Injunctions and to be earnest and zealous in it as the two last recited examples of King Hezekiah and Nehemiah evidence And this was so far from being an unjust oppressive action and grievance to the people as some now term it that it is recorded by God himself for their Honour and others imitation yea so well-pleasing unto God that Nehemiah clozeth up the history of his acting in this kind with this memorable addresse and prayer to God himself Neh. 13.14 Remember me O my God concerning this and wipe not out the good déeds that I have done for the House of my God and for the Offices thereof And will not God remember their ill Deeds in wrath and vengeance who shall do the contrary to what he and King Hezekiah acted in robbing God and his Ministers of their Tithes and setled dues St. Hierom with others affirm That the Israelites had four sorts of Tithes 1. That which the people paid to the Levites being the Tenth of every thing that was food for man not so much as Herbs excepted and whatever received increase from the earth 2. That which the Levites paid to the Priests being the full tenth of their Tithes 3. That which they received for expences in their solemn feasts when they went to the Tabernacle or Temple whereof the Owner and his family were to eat in those Feasts as well as the Levite Deut. 4.26 27. ch 12.17 18. 4. The third years Tithes which were then laid up for the Levites and likewise for the stranger the fatherlesse the poor widdow within their gates in the Husbandmans own Barns and Store-houses and not then carried to Jerusalem as the other Tithes were Deut. 14.28 29. ch 26.12 13. Their first and second Tithes every year as they affirm amounted to 19. in the hundred So as the Husbandmans clear Lay-Chattel the Tithes first deducted came but to eighty one bushels of Corn or eighty one Pipes or Tuns of Wine or Oyl in every hundred which considering the costs the Husbandman was at in threshing and fanning the Corn barrelling up the Wine and Oyl and carrying them to Jerusalem and the Priests treasuries at their own costs amounted to double the Tithes we pay now and more besides the first fruits paid out of them in kind before the Tithes their Free-will Offerings Sacrifices Oblations and other charges of Gods worship prescribed by the Levitical law together with half a shekel every poll for the service of the Tabernacle Exod. 30.12 13 14. yet the Israelites were obliged by God to pay all these Tithes which all the godly amongst them chearfully did without murmuring notwithstanding every seventh year amongst them was Sabbatical and free from tillage and the voluntary fruits of the earth then growing were to be for the poor and the beasts of the field were to eat the rest Exod. 23.10 11. Lev. 25.3 c. What would our Anabaptists Quakers and tithe-oppugners have said and done had they been born Israelites under the law and clogged with so many Tithes and expences who now grumble at and refuse to pay half so much Tithes as they constantly did though they pay no first-fruits Sacrifices and other costly Oblations of several sorts to God as the Israelites did besides all these Tithes I fear their covetous Sacrilegious hard hearts would have induced them to cast off not only Gods Priests and Levites as now many of them do our Ministers as superfluous creatures but even all Gods chargeable Ordinances and Levitical forms of worship as intollerable grievances oppressions yea renounced God himself to save their purses and turned Atheists out-right Let them therefore reform this their Sacrilegious tithe-detaining practices and opinions lest whiles they pretend to avoid Judaism they prove worse than the very Jews themselves yea worse than the very Jewish Pharisees the worst of Jewes who paid tithes even of Rue Annis Mint Cumin all other Herbs and of all they had Mat. 23.23 Luke 11.42 cap. 18.12 Whose righteousness all Christians righteousness must exceed by Christs own verdict else they shall never enter into the kingdom of heaven Mat. 5.20 Nay worse than the very Idolatrous Jewes under Jeroboam and his successors who paid their Tithes duely even to the base Idolatrous Priests at Bethel and Gilgal who waited on the Service of the golden Calves and brought all the Oblations to their very Calves which God reserved to his Priests Levites and himself as is evident by Amos 4.4 5. Come ye to Bethel and transgresse at Gilgal multiply transgression and bring your Sacrifices every morning and your Tithes after thrée years and offer a Sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven and proclaim and publish the free offerings for this liketh you O ye children of Israel saith the Lord of Hosts Let those Pharisees idolatrous Jews and Israelites practice then shame all our Anabaptists Quakers Soldiers Sectaries and other Tith-oppugners now lest they rise up in judgement and condemn them at the last day These forementioned Cities Suburbs Houses Glebes Tithes thus setled on the Priests and Levites for their Habitation maintenance and reward of their Ministerial Function had nothing properly typical or Ceremonial in them and being assigned to them by God himself only for their necessary Habitation and competent Livelihood may and ought to be continued and imitated in a fitting proportion under the Gospel for the Habitation maintenance livelihood reward of the Preachers of the Gospel who are to live by the Gospel as well as they did by the Temple and Altar 1 Cor. 9.13 14. 