be the true Light the Way to the Father the Tree of Life in the Paradise of God and Paul was sent to turn People from Darkness to Light from the Power of Satan unto God Peter exhorted To take heed unto the sure Word of Prophecy as to a Light shining in a Dark Place until the Day did dawn and the Day-star did arise in their Hearts John 1.9 John 8.12 Acts 26.18 2 Pet. 1.19 But Man-made Ministers say The Scripture is the Light Such walk in the Region of the Shadow of Death the Scripture was given out by the Eternal Light a Declaration of it of God whence it came 6. The Apostles preached up the Baptism by one Spirit into one Body 1 Cor. 12.13 as the permanent Baptism of the Evangelical Dispensation the Heart-cleansing and Soul-saving Baptism the Substance 1 Pet. 3.21 Man-made Ministers Sprinkle Infants saying thereby they are made Members of Christ Children of God Inheriters of the Kingdom of Heaven Thus the Visible is inthroned and the Invisible is dis-throned which truly makes Members of Christ Paedorantism that is Sprinkling of Infants came not in till Hundreds of Years after the Apostles dayes 7. The Apostles knew Christ to be the Bread of Life the Soul's Food heavenly Manna here they fed at the Table of the Lord had fellowship one with another were written in one anothers Hearts these knew the Table and Supper of the Lord. Man-made Ministers tell of a Sacrament for which there is no Scripture 't was the old Heathen Roman Military Oath their Communion is in visibles Meat that perishes Christendom Professing this Communion is become as Golgotha a Place of Skulls as Aceldama a Field of Blood 8. True Minsters knew the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the World to be the Everlasting Covenant Glad Tidings to Captive Souls to Prisoners of Hope this Gospel was preached to Adam Gen. 3.15.10 Abraham Gal. 3.8 Man-made Ministers say Matthew Mark Luke and John is the Gospel Their Writings are a Declaration of the Everlasting Gospel Luke 1.1 9. The Apostles preached Christ the Fountain of Life the Treasury of Wisdom and Knowledge in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells Bodily Man-made Ministers say That Oxford and Cambridge are the Fountain Well-spring or Well-head of Divinity the two Eyes of the Nation Though founded in Popish Times for the Propagation of their Doctrine and Religion 10. The Apostles preached the Word which was in the beginning to be the Original which was before Babel many Languages by which the Prophets and Apostles were called and drew others into the one pure Language to know the Virtue of the Everlasting Gospel Man-made Ministers say that Hebrew and Greek is the Original The Hebrews persecuted Christ the Greeks accounted the Cross of Christ Foolishness Pilate who had Latin Greek and Hebrew the World 's Original he crucified Christ Alpha and Omega the Beginning and Ending the First and Last the Original the Author of the pure heavenly Language 11. The Apostles preached the Saints to be the Temple of the Living God Christ the Anti-type reigning in their mortal Bodies Man-made Ministers say That a House of Lime and Stone is the Temple An Imitation of Solomon's Temple a Type fulfilled and ended in Christ the Substance Stephen was stoned to Death for witnessing against the Temple the Figure when Christ the Substance was manifested 12. The Apostles preached Christ the one Offering perfecting forever them that are sanctified Heb. 10. They preached Christ the end of that Priesthood that took Tythe the end of the Law that gave Tythe Heb. 7.12 Man-made Ministers preach up Tythe the Heave-offering Numb 18. the Shadow so deny Christ the One Offering And by the same Rule they may introduce and uphold all the other Offerings of the Aaronical Priesthood 13. The Apostles as Freely they received so they Freely gave Mat. 10. 1 Pet. 4.10 Buy the Truth but sell it not saith Solomon Prov. 23. The Wine and Milk of the Kingdom is to be bought but how Without Money and Price Isa 55.1 Man-made Ministers say They are gifted men but will not part with their Gift but for a certain yearly Sum Wisdom the Gift of God is Free and cannot be bought and sold for Money Wisdom saith Job cannot be ' gotten for Gold nor Silver nor for Coral Pearls nor Rubies cap. 28. Who think to purchase it they are in the Gall of Bitterness in the Bond of Iniquity as Simon was Acts 8. 14. Such as Christ sent they preached That every one had a measure of Light in him leading to Life such as received it the Condemnation of such as received it not Joh. 1.5.9 Joh. 3.19 Rom. 1.19 Luke 17.21 Man-made Ministers deny this Doctrine saying 'T is a Natural Light and belch out Approbious Language against it and that the Improvement of it advantages nothing And all this to keep People in a Reliance and Dependance upon them never to witness the new Covenant the Law written in the Heart the Spirit put in the Inward Parts 15. Paul told the Corinthians That they might all Prophesie that all might learn and be comforted and if any thing was revealed to him that sate by the first was to hold his Peace 1 Cor. 14. This was Order in the true Church Man-made Ministers accounts this Confusion and Disorder for if any should come in and speak while the publick Minister is speaking or when he hath done how cruelly such have been used I need not mention shewing that their Church-members are Branches of that old putred stock that they were of who stoned Stephen to Death Acts 7. 16. The Apostles preached Freedom from Sin Rom. 6.6 7 18. Freedom from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8.2 A Sanctified State 1 Cor. 6.11 A Cleansing from all Sin by the Blood of Jesus 1 John 1.7 Man-made Ministers teach another Doctrine That there is no Freedom from Sin in this Life and that a man must carry a Body of Sin and Death about with him while upon Earth 17. The Apostle James owned Christ's Doctrine who said Swear not at all Mat. 5. James 5. But Man-made Ministers plead for Swearing saying The Denyal thereof is an old Heresie yea and many eminent in the Church since the Apostles dayes have born faithful Testimonies against Swearing as Christ did who spake with Authority 18. The Apostles owned Revelation without it God is not known Mat. 11.27 Till this was witnessed Paul was Saul a grand Persecutor Gal. 1.16 Who are of God now they bear witness to this But Man-made Ministers say Revelation is ceased So conclude all to be excluded from the Knowledge of the Living God 'T is true who are in the Will of Man Night and Darkness is upon them the Sun is set Vision and Revelation such know not 19. The true Ministers of Christ preached Present Salvation Ephes 2.8 By Grace they were saved Tit. 3.5 1 Pet. 3.21 Man-made Ministers preach Christ and Salvation at a Distance telling
arbitrary by the example of Abram and Jacob a man might give them Vow them or not as he pleased Now if there had been a Command for the same they ought to have been paid because commanded and they could not have been detained without breach of the Lord's command Bernard touched this well Non attendit vere pius quale sit illud quod praecipitur hoc Solo contentus quia praecipitur that is One truly Godly heeds not or disputes not what like the thing is which is commanded acquiescing and contenting himself in that it is commanded Again as Jacob's Vow was Voluntary so it was conditional in depending on the performance of Gods promise to him if Tythes had been a divine Tribute commanded of God there had been no necessity of Vowing to give them he could not have detained them without the soul spot and sordid blemish of Disobedience neither could he have made his Obligation conditional for Tythes must have been paid because commanded So this free voluntary and spontaneous Vow conduces not to make up a Divine right to Tythes Now if you will claim property in and right unto Tythes from the voluntary Act of Abram and Jacob why do you not use Circumcision erect Altars offer Sacrifice These things they did and you have as much ground from their Example to perpetuate the rest as Tythes in Gospel-dayes and if the Smoke of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Self-love did not darken your understandings you would see Christ Jesus the sum and substance of all Shadows to have ended and fulfilled the one as well as the other CAP. VX The Clergies Mosaical Claim to Tythes examined OUt of the twelve Tribes of Israel the Living God chose Aaron and his Sons for the Office of the Priesthood and the rest of the Tribe of Levi he chose for the Service of the Tabernacle he gave unto the Levites all the Tenth in Israel for an Inheritance for their Service and they were to have no Inheritance among the Children of Israel The Levites out of their Tythes were to offer up an Heave-Offering of it to the Lord even the tenth part of their Tythe and give it unto Aaron the Priest for himself and his Sons and this was all the portion the Priest had in Tythe even the Tenth of the tenth from the Hands of the Levites the Levites Strangers Fatherless and Widows had the rest So the Lord Instituted Three Tenths 1. The Tenths of the Levites they had all the tenth in Israel for their Service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Numb 18.21 2dly The Priests Tenths which was the tenths of the Levites tenths by them given to the Priest to Aaron and his Sons this was called a Heave-Offering Numb 18.26 c. 3dly The Poor man's Tythe at the end of three Years laid up within their Gates and this was for the Relief and Maintenance of the Fatherless Widow and Stranger Deut. 14.27 28. The Tribe of Levi as hath been touched had no more right unto nor Title in Tythes then any of the other Tribes till the Lord assigned the same to them upon the Command they became due and not to be detained while the Law was in force Now you that perochially Officiate as Ministers of Jesus Christ would be so accounted yet have recourse to the Authority of Meses for your Maintenance Let me know how Gospel Ordinances peculiar to the Church of Christ are to be practised and to receive their Authority from a Mosaical Institution Seeing nothing can give priviledge unto a Gospel property but a Gospel Authority then why do you pretending to be Ministers of Christ impose upon Christians the Bondage of a Mosaical Institution to wit the exaction of Tythes whose Institution and Beeing was from the Law of Moses and terminated with the Service it was given for Again if a Gospel-Ordinance must be practised from Mosaical Institutions Is not this to make the Gospel ineffectual of less Authority then the Law Christ inferior to Moses his Ordinances insufficient and not obligatory unless strengthned by the Authority of Moses Undoubtedly to demand Tythes under the Gospel by vertue of the Institution of Moses cannot want foul Absurdities In Relation to Tythes several things are further to be considered 1. They were commanded to be paid to the Levites for their Service of the Tabernacle no other Tribe could claim property in the same because the Command reached only unto Levi and it is the command of God that gives a Divine right unto a thing commanded So if you will have Tythes from the Mosaical Authority you must prove your selves to be the very Persons to whom they were commanded to be paid you must prove your selves the Legitimate Sons of and lineally descended from Levi and if you will have the Wage of the Levites you must do their Work you must have an outward Tabernacle and Vessels thereto belonging bear it encamp about it take it down set it up For this and such like Work Tythe was given to the Levites and none of you must enter that Service till twenty five Years