doe make themselues so skilfull in the Councels as to ascribe the first distinguished parishes to the Councell of Lateran certainly nihil habent praeter auditum they haue but a little heare-say from some that say either they knowe not or they care not what for they neuer aduisedly examined the Councels and other records of the state of the Church in former times for as it is in the writings of Leo in the fift Lateran Councell Primitiua Seâ—â— 11. ecclesia vbi primum per orbem lacertos mouere cepit prouide attendens quantum oneris humeris impositum haberet diuino consilio parochias instituit diaeceses distinxit that is The Primitiue Church so soone as it began to stretch out her armes ouer the world prouidently considering how great a burthen shee had vpon her shoulders did by diuine counsell ordaine parishes and distinguish diocesses And as for those who make such vse of the councell of Lateran against this point I would knowe of them what they say to these words of this councell of Lateran but because I haue named this to be the fift councell of Lateran it may be that the limiting of parishes was by some of the former councels It is maruell then that this councel should bee so much ouerseene in a matter of fact specially as to say that parishes beganne to be distinguished in the Primitiue Church if that distinction had begun at any of the Lateran Councels the eldest whereof was eleuen hundreth of yeares after that the Primitiue Church began to dispread it selfe ouer all the world And yet to reueale this error something further and to make it most plaine that the distinction of parishes cannot bee shewed to haue taken beginning at any of the Lateran Councels consider that of the first and second Lateran Councel act a non extant their decrees and canons are not to be found And as for the third Lateran councel by that time wee haue examined it we shall be so sufficiently staid with ful satisfaction that we shall not proceed to looke vpon the fourth for this matter for in that third we find that there were distinct parishes before the time of that Councell Concil 〈…〉 Part 1. c. 13. The words thereof are Nonnulli modum auaritiae non ponentes plures eclesias parochialâ—s nâ—â—untur adquirere that is Some men beeing immoderately couetous do labour to get more parish churches The decrees of that councell reckon it a fault to be reformed therefore certainly there were distinctioÌ„s of parishes for could men desire to haue or not be contented with the benefits of one parish when there were no distinctioÌ„s of parishes therfore before this councel of Lateran there were distinctions of parishes Indeed in this Councel there is a Canon for some subdivisions of such parishes as were too large as it seemeth afterward in the time of the Palentine Councel aforenamed 〈◊〉 1. c. 16 it seemeth that some places pleaded freedom and exemption from beeing of the societie of any constituted parish and therefore was it there decreed that parishes should be instituted in cinitatibus castris municipijs In cities castles fortes and all other places in quibus parochie limitatae non sunt wherein parishes are not yet bounded not that before now there were no distinct parishes but that now some abuses or defects were redressed or supplyed But what talk â—e of yesterday when we haue record of the most ancient ages for in the Cabilon councel paying 〈…〉 tythes to new founded Churches is forbidden and in the Councel of Chalcedon we are taught that then theâ—e 〈…〉 15. cap. 17. were distinctions of Bishopprickes and parishes for so are the words Singularum ecclesiarum parochias rustiâ—as manere episcopis qui eas retinere noscuntur that is We decree that the countrie parishes of each Church or diocesse remaine vnto the Bishops which are known to retaine them vnder their gouernement And no maruell seeing that euen a generall diuision of Churches into parishes was made about the yeare 266. when Dionisius Inter decret 〈◊〉 caus 13. q â— was Bishop of Rome Neither yet was this the first time that euer parishes began first to bee constituted