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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91192	A Gospel plea (interwoven with a rational and legal) for the lawfulnes & continuance of the ancient setled maintenance and tenthes of the ministers of the Gospel: proving, that there is a just, competent, comfortable maintenance due to all lawfull painfull preachers and ministers of the Gospel, by divine right, institution, and expresse texts and precepts of the Gospel: that glebes and tithes are such a maintenance, & due to ministers by divine right, law and Gospel: that if subtracted or detained, they may lawfully be inforced by coercive laws and penalties: that tithes are no reall burden nor grievance to the people; the abolishing them, no ease or benefit to farmers, husband-men, or poor people, but a prejudice and losse. That the present opposition against tithes, proceeds not from any reall grounds of conscience, but base covetousnesse, carnall policy, &c. and a Jesuiticall and Anabaptisticall designe, to subvert and ruin our ministers, Church, religion. With a satisfactory answer to all cavils and materiall objections to the contrary. By William Prynne of Swainswick, Esq;	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1653 (1653)	Wing P3971; Thomason E713_12; ESTC R203238; ESTC R26600	128,273	175

the Saints according to thy Commands and for the setled fundamentall Lawes Liberties Rights Government of his distracted Native Countrie against all secret Underminers open Oppugners or Subverters of them to the uttermost of his Ability By a consciencious inviolable observation of all those solemne sacred Oathes Protestations Covenants and Obligations prescribed by those lawfull higher Powers thou commandedst him to submit to under paine of DAMNATION wherewith he hath frequently bound his soul not so much to men as to thee who art a most Faithfull Promise-Oath-Covenant keeping God especially of those Oaths and Covenants wherewith thou vouchsafest to oblige thy self even to meer dust and ashes both IMMUTABLE and INVIOLABLE never violating nor repenting of them in the least degree and obliging men both by thine owne example and Precepts to do the like in all their publick or private Oathes Vowes Covenants to thee or men under pain of temporall wrath here and eternall exclusion from thy holy Hill And for not daring to confederate or comply against his Oathes Covenants manifold publick Engagements Conscience Judgement and thy sacred Inhibitions WITH THOSE WHO ARE GIVEN TO CHANGE many of whose Calamities and Ruines are sodainly risen and fallen upon them by the Divine justice even from those they least suspected and most relyed on for Protection for the manifold changes they presumed to make against their Oathes Vowes Trusts Protestations Covenants and unrighteous oppressing of their dearest Christian Friends Brethren and thy suffering Servant among others Now all Glory Honour Power Salvation and Prayse be for ever rendered by me and all thy glorious Saints and Angels in heaven and earth because true and righteous are thy Judgements and because the deliverance of me thy oppressed Servant without any wound to his Conscience dishonour to thy Name or scandall to thy People is exceeding Gracious and Glorious Now Know I again and again that the Lord loveth his anointed that he hath heard him and others praying for him from his holy Heaven WITH THE SAVING STRENGTH OF HIS RIGHT HAND Some of his self-exalting Oppressors trusted in Chariots and some in Horses but he remembred the Lord his God they are brought down and fallen but he is risen and stands upright Who therefore ever will rejoyce greatly in THY SALVATION and in the Name of his God will set up his Banners For thou hast broken the gates of Brasse and cut the bars of Iron in sunder Thou hast sent thy holy Angel and knocked off the Chaines from my long fettered hands and made the long-barred Iron Castle Gates wherein I was close shut up to open of their own accord without any enforced long-expected Petition from me Thou hast rescued me from more then 4. Quaternions of Souldiers who most strictly garded me day and night as they did thyimprisoned Apostle Peter and more narrowly then any formerly under the Prelats greatest Tyranny and delivered him out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the People of the Je●s the Jesuits and Popish Priests who marched freely abroad not only preaching but printing and dispersing no lesse then 19. grosse Popish Books in defence of their Religion and condemning ours for Heresie whiles I their chief oppugner was shut up so close in three remote Castles that I could neither write against nor discover their Plots against our Church State Religion nor yet send Letters to mine Imprisoners to demand my liberty unless I would first give Copies of them to my Gardians and then trust them to send them when and by whom they pleased nor have admission to thy publick Ordinances for above two years space In thankfull Commemoration of which my late and great deliverance from this Aegyptian Bondage I doe here presume in all humility at thy feet and Dedicate to thee the Great GAOLE-DELIVERING PRISONER-LOOSING GOD who sayest to the Prisoner GOE FORTH and to them that are in darknesse SHEW YOUR SELVES this mean and unworthy Gospell Plea for the lawfulnesse and continuance of the Ancient setled Maintenance and Tithes of thy Minist●rs of the Gospell reserved to and by thy self AS THY. DEVOTED PORTION DEBT DUE whereof many now by FRAUD and VIOLENCE endevour Sacrilegiously TO ROB BOTH THEE and THEM as the first fruits of my enlargement a Second EBENEZER Hitherto hath the Lord HELPED ME and a lasting Monument to Posterity of my gratitude and thankfulnesse to thee my God for my late restitution to so much Liberty and Freedome as to be able thus once more publickly to plead thine owne and thy Ministers cause against Jesuits Anabaptists and all other open Oppugners and Subverters of our Church and State and secret Underminers of the true Preachers and Preaching of the Gospell who now like Gebal Ammon Amalek Edom Ismael Moab the Hagarens Ph●listines the Inhabitants of Tyre and armed Assur of old have consulted together with one consent and are confederate against thee and have said Come and let us cut them off from being a Nation that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance Bes●eching thy Majesty most graciously to accept it most powerfully to protect and so effectually to blesse prosper it and thy servant against all these combined Confederates that they may be no way able to resist thy Truth Wisdome Spirit appearing pleading in it by it but either like convicted Seducers or Seduced persons fall down flat on their faces before it worship thee and report that God