that Christ gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastort and Teachers Ephes 4.11 and therefore this office of teaching the people was not meerly Leviticall and to be abolished by Christ we see the holy Scripture doth plainly witness the contrary Fourthly Reward and wages for Levi's service was not ceremonial but Moral according to the Law of God and Nature not to end in Christ or at Christ's coming but to continue to God to his Minister laborers and Servants for their labor in the work of the Gospel unto the end of the world for Christ himself appointed wages for his Apostles and Ministers and this not of charity or Alms at mens pleasure whether they will pay or not but of due debt for their labor When he sent them to preach the Gospel he gave them direction to expect wages and maintenance from them to whom he sends them Provide saith he neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses neither scrip for your journey neither two coats neither shooes nor yet staves for the workman is worthy of his meat Mat. 10. Mat. 10.11 and Luk. 10.7 for the laborer is worthy of his hire or reward it is due to him and the people to whom he preacheth the Gospel are bound by the Law of God and Nature to pay him for his labor And hence the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 9.14 Christ hath ordained that those that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel of their due reward and maintenance for their labor in preaching the Gospel And the Elders that tule well saith the Apostle are worthy of double honor 1 Tim. 5.17 18. especially they that labor in the word and doctrine And he gives the reason from the Law of God and Nature For the Scripture saith thou shalt not mussel the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn and the laborer is worthy of his reward Therefore maintenance of Ministers was not Levitical but Moral as wages and reward for their labor as all other mens labor is and will be to the end of the world But doth not our Savior say Objection Freely you have received freely give what wages then can Christs Ministers require I answer read that Text Matth. 10.8 Answer Christ gave them a miraculous power to heal the sick cleanse the lepers raise the dead and to cast out Devils and to this he adds freely ye have received freely give But for preaching of the Gospel he doth not say so for he directs them to receive meat drink and wages as if you compare those Scriptures Mat. 10. and Luk. 10. you may see the Apostles of Christ then might and the Ministers of Christ may lawfully expect and require Gods reward or wages for their labor in preaching of the Gospel and that was the Tenths as we have proved already they may lawfully look every man for his just gain from his quarter Fourthly Judicial were the Givil laws of the Jews Lev. 17.30 c. Tythes holy to the Lord. The Tythes which were given to Levi for his service were not Levitical ceremonial nor typical nor Judicial which were the Jews Civil Laws whatsoever the Quakers or Anabaptists or any other have dreamed to the contrary no holy things are Judicial but Tythes were holy things and Tythes were not shadows and figures of holy things not ceremonies to be abolished by Christ but the Lords own portion declared to be Gods part in every mans estate long before Levi or the Levitical Law was instituted though given to the Levites by Gods appointment for their service during the life of that Priesthood and Gods part still Christ's inheritance and the inheritance of his Ministers to the worlds end for there is a morality in them and they are Gods part for which he will call men to a reckoning at the great day of Judgement when all the sacrilegious wretches in the world shall tremble except God in time give them to see their sin and repent For although Levi's Priesthood be dead Heb. 7. yet Christ liveth who receiveth Tythes as the Apostle witnesses and Christ's Ministers live and receive Tythe not by any right from Levi or Aaron's Priesthood but from Christ who is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec That Tythes were ceremonial was an opinion devised by Alexander de Hales an Englishman Dr. Carleton in his Tythes examined and divine right proved fol. 20 who lived about twelve hundred years after Christ as that learned Dr. Carleton well observes and this indeed to please the Pope that he might better appropriate Tythes to his Monasteries his Abbots Monks and Fryars as after we shall touch A ceremony is well described to be a carnal type of a holy thing which for the service of the Tabernacle was enjoyned only until the time of Reformation as the Apostle Heb. 9.10 holds them forth unto us but Tythes are no such ceremonies they have a morality in them and whatsoever arguments may be brought against the morality and perpetuity of Tythes the same may be brought against the morality and continuance of the Sabath or Lords Day as that learned acute and solid Dr. Sclater in his sevenfold parallel of Arguments against the morality of Tything Dr. Sclater in his Qâ—estion of Tythâ—s revâ—sâ—â— and proved moral pag. 224 A book I never read till I had almost ended the Answer of this Question and the morality of the Sabbath or Lords Day doth manifest These opinions that Tythes and Sabbath are ceremonial have run parallel in the hands of those who would destroy both the time and maintenance of the Worship and service of God in the Gospel as if since Christ there was no Lords Day to be kept holy as a time appointed in special for the glorifying of God and good of poor souls And as if there were no maintenance due to Christ's Ministers since Christ's ascension into Heaven an opinion well agreeing to the prophane Atheists of the world who like those fools in the Psalm say in their hearts there is no God Psa 14.1 and those high conceited Familists and quaking spirits who boast their are equal with God or those who deny the souls immortality or dream that it dieth with the body or is turned into they know not what But one day they shall be awakened when the trumpet shall sound and the voyce of the Arch-angel shall cry out Arise yet dead and come to Judgement And then they will find that there is a God that is greater then they that he hath appointed a Sabbath or rest day the Lords Day for his special service and appointed Maintenance for his Ministers yea that their souls are immortal and the Lord Jesus is Judge of quick and dead The Lord open their eyes in time to see their errors and repent if it be his blessed will and pleasure And thus I have sufficiently answered that Objection Where there is a change of the Priesthood there
Saviour in this place also approveth of the payment of Tythes not a word of prohibition or cessation but an approbation of the payment of Tythes as the peoples duty in those days Had he declared that Tythes should no more be paid after his time certainly it would have pleased many a carnal hearer at that time as the hopes of that prohibition or cessation it is to be feared would please too many carnal hearted prophane or spiritually and Antichristianly deluded and seduced souls in these days who would remove both Ministers and their just Maintenance if it did lie within their power But you have not a word from Christ of cessation or taking away of Tythes from the Priests of those times or from the Ministers of the Gospel in succeeding ages 3. The third place in which Tythes are spoken of is that of the same Evangelist Luke 18.11 12. Two men went out into the Temple to pray the one a Pharisee the other a publican the Pharisee gloried in his performances God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this publican I fast twice in the week and give Tythes of all that I possess The Publican humble in his own eyes O God be merciful to me a sinner Our Saviour doth not condemn the Pharisee for his giving of his Tythes of all he did possess but for that he trusted in his own righteousness as you may see evidently manifest in the end why Christ did speak the Parable Luke 18.9 He spake this Parable unto certain that trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others So that you see here is not a word of our Saviour against Tythes or the payment of Tythes in his time nor a word of prohibition that his Ministers in the New Testament should not receive Tythes yea rather Christ approveth the payment of Tythes as part of the Pharisees righteousness which they ought not to leave undone and he tells his Disciples that exccept their righteousnss do exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees they cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven Matth 5.20 Origen in Mat. From which Origen in his time prosseth the payment of Tythes in the Gospel as a duty The fourth and last place in the New Testament where tythes are spoken of is that of the Apostle Heb. 7. in which Chapter tythes are mentioned six or seven several times and in none of these are Tythes condemned by the Spirit of God in the Apostles but rather approved and declared to continue even to the worlds end as Christ's right and special part for maintenance of his service who is a Priest not after the order of Aaron for a time but a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec To give you a clear light to see this truth read the Chapter and you shall finde that the Apostle in the three first verses rehearseth the History recorded in Genesis of Melchisedec and Abraham First Melchisedec described by his Offices 1. A King or King of Salem vers 1. Interpreted first King of Righteousness secondly King of Salem that is King of Peace vers 1 2. 2. A Priest of the most high God yea made like the Son of God abiding a Priest continually vers 2. 