in vaine they are yet in their sinnes I shall speake of these in their order Of the time the place the persons I. And as for the chiefe time I call it as I ought the Lord's Day or Sunday because the Sabbath as ceremoniall was abolished at the death of Christ as in the second Chapter to the Collossians is declared And why a day must be still observed is inregard of what is morall in the fourth Commandement For it is absolutely and directly of the Law of Nature that some time be set apart for the publique worshippe and solemne services of God And why one day in seven is not in regard of what is strictly morall in respect of Nature dictating but in respect of Nature informed by the Divine instruction of the God of Heaven For whereas Nature knew not how to make choice or put a difference betweene one number and another it pleased God to instruct and informe Nature that thereby that which is not strictly morall ratione naturae might bee knowne and accounted as morall ratione disciplinae of which condition is the quota pars both for Tythes and for the time of God's publique worshippe And next why this part of one in seven hath since the ceasing of the Sabbath beene observed by us ratheÌ„ ron the first then second third or any other day of the weeke is not in regard of any precept expressely commanding it but in regard of the Churches practice at all times and in all Ages ever since Now they that began it were the Apostles being led thereunto by our and their Lords resurrection and by his often apparitions to them upon that very day rather then upon any other day beside For as they knew the Sabbath to be abolished by Christs death In like manner by his resurrection they had ground sufficient to direct them to the choice of a peculiar day for the observation of a new and chiefe Festivall and so much the rather because Christ used then as I sayd to appeare unto them Hence therefore it is Revel 1.10 Ignat. epist ad Magnes that Saint Iohn makes mention of a Day which he calleth Dies Dominicus the Lord's Day And Ignatius one of Saint Iohns Disciples telleth us that it was the first day of the weeke the very Queene and chiefe of Dayes renowned by our Lord's resurrection So also sayth Saint Austine Aug ad Ianua epist 119. c. 13 the Lord's Day was declared to Christians by the resurrection of the Lord and from that time began to be celebraeted De verb. Apost Serm. 15. And in another place The raysing of the Lord hath promised to us an eternall day and hath consecrated for us the Lord's Day By which he meaneth that Christ thus honouring this day did thereby as it were point it out as the onely day to be made choice of for the religious and solemne services of God Or to use againe his owne words Demonstrare consecrare dignatus est Ad Ianuar. epist 119. c. 9. He did vouchsafe to demonstrate and consecrate it Thus they and their successours first tooke it up Apostoli Apostolici viri This was their ground and from them to us the observation thereof hath proceeded and is still retained in the Christian Church Yea Iust apol 2. ad Anton. Imperat ppope finem and further even this Day which was thus frequently called the Lord's Day Iustine Martyr calls also Sunday and may fitly be so named not because the Pagans dedicated that day to their Idoll of the Sunne but because as another Father speaketh The Sonne of righteousnesse which enlightneth every one of us Saint Ambr. Serm. 61. did then arise Neither was it knowne to have so much as the name of Sabbath ever after in the Church of God without some distinction added to distinguish it from that of the Iewes For in a proper and litterall sence it cannot bee called the Sabbath Day as being neither that day which the Iewes observed nor of such strickt rest as was that Day of theirs And indeed the very stricktnesse of their rest gave the name of Sabbath to the Day which they were to keepe but was not the principall thing wherein the sanctification of it consisted For though the rest was strictly exacted yet but accidentally annexed and therefore now removed in the removall of that yoke of outward observances which for the time was laid upon them Gala. 4. For as the effect abideth so long as the cause remaineth but perisheth when the cause ceaseth so the strictnesse of Rest was to remaine so long as the Day and memoâ—y of the things vailed under the strict rest thereof abided But the Day being taken away the end and reason of the sayd Rest is gone and also the strict Rest it selfe which being figurative could not be too strict For the more exact the figure is the better it signifieth as in the Lambe for the Passeover well appeareth which was to be alwaies such as had no blemish And that this Rest of theirs thus strictly exacted was but accidentally annexed will be manifest if we consider the many causes more then the chiefe and principall for which they were to keepe it For though such a Rest be alwaies requisite as may promote the divine duties of God's publique worship and not be contrary to the observance of that precept which requires the performance of them Yet if there be other ends beyond that which the solemne service of God requireth those ends must bee examined whether they be connected with that end which participates with the moralitie of that Commandement which leades us to the setting apart of some time for God's publique and solemne service We denie nothing to be abolished which is as a meanes requisite to that end