3. There was another supplemental maintenance besides these Glebes and Tithes prescribed by God in the Levitical law for the Priests which was properly Ceremonial Levitical and quite abolished with that Priesthood by Christs death and that was the Priests share out of every meat-Offering made of fine flower oyl and frankincense unto the Lord by the people a small part whereof the Priests were to offer up to God upon the Altar and the remnant which was left was to be Aarons and his sons with the breast and right shoulder of every Peace-Offering offered by the people called the Wave-breast and the heave-shoulder given by God to the Priest who offered the bloud and fat of the Peace-offering at the Altar together with the skin of every burnt-offering Levit 2.3 10. chap. 7.6 to 11. and 28 to 38. Exod 29.26 27 28. chap. 9.21 Numb 6.19 20. And from them that offered a Sacrifice whether it were Ox or Sheep this was the Priests DVE likewise from the people they were to give unto the Priest the shoulder and the two cheeks and the maw by Gods special appointment Deut 18.3 Ezech 44.29 30. which Fee Eli the high Priests Sons exceeding and exacting more than was due by violence it exceedingly provoked God made men to abhor the Sacrifice of the Lord and proved the ruine of Eli and his Family 1 Sam 2.12 to the end These Dues and Fees of the Priests serving onely at the Altar
Arguments drawn from Melchisedec not pertinent to our present businesse after which he largely argues the change and abolition of the Levitical Law and Priesthood by Christ a theam of a different nature from the former to which the objected words refer therefore the total and final abolishing of all Tithes to which these words have no relation can never be inforced from them being ratifyed by the former clause as appurtenances to Christs everlasting Priesthood as well as to Melchisedecs Therefore as due to his Ministers under the Gospel as to any Priests and Levites under the Law which were likewise Types of Christ the true high Priest expiring at and by his death 3. The Priests and Levites under the Law had Cities Glebes Houses setled on them for their habitation families Cattel as well as Tithes by the Ceremonial Law for their better maintenance accommodation and that in a large proportion Lev. 25.32 33 34. Num. 35.1 to 12. Josh 21.1 to 43. 1 Chr. 6.54 to the end ch 9.10 to 35. 2 Chr. 11.13 14. Ezra 2.70 Neh. 11.26 ch 13.10 Ezec. 45.1 to 6. ch 4.8 9 to 15. If then this Text proves the Total Abolition of all our Ministers Tithes root and branch as Jewish and Antichristian as some impudent Scriblers and Petitioners against them now affirm It likewise proves the abolition of all their Rectories Glebes Houses likewise as well as of their Tithes as Jewish and Antichristian And so Ministers of the Gospel now shall neither have Tithes nor Glebes to support and feed them their families and Cattel nor yet so much as an House wherein to lodge and put their heads and be inforced to complain as our Saviour once did of his forlorn condition Mat. 8.20 and Luke 9.58 the Foxes have holes and the Birds of the air have Nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head A condition to which some Jesuitical Anabaptistical Athiestical uncharitable beasts of Prey worse than any Foxes or Harpies would now gladly reduce all our faithful Ministers and their Families whiles some of them Lord it and lodge themselves in our Kings Princes Bishops Deans and Chapters new acquired royal Palaces and not content therewith would spoyl all our Ministers of their more contemptible Glebes Rectories Tithes to enrich themselves and their Posterities and make our Ministers like our Saviour in his voluntary Poverty both Houseless and Harborless They may with as much Justice like the hard-hearted bloudy Jews Souldiers even crucifie them on crosses between such thieves as themselves to make them like our Saviour even in his voluntary sufferings as part their Glebes Lands Rectories Tithes among them and cast Lots upon their vestures even before their death when as the Souldiers who crucified our Saviour did not part his raiment amongst them nor cast Lots on his vesture till after his crucifixion by them there being as much Authority Conscience Law Justice Reason for the one as other seeing none by any Laws can lose or forfeit their Lands Livelihood but such who first forfeit their Lives to publick Justice 4. The Israelites were enjoyned by the Levitical Law Deut. 12.17 18 19. ch 14.26 27 28 29. to harbour entertain the Priests and Levites within their gates and not to forsake them so long as they should live upon the earth but freely to permit