is in it and in thy servant of a truth Or in case of wifull malicious obstinacy against thee and thy faithfull Ministers Houses of publick worship Truth and Gospell Do unto them as unto the Midianites as to Sisera and to Jabin at the brook of Kison which perished at Endor and became as dung for the earth Make their Nobles like Oreb and Zeeb yea make all their Princes as Zebah and as Salmunna who said as these doe now LET US TAKE TO OUR SELVES THE HOUSES OF GOD IN POSSESSION O my God make them as a wheel as the stubble before the winde As the fire burneth the wood and as the flame setteth the mountaines on fire so persecute them with thy tempest and make them afraid of thy storme fill their faces with shame that they may seek thy name O Lord let them be confounded and troubled for ever yea let them be put to shame and perish That men these men may know that thou whose name alone is JEHOVAH art the most high over all the earth So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture wil give thee thanks for ever we will shew forth thy Praise to all generations And thy servant Davids resolution Whiles I live will I praise the Lord I will sing praises unto my God WHILE I HAVE ANY BEING shall through thy Grace be both the Resolution and Practice of Thy unworthy unprofitable Redeemed Preserved and frequently enlarged Servant and Vassall William Prynne

giddy-headed people and stript of a competent setled maintenance independent of the vulgars or Superiors meer wils and pleasures which will render both their Persons Words Doctrine and Ministry contemptible and lesse authoritative to the people For the Scripture informes us That poor men are lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 18. 23. and therefore David couples these together Psal 119. 141. I am poor or small in estate and despised And Solomon informes us That the poor useth intreaties speaks not with authority like the richer sort Prov. 18. 23. That the poor is hated even of his own neighbour separated from him despised by him and that all the brethren of the poor do hate him how much more do his friends go far from him though he pursueth them with words yet are they wanting to him Prov. 14. 20. 19. 4. 7. Yea he resolves Eccles 9. 15 16. That a poor mans wisdome is despised and his words are not heard and that no man remembred or regarded that poor wise man who by his wisdome delivered the small city that was beseiged by a great King Neither is this old Testament but Gospell truth likewise Jam. 2. 2 3 5 6. If there come into your assembly a man with a gold ring in goodly apparell and there come in also a poor man in vile rayment ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing and say to him sit thou here in a good place and say to the poor stand thou there or sit here under my footstool Hearken my beloved Brethren hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heires of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him But YE HAVE DESPISED THE POOR a fault still common in the world Poor indigent Ministers as well as Saints though rich in faith are alwayes generally contemptible to the greatest part of men and their very poverty makes not only their persons but words and Doctrine to be slighted and despised as these Scriptures and experience manifest Wherefore a competent setled maintenance and revenue is not only just but necessary to add more r●verence esteem and authority to their Exhortations rebukes words and preserve their persons callings Doctrine from contempt and scorne in the eyes and ears of men Who though they ought to know them which labour among them and are over them in the Lord and admonish them and to esteem them very highly in love for their workes sake 1 Th●ss 5. 12 13. Yet by reason of their inbred pride and corruption will be very averse to do it if they be very poor indigent and living like beggers upon almes and charity as our new Reformadoes would have them XI Ministers of the Gospell must not seek to please men but God for if they yet pleased men they should not be the servants of Christ Gal. 1. 10. Neither must they corrupt the Word as many do to humour the Iusts wils or countenance and carry on the unrighteous cove●ous ambitious oppressive bloudy or treacherous designes of wicked men fasting yea preaching praying for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse Esa 58. 4. But as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God must they speak in Christ 2 Cor. 2. 17. Now a just comp●tent setled maintenance independent on the Governours Magistrates or peoples wils and pleasures such as was the Priests and Levit●s under the Law enjoyed by divine institution is the best means and preservative to keep Ministers from being Men-pleasers flatterers time-servers and corrupters of the word of God to humour men a great inducement to them to preach the word of God sincerely and to rebuke and exhort with all authority Whereas a poor beggerly mean dependent Minister whose whole maintenance and subsistence must only rest upon the arbitrary wils of persons in highest present power who may out or strip them both of their Callings and Benefices when and for what they please or only upon the peoples voluntary contributions will certainly be a men-pleasing time-serving flattering unsincere and word corrupting Ministry studying more to please and favour those by and from whom they have their Livelihood then to please God and fitting their preaching and praying to their opinions tempers factions parties designes holding alwayes with the prevailing strongest party and wresting the Scriptures to support their very errors vices sins and most unrighteous treacherous perfidious oppressing practises and bloudy usurpations not daring to displease them as Ecclesiasticall Histories record and our own experience can sufficiently testifie in these late whirling times and changes as well as in King Edward the 6. Queen Maries and Quen Elizabeths reigns when our Religion suffred so many publick alterations and most Ministers theu changed their peoples Opinion and Religion with the times Hence the Scripture records this as one of Jeroboams policies to keep the People and Kingdome from returning to the right heire 1 King 12. 28 29 31 c. ch 13. 33 34. That he made Priests of the lowest or poorest of the people who were not of the Sonnes of Levi and placed them in Bethel who being poor mean and depending on him for their Salaries readily sacrificed to his golden Calves offered upon the Altar which he had made in Bethel and observed his new prescribed Feasts which the Priests and Levites that were in all Israel having La●ds Suburbs and a setled maintenance refused to do Whereupon Jeroboam and his Sonnes cast them out from executing the Priests office unto the Lord and substituted these base Idol-Priests for the Calves 2 Chron. 