old nor continue therein after the Age of Fifty 2. Tythes according to the Institution of Moses were to be paid by the eleaven Tribes only from their several Portions in the Land of Canaan not any other People nor any other place were bound by the Law of Moses to the payment thereof Eusebius agrees with the Jewish Doctors and Rabbies herein that Tythes were only limitted to Canaan the Land of Israel therefore if you will have the Levites Wage you must not only prove your selves Levites and do their Work but you must go to Canaan and call for Tythes of the eleven Tribes else prove England to be Canaan and the Inhabitants thereof the eleven Tribes which will prove a matter of great difficulty The Jewish Doctors conclude that regularly no Inhabitants but of the Land of Israel were to pay any by their Law Where they live dispersed in strange Lands they pay no Tythes now both for want of their Temple Priesthood as also for the restrainment thereof to the Land of Canaan and the Jews that live in Canaan now pay none for want of their Temple and Priesthood But you pretending to be Ministers of Christ who put an end to that Service for which they were given and to the Law which gave them you I say being neither Jews Levites in the Land of Canaan nor have the Temple nor the Priesthood nor the Appurtenances thereof yet require them by that Law which never gave them to any other but to the Levites for their Service c. 3. The Priesthood settled on Aaron and his Sons received no Tythes of Husbandmen at the Hands of the eleven Tribes all that they received was the tenth of the Tenths from the Levites this was called a Heave-Offering So the Apostle said And verily they that are the Sons of Levi who receive the Office of the Priesthood have a Commandment to take Tythes of
the People according to the Law that is of their Brethren though they come out of the Loins of Abraham Heb. 7 5. Now if you claim Tythes from the Aaronical Priesthood as succeeding them you must do Aarons Work have holy Garments an outward Breast-plate an Ephod a broidered Coat a Mitre two Onyx Stones Vrim and Thumim you must have the Shoulder the two Cheeks and the Maw when an Ox or a Sheep is offered in Sacrifice which must be done Such as claim the Wage of Aaron they must do the Work of Aaron yet in so doing it were Antichristian because Christ is come the end of the Law the end of that Priesthood that received Tythes the end of the Heave-offering Tythe as well as of the Meat-Offering Sin-Offering Burnt-Offering Trespass-Offering Wave-Offering Heb. 7.12 Heb. 10.10 14. Why were the Levitical Priests blamed for that when any man offered Sacrifice their Servant came while the Flesh was in seething with a three-toothed Flesh-hook in his Hand and stroke it into the Pan Kettle Cauldron or Pot and all that the Flesh-hook brought up that was the Priests due I Answer this was charged as a Fault upon them because they did it without divine Institution 1 Sam. 2. Now if that Custom was blame-worthy which extended but to the compass of a Pan Kettle Pot or Cauldron Shall that be allowable which reaches to the utmost corner of a Parish if divine Institution minister not allowance thereunto Obj The Heave-Offering Tythes was given by a Statute forever doth not this perpetuate the payment of Tythes in Gospel-Dayes Is not the Evangelical Dispensation comprehended within the Bounds of forever Numb 18.11 19. Answ True it is most of the Types and Shadows of Moses as Circumcision Temple Passover Jewish Feasts Offerings the Trumpets of the Priests and Levites were called Statutes forever whereupon the Jews stickle hard for the perpetual and immutable Obligation of the Law of Moses for a perpetual and immutable Dispensation and thou that pleads for the continuance of Tythes from this may by the same rule plead for the continuance of all or most of the Shadows of the Law which were given by Statutes forever Further this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forever saith Dr. Cave in his Book called Antiquitates Apostolica When it is applied unto God it denotes Eternity but when to other things it implies no more then a Periodical duration limitted according to the mind of the Law-giver The Hebrew Servant was to have his Ear bored through with an Awl and he was to serve forever Exod. 21.6 which was but till the end of his Life Levit. 25.40 Thus when Circumcision Temple Offerings as other Ritual and Transient Services of the Law were called Statutes forever 't is implyed thereby they should be a long time obligatory until the time of the Messiah in whose dayes the daily Sacrifices and Oblations were to be taken away the Type giving place to the thing typified the Shadow to the Substance then Paul preached against Circumcision the Passover outward Stephen was stoned for bearing witness against the Temple Paul preached up Christ the one Offering the End and Substance of all Jewish Offerings Thus in the Life Typical Shadows though called Statutes forever were testified against and Christ is the End of the Heave-Offering-Tythe as well as of all other typical and transient Offerings The Types of the Law saith Wilson in his compleat Christian-Dictionary are called Everlasting because in Christ the Antitype the Substance of such Types they have a perpetual continuance Thus the Types were commanded by an Ordinance forever to the Ever or Last Period of that transient Dispensation to give way to Christ the Substance in whom the thing signified by the Type is continued running parallel with the duration of the World 4thly The Levites were not to exact above the allowed Portion the Levitical Property and Right was bounded within a Levitical Compass the Fatherless Widows and Strangers had a property in Tythes as well as the Levites Deut. 14. But now Counterfeit Levites encroaching and usurping the whole Tenths yea all things considered even the sixth or seventh part of the Kingdom What is this but grievous Oppression An eating the Bread out of the Mouth of the Fatherless Widows and Strangers A taking away the Sheaf from the Hungry Job 24.10 Now if this Levitical order of Tything must continue Why should not the Fatherless Widows and Strangers come in and claim their Right If that Inheritance introduced in the Apostacy must be continued why should not the Inheriters be thereto entituled Why should the Right and Portion of Fatherless Widows and Strangers be devoured by ravenous Cormorants Your degeneration from the Levitical Institution is exceeding great Many of you I say not all not only disdaining to be ranked with the Levitical Alms-men Fatherless Widows and Strangers and seizing upon their Property but extorting and exacting Dues as you call them from many that are Poor and Indigent Ecclesiastical Histories sufficiently evidence that after the falling away from the primitive Faith Purity and Order Tythes came to be preached up and introduced under the specious pretences of Charity and Alms to the Poor This Doctrine being complied with and people having liberty to bestow them where and on whom they pleased they were much disposed to give them to the Poor at which thing Pope Innocent the third about the Year 1200. much stormed and greatly complained Yea and our English Parliaments being mindful of the Poor and Indigent for whose sakes Tythes were chiefly given made divers Laws in the reign of Richard the second and Henry the fourth that a convenient portion of the Tythes should be set a part for the Maintenance of the Poor of the Parish forever Yea and Queen Elizabeth in the Year 1559. enjoyned That all Parsons Vicars Pensionaries Prebendaries and other Beneficed men should distribute the fortieth part of their Benefices upon their poor Parishioners Tythes formerly were accounted the Parish Goods out of which the Priest was to receive a moderate Maintenance for himself then as a Steward faithfully to distribute the rest to the Parish-poor that Parishes might be exempted of further Charge on that account But selfish Priests who under the specious pretence of relieving the Poor gradually wrought upon People to pay their Tythes by little and little to manifest their Bosom-intents excluding the Poor and leaving them to the Mercy of the Parish they seized on the whole for their particular Uses notwithstanding the Mosaical Institution providing for the Relief of Fatherless Widows and Strangers as well as for the Priest and Levite that the Husband-man might be at no further Charge on that account and notwithstanding our English Parliamentary Laws the Poor have lost their Property The weakest as the Proverb is goes to the Wall Yet my intention is not by any thing here spoken to justifie the ritual Observances of Moses in Gospel dayes nor the Service and Maintenance of the
or otherwise without special License of the Ordinary of the same place Was not this an Usurpation of the Prerogative of the Lord of the Harvest Before Henry the 8th's dayes the King nominated who should be Bishop of such a Diocess being presented to the Pope the Pope was to approve of him After the Popes Approbation he was consecrated by the Arch-Bishop in England In the Apostâ—es dayes Bishops were made by the holy Ghost Acts 20.28 Henry the 8th casting off the Pope then he and his Parliament Enacted That no Bishop should be commended to the Pope but that the King should nominate them and approve of them to be suffiâ—ient Ministers About the year 1547. Edward the 6th put forth Injunctions That none should preach except sufficiently Licensed King James Enjoyned That none should Preach except lawfully Licensed thereto by the King or the Bishop Fox Acts Mon. Queen Mary in the first year of her Reign Enjoyned That none should preach but such as were allowed of by her Authority or by the Arch-Bishop or by the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge In the thirteenth Year of Queen Elizabeth 't was Enacted That none should be made Ministers or admitted to preach unless he were able to answer and render to the Ordinary an Account of his Faith in Latin that is he was to be a Linguist a Schollar Now how Peter and John unlearned and ignorant men could have passed such a Tryal let the wise in Heart judge Further Queen Elizabeth Enacted That none should be admitted to any Benefice or above the value of 30 l. per ann unless he were a Batchellor of Divinity or allowed of by the University of Oxford or Cambridge Now how Peter and John and others the Ministers the of Waldenses and Albigenses being most of them Tradesmen Non-Entes of no standing in Universities could have passed this Tryal I see not though called by the Lord of the Harvest to labour in the Vineyard In the Year 1644. the Parliament made an Ordinance to authorize the Presbyter Assembly of Divines for the Ordination of Ministers and gave them Rules for the Examination of such as were to be ordained by them as Whether they had Sworn and taken the Covenant What Degree they had taken in the Vniversity c Herein notwithstanding the swelling pretence of Reformation Christ the Lord of the Harvest was denyed In the Year 1653. Oliver Cromwell and his Council ordained for the Approbation of publick Preachers and appointed Commissioners for that purpose to judge of the Abilities of men before they were admitted to preach And how such were entertained who were sent by the Lord of the Harvest to bear witness against Man-made Ministers and their Unscriptural Covetous Practices 't is fresh in the remembrance of many Now you that plead for a Mediate Humane Call let me thus Reason with you Must the Aaronical Priesthood which typed out Christ and the Prophetical Dispensation which foresaw Christ allow