though this bee long inough before the pretended Councell of Lateran for in Alexandria about the yeare 180. Eusebius Euseb l. 5. c. 9 reporteth that there were the Churches of Alexandria what meaneth the word in the plurall number it doth not import more Catholike Churches then one for there is but one nor doth he meane more diocesan churches for Alexandria then was but one diocesse therefore by Churches he meaneth the seuerall parishes or congregations Yea and yet sooner in Rome euen before the Platin. ex 〈◊〉 On pâ—â—de epiâ—â— tit death of Iohn the Euangelist histories doe intimate that the Church had her seuerall and distinct limitations Thus haue we made it manifest that neither were parishes first deuided by the decrees of the councel of Lateran neither before the limiting of parishes might men lawfully pay their tithes where they listed but that tithes were euer due to the Church and to the Ministers of Gods word in the Church In generall or ioyntly whiles the antâ—peristasis of persecutioÌ„ did contract or enforce the Church into a narrowe roome so that the whole ministerie of a large countrie liued together in narrow commoÌ„s but seeing the mercie of God hath dissolued this clowd by causing the sunne-shine of his comfortable Gospel to increase in heate and brightnesse inflaming mens hearts with godly zeale and enlightening their vnderstandings with sound knowledge so that the number is increased and that Christian Magistrates are become nursing fathers and nursing mothers vnto the Church and doe cause peaceable and orderly gouernment so that for the more ease of the ministers and farre more aduantage and ease of the people parishes are in all countries prouinces and diocesses distinguished each parish is faithfuly to pay the due tythes to it owne Minister CHAP. IX The iudgement of the auncient Fathers concerning tythes VVEll said Elihu The dares shall speake and the Iob. 32. multitude of yeares shal teach wisedome The very heathen may cause iust shame vnto many in these impudent dayes wherein the antiquitie of our godly forefathers is reputed but as dotage by those whose vnsowne wild-oates and giddie presumptions haue not yet learned the definition of sobrietie Heathen AgameÌ„non who knew not God had yet so much manners as to reuerence the speech of aged Nestor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illiad â— O man of age thy speech is sage and grounded on good reason Gracelesse Rehoboam hath knowne to his smart what it is 1. Kin. 12. to despise his auncients Next vnto that auncient of dayes Almightie God speaking in the old and new Testament in the writings of Prophets and Apostles the auncient Fathers both Greeke and Latine who liued neerest the Apostles times can best informe vs in the truth of that diuinitie
THE REVENVE OF THE GOSPEL IS TYTHES Due to the Ministerie of the word by that word Written by FOVLKE ROBARTES Batchelour of Diuinitie Victâ—ma sacra Deo 〈…〉 Hinâ— aquâ—â—â— â—d â—ullo 〈…〉 〈…〉 Sacrilegâ—que sacer deâ—â—oratâ—gn◠〈◊〉 Sic mâ—â—uatâ— quâ—â—urâ— deâ—â—◠〈…〉 â—t saâ—â—as audâ—◠〈…〉 The sacred oâ—â—â—â—ing broâ—â—eâ—â—â—he 〈…〉 A gâ—lâ—â—he 〈…〉 to her 〈…〉 A sparke 〈…〉 Beâ—â—â—d her 〈◊〉 bâ—rnt vp all her wealth â—â— let him feare who â—â—e he be tâ—at 〈◊〉 〈…〉 god◠〈…〉 â—he câ—urchâ—â— sâ—â—aâ—e Printed by CANTREL LEGGE Printer to the Vniuersitie of CAMBRIDGE 1613. ⧠REVERENDO in Christo Patri ac Domino IOHANNI IEGONO diuinâ prouidentia Episcopo NORDOVICI vigilantissimo Diocesano suo indulgentissimo ET ⧠HONOR ATISSIMO viro EDVARDO COKO Militi summo totius ANGLIAE Institiario Serenissimi Regiae Maâ—â—â—aâ—i à Consiâ—us sanâ—â—â—ribus Doâ—â—no suo singulari FOVLCO ROBARTESIVS diu indies in terris cumulatum honerem gloriam in coelis tandem sempiâ—ernam religiosissime precatur ARdua debilibus praestat quicunque lacertis Hic validis sulcris auxiliandus erit Debilis Herculeos ego pertentare labores Ausus sublicijs incubo marmoreis Anterides duo vos stabiles ceu marmoris est 〈◊〉 Quique Atlantaeam ferre soletis opeâ—â— TV. Pater â—â— Paâ—â—â—â— qu◠〈…〉 Sedâ—â—o