11. 13 14 15. Which became sin unto the house of Jeroboam even to cut it off and to destroy it from the face of the earth God deliver us of th●s Nation from the like Atheisticall Jeroboam-like policy and practise now which will certainly prove the ruin of them and their house who shall put it in execution if not of our Religion and Nation as it did of Jeroboam his house and the wh●le Kingdome of Israel XII All Christians are commanded Gal. 6. 10. As they have opportunity to do good to all men to relieve their wants especially to the houshold of faith Therefore they are in an especiall manner bound to do good to their Ministers in maintaining them and communicating to them in all good things as he resolves v. 6. The rather because we have this Precept thus seconded Heb. 13. 16. But to do good and communicate forget not for with such sacrifice God is well pleased coupled with this injunction Obey them that have the rule over yon and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account That they may do it WITH JOY and NOT WITH GRIEF FOR THAT IS UNPROFITABLE FOR YOU Wherein these 3. Conclusions are positively asserted 1. That Christians must not only obey their Ministers but likewise do good and communicate to them in all good things the want 2. That this is so

at all or judgement in their Art learning their Military skill not at their owne but the peoples great costs 3. Learned Ministers both before and after their admission into the Ministry are at great charges to furnish themselves with Bookes and Libraries necessary for their Calling whereas our Officers and Souldiers are and were furnished with all sorts of Armes and Ammunition fitting for their calling out of the publick Treasury only which continually recruites them when lost in Service 4. The calling of the Ministry requires men of far more able parts and eminency of gifts whereby they might gain far more worldly wealth riches and honours in many other callings then they do or can do by the Ministry by which they are commonly losers in respect of worldly gains ●and preferments a thing very considerable then the calling of an ordinary Souldier or most warlike Officers doe as experience manifests and I thinke most Soldiers and Officers will acknowledge and thereupon must admit them proportionable allowance to their parts and work in the Ministry it selfe 5. Ministers when once entred into their callings are alwayes day and night upon constant duty without intermission their whole lives being so taken up with study preaching catechizing praying fasting exhorting admonishing reproving comforting visiting the sick in body troubled in minde resolving doubts of conscience and other Ministeriall duties as well private as publick that they have most of them scarce one spare day or hour all the year to imploy in other affaires for their owne advantage in worldly things Whereas many of our Army Officers and Souldiers lie idle in their Quarters many months if not years of late together without any actuall service and yet receive their full constant pay and those in actuall service and Garisons do that they call duty only by turnes once or twice a week and then but for two or three houres in a day being then successively relieved by others having sufficient time every day and week not only to follow their private Trades if they please necessary usefull beneficiall to others but also to exercise Merchandise and other gainfull worldly imployments and Offices to which they were never trained up whereby most of them are grown richer then most of our Ministers in halfe the space they were fitting for their Ministry before they received one penny profit by it As for our Officers they seldome do any duty have all their men-servants listed under them and paid by the people to do them service only being exempt from duty and how seldome they have been of late times at their Quarters upon their duty as Souldiers but otherwise sitting in Counsell to advance their own power estates and pull down all above them to intrude themselves into their places we all see by experience contrary to the Apostles precept 2 Tim. 2. 4. No man that warreth intangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life that he may please not supplant him who hath chosen him to be a Souldier and to John the Baptists injunction to Souldiers Luke 3. 14. Do violence to no man nei●her accuse any falsely and be content with your wages Which ungospell practises I wish they would first reforme by conforming themselves unto this Precept before they reforme our Ministers or their setled wages a thing beyond if not against their calling 6. The calling of Ministers as it is every way farre more laborious as perillous and full of hardship as that of Souldiers 2 Cor. 11. 23 to 33. 4. 8 9 10 11. 2 Tim. 2. 3 9 10 12. 3. 10 11 12. 4. 5 6 7. So questionlesse it is far more honourable necessary usefull beneficiall to others then that of Souldiers and Commanders for they are the very Embassadors of God himselfe and Jesus Christ the King and Lord of glory the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Prince of the Kings of the earth and only Potentate to whom all other Powers and kne●● must bow beseeching men in Christs stead to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 20. The Ministers servants messengers of Jesus Christ workers together with him Stewards of the mysteries of God and the glory of Christ 1 Cor. 4. 1 2. 2 Cor. 6. 1. 8. 23. 2 Tim. 2. 24. imployed to preach to sinfull men the unsearchable riches of Christ to turne them from darknesse unto light and from the power of Satan unto God Eph. 3. 8. Act. 26. 18. to rescue their souls from the slavery and power of sin Satan hell death everlasting damnation and make them the sonnes of God heirs and coheirs with Christ of everlasting glory and felicity in Gods heavenly Kingdome through the power of Gods Grace and Spirit working in with by and through their Ministry on their hearts Now the calling of a Souldier though it be honourable and in some cases lawfull and necessary if rightly managed yet it is for the most part sinfull hurtfull pernicious dangerous and unbeseeming the Gospell in respect of the cause managing abuses thereof it being accompanied with murther violence rapine treachery perjury sacriledge cruelty inhumanity profanenesse blasphemy contempt of God of all sacred civill Lawes and Ordinances ambition treason and the worst of sins tending usually like an overflowing Deluge to the subversion desolation ruine of whole Families Cities Countries Kingdomes Churches yea Mankinde it selfe Religion Lawes Liberties Properties turning whole f●amous Cities into ashes and Kingdomes into Golgatha s Acheldamaes fields of bloud and dead mens sculs very wildernesses as the Scripture Histories and experience manifest Hence God styles great Warriers and Armies The rod of his anger a Battle Ax with which he breaketh in pieces the Nations destroyeth Kingdomes and treadeth them down like the mire in the streets and then at last destroyes them in his wrath when they have executed his judgements for their rapines violence and bloudy cruelty Isa 10. 