wear on their Garments This Order was erected in or about the Year 1120. and had their fiâ—st Foundation and abode in Jerusalem after they had their residence at Rhodes whence they were expelled by Solyman since their chief Seat hath been at Malta and have done as 't is said great Exploits against the Turk There was one General Prior that had the Government of the whole Oder in England and Scotland King Henry the eighth dissolved this Corporation the Prior and Confreres thereof were prohibited to wear their accustomed Mark the Sign of the Cross The King also was to have their Houses Churches Lands Goods Chattels Debts and all other things of theirs Hospitallers were certain Knights of an Order so called because they had the Care of Hospitals that is Houses erected for the Relief of Pilgrims and Poor and impotent People Bernard a learned Monk of Burgundy entred into the Monastery of Câ—steaux hence an Order of Monks were called Bernardines from this Bernard the chief of the Monastery they were called also Ciâ—â—ertian Monks Thus Tythes were settled in Apostatized Christendom by the Pope not by Christ nor his Apostles and in favour to his chief Props such and such Orders c. the Pope made all the Lands given unto them Tythe free which so remains to this Day his Exemptions are in force Now read your selves you that Glory in the Name of Protestants and would be accounted eminent in Reformation from the dregs of Popery as you say See the Author of Tythes in Apostatized Christendom and of the exemption of such and such Lands from the payment thereof the Pope whom though you pretend to deny yet plead for his Provision and refuse healing of your Leprosie in Spiritual Jordan the River of Judgment CAP X. Of Frank Almoigne LOcusts crawling out of the Smoke of the Pit Teachers qualified only by Man saith Gell on 2 Tim. 4. have a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an itching in their Tongues desirous to teach others for Earthly ends Earthly advantage filthy Lucre not fervently desirous to bring them to Life and the Hearers of such have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an itching in their Ears affecters of Novelties Flesh pleasing Doctrines curious Speculations 'T is out of a Natural mans Sphere to have Spiritual and Heavenly aimes he is dead thereto making Preaching as a Trade or Art to pick a Living by Such as are called of God they have better aimes of a more pure and heavenly Nature But to return In the Apostacy the Clergy even spent themselves in the pursuit of Earthly things multiplying Inventions to settle themselves in Pride Fulness and Ease and a Provision Idolatrously Fraudulently and upon groundless Supposition formerly hooked in by the Clergy Man-made Ministers now though pretending Reformation allow of and Dispute for the same A Tenant in Frank Almoigne is where an Abbot Prior or any other man of Religion or of holy Church as they say holdeth of his Lord in Frank Almoigne that is to say in free Alms and this Tenure began first in Old Time when a man seized of Lands or Tenements c. and of the same enfeoffed an Abbot Prior or any Ecclesiastical person Seculer or Reguler to have and to hold to them and their Successors in Frank Almoigne that is pure or free Alms Cook upon Littletou sec 133. All Ecclesiastical persons might have held in Frank Almoigne were they Seculer or Reguler but no Lay-person could hold in Frank Almoigne A notable piece of Policy to enrich the Clergy none must pertake of these Alms but the Clergy the Peoples Charity was limitted by the grand Charter of the Clergies Covetousness to themselves alone And they which held in Frank Almoigne were bound of right before God to make Orisions Prayers Masses and other divine Services for the Soul of their Grantor or Feoffer and for the Souls of their Heirs which were dead and for the prosperity and good Life and good Health of their Heirs which were alive Cook upon Littletou Sec. 136. Thus 't is clear as the Day to the seeing Eye what strange Superstitious Idolatrous Doctrines and Covetous Practices foretold of by the Apostles had a rise in the Apostacy Paul said in his Day We are not as many which corrupt the Word of God 2. Cor. 2.17 Former Translations rendred it We are not as many making Merchandize of the Word Which is very agreeable to the Greek Copy and touches the Practise of Man-made Ministers who as Merchants trade with their Commodities trade with their groundless Doctrines Traditions irreptitious Customs natural Gift acquired Parts Bargaining with People for so much a Year runing