and invite them to come eat drink feast rejoyce and be satisfied with them and their Families before the Lord as well as to pay them Tithes But this Law as they argue is now abolished by Christ with the Priesthood Therefore when our Ministers are stript of all their Tithes Glebes Rectories Houses maintenance by our new Reformadoes it must be Jewish and Antichristian for them or any others so much as to lodge entertain or give them any thing to eat or drink within their gates or so much as to admit invite them to a Feast or meal within their Houses and then they with all theirs and other poor widows and orphans must all presently starve perish by John Cannes and these uncharitable mens new Gospel Light and Charity because Hospitality and Alms to such are Levitical and Jewish abolished with the Levitical Law and Priesthood which abrogated all Charity and Humanity out of the world as well as out of these Tithe-Oppugners hearts if this their Objection be Orthodox Gospel truth 5. Meer Freewill Offerings and voluntary unconstrained Contributions were prescribed by the Levitical and Judicial law both for and towards the maintenance of Gods Priests and worship for the building and repairing of the Tabernacle and of the Temple afterwards towards which the godly Kings Princes Generals Captains Officers Souldiers and all the pious people of God contributed most joyfully liberally and in such abundance upon all occasions that they gave far more than was sufficient and thereupon were prohibited by special Proclamation to give or bring any more as in the case of Materials of all sorts for the building and furniture of the Tabernacle of the congregation and of the Temple towards which many Heathen Kings and their Officers contributed freely and the very captive Jews Exod. 35.20 to 30. chap. 36.2 to 9. Levit. 22.18 21 23. chap. 23.38 Num. 15.3 chap. 29.39 chap. 31.48 to the end 1 Chron. 26.26 27 28. chap. 22.1 to 17. chap. 29.1 to 17. 2 Chron. 24.4 to 15. chap. 27.3 chap. 29.3 to 20.31 chap. 34.8 to 15. Ezra 1. throughout chap. 3.5 chap. 7.16 chap. 8.28 29. Therefore Ministers under the Gospel must not be maintained nor Churches Houses for publick Assemblies built or repaired by Free-will offerings and voluntary contributions being Levitical Jewish and so abandoned and if not by Tithes nor forced Rates as they allege then the Ministers must utterly starve and all our Churches fall to sudden ruine as many now do And is this Gospel Saintship and Christianity 6. The Priests and Levites by the Levitical Law were prescribed what wives they should marry and what not Levit. 21.7 to the 14. will it therefore follow as the Papist Votaries conclude Therefore Ministers of the Gospel must not marry and must all now be divorced from their wives as well as from their Tithes and Benefices because the Levitical law is abolished and Priests wives Jewish as well as their Tithes Our beastly Ranters then may seize upon Ministers wives as well as the brutish Anabaptists Quakers Swordmen on their Tithes and Glebes 7. The seventh day Sabbath it self though prescribed by a Moral law was in some sense ceremonial and enjoyned by Ceremonial laws too therefore as most affirm abrogated by Christs death as Jewish as to the precise seventh day from the Creation and the Jewish rigidities Sacrifices on it will it therefore follow that it is Jewish and unlawfull for Christians under the Gospel to observe the Lords day every week and render unto God the same weekly proportion of time for publike worship as the Jews did or to keep any publike Fasts
and on the North side two thousand Cubits and the City shall be in the midst this shall be to them the suburbs of the Cities And among the Cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six Cities for refuge which ye shall appoint for the Manslayer that he may fly thither and to them ye shall adde forty and two Cities So all the Cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight Cities them shall ye give with their Suburbs And the Cities which ye shall give shall be of the possâ—ssion of the Children of Israel from them that have many ye shall give many and from them that have few ye shall give few Everyone shall give of his Cities according to his inheritance which he inheriteth This positive just command of God was given before the Israelites entrance into and conquest of the land of Canaan And this further positive law then likewise made against the sale and alienation of these Glebes and Possessions Levit. 