it follows by necessary consequence and let those who are guilty consider it seriously in the fear of God with trembling and astonishment that the opposing oppressing defrauding the Ministers of the Gospel in their deserved settled hire wages or the detaining all or any part of their antient just established Dues Tithes Revenues from them especially out of covetousnesse spite obstinacy or malice against their very callings is as great as crying as damnable a sin oppression unrighteousness and will bring down as grievous curses plagues judgements upon all those who are culpable thereof as the defrauding oppressing of the hired servant or labourer of or in his hire or detaining their wages from them when due as will undeniably appear by Deut. 24.14 15. Levit. 19 13. Gen. 31.7 Mal. 3.5 Jam. 4.1 to 5. compared with Mal. 3.8 9.10 11. Nehem. 13.10 11. and is a sin against all these Scriptures which all detainers of Ministers Dues Tithes may do well to read and ponder IV. The truth of this Proposition is ratifyed by the Apostle Pauls resolution who thus prosecutes our Saviours forecited words and seconds his argument in 1 Tim. 5.17 18. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially those that labour in the word and Doctrine For the Scripture saith Deut. 25.4 Thou shalt not muzzle the Oxe that treadeth out the Corn. And the Labourer is worthy of his hire relating to Mat. 10.10 and Luke 10.7 forecited In which words the Holy Ghost by the Apostle positively asserts 1. That the Elders Ministers who rule well especially such of them who labour in the Word and Gospell are really worthy of double honour from the people which double honour Interpreters generally resolve to be 1. Due reverence love countenance 2. A competent liberal maintenance and reward Or as some conceive a double salary and allowance to what others receive as a just honourable reward for their labour which is here intended by the words double honour extending as well to an honourable salary reward as to due reverence and respect as is clear by the two Texts here cited to prove it by the 3 and 16 verses of this very Chapter and Rom. 13.1 6 7. 1 Pet. 2.17 Prov. 3.9 compared together 2. That the people ought to count them worthy of this double honour and to render it unto them 3. He proves and ratifies this not only by his own Apostolical authoritie but likewise by two other Texts of Scripture the one taken out of the Old Testament Deut. 25.4 which proves that the Texts Precepts for the just dues maintenance of the Priests in the Old Testament are still in force and not abrogated so farr as they are moral or judicial and therefore may be still aptly urged for proof of our Ministers due maintenance under the Gospel The other out of the New Testament Mat. 10.10 Luke 10.7 From both which the force of the Apostles argument stands thus The Elders who labour in the Word and Gospel have as just as natural as moral legal equitable a right and meritorious due to a liberal maintenance salarie reward or double honour as he stiles it as the Oxe that treadeth out the Corn hath to eat of the Corn straw he treads out or as any other hired labourer whatsoever hath to his hire they being the best eminentest of all other labourers which the special application of Deut 25.4 and of this very sentence here again to them The labourer is worthy of his hire imports Therefore for any people wittingly wilfully to detain or defraud them thereof is as great an injustice crueltie sin unrighteousness as to muzzle the Ox mouth that treadeth out the Corn to detain the Labourers wages or defraud him thereof yea a sin against the express commandements of God Deut. 25.4 ch 24.14 15. Levit. 19.13 1 Cor. 9.8 9 10. And so much the rather because their hire wages are their right and their own not the meer alms charitie of those who pay it as Christ himself resolves Mat. 20.4 7 8 13 14. V. By Gal 6.6 where the Apostle layes down this geral Gospel percept for the maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospel from which there can be no evasion Let him that is taught in the Word Communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things The word Communicate signifieth a free liberal not base niggardly allowance as is evident by 1 Tim. 6.18 Heb. 13.16 2 Cor. 9.5 6 7 8. Deut. 15.8 11. and that to be rendred to them not as to meer Strangers but as to those who have a kinde