3. He describeth Melchisedec by his Actions First he met Abraham as he returned from the slaughter of the Kings Secondly He blessed him 2. Again he describeth Abraham by his owning of Melchisedec as a Priest of the most high God giving him the tenth of all as Gods portion the Tythe due to God To whom Abraham gave the tenth part of all vers 2. 3. He sets forth the greatness of Melchisedec above the Patriark Abraham First Because Abraham gave him the tenth Now consider how great this man was to whom even the Fatriark Abrahm gave the tenth of the Spoils De summitatibus rerum Of the tops of things vers 4. So our Translators render it But the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de praecipuis c. the Greek signifies of the tops of the heaps of the very best things which may be of other things as well as of the spoils Secondly because Melchisedec blessed him for the less is blessed of the greater saith the Apostle vers 7. 4. The Apostle compareth the Priesthood of Melchisedec and Aarons â—iesthood together and proveth the superexcellency of Melchisedec's Priesthood above Aaron's and this by divers arguments taken from Tythes or their divers grounds manner and order of their taking of Tythes as you may read in the fift and sixt verses and the verses following For first vers 5. he affirmes that they that are of the sons of Levi who receive the office of the Priesthood they have a commandment to receive Tythes of the people according to the Law or by vertue of that law yea of their brethren though they came out of the loyns of Abraham But verse the sixth He that is Melchisedec Heb. 7.6 whose descent is not counted from them received Tythes of Abraham great Grandfather of Levi who had the Priestood and blessed him that had the promises Therefore Melchisedec's Priesthood is far more excellent then the Priesthood of Aaron or Levi because he received Tythes not by vertue of the Levitical Law but by a higher and far more antient right even by a right from God himself as Gods High Priest more antient then Levi by far as your may read Gen. 14.20 Abraham Great-Grandfather of Levi paid Tythes to Melchisedec the Priest of the most high God four hundred years before Levi's Priesthood was appointed Secondly Heb. 7.8 Verse the eighth the Apostle proveth this by another Argument Heb. 7.8 Here men that dye saith he receive Tythes that is herein in the Priests of Aaron and Levies order they who are mortal receive Tythes they and their Priesthood are mortal and so their receiving of Tythes it mortal as dying like themselves and their order of Priesthood is dead and gone and their tything dead as Levies Priesthood ended But here Melchisedec that Priest of the most high God and his order receive tythes of whom it is witnessed that he liveth for verse 3. Melchisedec is said to have neither beginning of days nor end of life and so he liveth to receive tythes while the world lasted not in himself but in Christ whom he typified and who is a High Priest after the order of Melchisedec and so to receive Tythes as Melchisedec did not from any right from Levi or the Levitical Law but in his own right from God his Father who made him heir of all Heb. 1.2 Thirdly Melchisedec's Priesthood was more excellent then Aaron's or Levi's because Levi who received tythes paid tythes in Abraham to Melchisedec for he was yet in the loyns of his Father his Grandfather Abraham when Melchisedec met him as the Apostle declareth Heb. 7.9 10. Vers 9 10. But we read not that Melchisedec paid tythes at
all It is Christ's priviledge to receive tythes not to pay tythes therefore Melchisedec's and Christ's Priesthood is far more excellent then Aaron's or Levi's Priesthood or their order Fourthly The Apostle taketh another Argument from the Law of Ordination of each Priesthood Melchisedec's and Aaron's and so of Christ's and Aarons This vers 15 16 17. Because Christ who ariseth another Priest after the order or similtude of Melchisedec he is made not after the Law of a carnal commandment the Levitical Law which is ended Psa 110.4 but after the power of an endless life Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melceisedec Therefore as Melchisedec did so doth and may Christ receive tythes for they are Gods part and Christ's part as Heir to God his Father and so tythes are rightly yea by Divine right due to Christ And thus you see there is nothing in the New Testament in all these places in which tythes are mentioned by which God the Father may be proved to have given away tythes from Christ his Son the Lord of his Church and of his Servants in the Ministery of the Gospel nor in which Christ hath released his right to any or disposed of it to any but to his Ministers for their labor in his service in the Gospel Therefore whatsoever the erring Anabaptists or Quakers speak to the contrary to their seduced Disciples Tythes are the Lords still and will be to the end of the world But some Quakers or Anabaptists it may be will object further Object 4 If we grant that Tythes are the Lord Christs yet what proof is there that they are the Ministers of Christ now in the New Testament Christ doth not name Tythes with any command to give them to his Ministers and Ambassadors where find we any such thing in the New Testament I answer Answer Although Christ doth not name Tythes by a particular command to pay them to his Ministers yet he doth by himself and by his Spirit in the Apostles command as much in substance as if he had named Tythes or challenged his right in them for the maintenance of his servants in the work of the Gospel For first Mat. 10.7.8 Luk. 10.1 2 3.4 c. If we read the manner of Christs Commission or sending those his Disciples to preach the Gospel as it is recorded Mat. 10. and Luk. 10. Christ sends them forth as laborers into his harvest and he giveth them a charge to take no purse nor scrip nor silver nor brass no provisi on for maintenance but to eat and drink what was set before them and he giveth the reason For the laborer is worthy of his meat and worthy of his hire or reward for his labor Now I demand the Question Whose laborers are Christ Ministers are they not Christs and who should pay them their wages or give reward or maintenance for their labor in preaching and publishing the Gospel is it not Christ and out of whose substance or estate should Christ pay his Workmen is it not our of his own If not why then did not Christ give them provision with them when he sent them out to preach the Gospel but sends them to the people of the world many of which would not receive them and wisheth them to receive of the people whither they came for their maintenance Certainly it is not that Christ would take any thing from others that was none of his own to pay his workmen with but to teach us that Christ had a part a portion and inheritance in the peoples hands the Tythes the Lords reserved part and out of this his own part Christ expected his Disciples his Preachers of the Gospel should be maintained and threatens those who should refuse to give his servants entertainment Luk. 10.11 If any receive you not saith Christ shake off the dust of your feet against them And it shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment then for that man or that woman or that city that refuseth Christs servants or denieth them that part which the Lord Christ appoints them for their just and due maintenance Witness our Saviour himself Luke 10.10 11. 2. Again Rom. 15.26 27. the Apostle Paul holdeth forth this as a duty That to those that communicate spiritual things it is the peoples duty to communicate carnal things to them Rom. 15.26 Thus between the Jews and the Gentile and thus between the Ministers of Christ and the people for the reason is the same The Ministers communicate spiritual things in the preaching of the Gospel therefore the people are debrors to them and it is their duty to communicate temporral or carnal things such as are for the comfortable livelihood of Christs Ministers And if it be the peoples duty then it is a debt they owe to Christ and to his servants and if they owe it to God and to Christ then it is Gods none of theirs And what is held forth to be Gods special part or portion for maintenance of his service and servants Mal. 3. Heb. 7. but the tenth part the Tythes which were and are Gods and Christs as noted before 3. The same Apostle A compatatis 1 Cor. 9 proveth by divers arguments from divers comparisons that there is a part due to Gods faithful Ministers laborers for Christ in the Gospel Thus vers 7. 1. From a Soldier 1 Tim. 6.12 2 Tim. 23. Jud. v. 4. And why noticceive their pay due from Christ for the same 1 Cor. 3.6 7. From a Soldier Who goeth a warfare at any time at his own charges Gods Ministers are soldiers for Christ to defend the truth of the Gospel against all enemies to contend for the faith once given to the Saints 2. Again Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof Gods Ministers are planters And wherefore should they not eat of the fruit for their labor feed on Gods part which he hath reserved the Tythes for their maintenance 3. Act. 20 28 Who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock Gods Ministers are Shepherds and wherefore should they not eat of the milk of the Flock why should not Gods tenth be for their nourishment 4. The like arguments taken from the husbandman and other laborers and these grounded upon the law the law of God nature or reason vers 8 9. Say I these things of my self saith he saith not the law also the same For it is written in the law of Moses Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corn Den. 25.4 1 Cor. 3.9 10. Doth God take care for oxen or saith he it altogether for our sates For our sakes no doubt this is written that he that ploweth should plow in hope and he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope Gods Ministers are Gods husbandmen and laborers Gods people are Gods husbandry And good reason Gods laborers should partake of the