25.32 33 34. Notwithstanding the Cities of the Levites and the Houses of the Cities of their possession may the Levites redeem at any time which others could not doe v. 30 31. And if a man purchase of the Levites then the House that was sold and the City of his possession shall go out in the year of Jubile for the houses of the Levites are their possession among the children of Israel but the field of the Suburbs of their City may not be sold for it is their perpetual Possession After this when the land of Canaan was fully conquered by the Israelites and divided amongst the Tribes by bounds and limits we read Josh 21.1 to 43. Then came near the heads of the Fathers of the Levites unto Eleazer the Priest and unto Joshua the son of Nun and unto the heads of the tribes of the Children of Israel and they spake unto them at Shilo in the land of Canaan saying The Lord commanded by the hand of Moses in the text forecited To give us Cities to dwell in with the Suburbs thereof for our cattel And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites at the commandment of the Lord mark it all enemies of our Ministers Rectories Lands Glebes Maintenance these Cities and their Suburbs Then follow the Names and Places of the Cities allotted to the Levites proportionably out of every tribe and how they were divided by lot amongst them which you may read in the text it self over large to transcribe After which ensues this cloze of the story v. 8.41 42. And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these Cities and their Suburbs as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses all the Cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight Cities with their Suburbs These Cities were every one with their Suburbs round about them Thus were all the Cities In 1 Chron 6 We have a recital of the Sons and Families of Levi and the Office of the Priests and Levites with the names of all the Cities and Suburbs alloted to them out of every Tribe agreeing with this of Joshua where those who please may read them at their leisure These fourty eight Cities and their Suburbs as some conceive amounted to the tenth or at least twelfth Part of the Cities and Land of Canaan the Priests and Levites according to their number enjoying in proportion as large a share of the promised Land as any of the other Tribes for their Habitation and Glebes besides their Tithes first-Fruits Offerings and other Dues All which as Dr. George Downham and Mr. Samuel Purchas observe amounted to a far greater proportion for the maintenance of that small Tribe than all the Bishopricks Deaneries Benefices Cathedral and College lands Revenues Glebes Tithes and whatsoever Ecclesiastical Profits endowments of the Clergy and Scholars in our whole Kingdom and Nation After this when the Temple of Jerusalem was built where the Priests and Levites were to wait in their several Courses successively by Davids appointment 1 Chron. chap. 23 to chap. 27. 2 Chron. 8.14 15. chap. 23.8 and ch 13 10 11. ch 29.4 chap. 31.2 chap. 35. 2. Levit. 1.5 8 9. they had Houses Chambers lodgings provided for them at Jerusalem near the Temple where some of them constantly dwelt and attended and likewise for the Tithes first-fruits and oblations brought thither to them 1 Chron. 9.10 to 35. chap. 23.28 chap. 28.11 12 13. 2 Chron. 2 to 13. Ezra 8.29 Neh. 10.37 38 39. chap. 12.44 45 47. chap. 13.4 to 15. Ezech 40.4 to 45. chap. 42.1 to 19. chap. 44.19 chap. 46.19 These Cities Suburbs Habitations Chambers the Priests and Levits constantly enjoyed without interruption til the revolt of the ten tribes from Rehoboam when Jeroboam the usurper erected two Golden Calves in Dan and Bethel to keep the people from going up to Jerusalem to worship God there out of carnal fear and suspition saying in his heart Now shall the Kingdom return to the house of David if the people go up to Jerusalem to do Sacrifice in the House of the Lord there then shall the heart of this people turn back again to their Lord even unto Rehoboam King of Judah and they shall kill me and go again to Rehoboam King of Iudah 1 Kings 12.26 to 33. and then we read 2 Chron. 11.13 14 15 16. The Priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to Rehoboam out of all their Coasts For the Levites left their Suburbs and their Possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them out from executing the Priests Office unto the Lord and he ordained him Priests for the High Places of the lowest of the People and for the Devils and the Calves which he had made which King Abijah warring with him after his Fathers death when he claimed the right of his usurped Crown thus objected against him and the revolted Tribes 2 Chr 13.4 to 14. Hear me thou Jeroboam and all Israel Ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the Kingdom over Israel to David for ever even to him and to his Sons by a Covenant of Salt Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat the servant of Solomon the Son of David is risen up and hath rebelled against his Lord. And there are gathered unto him vain men the children of Belial and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the Son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted and could not withstand him And now ye think to withstand the Kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David and ye be a great multitude and there be with you Golden Calves which Jeroboam made you for Gods Have ye not cast out the Priests of the Lord the sons of Aaron and the Levites and have made you Priests after the manner of the Nations of other lands so that whosoever cometh to Consecrate himself with