incumben◠〈…〉 Pastorum decâ—â—â—â— quâ—â—â—iâ—ula saâ—ra vâ—rendâ—s Reâ—dâ—â— qui Peâ—â—â— more tuentur oâ—es Ampla demâ—â—◠〈…〉 Praâ—iâ—â— gaâ—â—â—â— Dum 〈…〉 eâ—â—peranter 〈◊〉 TV 〈…〉 〈…〉 In 〈…〉 Terras 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 TV PATER INDVLGENS IT TV VENâ—RANDE Vâ—Râ—RVM In fortes humeros excipiatis onus Excipiatis onus tremula grauitate reclinans Auxilium â—imide supplâ—â—â—terque petens Supplicatâ—en vobis in FORâ—A PAVPERIS ipse Christus opem vestram subsâ—diumque rogans Supplicat vt verbi Dominus quas sorte ministris Sâ—ncut aeternâ— neraptantur opes Noruâ—ci Antistes ius spirituale ministras Quod uâ—let auxilij spirituale ferat Temporeumque Pater legum ius COKE gubernas Quod valet auxilij temporeumque ferat Ipse Leuitarum pateres IEGONE Sedetque In mensa gremto COKE Leuitatuo Ergo patrocinium Christi praebete ministris Ne Domino sacrae diripiantur opes Sistite vesanos hâ—minum rabidosque furores Qui sitiunt sacras despoliare domos Diuino decimas sancitas iure ministris Et vos humano cogite iure dari Ter-faelixisto diuino munere mundo Praesenti vestrum viuat vterque diu Fataque quando olim mutabitis ista supersit Virique in caelis anteparata domus ROB. HILL Theol. Profess Vox populi Quid dabimus Vitulum Grauis est iactura Vel agnumâ— Velleporem nimâ—s est Satis est gallina vel anser Vox dei Damthi primitias Cereris floraeque Liaei Poâ—â—nâ— priâ—â—genitum primasque laborum Daâ—â—hi subque noua verbi da lege ministro Sic tibi pro decimis summam prâ—stabo salutem Ista canit mystes Dices ingrate popelle Cantabit vacuns coram grege diuiâ—e pastor Euge sedingratus coram loue iudice surdo Clamabit populus tandem vacuusque peribit TO THE RIGHT WORSHIP FVLL SENATE AND SOCIETIE OF THE MAYOR SHERIFES AND COMmons of that Religious and well-gouerned Citie and Countie of NORVVICH increase of pietie true fame and all prosperitie RIght Worshipfull and religious while Poperie preuailed in former times like a thicke fogg though it quenched nothing yet it smothered for a time almost all points of sacred truth But Poperie now vanishing as mist before the sunne all points of truth doe shine cleare againe to the praise of God and our comfort And yet hath not that duskie vaile beene foulded vp all at once but by degrees so that some points appeared more timely others haue beene the longer vnperceaued The Schoolmen Alexander * Alexand. â—e Ales◠〈◊〉 â—ulo◠〈…〉 〈◊〉 Gulâ—â—lm Gâ—â—â—â—r quos omâ—â—s 〈◊〉 subtilitaâ—ibus proâ—stâ—bâ—iâ—â—â—dâ— Antâ—chriâ—â—â— râ—gno â—rmauit Cent. 13. cap. 10. and his Schollers 1200. yeares after Christ were the first that taught that tythes were not due by the Morall law And this they did to iustifie the exorbitant practises of the Pope It is therefore a Popish doctrine Diuers yet no small aduersaries vnto Rome haue receiued that for truth which is meere Poperie But the sonne is now vp in such brightnesse as that none shall be deceiued but onely the wilfull Therefore amongst others who happily laboured to fling away the vttermost skirts of the Romish mantle that it no longer shadow this part of truth I haue aduentured to stretch foorth mine hand What God enabled mee to performe I humbly offer to your fauourable acceptance vnto whom by peculiar bonds both of ciuilitie and conscience I am obliged The point is a case of conscience and of great consequence and therefore would be thoroughly considered Yee are wise to iudge as religious Magistrates yee are fauourable to religion as zealous Protestants God Almightie blesse both your publike state with increase of Worship and your seuerall persons with daily augmentation of his speciall grace Cambridge Nouemb. 