for which a Day is set apart But if in the Iewish rest there were things figurative and to signifie something which was either past present or then to come We are nothing bound either to the name of their day to the day it selfe or to the strict observance of such a rest as that day of theirs required For if this be not granted wee retaine not onely the substance but ceremonie likewise of the Sabbath their many ends of rest beside that for which the day was chiefely set apart must needes be the cause of an extreame stricknesse But being to signifie as aforesayd it was to them and not to us that God intended such a Rest For first they rested in memorie of the Creation which on that particular day was ended sixe dayes being spent in Creating Exod. 20.11 before that day of Rest approached From the memorie of which after the manner that they remembred it we are now called in regard that the observation of the day it selfe is ceased Col. 2.16.17 Not that we doe hereby deny God to bee our Creatour but acknowledge Christ to be our Redeemer And indeed the benefit of Redemption being greater then that
which we confesse and beleeve in the Apostles Creed so that as they pray to God for our good in generall in like manner we praise God for them in particular account their memory precious set their examples before us as the glasses of our lives and desire to be made partakers with them of the glorious resurrection in the life to come I would to God therefore that none but Puritanes were guilty of this sinne in sleighting such Holy Dayes others also cut off their esteeme more than is meet For that I may close up all with full satisfaction our Church appoints no set dayes for titular Saints such is are many in the Church of Rome but for such as were Apostles Evangelists and Martyrs indeed whom Christ honoured so much as to make some of them establishers and others as it were founders of that Kingdome which cost him his dearest blood and accounted them worthy to suffer death for his sake so that as one truly saith Mr Dow of the Sabbath and Lords Day pag. 62.64 and I speake it in his owne words we may justly solemnize either the dayes wherein those burning and shining Lights first appeared to the world or the dayes of their departure hence which were the dayes of their happy inauguration into the Kingdome of Glory when they both left to the Church Militant the glorious example of their Christian fortitude and became an occasion of new joy to the Church Triumphant by the accession of new citizens to that heavenly society On which dayes we honour God as the authour of all that good which either they or we by them are partakers of for our prayers and prayses are to him though with reference to them in what they have done So that they are honoured only as God's instruments and as those who having beene imitatours of our blessed Saviour are worthy patternes of our imitation Neither is such a day more holy than another but in relation to the separation of it to such holy and religious duties which the Church ordaineth to be performed on it And therefore lest in the revolution of time ingratefull forgetfulnesse should obliterate the blessed memory of such just ones we have these solemne Feasts and set Dayes in an annuall memoriall of them to the glory of him whose Instruments they were And so an end to this Section SECT IV. I Come now to a fourth particular namely that the people no way hinder their spiritual Fathers whether Bishops or others from going on cheerfully in their offices for if through default of their flocke they goe on Gementes it cannot in conclusion but be wofully grievous unto those over whom they watch Heb. 13.17 Consider therefore and marke it well and withall observe that he who hath said Touch not mine Anointed 1 Chron. 16.22 Psal 105.15 said also And doe my Prophets no harme Yea and further that the word of God may have a free passage Pray for us saith another Scripture For as we desire that to you may be a doore of entrance Ephes 6.19 whereby you may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus so is it also on your parts to provide that our doore of utterance bee not barred through your occasion All which in a word tends to this that you afflict not trouble or molest your ghostly Fathers For if you must study to be quiet 1 Thess 4.1 Rom. 12.18 1 Thess 5.13 Ephes 6.15 Esa 32.17 and have peace with all men then much more with those who preach the glad tidings of such good things as Peace and divide aright unto you the Bread of Life on which your soules except you meane to be damned dye and perish must bee sure to feed What I wonder is it that * You who vex your Pastors peace Luke 10.3 you thinke You are but Wolves if you worry those who are sent like Lambes among you Christ hath said it nay did foresee it and the Church of God especially the Ministers of truth Gal. 4.16 have alwayes found it and may therefore in the Herauldry of their Divinity take up the Crosse as their most significant Armes and paint it forth in a sable field portraying for the Crest a Wolfe rampant crushing in his pawes an Innocent Dove or an Harmlesse Lambe out of whose mouth may come this Posie or Motto Facere bonum habere malum For thus it was with Christ Hee pittied Iohn 7. and was mocked hee healed and was hurt Yea and thus hath it beene not seldome since with those whom he sendeth after him bee they never so wary how they walke or never so carefull how they