that they most affect yea farr lesse troublesom to more convenient for our Ministers Persons families and necessary Cattel than bare stipends which must enforce them to run to Markets to buy all their Corn and other provisions both for their Houshold Horses Cattel at the dearest rates So if this Maintenance by Tithes be once abolished either before any other competent Maintenance setled in its steed lesse grievous and inconvenient than Tithes which all wise men in the world will never be able to invent much lesse to establish as things now are setled or Ministers left wholy to an arbitrary unconstrained Benevolence without any limited Proportion or means to recover it if detained as some now petition This expected proposed unconstrained Maintenance would in verity and reality signify just Nothing and be no Maintenance at all in the Petitioners own sence and intention as appears by John Cannes forecited passages and the very words of their Petitions since they refuse to pay them their very Tithes yet due by Law and never freely contributed one penny to them for their Ministry which they revile disclaim as Antichristian Wherefore if any New-fangled Politicians resolve to settle such a new Maintenance only insteed of the old for the peoples pretended Ease let them first establish settle an arbitrary Excise Custome uncoercive voluntary Impost and monthly Contribution as this on the people for Maintenance of the Army and Navy not so simply necessary as the Ministry for our real welfare without any compulsory means to recover it if not freely rendred till the next harvest come and see what a competent Maintenance that will be for the Souldiers and Seamen and provide that all Tenants for the year ensuing shall render only what Rents they please to the State their Landlords Lessees who shall have no power to distrain sue or enter upon any of them in case they deny to pay their Rents and trie what a certain Annual Revenue this whimsy will produce to the States and Land-Lords purses Or else give over this Jesuitical Anabaptistical devised new Maintenance for our Ministers as a Stratagem only to starve their bodies and their Peoples souls without any more Debates concerning Tithes to gratify such malicious Projectors and offend all Godly people through the Nation who deem this old way of Maintenance of Gods own Prescription farr better lesse inconvenient in all respects than this arbitrary or any other new-fangled way of these or other mens invention 5ly That although God by his divine Providence is able to support the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel though totally stripped naked of all their Glebes Tithes antient Maintenance through the unrighteousnesse or malice of ungodly men as he did the Apostles and his Ministers in all ages in times of Persecution yet let all such who have or shall have a hand in such a Sacrilegious design consider 1. That they shall be as bitter Enemies to and Persecutors of the Ministers of Christ amongst us in and by this very Project as Julian the Apostate Christian was to Gods faithfull Ministers in the primitive Times when he took away their Preferments Glebes and Church Revenues as the High Commissioners and Prelates were of late to all those godly Puritan Ministers whom they deprived of their Benefices for Non-conformity to their Ceremonies and no real Crime deserving such an inhuman Censure depriving them of their Livelyhoods 2ly That they shall hereby draw a great Scandal upon our very Religion it self Church Nation render them odious Sacrilegious to all foreign Churches Nations gratify rejoyce the hearts of the Pope Jesuites Papists and other professed Enemies of our Religion accomplish their Designs against our Church and Ministers exceedingly sad the hearts and grieve the righteous souls of all Gods faithfull Saints amongst us of all Protestant Churches in Foreign parts and draw this just Censure on themselves 2 Pet. 2.14 15. An heart they have exercised with covetous practices cursed Children which have forsaken the right way and are gon astray following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse These are wells without water Clouds carried with a Tempest to whom is reserved the mist of darknesse for ever 3ly That although God should miraculously preserve a faithfull able Ministry and his true Religion still amongst us through the bounty and charity of other well affected Christians yet they have done their uttermost endeavours to destroy them and the peoples souls with them both for the present and succeeding ages 4ly That this unrighteous violent act will in all probability bring in a world of Confusion Atheism Schisms Heresies Divisions Contentions Blasphemies disorders amongst us in all places a famine of the sincere preaching of Gods word a neglect and contempt of Learning and Piety a dilapidation Spoliation of all or most Parish Churches Chapels a confusion of the bounds of all Parishes and Parochial Congregations and bring all those Calamities on our Nation as it did upon the Israelites when Jeroboam thrust out the Priests and Levites from their Glebes Suburbs Ministry thus registred 2 Chron. 