill become Saints yet thus much may with reason be affirmed That Tithes were not assigned to Levi as Levi but as set apart for the service of the Lord let him be removed and others set apart the very reason which gave them him qua set apart will give them that too this service is altered a service remains this service is altered in its inferiour duties in its superiour and most noble duties t is still the same repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ diversely indeed Preached as the diversity of times was but the substance of the duty one and the assignement in reference to their service was with such additions and alterations as it should please God from time to time to make as he did both in what they were to teach first Moses afterwards the Prophets added first Tabernacle service afterwards Temple service a great alteration the maintenance in all changes abiding the same The line of the Priesthood we find altered but how by losing the reward of their Ministerial service in case of receiving him whom they hitherto had Preached and being sent forth by him to teach others to receive him also we want a proof of this the change was not in losing any thing they formerly enjoyed but by taking in others of other Tribes and Nations Is 66.21 as it was Prophesied and the time of fulfilling Types and removing partition Walls being now come required so others are joyned with them to share in the same service for substance by the same authority why then they should not share in the same reward removing what is to be removed and letling the rest stand I ask a reason Let me put a case suppose God had abrogated sacrifice and communicated the Priesthood to chosen persons out of every Tribe not taking all of Levi nor confining it to Levi both these before the coming of Christ in the Flesh which he might have done the Doctrine of Faith in the Messias to come still remaining had made no change of the maintenance but left it standing still would any man say that the still standing maintenance must not be the portion of the now present Priests especially if no new provisions were made for them No reasonable man I think would say so that which might have been done then is done now and therefore plain it is that so far as the assignement goes we are not excluded from the benefit of it upon the reasons forementioned with Master Seldens good leave and whoever will pluck Tithes out of our hands must plead an alteration in the Gospel supposed to be made in this matter and must not rest in any thing barely producible out of this assignement to Levi. What is added about Tithes in the Old Testament is little helpful to the cause of them that plead against Tithes being the confirmation of them by the voice of God and the Edicts of Kings and Governours of which we shall speak in the second plea we may then draw all that hath been said into these summary conclusions 1. That when Tithes were first due to God is nowhere to be found we suppose it was Gods reserved Rent from the beginning 2. That Melchizedeck had a just right in Tithes from God and not from the free gift of man 3. That this right was neither by Law Ceremonial nor Judicial but moral and perpetual 4. That Gods right in Tithes began not with the Levitical Priesthood they had only from him the assignement of the use of them 5. That the expiration of this assignement to the Levitical Priest hood will neither abrogate Gods right if he have taken them from Levi he hath not therefore given them away from himself 〈◊〉 revoke the grant to Melchizedeck and his Priesthood 6. That Gospel Ministers may claim Tithes from this assignement to Levi at least in the equitable construction of it as appointed to serve God in his house though not as Levis race nor for Ceremonial services from all that are or ought to be taught by and would be accounted the Israel of God any thing to be found in this assignemet to the contrary notwithstanding I shall but step aside to consider in brief that question whether Tithes were not commanded under Moses by a Law Judicial and then I shall follow our Adversaries in this cause to their pretences for a change in New Testament times Our engagement with them that plead the Judicial Law is not so necessary seeing to bring in a Judicial Law again is not to deny Christ come in Flesh all that would have the Judicial Law rule all upon this supposition would yeeld us a Divine right in them and none but upon the Foundation of equity upon which Judicials are built would grant us rather more then lesse Yet let it not be injurious to the many great names of them at home and abroad who are of this persuasion if I propound my doubts though not very necessary to the cause in hand They seem to me not to have been due under Moses by a Judicial Law for these reasons 1. They could not be Judicial as paid by the people to God Mal. 2.8.9 whence it is called a robbing of God to detain them nor yet as they were given by God to Levi. Judicials order things from man to man not from man to God nor from God to man 2. Judicials began with Moses politie such as were meerly so at least with Abrahams Family becoming a people for Political Laws suppose a body Politick to be Governed by them but