instruct SECT V. BUt here is not all Impoverish not is another branch Luke 10.7 Jam. 5.4 For the Labourer is alwayes worthy of his hire and to detaine it from him is a crying sin The old Pharisee was therefore in this an honest man Hee would not rob the Church but payed tithes of all that he possessed not neglecting so much as Mint Annise and Rue Which practice of his was welapproved by our Saviour not as a thing arbitrary but as a thing necessary Christ setteth an oportet upon it Math. 23.23 Luke 11.42 or a necessity of so doing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These things ought ye to have done And Saint Paul also teacheth it in such Texts of Scripture as I shall afterwards mention Howbeit men for the most part now are of another minde For that which God requires not only as a token of his Universall dominion and liberall donation but as a meanes to uphold his worship and service is too eagerly cried down by them who rob the Church saying as did Iudas of the precious ointment Ad quid perdito haec Wherefore is all this waste For thus do the sacrilegious worldlings in their hungry zeale gape after the spoile and ruine of the Church And although many of them may perhaps seeme more devote than the residue of that crew yet may we expect as little good from them to the Church of God as from the rest who march more openly For many will goe with the Wisemen from the East to seeke Christ yea and will fall downe and worship him but they are grown too wise to open their treasures except it be in a manner of a scant almes to a wandring Levite fitting to their fancies or if more perhaps some miserable mod cum by way of stipend to a discontented Separatist who beareth as little love to the Church in her Governours as they in her revenewes or honourable maintenance This makes us heare much talke many times of competencies stipends and benevolence But as for tythes if the Clergy should have them all then farewell to the Laity cry these small friends to God Almighty They would therfore that tythes should be every where abolished excepting from their owne hands that thereby they may the better bring the Priests to impotency scorne and misery Not remembring that whilst they contend to
of Creation the memorie of the first is obscured by the last and so the one is to give place unto the other as in a case not much unlike it the Prophet Ieremâ—e hath declared Ier. 16.14 15. Nor againe doth this last impose a like commemoration with the former in regard of Rest because our Saviour did not so much rest upon that day whereon he arose as valiantly overcome the powers of death It may be rather said that he rested before whil'st he lay in the Grave and so they who are dead bee sayd to rest from their labours but to rise againe implyes a breaking off from rest and a beginning of labour which even in this cannot but be granted if the consideration be taken up with relation to that rest which went before it whil'st the bodie lay in the quiet Grave till the time appointed Nor doe I thinke it strange to say that on our Day of the Lord the memorie of the Redemption be come in place of that of Creation For tho we have the proper solemnitie of Christ's Resurrection upon that day which is called Easter yet this weekely day of publique worship being as Saint Austine speaketh consecrated to us by our Lords Resurrection doth not onely deserve to be made choice of for the peculiar day of our solemne Assemblies but to be judged also to relate in some sort to the benefit of Redemption Secondly their strict resting was a memoriall of their deliverance from the hard labours which they had lately suffered in the Land of Aegypt as is expressely mentioned in Deut. 5.15 Now this was a thing peculiarly belonging unto them and not to us Therefore they and we are not both bound to one and the same strictnesse unlesse their condition and ours were both alike Thirdly Ezek. 20 12. this their Sabbath was given them for a signe Psal 147.20 that God had then chosen them from among all the Nations of the earth to be his people For the Heathen had no knowledge of his Lawes but they had the partition wall was then unbroken In token of which favour they had the Sabbath which they were strictly to observe not doing their owne will nor speaking so much as their owne words as in these Scriptures is declared Exod. 31.13 Ezek. 20.12 and Esa 58.13 And albeit all Christians now be likewise the people of God yet because they are of more Nations then one and live in times of more maturitie they are not tyed to such a strict yoake as if they were still in the dayes of the Law but differenced from that Heire who whil'st he is a Child must live as a servant as the Apostle speaketh Gala. 4.1 For when the fulnesse of time was come the condition of God's people was altered as at the fift verse of the foresayd Chapter is declared And at the seventh verse thus Thou art no more a servant but a Sonne And therefore though bound to bee obedient yet freed from those hard taskes which of old were strictly required from the Jewish people Last of all their Sabbath was a type whereby was prefigured that Rest Heb. 9.4 which as the Apostle speaketh and of which their Canaaen likewise was a figure remained for the people of God to be purchased for them by Christ who being come and gone into his Fathers house Ioh. 14.2 wherein are many mansion places went to prepare them as was prefigured in the foresaid Rest of the