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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49587	A discourse of paying of tithes by T.L. ... ; together with an appendix ...	Larkham, Thomas, 1602-1669.	1656 (1656)	Wing L441A; ESTC R41027	20,618	58

the publike meeting-house but do only baptize the children of such as are received and allowed members of the Church and admitted to the Lords Table And therefore this question notwithstanding I conceive taking away of tythes as now payable will no way hinder the teaching of the world but rather as I have shewed further it when Church-members shall be enabled to pay their tythes to their proper Churches CHAP. IV. In this last Chapter you have the Conclusion with humble submission to the Churches of Christ and to the Ministers of the Gospel IT is not my purpose to be either peremptory or prolix I will therefore summe up all Whether they shall read these subitaneous collections that hold that tythes are meer almes which was the opinion of those who were called the Waldenses which doubtless they were drawne to hold upon the abuse of tythes which they saw under the Church of Rome which opinion afterward came to be received and taken up by John Wickliffe and his scholars as you shall finde it to be the 18 Article amongst those against him condemned in the Councel of Constance and by John Hus a Bohemian William Thorp an Englishman as appeareth by their examinations recorded by Mr. Fox which hath also since beene taught by Anabaptists and Trinitaries as may be seene in a book de antithesibus veri falsi Christi Anno Domini 1568. Albae Juliae and is followed by many now that would have Ministers and Church-officers to have right to nothing Or whether they shall peruse what I have written that hold for a reasonable and competent maintenance as due by Divine authority which is the opinion of them of the Church of Rome as Bellarmine declareth Tom. 1 contr 5. lib. 1. and is much received among our Writers of the Reformed Churches cap. 25. Or whether they look upon these lines that hold tythes due by the expresse Word of God which is the judgement of the ancient Fathers from the beginning without contradiction untill the Supreme Authority of the Pope took them away by meanes of impropriations This is the conclusion that as now they are payed by the Lawes and usages of this Nation they cannot be warranted to be well paid which to prove I provoke any Divine Lawyer or other to make good by sound arguments out of the Word of God and therefore that they ought to be taken away notwithstanding all that hitherto I have heard to be alledged for the keeping of them on foot If tythes be due at all it must be either by the Law of God or men if of men either by Princes constitutions or by the Canon Law as I have said in chap. 2. They were paid before the Canon Law was invented and better then since And few plead Princes constitutiōs for their ancient payment in the Church for they are held due in all the Christian world over which no one Prince ruleth And for our late paying of them by Lawes and Ordinances if the Common Law were well applied it would be found to be Malus usus and therfore abolendus Wherefore seeing all that can be said for continuance of tythes is declared to be of no force seeing it is so injurious to the Churches so oppressive to the people of the Land so unwarrantable by the Word of God the taking of them away so much defired by all that are the most considerable that this is the way to have them paid regularly by such as see that truth are so judgemented or else to help them that are for a liberal maintenance for Ministers to be able to do their duty according to their light Seeing wayes may be easily found out for preventing all inconveniences that will come by their taking away I conclude as Cato did his Orations semper diruendam esse Carthaginem So that by any means tythes as now payable of all sorts root and branch are by Authority to be taken away in the judgement of T. L. An APPENDIX to the former discourse by way of Apology for the seasonablenesse of it which some do or may suppose to be otherwise I Am very sensible Christian Reader that I shall be looked upon with diverse sorts of eyes and the most I have cause to think will cast ill aspects upon these few lines I have written touching the Moral duty of giving the tenth of our estates to God the Lord Paramount of all that we enjoy as tenants at will by and under this as it were reserved rent But forasmuch as I judge it to be not only a duty as I am a Minister to bear witnesse to every truth in due time and place but especially to look after and eye Gods call to a work of the time when it should be done more eminently and universally and conceiving this to be such a one I trust I shall not be mis-judged by all nor the most of them that truly fear the Lord if in any competent measure they stand loose disingaged from private interests For otherwise truly I shall be in danger of deep censure such of snares and slurs to the drawing of them perhaps to oppose yea persecute this work of mine though intended for the relief of tender consciences and to make a beginning by breaking of the ice in this thing which taske God hath bin pleased all along my life as I could shew in many particulars to lay upon me Interests are diverse of honour some some of profit of friends othersome and ease and peaceable sleeping in a whole skin as we say will be very techy at such things as cause troubles and stirs in places and countreys as the effectual prosecuting of this truth by the hand of power in regard of the practick part is like enough to do But interests are never so dangerous as when coloured over with pretences of piety justice Religion As we read in Samuel of Saul's sparing of Agag and the best of the flock in order as he pretended to the worship and service of God or in pity to that King but this proved a cause of casheerment to Saul by God and another must take his place The Gadarens upon an interest of profit sent Christ away for they were loath to lose their pigs And Diotrephes upon the interest of honour and preeminence opposeth John and the work of Christ in his Churches Interest of friendship was a great blur and scourge to good King Jehosaphat to wit his joyning with Ahab and Ahaziah I might tell you of the interest of relations which was such a cause of folly in King Solomon who by his wives upon this account was drawn to Idolatry Also do we not see that many publike Preachers like the Pharisees oppose Christ in many of his servants because they are not made as it were little Gods as once they were thus many upon the interest of honour miscarry much that promised better when time was But yet truth at last will profligate all that stands in its way and