from place to place as further Advantage is offered yet pretending a Call thereto 'T was the Judgment of Church-men in former dayes that for a Bishop to remove from one place to another was a bad Custom and to be rooted out Summa Concil Pontif. saying further 'T is very evident why they do this thing seeing no Bishop iâ— found removing from a greater City to a less whereupon 't is apparent say they that they are fired with Covetousness You that pretend Reformation you have in your Mouthes what was said of Alexander the Sixth that notable Merchant Vendit Alexander Cruces Altaria Christum Vendere jure potest emerat ipse prius Alexander sells Crucifixes Christ and Altars high And Reason good he should do so for first he did them buy And what Mantuan hath said of Merchandizing apostatized Rome's selling of Temples Priests Altars Sacred things Crowns Fire Frankincense Relicks Prayers Heaven and God himself And cannot you see your selves Doth not your taking of Tythes Easter-Reckonings Midsummer-Dues as you call them Money for Marrying of People for Burials for opening of the Earth for Funeral Sermons for Mortuaries for Churching of Women for Smoke passing up the Chimney Plough-Money Garden-Money Augmentations bespeak you Merchants The Apostles acted no such things were not found in the Co-ercive exaction of Tythes not forcing a Maintenance from such as received them not Paul was no such Merchant he mingled not Wine and Water as I may say he was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of filthy Lucre but content with Gospel-Maintenance which was Free and Voluntary from such as received them and their Message But such as are made Ministers by the Will of Man they apply themselves to man for Maintenance Cicero a Heathen could say That the Gains of Hirelings are sordid or base for their Wage is the Obligation of their Service Tull. Offic. If Antichrist's Maintenance were swept out decry'd and Gospel-Maintenance only allowed then 't would appear whether the Number of Chemarims that is Black Coats increased or decreased When Earthly Considerations opens the Mouth those being taken away the Mouth is shut This is no Reflection against the Ministers of Christ who propound to themselves Gospel ends as good Stewards faithfully dispensing the Word of Reconciliation content with Gospel-Maintenance without recourse to Man
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
what Glorious things Christ will do and what Glorious things he hath done but to know his Energy inward effectual Operation at present a present coming out of Babylon to the new Jerusalem this is not preached up In a word they are such Trumpeters give such an uncertain Sound as that their Hearers are not at all Alarum'd not all Arm'd not at all Arm'd against Abaddon Apolyon the old Destroyer but the strong man Arm'd keeps the House hath rule in the Heart in this state man makes a shew of Religion and Worship Thus Man-made Ministers are stained with the Defilements of Doctrinal Errors and as John said Whosoever Transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ he hath not God 2 John 1.9 So consequently hath nothing Habet omnia qui habit habentem omnia that is He hath all that hath the Haver of all so such as are out of Christ's Doctrine they are Heterodox Heretical yea and according to John's Doctrine Atheistical 20. True Ministers were and are Instruments in the hand of the Lord to bring men to Righteousness and Eternal Life out of the Dungeon of Death Darkness and Unbelief Acts 26.16 17 18. If they had stood in my Counsel saith the Lord and had caused my People to hear my Words then they should have turned them from their Evil Way and from the Evil of their Doings Jer. 23. But Man-made Ministers who creep into the Ministry without a divine Call for earthly Ends through the strength of natural Abilities they are like the Mountains of Gilboa without Dew and Rain so barren and unfruitful and cannot enrich others 2 Sam. 1.21 Yea they are like the Cramp-fish whose stupifying and benumming Quality say Naturalists issues from the Fish to the Hook then to the Line then to the Angling-Rod then to the Hand then to the Body of the Fisher and so benums him and takes away all use and feeling of his Limbs such like is the benumming deadning and stupifying Quality of Man-made Ministers but such as come in the living virtue of Truth they make alive unto God such as receive their Testimony and bring them to have all their Sences exercised to the discerning of Good and Evil. 21. Such as are called of the Lord in the