as appeareth Act. â—0 34. and otherwhere howsoeuer he had power to haue done otherwise aswell as the rest of the Apostles and namely the brethreâ— of the Lord and Cephas 1. Cor. 9. 4. was thereby the freest and fittest of all other to speake in this matter because it could not be obiected vnto him That he preached for himselfe or sought his owne gaine and bewraied a coâ—etous minde c. Surely the doctrine comming from his mouth could not but thereby be receiued with lesse preiudice then from some other it might haue beene and being contrary to that himselfe oft times did practise did plainely shew That in this his doctrine he did respect the good of the Church and glorie of God which he knew whatsoeuer his practise was were ordinarily this way and in this sort to be furthered and That his doing and example was no necessary rule and therefore ought not to binde others as which was peculiar to him not common to all who generally must liue legibus non exemplis by lawes not by examples and practise ordinarily according as of God we are all taught and not as without Commaundement and without necessitie vpon some singular and extraordinary respect some few doe The occasion that mooued the apostle to write this doctrine was no doubt the care of the Church 1. He did see euen then that the hearers of the word began to be weary of weldoing and to be negligent and slacke in ministring their temporall things to their teachers which bestowed on them spirituall leauing them destitute and vnprouided whom they ought chiefly to maintaine which he knew well could not but turne to the great hindrance of the Gospell and preiudice of their soules 2. He did also foresee That in the ages to come euen as it is come to passe in these our daies people would againe be at the same point little regarding their ministers so they might enrich themselues and be better content to be vntaught then at charge as they account it for teaching And therefore to meet with these euills to beat downe such errour and mischiefe betimes and to to arme vs there-against as was fitte and necessary he wrote thus Now looke what occasion S. Paul had to write and publish this doctrine at the first the same if not greater is offered now againe to vrge and vtter it Time was when people thought nothing too much for the minister but could euen finde in their hearts with the GalathiaÌ„s Cap. 4. 15. if it were possible to haue pluckt out their owne eies to do them good They offered to the Church in such abundance that there was rather an excesse then want for they did account those their best employed goods that went to such vses Insomuch that as Moses Exod. 36. 6. was faine to make proclamation thorough the hoast That none should bring any more stuffe for the work of the Tabernacle there was already enough and to spare so the emperour Iustinian and some other princes were inforced to make lawes of restraint against the excessiue liberality vnto churches Yea the Popes themselues made some Canons to that purpose Those daies are now past the case is altered and the matter turned cleane vpside downe It is now become a time not offerendi but auferendi not a time to offer and giue to the Church but to auferre and take from it Euery man in maner euen bestudies himselfe how to pull from the ministery that he neuer gaue though it be no charge nor cost of theirs yet think it al too much that it hath Hence it is that in many places of the land the Churches are so gliebd and gelded that more then the better halfe of their right and inheritance is transferred vnto new owners and in places not a few the whole only a beggerly not a scholerly a miserable not a ministerlike stipend reserued And they into whose hands these things are fallen a thing to be wondered and lamented make so little care or conscience thereof that among an hundred is hardly founde one that vppon conscience of what he holds the Churches right or loue and zeale to the Gospell or respect to the ministery thereof or compassion vppon the soules of the people which their ministers maintenance kept away both liue and die as sheepe without a sheepheard hath restored any parte thereof to the Church from which it is taken but among a thousand nay among them all so farre as I know not one that hath in all this time of the Gospell reendowed one Church of many and restored the spoiles thereof Hence it is that many Patrons of benefices forgetting their names and titles that is that they be but Patroni defenders and keepers of their Churches not Proprietarij owners and inheritors doe prooue latrones robbers thereof for mony selling them and by consequence euen the soules of men to the very diuell of hell as Iudas did Christ to the Scribes and Pharisies Some conveying the gleib or temporalities of the Church to their owne possession Others cunningly reseruing their owne tithes in a word the most part of them yea though they haue already the fatt and best thereof not willing to bestow but the scraps and fragments freely To such an height is Sacriledge and Simonie growne one way or other making of that which is or should be beneficium ecclesiae a benefice for the Church a benefite to themselues little regarding the while how the people are prouided for and whom they preferre so they may come to a good market Besides those mischiefes the people that are to pay the minister his due make litle or no conscience how they do it Many count it not as Gods parte but reckon it as a priuate right to this and that man and as they be affected to the party that is to receiue so are they more or lesse willing to giue as if it were left vnto their power to limit each man his portion and the ministers due were to be laid out by euery mans arbitremeÌ„t according to his supposed deserts and not according to the rule of God and right of the Church Many account it a vertue to pare away what they can from the ministers part and hold it wisedome and well done to get all things done by him at as lowe a rate as may be They thinke they haue done the office of good parishioners if to shadow their couetousnes or malice with the colour of iustice they can deuise any shift and quirke in law how to debarre I will not say defraud the minister of any due and bring him to that state that he must crouch to them for a peece of bread and not be incouraged by them to his office caring little though he do not his office as he should so they may deale with him for his due as they would By all which and other like meanes too long here to recite miserable verily is the estate both of minister and people