5 c. Jer. 51. 20 c. They being really carried on from one war to another out of vainglory ambition covetousnesse a mad humour of false greatnesse et nullus supra caeteros eminendi modus in sua fata pariter ac publica to their own and the publick ruine yet still under a pretext of publick good and safety as Seneca excellently writes in his 94 Epistle a piece worth the reading of Alexander the great Caesar Pompey Marius qui cum omnia concuterent concutieb antur et cum mult is fuerunt mali pestiferam illam vim qua plerosque nocuerunt ipsi quoque sentiunt And indeed the Profession of a Souldier even in the best of men and warres is so full of danger and pollution that it leaves some scars of sin and tincture of pollution on them Whence we read that though David were a man after Gods own heart and fought the battels of the Lord against his professed enemies by his speciall command with constant successe yet God would by no means permit him to build an house and Temple

OF THE SPOYLES taken from the Enemy in the warres to Melchisedec the first Priest of the most high God we finde in the Word or World and an expresse type of Christ our only high Priest if not Christ himselfe as some affirme To teach all Generals Officers Souldiers who professe themselves the Sons or Children of Abraham after the faith to do the like And which is very considerable though this victorious Generall and Souldier was urged by the King of Sodome to take all the Spoyle and Goods he had taken and rescued from the Enemy to himselfe and to give him only the persons rescued which he magnanimously refused saying I have lift up my hand unto the Lord the most high God possessor of heaven and earth that I will not take from a thread even to a shoe-latchet and that I will not take any thing that was thine lest thou shouldest say I have made Abraham rich Gen. 14. 21 22 23. And O that all Commanders and Souldiers now were as conscionable and just in performing their Oathes Covenants and Vowes made with hands lifted up unto the Lord as faithfull Abraham was yet he would not renounce nor give away Gods and the Priests portion upon any condition but GAVE THE TENTH OF ALL THE SPOYLE TO THEM restoring only the Surplusage And should not our Generals Officers and Souldiers in these dayes who professe and style themselves the Eminentest and most precious Saints and spirituall seed of faithfull Abraham more really prove themselves such indeed to God the World and their own Consciences by giving the tenth of all their spoyles and gaines of Warres to God and his faithfull Ministers which I never heard one of them yet did and making good of their solemne Oathes and Covenants to God whereof this was one clause That they shall sincerely really and constantly endeavour in their severall places and callings the preservation of the reformed Religion from utter ruine and destruction agai●st all the treacheries and bl●udy Plots Cons●iracies Attempts and practises of the Enemies thereof whereof this in present agitation to deprive our Ministers of all Tithes and setled maintenance is one of the principall which will ruine our Ministers Ministry and Religion with them as faithfull Abraham really did rather then by endevouring what they can as t●o many of them do TO SPOYLE THEM OF ALL THEIR TITHES both prediall mixt and personall which they have so long enjoyed not only by a just civill right and title confirmed by Prescription the great Charter and all sorts of Lawes Statutes and Ordinances in ancient and late times but likewise by a divine Warrant from this Precedent of Abraham in stead of giving them THE TENTH OF THEIR SPOYLES Which practise if pursued as it will infallibly demonstrate them to be no reall Saints or Children of faithfull Abraham our Saviour resolving Joh. 8. 39. If ye were Abrahams children ye would do the workes of Abraham in paying Tithes as he did so it will probably exclude both them and others guilty of it out of Abrahams bosome Luke 16. 22. who will never own nor receive those as his friends or children into his bosome who are such virulent Enemies to his most commendable Practise of paying Tithes even of the very spoyles he took in Warre With this Argument I have so routed some Officers and Souldiers that they blushed for shame had not one word to reply and gave over further rayling discourses against Tithes as men quite confounded and I hope it will have the self-same effect in all others when they have well advised on it That they may have no Evasion from the dint thereof I shall answer all Cavils I know of to elude it Object 1 The 1. Evasion is this That this Precedent of Abraham in giving the tenth of the spoyles of Warre is singular and voluntary not obliging other Souldiers to doe the like or to devote any of their spoyles to God and his service To this I answer Answ 1. That this practise and Precedent of Abraham so transcendently eminent for his faith in the old and new Testament in both which it is recorded was undoubtedly written for our imitation and instruction to do the like as may be evidenced from Joh. 8. 39. 1 Cor. 10. 11. Rom. 15. 4. 2 Thess 3. 7 9. Heb. 13. 7. 1 Thess 2. 14. the rather because the Apostle Heb. 6. 12. commands us To be followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises and then presently after instanceth in Abraham and fals upon his practise of paying Tithes of the spoyle to Melchisedec Therefore all Christian Generalls Officers Souldiers must follow him in paying Tithes of all their spoyles as well as in faith and patience his Precedent having been the originall impulsive ground of all Tithes vowed or paid to Gods Priests or Ministers ever since of Gods subsequent commands to Abrahams posterity to pay Tithes to the Priests and Levites under the Law as the Apostle insinuates Heb. 7. 4 5 6 8. compared together and of all Lawes or Canons since enacted by Christian Kings and Councels for due payment of Tithes to Ministers of the Gospell in Christian Realmes and Republicks 2. I answer That this practise of his was frequently pursued by Generals Officers and Souldiers in succeeding ages of which we have very memorable Precedents in Scripture wherewith I have shamed and confounded Souldiers in discourses with them about Tithes It is specially recorded Numb 31. that when the 12000. Officers and Souldiers of the Israelites under the conduct of Phinehas returned from the slaughter of the Midianites with an extraordinary great booty of all sorts God gave a speciall charge to levy a Tribute unto the Lord OF THE MEN OF WARRE THAT WENT OUT TO BATTLE and to give it to Eleazar the Priest for an heave-offering of the Lord which kinde of offerings was Aarons and his Sonnes for ever from the children of Israel as a due almes for their service Exod. 29. 