influence of his Power they are carried on in the Performance of their Testimonies contrary to the Stream and Current of mens Wills the Lord opens their Mouthes and Man cannot shut them they are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men-pleasers God rather than men is to be hearkned unto and obeyed But Man-made Ministers who intrude into that Work as a Trade to get a Living by eyeing the Fleece more than the Flock these have been and are like dead Fish driven on by the Stream and Current of humane Commands and Appointments as their Mouthes are opened by man so by the Injunctions of Man they are shut Such as have been called of man have done the Work of man hoisting up their Sails to every Wind complying with every Power that came up bending unto the Forms of Worship by them appointed as Records fully testifie King Henry the 8th denying the Popes Supremacy brought the Clergy of England into a Praemunire for their compliance with the Paepal Power the Clergy in a Convocation resolved upon a Humble Sumbmission in writing and gave the King one Hundred Thousand Pound for a Pardon in which Submission they stiled the King Supream Head of the Church Thus the Clergy being beheaded got a new Head denying the Pope acknowledged the King to be their Head Bakers Chron. Not long after the Clergy took an Oath To Renounce the Pope and his Authority and to be true and loyal to the King his Heirs and Successors So God me help and all Saints said they After him succeeded King Edward the sixth in whose Reign the Book of Common-Prayer was commended to the Nation and established and received by the Clergy instead of the Latin Mass Now upon the Translating of the Latin Mass-Book into English in this Edwara's days there was a Rising in Devonshire the King wrote in this manner to quiet them As for the Service in the English Tongue perhaps it seems to you a new Service when indeed it is no other but the old the self-same Words in English which were in Latin saving a few things taken out so fond that it had been a shame to have heard them in English Thus the Common-Prayer came to be established Histor Magdiburg After him succeeded Queen Mary who being a Papist commanded the Mass to be sung again in Latin and to be used in all Churches so called The Kingdom was absolved and reconciled to the Church of Rome by Cardinal Pool Monasteries were re-edified first Fruits and Tenths were restored to these things Priests and People generally complied they took an Oath to be true to St. Peter to the Church of Rome to the Pope their Holy Father and to Persecute to their power all Opposers saying So help me God and the holy Evangelists Notwithstanding all these Oathes and Resolutions in the Year 1559. Queen Elizabeth coming to the Crown she with her Parliament made an Act for Uniformity of Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments the Title of Supream Head of the Church was confirmed to her the Popes Supremacy denyed and of the Number of above nine Thousand Priests Bishops Deans Prebends Masters of Colledges Arch-Deacons Abbots formerly sworn to Popery not above one Hundred and twenty refused to take an Oath against Popery so turned from their Religion to the Protestants Religion because the Queen set it up notwithstanding in Queen Mary's dayes they had burned some Hundreds for resusing to bow to Popery After her King James confirmed the Common-Prayer-Book puting out Canons and Constitutions for Fonts Tables Carpets of Silk Pulpits Copes Surplices Hoods Gowns with standing Collars strait Sleeves wide Sleeves Tippets square Caps that People might know such and such and Honour them The long Parliament denyed the Common-Prayer and by a Synod of Priests set out a Directory for publick Worship in the Year 1644. the generallity of Ministers conformed and inveighed against the Common-Prayer-Book as Popish calling it Rags of Rome dregs of the Whores Cup the English Mass c. In the Year 1653. Oliver Cromwell being made Protector he made Provision for the Clergy for their recovering of Tythe and other Dues as they pretend upon which they called him A good Nursing Father In the Year 1658. Richard Cromwell was made Protecter the Clergy in a Petition called him their Joshua Petitioning him to lead them into the Promises Land and what was that but into rich Benefits and Augmentations The King being restored the Directory cast out as indirect and the Common-Prayer enjoyned how generally entertained by the Clergy notwithstanding the grievous Reflections of many of them against it I need not mention Aencas Sylvius a private Man wrote many things against Popery after being made Pope and called Pius he undid what he