of no Call but what was Divine contrary to the Will of man And must the Evangelical Dispensation the Substance the end of the Law the end of the Prophets the Glory of Dispensations lean upon the bruised Reeds of a Humane Mediate Call by Natural Tongues Heathen Arts and Sciences I have done when I have answered a few Objections Objection Acts 1.24 Answer This makes nothing for a Humane Mediate Call by the Will of man but against it The Apostles after the Resurrection and Ascention of Christ judged it expedient that one should be ordained a Witness with them of the Resurrection of Christ instead of Judas who was gone to his place they appointed two Joseph and Matthias men that had been conversant among them had seen the glorious and wonderful Works of Christ grew up in the Faith of the Gospel with them not trained up in Natural Tongues Heathen Arts and Sciences Logicks Spoiling Philosophy Pagan Metaphysicks for that purpose and the Apostles said Thou Lord which knowest the Hearts of all men shew whether of these two thou hast chosen Acts 1.24 Mark this Whether of these two thou hast chosen So that the adding of him to the cleaven Apostles they ascribed it to the Lord's Call Choice or Election Obj. Moses was learned in all the Wisdom of the Aegyptians Acts 7.22 Answ 'T is true but his Aegyptian Wisdom was not his Call into the Work of the Lord nâ—ither his Aegyptian Philosophy Hieroglyphicks nor the Smaragdine Table of Hermes Trismâ—gistus could qualifie him for that notwithstanding his Aegyptian Wisdom yet when he was to be concerned for the Lord he was as I may say Mute the Lord said to him Go and I will be with thy Mouth and will teach thee what thou shalt say Exod. 4.12 Here he is drawn from the muddy Lake of Aegyptian Wisdom to have his Dependance and Reliance upon the Mouth and Teaching of the Living God from whom he had his Call The Smoke of the Bottomless Pit saith the Book called The Naked Truth hath so blinded men as that it is grown up into a general Opinion that none are fit to be admitted into holy Orders but University Students and if he hath learnt a little to chop Logick he is presently deemed fit to divide the Word of Truth and is easily instituted into a Living and if he can bring some nice Metaphysical Speculations from Aristotle some Theological Distinctions from Thomas Aquinas then he is judged worthy of two or three Livings And thus University Youth and even Boys of no Experience saith this Author are made Spiritual Pastors the most weighty Office in the World Obj. Acts 13.2 3 4. Answ This makes nothing for a Humane Mediate Call acquired by Heathen Arts Sciences and Philosophy but against it the holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for tht Work whereunto I have called them Mark this Whereunto I have called them So they being sent forth by the holy Ghost c. Mark this sent forth by the holy Ghost Here both their Call and Mission is ascribed to the holy Ghost Further if Paul was not called before that he preached without a Call Acts 9.6 where Saul said Lord what wilt thou have me to do Here he was taken off from the Mouth of the High Priest to the Lord to know his Will and do it vers 15.20 Heavenly Wisdom being revealed his Idolized Magnified and highly Prized Arts Parts and Endowments fetched from Philosophers he accounted as Dung and Dross It is an Error saith Luther to say that a Divine is not made without Aristotle rather a Divine is not made except that be done without Aristotle Tom. 1. Fol. 10. The weighty Work of the Ministry saith Poole on this place is not to be undertaken without the Command and Mission of God None but such as are chosen and called of God can be fit to preach the Gospel Aug. Marl. on this place No kind of men are less capable of receiving the Doctrine of Christ than they that have their Mind
having driven out and overthrown these barbarous Nations performed not his promise with the Clergy but divided their Benefices to such of the Nobility as had done Valiantly in that Enterprize and assured the same to them and their Heirs forever in Fee The Example hereof passed over the Alpes into Italy and mounted above the Pyrenean Hills into Spain and shortly failed over into England Thus Tythes came out of the Hands of the Clergy and became the possession of the Laity This Fact of Martellus was committed about the Year 660. and for it is confidently Damn'd in the Legend the Story of his Damnation is fastened upon Euchere Bishop of Orleance who is said to have seen in a Vision this Martellus in Hells Torment and that Euchere might believe what he saw an Angel instructed him to seek for Martell in his Sepulchre so he did but found him not but the place he found all black and instead of Martell a direful Serpent This Story is to be read in the Legend and the whole passage is Recorded by Sr. Thomas Ridley in his view of the Civil and Ecclesiastical Law Further how it came to pass that Tythes appointed by man for the Maintenance of the Clergy for the use of the Poor for the building and repairing of places of publick Worship came into the Hands of Lay-men as they are called Albius Krantzius relates Carolus Magnus the Son of Pipin and King of France through his compliance with the See of Rome he first got the Title of Most Christian-King he Conquered the Saxons and drew them from Gentilism to the Profession of Christianity and made Provision for the Clergy But 't is said saith this Krantzius that Tythe at first was not assigned to the Saxon Clergy but to the King's Lievetenants that out of the same they might pay their Souldiers and answer the Charge of the frequent expeditions against that Nation For this end saith his Chronicle in Saxony and other places much Tythes were in the Hands of Lay-men This same Krantzius renders anothers Cause the Clergy fearing that Princes would not secure them in their Possession of Tythes he supposes the Clergy gave them part of Tythe thereby to obliege them to secure them in their Possession of their respective parts chusing rather to lose part thereof then the whole and that the things are true which Krantzius relates 't is evident from that Oration which Frederick the first Emperor made saying As touching you O Bishops the Pope judges it an unfitting thing that Tythes which are dedicated to Altars and Church-men should be in the possession of Lay-men neither will he understand that Churches of Old suffering great afflictions were defended by Lay-men than Church-men as a recompence to Lay-men gave them part of their large Possessions of Tythes Kran Lib. 1. and Lib. 6. Novissima Polyanthea And in our Nation King Henry the eighth shaking off the Pope denying his Supremacy he dissolved many Monasteries which had many Tythes and Rectories appropriated unto them so kept part in his own Hands part he sold to others to be held as Lay-Possesssions thus they dropt into Lay-mens hands and these Lay-men having no Law to recover them the Popes Law not reaching to Lay-persons so called this Henry made new Laws in behalf of Lay-men that they might be capacitated to enforce the aforesaid payment of Tythes Thus it appears what jumbling and Confusion hath been in the Night of Apostacy to introduce and continue Tythes granted only to the Levites for their Service under that Ministration which Law which Service and which Maintenance Christ the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah put an end unto and such as introduce what he put an end unto notwithstanding their gilded Colours and specious Pretences being seen in Gods Eye and weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary they are found Antichristian Now you Teachers of what Denomination soever who strive struggle and wrestle to maintain a property in your delicate and dainty Morsell Tythes and that jure divino aut humano by divine or humane Right give me leave soberly and modestly to make tryal of your Right to or Property in the same in your most Foundamental pretences and to the end I may Methodize the ensuing discourse let me lay the Ax to the Root of the Tree try your pretended Tenure of right unto the exaction of Tythes and that from a four-fold Authority Patriarchal Mosaical Evangelical and Humane for all Grounds Reasons and Arguments that are or can be alledged for the exaction of Tythes are naturally reducible to one or other of these four Sourses or Springings and if these main Pillars Cathedral props cannot bear up that Building of the exaction of Tythes in Gospel Dayes and that by Divine right it will and ought to tumble down as the Reformation of the great Gospel-Reformer prevails in Churches professing Christianity and as you learn the sound wholsom and savoury Lesson of Self-denyal you will be glad and rejoyce for the Reformation of Christ and for the increase of his Government notwithstanding your loss of Antichristian Provision CAP. XIII The Clergies Patriarchal Claim of Tythes considered NOw you that say That the Divine Right of Tythes is derived from Melchizedec and not from Levi. To this I Answer 'T is then inquirable whether or no Tythes were ever the due and property of Melchizedec that which could make them his Property must be a Command they were no more the property of the Levites then of any other of the Tribes till there was an Assignation of them to the Levites after the command issued from the Court of Heaven they became due and while the command stood in force and the Law was unrepealed 't was a transgression of the divine Law to be found in non-payment thereof Now where is the Command that Tythes should be paid to Melchizedec Where is the Law of the Assignation of them to him 'T is not groundless Conjectures and Suppositions will serve the turn positive Precept is called for No right could be derived from Melchizedec to another which was not first in Melchizedec himself Vlpians Judgment is found Nemo plus juris ad alium transferre potest quam ipse haberet that is No man can make a better Title to another then he himself hath Obj. Tythes were paid to Melchizedec after whose Order Christ was High Priest forever therefore due unto the Evangelical Order Answ 'T is neither said by Moses nor by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews that Abram paid him Tythes but that he gave him Tythes and betwixt a Payment and a Gift there is a difference the one imports a Due or Debt the other a free and Voluntary Act. Now if Tythes had been properly due from Abram to Melchizedec 't is not probable that both these holy men who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinely inspired would have said he gave but he paid Tythes The Geneva notes on Heb. 7.5 say The Levites had Commandment to receive