27 28. Levit. 7. 32 33 34. Numb 18. 24 27 29. Deut. 12. 11. and is coupled with Tithes as being of the same Nature in the two last of these Scriptures which tribute was accordingly levyed And because the prey was first equally divided between them who tooke the Warre upon them who went out to Battle and between all the Congregation which had the other moity of it God out of the Souldiers moity the prey being very great reserved onely one of five hundred out of the Captives Beeves Asses and Sheep for the Priests which were but few and one of every fifty for the Levites of the peoples moity the Priests share amounting to 675. Sheep 78. Oxen 64. Asses 32. Captives and the Levites share tenne times so many After which tribute levyed the OFFICERS which were over thousands of the Host THE CAPTAINES OF THOUSANDS AND CAPTAINES OF HUNDREDS brought an oblation to the Lord what every man had gotten OF JEWELS OF GOLD CHAINES and BRACELETS RINGS EAR-RINGS and

Bishopricks De●neries Benefices Cathedrall and Colledge Lands Revenues Glebes Tithes and whatsoever Ecclesiasticall Profits and endowments of the Clergy and Schollers in our whole Kingdome and Nation After this when the Temple of Jerusalem was built where the Priests and Levites were to wait in their severall 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. chap. 29. 4. chap. 31. 2. chap. 35. 2. Levit. 1 5 8 9. they had Houses Churches 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. ch 42. 1 to 19. ch 44 19. ch 46. 19. These Cities Suburbs Habitations Churches the Priests and Levites constantly enjoyed without interruption till the revolt of the ten Tribes from Rehoboam and 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 carnall fear and suspition saying in his heart now shall the Kingdome 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 TVRN BACK AGAIN TO THE LORD even unto Rehoboam King of Judah ●nd THEY SHALL KILL ME and GO AGAIN TO REHOBOAM KING OF JVDAH 1 Kings 12. 26. to 33. and then we read 2 Chron. 11. 13 14 15 16. The Priests of the Levites that were in all Israell resorted to Rehoboam out of all their Coasts For the Levites LEFT THEIR SVBVRBS 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 Pr●ests 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 usurp●d Crown they objected against him and the revolted Tribes 2 Chr. 13. 4. to 14. Hear me thou Jeroboam and all I●rael ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the Kingdome 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 Beliall 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 Kingdome 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 ●IMSELF with a young Bullock and seven Rams the same may be a Priest of them that are no Gods But as for us the Lord is our God and we have not forsaken him and the Priests which minister unto the Lord are the Sons of Aaron and the● Levites wait upon their businesse c. For we keep the Charge of the Lord our God but ye have forsaken h●m And behold God himself is ●ith us for our Captain and his Priests with sounding ●rumpets to cry allarum against you The issue of this A●●eisticall policy and Sacrilegious deprivation or Spoliation of Gods Priests and Levites of their Suburbs Possessions and Ministry by Jeroboam and his Sons is very remarkable 1. It brought ruine upon his whole Army though double the number of Abijah his host of whom they had a great advantage by an ambushment God himself smiting him and his host so that they fled before Judah and Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter so that there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men 2 Chron. 13. 13. to 20. The greatest slaughter in battle that ever we read of in Sacred or prophane Stories before or since 2. It brought Captivity on his Adherents who were brought under at that time pursued and had their wives taken and plundered v. 18 19. 3. It brought this misery and fatall Judgement on himself v. 20. Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the dayes of Abijah And the Lord strook him and he dyed 4. It became sin to the house of Jeroboam even to cut it off and to destroy it from the face of the earth 1 Kings 13. 33 34. 5. It made all the succeeding Kings of Israel professed Idolaters and most of them bloudy Murtherers Usurpers Persecutors and produced perpetuall successive civill warres between Judah and Israel 1 Kings 14. 30. chap. 15. 6 7 16 32. 2 Chron. 28. 4. to 12. 6. It brought finall captivity ruine desolation in conclusion to the whole Kingdome of Israel and the ten revolting Tribes 2 Kings 17. 20 21 22 23. where this sad story is recorded And the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel and afflicted them and delivered them into the hand of spoilers untill he had cast them out of his sight For he rent Israel from the house of David And they made Jeroboam the Son of Nebat King of which God thus complains Hos 8. 4. They have set up Kings but not by me they have made Princes and I knew it not and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the Lord and made them sin a great sin for the children of Israel walked in all the sinnes of Jeroboam which he did they departed not from them untill the Lord removed Israel out of his sight as he had said by all his servants the Prophets So was Israel carried away out of their own Land to Assyria TILL THIS Day when as the Kingdome of Judah continued above 156 years after in Davids royall posterity enjoying Gods Priests Levites Prophets and Ordinances till their captivity for their sins in mocking abusing his Messengers Prophets and despising his words 2 Chron. 36. 16 17. And then after 70 years captivity were restored again to their Countrey reedified Jerusalem and the Temple and with them the Priests and Levites returning from bondage were restored likewise to their Cities and Glebes of which the Kings of Judah never deprived them as Jeroboam and his Sons and the Kings of Israel who were all Idolaters did whence thus we read Ezra 2. 70. So the Priests and the Leaites and the Singers and the Porters the Nethinims DWELT IN THEIR CITIES and all Israel in their cities Thus