now paiable by Law and custome and to parish Ministers and Lay-proprietaries as they are called or to Colledges and so forth From all these I must crave leave to dissent from the first sort with detestation of their delusions and irreligiousness from the second and third with a protestation that I will yield when mine ensuing reasons are soundly answered which keep me from closing with either opinion And here I shall as I am able set down my present perswasion concerning paying of Tithes in these ensuing particulars 1. That the present payment of Tithes is a grievance to this Common-wealth a propagating of Antichristian sacriledge in regard of impropriations an oppressing of Saints and ensnaring of the consciences of some that are unsatisfied touching their Parochial Ministers and touching the thing it self viz. of paying Tithes an hinderance to orderly members of gathered Churches in many places from doing their duty towards such as are their Officers orderly set over them a strengthening of Christs enemies prophane and scandalous and proud Ministers by giving or paying that to them which by God is appointed for such as are sent by him and gifted and called according to rule 2. That with humble submission it is the Magistrates duty to take away al these burdens and shares that lie on the states and consciences of the godly of the Land and make them unable to discharge their moral duty in their proper Churches which is to communicate unto them that teach them in all good things as the Lord hath ordained compare 1 Cor. 9.14 with Gal. 6.6 3. That Church members ought to be looked upon as a willing people Psal 110.3 and to be severely dealt withall for neglect of duty herein as in other disorderly walkings and not otherwise I mentioned but now three sorts and rejected the first as not worth the taking notice of for why should I look on them that deny the use of a Gospel-Ministery and Church-Ordinances seeing they are not so much as out-side Christians The second sort that would have Ministers to have an honourable and comfortable maintenance allowed to them and setled upon them by Parliamentary power do seeme to many to be far more commendable then the latter sort of which I am to speak by and by but for my part I cannot agree to this opinion for these reasons 1. Because it dispenseth with the performance of that which is most probably at least a Moral duty to wit paying of tythes where they are due 2. Because it supposeth that Christians ought not to chuse their owne Church-Officers or there to joyne and so to give tythes where they enjoy the benefit of labours from him or them to whom they pay their tythes 3. It forceth out from people money whether they will or no which is not suitable to a Gospel spirit 4. It is not so honourable a way as to share and share like in all sorts of blessings that God shall be pleased to bestow upon his people But for the last opinion and cry for the continuance of tythes as now they are payable I much wonder that it hears so well from so many that seeme so wise and godly Let me not seeme to be one of those that would perswade people to rob God for that is farre from my thoughts Nor am I against Universities Schooles Towne Divines or Teachers of the ignorant but do wish that out of such lands and estates as have beene forfeited to the Common-wealth some might be imployed for these pious uses and also do humbly present this to be considered whether it may not be fit by rates and taxes to enforce such as walk not with well-ordered Churches to maintaine such as are set by the Magistrate about any of the forementioned imployments Methinks there should be wisdome enough in this present Government to finde out fit wayes and courses for these things But that which I aime at is 1. That we may not according to the Proverb Rob Peter to pay Paul as the Pope hath done by robbing Parish Churches to maintaine Abbies and Priories c. which hath beene high sacriledge and the cause of much confusion in the Christian world 2. That members of well-ordered gathered Churches be not compelled to pay tythes which belong to their proper Ministers unto such as either Patrons thrust upon them or the prophane multitude get in by an over-ruling Vote or even unto such as being godly Divines appointed by Authority to teach all sorts ought to be cared for some other way Lastly That only spiritual weapons be made use of to deale with Saints in matters that do purely belong to Religion forasmuch as all do not see this truth of the Jus Divinum of tythes and will be offended if they should be enforced by the Civil power to do that as a part of Divine worship which they cannot see so to be CHAP. III. In this Chapter following Objections against this that hath beene said are answered BUt some may say that this taking away of tythes by a Law will be very injurious to Ministers who will be exposed to poverty and want and what justice can there be to inflict such punishments upon those who never deserved it To which I answer that pious and true Ministers of Gods sending have the Lord for their portion and although they should have nothing yet they do possesse all things 2 Cor. 6.10 and yet further the Lord hath provided a liberal maintenance for them as I have shewed before He hath ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel Christ hath declared that the Labourer is worthy of his wages Luke 10.7 And James the Apostle threatens them that keep back c. chap. 5.4 and many arguments are used by Paul 1 Cor. 9.7 c. to confirme this truth but what 's all this to continuing of tythes as they are now payable by Law to Noblemen Gentlemen Colledges Parish Priests or any very unworthy men who yet make the greatest cry by this meanes godly people are disabled from rather then holpen to do their duty to their godly Pastours and Teachers And further I answer that Gods works are most beautiful when they are done in Gods way and not according to the humoroussuperstitious brabling contentious customary wayes of men If paying of tythes be a Moral duty as it is supposed to be at least secundariò and it be confirmed to be in force at least by consequence or equivalence in the writings of the New Testament Why should not Christians be left in this duty to Scripture rules and Church weapons which are not carnal but mighty c. as in other parts of worship But it may be replied that then people will break bonds and cast away Christs cords and make little account of word or censure c. Will they so Why then let our Ministers that are for promiscuous administrations see their errour in that opinion and the sinfulnesse of their practice and learne hereafter