In banishing the Idolatrie and tyrannic of Antichrist which is the Pope whom hee happily auoided out of this blessed Island King Henrie I say finding the stollen goods vz. the tythes of the Church in the cells and cloisters of Munks Nunnes and Friars like the pretious gold and goodly garment in the tent of Achan did not either conscionably restore the good to the owner thereof or religiously dedicate it as a halowed thing vnto the Lord but swaied with the errour of the time became himselfe receiuer of the Friars theeuerie and shared the same among his fauourites for loue or for mony as himselfe thought good and still the patrimonie of the Lord is detained in the vniust hands of those who can haue no true interest therein Many doe thinke with themselues that because they haue bought out parsonages with their mony or haue them by the bequest of their parents that they may wash their hands in innocencie and plead themselues to be no vsurpers But bethinke thy selfe whosoeuer thou art who eatest the milke and wearest the wooll of the sheepe hauing neither abilitie nor calling to feed the flocke bethinke thy selfe I say that if thy fathers either bought for mony or receiued as a gift the goods of the Church and the portion of the Lord from those who had no authoritie either to giue or to sell them the gift or sale can not be good in law before the exact and feareful barre of the iudgement seate of Almightie God who is Lord of Lords King of Kings and Iudge of Iudges and a partie in the case For it is hee that receiueth the iniurie and will referre it to fearefull triall In that King Henrie did thus dispose the tythes which he found in the Abbyes he did more then he had warrant for And if thou or thy Father haue bought the reuenues of the Church from those who had no right to sell them assure thy selfe that thou hast no true right to enioy them thou art in danger if thou repent not seriously and in time preuent the Lord by restitution to haue thy plea of bargaine to be answered peromptorily with a caueat emptor that is thou shouldest haue beene better aduised to consider what and of whom thou wert in buying Doest thou not knowe that an entayled estate cannot be sould if it be bought the estate is not good vnto the buyer The Lord hath entailed his portion of tythes to the maintenance of his seruice as we haue formerly 〈…〉 shewed and then who can cut off an entaile of Gods making Tythes are not temporall goods to fleete vp and downe from one to an other and neuer to continue in one stay but are giuen by the Lord a perpetuall ordinaÌ„ce whether at the altar in the tabernacle or at the font and pulpit vnder the Gospel To these wee finde them giuen in plaine and plentifull tearmes but neuer to any other bodie by any shew either of holy Scripture or of ancient Fathers Did King Henry giue away the tithes from the church to lay-men I would to god so worthie a Prince had not beene preiudiced with so fowle a blemish I am perswaded in my soule that if he had been aware of what he did he would sooner haue giuen away his crowne from his head then the tythes from the Churches and if self-loue and couetousnesse did not ouerblind and entangle the men of this age they durst not detaine what was at the first so vniustly gotten as that it is impossible for them euer to haue a good â—ight thereunto except God from heauen should reuerse his grant and enact that lay-men may haue right vnto tythes It is not alwaies easie to set downe in particular either what the iudgements of God will be while men are yet in their sinnes or what was the verie cause which prouoked the iudgement when we see it executed yet is it not to be passed ouer without consideration and feare of the Lord which diuers haue alreadie obserued as no small token of Gods anger against that man though for many excellent things a King of worthy memorie who hauing at his death a faire and hopefull issue likely for long time to continue his blood in the throne of the kingdom yet in the next generation his name is cleane put out specially D. Râ—dleâ— view of câ—v col lâ—w pag. 170. this is the more to be considered with seriousnesse because Edward and Elizabeth were the beloued of the Lord defenders of the true faith zealous of the glory the name of God yea Elizabeth a faithfull Confessor in the fierie triall of persecution she endured in the dayes of Queene Marie yet for all this that King who liued himselfe within these fewe yeares left behind him so faire a progenie of so great hope to haue his name continued is not only himselfe gathered to his Fathers but also hath alreadie his whole posteritie gathered to himselfe so as there remaineth not so much as one of his seed to stand in the congregation This doth seeme to be a iudgement and howsoeuer we know not the cause in particular yet we are sure that it was not without cause and of all causes knowne to the world what liker to anger God so grieuously as the wasting