of coparnership and tenancie in common with them not in one or two but in all good things God hath blessed them with as the primitive Christians had all things in common and said not that any thing was their own but the Apostles and Brethrens as much as theirs Acts 4.32 34 35. whence the Contents of our Bibles and Commentators on this Text inferr and conclude That every Christian ought chearfully to communicate a liberal share and portion of all the fruits of the Earth blessings and good things he enjoyes to his spiritual Pastor Teacher and by consequence Tithes of all tithable things and that not as Alms Charitie or a free Benevolence but as a just debt dutie commanded by this sacred Canon VI. By Rom. 13.6 7 8. For for this cause pay you tribute also For they are Gods Ministers attending continually upon this very thing Render therefore to all their due Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom to whom Custom Fear to whom Fear Honour to whom Honour Owe nothing to any man but to love one another Which Scripture though particularly intended of the higher civil Powers Rulers and Magistrates ordained by God yet it equally extends to all Spiritual Ecclesiastical Pastors and Rulers over us as well as to them First because they are Gods Ministers attending continually upon this very thing to preach the Gospel and discharge their Pastoral charge over their flocks as well as civil Magistrates and therefore by way of excellencie are more frequently styled Ministers yea Ministers of God and Christ in the new Testament than Magistrates Rom. 15.8 16. 1 Chr. 4.1 2 Cor. 3.6 ch 6.4 ch 11.23 Ephes 3.7 Col. 1.23 25. ch 4.7 1 Thess 3.2 1 Tim. 4.6 whence their very work and calling is styled The Ministry Rom 12.7 Ephes 4.12 Col. 4.17 2 Tim. 4.5 1 Tim. 1.12 Secondly because the Precept subjoyned is universal Render therefore to all their due in the affirmative Therefore to Ministers as well as Magistrates with the like care and conscience And then the Inhibition in the close as universal Owe nothing to any man Therefore not to Ministers no more than to Magistrates or other men Thirdly because it expresly enjoyns all Christians to render honour to whom honour is due now not only honour but double honour is due to Ministers that rule well and preach the Gospel diligently 1 Tim. 5.17 18. to wit
there is occasion there being far more Equity and Gospel-justice for it than that our Ministers out of their small scarce competent and many very incompetent livings should pay the first-fruits and first years profits of their livings to the King or State as formerly they did unto the Pope through Papal Vsurpation onely by the Statutes of 26 H. 8. c. 3.27 H. 8. c. 8.1 1 Eliz. c. 4. and almost or above the tenth of all their livings to the Souldiers amounting to treble their Tenths to the King or Pope without any Grant at all by them or their Proxies in the usual legal just Parliamental way against all their Rights Privileges and our Laws The Jewish Priests and Levites under the Law being never burthened with such first-fruits or taxes by their Soveraigns and exempted from them even by a heathen Conqueror Ezra 7.24 Which those who now endeavour to deprive them of their Tithes Glebes and yet exact both first-fruits Tenths and Contributions from them may do well to consider Having thus related at large what a liberal various full and competent maintenance God setled on his Priests and Levites under the law by Glebes Tithes Oblations Sacrifices Poll-money first-fruits besides the Tenth and Tribute out of the very spoyls of war formerly insisted on I shall now apply it home to the Ministers of and Christians under the Gospel in these short Aphorisms 1. Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel inwardly qualified with sufficient Gifts Graces and lawfully called ordained are Gods and Christs own institution and Ministers as well as Priests and Levites under the Law Mat. 10.5 6 7. ch 28.19 20. Luke 10.1 2 c. ch 24.47 49 53. Mark 6.7 8 c. ch 16.15 20. Acts 11.2 3 4 c. ch 14.23 ch 19.1 6 7. ch 26.17 18 28. Rom. 12.6 7 8. 1 Cor. 12.4 8 9 28 29 30. ch 14.29 30 31 32 40. Ephes 4.8 to 17. Col. 4.17 1 Tim. 3.1 2. ch 4.14 15 16. ch 5.21 22. Tit. 1.5 6 7. Heb. 13.17 Jam. 5.14 15. 1 Thes 5.13 1 Cor. 4.1 2 Cor. 3.6 ch 11.23 2. That their Ministry and Calling is far more Honorable Glorious necessary beneficial to mens souls than that of the Priests and Levites under the Law 2 Cor. 3.6 to 12. Heb. 7.1 to 14. 