Sin-Offering Burnt-Offering Trespass-Offering Wave-Offering as for the Heave-Offering in Gospel-days I have shewed my Judgment that Tythe was a legal Type Figure or Shadow peculiar unto the Ministration of Moses and that it terminated with that Ministration I might add the Judgment of many several of whom have been eminent in the Protestant Church who have spoken to the same purpose The payment of Tythes saith Fulke as it was a Ceremonial duty it is abrogated with other Ceremonies by the Death of Christ On Heb. 7.4 Further neither did Christ our high Priest ever make claim unto Tythes nor his Apostles Minister of the Church but only to a sufficient living by the Gospel to be allowed of their temporal Goods to them from whom they had received Spiritual things Fulke on the same Walter Brute a valiant opposer of Popery shewed that Tythes were Ceremonial and that the Law was abrogated by which they were due to the Levites his Testimony is I marvel that you learned Men do say That Christian Folk are bound to this small Ceremony of the payment of Tythes For a Conclusion he saith Seeing that neither Christ nor any of the Apostles commanded to pay Tythes 't is evident neither by the Law of Moses nor by Christ's Law Christian People are bound to pay Tythes but by the Tradition of Men they are bound Fox Acts and Mon. The Quota or tenth part saith Melaneton is founded on the Ceremonial and Judicial Law which Laws are proper to Moses Polity and belong not to us seeing God hath utterly destroyed it De Lib. Christian pag. 303. Epiphanius about the Year 380. intimated that Tythes and Circumcision were a like Ceremonial He mentions Tenths for one of his instances of legal Shadows making them equal with Circumcision Lib. 1. Ord. 8. Oecolampadius on Ezek. 44. ranks Sacrifices first Fruits and Tythes altogether making them equal with Circumcision and calls them expresly Ceremonial The Bohemians sound Protestants in their Testimony against the Popish Clergy said thus They receive Tythes of men and preach that men are bound to pay them but therein they say falsly for they cannot prove by the New Testament that Jesus Christ commanded it nor the Apostles neither did they receive them This Precept of the Law say they had an end by Christ as the precept of Circumcision Christ said Give Alms of those things that remain but he said not Give the Tenth of the Goods which ye possess This is the sum of their Testimony on that account Andrew Willet a stout opposer of Popery in the reign of King James called the Law of Tythes Ceremonial acknowledging That men are not necessarily bound by the Law of God to pay Tythes now Further he saith That the payment of Tythes was a wise and politick Constitution and might conveniently be retained yet it is not now of necessity imposed upon Christians as though no other Provision for the Church could serve but that Willets Synops Papismi pag. 314 315. He acknowledges Tythes to be Ceremonial and proves them ended with the legal Priesthood So that though Maintenance it self be Moral yet the mode or manner of that Maintenance as by Sacrisices Oblations Tythes first Fruits c. may be Ceremonial Hebrews 7.5 12. An absolute Repeal of that Law which gave Tythes as of the Priesthood to whom by that Law they were given To conclude Hales Aquinas Henricus de Grandavo R. de Media Villa Cardinal Cajetan John Mayer Suarez Malder and others said That the tenth part paid by the Tribes to Levi was rather Ceremonial then Moral and wherein the Ceremoniality of it lies the clearly seeing Eye cannot but discern CAP. XVII Of the Clergies Humane Title unto the Exaction of Tythes THe Patriarchal Levitical and Evangelical Claim not securing in order to the property of Tythes not a few betake themselves to a humane Claim as unto an impregnable Fortress and such as have recourse unto man for a ground to justifie them in the Possession thereof their pleas are various Some plead the Decrees Canons and Constitutions of General Councils Popes Bishops Convocations saying That Tythes are due jure Eeclesiastico Others plead the Gifts of Kings and Princes Others plead the temporal Laws of Kings Parliaments c. Others plead the perticluar Gifts Appropriation or Donation of the former Owners of the Land Others plead a Right by purchase I Answer These Claims have been perticularly answered and that again and again So I say in the general How can humane Laws made for the payment of Tythes since Christ came in the Flesh bind the Conscience of any man Seeing the end scope purpose intent and tendency of those Laws are for the establishment of that which Christ put an End unto whose prerogative it is to have Rule Regiment Government in all where the Mystery of Faith is held in a pure Conscience Gods own Law for the payment of Tythes to the Levites being dissanulled by Christ and its burden of typical Appurtenances abolished Who is Man that makes a Law in that place where God dissanulled his own Who hath impowered man to raise a compulsary Maintenance it being Christ's Maintenance for his Ministry was free and voluntary After Austin brought the Romish Faith and Doctrine into this Nation upon what strange accounts Tythes came to be set up and established I have in some measure touched and further and. Athelstane King of the West Saxons about the Year 940 to pacifie the Ghost of his murthered Brother Edwin to whose Death he is said to have consented underwent seven Years Penance built certain Monasteries and made a Law for the payment of Tythes hoping thereby to expiate his Sins Fox Acts and Mon. King Edgar cruel to Citizens a deflowrer of Virgins concerned in the Act of shedding the Blood of Earle Ethelwold that he might enjoy Elfrida his Wife to expiate his Sins about the Year 959. he confirmed the payment of Tythes built and prepared several Monasteries and Nunneries Canutus the first Danish King being guilty of the Blood of Edward and Edmund Sons of Ironfide Heirs to the Crown about the Year 10.6 confirmed Tythes and built the Abbey of St Bennet in Norfolk and in Suffolk and the Monastery of St Edmund whom he dreadfully feared being often affirighted by the apparition of his Ghost for which cause as also to expiate the Sins of his Fathers he Confirmed Tythes See Osburns Case of Tythes Upon such accounts as these and other Idolatrous ends the grand Oppression and Antichristian exaction of Tythes had entrance into our English Church professing Christianity and such Donations as these are pleaded yea and by such as would be accounted Reformers from the Delusions of mystical Babylon from the Dregs of the apostatized seven-hilled City and her Adherents yea and such Donors were and are reckoned as Nursing Fathers to the Christian Church And such as strengthen themselves for the maintaining of that grand Oppression have the Language of Peter in their Mouthes against such as
receive any thing by way of Bargain or yearly Stipend in so doing he is a Schismatick and accursed 3dly That if we be bound to pay Tythes in Gospel times then are we Debtors to keep the whole Law for he that was the End of one part was the end of the whole 4thly Seeing that neither Christ nor any of his Apostles commanded to pay Tythes 't is manifest and plain that neither by the Law of Moses nor by the Law of Christ Christians are bound to pay Tythes but by mans Traditions Fox Acts and Mon. A Sound Testimony and true but opposed by Man made Ministers About the year 1431. Lodovicus a man much praised for Constaney and Wisdom said to the Clergy If you were true Bishops and true Pastors of Souls you would not doubt to put your Lives in hazard for your Sheep neither be afraid to shed your Blood for the Church in the Cause of Christ but at this present saith he 't is too rare to find a Prelate which doth not prefer his Temporalities before his Spiritualities with the Love whereof they are so withdrawn that they study rather to please Princes than God c. Aen. Syl. his History of the Council of Basil Pareus speaking of the drying up the River Euphrates brings in the judgment of his Anonymus that is Nameless Author which he approves of which is That the preaching of the Gospel doth shall cause men to take away all Temporal Things that is Possessions and Earthly Dominion from the Clergy and they shall no more be given them Herein I accord with him that as far as the Virtue and Power of the Gospel truly renews transforms and changes men so far 2 Faithfull and Living Testimony shall be born to the Free and Voluntary Maintenance of the Gospel and against the Antichristian Maintenance by Tythes and other Groundless Scriptureless Co-ercive Maintenance Truth prevailing this shall be scoured away It is against the holy Scripture saith Wickliff for Church-men to have Possessions Gerardus Sagarellus who lived before Wickliff's time denyed a divine Right to Tythes in Gospel days Erasmus boldly affirmed That the common exacting of Tythes by the Clergy in his Time was no better than Tyranny In Augustin's time it was no general Law nor Custom in the Church that Tythes should be paid Willet's Synopsis of Popery When the Disciples saith Walter Brute said to Christ Behold we have left all and have followed thee what shall we have He answered not thus Tythes shall be paid you neither did he promise them a Temporal but an Everlasting Reward in Heaven for Food and Apparel he taught his Disciples not to be careful Paul right-well remembring his Doctrine gave Timothy this Instruction Having Food and Rayment let us therewith be content Fox Acts and Mon. Primitive Non-payment of Tythes saith one is a pregnant Argument that they did not understand Tythes to be appointed by Christ for his Ministers He that knows his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many Stripes Had it been saith Selden of Tythes the Apostles Ordinance or the Use of the Church in the Primitive Times Origen Tertullian and Cyprian could not have been so silent in it Is it likely saith he that all the old Councils from thence till near six Hundred Years after Christ which have special Canons for the Lands and Goods possest by the Church c. could have omitted the Name of Tenths if either such Use or Apostolical Law had preceeded Some of the aforesaid for their Testimony against Tythes as against other Errors Heresies Superstition and Idolatry of Italian Babylon suffered in Flames as Histories demonstrate To draw to a Conclusion By what hath been said 't is apparent to all seeing Eyes that according to Christ's Doctrine the Apostles were not to receive any thing but from such as received them and their Doctrine from such as reaped their Spiritual Things But now all that are found within the Limits Precincts Bounds of such or such a Parish first set up by the Pope and his Emissaries after ratified by Earthly Princes whether Believers or Unbelievers Prophane Schismaticks Hereticks Excommunicated Persons yea such as they 'l Curse and give up to Satan of these they 'l have Tythes Easter-Reckonings Midsummer-Dues Mortuaries Oblations Smoke-Money which they claim as Due being introduced by Apostatized men bringing for a Cloak He that preaches the Gospel must live of the Gospel when as the Gospel warrants no such thing In the Apostles time they had places of Worshop where Jews gathered from Jewdaism and Gentiles from Gentilism met together to Worship God in Spirit and in Truth yet no man was limitted to this or that Place nor to pay to such or such a Place or minister so much per annum these Anti-evangelical Antichristian Customs crawled out of the Apostolical Womb Honorius who succeeded Austin at Canterbury about the Year 630. divided his Province into Parishes as Selden of Tythes chap. 9. saith THE END