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
Doctrine That Tythes ought to be paid and that Pardon of Sins might be merited the Torments of Hell avoided by such good Works Thus the Poor Depraved Deluded Seduced and Ignorant People through the Sorceries of their Pollitick Leaders the Priests were drawn to the Voluntary Contribution of theis Tythes or of what portion thereof they pleased to Monasteries Nunneries Abbeys Monks Nuns Abbots Priors Prioresses Hospitals Poor c. Which Donations at length were confirmed by the Canon Law and such as had not Voluntarily bestowed their Tythe they were forced thereunto by Laws and Statutes and a general Exaction thereof through the whole Kingdom was established upon the Clergy In this Mid-night of Popery Tythe or Tenths were accounted the Souls Ransome and preached so to be by the covetous Clergy so that in the Belief hereof People gave not only Tythes but Lands also to Religious Houses so called Who would deny the Soul's Ransom Endless Life if so to be purchased In the Belief of this Doctrine the Clergy had almost gotten the third part of the Land and but that the Law against Mortmain prevented might strangely have prevailed by further Encroachments Now in order to owe People to be devout and exact in the Payment of Tythe they tell us a Miracle thereto relating how that Austin at a certain time coming to a place called Cometon to preach the Priest of the place made complaint against the Lord of the Mannor for detaining his Tythe for which thing Austin Excommunicated him and saying Mass as the Altar forbad Excommunicated Persons to be present thereat Presently a dead Corps buried One Hundred and Seventy years before arose out of his Grave and stood afar off during the Celebrating of holy Mass Austin asked him what he was He said He was a man that in his Life-time would never pay Tythe to the Priest so was excommunicated and dying went to Hell for that Crime Austin raised the dead Priest who affirmed That that man would never pay his Tythe Austin sent the live dead Corps to his Grave again saying He had suffered long in Hell that is in Purgatory The Lord of the Mannor seeing all this was much terrified and fell at Austin 's feet confessing his Fault became a due Payer of his Tythe all his Life-time John de Grand sono Johan Anglici Historia Aurea Such Delusions as these as also the Doctrine of Merits and of Tythe being the Souls Ransom being received by the Credulous Deluded Saxons the Saxon Kings in their respective Kingdoms of the Heptarchy and in their respective Reigns made Laws and Decrees for the due Payment of Tythes Micah a Seer of the Lord in his day cryed out Will the Lord be pleased with Thousands of Rams or with ten Thousands of Rivers of Oyl Implying He would not where Justice Love of Mercy and Humility did not truly season and possess the Inwards Mic. 6. The true Church made up of living Stones Elect and Precious witnessed Christ the Amen the true and faithful Witness to be their Ransom their Redemption their Redeemer from Death Hell and the Grave But the Depraved and Mis-led Saxons through the spiritual Inchantments of their Teachers were brought to account Tythe-giving to be the Souls Ransom I could produce multitudes of their Donations confirming what I say In the dayes of Henry the second Nicholas Fitz Turold gave his Tythe in Chiltune to that Monastery The Form and Contents of his Donation was thus Be it known to those that are present and to those that shall succeed That I Nicholas the Son of Turold for the Salvation of my Soul and of my Parents c. have granted to the aforesaid Church to be held forever the Tythes of my Land which I possess in the Village of Chiltune c. I William de Albineio do grant unto God and to St Andrew of Rochester and to the Monks having Residence there all my Tythes c. for the Soul of King William and for the Soul of King Henry and for my own Soul and for the Souls of my Father and Mother and of my Wife and of my Brother Nigellus and of my Nephew Humphry and for the Souls of my other Parents alive and dead Know all men That I Payn Sheriff of Surrey do give and grant the Tythes of Geddings which my Ancestors gave to God and to the Church of St Andrew of Rochester for the Soul of my Father and of my Mother and for me and my Wife and the same Church bath granted unto me that after our Death the Anniversary of me and of my Wife shall yearly be performed forever Thus a former Grant was confirmed