3. That it is far more painfull laborious than the Ministery of the Priests and Levites under the Law Acts 8.4 2 Cor. 11.23 to 30. 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15. 2 Tim. 4.1 1 Thes 5.2 2 Pet. 1.12 Rom. 15.19 20. ch 12.7 8. 4. That therefore there is as just as competent as full as honorable and setled a maintenance and as much honour reverence obedience love as great recompence due unto them for their very work and calling sake from all Christians under the Gospel as there was from Gods people to the Priests and Levites under the Law as I have already proved in the first Proposition and that by divine institution 1 Cor. 9.13 14. 1 Tim. 5.17 18 21. From whence Hemingius with most Orthodox Protestant Divines I have seen besides as well as Papists and Jesuites concludes thus Admoniantur igitur Pii quod Iure Divino Ecclesiae Ministris debeant Stipendia That all the godly are to be admonished that by Divine Right they owe wages to the Ministers of the Gospel And if so then 5. It follows inevitably that there being no other setled way of maintenance particularly prescribed for them in or by the Gospel and convenient Houses Glebes for them their families and necessary Cattel with Tithes of the increase of the fruits of the earth and Cattel of all sorts being as necessary as requisite for the habitation food clothing support of them their families Ministry and supply of all their necessaries with as little charge trouble diversion from their studies functions as may be as for the Priests and Levites under the Law that Godly Christians Kings States Parliaments cannot pitch upon any equaller fitter juster better wiser rationaller convenienter diviner way of maintenance for them than that of necessary Houses Rectories Glebes in every Parish and Tithes and Oblations of all things needfull for food raiment hospitality it being the constant standing setled maintenance which the most wise just and holy God himself invented prescribed for his own Priests and Levites maintenance amongst his own people when setled by him in the land of Promise and that which all setled Christian Empires Kingdoms States Churches generally through the Christian world have in all ages pitched upon as most agreeable to Gods will and word under the Gospel which no ways repeals nor contradicts his own former prescriptions of this kinde in the old Testament 6. That the Glebes Tithes of the Priests and Levites under the Law were reserved by God himself the Supreme Land-lord of all Kingdoms Countries Nations Churches People in the world and the special God Lord King Father Saviour Preserver of his own people as a Sacred Holy Tribute Rent Portion and Homage due unto Himself from poor Creatures Servants Vassals who are no true Proprietors but only Stewards and Tenants at will of all the lands goods earthly blessings and possâ—ssions they enjoy The earth being the Lords and the fulnesse thereof and the Corn Wine Cattel fruits and earthly creatures we possess not really ours but Gods own 1 Chr 29.11 to 17. Psal 24.1 Psal 97.5 Psal 50.9 10 11 12. Ezech 16.18 19 20. Hos 2.8 9. Dan. 4.32 35. Mat 6.10 11. The use and possession of which tribute He allotted to the Priests and Levites under the Law for their maintenance salary and reward of their labour in his service for the advancement of his worship glory honour and his peoples spiritual good reserving the inheritance and right thereof alwayes to himself as the premises sufficiently evidence Now God himself to whom alone Tithes and Glebes were originally impropriated not to the Levitical Priesthood being unchangeable without any variableness or shadow of turning Jam 1.17 Psal 102.26 27. Mal 3.6 and Jesus Christ to whom Tithes were first paid by Abraham in the person of Melchisedeck having an unchangeable Priest-hood and being a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb 7.8 16 11 24. c. 13.8 And all Christians whatsoever under the Gospel being as much his absolute Creatures Vassals Servants Stewards and Tenants at will as the Israelites under the Law and all their Lands Goods Earthly blessings Corn Wine Cattel wealth imployments his in right and not their own as well as theirs too why they should not all render to him the self-same sacred Tribute holy Portion Rent Homage of Glebes and Tithes of all they have as well as they though the Levitical Priesthood be abolished they being so specially reserved and consecrated to himâ—elf for the support maintenance reward encouragement of his faithfull Ministers under the Gospel imployed in his Service for his honour glory and their everlasting salvation