Jewish Sabbath And therefore seeing Christ hath actually purchased that which was then prefigured it were injurious to Christ to lay the same yoake still upon our neckes Yea in a word by what hath beene said it cannot but appeare that although our Lord's Day or Sunday hath of late yeares beene vulgarly knowne and called by the name of the Sabbath yet of right neither the name nor manner of keeping it appertaines thereunto For there is so great a difference betweene the old Sabbath and our Sunday that it is a manifest mistake to urge those Scriptures upon us which peculiarly belonged to them in the observation of their Day But if the Sunday be no Sabbath Quest why then doth the Church in her Liturgie retaine still the fourth Commandement and say Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath day c. yea and why are the people bound to pray at the end thereof Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keepe this Law For answer whereunto Sol. this is first that although all the other Commandements are to be kept ut sonant according to the letter as St Austin speaketh yet this of the Sabbath is of another kinde being partly morall partly ceremoniall And if so then in part it is abolished and in part retained And being but in part abolished it must upon necessity have still a place among the other precepts For so farre as 't is morall 't is still of force and is therefore put among the Precepts of the Decalogue for that which is morall in it For as I said formerly it proceedeth from the Law of Nature that some time be set apart for Gods publicke service And therefore this being revived in the Law of the fourth Commandement ought to be remembred and kept upon one day in seven which last though unknowne till Nature was informed is now to be reckoned as that principal portion of time which God requireth And so last of all being bound to the morality of the precept there is good reason that we pray to have the Lord incline our hearts to the keeping of it for being strengthned by his assistance there will be care had that we decline not away from the observation thereof And whereas I formerly gave notice that it is the very chiefe of Dayes or as I then expressed it Gods chiefe Schoole-day I had reason for it because there is no Holy Day which the Church hath appointed to be kept of such eminency and excellency as is this Day of the Lord according to that of St. Austin in his 251 Sermon De tempore at the very beginning therof in these words saying Sciendum est Fratres charissimi quod ideo à sanctis patribus nostris constitutum est christianis mandatum ut in solennitatibus Sanctorum maxime in Dominicis diebus otium haberent à terreno negotio vacarent ut paratiores promptiores essent ad divinum cultum In which words appeareth not only the excellency of this Day above other Festivalls but the necessity also of such a Rest as may be no hindrance but a furtherance to Gods publicke worship For such a Rest as this is as a means requisite for that end for which the Day is set apart The ancient Sabbath had as hath beene shewed other ends which here in this Day can take no place because the Day it selfe is now abolished and gone and the armes of the Church extended further then to one only Nation All that can be added more is this
abhorre publicke meetings is to deny ourselves to be any of Gods people For as we are all members of one body we must joyntly assemble to one place so shall we keep the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace and be so in the number of Gods people here that we may the better know how to be taken into the number of them heareafter For the Prophet is witnesse that God will teach his wayes to those who shall go and say Come and let us ascend to the Mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob Esay 2.3 III. But as I sayd before some be Truants and care not for comming Others be Recusants and may not come to joyne themselves with us A third sort be Schismaticks and will not come except where they affect and when they please And last of all there be others which make no great scruple of comming but in respect of the end their comming and hearing is in vaine they are yet in their sinnes First the Truants are of two sorts either such as hate the Word in respect of it selfe or such as are ill affected towards it for some by respect The first of these esteeme preaching but folly There is much adoe in it and about it but it is to small purpose They can see no good that it doth to have one stand an houre together perking in a pulpit for this doth but hinder the people from their businesse as Pharaoh once said to Moses and Aaron Let him that is a Preacher say there what he list they will beleeve but what they please The Minister must doe something for his living and if he could not talke for it he could doe little And yet that which he doth seemes in their judgement to be as much as nothing Wherefore if all were of their mindes he might speak long enough before he be regarded To whom I answer that although the wisedome of God be foolishnes to the wicked world yet it hath pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save those that beleeve 1 Cor. 1.18 to ver 28. chap. 2.14 And there fore if our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that be lost whose mindes are darkned by the god of this world 2 Co. 4.3 4. Sathan that prince of darknesse who striveth to extinguish the glorious light that it