of his church Be it said that he left it no worse then he found it when he wrought the reformation But hee should haue beene aduised to haue done iustice in restoring the good to the owner the knowne owner thereof and haue reformed the iniurie where he reformed the religion and banished robberie by restitution as well as banished Poperie by iust suppression for the part of the ciuill Magistrate is not only to stint a theife that he steale no more but also to cause restitution when the owner is knowne and the goods found As therefore men can see that they haue no right vnto their tythes but from King Henrie or from some other by as crasie a title so let them consider in time least they repeÌ„t it too late what a testimonie of anger the Lord may shewe vpon them and bee as much afraid with the remembrance of his indignation as they are incouraged with their graunt and practise which is not good What if we should make a catalogue of all those courtiers others who in the dissolution of the Abbyes were much enriched by the spoile of the Church how fewe of so great estates are not alreadie ruinated It is true that there is an enterchange of things in this world and that it is a vaine thing for men to think that their names lands Psal 4â— â—1 and houses shall continue for euer but yet that in so short a space so great a change should be of so many families so likely to haue continued for longer space must needes make men see if they bee not wilfully blinde that the fact was displeasing vnto almightie God and that It is destruction for a man to denoure that which is holy
of feasting banqueting apparelling gaming building or some other of like nature which are maintained by many men in cities and townes of trading with the ministers money while he is not paid his due tenthes Thirdly men might pay their true tenthes and yet both continue the bountie of their liberall expences and also increase their estates neuer the lesse for not man but God hath spoken by the Prophet Bring all the tythes into â—al â— 10 â—1 my storehouse that there may be meat in my house and trie me now herewith saith the Lord of hostes If I will not open the windowes of heauen vnto you and poore you out a blessing without measure I will rebuke the deuourer for your sake c. I would to God that men professing the name of God would learne and knowe what it is to depend vpon his prouidence The heathen shall stand vp in iudgement against Christians for the verie heathen as hath bin shewed reputed themselues not vndone or hindered but to bee the more plentifully enriched by paying their tythes We often doe heare men complaine that though they follow their trades diligently and carefully with a good competent stocke yet they put all into a bottomelesse bagge either they decaie and goe backward or at least they goe not forward they are not increased May I not speake here after the same fashion as the Apostle speaketh vnto the Corinthians in an other case for this cause 〈◊〉 11. ◠〈…〉 and weake amongest you and many sleepe So for thiâ— cause vz. for defrauding God and his Ministers many are poore needie among you and diuers are vndone by one casualtie or other If my speach may seeme too peremptorie to them whom selfe loue and couetousnesse hath bewitched then heare againe the word of the Lord by the same Prophet Yee are cursed with a curse because yee haue spoiled mee Mal 3. â— To the like effect are the sayings of the auncient Fathers most vehement as specially of Augustine Nolite de cuncta Aug 〈…〉 comâ—â—s substantia vestra fraudare decimam ne vobis nouem partes auferantur sola decima remaneat that is with hold not the tythe of any of your substance least God take from you the nine parts and leaue you onely the tenth To the same effect also hee speaketh in his serm de tempor Dom. 12. serm 1. where speaking of a barrennes then present and so grieuous vpon the field and the vine that yeare when hee made that sermon as that they had not passing the â—enth part of the wonted increase of other yeares hee assigneth the cause thereof in these words Nouem tibi partes retractae sunt quia decimam dare noluisti that is the nine parts are withdrawen from thee because thou wouldest not giue the tenth Where he further sheweth plentifully that for so much as man himselfe is the Lords the earth is the Lords the cattell wherewith man ploweth are the Lords the dewes and showers wherewith the earth and seedes are watered are the Lords therefore the Lord might iustly challenge nine partes if hee would and assigne vnto man the tenth part onely for his labour but whereas God dealeth otherwise in so great bountie hee is iustly offended and prouoked to send vpon men oppression to their vndoing and sicknesse also and death to their vtter destruction when they refuse to pay their tenthes This is the doctrine of Augustine and all of it grounded vpon Gods word as they may more fully see who will read Augustine his owne text at large which for breuitie I haue thus abridged and if men will yet see a shorter epitomie let them read consider and feare what the Lord speaketh by Salomon It is destruction for a Prou. 20. 