vnabled not enabled to the worke they should performe and made euen wearie of their calling will mooue you after the Gospell it selfe now throughly setled and the sects and schismes of our church now quieted as louing fathers to relieue what you may the externall wants of your children as good Captains what lies in you to prouide for the due pay of all such Souldiours as are vnder your hands that henceforth none of them as coÌ„monly yet many are bee inforced as it were starting out of the camp to entangle themselues with the affaires of this life but attending wholly the seruice whereto they are prest may please you that haue admitted them but chiefly Christ Iesus the high Bishop of our soules Primate of the whole church that hath called them to be souldiors To further and if I may presume so to speake as it were to open a way to this so godly so good and necessary work I haue occasioned therevnto aboue manie and which I might not with good conscieÌ„ce not prosecute as the poore widow offered my miâ—e and as a plaine but a willing hearted workman bestowed a little labour Which if your good Lordship approouing my sincere and religious purpose aboue mine abilitie which knowing my selfe to be as from my heart I doe acknowledge the meanest of a thousand most vnable of many thousands to put my hand to so great a work and open my mouth in so weightie a cause I freely confesse is very small vouchsafe in good part to accept and whatsoeuer my desert or handling of the cause bee to affect and fauour the cause it selfe which for it selfes sake deserueth all furtherance that so what I haue spoken in the behalfe thereof beeing defended from the peruerse iudgement of the ignorant and iniurie of all others may bee moued of their abundance to cast in richer gifts and as God hath filled them like vnto Bezaleel the sonne of Vri and Aholâ—ab the sonne of Ahisanâ—ch with greater knowledge more plentie of his spirit to adorne inlarge what I haue but rudely informed or may be but sparely pointed at you shall encourage mee to proceed yet what I may in that I haue begun till I see it come from seed to fruit and purchase both the thanksgiuing of many to God for your readines to this worke of the Lord and the prayers of mee manie others with me vnto the Almighty for his graces blessings both spirituall temporall to be continued and increased vpon you The Lorde Iesus vouchsafe vnto you his heauenly gifts and so guide you by his holy Spirit that you may sincerely set forth his Gospel seeke his glory in this world in the world to come be crowned by him with celestiall and eternall glorie Amen Your Lor. euer to be commanded in the worke of the Lorde Richard Eburne To the Reader ACcept I pray thee Christian Reader in good parte what I present vnto thee to good purpose Let not my plainenesse displease thee which for to profit thee as the fittest phrase for an argument of this forme I haue more then ordinarily affected In other stile I might happely more better haue pleased a few but am assured should lesse haue satisfied all It is the hearers dutie that I principally teach necessarie therfore I should so expresse it that they euen they of meanest reach and slowest capacitie husbandmen trades-men artificers and whosoeuer else might fully conceiue me As heere is whereby to direct the vnlearned so there wanteth not wherewith to exercise the learned whether teacher or hearer Th' one shall find his due th' other his dutie more plainlie taught then hitherto by any To whom this seemeth not enough occasion at least is offered the way thus opened to performe more Mine attempt is no restraint of other mens libertie For the matter I nothing doubt of thine assent in most points If in some we dissent so it be not in the chiefest the matter is not great Yeelde mee these That the Minister ought to haue certaine sufficient and liberal maintenance that thereto euery one of anie abilitie ought according to his abilitie and of such goods as hee hath to contribute That the best meanes to raise it must needes be that which God Gods church and all Antiquitie haue by practise approoued and for the rest I will not contende nor when these are duely practised for of that questionles we come yet farre too short any more complaine Thus hoping if my labours like thee thou wilt wishe to them such successe as thou perceiuest I desire if not yet thou wilt affoord me that ordinarie fauor which other men in works of lesse moment worse argument doe often obtaine I wish to thee as much good as thine own heart christianly affected can desire Thine in the Lord and for the seruice of the Churche R. E. The Argument and Summe of the whole Treatise following according to the Chapters thereof which may serue in steede of a Table ¶ The first Chapter THe first Chapt. as an Introduction to the whole iâ— of the Writer of the parcell of Scripture which in this Treatise is handled and of the occasion why it was written And therein is shewed 1. How necessarie and fit this kinde of doctrine was then and is now 2. How contrary ministers in these dayes are oftentimes dealt with 3. The principall causes of such ill dealing ¶ The second Chapter SHeweth That euery one that is taught by the minister ought hauing goods towards his teachers maintenance to be contributarie and can from that duetie by no priuiledge custome c. be exempt God doth assigne and warrant to Ministers their maintenance They ought to haue it first and principally in regard of their labour Which is painefull to themselues profitable to others 2. For that they doe not intermeddle in other mens labours Trades of life Their maintenance cannot without great sinne be denyed them ¶ The third Chapter BEing a more speciall explication of the hearers duety before in generall sorte onely set downe declareth 1. What this word Goods vsed in the Text doth signifie 2. Of what sorte of goods the minister must haue a paâ—t ¶ The fourth Chapter 1 THat the right best maner of payment to the minister is That he be payd his part of euery thing in its proper kind as naturally God doth send it 2. and not by a set Stipend ¶ The fifth Chapter THat toward the Ministers maintenance euery man ought to contribute proportionably and not voluntarily onely what euery man will That is tollerable onely in some cases But generally or ordinarily it is a course very pernitious and euill Yet how it might be somewhat tollerable ¶ The sixt Chapter THe Minister must haue 〈◊〉 his maintenance not an imagined competent portion onely But specially besides offerings the Tithes of all things Which are still due by diuine right And be of â— sorts viz. Predial Personal ¶ The seuenth Chapter YEeldeth some
speciall reasons why God vouchsafeth to haue as his owne some part of all mens goods Why the Tenâ—â— Why so great a portion as is Tithes Offerings c. bee hath assigned vnto his Ministers Where the Reader shall finde diuers weightie causeâ— why Ministers ought to haue not a beggerly and sparing but ample and liberall maintainanâ—e ¶ The Eight Chapter COnteineth Answeres to diuers Obiections Namely 1. Touching the vnworthines of the Minister 2. The greatnes of the Tenth 3. The wealth of the Minister 4. Custome 5. Personall Tithes which to pay is a benefite 6. The Statute of Edu De Decimiâ— Why it were to be wished that for a perpetuall Composition about Personall Tithes the Custome of the Citie of London aboue any other might the whole Land through bee put in practise ¶ The ninth Chapter WHat comes by laying out our goods vpon worldly vses And what vpon heauenly and spirituall vses How daungerous anâ— vnprofitable euen in respect of their outward and tempâ—rall estates it is men to be illiberall and ouersparing to their Ministers And on the other side how gratefull to God and gainâ—full to themselues to be liberall and bountifull ¶ The tenth Chapter COmprehendeth the Summe and Conclusion of the whole discourse And declareth some motiues that haue put the Authour of this Treatise in hope That his labour shall not be without some good effect Which God for his Gospels sake vouchsafe Amen THE MAINTENANCE OF THE Ministerie Gala. 6. 6. 