for Christ was faithful in all his house as Moses Hebr. 3.2 But Christ no where forbids Tythes nor serteth any maintenance instead of Tythes and therefore Tythes certainly are to coninue still by the mind of Christ even to the end of the world for would Christ here provide no settled maintenance for his Ministers who were sure to finde cold entertainment in the world For the Apostle that he did not require Tythes of the Corinthians or Galatians nor claim them as due to Christ's Ministers by Divine right nor other Apostles Peter John James or the rest there are good and sufficient grounds reasons good enough to answer this Objection 1. In those days in divers places and especially at Jerusalem there was a community of goods the Belivers sold ther Estates and laid the mony down at the Apostles feet Act. 4.32.34 and what need was there then of any claim of Tythes when all was at the dispose of the Ministers and Apostles of Christ or of the Church and Deacons and they lived of the common Treasuries what wisdom had it then been to claim Tythes 2. Euseb Ec. Hist lib. 4. cap. 25. Again then were times of persecution as you may read Act. 11.19 12 1 2. c. and this persecution against the Church continued to after times above a hundred and fifty years after hrist as Eusebius relateth Melito Bishop of Sardis in his A pology to the Emperor writeth that the godly people were grieved by new Edicts published throughout Asia and suffered persecution yea impudent Sycophants and greedy gapers after other mens goods having gotten occasion through those Proclamations openly rob and spoile day and night therefore he desires the â—mperor that he would not despise them who were greived and oppressed with that shamefull spoile Diverse persecutions were both before and after and was it then a time for the Ministers of Christ to press or claime the Tythes of poor persecuted Christians certainly no. 3. These Corinthians and Galatians and others Churches were but new Converts living amongst other Gentiles who were unbelievers and though the Apostle did claim and argue for his right of maintenance yet to avoid offence and hinde rance of the Gospels propagation in those infant days of the Church he did not use that power and right he had to take maintenance of them but charged other Churches to spare them not that he had not a right or that other Ministers had not a right but it was not then a fit time to require this right and therefore much less to claim or preach up Christs his right in Tythes 4. In a word the Apostles then were travellers up and down the world in several Countries to preach the Gospel and had no certain dwelling place as Paul himself witnesseth 1 Cor. 4.11 and what then should they have done with Tythes or to have claimed Tythes when Ministers were not setled nor was there any quiet state of the Church And these are reasons sufficient to quiet the Quakers quarrelling spirit if they were not restless in their malice against the Ministers of Christ or any moderate Anabaptist that their maintenance is due unto them by divine right Thus did the Apostle spare the Gentiles of any demand or nameing of tythes but when he writeth to the Hebrews then he names tythes Heb. 7. and declareth them to belong to Christ and so certain to Christs Ministers not from Aaron or Levi but from Christ himself who was a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec But some Quakers or Anabaptists it may be Object have found out that Objection as they pretend Heb. 7.12 The Levitical Priesthood being changed there must needs be a change of the Law Therefore tythes being under the Levitical Law and that Priesthood of Levi being changed there must needs be a change of the Law of Tythes and so Tythes must cease in the Gospel as being Levitical and Ceremonial I answer Answer It is true That the Levitical Priesthood is changed and that Covenant of Levi by Sacrifices and Ceremonies figuring Christ the Messias to come that is changed and ended all being fulfilled in Christ for that Law of Levies Priesthood in what respect it was Typicall Heb. 10.1 2 that had but a shadow of good things to come for it was not possible that the Blood of Buls and Goats could ever take away sin therefore Christ cometh and offers his own body and by that one offering once for all he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 so that these Levitical Sacrifices they are all ended by that one sacrifice of Christ But there were divers things which Levi did which were not typical or figurative ceremonies to be ended at the coming or ascention of Christ or in the time of the Gospel As first The Levites did ear and drink and wear apparel for their bodily nourishment and preservation of the life of Nature and this was not ceremonial but nature to be done by the Law of Nature and by the positive Law of God for God commanded our first parents to eat freely of the trees of the Garden Of every tree of the garden thou shalt eat freely Gen. 2.16 and this was not Levitical nor Ceremonial nor to end at the coming of Christ for Christ himself commandeth his Disciples when he sent them abroad to preach the Gospel to eat such things as were set before them Luk. 10.8 And if these actions of Levi were ended in Christ then it was unlawful for any man or woman to eat or drink or to wear apparel which is irrational and contrary to the mind of Christ Lu. 10.7 Secondly The Levites did bless the people this was another action of theirs Num. 6.22 c. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Speak unto Aaron and his sons and say unto them on this wise shall ye bless the children of Israel And the Lord separated the Tribe of Levi to stand before the Lord and to bless in his name Deut. 10.1 And this was not ceremonial neither nor to end at Christs coming for Christ teacheth his Disciples to bless them that curse them Mat. 5.44 And the Apostles and Ministers of Christ do bless the bread and wine in the Sacrament 1 Cor. 10.16 And it was the practice of the Church and Ministers of Christ to bless or pray for a blessing on the corgregation 1 Cor. 4.16 Thirdly The Levites taught the good knowledge of God for which that good King Hezekiah spake comfortably to them 2 Chron. 30.22 And they did read in the Book of the Law Nehem. 8.8 9. and gave the sense and caused to understand the reading Nehem. 8. And these actions were not ceremonial nor to be abolished by Christ for Christ commands his Disciples that they should go and teach all Nations Mat. 28.19 20. And thus Philip did by the direction of the Spirit of God he opened the Prophet Isaiah to the Euâ—uch Acts 8.30.35 And the Apostle tells us
hundred years before the Council of Lateran or any Popes Decretals for payment of them to which some would relate this division of Parishes and the payment of Tythes But after that the Pope had appropriated Tythes to his Monasteries and robbed the particular Parishes and their parish Ministers of them then these new opinions concerning Tythes began to creak out and the Schoolmen and others to please the Pope they endeavor to justifie the Popes Sacriledge for certainly that was a diverting of the Ministers maintenance of Tythes from the original intention and use of them whatever men may suppose to the contrary or the Pope pretend to ustifie himself Alexander de Hales 3. part qu 51. art 3. Then Alexander De Hales an Englishman and a Schoolman he affirms tythes to be judicials and so might more lawfully be disposed of by appropriations to Monasteries This was about One thousand two hundred and fifty four hundred years since The opinion that Tythes were Almes did arise from the abuse of Tythes in Popery taking them from the Ministers to Abbyes Monasterie c. and Aquinas endeavors to the same effect This is one opinion of Rome but Tythes cannot be judicials for no holy things are judicials The judicial laws did concern the civil government of the Jews but Tythes are holy to the Lord Levit. 27.32 therefore they cannot be judicials as the said men devised And before we noted another later opinion that Tythes were mere Alms given by the Church and to Church Ministers as men were converted to Christian Religion and Religion more setled in the world This opinion say some was brought in by the Waldenses upon their sight of the abominable abuses of Tythes in the Church of Rome if I may call it a Church the Popes having perverted Tythes from the true use and turned and abused them to maintain the luxury of lazie Abbots Monks and ungodly Friers who were full of all abominations But these good men did not rightly consider the first original nor the reason which moved godly men to give the Tythes to Gods Ministers who taught them the Gospel for their comfortable livelihood and better maintenance And this was because those holy men which gave their Tythes were satisfied in Conscience that Tythes were Gods right his own reserved portion due to Christ as a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec Gen. 28.32 therefore Jacob vowed to pay Tythes as a duty to Christ for the maintenance of his faithful Ministers And the abuâ—e of them in Popery could not take away Gods right nor deprive Gods faithful Ministers of that comfortable maintenance which is due to them from Christ for their service to him in preaching of the Gospel 2 Cor. 5.20 For what else are Gods Ministers but Christs servants We are Ambassadors for Christ and we beseech you in Christs stead as if God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead that you be reconciled to God and therefore may lawfully expect and look for this lawful gain for their labor every one even in the place where he is whatsoever Anabaptists or Quakers alleage to the contrary To conclude A fourth opinion yet later hath been that Tythes are ceremonial and that they are to be abolished and that Ministers that take Tythes deny Christ to be come in the flesh and endeavor to setup again Aarons Priesthood