Flock from the Mouth of such and set up One Shepherd who should feed them This one Shepherd is known and the Shepherds that mind the Fleece more than the Flock are turned from Ezek. 34. Daniel through the virtue and influence of the living Word was made a Prophet he fore-saw the Messiah and his Kingdom and how the Saints should take his Kingdom and of the â—â—ishing of Transgression and of the putting an End to Sin and of making Reconciliation for Iniquity and of bringing in Everlasting Righteousness Hosea was called of the Lord the Word of the Lord came unto him cap. 1.1 he bare Testimony against prophane Priests saying My People are destroyed for lack of Knowledge because thou hast rejected Knowledge I will also reject thee that thou shalt be no Priest unto me Hos 4. And as Troops of Robbers wait for a man so the Company of Priests Murder in the Way by Consent for they commit Lewdness Hos 6.9 Joel the Prophet was called of the Lord Joel 1.1 he prophesied of the Glory of the Evangelical Dispensation saying It shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh your Sons and your Daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dream Dreams your young men shall see Visions and upon the Servants and Hand-maids in those days I will pour out my Spirit Joel 2.28 29. So 't is the Spirit of the Lord that enables to Pray to Preach to Prophesie to bear a faithful Testimony for the Lord not acquired Heathen Arts Sciences and natural Tongues Amos a Herds-man and a Gatheres of Sicomore Fruit was called of the Lord to be a Prophet Amos 1.1 he rebuked Israel for that they would have had the Lords Prophets silent Amos 2.12 Amaziah said unto Amos O thou Seer flee into the Land of Judah there eat Bread and Prophesie there but Prophesie not any more aâ— Bethel for it is the Kings Chappel and it is the Kings Court Amos 7. Thus he who had the Letter without the Spirit would have limitted him that was in the Spirit the Key which opens and no man can shut And how man-made Ministers now and others in the Will of the Flesh have and do labour to stop the Testimony of Truth because not born by Artists Logicians Philosophers I need say little Obadiah was called of the Lord contrary to the Will of Man cap. 1.1 he prophesied That Saviours should come upon Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esau and the Kingdom should be the Lords vers 21. Jonah was called of the Lord the Word of the Lord came unto him That he should preach Repentance unto Nineveh but consulting with Flesh and blood he steared his course to Tarshish a great Fish swallowed him up through Repentance he was delivered and sent to preach Repentance to Nineveh Jonah 1 2 3. chap. Micah was called of the Lord cap. 1.1 he bare Testimony against such as came by the Will of man saying Thus saith the Lord concerning the Prophets that make my People Err and cry Peace Peace and he that puts not into their Mouthes they prepare War against him In the Living Word that came to Micah such Teachers are now seen preparing War against them that put not into their Mouthes that refuse to give them Tythe Easter-reckonings Midsummer-dues Martin-Mass-Calves Mortuaries Reek-pennies such they Sue recover Tribble Damages Imprison what spoil is made on this account very many Parishes in England affords Examples The Sun was gone down over such Prophets yea Night was upon them and they had no Vision nor Answer of God Micah 3.5 6 7. Now such as deny Revelation and Vision the Sun is gone down unto them Night is upon them Further saith Micah The Heads judge for Rewards and the Priests teach for Hire the Prophets divine for Money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us Micah 3.11 In the same Spirit now revealed such are now seen Nahum was called of the Lord cap. 1.1 he spake of slumbering Shepherds cap. 3.18 In the Soul-quickning Life-restoring Word such Slumberers and Sleepers are now seen who are not kept waking to Righteousness nor vigilant for the good of their Flocks Habakkuk was called of the Lord cap. 1.1 he prophesied of a comfortable Dispensation of the scattering of the Exhalations of Darkness and Ignorance saying The Earth shall be filled with the Knowledge of the Glory of the Lord as Waters cover the Sea cap. 2.14 Zaphaniah was called of the Lord cap. 1.1 he testified That the Lord would cut off the Names of the Chemarims that is Black coats with the Priests Zeph. 1.4 He said of Jerusalem That her Prophets were Light and Treacherous Persons that her Priests had polluted the Sanctuary and had done Violence to the Law cap. 3.4 Such as have no Call but of man will be found guilty hereof Haggai was called of the Lord he cryed out saying Is it time for you to dwell in your Ceiled Houses and this House lie waste cap. 1. Such are in Transgression who dwell in their own who cover themselves with the black Curtain of Self and natural Endowments and neglect the Dispensation of God where the building of the true Temple is Zechariah was called of the Lord cap. 1.1 he bare Testimony against such as ran unsent saying Wo to the Idol Shepherd that leaveth the Flock the Sword shall be upon his Arm and upon his Right Eye his Arm shall be clean dryed up and his right Eye shall be utterly darkned cap. 11.17 Malachi was called of the Lord cap. 1.1 he reproved the Priests for neglecting the Covenant cap. 2.1 2. as man made Ministers now are justly reproveable for neglecting the new Covenant the Law written in the Heart the Spirit put in the inward Parts the great blessing of the Evangelical Dispensation John the Baptist was called of the Lord without recourse to Heathen Arts and Sciences spoiling Philosophy Luke 1.15 Luke 3.1 2. Christ Jesus the End of the Law the End of the Prophets in his prepared Body called not the Wise and Prudent Painted Oraters Subtil Sophisters Crafty Logicians and spoiling Philosophers but weak and contemptible Instruments as unlearned Fisher-men to preach the Everlasting Gospel that they might be in him what they were that they might be Work-men solely and wholely thorow his Power Virtue and Influence not thorow acquired Arts Parts and Sciences Mat. 4.18 c. Christ sent not Orators saith Augustin to work upon Fisher-men Andrew and others but by these Fisher-men he reduced Kings and Emperors to the saving Knowledge of the Truth Omnipotency being Agent faith one it matters nothing what like the Instrument be Of Fisher-men he made them Fishers of men they came to the Discipleship to learn of Christ before they came to the Apostleship to be Preachers of Christ they were taught and caught by him before they taught and caught others Unlearned Fishermen saith Jerom are sent to preach that the Faith of
them how to carry and demean themselves to them that received them not saying Whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your Words when ye depart thence shake off the Dust of your Feet for a Testimony against them Matth. 10. Mark 6. Luke 9. This was all the Extremity they were to use he told them not they should apply themselves to Magistrates and force People to maintain them whether they received them or no this is the Beasts Doctrine and his unclean Flogs The Apostles duly and faithfully observed this Ordinance of Dust-shaking Acts 13.51 Now you Non-conformists of what denomination soever who make Conscience of Non-compliance with the National publick Ministers of not ministring Carnal things unto them it seems you are such as receive them not Do they observe Christ's Ordinance Do they content themselves with shaking the Dust off their Feet against you My thinks I hear a general Answer in the Negative No No they Sue us in Courts of Judicature at Courts Assizes they Imprison us they recover Treble damages of us for very Trifles and inconsiderable things as Smoke-Pennys Mortuaries Easter-Reckonings Midsummer-Dues Popish Inventions they make Havock and Spoil of our Goods In thus doing they trangress Christ's Ordinance of Dust-shaking which the Apostles were observant of who used no Weapon but what was Spiritual no Sword but that of the Spirit Rev. 11.5 If any man hurt my Witnesses Fire proceeds out of their Mouth and devoureth their Enemies The Sword of the Spirit the Word of God is the Weapon of the Lords Witnesses Gospel-Ministers but the Beast that ascends out of the bottomless Pit shall make War against the Witnesses overcome them and Kill them Rev. 11. Now notwithstanding the specious pretences of men as of Religion Ordinances Reformation Antiquity yet if Christs Ordinance of Dust-shaking against such as receive them not be not observed but a Co-ercive Power used Tythe and other Maintenance forced a procedure in Persecution Imprisonments Spoiling of Goods of such as for Conscience-sake cannot receive them they that act these things are out of Christ's Doctrine darkned by the Smoke of that Pit which the Beast ascended from taking part with him and not with the Lamb So that Man-made Ministers stand for another Call Work Wage and Weapons than Gospel Ministers contend for But to return to my Intention which is to shew That the Maintenance of the Ministers of Christ in the primitive Times was free and voluntary and that from such as received them Paul bare record unto the Elders of Ephesus saying I have coveted no mans Silver or Gold or Apparel yea you know that these hands have ministered unto my Necessities and to them that were with me Acts 20.33 34. Whence we gather saith Aug. Marl. on this place that no man is a true Minister of the Word but he is also a Despiser of Money Abraham of old shewed a noble Mind in taking nothing of the Spoil got from his Enemies Gen. 14. But saith Poole Paul shewed a far Nobler Mind whenas he refused to take Necessaries for his weighty and Salutiferous Labour relieving his Necessities with his own hands In the ackowledgment of Christs Doctrine to his Disciples Paul said Have we not Power to eat and to drink Yes Paul had received Christ the Power of God whose Ordinance to his Disciples was To eat and to drink such things as were set before them by them that received them He had power to eat drink and receive Necessaries from the Corinthians who received him and his Message though he wrote not for such and such ends judging it his reward to make the Gospel without Charge that he might not abuse his Power in the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. This makes nothing for Man-made Ministers to force a Maintenance from such as receive them not Man-made Ministers pursuing Tythes and other Antichristian Wages as the Summum bonum the chiefest good thunder out the words of Paul Who goeth a Warfare at any time at his own Charges Who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not of the Fruit thereof Who feedeth a Flock and eateth not of the Milk thereof Answ This contraries not Christ's Ordinance but herein the Apostle shews by three Arguments That Gospel Ministers may with a good Conscience receive Necessaries from such as receive them and their Doctrine Aug. Marl. tell me this At whose Charge ought the Souldier to go but at his for whose Defence and Security he fights The Apostles of the Lamb were Warriors harnessed out of the Lord's Armory fighting under the Banner of Christ the Captain of their Salvation in whose hands they were Instruments to conquer many to rescue them from the Power of Satan to reduce them into the Obedience of the Son of God that they might be eternally Happy Thus Warring for the good security and defence of them according to Christ's Ordinance they might reap necessaries from them You that are made Ministers by the Will of man this is no ground for forcing Tythe and other Dues as you call them from such as receive you not you war not for such but against them rendring them as Hereticks persecuting and imprisoning them stirring up Magistrates against them Let such as own you for their Warriors maintain you He that plants a Vineyard may eat of the Fruit of the Vineyard which he hath planted 't is but Reason Instruments in the hand of the Lord of transplanting others out of the wild Olive into the good Olive out of the putred stock old Adam into the virtuous Root the second Adam the Lord from Heaven may by virtue of the Lord's Ordinance eat of the Fruit of their Plantation their Vineyard eat and drink with and receive Necessaries from such as they have gathered to be fruitful Branches lively Plants in their Plantation No ground for Man-made Ministers to force a Maintenance from those that receive them not who are not of their Plantation their Vineyard Let your own Vineyards maintain you He that feeds a Flock may eat of the Milk of the Flock but it must be of the Milk of that Flock which he feeds The Apostles and their Successors in the Word of Faith Power and Reconciliation gathered others into the Unity of Faith to the holy Hill of Sion these were Flocks as Flocks of Sheep which come up from the Washing whereof every one bears Twins and none are barren these they feed with convenient Food And let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things Gal. 6.6 This we own And the Apostle said If we have sown unto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things The Law commanded Thou shalt not muzel the Mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the Corn Deut. 25.4 The Equity of the Law required That the Ox that trod out the Corn was not to be muzled but be fed by him whose Corn he trod out And 't was not agreeable to the Equity of that Law