7. Let him that is taught in the word make him that teacheth him partaker of all his goods Be not deceiued God is not mocked For whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape CHAP. I. 1 Of the Writer of this parcell of Scripture and the occasion why it was written 2. How necessary and fit this kinde of doctrine was then and is now 3. How contrary therunto Ministers in these daies are ofttimes dealt with 4. The principall causes of such ill dealing THis parcell of Scripture as the words themselues doe plainly enough to euery mans vnderstanding declare is an instruction or direction vnto all Christians teaching them how they ought to deale with their Ministers touching their maintenance that so they be not discouraged but incouraged to labour painfully and profitably among them in the word and doctrine It doth contain three principal parts that is first a Precept secondly a Commination and thirâ—ly a Confirmation first a Precept verse 6. in these words Let him that is taught c. 2. A Commination in the first member of the 7. verse Be not deceiued God is not mocked 3. The Confirmation in the latter member of that verse for whatsoeuer a man soweth that also shall he reape The first of these sheweth briefly euery mans dutie in this behalfe The second is an answere to all such cauils and obiections as either vngodly or vnwilling people vse to pretend and make for excuse of their carelesnes and neglect of that dutie The third by an argument and reason taken partly from the profit and good that shall arise and redound by the due performance of this dutie to all that carefully obserue it partly for that also is implied from the disprofit and hurt that doth and will befall them that be carelesse and backward in the practise thereof confirmeth whatsoeuer in the former is taught To the opening of the words themselues before I do come it wil not be amisse to consider a litle First of the writer of them who it was then secondly of the occasion that might moue him thus to write what it was The writer hereof as the title or inscription of the Epistle shewes was the Apostle S. Paul He being the teacher of this doctrine the proclaimer of this precept who was as the Apostle of Iesus Christ so that Apostle which laboured more then any of the rest and did in sundry giâ—ts excell them all hee I say teaching this kinde of doctrine which he doth not here alone but almost in euery Epistle as 1. Cor. 9. 1. Thess. 5. 1. Tim. 5. c. his example and doing therein doth sufficiently shewe vs that it is a kinde of doctrine As requisite and necessary for the Church of God and to be published and taught abroad So well beseeming the grauitie of a Preacher in the Church befitting the mouth of the Minister of God in the Pulpit It is a kinde of doctrine I am not ignorant as seldome in these dayes handled and dealt withall as any vpon doubt it seemeth least people take occasion thereby to deride them that vtter it as speaking for themselues and taxe them as desirous of filthy lucre rather then respect as the truth or obey it as is meete But by this kinde of silence the Ministers themselues haue receiued I am perswaded more hurt then possibly they could by speaking and the Church hath incurred more detriment and the Gospell more hindrance by the ignorance thereof then possibly they could preiudice or reproach if it had bene made more knowne People know in generall tearmes and that rather by the very light of reason then rules of religion That the Minister must haue maintenance and can say That the labourer is worthy of his hire But as their practise often argues they account hee hath that when many times it is in name rather then in deed in shew then in substance that they vse him very well when they paie him in maner nothing and do their dutie to the vttermost euen when they withhold from him the greatest part of his due Necessary it is therefore that they be better instructed in this behalfe and Ministers oftner to teach this lesson which we finde hitherto by many badly learned and worse practised To encourage and imbolden them hereunto they haue many examples as of old the Prophet Malachy who ch 3. handles it of purpose reprouing sharply the people of his time for not performing as they should this dutie towards the Lord himself the sonnes of Aaron the Lords Ministers Then our Sauiour himselfe who assoone as euer he sent abroad his Apostles to preach prescribeth them what order to obserue for their maintenance and sheweth them with what right they might demaund receiue the same But specially this our Apostle who intreating thereof both oftentimes and at large offers himselfe their leader and if I may so speake their companion in this kinde of labour In whose stepâ— while they do but tread whose course while they do but follow what cause is there any should either feare the spurning of the contentious or care for the scorning of the contemptuous 2. And herein too I cannot but obserue the prudence prouideÌ„ce of God which inspires this kind of doctrine into the mind and in stils it into the pen of this Apostle rather then any other whose labours were to come most to light and who labouring with his owne hands and liuing for the most part by his occupation and not vppon the Churches charge
in many places The people are not taught as they should be but liue still in blindnes and errour in ignorance and superstition to the no little preiudice and slaunder of the Gospell dishonor of God and the exceeding hazard of their soules They haue ministers rather in name then indeede And as the poets faine of their Tantalus in the waters in the midst of all abundance and plenty of the word round about them they remaine needy enough as fed rather with the sight of the Gospell then the substance and hauing heard of it rather by fame then tasted of it indeede The ministers themselues are many where disabled to do their duty and beeing but weake and meane of themselues for such be commonly thrust into such places are made more weake and euen vtterly vnapt for want of meanes to further enable them whereby being giuen to Idlenes and neglect of dutie they are confirmed therein or being better disposed by meere necessitie are inforced thereto least else they either shame themselues or sinke vnder the burthen Whence these euilles haue and do spring if we consider I cannot 〈◊〉 other but that it is principally from these ◠or ◠perillous roots namely first from the roote of all euill that is from Couetousnes secondly from contempt of the Gospel and thirdly from very ignorance For to speake nothing of the time past couetousnes it is that makes sacrilegious patrons at this day daily to make marchandize of holy things not their own to rob and spoile their Churches and into them to thrust for desire of gaine such as are not to the saluatiō but the perdition of the people And couetousnes principally it is that so blindeth and hardneth many of the people that they neither do nor will vnderstand when they do most open wrong to the Church of God and manifestly abuse the ministers thereof The second cause I take to be the very contempt of the Gospell a disease too common in all places There is not that loue and estimation of the word nor that desire of the preaching thereof that should be in people Few they be that account the very feete of them that bring the glad tidings of saluation vnto them beautifull or that receiue the preacher thereof as the Galathians did Paul euen as an Angell of God that esteeme the word as the better parte with Marie and finde it as did Dauid dearer to their soules then thousands of golde and siluer or sweeter to their tast then honie and the honie combe For then it could not be but that as that wise merchant in the Gospell hauing found one pretious pearle sold all that he had and bought it so they would for loue to the word spare no cost and stand at no charge and as Lidia Act. 16. 