is the Gift and that of duty and yet the word only is not here yea though I heed it well it is not here there can indeed be no safe account without we do our duty freely as it hath an opposition to coaction and constraint but as freely hath an opposition to a Law or Command in which sense we dispute about it that saying there can be no safe account without it is not so true though he that gives no more then he must needs by the Laws of God and man had need see that his parcimoniousness proceed not from want of love for that will render his account unsafe Prov. 11.25 P. 18. The covetous man gives neither one way nor other by his good will and we need not inquire how that will be accepted that is not as for the liberal mans superabundant charity to the poor of which that Scripture mainly speaks accepted it will be no doubt so also his hearty and willing Contribution when he is Commanded to it by Law of God or man what you adde God accepts of no other nor will blesse or water no other is no conclusion from the Text the like of the liberal mans maintaining his Minister which is no matter of charity Is 66.3 The Lord will have no Sacrifice but what himself chooseth who hath required this Is 1.11 Why these were all Commanded duties and were therefore not accepted because unduely performed the Texts themselves give you the reason why they were vain and hated Is 1.15 66.3 4. And here also we plead a Command and you plead against it by telling us God accepteth no service but what himself chooseth why man you forget your side you are engaged for just so would you speak were you on our side and we take the Argument to be probable enough and conclude therefore he hath bounded it because he is most likely to know what will please himself and most unlikely in a thing that hath so near a correspondence with his own worship to leave men to the lusts of their own hearts or at best to the blindness of their own reason what a wilderness are you in here you are to prove that no commanded proportion in a Ministers maintenance is accepted by God in Gospel times and your reason is no service uncommanded is accepted you adde also going on as in a Maze but that which the Teaching of the Spirit brings forth in the Faithful Why the Teachings of the Spirit bring forth a conscientious obedience to Scripture Commands that we affirme in this very case will not God accept of it for the Scripture Laws sake sure in writing these things you were not well in your mind And so much of Scripture grounds against the Commanded proportion Your reasons follow why that was done which was never done all Stints removed and men left to their own minds and hearts I might well spare them for it is in vain to examine the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not But you and yours shall never have cause to say that any thing produced stands unanswered P. 19. your reasons are not to ensnare his Ministers with lucre a sin indeed inconsistent with the duty of a Minister but hath God ever told us that a set maintenance would make men Covetous and that therefore he hath removed it not a word well yet strong grounds for this are brought from reason if any sound one we will hear that too no such thing neither how then answer you this shew it if you can why by the experience of ages nay that will not prove the point if Ministers be coveteous the cause is not without in evil Laws but within them in evil hearts take those hearts away and let the Laws stand Ministers will not be covetous take away the Laws and let the hearts remain they will be coveteous still nay more for the more uncertainty of their Provisions the more will coveteousness distrust God the more greedily will it take where it hath an opportunity the more will it quarrel at the straitness of mens purses the more will it look upon other mens goods with an evil eye the more unlimited will desire range having no bounds from God or man the more niggardly will it be in spending as not having any certainty of more coming in when this is gone Every Minister will not do thus should we be left at uncertainties but every covetous Minister would yet what if your experience of ages should prove partly frivelous and partly slanderous For this man propound to make their Sons Scholars and blessed be God a certain subsistence encourages then so to do but do all design to make them rich assuredly they shall lay out five hundred l. upon that design this way most unwisely to make them serviceable to God and live honestly they may but this no coveteousness 't is their flat duty If a Parson be sick what riding and running c. if from a people blessed be their hearts who are so careful of their own souls and blessed be the heart of that Patron who is as tender as such a people as if he were in their stead if from Ministers and their Friends 1 Tim. 3.1 no such hainous crime neither if the desire be well grounded yet in my Observation I have seen more good people inquire where they shall find a good Minister then good Ministers where they shall a find good people or a rich either In our striving for Parliament men the word was Is he for Tithes if he be let us all voice for him and pray was not your word Is he against Tithes we may keep our own better without coveteousness then you can pull away what is not your own without coveteousness Yet what Minister was so indiscreet as to use those words I know not frivolous are these slanders that you adde of men of vast estates if I am concerned in this I am sorry my vast Estate is such an eye sore to you I would you were lesse coveteous then it would not be so yet if a Poor needy Farmer I have taken you for a Farmer but for a poor needy one I never took you for cannot in conscience trust me I doubt that yet if you should tell your Land-lord you cannot in conscience pay him Rent I doubt he would not take himself bound to to accept of that answer for the laying in Prison it is not come to that show your Title to the goods you unrighteously detain and if the resolution of Justice go on my side I shall afterwards consider what mercy to show you in the mean time know that the Warrants which have been out against you have been for contemning and rebelling against the Lawful Commands of Authority requiring your appearance to show cause why you detain the goods in question in your hands 1 Pet. 3.13 which thing no wit of man can excuse from sin the rest of being worse then