and to revive it again That there is nothing due to Christs Ministers but they should live in high or rather low poverty and the like These are the common cries of our croaking Quakers who are cunningly and I believe some of them ignorantly by the Devil and Antichrist and his Emissaries set on to overthrow the Ministers of Christ in England and the Gospel too if God suffer them And thus as Schollers of that most wicked Apostate Emperor Julian by destroying Tythes and Ministers maintenance to destroy the Ministery it self that they may more easily remove the Candlestick of the Gospel and set up the Kingdom of Antichrist instead of Christ in the Nation which God of his mercy keep from us least Ephesus lot be our portion to loâ—e both the Gospel and our lives estates and liberties to some Turkish Tyrant or other Antichrist to our sorrows and undoing for ever But these men blinded by the spirit of Error speak they know not what For what are Ceremonies but carnal rites which were enjoyned until the time of Reformation as you may read Heb. 9.10 noted before These the Apostle calls weak and beggerly rudiments which held men in bondage as the observation of days and moneths and times and years such shadows and ceremonies as were appointed for instruction and teaching men until Christ who is the substance and end of all was come Now Tythes were not appointed to teach men any thing but for the maintenance and livelihood of them that are Teachers the faithful Preachers of the Gospel and Ministers of Christ Therefore Tythes are not ceremonies as the ceremonious Quakers would have them but the just Temporal outward gain and reward for their labor which the faithful Ministers of Christ may lawfully seek by every man for his labor in his place As it was with the Levites in Nehemiahs time I perceived saith he Nehe. 13 10 11 12. that the portions of the Levites had not been given them For the Levites were fled every one to his field Then contended I with the Rulers and said Why is the house of God forsaken and I gathered them together and set them in their places Then brought all Judah the Tythe of the Corn and new Wine and Oyl into the Treasuries This was the second Tythe which was to be eaten before the Lord and of which the Levites were to have part and when that was kept from them they fled every man to his field to his quarter where they had their houses and where they taught the people and where they had the first Tythe to maintain them It was lawful for them in that case to seek every man for his gain from his place and so it is now for the Ministers of Christ when their just dues are kept from them they are constrained sometimes to seek though sore against their will every man for his just gain in his place where God sets him And this they may lawfully do yea to desire the help of the Magistrate if it cannot otherwise be obtained and this without any just blame whatsoever Quakers or Anabaptists teach their Auditors And thus I have sufficiently answered the Objections pretending that Tythes are Popish Antichristian and Ceremonial and cleared the contrary at full if men will not hoodwink themselves or be wilfully deceived by the deceivers I shall onely propose and examine some Cases of Conscience and wish the Anabaptists Quakers and those that take their parts to enquire into them before they go on any further to oppose Tythes or take them away from the faithful Ministers of Christ And
this is to examine throughly upon all that I have writ A Case of Conscience and is further manifested by godly men concerning the Divine Right of Tythes Whether the taking away of Tythes from the faithful Ministers of Christ be not that abominable sin of Sacriledge for which God hath not onely threatned but punished men with fearful plagues and judgments in several ages of the World as we shall manifest by some examples before we end this Question It may be some will demand Objection What is this sin of sacrilege and of which commandment of the Law or Gospel is this a breach or transgression 1 Joh. 3.4 for sin is the transgression of the Law I answer Answer Sacrilege is a breach of the eighth commandment Thou shalt not steal And every theft is sin But sacrilege is a stealing from God or a robbing of God and so a sin of a higher nature then the robbing from any man whatsoever Sacrilege is as stealing or robbing God of his holy things Will a man rob God saith the Prophet yet ye have robbed me saith the Lord Mal. 3.6 Mal. 3.6 The taking away of the holy things of God and turning them to mans private use or to any other use then God hath appointed this is sacrilege Now things are said to be Gods and holy to the Lord two ways or by a twofold means First by way of Reservation when God reserveth or excepteth them for himself for his own pleasure or service As God did reserve and except the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Paradise from our first parents It was Gods reserved part holy to the Lord and might not be eaten of upon pain of death Gen. 2.17 And secondly Levit. 27.30 31 32. so are Tythes Gods reserved part as we proved before they are the Lords and holy to the Lord Lev. 27. 2. Again things may be said to be holy to the Lord by way of consecration And this first either by God himself to some holy use Or secondly by men to God and his service First thus did God consecrate the gold and silver and vessels of brass and iron which were found in Jericho these by Gods appointment were consecrate to the Lord But all the silver and gold and vessels of brass and iron are consecrated to the Lord they shall come into the treasury of the Lord Jos 6.19 Secondly whatsoever is consecrated or devoted unto God by men that also is holy by consecration unto God Levit. 27.28 Thus Lev. 27. Notwithstanding no devoted thing that a man shall devote unto the Lord of all things he hath both of man and beast or of the field of his possession shall be sold or redeemed every devoted thing is most holy to the Lord. First then to take away or steal Gods reserved part was and is sacrilege As the taking of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil Gen. 2.17 Mal. 3.6 7. Gen. 2. and the taking away or stealing of Tythes Mal. 3. And thus the taking away or stealing of things consecrated by God himself as the gold and silver of Jericho is sacrilege or whatsoever else is given to God by men for his worship or service or the maintenance thereof this is sacrilege for whatsoever is devoted is is holy to the Lord. And the wise man Solomon guided by the Spirit of God tells us It is a snare a deadly snare to devour that which is holy Prov. 20.25 or consecrated to God and after vows to make enquiry Men cannot give to God and take away again at their pleasure without sacrilege Act 5.1 â— 3 4. c. This is evident in the example of Ananias and Sapphira Act. 5. First they gave to God the price of their lands and so the Apostle and the Church did understand them but they secretly kept back part after they had given it to God and to Christ and his Church and this was sacrilege and for this and their lying they were strucken dead suddenly as you may read there at full And now I desire all these Anabaptists or Quaking or other adversaries to Tythes who pretend to conscience to enquire diligently into this case of conscience and search whether the taking away of Tythes from the right use God hath designed them unto be not sacrilege in a double respect First as being Gods reserved part kept to himself for his worship and service and for the maintenance of his Ministers to the end of the world as we have proved at full and which to take away is declared sacrilege Secondly as Gods consecrated part given by men out of conscience to the Ministers of Christ both in the primitive times and in later ages witnessed both by their Donation of and good Laws enacted for due paiment of Tythes as we have in part declared in those laws of King Ethelstan and King Edward the Confessor noted before And as may appear in the Donation and and Gifts of Constantine the Great his care for the maintenance of the Ministers of Christ not only the good Bishops assembled at the great Council at Nice Euseb Ecclde vita Constant lib. 1. cap. Epist. of Constant to Euseb B. of Câ—saria in Palestine Levit. 27.30 31 The taking away of Tythes is Sacreledge as witnesseth Eusebius but of other Ministers and Churches appointed for the more convenient meetings of the people and furtherance of the Christian faith as Socrates relateth And the taking away of Tythes consecrated to God by holy men given out of conscience and duty to the maintenance of Gods service what is it else but sacrilege except they be redeemed as Lev. 27. they may And these consecrations of Tythes and further manifestations of this truth that the taking them away is sacrilege we shall declare by several examples partly in other and partly in this our own Nation First Mr. Mr. Selden in his Hist of Tythes pag. 49. Selden in his History of Tythes tells us that a perpetual Right of Tythes was consecrated to some Churches by grant or assignment out of such and such lands at the owners pleasure that is as he intends it as voluntary contributions this was his new opinion But here I cannot but demand upon what ground was this done or what was the cause that moved these good religious men instructed in the faith of Christ to consecrate their Tythes the tenth part of their increase to the maintenance of the Ministers of Christ or to what end did they do this And certainly if we consult their donations and declarations of their minds if we had them written at large they would witness that they did consecrate their Tythes as being convinced in conscience they are Gods due and Christs right for the maintenance of his faithful Ministers who are careful and painful in preaching the Gospel of Christ not out of any wrong ground or superstitious end as a will-worship And therefore the taking