15. hauing receyued the faith constrained and euen adiured Paul and all his companie to accept of entertainement at her hands so they would rather enforce vppon the ministers of the Gospell more then their due that they might encourage them to their worke then debarre them of any thing that is their owne the ready way to make them wearie of all He that is hungry wil buy him foode how deare soeuer it be he that is sicke will haue physicke what euer it cost him he that loues play will spend many times that he can ill spare And if men hungred after the Gospell as for the bread of life and counted the preaching thereof the only physicke for the soule if they tooke asmuch delight therein as many do in vanities it could not be but that they would be as ready to imploy their goods for the one as for the other and not pinch at expenses for this being lauish and prodigall for those nor count euen nothing too much for this vse and foure or fiue times asmuch but little for vses much worse and lesse necessary a great deale We haue had the Gospell long euen so long till wee are wearie of it in a manner as the Iewes were of Manna The continuance hath not as it should increased our content delight therein we tasting more and more the sweetnes thereof but bred rather contempt Els it were not possible but we should entertaine it with better affection and maintaine the ministerie thereof with greater contentation not suffering and seeing them to want whose labours yeeld vs most benefit nor enuying or begrudging them necessaries without whom we should be in extreame and miserable penury The third cause of these euils is very ignorance grosse ignorance wherewith many being blinded as I haue already said and shall hereafter more shew do sinne in this behalfe and not knowing that they sinne continue in it without remorse thinking they performe their dutie at full when God knows they be very farre from it To remedie these mischiefes I see no readier nor better way for such as be ministers for such I say as bee in the ministery then following the plot laid out before them by this our apostle S. Paul To teach set abroad this kind of doctrine more vsually largely which long hath lien as it were buried in silence obliuion that so the Gospell beeing now replanted amongst vs men may after other doctrines more necessary to saluation learne also the way how to maintaine and continue the Gospell the wrongs and oppressions hitherto done to the Church and with much patience endured may at length somewhat be righted and the world henceforth begin to be ashamed of the Simony sacriledge and other like abhominations whereby it hath hitherto euen in the time of this cleare light of the Gospell made hauocke of our churches CHAP. II. That euery one that is taught in the word ought hauing goods toward his teachers maintenance be contributarie And can from that dutie by no priueledge custome c. be exempt God doth assigne and warrant to them their maintenance They ought to haue it principally in regard of their labour which is painefull to themselues profitable to others And therefore cannot without great sinne be denied them Also for that they do not intermeddle in other mens labors and trades of life Verse 6. Let him that is taught in the word make him that teacheth him partaker of all his goods HAuing spoken sufficiently of the writer and occasion of the words I come now to the words themselues and first to the precept or commandement ver 6. In which as the speciall branches thereof may more particularly be obserued agreeable vnto our purpose these 3. things First the persons commaunded who they be that must contribute vnto the minister viz Hee euery one that is taught in the word 2. the reason or cause why he must do it and that is because he is taught because the minister doth teach him for the Labourer is worthy of his hire The third is what he must impart vnto him namely a parte of all his goods I Concerning the persons that must contribute conferring these
no lesse lyable to this dutie and bound to contribute toward the maintenance of their ministers then those that liue by husbandry tillage by the fruites and increase of the earth Many of that sort of men doo presume that because they haue not lands fields to yeeld them increase therefore they ought to pay little or nothing But that therein they doo deceiue themselues these words of our text doo make it as apparant as the light at noone daies For if that whereby they doo liue bee goods if that which they get by their trades and occupations sciences and industry arte and labour bee goods as wel as that the husbandman getteth by his tillage and increase of the earth and that is already so apparantly conuinced that it cannot be denyed then is it cleare that the minister ought to haue a part with them thereof aswell as with the husbandman in that he possesseth and liues by As the Minister makes no respect in executing of his Ministerie whether those he teacheth be husbandmen or merchants tradesmen or artificers but teacheth all ministereth the word and sacraments to all indifferently so they are to make no difference betweene these and those goods whether they be gotten by land or by sea by trade or by tillage by husbandry or by merchandize by natures increase or arts industrie but by that whereby they doe maintaine themselues and liue by by that and those kind of goods they must helpe to maintaine him too That the Apostle did speake it indifferently of the one sorte of goods aswell as of the other and intended directly it should be a rule for the one sort of hearers aswel as for the other there needs no better proofe nor other argument then the practise of this kind of doctrine in those times For it is most certaine and easie to be conceiued by any that hath neuer so small knowledge and but superficiall vnderstanding in the scriptures That Christians in those daies were for the most part citizens and townesmen tradesmen and artificers and therefore they were the first and most speciall persons that were then to practize thus and did aboue all others impart of their goods vnto their teachers The historie called The Acts of the Apostles is full of examples of this sorte which for breuities sake I leaue to the Reader to be perused 2. If we call to minde the principall cause and reason already noted out of the text why all sorts of men should giue of their goods to this vse is it not the same to one sorte as well as to another If townesmen haue as great neede of teaching as they in the countrey or rather more If they can no more be without a Minister then the other why should they not maintaine him aswell as the other 3. Goe to the rule of Equitie which telles vs that The labourer is worthie of his hire and if by that rule the townesman or tradesman be bound to pay him that worketh for him in his shop his house or other busines which coÌ„cerns his body no lesse then the husbandman is and dooth and will giue as good wages for such causes as hee why should hee not pay his minister likewise that labours for his soule and doth his best worke as largely and bountifully