25. man to deuoure that which is holy When the people of Israel were to pray vnto God for his blessing vpon them and their land they were so to craue the goodnesse at the hands of the Lord as themselues had dealt truely with the Lord in his tythes yea they must in their prayers 〈…〉 15 menâ—ion that they had tythed truely and neither kept backe in their owne stocke nor wasted in their feasting any of Gods tythes and not vnlike but this was the cause why the Pharisie in his thankesgiuing Luk. 18. 12. sâ—id in the Temple that hee paied tythe of all that hee possessed knowing that the more truely tythes are paied the more abundantly may men expect the blessing of God vpon the rest of their estate and therefore that is but a plea proceeding from want of faith when a man saith because I can saue nothing at the yeares end or because I haue much adoe to maintaine my selfe therefore I will pay no tythes where the vnaduised foolish man doth argue against all sence and reason for if hee be needie and beggerly this is come vpon him because of not paying tythes truely and the more adoe any man hath to liue by his endeauours the more need hath he to tythe truely that he may obtaine Gods blessing the more effectually for it is the fauour of God that blesseth a man to make him rich and it is the anger of God that crosseth a man to make him poore In the common excuse which the Cittizen maketh one thing there is which cannot but seeme vnto me somthing admirable vz. that when the countriman hauing with great charge and labour tylled his field he payeth the tenth part of that which groweth without diducting any kind of charges yet the tradesman or handicraft thinketh himselfe deepely taxed if hee be vrged to pay the tenth part of the tenth which is the hundreth as for example The husbandman with the charge of his seed cattell and seruants and his owne endeauour also imployed vpon a farme or tenement reapeth at the yeares end as much corne as is worth fiftie pounds presently he separateth out of the same the worth of fiue pounds beeing the tenth part holy vnto the Lord. And howsoeuer the vngodly man which considereth not the prouidence of God doth lay out his tyth with hearts griefe and grudging yet that man who in the godlinesse and faith of his heart knoweth that all proceedeth from Gods blessing hee doth lay out his tenth with gladnesse and readinesse expecting that the blessing of God wil be the more plentifull vpon his nine partes the more faithfully hee doth performe the tenth to God as his sacred tribute But take a tradesman or handicraft which with lesse charge and toile euery way earneth by his owne and his seruants labour fiftie pounds in the yeare and this man thinketh himselfe very bountifull if there come out of his purse tenne shillings to the Ministers maintenance that yeare wherein he hath earned fiftie pounds now here is but the hundreth part paid where the tenth is due suppose 〈…〉 that the exact tenth were not due by the word of God but the eleuenth twelfth or twentieth yet sure there must be some proportion
Gods part and that which is mans parts making the nine parts to be the Lords graunt vnto man and the tenth part to be the Lords owne reseruation Caine and Abel did at the first offer vnto God of the goods which God had giuen vnto them What shall we thinke of that their fact was it a worke of supererogation or of dutie Of supererogation it was not for if they had not beene bound both to offer and in some sort also to the measure and manner of their offering how could Cain haue been misliked for the leannesse or scantnesse of his sacrifice when he was not bound to the performance of any It was therefore a dutie whereunto they were bound for the acknowledgement of their Lord by the true payment of their rent and tribute and therefore all others are in them admonished of this vz. that there is a reserued rent and an imposed tribute vnto Almightie God vpon euery part of their worldly estate as God by his blessing shall cause the same to be increased And although it be not precisely set downe that the portion which Abel did and Caine either did or should haue willingly offered was the tenth yet it is likely that it was the tenth rather then any other if we compare their practise with other Scriptures which concerne payments from man to God as God willing shall appeare Manifest it is that God hath a peculiar right to some speciall part of euery mans increase And if then the question be how great or how little that part is certenly we must answer the tenth for this is the only part which euer God challenged as peculiar and certen And as thus in the old Testament so also in the New we find tythes challenged to be the Lords though not by the very name of tythes yet vnder the generall name of the Lords due as Matth. 