them away from God and the right use and end the Donor gave them what can it be less then the sin of sacrilege And upon this ground and reason I believe was the gift of King Lucius Lucius king of Britain Dr. Vsher his British Antiq. and his endowment of Churches both with Glebe-lands and Tythes within or near two hundred years after Christ besides all the practice of holy men converted to the faith then and in succeeding ages And what other can we conceive of that Donation of Pipin King of France the son of Charls Martel that Church-robber certainly out of conscience they were Gods due and belonging to the Ministers of the Gospel he did restore those tythes which he and Charls his father had taken away Dr. Tilsley his Animadvers p. 64 65 66. So Dr. Tilsley in his Record of the History of Charls Martels Sacrilege and Animadversions upon Mr. Selden's History of Tythes observes This King Pipin lived about eight hundred years after Christ Molanus de sanctis Belgii In 18 Octo. bris in vita Monen and royally gave the tythe he had between Lesche and Ourt to Monon that blessed man who was slain for his profession of Christ But what need I travel beyond sea for proof That excellent example of King Ethelwolph the Son of King Egbert a King of this land of the Saxon race who brought the Heptarchie or Sevenfold Kingdom of the Saxons into a Monarchy this King Ethelwolph having received the Christian Faith he had by his conquest all the lands in England for his Demesn as is acknowledged by that learned Judge and judicious Lawyer Sir Edward Coke in his Commentary upon Littleton and conferred the Tythes of all his Kingdom upon the Church by his Royal Charter Sir Ed Coke his com on Littleâ—on Sir H. Spel. com 85. dated in the year of Christ Eight hundred fifty five related in these words King Ethelwolph by the consent of his Prelates and Princes which ruled in England under him in their several Provinces did enrich the Church of England with Tythes of all his lands and goods by his Charter Royal c. Adding in the end That whoso should increase that gift God would please to prosper and increase his days But if any should presume to diminish the same An item against Sacriledge or sundry Queries concerning Tythes printed 1653. that he should be called to an account for it at Gods Judgement seat c. And this he did not onely as Lord Paramount but as Proprietary of the whole land the Lord and great men having no propiety or estates of permanency but as accountants to the King whose the whole land was and yet they also gave their free consents which the King required that thereby they might be barred from pleading any Tenant right as also to oblige them to stand in the maintenance of Tythes against all pretenders that might come in after-time Here you see was a free and full donation of all the Tythes of England unto God and to the Church of Christ for the maintenance of the Gospel and Gospel-Ministery and this no doubt out of conscience informed by the word of God that they were due to them by Divine Right Now if all the Tythes of England be be God's First by reservation as his own proper right Secondly God's by dedication and consecration unto him for his service Rev. 20.12 Then I desire that men would enquire into the Book of Conscience which one day shall be opened and be fully resolved whether to take away Tythes from their proper use for which God and good men did give them be not horrid Sacriledge Mal. 3.8 that dreadful sin which subjects men to the wrath and curse of God To quicken your meditation upon this case of Conscience now consciene hath so much liberty and to move it to look within doors and truly to see if it know its own face let me mind you of some few examples of Gods direful Judgements against this sin of Sacriledge First Gen. 3.132 3 4 5 c. We have all cause to remember the sacriledge of our first parents in taking of Gods reserved part the forbidden tree for which they were driven out of Paradise and they and all their posterity subject to death and the curse of God yea Gen. 3.15 all miseries in this life and the life to come had not God given the seed of the woman Christ our Savior to break the serpents head and make our peace with the blood of his cross Col. 1.20 had not God in his unspeakable love in Christ reconciled us unto himself as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 5.19 yea by the death of his son Rom 5.10 without which we were all the children of wrath as well as others Ephes 2.3 Eph. 2.3 Secondly And what need I rehearse that judgement of God that fell upon sacrilegious Achan Josh 7.1 2 3 4 c. yea that great affliction that fell upon the Army of Israel for Achan's sin First the Army of Israel did flie before the men of Ai vers 4. And Achan his sons his daughters Jos 24 25 all he had were stoned with stones and burnt with fire for that sin Thirdly Sacrilegious Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar his son 2 Chro. 38.18 Dan. 5.1 2 3 c. the Father took away all the consecrated Vessels of the house of God and brought them to Babylon and the Son Belshazzar he repented nor of his Fathers sacriledge but prophaned those holy vessels in his drunken Feasts and what was his punishment God smites him on a sudden with trembling terror and amazement his knees smite one against another and the joynts of his loyns are loosed the hand-writing upon the wall witnesseth an end of his life and Kingdom he was weighed in the ballance and found wanting and that night was Belshazzar slain and Darius the Median took the Kingdom Dan. 5.31 Fourthly How sudden and fearful the death of Ananias and Saphira was Act. 5.1 2 3 4 c. I related before Fifthly King Herod committed Sacriledge in robbing God of his honor taking that glory to him him which was due to God and you may read both his sin and judgement The Angel of God did strike him that he was eaten of wormes and gave up the ghost Act. 12. Act. 12.23 Sixthly In particular the sin of Sacriledge in taking away of the Tythes the tenth part which is Gods part Mal. 3.8 it was to be cursed with a curse a fearful curse Mal. 3. Seventhly If we proceed to the antient History of the Church and Records of latter times wherein the acts of Gods providence and his works of Judgement are registred we may finde too great a number of sacrilegious persons and fearful judgements to be their portion 1. I shall onely name that wicked Emperor that Apostate Julian Socrat. Ecel Hist lib. 3. cap. 12 14 16 â—7â— â—8
a high estate Matth Paris 284. 684. to be Counsellor and Favorite to King Henry the Eighth and who for his Sacriledge which I here speak of did but turn Tythes out of the right channel and prospered not after lost the Kings favor whom he took care to serve more then God and lost all his estate and his life and all as most did judge poysoned himself at Leicester Martin 304 306. and died miserably lieth buried at Leicester Abby or Priory The great memory of his great Sacriledges is the most he left but what he lost before The Relator remembers divers more persons punished for Sacriledge But I pass them over onely let me not yea I cannot forget King Henry the Eighth who as the Relator speaks ingrossed Sacriledge and intailed it to his posterity For the first half of his reign whiles he was free from Sacriledge he was honored of his Allies abroad loved of his Subjects at home successful in his Actions and at peace as it were with God and man But after his Sacriledge as in disfavor with both his Subjects rebel first in Suffolk after in Lincoln Somerset York-shire and the Northern parts and now like Saul forsaken of God he falls from one sin to another I will not relate his sins nor the judgments of God that followed Speed 104. 1629. c. Sir Henry Spelman Printed 1646. 35 Hen. 8. but leave the Reader to that Preface to the Reader before mentioned in that Book of Sir Henry Spelman which is my Belator out of our own Chronicles He took divers Wives which were â—now to people a Canaan some of whom he used like a cruel Tyrant and in the end growing old entails his Crown upon his children and all successively swayed the Scepter but all died childless and his family extinct his name not mentioned but the memory of his Sacriledge and other crimes is revived to his dishonor His Sacriledge I apply to the taking away of Tythes and Impropriations from the particular Parishes and Ministers of the Gospel and not restoring them which the Pope had Sacrilegiously taken away For the Lands of Monasteries misapplied I speak not of them although it is a question if they were once given to a holy use whether it be not Sacriledge to take them from God if once they were given to God for a good end This I cannot observe but with sorrow That the Parliament then consented to King Henries Sacriledge hoping it seems that Tythes and Glebe-Lands would have been better bestowed but they being once in the Kings hands to prevent a restitution he distributes them to the Laity Speed 1086. some to Noblemen some to Gentlemen and others some he sells some he exchanges But as my Relator notes to little joy of him or his or of those that have since possessed them To many men they have been like the Ark amongst the Philistims bringing a curse instead of a blessing to the pretended owners Though they have enjoyed them by countenance and confirmation of Parliament yet I would some of them would truly lay to heart and examine and search for satisfaction in this Case of Conscience Whether they have not lost more of their estates by these late wars then ever they or their Ancestors have gained by these Impropriations and Impropriate Tythes which they possess especially in places where there is left no competent maintenance for a Minister of the Gospel to instruct poor souls in the way to Salvation and this in so many hundred Parishes where the Parsonages