as the husbandman dooth 4. Looke vpon the necessity and state of the minister And hath not hee that liues in the towne need of asmuch maintenaÌ„ce as hee that liues in the country Nay rather hath hee not need of much more For needes not his study to be greater Is not housekeeping is not diet and apparell more chargeable vnto him is there not greater cause of hospitalitie why then where there is greatest need should there bee meanest help and where is most vse of maintenance there least bee yeelded 5. Besides all this Consider wee whence all men haue their goods Is it not God that same God that giueth his blessing aswel vpoÌ„ the labours of them that liue by trades or handicrafts as vpon the increase of the earth that maketh men to prospeâ— whether it bee by sea or by land that giueth the townesman power to get riches aswel as the countryman And then seeing it is euery mans duety that hath receiued ought at Gods hand to honour God therewith and shewe himselfe thankfull to God as to the authour giuer of all things ought not the tradesman the townesman and Citizen doo this aswel as the husbandman When Salomon Prou. 3. 9. saith Honour the Lord with thy riches or as other translations read With thy substance and with the first fruites of all thine increase dooth hee speake onely of goods that arise by increase of the earth or dooth hee not rather in the first clause speake generally of all goods whatsoeuer and in the latter particularly of such as arise by tillage Read but the note in the margent and consider Thus by the manifest words of the text the practise of the doctrine in the Apostles time the vse of the ministery the rule of equitie the state of the minister and the authour from whom all haue their goods it appeares that they that haue one sort of goods aswel as another ought to pay of that they haue to the minister for his maintenance Let men therefore learne to make more conscience of this matte seeing wee plainely see That as it is a very vnreasonable thing to looke that the minister should teach them labour in his ministery for them for nothing beeing flatly against the rule of equitie so it is also a wicked and vngodly thing beeing a manifest bâ—each of Gods ordinance commaundement who hath ordeined commaunded That euerie one that is taught in the word of those goods that hee hath whatsoeuer they bee should giue a pâ—â—t to him that dooth teach him and so honour the Lord with his substance CHAP. IIII. Sheweth That the right and best maner of payment to the minister is That hee bee payd his parte of euery thing in specie that is in its proper kinde as naturally God dooth send it and not by a set stipend Text. Partaker of all his goods HAuing now seene in generall whereof the minister must haue a parte next wee are to note the same thing in special that is in what sort it ought to bee payd vnto him To which purpose it serueth well that our Apostle saith not only of his goods but which is more of all his goods that is of euery sorte of his goods some Hee must as wee say in this case bee payd in specie in the very kind Otherwise hee may haue a part of his goods but not of all his goods as two pence at Easter a sheafe of corne at haruest c. is a part of a mans goods but not of all his goods But then thou giuest him a parte of all thy goods when then payest him a parte of thy corne thy hey and thy cattell thou hauing corne hey and cattel a part
the whole yeare I am bold now good Reader to talke somewhat familiarly vnto thee and hath bestowed vpon thee most liberally and carefully spirituall things and rests yet all the while vpon thy good will contented without any agreement or certaintie assigned to stand to thy curtesie for temporall things what or how much if thou bee a man of any ability it is fit and requisite in any reason thou shouldest giue him I will speake what I thinke and because it is but a conceit of my owne a proportion by mee alone in this case propounded I will speake with the least too Let the indifferent Reader vouchsafe the reading of it and then iudge know throughly what it is and then censure it as it liketh him Mine opinion is this That though the minister doo stand to thy curtesie yet thou in conscience I say in conscience and reason oughtest to giue him no lesse for his whole yeares labour for thee and thine in the ministerie then thou doest or wouldest giue vnto a schoole-maister for teaching one of thy children a whole yeare I say it againe Euerie man ought in conscience to giue his minister for teaching him and his whole familie in the word of God so much at least I say so much at the least for his due is more a great deale many times as a schoole-maister commonlie hath for teaching one childe I know this will seeme much and straunge to such as bee so farre wide of this rate that by their good willes they will not nor vsually doo not giue the minister halfe nor a quarter no some sâ—ant the tenth parte so much But howsoeuer it seeme to any That it is a proportion most reasonable and indeed the lowest rate that reasonably can bee kept I doubt not to make it most euident and plaine to the vnderstanding of all that bee not willfully blind and exceeding obstinate in their owne opinions Neither will I nor need I goe farre from the Text wee haue in hand as which of it selfe dooth offer to yeeld mee 3. or 4. very plaine and speciall reasons and arguments for it First the Apostle here calleth the minister a teacher and the parishioner one that is taught as you would say a schoole-maister and his scholler And in the iudgement of interpreters that are very learned hee dooth vse that maner of speech purposely to shew That as it is the dutie of the scholler to maintaine his maister so it is the dutie of the hearer to maintaine his minister which whoâ—so will not doo euen among prophane men is accounted impious and vniust And indeed what other is the Church but a Diuinitie-schoole the minister a Lecturer and the hearers schollers According wherevnto it is that Christians at first were called Disciples that is in plaine English Schollers 2. Looke what thou giuest for teaching one of thy children If thy Schoole-maister deserue it for teaching one alone doth not the minister deserue so much at the least for teaching thee thy whole familie thee I say thy wife thy children thy seruants and the straunger that is within thy gates 3. What dooth the minister teach thee Hee teacheth thee saith our Apostle in verbo Hee teacheth thee the word of God Hee reads to thee a Diuinitie Lecture Hee dooth minister vnto thee spirituall things Hee speaketh vnto thee as it is said otherwhere words whereby thou and all the housholde may bee saued A kinde of doctrine then which none is nor can bee more excellent pretious and worthy reward Now I pray thee is it not a reasonable thing and an ordinary according to the excellencie of the learning that a man teacheth so to giue him greater or lesser pay Why then is it not reason thou giue him that teacheth thee and all thine Diuinitie that informeth thee to know God that sheweth thee the way to eternal life that brings thee the glad tidings of saluation so much at the least as thou doost giue a man to teach thy child to read or write to vnderstand the Latine or Greeke tongues 4. What ought to bee his reward a parte saith our Apostle of all thy goods And that is more I thinke if it bee well shared then any man dooth allow to his Schoole-maister