15.3 5 6. Now for a long season Israel was without the true God and without a teaching Priest and without Law as some would have us now And in those days mark the consequence there was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in but great veration upon all the Inhabitants of the Country And Nation was destroyed of Nation and Citie of Citie for God did vex them withall Adversity In which condition they continued till King Asa and the people renued repaired the decayed Altar House and worship of the Lord Gathered all the people to Jerusalem to worship God and enter into a Solemn Covenant and Oath to serve the Lord God of their Fathers with all their hearts and with all their soul And that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether small or great man or woman Offred Sacrifices to the Lord of the Spoyl they had taken from the Enemy 700. Oxen and 7000. Shéep and brought into the house of God the things that his Father had dedicated and himself had dedicated Silver and Gold and Vessels formerly taken thence and then there was no more war in divers years v. 8. to the end of the Chapter And probably our Wars Taxes Vexations will never end till we give over our late irreligious Sacrilegious Rapines Church Robberies and do the like as this pious King and his people here did 5ly That this discouraging robbing abusing despising mocking misusing of Gods Messengers Prophets sent amongst us and of all his and their words against our wicked Atheistical Sacrilegious Rapines is the High way to provoke the wrath of God to rise against us till there be no remedy yea to bring in a powerfull Foreign Nation upon us to pillage waste destroy enslave our whole Nation extirpate us out of the Land of our Nativity and
is cause to do their duties and reform their Errors without the least guilt or colour of Injury or Oppression to the wilfull obstinate or negligent detainers of them and that by the self-same Laws rules of Justice Reason Conscience as all Tith-Opponents yet grant they may enforce obstinate or negligent Tenants Creditors Masters Publick or private Accomptants Trespassers Disseisors and the like to pay their just Rents and Services to their Landlords their due Debts to their Creditors their contracted wages to their hired Labourers or menial Servants their audited Arrears to the publick Treasury or others to whom they are indebted upon Account their ascertained dammages to such as they have injured and to restore the Goods or Lands unjustly taken or detained to those they have plundered or disseised of them yea as justly as they may by any coercive Laws and means enforce and constrain any obstinate Persons or Merchants to pay all Tenths Fifteens Subsidies Ayd Cuâ—toms Tonnage Poundage for defence of the Realm â—y â—and or sea when publickly and legally granted in and by a full free and lawfull Parliament duly summoned and elected by the people according to the manifold Laws and Statutes enacted for that purpose the want of which indubital Ingredients only how fatal they have been to Parliaments in former Ages to make them and all their Acts Iudgements Orders Ordinances mere Nullities and what a prejudice they have been to the People and Republick too those who please may read at leasure in the Statutes of 39 H. 6. c. 1. Rot. parl n. 3.17 c. 7. And the Act for repealing the Parliament of 21 R. 2. in the Parliament of 1 H. 4. c. 3. The reason of which Repeal is thus recorded by Mr. Oliver Saint Iohn in his Declaration in Parliament against the Shipmony Iudges Anno 1640. printed by the Commons command p. 33. That Parliament of 21 R. 2. of Revocation was held by force as is declared in the Parliament Roll of 1 H. 4. n. 21 22. That it was held Viris armatis et Sagitariis immensis The Knights of Parliaments were not elected by the Commons Prout mos exegit Sed per Regiam voluntatem And so the Lords Rex omnes Dominos Sibi adhaerentes summonare fecit Whereupon Nu. 48. These judgements of Revocation and that of the whole Parliaments proceedings too are declared to be Erronea Iniqua et omni juri et rationi repugnantia Erroneous wicked and contrary to all Right and Reason So Mr Saint John Numb 37. This was one grand Article of Impeachment of King Richard the 2 l. for which he was then deposed from his Government by a forced Resignation Heu licet quod eo Statuto Consuetudine Regni sui in Convocatione cujuslibet Parliamenti sui populus suus in singulis Comitatilus Regni DEBEAT ESSE LIBER ad eligend deputaâ—d Milites pro hujusmâ—di Comitatibus ad interessend Parliamento ad exponend eorum gravamina ad prosequend pro remediis superinde preuâ— eis videbatur expedire Tamen praefatus Rex ut in Parliamentis suis ut liberius consequi valeat suae temerariae voluntatis effectare direxit mandata sua frequentius Vicecomitibas suis ut certas Personas per ipsum Regem nominatas ut Milites Comitatus venire faciat ad Parliamenta sua Quos quidem