DIVINE RIGHT they ow wages to the Ministers of the Gospel And if so then 5. It follows inevitably that there being no other setled way of maintenance particularly prescribed for them in the Gospel and convenient Houses Glebes for them their families and necessary Cattle and Tithes of the increase of the fruits of the earth and Cattle of all sorts being as necessary and requisite for the habitation food clothing support of them their Ministry families and supply all their necessaries with as little charge or trouble as may be as for the Priests and Levites under the Law that Godly Christians cannot pitch upon any equaller fitter juster better wiser rational or convenient way of maintenance for them than that of necessary Houses Rectories Glebes in every Parish and Tithes of all things needfull for food and raiment it being the constant standing setled maintenance which the most wise just and holy God invented prescribed for his own Priests and Levites maintenance amongst his own people when setled by him in the land of Promise and that which all setled Christians Empires Kingdoms States Churches generally through the Christian world have pitched upon as most agreeable to Gods will and word under the Gospel which no wayes repeals nor contradicts his own former prescriptions of this kinde 6. That the Glebes and Tithes of the Priests and Levites under the Law were reserved by God himself the Supream Land-lord of all kingdomes Countries Nations Churches People in the world and the special God Lord King Father Saviour and Preserver of his own people as a Sacred Holy Tribute Rent Portion and Homage due unto Himself from poor Creatures Servants Vassals who are no true Proprietors but onely Stewards and Tenants at will of all the Lands Goods earthly blessings and possessions they enjoy The earth being the Lords and the fulnesse thereof and the Corn Wine Cattle fruits and earthly creatures we possesse not really ours but Gods own 1 Chr. 29. 11. to 17. Psal 24. 1. Psal 97. 5. Psal 50. 9 10 11 12. E●ech 16. 18 19 20. Hos 2. 8 9. Dan. 4. 32 35. Mat. 6. 10. 11. The use and possession of which tribute He allotted to the Priests and Levites under the Law for their maintenance salary and reward of their labour in his service for the advancement of his worship glory honour and his peoples spiritual good reserving the inheritance and right thereof alwayes to himself as the premises sufficiently evidence Now God himself to whom alone Tithes and Glebes were originally impropriated not to the Levitical Priest-hood being unchangeable without any variableness or shadow of turning Jam. 1. 17. Psal 102. 26 27. Mal. 3. 6. and Jesus Christ to whom Tithes were first paid by Abraham in the person of Melchisedeck having an unchangeable Priest-hood and being a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck Heb. 7. And all Christians whatsoever under the Gospel being as much his absolute Creatures Vassals Servants Stewards and Tenants as well as the Israelites under the Law and all their Lands Goods Earthly blessings Corn Wine Cattle and imployments his in right and not their own as well as theirs too why they should not all render to him the self same sacred Tribute holy Portion Rent Homage of Glebes and Tithes of all they have as well as they though the Levitical Priest-hood be abolished they being so specially reserved and consecrated to himself for the support maintenance reward encouragement of his faithfull Ministers under the Gospel imployed in his Service for his honour glory and their everlasting salvation Let John Canne and all presumptuous peremptory tith-oppugners answer me yea this their Soveraign Land-lord and Creator if they can who will one day call them to a strictaccompt for detaining this due Rent Tribute Homage from him and may justly dispossesse and strip them naked of all they have for this their ingrate contemptuous carriage towards him as he hath done many of late by fearfull fires and other judgments as well as heretofore Mal. 3. 8 9 11. 7. That as the Gospel it self succeeded the Levitical Law and Baptisme and the Lords Supper Circumcision and the Passeover So the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel succeed the Priests and Levites under the Law in their Ministerial function in the Church of Christ by Gods appointment their Ministry and Office being both the same in substance even to worship praise and honour God according to his revealed word and will and instruct exhort direct and guide his people in the way of salvation though differing in some circumstances of lesser moment abolished by Christs death It is therefore most reasonable just equitable convenient they should receive and enjoy the like setled maintenance by Glebes and Tithes as their predecessors did God hav●ng prescribed none other kinde of reward or subsistence for them in the Gospel that any can shew me It is usuall in all Kingdomes States Nations where there are any publike setled offices and Officers for any persons who succeed others in those Offices to enjoy the self same Salaries Houses Lands Fees and Revenues as their Predecessors lawfully received unlesse there be some special Laws to alter their Stipends This we see verified in all Civil Military and Ecclesiastical Officers yea in the times of greatest publike charges that ever befell the Nation those whom most yet call Judges Sheriffs Majors Generals Colonels Captains and Governours of Forts c. though their Commissions be altered in some things and themselves in more do yet receive the self same Salary pay and maintenance annexed to their Offices as their lawfull predecessors did yea to come closer home All our Protestant Ministers since the reformation of Religion have generally enjoyed the Gl●bes and Tithes as the Parishioners enjoy and frequent the Churches as their popish predecessors did before them though the one of them just like the Levitical abolished Priests made it their chiefest businesse and part of their calling to say Masse and offer an unbloudy Sacrifice as they falsely termed it on their Altars both for the quick and dead and the other who succeed th●m make it their principall work to preach the Gospel and administer the Sacraments according to Christs institution Since then the Ministers of the Gospel succeed the Levitical as well as the popish Priests as the Gospel doth the Law and the Christian Sacraments the Jewish and we with all converted Gentiles engraffed into Jesus Christ and the Church of God succeed the Jews who were broken off from their own Olive Tree that we might be engraffed in their places who now partake of the root and fatnesse of their Olive Tree as the Apostle resolves Rom. 11. 16. to 25. Why the Ministers of the Gospel should not likewise succeed the Leviticall Priests as well as the popish in the enjoyment of their setled maintenance by Glebes Tithes being not meerly ceremonial as I have proved and all believing Gentiles who succeed the believing Israelites in Gods Church succeed