for any one child But leaue wee for a while the Apostle and let vs turne our eyes aside to behold the practise of times that so wee may see how neere others both in our former daies haue come to this proportion 1. How did the Israelites maintaine their priests and Leuits Who knowes not That by Gods appointment besides diuers other things that fell to their share they had the tenth of all things Is it likely their School-maisters were maintained in that liberall maner and had another tenth for euery child they taught I trow not 2. Looke all England ouer and behold what prouision our fore-fathers made for ministers and what for Schoole-maisters Is it not so That the meanest benefice in the land almost that is whole is better in reuenues then the best schoole And hath not the minister many times of one euen a meane man ten yea twentie times as much as the Schoole-maister for one Scholler 3. Doe but enquire in London where the ministers of the Church are in commendable sorte prouided for and which may in that respect bee a glasse and patterne for sundry other Cities and townes in England and tell mâ—â— whether the ministers part out of euery house if hee bee iustly dealt with bee not commonly so much at least as a Schoole-maister takes for one Scholler 4. Remember of such places where Lectures haue beene kept and preachers maintained by an extraordinary stipend Is there any such place where they could possibly raise a stipend of any meane competencie but that the inhabitans must be content to contribute therto viritim man by man house by house for all the better sort asmuch at the least as they vsually giue for teaching one of their children 5. In all reason and equitie in all reputation account is not the minister of the Church before the maister of the schoole The schoole is commonly but as it were a step to the ministerie and a stay for a man till hee bee fit for the ministerie In all meetings assemblies hath he not his place before the schole-maister is it not reason then as hee is before him in degree so hee should bee equall with him at least in maintenance But now a daies with vs in places not a few for the most part it is quite contrary The condition estate of schoole-maisters is commonly farre better then the ministers If a man can get 4 or 5. score schollers hee shal be sure to liue like a scholler nay like a gentleman by them but though a minister haue so many housholds to his Church if hee haue nothing to trust to but their good wills hee liues not like a scholler but a begger rather Some would thinke it scant credible happily if
to be obteined for much gold Iob. 28. 15. Gold shal not be giuen for it neither shal siluer be weighed for the price thereof It shall not be vâ—lued with the wedg of gold of Ophir nor with the precious Onix c. Yet seeing God dooth al things by meanes 2. Sam. 14 14. Experience doth shew That mony and goods doo vsually procure learning learning breedeth knowledge knowledge causeth vnderstanding and so oftentimes thorough knowledge and learning procured by mony as by meanes wisedome it seâ—fe is attained So saluation eternall life is the gift of God thorough Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. 23. and is not to bee atteined of our selues nor to be obteined with mony nor any this worldes goods yet seeing God doâ—th giue his gifts by meanes seeing maintenance may procure preaching preaching knowledge knowledge faith and the end of our faith is the saluation of our soules 1. Pet. 1. 9. true it is also that by the good employment of our transitorie goods wee may as our Apostle here vseth the Phrase reape at length life euerlasting It is not that goods properly which causeth this but the preaching of the word the publishing of the Gospell which seeing they by whom it must be preached and published vnto bee men and not Angels and must liue not like Chameâ—eoâ—â— by the aire but as men with ordinarie maintenance hardly can bee had without the laying out of our goods And therefore as Cornelius beeing told that S. Peter should come and speake to him wordes whereby hee and all his house should bee saued knew full well that hee could not haue Peter to speake those words vnto him vnlesse hee would send for Peter receiue him entertaine him which hee did ioyfully and liberallie so in vaine it is for vs to looke to haue the Gospell published the word of God preached the way of saluation opened among vs vnlesse wee will with our goods entertaine those by whom it may and should bee done not standing vpon the charge so wee may haue the thing Looke now which is the best employment Wee see the fruite of the one and of the other What wee lay out vpon worldly vses yeelds vs at the most but worldly profit which of it selfe in time will turne to corruption happely which is worse to destruction to shame and confusion What wee laie out vpon religious vses will yeeld vs at the least the vse of religion of the Gospell of heauenly things among vs happely which is chiefest of all euerlasting comfort and eternall life For the word taught as seed sowen is seldome without good fruite but taketh firme roote in some Why then Seeing wee will not spare to lay out much to get thereby only a little worldly benefit should we bee sparing and loth to lay out but a little to get vs great store of spirituall and heauenly goods As God hath allowed vs sixe daies for our owne labours for worldly works and busines and requireth but the seuenth for his seruice and our spiritual vses so is he content that of our goods we imploy nine parts for earthly purposes for worldly vses and looketh onely that the tenth part his owne portion as the crop and chiefe of our substance be employed to his honour and our owne good If this we refuse and as if we were all body and no soule had hope onely of this life and none of that to come or cared altogether for this earth and dâ—spâ—sed heauen will imploy all our goods wholly and solely vpon the world for earthly profit shall we not shew our selues too vnmindefull of heauen vngratefull to God and 〈◊〉 to our soules And shall not the fault bee onely ours if wee be left without teaching without instruction and consequentlie without saluation For where Prophecie faileth the people perish Prouerb 29. 18. seeing Wee refuse to entertaine such as should teach vs and count the cost and charge thereof as we tearme it better saued It will goe hard with vs at the last day the day of reckoning when euery man must giue account of the employment of all his goods if we shall aunswere that we haue employed all vpon prophane and worldly vses And if being to giue a reason why wee wanted the Gospel and liued without preaching destitute of knowledge and vnderstanding wee bee inforced whether wee will or no for then truth must be vttered dissembling will take no place pretenses and vaine excuses will not serue for God will not be mocked and deluded we be inforced I say to testifie with our owne mouthes It was Because wee refused to imploy our goods to any such vses Let vs not therefore be deceiued for what a man soweth that onely that shall he also reape And hitherto of the former sense 2 Let vs likewise consider of the other sense of the wordes which respecteth the quantitie and intendeth that as a man soweth either sparingly or liberally so shall he reap He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly but he that soweth plentifully shall reap plentifullie