First By way of first Fruits paid antiently to the Pope but by a Statute of Henry the Eighth wrested from the Pope and given to the King his Heirs and Successors forever Secondly By Legative Levies the Pope having or pretending need vast sums of Money were exacted and levied through this whole Kingdom by Legats and Officers for that purpose deputed by the Pope Thirdly By Appeals to the Court of Rome incredible sums were out of this Nation exhausted Fourthly By Dispensations vast sums of Money were drawn to Rome Fifthly Indulgences and Pardons were of the like Magnetick faculty to draw Money to Rome Sixthly By Jubile's Pilgrimages and Vows c. both at stated and arbitrary times So that one Adam Merrymouth called the English the Popes Asses willing to bear unsufferable Burthens Mantuan a Carmelite Fryar touched Rome to the quick in this manner Heu Romae sola pecunia regnat Exilium virtus patitur Thus Englished Alas at Rome now Wealth bears sway And Virtue Chaste is chas'd away But to return to the Primitive practice though through Constantine and Sylvester much Unsoundness crept into the Church yet the Maintenance of indigent Ministers and the supply of the Churches-Necessities by free and voluntary Contribution according to the Institution of Christ and his chosen Vessel Paul was not lost Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea in the dayes of Constantine said If thou dost possess a Garment or any other thing more then extream necessity doth require and dost not help the Needy thou art a Thief and a Robber The Council at Antioch in the Year 340. finding the Deacons very faulty ordained that the Bishops should distribute the Goods of the â—hurch requiring that they took not any part to themselves nor to the Priests and Brethren that lived with them unless Necessity justly required it alledging the Apostles Words Having Food and Rayment be therewith content Conc. Ant. Cap. 25. Hitherto the Necessities of the Ministers as of others were supplied and relieved by Free and Voluntary Contributions and Offerings of Lands Moneys Goods and People were much pressed to bountiful Contribution for Holy and Christian uses Jerom eminent in his day about the Year 384. and Chrysostom Bishop of Constantinople about the year 398. laboured much in that point and alledged the Jewish payment of Tythe for an Example to Christians below which they would not have Christians to determine their Charity not binding them to this or that quantity but perswading and pressing that they might not come short of the Jews in point of Charity their Writings clearly and undeniably hold out this thing and this is the first mention of Tythe I read of produced only as an Example to stir up the Sparks of Christian Charity Ambrose Bishop of Milan and Augustin Bishop of Hippo soon after or about the Year 400. screwed a Peg higher from the Law given to the Israelites for the payment of Tythe which Christ abolished they imposed the payment thereof with heavy Penalties for Holy uses as the phrase then was Augustin taught that such as desired a Reward or Pardon of Sins they should pay Tythe yet consider to what end they required them that the Poor might not want saying God had reserved them for their use Ambr. de penitent August in Sermone de tempt Yet in the Sun-shine of Primitive Purity an Eternal reward and Remission of Sins was witnessed and the Poor were provided for without recourse to the Typical Levitical Maintenance by Tythe The Example of these two great Bishops Ambrose and Augustin and the sweetness of the Morsell fired Church-men into that Doctrine so that Leo the great Pope about the Year 440. Severin about the Year 470. Gregory also and others grounding their Doctrine on Moses's Law stirred men up to the payment of Tythe to offer the same to the Church Leo de jejun dec mens et eleemos Greg. Hom. 16. in Evangel Notwithstanding the Example Doctrine and Threats of the aforesaid and others it was not a generally received Doctrine that Tythe ought to be paid till about the Year 800. Agobard Bishop of Lyons Selden of Tythe The Bishop for the most part in these Ages lived in some Monastery and his Clergy with him from whence he sent them into the Country within his Diocess to Preach and they brought all the Offerings they received into the Common Treasury out of which the Necessities of the Bishops Priests Poor Distressed Sick Strangers were supplied and relieved places for publick Assemblies called Churches were built and repaired the Priests then had not such a particular Interest in the Free and Voluntary Offerings as after they usurped About the Year 800 900 1000. and after Tythes were called the Lord's Goods the Patrimony of the Poor Tributes of poor Souls Stipends of the Poor of Strangers Hereupon the Council at Nants declared That the Clergy was not to use them as their own but as commended to their trust And they were not then given particularly to the Clergy but for the use and relief of the Poor Bernard Abbot of Claravallis who lived in the Year 1127. Contemporary with Hugo de Sacro victore bare Testimony to this purpose in a Sermon upon Luke the 17th and inferred thus Truly the Goods of the Church are the Patrimony of the Poor and whatsoever thing the Ministers and Stewards of the same do take unto themselves more then is sufficient for a competent Living the same is taken away from the Poor by Sacrilegious Cruelty In these Dayes People being brought to believe that their Tythe ought to be given for the use of the Poor as the the first Preachers up of Tythe held out they were more desirous to give them to the Poor then to the Priest at length the foul and loathsome Leprosie of Covetousness so far infected the Clergy as that Priests through the Auxiliaries or Assistants of Popes and Councils quite shouldered out the Poor and Needy and seized upon the Whole as ravenous Vulters seize on their Prey The Doctrine of Pope Innocent the Third about the Year 1200. relating to pluck the Bread out of the Mouth of the Poor and to give it to the Priest sounded sweetly in the Priests Ears What was his Doctrine say some I Answer This Pope Innocent the third preaching on the Charity of Zacheus said Graviter peccant qui decimas et primitias non reddunt Sacerdotibus sed eas pro voluntate distribuunt indigentibus that is They are hainous Offenders who give Tythes and first Fruits to the Poor and not to the Priests Certainly this Doctrine could not but astonish and amaze the People concluding them Hainous Offenders for the observance of that which had for Generations been Preached up as Meritorious Is there not occasion given to cry out Quid non mortalia pectora cogis Auri sacra fames Golds Lustre mortal men doth so bewitch Leudly to act in order to be Rich. Further a General Council held at Lyons under Pope Gregory the Tenth in
1200. Upon the aforesaid Consideration this Innocent the third by his Decetal Epistle to the Bishop of Canterbury commanded him To enjoyn every man to pay his Temporal Goods to those that ministred Spiritual things to them and the same was enforced by Ecclesiastical Censures And this was the Rise Beginning and Original of General parochial Payment of Tythes in England This the Pope enjoyned notwithstanding any Custom to the contrary The Popes Decree is recorded by Cooke in the second part of his Institutes After this Innocent the third about the Year 1200. had restrained the Free and Voluntary Distribution of Tythes and settled a parochial Payment thereof in Pursuance and Confirmation thereof Gregory the tenth about the Year 1274. ordained That it should not be lawful for men to give their Tythes at their own Pleasure where they would as it had been but to pay all their Tythes to the Mother-Church this saith Cisterniensis Thus the Pope prevailed with People to pay their Tythes and after screwing a Peg higher limitted People to the Payment thereof according to his Appointment CAP. VI. Of the Rise of first Fruits in Christian Churches ACcording to the Mosaical Dispensation a portion of first ripe Fruits were offered unto the Lord and this did Sanctifie the Remainder of Fruits and by these the Jews were raised up into hopes of enjoying their whole Crop in due Season Exod. 22.29 This was a Type fulfilled in the Substance Christ Jesus the Glory of the Evangelical Dispensation Paul having received Christ the end of all the Jewish Types Figures Shadows Offerings first Fruits preached not up the Jewish first Fruits but Christ the end thereof who Sanctifies all that receive him and raises in them Hope and strong Confidence for the Fruition of the Crown of Life Now saith Paul Christ is risen from the dead and is become the first Fruits of them that slept 1 Cor. 15.20 Yea and the Saints in Christ are the Evangelical first Fruits taken out of the Residue of men as the Jewish first Fruits were taken out of the rest an Offering unto the Lord. Of his own Will begat he us saith James by the Word of Truth that we should be a kind of first Fruits of his Creatures Jam. 1.18 Yea and John called the Hundred Forty and Four Thousand who stood on Mount Sion with the Lamb The first Fruits unto God and to the Lamb Rev. 14.4 Thus in Gospel dayes the Jewish first Fruits were not preached up but Christ the End thereof the End of the first Covenant first Priesthood and its Typical Appurtenances even Christ the Evangelical first Fruits So who preach up the Figure the Substance being come such are Antichrists Now after the rising of the Smoke of the Pit darkning Sun and Air spoiling the Glory of the primitive Church the Beast that had long plunged in the Sea was rifen out of the Sea the Pope had gotten the Supremacy he by colour of the Jewish Laws which gave Tythes to the Levites gained an Universal Payment of Tythes to his Clergy he as Successor of the Jewish high-Priest claimed to himself first Fruits and Tenths denying thereby Christ Jesus to be come in the Flesh the End of Types Shadows and Figures First Fruits and Tenths are but a late Innovation claimed by the Pope as Successor to the Jewish high-Priest as Cooke in the third part of his Institutes testifies Though it was long e're the Pope brought to pass his Attempt of Tenths to himself from all his inferiour Priests in England yet at last it was effected Yea and the Laws of this Nation shew that there was no little strugling by Kings and Commons in Parliament against first Fruits calling the same An Horrible Mischief and a Damnable Custom Yet not so Horrible Mischievous or Damnable but the Pope would receive them and Man-made Ministers preach them up The Payment of first Fruits and Tenths were continued to the Pope as annexed to his Chair as Successor to the Jewish high-Priest Head of the Church till the days of Henry the 8th who then denyed the Popes Supremacy and