Richard Tresgoz confirmed to God and to the Church of blessed Mary of Boxgrave and to the Monks there serving God for the Salvation of his Soul and of his Wife and Predecessors and that Mass should be celebrated thrice a Week in the aforesaid Church for his Soul and his Wive's Soul and for the Souls of his Father and Mother and Ancestors all the Donations which this Father Philip had given as well in Lands as in Tythes Moreover he gave all the small Tythes of his Mannour of Lambs Calves Foals Chickins Piggs Wool Cheese Apples Fruit in a word of whatever was Tytheable Out of a Charter of King Stephen made to the Priory of Eye in Suffolk this following may be read I ✚ Stephen by the Grace of God King of England touched with the Love of God and for the Salvation of my Soul ✚ and of my Father's Soul and of my Mother's Soul and of my Ancestors Kings do give unto God and to the Church of St Peter of Eye and to the Monks there serving God that they may have all their Profits quiet and free from all Exaction in Lands Tythes Churches Possessions c. Thus he confirmed former Grants supposing them Due Pious of good Effects and Consequences Selden Thus for the obtaining of Masses Anniversaries Remission of Sins Salvation of Souls of the dead and of the living and other Reasons Papists gave Tythes to Papists these or what portion thereof they pleased were Voluntarily bestowed on Monks and Monasteries Nuns and Nunneries Abbots and Abbeys Priors and Priories Hospitals on the Poor at last all these Voluntary Grants to be held as pure and perpetual Alms were confirmed by civil Laws and Episcopal and such as had not Voluntarily bestowed them were forced thereto by Laws and Statutes About the Year 900. strict Examination was made at Shrifts that is Confessions in these words Hast thou at any time neglected to pay the Tenth to God If so restore to God four fold and then must thou suffer Pennance with Bread and Water Twenty Dayes Selden After it was determined by Laws Canons and Decrees of Kings Popes Councils and Bishops That every man ought to pay Tythes yet the Owner had Liberty to confer it where he pleased whereby Abbeys and Monasteries were wonderfully enriched till Pope Innocent the third in or about the Year
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
speaking of those words silver gold have I none said Behold the Riches of those who were Priests of Christ but let us quickly apply these things to our selves who are prohibited by the Law of Christ if we have any regard thereunto to have Possessions in the Country and Houses in the City What do I say Possessions or Houses No not to multiply Coats or Money if we have Food and Rayment let us therewith be content Orig. Hom. 15. on Levit. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage about the year 250. testified That the Church maintained many Poor and that her own Diet was sparing and plain and all her Expences full of Frugality Cypr. Epist 27 34 36. Prosper testified further That a Minister able to live of himself ought not to participate of the Goods of the Church for saith he they that have of their own and yet desire to have somewhat given them do not receive it without great Sin Prosp de vit contemplat lib. 21. In these dayes all Necessities of Indigent Ministers of the Poor of the Banished of such as were condemned by the Heathen Emperors to work in Mettal-Mines c. were supplied and relieved by Free and Voluntary Contributions distributed by the Deacons for that end appointed The said Cyprian about the Year 250. speaking familiarly of this thing called the Brethren that cast in their Monethly-Offerings Fratres Sportulantes from the Word Sportulae which the Heathen Romans used for Salaries Wages Fees for Judges and Ministers of Courts of Judicature This they borrowed from the Heathen Romans and applied to their Monethly-Collections Selden In the Apostles dayes Satan tryed the Ship of the Church Teachers and Hearers and as many as he found unsound Leeking as I may say he spouted into their Hearts the stinking Stream of Covetousness but in succeeding Ages the Devil that infernal Sea-Monster Physeter swallowed up the Ship of the Church in the whirle-Pool of Apostacy Ignorance Pride Covetousness as the Apostle foretold About the Year 310. one Lucina a devout Maid of Rome dying made Marcellus Bishop of Rome her Heir and gave him all her great Substance From that time forth saith Polydor lib. 6. the Bishops of Rome were greatly enriched and then came to be puft up with Pride Which Riches the Apostles denyed Sylvester was