22. 21. Giue vnto God that which is Gods The question is there concerning worldly things whereof their tribute vnto the Emperour consisted The answer is that both vnto Caesar they must performe his due impost which is his tribute and also vnto God they must pay their due acknowledgment * 〈…〉 22. 21. 〈…〉 21. out of these earthly things and that is by tythes and offerings but specially tythes because they are determinatiuely set downe in their particular summe But peraduenture some bodie will say that though this place cited out of Saint Matt. be of the new Testament yet it concerneth the state of the Israelites vnder the Leuiticall priesthood and therefore that I haue all this while onely prooued that tythes were Gods speciall due in the old Testament but not that they are so now in the new Testament I answer that if God had a speciall interest in some part of our goods in the olde testament he hath the same interest still for we doe not any where finde that God hath resigned this right And whereas further the Lord hauing formerly both challenged and receiued vnder the lawe and before the lawe not onely apart but specially and by name a tenth part it is our dutie still to acknowledge and performe for Gods due not onely a part we knowe not which but euen this knowne particularly determined part except the Lord had in the new testament either wholly disclaimed this right or else remooued it to a newe rate which he hath not done either directly or indirectly And where it is pretended that tythes were properly appertaining to the Leuiticall priesthood I haue alreadie in part and shall hereafter by Gods helpe cap. 6. more fully confute that imagination concluding now that the Lord hath an originall primary right vnto tythes CHAP. IIII. Tythes by a deputed or assigned right are due to those who are Gods ministers in holy things VVHile we doe consider the deputation of tythes we find therein a twofold ende or cause of that deputation The first and principall which is to maintaine Gods publike worship 〈…〉 The secondarie ende is to maintaine those persons who are the cheife actors in this worship The principall ende of assigning tythes is to maintaine the worship of God In the 16. chap. of Numb ver 21. 〈…〉 where God made the first assignation of tythes vnto the Leuites this is added in plain words for their seruice which they serue in the tabernacle of the congregation the like is Deut. 18. where the Lord shewing first in the fowre first 〈…〉 pag â—â— verses that the portion of the whole tribe of Leui shall be the tythes offerings and certaine shares of the sacrifices he yeeldeth the cause in the first vers for the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes to stand and minister in the name of the Lord him and his sonnes for euer And by the Prophet Ezekiel the Lord saith that the Ezech 44. 28. priesthood shall be the Priests inheritance the Lord will be his possession meaning that the tythes and offerings had not beene the part of the Leuite more then of any of the rest of his brethren if God had not chosen him from the rest to the ministerie If either Ruben or Simeon or anyelse had been ordained the Priest to him should also the tythes haue been assigned for they beeing Gods own speciall part he conuerteth them to the maintenance of his owne speciall seruice and therefore before the priesthood of Leui many yeares doth Iacob vowe his tythes to maintaine Gods worship Gen. 28. 22. whereof more shall be spoken hereafter cap. 6. In the newe Testament though the assignation be not by expresse name of tythes yet in effect the same thing is ordained to the same ende if we consider how the Apostle 〈…〉 69. S. Paul doth ioyne together the 13. and 14. verses of the 9. chap. of the 1. Epistle to the Corinth by a note of similitude wherein while he setteth downe the practise of the old Testament for a president vnto the new we see that what was ordained in the old Testament concerning tâ—â—hes is not abrogated but renewed in the new testameâ—â— They which wait at the altar are partakers with the altarâ—â—ren so also hath God ordained that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospel Where the Apostle doth not only set downe as a matter of equity that the Ministers of the Gospel should be prouided for but also that it be in the same manner as it was in the old testament euen so that is by tythes offerings for so was the ministery of the altar maintained Also in the 6. cap. 6. v. of the epistle to the Gal. there is a full and plaine assignation of a part of euery mans goods vnto the ministerie Let him that hath been taught in the word make him which hath taught him partaker of all his goods A word of explication is wanting in this pâ—ecept for it is not set downe what part the disciple must bestowe vpon the teacher for his workes sake But if
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