assumed it to himself and by Act of Parliament got first Fruits and Tenths annexed to his Crown Thus the Aaronical Types and Figures were received from hand to hand entertained among the Professors of Christianity which thing being duely consider'd is Antichristian a Denyal of Christ to be come in the Flesh This being settled on King Henry and his Successors through want of Consideration and of a divine Understanding and being supposed a Due is continued among Protestants pretending to be high Sharers in Reformation CAP. VII Of the Rise of Mortuaries IN the Mid-night of Popery Priests begot in People a Belief that their Prayers Mass-Services Obits c. were wonderful effectual to bring the Souls of the deceased out of Purgatory So 't was appointed that the Relict the Wife of the Deceased was to pay ten Shillings more or less to the Priest and this was called a Mortuary And why must she pay so much to the Priest That the Priest might pray for the Soul of her Deceased Husband and that some of their Merits which they had in store might be shared out to him pretending They had a stock of Merits to sell to such as came with Money in their hands Selden mentions a Synod in Ireland wherein it appears that a man might have bequeathed his Burial to what Abbey he would and that the Abbot thereof should have his Apparel his Horse and his Cow for a Mortuary although he had before bestowed all he had upon another Abbot Now the Pope being denyed and a Reformation intended the Clergy concluded that it was gross and idolatrous to receive Mortuaries upon such a Consideration and yet unwilling to part with such a sweet Morsel devised a more plausible consideration and that was That Mortuaries should be given in Recompence of Tythes not duely paid in the Life-time not considering that in this very thing they condemn all their Hearers as Fraudulent and Deceitful so must have a Recompence for the Fraud Guile Unjust detaining of Church-dues in their Life-time The Apostles practised no such thing but bare Testimony That men should arise stained with Covetous Practises 'T is a shame that Protestants so called from protesting to renounce Popery should be so defiled and contaminated with such Covetous Practices In the dayes of Henry the 8th 't was enacted That the Bishops of Bangor Landaff and St Assaph and the Arch-Deacon of Chester should take Mortuaries of the Priests within their Jurisdictions as had been accustomed This Henry enacted That no Mortuary should be demanded where the Goods of the dead Person Debts deducted amount not to the value of ten Marks Nor above the Sum of three Shillings four Pence when they exceed not thirty pound Nor above six Shillings eight Pence when they exceed thirty Pound but under forty Nor above ten Shillings when they amount to forty Pound or above Thus after the primitive
or Maintenance introduced by man contrary to what Christ and the Apostles taught and appointed We forbid saith Cardinal Galo the Pope's Legate under the penalty of Excommunication that Priests and Clergy-men through the occasion of any Custom should presume to exact or extort any thing for Baptism Burial or any other Sacrament Sum. Concil Pontif. Whether the Pope be obeyed in this as in other of his Ordinances 't is well known but Ordinances of this Nature and Tenure savour not well to the minds of Man-made Ministers CAP. XI Of the Rise of Reek-penny called also Smoke-Money called also in the Saxon Tongue Romefeoh that is the Fee of Rome and Romescot that is Rome's-shor or Rekoning and Rome-penny and Denary sancti Petri that is Peter-Pence and Regis Eleemosyna that is the King 's Alms. EThelbert King of the East-Angles being perswaded by his Council to Marry against his own inclination went to Offa in design to obtain his Daughter Athelred to Wife King Offa's Wife being averse to the Match caused Ethelbert to be slain whereupon Offa King of the Mercians to expiate that horrid Act gave the Peter-Pence to St Peters Church in Rome This Peter-Pence was a Penny for every House in which was twenty penny-worth of Goods to be paid Yearly on Lammas-Day such strictness was required in the payment thereof that in time it was esteemed Consuetudo quasi Apostolica c. A Custom as it were derived from the Apostles from which neither the King nor the Arch-Bishop Abbot Prior or any in the Kingdom was free only the Monastery of St Albans in honour of Alban the Protomartyr was by the Indulgence of King Offa exempted from that Charge This Peter-Pence this Yearly Tribute Ethelwoulph ordained to be paid Yearly by every House in England that kindled a Fire Ina King of the West Saxons as some say was the first Donor of Peter-Pence about the Year 720. being in Pilgrimage at Rome Matthew Westminster insinuates that these being Kings of several Kingdoms of the Saxon Heptarchy each of them might be the first Donor within their respective Dominions Upon reasonable Compute the Peter-pence could amount to no less then 7500. pounds a Year which payment continued till the reign of Henry the Eighth who totally took it away Sleiden Pope Paul the fourth receiving the English Ambassadors which came from Queen Mary urged to them the necessity of the Restitution of all Revenues that her Father Henry the eighth had taken away from Rome further pressing That they could not hope that Saint Peter would open the Gates of Heaven to them so long as they usurped his Goods on Earth Strange Doctrine As though Peter being dead in the fruition of Eternal Joy should regard Money which while upon Earth he was redeemed from the love of Hunting Milton Sleiden Matth. West Now you Protestants that pretend Reformation do not you in your Words deny the Pope and his Supremacy Yes Why then do your Ministers Vicars and Parsons receive his Tribute of every House that kindles a Fire viz. a Penny called a Reek-penny Smoke penny or Hearth-penny and Persecute such as deny to give them the same 't is one of their covetous Practices occasioned by Murther in the gloomy Night of Apostacy Popery through love of Money continued a Dreg of the Cup of Babylon Further King Edgar enacted that Peter-pence called commonly Hearth-penny imposed on every House should be paid before the Feast of St Peter and he that paid not the same should carry that Penny and Thirty other Pennies to Rome and pay one Hundred and twenty Shillings to the King Further if any should not give the Peter-penny upon the second demand he enacted that he should carry that penny and thirty other pennies to Rome and pay two Hundred Shillings to the King Upon refusal after the third demand he was to suffer the loss of all he had Here was Zeal but without Knowledge and though this annual payment was from Papists to the Pope to expiate the horrid act of Murther yet such as pretend Reformation are not ashamed of it shewing themselves to be such as Peter spoke of who should have Hearts exercised with Covetous practices 'T was a noble saying and resolution of Abraham that he would not take as much as a Shoe-lachet of the King of Sodom lest he should say he had made Abraham Rich. So you that profess Reformation keep not a Rag of the Whore's Garment not one Patch of her Earthly Traditional groundless Ornament that the Beast Law-giver in spiritual Sodom the apostatized Church nor any of the Locusts that arise out of the Smoke of the Pit may not boast that you are enriched by their Merehandize and groundless Traditions relating to Doctrine Worship or Maintenance as you would be accounted the Children of Abraham do the Works of Abram shew forth the Faith of Abram which led him from Vz of the Caldees by Interpretation Fire to the Land of Canaan Gen. 11. Sons of Abram Witnesses of purifying and Victory giving Faith they read this thing CAP. XII How Tythes came into Lay-mens Hands Impropriators YOu that are or would be accounted Gospel-Ministers and plead that Christ hath granted you Tythes for your Maintenance yet can neither tell where nor when Let me tell you if you have Christ's Ordinance and Institution for Tythe then no Custom Usage Prescription priviledge or Popish Dispensation can justly acquit any from the payment of the utmost penny of the tenth part for Ordinances and Doctrines of Christ are not to be made void by the Injunctions of men How comes Lay-men Impropriators to be such sharers in Tythe which is your right as Gospel-Ministers as you pretend Are they not Sacrilegious therein And how come so many to be exempted from the payment of Tythe But all this is but a Covetous pretence Christ put an End to that Law which gave Tythe to the Levites and established a Free and Voluntary Maintenance for Gospel-Ministers without Tythe And Tythes came into Christian Churches by the Pope and all Exemptions from the payment of Tythes were by the Pope's Indulgence And now I shall declare what I have read concerning Tythes in the possession of Lay-men The Hunnes Gothes and Vandals invaded Italy under the Emperor Justinian and greatly persecuted all Religious men overturned Churches burnt Libraries overthrew Schools of Learning these fierce and barbarous People about the Year 650. set their Faces against France upon this Charles Martell the Father of Pipin after King of France would not oppose himself against them unless the under Clergy of France would resign every man his Tythes into his Hands that thereby he might reward the Souldiers and support the Charges of the War then present he solemnly promised that these Tythes should be restored to them at the end of the War with a further Gratuity for their good Will the Clergy driven thereto by the Exigences of that Age and eminent Dangers complyed with these motions This Charles Martell
receiveth them of whom it is witnessed that he liveth Heb. 7.8 Answ In the Scripture the Word Here is abused and wrested as the Words Even So are abused and mis-interpreted by many in this place the Apostle is exalting the Priesthood of Christ above the Priesthood of Levi shewing that Melchizedec was greater then Abram here men that dye receive Tythes this relates to the Levites who by the command of the Lord received Tythes and dyed but there he receiveth them of whom it is witnessed that he liveth this relates to Melchizedec who received Tythes of Abram of whom it is written that He was without Father without Mother without descent having neither beginning of Dayes nor end of Life but made like unto the Son of God abideth a Priest continually Heb. 7.3 And Christ is a Priest forever after the Order of Melchizedec So that this place makes nothing for the continuance of Tythes in Gospel-dayes relating to Levi and Melchizedec Aug. Marl. touches this saying They to whom the Law assigned Tythes were mortal men and to whom did the Law assign Tythes To the Levites So when the Apostle said Here men that dye receive Tythes he related to the Levites to that Priesthood that was to be abrogated that a Priesthood of a higher Nature might be established The Apostles sent by Christ a Priest forever after the Order of Melshizedec who were to teach all Nations to observe all that he commanded them Mark All and every thing and nothing else according to my reading in Scripture and sound Ecclesiastical History never taught any that the Maintenance of the Gospel-Ministry was to be by way of Tythes which may sufficiently evidence that that Levitical course of Maintenance was not in the Charter of their Ambassage and Commission to be perpetuated in Gospel dayes CAP. XVI Tythes proved to be a Mosaical Shadow Obj. IF Christ put an and to Tythes more then to any outward property then Tythe must be a peculiar Figure of something to come If Tythe was a Type what was the Antitype thereof Answ Nehemiah reforming Abuses in the Jewish Church appointed 1st Treasuries a figure of Jesus Christ that inexhaustible Treasury 2dly Tythe as of Corn Wine Oyl was the Earthly Treasure brought into Nehemiah's Treasuries this earthy Treasure figured forth the Heavenly Treasures in Christ Jesus for in him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge So Tythe the earthly Treasure in the earthly Treasuries pointed at the heavenly Treasures in Christ Jesus the heavenly Treasury in whom is Corn Bread that strengthens Wine that comforts and refreshes Oyl that makes truly glad 3dly Shelemiah by Interpretation The Peace of God Zadock that is Just Pedaiah that is by Interpretation The Lords Redeemer These being made Treasurers distributed of Tythe the earthly Treasures to their Brethren outward Jews So Christ Jesus the Peace of God the holy and just One the Redeemer of God he distributes of the heavenly Treasures Bread Wine Oyl living Mercies heavenly Blessings to his little Flock inward Jews Nehem. 