imposed upon any for a rule of practice and if that motion be embraced this Argument is vanished Well shut you up your Argument from Examples thus O ye Rulers be ye followers of Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzer Nero Trajan Severus Diocletian c. We on the other side will urge ours from Examples thus O ye Rulers be ye the followers of David Asa Jehoshaphat Hezekiah Josiah Nehemiah Constantine Theodosius c. And let them Judge of the patternes which they like best P. 7. 2 Cor. 11.8 9 11. as most becoming that holy name that is upon them The Apostles gave us no such Example true the then Magistrates were not in a case to relieve them and the then Christians needed no complaints of that nature to be made against them or if any did as the Corinthians to Paul a supply was made elsewhere as to him from the Brethren of Macedonia though they were apt to create a jealousy whether he loved them or no from whom he would receive nothing which he prevents and removes any of these will answer as strong an Argument as this is There are many that are so happy as never to need a Magistrate for the recovery of any debt whatsoever the Apostles never used them for this 1 Cor. 6.1 and when some Corinthians did so they are check'd for it yet the Magistrates have power to help such injur'd ones if need be or they have power for nothing P. 9. Christ gave no such Precept to sue for Tithes What then therefore not lawful Christ gave no such precept to sue for any debt therefore not lawful what think you It is enough that Magistrates have a precept from Christ to execute Judgment and though all men ought to make use of Magistrates Authority with much tendernesse as their last refuge and Ministers especially above others yet when there is no remedy the wrong cannot be suffered under and no mediation will serve the turn it is then a liberty for them and as the case may be a Duty to make use of this Ordinance of Christ and Ministers are not the onely persons cut short of the benefit of this common relief if we are shew where I think we lie under a peculiar duty above others in as much as what Title we lose we lose not to our children but to succeeding Ministers and in them to the Church of God for ever And whatever we have only the use of we are bound to deliver it up as entire as we found it But is suing for Tithes peaceabe I think not and I think yea But must the matter goe by your thinking and mine Any that reads this would take you to be as utter an enemy to Magistracy as ever Anabaptist was Why should suing for Tithes be more unpeaceable then suing for any thing else or a Ministers suing more then another mans Suing is then unpeaceable when it is upon claimes known to be unrighteous if I verily think what I sue for is not his that detaines it I am not unpeaceable if I humbly submit my cause to the determination of those Ministers of God who serve for that very thing Rom. 13.6 no though I be in a mistake and it be his not mine if it be for trifles which may be put up without any great damage if we run hastily to strive without trying all other remedies if the free fair and speedy determination of the cause like to goe against us be hindred by our peevish revengeful spirits Such circumstances about suing may render it unpeaceable but in its selfe it is not so but a most necessary remedy to keep men in peace and not to right wrongs received with their own hands P. 9. Of the untrueness of the Relation see P. 5. Lest we should say you are the Ministers of men and so no Ministers of Christ you deny Princes gift Strange If it be Princes gift will that make us more the Ministers of men then if it be peoples gift You should have put in lawes in stead of gift so as I explained my self Correct that now 't is the Lawes of men were then and are now spoken of Let us then see whether a maintenance so had will make us Ministers of men and so no Ministers of Christ One proof me thinks of this Argument might have been intimated at least to make it appear only so formidable as that when it was a great way off only foreseen we should run away from it utterly deny that which would have brought so dreadful a coâ—sequence upon us The truth is I foresaw no such consequence at all much lesse was I afraid of it neither doe I yet though you have told me it For supposing such a Law might not a man have gifts and grace from God for the work of the Ministry might he not be stirred up to the work might he not be invited to a people destitute of help and accept of the invitation Might he not be ordained to the Office of a Minister of Christ by Praâ—er and Fasting with the laying on the hands of the Presbytery Might he not act in this Office as Gods Embassador Teaching Exhorting Commanding Reproving Comforting exercise all that belongs to him in the whole power of the Keyes by binding and loosing all in Gods name and in Christs stead Might he not be still employed in bringing men from the power of Satan unto God and in edifying those that have been already called Have not thousands been so since these Lawes have been in the world Might they not receive all their encouragements from Christ even this of faithful Magistrates under Christ encouraging him in the work as they commanded him to doe his duty in the work How will this one thing dash all he hath his maintenance from Christ by the hands of Christian Magistrates who should have had it from Christ by the hands of Christian people But if this be to be Ministers of men to be under the Authority of the Civil Magistrate to be commanded by them to doe our duty to be liable to punishment from them in case we neglect our duty to be encouraged by them in our faithfulnesse to our duty We own our selves Ministers of men in such senses and hope to be found the rather Ministers of Christ for so doing And we do withal professe our selves bound thankfully to acknowledge all encouragements we receive from the Magistrates protection to pray for them and contribute our utmost endeavours to maintain their just Authority they have from God against all heady seditious Principles in matters of State as they are bound to maintain that just Authority which we have from God against the like heady principles in matters of Religion And we see men would not believe it sooner they that are giddy one way are like enough to be soon giddy another way too And when both doe our duties towards each other we shall give Papists and Atheists that I include not you leave to mock on