are Impropriate There are Parish Churches in England 9284. Cam b Brit. 162 whereof 3845 are Impropriate and in few of these places is there a sufficient maintenance for an able Godly Minister to preach to the people And who shall give account for so many Souls at the day of Judgment I pray God the Parliament and all others may lay it to heart I cannot think without grief of the Sacriledge continued and committed in the times of that good Prince Godwine 52. King Edward the Sixth and the sad and â—ore afflicting hand of God upon those that had their hand in it Sir Henry Spelman Some I hope otherwise good men I will not name them but leave the Reader to my Relator in the Book before-mentioned Nor will I mention the many examples of Gods afflicting hand at least if not fearful curse upon many others Some yea divers of whom I have known in my memory near Threescore years to have felt the smart of Gods hand in their Sacrilegious enjoyments though they had no hand in the Sacriledge but as they have come to them from their Ancestors or others who it may be bought them and it may be thought it lawful being so setled by Parliament I will say nothing of divers Sacrilegious Customs in many Parishes and places of robbing God and his Ministers of what is due to them I am sure the custom of sining in this respect hath taken away the conscience of sin I should have been glad to have read that the Reigns of King James and King Charls and the Parliaments in both their times had drawn no guilt upon them by neglecting Reformation in these as well as in other things I am sure one horrid act of Sacrilege was committed in the late Kings days by the plotting and power of the late Archbishop of Canterbury charged against him in the sixth Additional Article by the House of Commons then assembled in Parliament That whereas divers godly people who were truly accounted good old Puritans out of conscience and perswasion that Tythes were due to God for his worship and service and they were sacrilegiously taken away from the faithful Ministers of particular Parishes they endeavored by all good means the redeeming of them yea some religious Noble-minded men did freely give and restore Impropriations of great value to the Church again and others gave great sums of money towards the redeeming of them The Feoffees were Four Divines viz. Dr. Gouge Dr. Sibbs Mr. Offspring Mr. Davenport Four Lawyers Ralph Eyre Sam Brown C. Skirland John White Esqs John Geering Richard Davies George Harwood Francis Pridges Citizens See Canterbury's Doom by William Prynne Esq p. 386. This undone Feb. 13. 1632. and put the money into the hands of Honorable Feoffees in trust to buy in Impropriations and to allow a good allowance for present to a godly Minister and after a time when the money laid out was received in again by a yearly rent then to give the whole Impropriation to the Minister of that Parish and the rest of the money to go on to buy more Impropriations to be laid to the Church again And this I know was done in divers places which would in a short time have redeemed all the Impropriations in the land if it had been continued and have been a means to have setled a sufficient Maintenance and an able godly Minister in every Congregation But by the late
Archbishop of Canterbury his project destroyed lest as was pretended Puritan Ministers should fill the places But how sad his end was for this and other practises proved against him is yet fresh in memory All the politick wisdom in his head could not keep his head and body together It is and ought to be grief of spirit to remember or record these things to posterity I shall only leave some Quaere's or Cases of Conscience to be enquired into and laid to heart of all they may concern and draw to an end of this Branch and Reply to that false accusation of these Anabaptists That Tythes are the wages of unrighteousness and Ministers that take them Antichristian deceivers as in their Answer they declare themselves First let all enquire and consider Quaere 1 or Case of conscience since as God did take away the posterity of King William the Conqueror he did also take away the posterity of King Henry the Eight both guilty of this sin of Sacrilege Whether this sin was not or might not be one principal â—in which provoked God to remove them and theirs from the Government of these Nations Secondly Quaere 2 Since God hath removed King James and King Charls and their children from the power of Government whether their not endeavoring to reform this sin of Sacrilege might not be one sin and cause amongst others of their removal and translating of the power from them to the present Power now in the Land Thirdly Quaere 3 Whether the Honorable Parliaments since that Parliament in the time of King Henry the Eight when this Sacrilege was chiefly committed and the Popes Sacrilege in part justified by their giving consent to King Henry to alienate Impropriate Tythes and Glebe-lands from their proper particular Churches and especially later Parliaments to whom God gave a greater power to reform this sin of Sacrilege and to redeem Impropriations have not been one sinful neglect and cause which provoked God to afflict them and the Nation with such ill success of Disagreement among themselves and with the chief Magistrates of these Nations from time to time yea to humble them and us with the loss of that power which once God had put into their hands not only for redeeming Impropriations and setling a sufficient honorable Maintenance for an able godly Ministery throughout the Nation that so many thousand souls might not perish for lack of knowledge But of the power and opportunity of enacting other good Laws for preservation of Truth and true peace and prosperity in this Commonwealth which we have cause to seek the face of God daily for in and through the Lord Jesus Christ Fourthly Quaere 4 Whether the great losses that the Nation hath sustained in general and of those noble and ignoble men in special who hold Impropriations and Tythes from the Faithful Ministers of Christ the right owners may not in part arise from this sin of Sacrilege for detaining that in their hands which is Gods reserved part or Gods consecrated portion for the maintenance of his faithful Godly painfull Ministers in the service of Christ I have said enough before I need speak no more for the justification of the right of Tythes both Divine and Civil by the Laws of God and the Law both in former and late Parliaments His Highness Procl Novemb. 1659. in the Humble Petition and Advice in the days of the late Lord Protector and of his Highness since by his late Proclamation for encouragement of godly Ministers and enjoying their dues and liberties according to Law I shall conclude this but with a few words to you John Darker and Tobias Watsen and to the Thirty Congregations whose Faith you sent me and which you would pretend to be of your opinions Friends I desire you to consider what is professed by them in the Fifty eighth Section That it is the good pleasure of God which hath given gifts of his grace to the Saints or Church of God that some of the gifted men should be appointed or set apart to attend upon the preaching of the Word c. And Section Fifty nine A book intituled The Faith and practise of Thirty Congregations printed 1651. p. 50. sect 58 59 60. That it is the will of God that those which are appointed so to spend their labors in teaching or exhorting in the knowledge of God to their edification and consolation ought to have maintenance of those that receive spiritual food by them You say They ought to have maintenance certainly then it is the peoples duty to maintain them by your own confession otherwise how can you say they ought to have maintenance And if they ought to have maintenance why not Tythes appointed by God himself and approved both before and since the coming of Christ and in the Church of God yea by Christ himself as I have proved at large as well as any other maintenance of Charity or Alms as you or they would pretend in their next Section And if they be appointed or set apart to attend upon the preaching of the word as they say in the Fifty eighth Section Then how ought they to labor with their hands that they may not be over-chargeable as they say in Section Sixty and for which they alleadge 1 Cor. 4.12 St. Paul's practise in a time of persecution and extreme necessity This they seem to bring in by head and shoulders to justifie the preaching of laborers men of Mechanick Trades Taylors and Carpenters Smiths and Tinkers and of Mercers and Bakers and other such like But if you or they had consulted the same Apostle in the same Epistle Chapter 9. Verse 6 7. you might have learned that both Paul and Barnabas had power to forbear working It was not any Ordinance of Christ that they or any other Minister of Jesus Christ should work with their hands to maintain themselves or get a livelihood but that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel as the Apostle testifieth 1 Cor. 9.18 I let pass divers Errors in that Declaration of their Faith too long to trouble the Reader with I shall conclude this with prayer to God that the Lord would open the eyes both of you and them to see your error and sin in departing from or at least continuing your forsaking of our Reformed and Reforming Congregations making Rents and Schisms in the Churches of Christ and giving advantage to the common enemy to destroy the godly party either amongst us or your selves For although you are too full of error yet I dare not think but some who are not satisfied with the practise of Infant Baptism may yet be members of Christ though sick with error and such as stand in great need of healing by the Sun of Righteousness who will arise to them that fear his name with healing in his wings Mal. 4.2 For such as are of Antichristian persecuting spirits against the godly faithful Ministers of Christ in England who have and
