Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	pharisee_n	righteousness_n	scribe_n	3,209	5	11.4035	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85845	The case of ministers maintenance by tithes, (as in England,) plainly discussed in conscience and prudence. Humbly propounded to the consideration of those gentlemen of the committee, who are in consultation about it. / By John Gauden, D.D.	Gauden, John, 1605-1662.	1653 (1653)	Wing G344; Thomason E220_1; ESTC R3663	45,053	49

of Tithes both as to their consciences and their estates These in piety and prudence ought to be eased and relieved I answer 1. As nothing is more tenderly to be considered than the Consciences of Christians So nothing is less to be made either a cover to Mens ignorance or a colour to their covetousness 2. Pleadings of Conscience serves no Mans turne for not paying Taxes to Souldiers why should it be good for not paying Tithes to Ministers since both are civill and secular things as to the matter and the equity of both is justified in Scripture as well as reason 3. It is not conscience but obstinacy and contentiousness to deny or affirm without reason neither proving what they assert nor answering what is urged from common equity Scriptures analogy Catholick custome private donations publike sanctions and Gods acceptation as is in the case of Tithes 4. It were indeed a zeal according to knowledge to deny paying Tithes to a Jewish Priest sacrificing but not so to pay them to a Jewish Minister preaching the Gospel The first is to be abhorred since Christ is come and hath finished all The second is to be maintained that Christ come and crucified may be preached and believed on The same action may be lawfull or unlawfull according to the different ends to which it is designed as a means He that gives a poor man mony to buy him Tooles to work honestly is charitable but he that gives so much to a Thief to furnish him with instruments of violence and robbery is blameable 5. As for these complainers in conscience against Tithes full as good and Godly men Ministers and others complain of these complainers as weak ignorant passionate and imprudent or else very peevish unjust covetous and violent perturbers of the publike Ordinance Besides for the most part they are causlesly clamorous and unreasonably importune since few of these either pay any Tithes at all or any thing else to any Minister of the Church of England and if they do it is full sore against their wills Their greatest grief and burthen is that they may not keep their Tithes to themselves to which they can pretend no more right then a Tenant can to detaine his Rent from his Landlord Nor were they ever heard to complain of the load and burthen of Tithes taken to themselves were they never so heavy both in the quantity and in the injustice 6. But if it may indeed be a burthen to some mens estates that are weak or to their mindes that are illiberall and loth to pay Tithes to their Ministers will not the same Plea ly against all Rents and civill charges laid on lands and estates of poor men But no Godly man though poor will in conscience because he cannot in justice desire or expect that he should be eased of any charge or civill burthen by inflicting injuries on other men least of all on Ministers who as Gods labourers merit their wages 7. But people grudge that Ministers should have the benefit of all that cost and labour by which they mend and improve their Lands They could afford them a tenth of the Rent but not of their stock and labours Poor men how well they deserve and how well pleased they would be with a barren untilled unimproved Ministry Let any Ministers stock be never so great of learning and knowledge let him dayly with great cost in books and paines in his studies improve himself for Gods glory and peoples good Is there not as much reason and justice he should have the benefit of their lands improved as they should have of his gifts and talents increased whereto he is dayly intent by study and prayer that his profiting may appear to all men 8. For that glistering of godliness which some men make a shew of against Ministers Tythes 1. It is no signe of solid and true godliness to with-hold good from them to whom it is due Pro. 3.27 To deprive the labourer of his hire to deny men that honest subsistence which is theirs by the appointment of the Law and by the merit of their labours 2. The first thing required in goliness is to do Justice Micah 6.8 Equity and Piety never clash or interfere nor is there any fear of sin or superstition in giving to every one what is theirs by law of civil society A Christian ought to pay his rent to a Turk Jew or Heathen-Landlord though he knew they imployed it to Idolatrous superstitious uses And shall it be urged as godliness by Christians to deny the paying of tythes which is but as out of their rent to a Minister of Jesus Christ which by free gift he lawfully might and by law he necessarily ought to do 3. How can such godliness and unjustice be reconciled or how can such covetous scruplers hope to enter into heaven whose righteousness is so far from exceeding that it comes far short of that of the Scribes and Pharisees They paid Tythes of all they had which Christ Mat. 23.23 commended and joynes with Moral and great duties these of nothing they have How far from fulfilling the Apostolical and divine commands Gal. 6.6 Let them that is taught communicate to him that teacheth in all good things These communicate of no good thing or onely in a disorderly way to whom they list and what they list neither regarding Gods example and proportion in old nor his direction and ordinance in the new Testament 4. Godly men ought to consider that the temptation is easie and obvious in matters of profit to pretend conscience it is a Chymistry some men have to turne godliness into gain which will undo them at last Covetous scruples usually resolve into mens owne profit as Ice into water but never into expences or other mens benefits 5. It were a sure sign of godliness for men to be rather self-denying in point of profit then defrauding others to pay rather more then less to be willing to encourage good Ministers not to reproach and impoverish them this would express a godliness not in the form of talkative inconstancy and thrifty pragmaticalness but of judicious sincerity and generous charity 6. Truly Godly men might soon ease themselves of this scruple in point of conscience that in stead in paying a tenth they paid a ninth or sixth which at once may satisfie Gods ordinance the law of the land the Ministers claim and their owne consciences besides their liberality will supererogate and to their honour exceed what Ministers could ask or any man expect of them 7. It is strange that the complaint and clamour against Tythes should never be heard till of late and now so few persons of either estates or eminent worth are found in it Is it because men of mean estates and licentious mindes take confidence to desire any thing which reason and justice deny yet despair of nothing that numbers and power can reach or are these in the simplicity of their souls set on by others more crafty