bringeth with it It is without question that the time may come when these men since they call it talking may talke for mercy too Prov. 28.9 Rom. 1.16 and go without it Wherefore I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeveth to the Jew first and also to the Centile And in a word as lightly as these account of the Gospell Rom. 2.16 and the preaching thereof it shall one day judge them Yea and now whilst they live in this valley of the shadow of death if they were well grounded in it and humbly devoted towards it they might finde comfort in what they have learned from thence when all the world beside is but a dry and a barren tree and can afford nothing of so sweet a nature We are not mad men to maccrate our selves in studying away our blood spirits strengty and health but that we know God hath ordain'd us to be Labourers in his harvest 2 Pet. 3.9 and would that the worst under us should of tares become good corne If therefore these men perish let them thanke themselves for they resist the Holy Ghost There is no fault in the Word but in them who doe so lightly and slightly esteeme it For though to them it be meere foolishnesse yet to God and the faithfull it is farre otherwise And as for the second they be such as hate the Word and the hearing of it because it crosseth them in their wicked projects and divelish practices For cannot a Tyrant be bloody an Oppressour crush and grinde the poore a Tradesman lye and sweare a Flatterer dissemble an Hypocrite weare a mask a Gallant frequent the stews an Usurer undoe his brother an Incloser depopulate a Drunkard reele in the streets and know the way to an Ale-house better then to God's house or cannot a Blasphemer curse and sweare a Church-robber commit sacriledge a Backbiter detract a Malicious man wreck his spleene a Monopolist engrosse a Proud man look aloft a wanton Dame use her paintings a Cormorant withhold his corne to the starving of the poore a Poore man despise the rich a Land-lord undoe his tenants a Voluptuous man bath himselfe in sinfull lusts vanities and wicked pleasures but the Pulpit must needs proclaime it Hinc illa lachrymae this is their great Cordolium If we could but let them alone and not hinder them in their travell to Tophet then all were well But because we call them back from their evill wayes crosse them in their proiects and in the cleare glasse of God's word let them see their faces they hate the hearing of the Word detract and backbite the Preachers of it 1 King 22.8 like unto Ahab King of Israel who hated Michaiah because he prophesied contrary to his liking He prophesieth saith he no good to me but evill Or like unto those in the Acts Act. 16.19 Act. 19 24 who abominated the doctrine of the Apostles because it crossed those wicked gaines which their divelish and heathenish practices brought in unto them By which it appeareth that as Truth loves no corners so neither would they beare hatred to it if their deeds were but such as might abide the tryall 2. The next are Papists or Recusants a people so wedded to the Church of Rome that they may not ioyne themselves with us in our Assemblies and this not because they have any iust quarrell against our Liturgy but because they are afraid of the Popes curse As for our doctrine if That displease them I am sory the Truth should prove distastfull Or if we have enough in our Religion necessary to salvation what need we more And that we have so much is witnessed by a Pope Pius Quintus by name who signified in a Letter to Queene Elizabeth of blessed memory before the time of his excommunication denounced against her that he did allow our Bible and Book of Divine Service See Iudge Cook in his Charge at Norwich Assises Anno Dom. 1606. as it is now used among us to be authentick and not repugnant to truth and that therein was contained enough necessary to salvation as in a charge given at Norwich Assises in the yeare of our Lord 1606 was openly avowed And if enough then without question we need not the help of any Pope to supply us with more Unto which this I adde that it can be no harme to the Papists to turne unto us for in departing from them we made not a New Church but reformed the old and among the Churches reformed this of England comes I
when the Church began more and more to stretch out her armes over the world or when the state of it did require another course namely that particular men should bee assigned to particular Cures constantly to reside among them for by that meanes they could the better see to them admonish exhort and comfort them then every Minister had the tythes and oblations of his own parish which fitly agreeth to that questionary direction of blessed Saint Paul Who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the stocke Say I these things as a man or saith not the Law the same also And now suppose it could be proved that the Primitive times paied no tythes for a long while together no not till towards the end of the first foure hundred yeeres yet were this nothing against that right which the Church had alwayes to them If the inconveniences which Persecution brought upon the Church was an hinderance concerning practise what were this against the Right A facto ad jus as I have already shewed is no good argument And indeed without suppose this is certaine that the practise as well as the right was manifested long before foure hundred yeares I shall produce some testimonies and then passe on to the first times of their alienation declaring likewise the successe that it found in after-times among such as delighted to strip the Church of these holy dues 1. Origen shall be first he was famous about the yeare of our Lord 226 and thus hee sayth Quia unus est author omnium Homil. 