1613. Your Worships in all loue and seruice FOVLKE ROBARTES In librum Foulconis Robartesij de reditibus Euangelij EIa homo num totum Christus totus tibi lucrum Parsque Dei tua pars pars tua Dextra Dei Detrahit lucrum partis partemve lucellj A Christi mystâ Dextera christicola Quin docto potius pandâ—nti numine dextro Rectaque suadenti crede Robertesio Dat merit ò decimas Christo quicunque meretur Quam rem cunque facit dummodo rem faciat Sunt habitus abitusque homini varij Deus idem Vnde habet huic Reditus vnde abit huc Reditus R. Per. Bac. Theol. C. C. C. In loue to the Author and Cause WHilome the Church was rich Iustice her due Deuotion gaue her plentie her full chest With treasure swell'd which Pietie did accrue And Charitie dispence this time was blest Till lawlesse Sacriledge with maine despoile Seaz'd on the holy Goods possest her land As hostile rage preuailes in conquered soile So warr'd the Christian gainst the Church her hand Meane while was on the common so which wreaks Both her and them a sad-reioycing day The peoples gaine with Churches losse thus speaks Whil'st one obtain's such conquest both decay W. R. Mag. Art C. C. C. De decimarum debitione c. SEe Learned Leuite what will be the end Of this thy pow'rfull writt thou doest intend The Oxe his corne vnmusled now shall tread And Leui's tribe may eate their owne schew-bread But here thou fail'st where Tythes were due before All will be paid Tythes shall be due no more Suam cuique DAme Natures twylight clearely shew's this true That who gaue all may claime tythes for his due Yet can the Prince of darkenes lightly see To lead leowd-men to this forbidden tree But let the Eagle though of plumes most faire And great commanding Empresse of the aire Not dare to fat her Eaglets with the right And sacrifice done to a heauenly
we may expound Scripture by Scripture then it will appeare that the word tenth is here to be supplyed for that was the part and no other which God assigned to the ministerie of his worship He who shall thus expound it shal haue the tenure of the Scripture to auouch his interpretation but whosoeuer shall expound it otherwise either he expoundeth not at all or at least he but giueth his own bâ—re gesse without ground If thou saiest he must giue a part that is he must giue something this if it be not obscurum per obscurius certenly it is not ignotum pernoâ—â—us for I must aske thee againe what is that something And so if any shal oppose against the euidence of the aforenamed simily and say that it onely importeth equitie but setteth not down any particular forme or determinate quantitie I answer that there must be a particular determination Carlet tyth cap 4. before any thing be done Will any man now say as some whom we mentioned in the second chapter haue said that euerie man shall giue what himselfe shall please Surely the worldly man would smile in his sleeue to see his elbow vnderlaid with such a cushion it is a pleasing doctrine and gently claweth flesh and blood but where is the ground of this construction Doth any Scripture teach vs to appoint God to stand to mans curtesie without so much as any lawe to reprooue them by when they become negligent Is this any other but an humane conceit without warrant Will any man in his right wits let out his ground to a tenant to pay meerely what the tenant himselfe pleaseth No sure He that is a Lord will haue this priuiledge to impose a rent vpon his owne ground Many Lords haue beene bountifull to well deseruing tenants 〈…〉 p. 6â— nants and haue accepted of a verie easie rent yet they haue determined it by their owne mouthes though they haue made it neuer so small euen so Almightie God who giueth to euery man all that bee inioyeth as a tenant at will hath made the rent to bee small indeede when it is but the tenth yet he hath not left it to the curtesie of his tenant but as he sheweth his bountie in making the rent easie so he sheweth soueraigntie in naming the rent at his pleasure and making it certen If any shall expound this part to be at the determination of the magistrate this is againe a humane coniecture and howsoeuer it may seeme to nestle in the rocke and to strengthen it selfe with great authoritie hauing betaken it selfe to shrowd vnder the wing of the Magistrate yet we shall easily retriue it from that couert without the least offensiue touch to the vttermost hemme of the Magistrates garment We most gladly acknowledge the Magistrate that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods liuely image Gods owne lawfull Menand surrogate yea no lesse then a God on earth Psal 82. who beeing godly assumeth to himselfe as he is allowed by God authoritie and power to make lawes to order men but not to stint Almightie God in any of his required duties The godly Magistrate doth prouide that God may receiue what he hath required but doth not appoint him what he shall require God himselfe hath set downe his owne worship and himselfe hath particularized the speciall parts thereof That which is his own worship he referreth not to mans invention And as it staÌ„deth with gods worship so doth it also with gods impost rent or tribute it is his owne he hath imposed it his owne selfe and hath not left it at mans appointment Obiect But it may be obiected The Magistrate may make lawes concerning the worship of God commanding or forbidding as he seeth cause for order and comelinesse as what part of time what place what manner of vestiments he will haue for diuers religious exercises why then may not the Magistrate haue as much to doe with Gods tribute as with his worship Resp I answer that he hath fully as much to doe with the one as with the other vz. in those things which circumstantially concerne either of them and where the word of God also is silent leauing things so to the Magistrates discretion But as for the substance of those things which the Lord God requireth for his owne no man may either diminish or alter Obiect Numbers weights and measures are circumstances and therefore because they are circumstances they should seeme to be referred to the discretion of the Magistrate to increase or lessen them as cause may require Answ Hee that in matter of payments permitteth number weight and measure to the pleasure of the payer hath bound him to nothing Secondly all circumstances are not in the power of the Magistrate to appoint but onely such circumstances as the word of God hath not particularly determined for circumstances set downe or appointed by God may not be altered without his leaue God doth not say concerning the time which is a circumstance of his worship You shall set apart for my worship and seruice some time as you shall see cause or as the Magistrate shall appoint but he saith peremptorily and precisely Remember that thou keepe holy the seauenth day which number of Seauen may not be deminished altered it is from the Seauenth to a Scauenth the number still retayned and that little alteration which was made proceeding from the direction of the spirit of God for it beganne when Christ himselfe was vpon the earth and continued in the time of the Apostles So where God doth not onely say indefinitely honour the Lord with thy riches but also determineth the tenth part for his own speciall due it is not in the power of any man to enforce the D. 〈◊〉 v. vâ—ew of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 law pag 163. 164. diminishing of this number The Christian Magistrate may appoint dayes besides the Saboath and command solemne worship vnto God vpon the same dayes as occasion of humiliation by prayer and fasting or of tryumphing by praise and feasting may require but with this caueat First that man appoint no day vnder the name of the Lords seauenth and Saboath day Secondly that no day of mans appointment doe cause the Sabaoth to be quenched and put down but that the saboath doe still hold his owne course notwithstanding the dedicating of other dayes besides Euen so also the Magistrate may as occasion requireth cause some thing else besides the tythes to be dedicated vnto the seruice of the Lord and maintenance of his ministerie but with the like caueat First that man appoint nothing in this case by the name of Gods tyth or of that tribute which God himselfe hath determinatiuely inioyned Secondly that no share of mans appointing doe smoother or drowne the tythes but that the tythes be still duely paid what addition or supplie soeuer besides is caused That God hath required the tenth that is plaine but Carlet tyth cap. 1. where or when did he euer giue any man