cannot deny The sole question then is what this share or portion ought to be and who shall determine it in point of difference I confesse the Apostle doth not decide either of these in Terminis those Texts being General and all in the plural number All good things your carnall things comprising all such things out of which Tithes predial mixt or personal as Canonists and Lawyers distinguish them are or may be paid Wherefore every faithfull Christian and spiritual Son of God and of faithfull Abraham whose footsteps and prefidents they are to follow in all doubtfull cases admit this one to satisfie his conscience and judgement in this case must and will resort to the prefidents of the Eminentest Saints in former ages and Gods own prescripts in other expresse Texts and there finding the very Father of the faithfull Abraham giving and his Grandson Jacob vowing A TENTH OF ALL GOOD THINGS from his own people for the maintenance of his Priests and Levites under the Law and they cheerfully rendring it untill and in Christs own time and that the very Pharisees and Scribes though Hypocrites were so just as to pay tithes of all and Christ resolving that they ought to do it and not leave it undone and that none before the Apostles dayes ever gave lesse than a Tenth part as the premises largely evidence must and will necessarily conclude from all these sacred Directories that the ordinary and constant standing Portion and proportion of all his goods and carnal things here prescribed and intended by Gods Spirit in the tenth part and in extraordinary cas●s more when Gods glory the Ministers Necessities the Defence or Propagation of the Gospel require it and when he shall further read in the Gospel it self that speech of Zacheus the converted Publican Luke 19. 8. Behold Lord THE HALF OF MY GOODS I give to the poor And how the first converted Christians and Jews in the Apostles dayes sold their Lands and Houses and brought and laid the money at the Apostles feet Act. 4. 5. His conscience which must not guide the Word and Spirit of God as most mens consciences do now but the word and spirit it and him too will and must from thence conclude that he must not give his faithfull Minister lesse than a Tenth part of all and in cases of extraordinary necessity share even half his goods yea the price of all his Lands and Houses between the Ministers and poor Saints of God specially in times of persecution when as he ought to hide and feed them too as godly Obadiah did an hundred of the Lords Prophets in the dayes of Jezabel at his own charge with the hazard of his Office and Life 1 Kings 18. 4. 13. And if any mans conscience in a settled Christian Realm or State be so obstinate or froward as not to submit to the lowest proportion of a tenth which all Ages and most or all setled Christian Realms have unanimously agreed upon and confirmed by publike Edicts as well Civil as Ecclesiastical whereof there are neer thousands in print the Christian Kings and Magistrates who are to determine all controverfies of this nature and state the due just proportion of this Debt and Duty between the Minister and the people where it is not publikely decided and may justly enforce the due payment of it when and where it is determined by positive publike Laws as a just Debt as they do in all other civil Debts and Accompts in controversie before them as I shall prove in due place even by these very Texts though John Canne denies it in his VOX praeterea NIHIL p 14. To these I shall subjoyn that noted Text in 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. which John Canne cites by piece-meal as the Devill did scripture leaving out the principall branch Mat. 4. 6. Do ye not know that they which Minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they that wait at the altar are ●artakers with the altar EVEN SO HATH THE LORD ORDAINED this Canne omits that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel I have urged this Text before for proof of the first I shall here apply it only to the second Propositions confimation as to Tithes 1. Then we have here A DIVINE GOSPEL ORDINANCE made by the LORD OF HOSTS himself not repealable by any Army or Powers on Earth as well as PARLIAMENTARY ORDINANCES for the Maintenance of the Preachers of the Gospel and let Canne the poorest Preacher of the Gospell ever yet knew in England except one of his fraternity who heard him once preach an assize and Fast Sermon too at Chard deny our Ministers to be able Preachers of the Gospel at the peril of his Soul though he denies them to be lawfull Ministers of Christ and censures them as ANTICHRISTIAN and POPISH But why so Because forsooth they had their Ordination from Rome and by consequence are TRAYTORS and FELONS too by the Statute of 27 Eliz. c. 2. for which they might be legally executed for Treason and Felony if the State were pleased to interpret the Statute contrary as he conceives to the Letter and form of it the words whereof he both curtals and misrecites just as he did this Text p. 5. To do him and his b●st friends a kindnes vindicate the lawfulnesse of our Mi●isters calling again●● this ordinary slander and convince him of his grosse mistake I shall truly recite the Statut● Thus intituled JESUITES and PRIESTS in England shall depart and NONE SHALL COME INTO THIS REALM If so then many Dippers and Speakers Administrators Members in Anabaptisticall Congregations many New-lights and Gifted-brethren in separate Congregations many Shakers Quakers Ranters Broachers of new Notions Errours Blasphemies throughout the Realm many new-Polititians Levellers Agitators and Soldiers in the Army if not some Officers all the late converted pretended Jews dipped in Anabaptisticall Congregations discovered and known to be disguised Jesuites purposely sent from Rome by the greatest sticklers against our Ministers Tithes and Calling must presently depart and none of them return into the Kingdome as many have lately done or else be executed for Traytors But why so what is their crime work and imployment here and by what marks or fruits shall we know and discover both them and their confederates Let the words of the Statute compared with all our late troubles and changes resolve the ignorant and incredulous that there are many such amongst us and of John Cannes fraternity W●ereas divers persons called or professed JESUITES these Canne wittingly conceals and therefore is a Felon by the law SEMINARY PRIESTS and other Priests which have been and from time to time are made IN PARTS BEYOND THE SEA BY OR ACCORDING TO THE ORDER and RITES OF THE CHURCH OF ROME and when Canne can prove that all or any of our Ministers were thus made as he hath confidently averred in print to those he cals the Higher Powers and Supream Authority of the Nation Let them