16. in Genes fons initium unus est Christus ideirco populus Decimas quidem Ministris Sacerdotibus praestat which is Becacuse there is one Authour of all one fountaine one beginning even one Christ therefore the people payeth Tythes to the Ministers and Priests 2. Saint Austine also who was borne in the yeare 350 hath recorded that the paying of Tythes was practised long before his time For Majores nostri Decimas dabant Homil. 48. inter quinque bomil Our Ancestours payed tythes And if his Ancestors then a practice of greater antiquitie than himselfe Ideo copijs abundant quia Deo Decimas dabant c. They therefore abounded with plenty because they payed their Tythes unto God See also his 219 Sermon De tempore which is wholy for paying of Tythes 3. And Saint Ambrose who was famous about the yeare 374 admonisheth concerning due care in the practice of this dutie Serm. 34. inseria 3. post prim Dom. Quadrages whose words be these Quicunque recognoscit in se quod sideliter Decimas suas non dederit modo emendet quod minus secit That is whosoever knowes in himselfe that he hath not faithfully payed his Tythes let him amend what 's amisse 4. And in the imperfect worke upon Saint Mathew sayd to be Chrysostomes who flourished about the yeare 398 it is thus written Homil. 44. Quod si Decimas populus non attulerit murmurant omnes All which wee see is spoken concerning practice which must needes be more ancient than these men as by their words appeareth although we cannot declare in what yeare of the Primitive times it first began Neither upon a further view can we finde that there was any manifest or remarkeable corruption in this practice untill a long while after No manifest corruption in practise concerning the alienation of Tythes from the Ministers doing the service into any other hand untill the dayes of Carolus Martellus Major of France who came to that office about the yeare 714 as Calvisius writeth and looke what he did was upon this occasion When those Barbarous people the Hunnes Gothes 〈◊〉 Rob pag. 74. out of Gagwin hist of France lib. 4. and Vandals were become lords of Italie and the Sarazens began to set themselves against France Charles Martell was chosen to goe out with an Armie against them but would by no meanes undertake that charge untill he had gotten the Clergie of the sayd kingdome to resigne their Tythes into his hands that thereby he might maintaine the Warre promising and protesting that when the Warres were ended he would restore againe unto them their owne and that with advantage To which request the Church and Clergie there yeelded partly through feare of being spoyled by the enemie and partly by the faire promises of this new chosen Captaine But the Warre being ended and the enemie conquered he broke his promise with the Clergie dealt perfidiously with them and gave the Revenue of Tythes among such of his Souldiers as hee thought good to reward This was done about the yeare of our Lord 740 Calvis Chron. little lesse than a yeare or thereabouts before the sayd Martells death for hee dyed in the yeare 741 upon the 22 day of October His story is recorded by many and they very ancient Authours See Dr. Tillesely c. 5. Ivo in his Chronicle calls him Tutudi and sayth this Tutudi who by his people was called Martellus because sieldome he had peace in his Kingdome gave for the most part the Church estate for wages to his Souldiers who being dead and buried in St. Dennis Church on the left side of the great Altar was seene by night in the shape of a great Dragon breaking the Sepulchre to go out of the glasse windowes with great terrour Thus he But whether this last of his carrying out of the Grave betrue yea or no it makes no matter nor will I contend about it Certaine it is that he was a notable Church-robber For Boniface Archbishop of Mentz who lived at the same time complaines likewise of him and is a witnesse that he tooke away Monasteries Bishoprickes Church-rents and possessions from the Clergie and prophaned them to Lay-hands as are ward of their military service then done against the Sarazens And for any man to thinke that Tythes were no part of this great Sacriledge is to affirme that the Church as yet had no such Rents whereas it is witnessed by the foresayd Boniface That the milke and wooll of Christs sheepe was received in his times and the Lords flocke was neglected received I say Oblationibus quotidianis ac Decimis fid lium In the dayly oblations and Tythes of the faithfull And in the dayes of the second Councell at Mascon a Bishopricke in the Diocesse of Lions in the yeare 586 which was 155 yeares before Martells death Churches had their tenths payd them out of that annuall increase wherewith God Almightie blessed his people Nor hath it but beene already * See also St. Cyprian epist 66. sou lib. 1. epist 9. where memion is made of paying of tythes He flourished about the yeare 240. shewed that Tythes were payd in the dayes of Origen Ambrose Austine and Chrisostome And in the relation of the Centuriatours who quoted what they sayd from Aventine mention is made that Carloman restored Tythes formerly taken away by Martell And so also sayth Goldistus in his