13. Who are of God they see Nehemiah's Treasuries Treasures and Treasurers to be Shadows Figures Types fulfilled in the Substance Christ Jesus the second Adam a quickening Spirit who said He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you John the 16th The true and faithful Remembrancer In the dayes of Malachi the outward Jews had a Store-house into which Tythe was to be brought that there might be Meat in the Lord's House Mal. 3. This Store-house into which Tythe the Earthly Store was brought was a Figure a Type of Christ Jesus the Substance the Heavenly Store-house in whom all fulness dwells who distributes of heavenly Riches to the Israel of God Col. 1.19 Out of Tythes the earthly Treasures earthly Store the Necessities of the outward Jews Levites Fatherless Widows and Strangers were answered and supplied Deut. 14. that there might be no Beggar in Israel no Complaint of want So out of the heavenly Treasures heavenly Store in Christ Jesus the Substance the Necessities of all inward Jews are answered so that among such as have recourse to this Treasury this Store-house there is no Complaint no Poverty no Leanness of Soul in him are Soul-enriching Treasures John 14.2 John 4.14 Again Paul spake of Tythes in Abram's dayes Heb. 7. And of Tythes in Levi's dayes of the Priesthood Law and Carnal Commandment then saith expresly That Christ Jesus the high Priest was the Sum of the things whereof they had spoken Heb. 8.1 If any should have enquired What have you spoken of Paul He answers of Tythe in Abram's day of Tythes in Levi's days of the Priesthood Sacrifices for Sin Carnal Commandment and further saith that Christ is the Sum of all this Who are of God they see Christ the Substance of the aforesaid Canaan a Land flowing with Milk and Honey with pure Springs Vineyards Oliveyards and Corn was the Lord's wherewith he fed the outward Israelites Levit. 25.23 So the Christ of God his Flesh is Meat indeed Blood Drink he hath in his spiritual Store-house heavenly Milk Honey hidden Manna Bread Water of Life heavenly Grapes Oyl of gladness for his Spiritual Israelites Sons and Daughters of Abraham and nourishes them to Eternal Life Melchizedec was but a Type of the everlasting Order shadowing out the Eternal high Priest Christ Jesus Christ was not the Melchizedec but after the Similitude of Melehizedec if after the Similitude Shadow or Type then Melchizedec could not be the Substance the thing typified for the thing similating cannot be the thing similated So that Abram gave Tythe to Melchizedec made like unto the Son of God a Figure Shadow Type Now the Priesthood of Christ must needs be the End Sum Substance of the Shadow which Substance being come the Shadow with all its appurtenances whereof Tythe was one must vanish and be of no longer force The paying of that which was proper and peculiar to the Similitude or Type shews that the Similitude or Type is still in force So the Substance not come for while the Shadow is in force there is no place for the Substance therefore the exaction of Tythes for the Ministers of the everlasting high Priest is a denyal of Christ come in the Flesh Again all the Tythe of the Land whether of the Seed of the Land or of the Fruit of the Tree it was the Lord's it was Holy unto the Lord hereby Priest Levite and the Poor were relieved Levit. 27. A Type of Christ the Substance who was called the Holy thing in whom the Obedient are sanctified nourished transformed by the renewing of their minds a living Sacrifice unto God Again Tythe or at the least some part thereof was an Heave-Offering offered unto the Lord Numb 18. A Shadow a Figure saith Wilson in his compleat Christiain Dictionary as other Oblations were So that the pleading for this Jewish Offering is a denyal of Christ to be come in the Flesh and you may as well plead for the Meat-Offering
are Witnesses against the same Submit your selves unto every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake 1 Pet. 2.13 I Answer If Obedience should have been given to all Ordinances of men without limitation Idolatrouâ— Consequences would have followed as Histories Ecclesiastical and Civil inform us Then had the Children of Israel been oftner found guilty of Idolatry through actual Obedience to the apostatized Kings of Israel and Judah Then had Shadrach Meshach and Abednego forsaken the living God and have worshipped the Golden Image of Nebuchadnezzar Then had Daniel committed Idolatry in making his application to the Heathen King Darius instead of the living God Then had the pure Current of the everlasting Gospel been stopped For the Apostles were commanded not to teach in the Name of Jesus Acts 4. Then had not the Woman that fate upon the Scarlet-coloured Beast been made drunk with the Blood of Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus For if these Saints and Martyrs had and should yield actual Obedience to the Ordinances of men they had and should cut off the occasion of Suffering for their Testimonies Then had not the two Witnesses Prophesied one Thousand two Hundred and Sixty Days cloathed in Sack-cloth I say Obedience is to be given to those Ordinances of man for the Lords sake which are of a Civil nature and concern for the punishment of Evil-doers and for the Praise of them that do well but when Civil Authority usurps the Power of Christ the Law-giver to of and in the Church and imposes Laws and Ordinances contrary to Truth and Conscience herein not active but passive Obedience is to be yielded The said Peter clears this point who the Rulers commanding them not to teach in the Name of Jesus answered boldly to this purpose They were to hearken to God rather then to men Acts 4. On this Scripture our Country-man Poele saith well We are bound by the Command of God to speak what we have seen and heard yea and the truly re-born of Water and of the Spirit are to contend for the Call Work and Wage of the Primitive Ministry when men do or would set up the contrary Polyearpus in the Morning of Christianity said We have learned to give that Honour to earthly Powers which is meet and which hinders not our Salvation Musonius said well If any one obey not his Father or his Prince commanding unlawful things he is neither Disobedient nor Injurous nor a Sinner herein When Julian gave orders to his Souldiers that were Christians to take up Arms against Christians they would not obey as Ambrose hath related Oh that the Professors of Christianity now would consider this How far they are degenerated how the Spirit oâ— Meekness Love and Gentlâ—ness is dis-throned and the Spirit of Envy Cruelty and Bloodshed is inthroned wherein such as profess Christianity fall by the Hands of one another as Leaves from Trees at the approach of Autumn Now you that reject and dispute against the Evangelical Ordinance of free and voluntary Contribution and violently intrude the Co-ercive exaction of Tythes and other things and that from the Laws Canons Decrees Decretals and Constitutions of men let me in soberness Reason a little with you Jacob in the Word of Prophecy fore-told of the coming of Shiloh saying Vnto him shall the gathering of the People be Gen. 49.10 Or as some render it To him shall the Obedience of the People be Or as the Septuagint renders it He shall be the expectation of the Nations Now you that plead for Tythes in Gospel-days and that from the Ordinances of man your gathering is not unto Shiloh nor your Obedience neither is your reliance upon him but your gathering and obedience is unto man your reliance is upon the Sons of men from whom you have your Tythes Easter-Reckonings Midsummer-Dues Mortuaries Money for Funeral Sermons Burials Marriages Churching of Women Peter-Pence now called Reek-pennies Smoke-pennies c. Again Moses the man of God Prophesied of the coming of the great Prophet saying Vnto him shall you hearken in all things Deut. 18. who taught a free and voluntary Maintenance Now the before-mentioned things shew that you hearken not to him but to the Canons Constitutions Decrees and Decretals of men from whom you have received your manner of Maintenance Again Christ said Learn of me Matth. 11. But he giving no Lessons for the aforesaid you have learned them of men and plead for the same Again Christ said of the Scribes and Pharisees In vain they do worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men Matth. â—5 9 You are found in their Steps vain Worshippers making void the Gospel-Ordinance of free and voluntary Contribution preaching up the Commands Canons Decrees Constitutions of men from which muddy Lake you derive your Tythes and compulsary Maintenance Again Christ sending forth his Disciples said Go ye therefore and teach all Nations c. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Matth. 28. Consider this they were to teach all that Christ commanded them and nothing else not what apostatized Powers should command or impose Here the Decrees Canons Laws and Constitutions of men setting up that which Christ put an end unto and forcing a Maintenance are excluded Again the Apostle Paul preached that Christ should have Preeminence in all things Col. 1.18 If in all things then in the concern of the Maintenance of the Gospel Ministry Now such as slight the free and voluntary Maintenance of the Gospel and plead for Tythes and a compulsary Maintenance such would have man to have Pre-eminence such are Ministers of man Christ said to the Jews If you were of Abraham you would do the Works of Abraham So may I say If you were of Christ you would do the Works of Christ and be content with his allowance John bare record saying Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God 2 John 9. And such as are without God they are Hetrodox Heretical yea Atheistical and such as stand to man's Maintenance and not Christ's they are in Transgression Did not Christ say that all Power in Heaven and in Earth was committed to him Is not he indued with Soveraign Power Was not he appointed of the Father to be Law-giver to of and in the Church Did not Paul foretell of a departure from the Faith an Apostacy and that the man of Sin should be revealed that he should sit in the Temple of God in the Church and shew himself to be God This is the great Antichrist Now they that deny the Gospel-Ordinance which was free and voluntary and plead for Tythes and for a compulsary Maintenance introduced by man such deny Christ to be Law-giver to of and in the Church And what is that Spirit that introduces a Maintenance contrary to the Gospel-Maintenance Of the man of Sin of Antichrist who is against Christ his Call Work and Wage and hath a Call Work and Wage of his own Do