Ages but this was still a time when the Church was subject to persecution and dangers and many poor and so a necessity to live in Societies as the people of God did in those dayes a full answer you have in my Justification of Tythes to belong to Christ and his Ministers Hom. 23. ad Epist 1. a Cor. â— in cap. 16 Ambros Tom. 5. Serm. in Ascenti Domini by Divine right and yet all places were not in like condition even in those times Now Sir you proceed forward and bring in Hierom and Chrysostome who you say did press payment of Tythes and Ambrose Bishop of Millan about the year 400 after Christ pressed the payment of Tythes Anthony Peirson's case And page 5. Augustine say you in Sermon de tempore in Tom. 10. This is the just custome of the Lord that if thou dost not give the Tenth to him thou shall be called to the Tenth thy self And after Decimae ex debito requiruntur tythes are required as due debt you add Leo Severine and Gregory Mr. Bourn's answer Thus you have now alledged divers Antients who do not only declare for payment of tythes but for payment of them by Divine right or as a duty Gregory's judgement was that the tenth of all was to be given to God as many others and truly any man that rightly considers the Histories of the Church and what is written by the Antients may see clearly that howsoever in the beginning and dangerous times tythes were not pressed for weighty Reasons as I have shewed in my Defence page 44 yet so soon as ever the Church came to a settlement and they were more free from persecution tythes were preached and pressed and payed as a duty not as alms or liberal devotions as you would make men believe Anthony Peirson's case Again page 6. he affirms that from the opinions of these and other antient Fathers who took their ground as he thinks from the Law tythes were brought into the Church but not received as a general Doctrine that Tythes ought to be payed till about 800 years after Christ Mr. Bourn's answer First how know you that these antient Fathers took their ground out of the Law that Tythes ought to be pay'd as if it had been the Levitical Law only why might they not take their ground long before that Law even from that payment of Tythes by Abraham to Melchizedeck the Priest of the most high God and from Jacobs Vow and what Christ spake and his Apostles writ in the Gospel and Epistles especially that to the Hebrews chap. 7. I am sure some of the Fathers do alledge arguments from divers of these See my Book pag. 59 60 61 62 c. and so it might be from a light to the conscience that Tythes are Gods part and Christs right for maintenance of his worship and service hence might press the payment of them For what you say that the Doctrine was not received till the 800 year certain it doth not appear but the contrary for many Writers before that time did assert the payment of Tythes and that as a due yea by Divine right as I have declared in my Defence of Tythes read my Book with Doctor Slater and Doctor Tilseley his Animadversions on Mr. Seldens History and others Anthony Peirson's case In his 7. page and following he endeavours to prove That Tythes belonged to the Poor above 800 900 1000 years after Christ and that the Clergy was not to use them as their own and people had more willing mind to give them for the poor than the Priests but after in the year 1274. there was a Law that people should not give them at their pleasures but to the Church this by Pope Gregory Mr. Bourn's answer I answer that before that time there were amongst the people divers things out of order it was some reason till Ministers of the Gospel were setled people should have more liberty to pay their Tythes where they pleased but yet they were paid and due to be paid long before that time and that Law was good by whomsoever it was made That Tythes should be payed to the Church where Ministers were setled to preach the Gospel or to be pay'd to them for their labour in the Word and Doctrine which was most agreeable to the Divine Institution Peirson's Case Now page 8 9. c. Peirson brings History to witness payment of Tythes I shall not trouble the Reader saith he with a relation of Joseph of Arimathea coming into Brittain sent by Phillip the Apostle in the Reign of Arviragus as History reports he about the year 600 of Augustine the Monk who came and preached the Gospel in this Land and when they had brought a great part of the Nation to the Faith they began to preach up the old Romish Doctrine that Tythes ought to be paid c. Mr. Bourn's answer For answer I desire the Reader to observe he relates indeed the story of Joseph Arimathea coming into Brittain to preach the Gospel but he leaveth out the History of that gift of Gleab lands in those dayes at Glassenbury for the maintenance of them that preached the Gospel yet he confesseth that when the people were converted to the Faith then they pressed the payment of Tythes this saith he about 600 years after Christ and yet he saith they began to preach the old Romish Doctrine that Tythes ought to be pay'd I would ask first how old the doctrine of payment of Tythes was at Rome 600 years after Christ if it was an old doctrine within 600 years after Christ certain then it was in or near the Primitive times as indeed it was in some places long before the Pope or the universal Bishop of Rome was born for Origen speaks of the payment of Tythes who lived near the Primitive times about 200 after Christ as I have shewed in my Justification of Tythes read page 59 60. Secondly I demand why old Romish Doctrine for Hierom was not Bishop of Rome and yet he approveth of Tythes and Augustine Bishop of Hippo in Alexandria and divers in other places in those times writ of Tythes as due to be paid and due by divine Right but he would fain make Tythes Romish that he might make them odious though they were thought by the Lord the best way to maintain his servants for his worship and service and indeed are Gods right and Christs right for the maintenance of his Ministers to the end of the world Anthony Peirson's case Anthony Peirson goeth on page 9. c. As concerning Laws saith he for Tythes in the year 786. of a King of Merceland and Elswolph King of Northumberland made Decrees that those two Kingdoms should pay Tythes And Ethelwolf King of the West Saxons in the year 855. made a Law that the Tythe of all his own Land should be given to God and he tells us out of the History that at that time the Nation being under heavy pressure by
the Danes Bernredus King of Mercia and Edmund King of Eastangles being present he called a Counsel and they to remove the judgements then over them granted the Tythe of all their Land to God and his servants and divers other Princes after made Laws for the payment of Tythes thus Anthony Peirson Mr. Bourn's answer To which I answer that even this making Laws for Tythes and that when Judgements of God were upon the Land this certainly doth witness evidently that they were perswaded in their consciences that Tythes were due to God and his servants and the detaining of them was a sin and therefore they made Decrees and Laws to pay them to God as due to him and his servants by divine right for had they not believed that the payment of Tythes had been well pleasing to God they would never in that time have made Laws that Tythes should be pay'd to God for his servants Anthony Peirson's case Now that the Reader may understand saith he the ground that some men pay'd Tythes I have in the margin declared the grant of King Stephen pro salute animae meae c. For the health of my soul c. I Stephen King of England do grant Tythes c. Mr. Bourn's answer I answer still though there was some errour in king Stephen yet this doth witnesse that there was a Conscience in him perswaded that Tythes were Gods due and therefore he confirms Tythes as other Princes upon the same ground had done before him Peirson's Case In the tenth page Wicklâ—ffe saith he did make a complaint to the Parliament which he sets down in Wickliffes words Ah Lord God that people should be constrained to find a worldly Priest unable both in life and cunning in pomp and pride covetise and envy drunkennesse gluttony and lechery in symony and heresie with fat horse and jolley with gay saddles and bridles c. when within few years they pay'd Tythes and Offerings at their own wills to the worship of God and fairness of the holy Church c. Mr. Bourn's answer Let the Reader observe Wickliff doth not complain that Tythes were paid but to such prophane wicked men still this doth argue a due of Tythes to be paid and that for Gods worship whatsoever Anthony saith to the contrary Anthony Peirson's case Anthony Peirson proceeds to add to Wickliff VValter Boute and VVilliam Thorpe and others whose arguments saith he are at large in Fox his Acts and Monuments they did in their dayes bear testimony against Tythes for which some of them suffered in flames as he thinks this page 14. Mr. Bourn's answer To this I desire the Reader if he can to read the History in the Book of Martyrs page 669 670 c. and you cannot find that they or any other were burned or suffered flames because they spake against Tythes for there were other Articles which were more fundamental for which they suffered death had there been nothing else but Tythes no doubt they would not have laid down their lives against Tythes as Anthony Peirson would make men believe Again particular mens opinions do not determine the right which God hath in the world and the encrease of the earth for the maintenance of his worship and service the Scripture-proof is sufficient to witness perpetuity of Tythes Anthony would handle the Question whether Tythes be due or not Anthony Peirson's case But Peirson alledgeth the Laws for Tythes page 15 16 17. c. some made by the Pope and Papal decrees and the opinion of