signifying that benefits are not in vaine bestowed vpon the ministers of the Gospel for they shall returne with greater fruit euen of worldly increase For euen as the husbandman that soweth his seed in the field doth at haruest receiue the same with great increase So they that be liberall of their goods vnto the preachers of the Gospel and ministers of the word shall at length receiue fruite thereof viz. Gods blessing and increase vpon them euen in temporall things Whereas contrariwise they which thinking all to be lost and as it were so much cast away that the minister hath from them and themselues to be impouerished and hindred by impartiâ—g to them of their goods are therefore sparing and cruell vnto them shal in steed of plentie finde scarsitie and reape according to their deserts and doings penury and want And to this sense seeme our Apostles words verse 9. best to agree where ioyning this particular doctrine of the ministers maintenance with other more generall he concludeth them all in this sort Let vs not be weary of well doing for in due time we shal reap if we faint not As it were intimating That whereas men are loth many times to lay out their goods on necessary and spirituall vses for feare least so themselues should want that indeed such laying out is the very direct way to make the same increase because it is as the casting of seed into the ground which as nature and experience daily teacheth doth and will returne with great profit and increase This sense if we follow as some expositors doe and indeede it agreeth very well with the Scriptures otherwhere the wordes doe yeeld a twofould reason or cause why to be liberall and not sparing this way and that is in regard oâ— the euent that will follow vpon it euen concerning our temporall estate namely penury and want if we be sparing and niggardly 2. plenty and aboundance if we be liberall I wil
them now after the law since Leuies time Farther we are to consider that the assignation of tithes made to Leui pertayned onely to them that were vnder the law Then that those nations which liued without the law written could be no lesse bound to the payment of tithes euen in time of the law from Moses til Christ then they were before the law from Adam till Moses whereupon it must follow vndeniably that howsoeuer the heathen fayled in this as in al other parts of Gods seruice yet Gods right for right according to our English prouerbe neuer rots continued among them still and therefore if there had bin among them any godly worshippers priests of God they both would and ought to haue paid tithes to those priests of the high God not to the sons of Leui as Abraham Iacob and other godly men of their and former times did pay the same to the priests that were in their daies If all this be true and what thereof can be denied I see not then forasmuch as the preaching of the Gospel is but a reuoking of them backe into the right way that were gone astray and a restitution of the true worship of the onely true God ouer all the world what letteth that the ministers of the Gospel should not now haue restored vnto them also what by continuall right belonged to the priests of God wheresoeuer the law raigned not from Adam vnto Christ So that whether we consider of the ministers of the Gospel as successours in office for the substance is still one either to the seede of Leui vnder the law or the priests of God without the law it will be hard to shew why they should not succeede them both in maintenance aswell as in seruice Besides this whereas there are in tithes two things to be considered that is the Institution and Assignation Gods proper and immediate right and mans mediate and subordinate possession the one respecting God himselfe as Lord of all the other man Gods ministers for the time being can any man shew nay wil any Diuine say that God hath no longer any proper right interest vnto the temporall goods of men on earth but hath remitted vnto man that holy rent that sacred tribute which once before the law and in the law in signe and for an acknowledgement of his vniuersall Soueraigntie he imposed vpon the wolrd If that may not be affirmed for all Diuines I thinke hold the contrary what is or can be that Sacr. vectigal if it be not Tithes Who can shew vs any other 2. or must we imagine whereas in true wisedome and good policie all kings and princes of the world all landlords and proprietaries of the earth doe impose vpon their subiects and tenants their tributes customes rents c. Certaine whereby the one may know stil from time to time what to demand the other what to pay that God the fountaine of al wisedome and author of al good policy order and not of confusion permitteth men now in time of the Gospel as seeing the tenth to be graâ—amen Ecclesiae a burtheÌ„ too heauy for hiâ— church an exaction too hard and great for the world now to beare and therfore repenting him of that course which for more theÌ„ 4000. yeares he had approued and continued to honor him with their goods in what proportion and quantitie they lust to paie for tribute to him what they will whereby neither he that paies it nor he that on Gods behalfe requires it may be able to say This is it I assure you it soundeth not in mine eares And therfore vntill the institution and right of tithes to God aswell as the assignation of them to Leui be prooued to bee voyd and at an end I see no sufficient reason to yeeld either that men ought not to pay them or ministers to require and receiue them as Gods part stil. 3 From the time of the Law let vs come to the time of the Gospel and so from the old Testament for proofes vnto the new therein for orders sake first vnto our text it selfe Where if we demaund of the Apostle how much the minister must haue of his hearer true it is he doth not say expressely the tenth of all his goods but a part Make him saith hee partaker of all his goods But if we may coniecture what or how great a part hee should meane forasmuch as we are assured that Saint Paul knew well that the priests of God before the law and the Leuits likewise in time of the law had alwaies the tenth part and that in the whole scripture there is no certaine parte but that named to bee the Lords or approued and assigned by name to any that serued in the worke of the Lord what part may wee imagine that hee meant but that which hee all the learned yea learned vnlearned knew had euen from the beginning of the world beene counted the Lords parte the priests portion And it is more probable that therfore in the new Testament that point is not so directly handled as it was in the old because by the old it was already very manifest then that the mention thereof was omitted because it was to grow out of vse For the alteration needed a speciall declaration which the continuance needed not And therefore in my opinion the Apostle must bee vnderstood to speake of the tenth part and not of any other new and neuer yet in vse As if hee should say Let the hearer make his teacher partaker with him of all his goods according to the ordinance of God insuch maner and measure as from the beginning it is not vnknowne that the seruants of God haue euer beene accustomed to receiue As in a like sense speaking of a thing already knowne wee say Let such one haue his due and in the Gospell Math. 20. The Lord of the vineyard hauing first agreed with all the labourers for a peny a day ver 2. when Euen was come saith vnto his Steward Call the labourers and giue them their hire And it is the more probable because he doth require expresly as I haue already taught that this part bee payd in specie in its kinde and out of all such goods as a man hath by due proportion which was and is the true and ancient payment of the tenth For speaking plainely of the maner how this part should by payd hee might thereby easily bee conceiued what hee meant concerning the measure How probable it may seeme to others I cannot tell but this I know That these considerations haue seemed to some those very good Diuines though contrary minded so weighty that they haue therevpon yeelded thus farre That if any place in all the new Testament doo make for Tithes it is specially this If the Apostle bee obscure in this place by reason of the breuitie of his writting let vs see whether hee bee not more plaine in some other where hee is more large