Milites eidem Regi faventes indulgere poterat prout frequenter fecit quandoque per minas varias et terrores quandoque per munera ad consentiend illis quae Regno praejudicialia fuerant et Populo quamplumum onerosa et specialiter ad concedendum eidem Regi Subsidium ad certos Annos suum Populum nimium opprimendo Which I leave to John Canne to English for those who understand not Latin or our Laws and would strip our learned Ministers of their Tithes and setled maintenance by colour of an extraordinary call as he terms it to such an extraordinary Sacrilegious work as this Quest But what ground is there in Scripture may some demand for compelling People to pay their Tithes and other Duties to their Ministers Answ I answer 1. We have the President Law and Commandement of Godly Hezekiah recorded in the 2 Chron. 31.4 5 6 7 8. with the good effect it wrought already recited 2ly The Examples of zealous Nehemiah and the Religious Nobles and People under him who entred into a solemn Covenant curse oath and made Ordinances to charge themselves yearly with the third part of a Shekle for the service of the House of God and that they would bring in all their First-fruits and Offerings and the Tithes of their ground unto the Levites that the same Levites might have their Tithes in all the Cities of their Tillage Neh. 9.38 c. 10.1 throughout specially v. 29 32 37 38 39. ch 12.44 45. which when afterwards neglected by the people Nehemiah contended with the Rulers for their negligence in not enforcing the people to pay them whereupon this effect ensued Then brought all Judah the Tithes of the Corn and the new Wine and the Oyle unto the Treasurers c. And Nehemiah was so far from deeming this Injustice or Oppression as some now malitiously term it that he prayes Remember me O my God concerning this and wipe not out my good Deeds that I have done for the House of my God and for the offices thereof Neh. 13.10 to 15. From which President Nicholas Hemingius a far better Divine and Scholar than John Canne and all his Associates against Tithes thus resolves in his Commentary on 1 Thess 5.12 13. Therefore the Godly are to be admonished That by Divine Right they owe Stipends unto the Ministers of the Church But that nothing may be here neglected to the dammage of the Ministry This care belongs to the Superious For if Kings be nursing Fathers to the Church as Isaiah admonisheth Possunt et debent jure divino ministris Ecclesiae stipendia ordinare they may and ought by Divine Right or Gods Law to ordain Stipends to the Ministers of the Church by the example of the most godly King Hezechiah 2 Chron. 31. That they may wholly addict themselves to the Law of God And if the people detain these Salaries and setled Dues from them they may enforce them by Fines penalties and Actions to pay them 3ly If these Examples prevail not we have the President of a zealous Heathen Prince who shall rise up in judgement against many pretended Magistrates refusing to assist complaining Ministers to recover their just Tithâ—s and Dues from their refractory ingrate people to wit King Attaxerxes who making a Decree for furnishing Ezra the Priest with whatsoever he should require for the maintenance of Gods worship and House Ezra 7.11 c. concludes it thus v. 26. And whosoever will not do the Law of thy God and the Law of the King which confirm our Ministers Tithes and Dues Let Iudgement be executed speedily upon him whether it be unto Death or unto Banishment
or to Confiscation of Goods or to Imprisonment And lest any should deem this a Tyrannical Oppressing Edict Ezra himself subjoyns in the very next words v. 27. Blessed be the Lord of our Fathers who hath put such a thing as this is in the Kings heart Which Law if now put into due execution would send Canne and most of his Confederates here packing back again to Amsterdam or some Gibbet or Prison and strip them of the Goods they have got by the warres and troubles of the time 4ly We have King Darius his Decree for repairing Gods House and furnishing the Priests there with all necessaries they required which thus concludes with a most severe penaltie against the wilfull Disobeyers of it Ezra 6.11 Also I have made a Dâ—cree That whosoever shall alter this word â—et Timber be pulled down from his House and being set up Let him be hanged thereon and his House be made a Dunghill for this Hâ—w many now Giâ—beâ—s should we now have throughout England and how many new-purchased Houses by those who had noâ—e of lâ—te would be made Dungheaps if this rigid Law were now put in are Which may stop the clamorous mouths of such who cry out against Laws and Ordinances for Tithes prescribing more moderate penalties Object But all this is but Old Testament will many now object what can you allege for your Propositions pâ—â—â—f out of the Gospel Answ To stop their mouths I answer 1. That the Gospel expresly commands all living under it To render to all their Dues Therefore to Ministers to whom I have proved Tithes and other setled maintenance to be a just Due and Debt to owe nothing