Schools Popes exemption c. as if Tythes had not been Gods part before Mr. Bourn's answer I answer if tythes be due to the Ministers of the Gospel by divine Right as I have proved these several claims of several men do not infringe nor can these Laws or Cannons of Popes hinder Christ or his Ministers from challenging tythes as Gods reserved part for his worship and service I may say the same for the Laws of King Henry the Eight and since Edward the 6. Queen Elizabeth thus we bless God for these good Laws and confirmations and settlement of the paiment of tythes to the Ministers of the Gospel by so many Honourable Parliaments for whom we pray that God will guide them still in his waies for the maintenance of his worship and service and for the good of the Common-wealth yet this will not therefore conclude against the Divine right of tythes good Parliaments and godly men have been and are more willing to pay and establish the paiment of tythes because they are perswaded a godly Ministry ought to be maintained and countenanced and this way of tythes is a way which God himself hath prescribed of old and the Kingdoms that have received the Gospel have approved and practised in several ages of the world this still confirms the divine right of tythes I let pass his seeming Answers to Objections as to Abrahams paiment and Melchizedecks receiving of tythes before Levies Priesthood page 17 18 20 c. and the rest I have given answer to that in my Justification of Ministers maintenance by tythes which may satisfie any good man that is not prejudiced against the Ministers of Christ or hath not some self-self-end in his not being satisfied Anthony Peirson's Case But Anthony Peirson cryeth out page 25. VVhat a shame it is that a man should be compelled to set out the tythes of his own Goods c. Mr. Bourn's answer I answer though the goods be his own the Corn Hay c. yet the tenth is not his own nor ever was neither theirs or their Fore-fathers never bought nor sold with the Land but are Gods reserved part as we have proved to the full and they are by right from Gods Law to be tythed and by the good Laws of the Nation to which Ministers may lawfully appeal for recovery of their just Rights Paul did appeal to Caesar for his just defence Acts 25.1 Anthony Peirson's case But Anthony Peirson objects if any claim tythes by my Ancestors gift may I not ask him to whom and for what my Ancestors gave them all those tythes since Augustine the Monk were given to Popish Priests for superstitious uses or causes Popish Mr. Bourn's Answer I answer there were no tythes given them as if those that gave them had any right of their own in them originally they did not give them to God but restore them to God again when they had been stollen and unjustly detained from God and abused that continuing to be pay'd they might be for maintenance to Christs Ministers in times of Reformation and this no more than what duty men owe to God witness our Saviour Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods Mat. 22.21 for his other Objections page 14. c. I have answered see my Book Anthony Pierson's Case And for that Anthony Peirson alledgeth out of learned Mr. Shepheard page 28. that tythes was never claimed in respect of any
English Nation You do own it but with a limitation I say nothing to your limitation I am sure for what I know you have no reason but to own the present Powers and to submit and obey the Magistrates and all other in Authority when they upon complaint do command the payment of Tythes to Ministers according to Law as in all other lawful commands and as Magistrates have a lawful power to compel so the Ministers of Christ may lawfully appeal to them for Justice and Right and although I would not have any of my Brethren to be contentious for trifles or small matters yet it is their duty to defend and not to lose the just Rights of the Church for succeeding ages especially in these dayes when Sacriledge is by so many accounted no sin as if God had no special right now to any thing in the world and so men could not rob God of any part of the Creature which is his either by Reservation or Consecration for maintenance of his worship and service but if this were so why doth St. Paul writing to his converted christian Jews at Rome such as were called to be Saints Rom. 1.7 demand the question and reason the case with them Rom. 2.22 Thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit sacriledg sacriledg sure then might be found to be a sin committed amongst Christians for such were these to whom St. Paul writ it is some question what kind of sacriledg the Apostle means but the Greek word used by the Apostle Rom. 2.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrilegium committo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proprie â—st Templa Despolione Gerh. in Loc. M. Leigh upon the Romans Calvinus in Rom. Hac ratione Ovidius metamorpho 3. Sacrilegum appellat lycurgum ob contemptu Bachi sacra in fastes sacrilegos manus quae numen veneris violarant signifieth to despoil and â—ob Temples or to despoil holy things things consecrated to Divine worship or maintenance thereof as if St. Paul had held as good a false Religion as a spoiling Religion and although Sacriledg is not worse yet it is as bad as Idolatry as that learned man Mr. Leigh well observes upon the place And godly learned judicious Mr. Calvin in his Commentaries The Apostle saith he understandingly opposeth Sacriledg to Idolatry as a thing of the same kind certainly both a like odious to God for Sacriledg is a prophanation of the Divine Majesty or of a worship and service or any thing that belongeth thereunto And this saith Mr. Calvin was not unknown to the Ethnick Poets who called those sacrilegious who contemned the holy things of their Heathen Gods and what can it be but sacriledg or a robbing of God when men violate and take away that which is Gods reserved by him for the maintenance of his worship and service for the taking away of that which belongs to God for the maintenance of his worship certainly is a sin which the Magistrate may take notice of as well as other especially when as it is a setled maintenance by the Laws of the Land as well as by the law of God and certainly the Ministers of Christ may lawfully appeal to the christiâ—n Magistrates for Justice as well as the blessed Apostle Paul did appeal to Caesar a Heathen Emperour against his unjust adversaries as you may read Acts 25.10 11. I stand at Caesars Judgement-seat where I ought to be judged to the Jews I have done no wrong I appeal unto Caesar I might shew you at large how good Kings and Magistrates have comforted and encouraged the Prophets of God The Levites they taught the people the good-knowledg of God before Christ witness good King Hezekiah the 2 Chron. 30.22 He spake comfortably to the Levites and commanded the people to give the portion to the Priest and Levites that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord 2 Chron. 31.4 and good Jâ—hoshaphat before him honoured the Levites as you may see 2 Chron. 20. And Nehemiah that good Magistrate contended with the Nobles in Judah for prophaning the Sabbath and wheâ— he perceived that the portion of the Levites had not been given them he contended with the Rulers and then brought all Judah the Tythes of the Corn and the New-wine and the Oyl unto the Treasury that the Levites might be supplied and they might be distâ—ibuted to them according to their right as is recorded Nehemiah 13.10 11 12. And we hope that as God hath formerly so God will bless and honour this present Parliament to be a defence to all the godly faithful Ministers in the Nation though too many desire they may be their destruction What need I tell you of Constantine the Great that first christian Emperour what great respect he had to the Ministers of Christ Eusebius in viâ—a Constantini witness Eusebâ—us in the life of Constantine or of those many christian Princes also who endowed and according to conscience duty as they believed gave and setled Tythes for the maintenance of the Ministers of Christ I have given a Catalogue of many before I might vindicate at full and justifie the authority of Parliaments christian Kings and Magistrates for punishing of offenders and their coercive power to compel refractory men to do their duties according to the just and good Laws of God and men established but I refer you and the Reader to that learned VVork of that learned and laborious man William Prynne of Lincolns-Inn Esq Entituled The Sword of the Magistrate supported That 's a Book not answered nor answerable so as to deprive the good Magistrates of their just Power given them by God and the laws of the Nation over which the Lord in his wise Providence hath placed them and thus I have done with your last ground of separation which you are pleased to call A Sandy Pillar and Popish Foundation that is the Sword of the Magistrate Rom. 13.1 2 3 c. but it is Gods Ordinance and that which you ought to obey even for conscience sake as we proved before And we must tell you that we do not make the Sword of the Magistrate the Fundamental of livelyhood as you imagine though we do bless the Lord that our good Magâ—strates are not against us but for us yet we live by Faith and we hope the Lord will strengthen our Faith to depend upon him Hab. 2.4 Mat. 28.20 Heb. 13.5 who hath promised to be with us to the end of the world never to fail us nor forsake us nor do we fear starving amongst those we call christians when Tythes and all we had were plundered and lost we found by experience the goodness of God in opening christian hearts to communicate to our necessities and doubt not but if the Lord should suffer us to be brought to the like straights again Rom. 8.28 2 Tim. 4.18 yet we know all shall work together for our good God is the same God still and will provide for us here what he