Turne wee backe therfore to 1. Cor. 9. where vpon another occasion hee dooth insist vpon this doctrine of the ministers maintenance There ver 13. taking an argument a simili from them that ministred in the temple about holy things and waited at the altar how dooth he conclude Ita etiam Dominus constituit c. So also hath the Lord ordeined that they which doo preache the Gospell should liue of the Gospell Here it seemeth vnto mee the Apostle plainely teacheth That the same measure and the same maner of maintenance which they had that once serued in the temple and attended at the altar is now allowed assigned to them that serue in the Church and preach the Gospell They were maintained in very liberall cōpetent sort so must these Their maintenance was sealed certaine not voluntary so must these They were maintained by tithes oblations so must these Their portion was of holy things that is of Gods part of things consecrated to God so must the portion of these bee Neither is it a matter of equitie onely that it were fit thus it should be or a humane constitutiō supposing it were best so to bee but ita Dominus constituit or as others read mandauit it is the constitution ordinance or commaundement of the Lord that this ought to bee The Lord who hath a peculiar right to a certaine part of euery mans goods hath thus appointed As once God assigned ouer his tithes other duties to the seed of Leui because hee had separated them to serue in his Tabernacle so now their seruice beeing ended hee hauing substitute in their roomes for the worke of the Gospell not some certaine families of the earth but Pastors and Teachers whō it pleaseth him to call To these to the end they may liue by their ministerie as the former did by theirs bee incouraged to the worke they haue in hand hath bee assigned ouer that which the former had viz. his Tithes and Offeringes In a word the Apostle speaking of a kinde of maintenance that is of Gods ordinance not mans established by the Lord not deuised by man allotted the preachers of the Gospel to liue vpon such a one as they had that ministred in the temple and serued at the altar let such as bee contrary minded prooue vnto vs That their maintenance was not tithes and then neuer tell then will wee yeeld nor shall they bee able to prooue That ours ought to bee not Tithes but some other thing For it is euident by this place of the Apostle That such as theirs was ours must bee From this place of the Apostle let vs proceed to another that is Heb. 7. where hee maketh mention very often of Abrah his paying tithes to Melch which though he do to another end yet by those his wordes beeing about another matter he sheweth withall That Tithes pertaine vnto the ministerie of the Gospell as once they did to that of the temple First of all it is euident by the Apostles words that Melchizedec was a figure of Christ whence it followes that Christ in the person of Melchizedec receiued tithes of Abrahā that they are due no lesse to his priesthood then to that of Melch. But if Christ had right to tithes before the law hath he not the same right also since the law in the time of the Gospell For his priesthood being perpetuall so must his right bee too Farther if wee consider of Melch. in his owne person that is not as a figure of Christ but as the priest of God if Melch. had right to receiue them in the behalfe of God whose priest hee was how much more Christ who is a priest for euer after the same order that Melchizedec was Touching Abraham wee may consider of him either as a priuate man or as a Patriarke As a priuate person in paying tithes what other thing did he but what was euery godly mans dutie to doo which saith a certaine learned writer is so reported that thereby it may sufficiently appeare that it was a custome or ordinarie thing among the godly of those times And who can shew vs that the godly are freed from that dutie since the law which they owed to God before Or that God which accepted Tithes as his sacred Right then hath reiected it now As a Patriarke and father of the faithfull if wee consider him dooth not hee the father by performing that duetie shew in what steps his children ought to walke whose ofspring wee are not according to the flesh but by that which is the surer side by faith But what is all this to vs that be ministers of the Gospell very much euery way For seeing we are in Christes steed 1. Cor. 5. 20. hee that receiueth vs receiueth Christ Math. 10. 40 as Melch. beeing Dei subrogatus Gods deputie lawfully receiued at Abrahams hand what was due to God so wee on Christes behalfe doo as lawfully claime receiue of the hand of Christians what is Christes right Which thing is not improbable that our Apostle respected when 1. Cor. 9. the place before alleadged he saith The Lord hath so ordeined as it were giuing vs thereby to vnderstand That such maintenance as the Leuits receiued in the Law as Gods right for their seruice at the altar such ought the ministers of the Gospell receiue now in Christes behalfe for their seruice to him in the worke of the Gospell because as God assigned it vnto his Leuits then so hath Christ who in the new Testament by that title of Lorde is commonly distinguished from God the father vnto his ministers now And as Abrah the father of the faithfull was then to pay the tenth to the priests of God as to God himselfe so all the faithfull now are to pay them to the ministers of Iesus Christ as to Christ himselfe Now that I haue shewed warrant and proofe for this point out of scripture I will adioyne also the testimonie and iudgement of the learned and ancient fathers and others of the Church who wheresoeuer they speake any thing of tithes so speake thereof as generally in their times acknowledged to bee of diuine institution no man for well nighe a 1000. yeares the depth of all corruption and blindnes after Christ gainsaying them This I do◠aswell to confirme more fully that I haue auouched as also to take away all pretext from such as shall thorough ignorance imagine this to bee but mine owne priuate opinion They shall perceiue that I teach none other thing in this matter then the auncients for many ages past haue done S. Origen liued within 200. yeares after Christ not aboue 90. yeares after the death of S. Iohn the Apostle of the Lord. Hee writing vpon the booke of numbers Hom. 11. and speaking of the Law of Tithes saith plainely Hanc ego legem This Law of Tithes as also some other I saith hee doo thinke necessary to bee obserued still according to