to any Man Rom. 13.7 8. Therefore not to Ministers But what if bold atheistical obstinate or covetous Wretches will not pay these Dues to their Ministers doth the Gospel allow Magistrates and higher Powers to compel them to it Yes in the very antecedent words v. 4 5. If thou do that which is evil as the defrauding denying detaining of the Ministers as well as the Magistrates or any others Due Debts and Salaries is a doing of evil prohibited by the forecited words and many other Texts elsewhere insisted on be afraid for he beareth not the Sword in vain as he should do might he compell none by it to their duties For he is the Minister of God even a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil Wherefore ye must needs be subject in yielding to their commanding Laws and Ordinances for Tithes and Ministers Dues as well as others edged with coercive Penalties not only for wrath that is for fear of the Penalties which else fall upon you for your disobedience exasperate the Higher Powers and Civil Magistrate to execute wrath upon you but even for conscience sake which should more prevail with men than wrath and Penalties though our Tithe-detainers now are grown so atheistically impudent as to alledge conscience for not rendring them and robbing God himself of them Mal. 3.8 as well as his Ministers 2ly The Holy Ghost by the Apostle Peter thus seconds his former precept by Paul 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether to the King as Supream or unto Governours who have made many Lawes and Ordinances for payment of our Ministers Tithes and Duties Yea but say our sturdy armed and unarmed Tithe-detainers now What if we will not do it as we are resolved notwithstanding all such Laws and Ordinances What Are you resolved to disobey and contemn Gods Gospel Laws and Ordinances as well as Mans Where is your Religion your Saintship you so much boast of Will you provoke the Lord himself to wrath are you stronger than he I presume not Therefore the Apostle subjoins That these Kings and Governours are sent by him for the Punishment of Evil doers And such are all those who detain the Ministers established Dues who are not only Theeves and Robbers of God in the Old Testaments language Mal. 3 8. but committers of Sacrilege Rom. 2.20 Thou that abhorrest Idols as many Tithe-oppugners pretend they do Dost thou commit Sacrilege and Church Robberie Acts 19.37 in the New Testaments and meer Heathens Dialect who fall under the just punishment of Kings and Governours whom God will bear out in the just punishment of such evil doers or else punish them himself in a more severe manner if the Armed sonnes of Zerviah be too hard for David and It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God who even under the Gospel is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 and hath proved so to many Tithe-oppugners very lately both in consuming their Houses and personal Estate as well by real fire as by inflicting Spiritual judgements on their souls 3ly Our Saviours own words recorded in the Gospel are direct in point Luke 12.57 58 59. Mat. 5.25 And why even of your selves judge ye not what is right in paying your just Dues and Debts to all you owe them without sute or coercion as the next words literally import When thou goest with thine adversary to the Magistrate as thou art in the way give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him lest he hale thee to the judge and the Iudge deliver thee to the Officer and the Officer cast thee into prison Verily I say unto thee thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing or very last mite Here is a Gospel resolution of our Saviour in two Evangelists ratified with a verily I say unto thee That all those who will not pay their Ministers Tithes and Dues as well as other mens Debts may be lawfully brought and haled perforce before the Magistrate and by the Magistrate and Judge condemned in double Dammages cast into Prison and not suffered to come out thence till he have paid the utmost farthing not only of his detained Tithes and Dues but of his sine forfeiture and costs of sute prescribed by our Laws And let all our Swordmen and other oppugners of our coercive Laws against detainers of Ministers Tithes and Dues give our Saviour himself the Title of a Tyrant and Oppressor a Lyar if they dare and that such proceedings are not sufferable under the Gospel 4ly There is nothing so free and voluntary in the world that I know as Almes and Charity to poor distressed Saints and Christians Yet the Gospel accompts this a due Debt and all able to give them Debtors Rom. 15.27 And if any refuse to render them out of their Hard-heartedness and want of Charity the Christian Magistrates under the Gospel may not only rate and assesse them according to their Estates towards the Poors relief as they do in all Christian Republicks and Realms but by Distresses sale of Goods and other coercive wayes compel them to render them and that both by the Common law of England and the Statutes of 22 H. 8. c. 12. 27 H. 8. c. 25. 1 Edw.