Bishop of Rome about the Year 314. When Constantine the first Emperor that embraced the Christian Faith the Son of Constantius and Helene offered him a Golden Scepter he refused it as a thing not fit for a Priests Function Sabel Euseb Chron. While the Church was under Persecution by the Roman Emperors it remained in much Purity of Doctrine and Conversation a time of Sufferings is a time of Seriousness But Constantine the Great embracing Christianity his Empire turned Christians by the Lump whether Nominal or Real let the Wise in Heart judge the Fan being over Carnal security Ease Pride Covetousness and Ambition grew up in the Garden of the Church After the Church came under Christian Princes saith Jerom in Power indeed and Riches she became greater but less in Virtue Tom. 2. in vita Malchi Constantine saith Hospinian gave great Gifts and Donations to Churches Of which thing Mantuan said Caesar hic in nostram gestaus pia pectora gentem Immensas donavit opes vasa aurea fundos Vnde Sacerdotes magnis proventibus ancti Through Constantine the Clergy grew most Wealthy Possessing Lands and Gold also in Plenty This Constantine gave to Sylvester Bishop of Rome the City Rome and great Lands and Dominions thereabouts also a Triple Crown in token that he made him Supream Head over all Churches in Asia Africa and Europe as some of their own Writers mention though others question it At the time of this Donation a Voice was heard from Heaven Hodie venenum funditur in ecolesiam This Day Poyson is poured into the Church Hermannus Gigas Napier Bishop Jewel on Hag. And the same Words were written in the presence of many upon a Wall in the Lateran Palace as saith Maleolus Nauclerus Napier 'T was a true Saying of Aug. Marl. on Acts. 20.35 Religio peperit divitias et filia devoravit Matrem that is Religion brought forth Wealth and the Daughter devoured the Mother Sylvester was the first if Histories may be credited who let in a Deludge of Mass-Priests Orders Ornaments Temples Singing-men Sacrifices Sanctuaries Vestiments Oyntments Surplices Miters embroidered Garments under this pretence 1. That Christian-Religion might not seem inferiour to Heathenism in outward Lustre and Pomp. 2. That the Pagans by the likeness of these Rites with theirs might be the more easily drawn to Christianity Pareus on Rev. 8. Must Evil be done that Good may come of it Was letting in Streams of Babylon the Way to lead others out of Babylon Had it not been more Christian-like if he had said I must not go to them they must come to us Yet all was not hereby quite spoiled the Star called Wormwood fell but upon the third part of Rivers and Fountains Rev. 8. All were not Imbittered thereby nor Corrupted This Constantine the Great demolished Pagan Temples caused Churches so called to be built enriched them with great Gifts and Possessions and gave to Sylvester and to his Successors as several testifie the City Rome and the Lordship of Italy and translated his Imperial Seat to Bizantium from his Name called Constantinople Sylvester advised that the Revenues of the Church should be divided into four Parts whereof one was to go to the Maintenance of the Bishop the Second part to the Priests Deacons and to the rest of the Clergy the Third part to the repairing of places of publick Worship the Fourth part to the Poor Impotent and Strangers But in all this there was no mention of Tythe which the Clergy now hath seized on and People are forced to maintain the Poor and to Contribute to Repair their Churches so called and upon denyal greatly Suffer for the same Honest Wickliff having his Eyes in measure opened to see the Evil that spread as a Leprosie in the Church through Constantines bounty bare Testimony saying Constantine the Emperor and Bishop Sylvester committed great Error through their enriching the Church For this and other Articles the Council of Constance a City of Helvetia under Pope John the Twenty fourth pronounced this Wickliff a Heretick and commanded his Bones to be digged out of the Earth and Burned Sum. Conc. et Pontif. Though in this Sylvester's Day much was amiss in the Church yet little in comparison of after Ages for the bottomless Pit was but as I may say beginning to smoke his Day was but as the drop of a Bucket to the main Ocean to ensuing Dayes the Mid-night of Apostacy wherein Doctrinal Errors and Covetous Practices darkned Sun and Air spoiled the Glory of the Primitive Church If I should Particularize what vast Sums of Money went out of England in the Dayes of Popery to the See of Rome it would seem incredible As