to him for this very reason BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN A MAN OF WARRE and MADE GREAT BATTELS and SHED MUCH BLOUD UPON THE EARTH IN HIS SIGHT And the 12000. Israelites who by Gods speciall command went up to war against the Midianites and slew them retu●ning with victory and great spoyle without the losse of one man though treble their numbe● when as they came backe from the war were all of them whosoever had killed any person or touch●d any slain enjoyned by God and Moses to remain without the Camp seven dayes and to purifie themselves on the third and seventh day as unclean and polluted persons Numb 31. 1 17 19 20. and all the Officers and Captaines of hundreds and thousands in the host brought an oblation what every man had gotten of Jewels of Gold Chaines Bracelets Rings Ear-rings and Tablets TO MAKE AN OBLATION FOR THEIR SOULS BEFORE THE LORD v. 48 49 50. Such a stain and guilt was there adhering to their War-like calling in this best of Wars against Gods professed idolatrous enemies And may not all Officers and Souldiers then justly fear and find a deeper guilt of sin and stain of bloud then was in David or those Officers and Souldiers adhering to their persons and profession in our unnaturall uncivill Wars even with and against their very Christian nearest dearest Brethren Friends Kindred Neighbours of the self-same reformed Religion and thereupon make the like or a far richer oblation then they did not of their spoyles and gaines by War as atonement for their Souls in stead of provoking God and encreasing their guilt by seeking to spoil his faithfull Ministers of their long enjoyed maintenance In all these 6. particulars wherein the calling of Ministers excels in merit that of common Souldiers Captaines and Officers of War both in respect of time study costs labour diligence parts danger honour excellency use profit and necessity to which I might add that the Ministers frequent teares and prayers in times of War and Judgements are far more prevalent beneficiall a●d victorious then the Souldiers Armes besides their constant use and benefit in dayes of peace when Souldiers are needlesse uselesse I refer it to the unprejudiced judgements and consciences of all rationall Christian men and Souldiers themselves whether our faithfull preaching Ministers be not worthy of as large as liberall as constant setled honourable and coercive a maintenance from the people as any Souldiers Officers Captaines Collonels Majors or Major Generals whatsoever if not a better and larger salary and reward then they enjoy for the premised reasons when as yet some ordinary Souldiers and Troopers receive as much or more pay by the year as many of our godly Ministers and every Ancient Serjeant Lieutenant as much as the most and best beneficed Ministers and most Captaines Collonels and Majors five or six times more then our ablest best deserving Ministers and some generall Officers have received gained more in few months or years at least then hundreds of our meritorious Ministers put together can gain in all their lives by their Ministry How then can they tax them as covetous oppressive caterpillers of the people by their Ti●hes and Duties for receiving only 30. 40. 50. 80. 100. 200. or 300. l. a year and very few of them more or so much from the people by an ancient right paid once a year when as they receive ten times more from the impoverished people and at least the tenth part or more of all our poor Ministers livings by mon●hly enforced contributions and y●t will neither give them the Tenthes of their pay and spoyles of War as Abr●ham and others did Gen. 14. 10. Heb. 7. 4 6. 1 Chron. 26. 26 27 28. nor many of them pay their own Tithes and endevour to hinder others though willing from paying them any Tithes or Dues to which they have a juster right then they have to their pay and enforced contributions against all aneient Lawes and Statutes as now imposed and levied esp●cially on the Clergy who were never Taxed or Charged either by Lords or Commons in former ages but only by themselves by their o●n free Grant● in Parliament and Convocation by speciall Acts as our Records and Printed Seatutes manifest Or with what face reason or con●cience they can seek to deprive them of all their Tith●s Glebes and other legal setled coercive Stipends amounting to so small a value as now they do when as themselves receive far more setled constant pay levyed with the greatest rigour and extremity on the exhausted peoples every Month or Quarter and some of them have many Military besides civill gainfull Offices and imployments and that in severall Kingdomes amounting to thousands and tenne thousands by the year when few Ministers now enjoy one or two hundred pounds a year de claro and most not sixty all Taxes deducted and must hardly be suffered to hold two adjoyning petty Benefices to make up 80. or 100. l. a year without much clamour censure and danger of deprivation when as they can hold so many gainful incompetent Pluralities in these necessitous times and when as Popish Pagan Mahomitan and Aegyptian Priests enjoy far more then our best deserving Clergy at this day without their Officers Souldiers Clamours or opposition Having thus made good the proposition by these Scriptures and Reasons to which I could never yet hear the least colourable Answer given I now proceed to answer such Objections as have been or may be made against it Object 1 The first Objection is from Mat. 10. 8. Where when Christ sent out his 12 Apostles to preach he saith unto them Heal the sicke cleanse the Lepers raise the Dead cast out Devils FREELY YE HAVE RECEIVED FREELY GIVE Whence some inferre That Ministers and Apostles of Christ are here enjoyned by him to preach the Gospell freely without receiving any wages reward or recompence for it because they freely received their power and commission to preach the Gospell without giving money or price for it To which I Answer Answ 1. That this clause of Freely ye have received freely give it relates not to their preaching of the Gospell but is annexed only to the precedent words Heal the sicke cleanse the Lepers raise the Dead cast out Devils which they are commanded to do freely without any wages hire or reward having freely received this miraculous power of healing the sicke c. from Christ who did it freely and that to gain credit to the truth of the Gospell which was confirmed credited propagated by these free miraculous workes Marke 16. 17 18 20. Act. 31. 1 to 12. 9. 38. to 43. 5. 14 15 16 17 18. 13. 11 12. Which power of working miracles when Simon Magus would have bought for money of Peter he said unto him Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money Thou ●ast neither part nor lot in this matter for thy heart is not