Let John Canne and all presumptuous peremptory Tith-oppugners answer me yea this their Soveraign Land-lord and Creator if they can who will one day call them to a stâ—ict accompt for detaining this due Rent Tribute Homage from him and may justly dispossesse and strip them naked of all they have for this their ingrate contemptuous carriage towards him as he hath done many of late by fearful fires blasts droughts and other judgments as well as heretofore Mal. 3.8 9 11. 7. That as the Gospel it self succeeded the Levitical law Baptism and the Lords Supper Circumcision and the Passeover So the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel succeed the Priests and Levites under the Law in their Ministerial function in the Church of Christ by Gods appointment their Ministry and Office being both the same in substance even to worship praise serve honour God according to his revealed word will and instruct exhort direct guide his people in the way of salvation and bring them to eternal glory though differing in some circumstances of lesser moment abolished by Christs death It is therefore most reasonable just equitable convenient they shall receive enjoy the like setled maintenance by Glebes Tithes Oblations as their predecessors did God having prescribed none other kinde of reward or subsistence for them in the Gospel that any can shew me It is usual in all Kingdoms States Nations where there are any publick setled offices and Officers for any persons who succeed others in those Offices to enjoy the self-same Salaries Houses Lands Fees Revenues as their predecessors lawfully received unlesse there be some special Laws to alter their Stipends This we see verified in all Civil Military and Ecclesiastical Officers yea in the times of greatest publick changes revolutions that ever befell the Nation those whom most yet call Judges Sheriffs Majors Generals Colonels Captains Governors of Forts Registers c. though their Commissions be altered in some things and themselves in more do yet receive the self-same Salaries pays Fees maintenance annexed to their Offices as their lawfull Predecessors did yea to come closer home All our Protestant Ministers since the reformation of Religion have generally enjoyed the Glebes and Tithes as the Parishioners enjoy frequent the Churches possesse the Houses Inheritances which their Popish predecessors did before them though the one of them just like the Levitical abolished Priests made it their chiefest businesse and part of their calling to say Masse and offer an unbloody Sacrifice as they falsly termed it on their Altars both for the quick and dead and the other who succeed them make it their principal work to preach the Gospel and administer the Sacrament according to Christs institution Since then the Ministers of the Gospel succeed the Levitical as well as the popish Priests as the Gospel doth the Law and the Christian Sacraments the Jewish and we with all converted Gentiles engraffed into Jesus Christ and the Church of God succeed the Jews who were broken off from their own Olive Tree that we might be ingraffed in their places who now partake of the root and fatnesse of their Olive Tree as the Apostle resolves Rom. 11.16 to 25. Why the Ministers of the Gospel should not likewise succeed the Levitical Priests as well as the popish in the enjoyment of their setled Maintenance by Glebes Tithes being not meerly ceremonial as I have proved nor yet so papal as Bishops Deans and Churches Lands in which our Anabaptists Army-Officers and Tithe-oppugners will yet succeed them without any scruple and all believing Gentiles who succeed the believing Israelites in Gods Church succeed them likewise in the due and just maintenance of their Ministers by Tithes and Glebes reserved to and prescribed by that true holy just and righteous God who is not only the God of the Jews but of the Gentiles also Rom. 3.19 Let any rational Christian now resolve his own Conscience and mine from grounds of Scripture Reason or Equity if he can God having given us a Land flowing with milk and honey as fit as able to render Glebes and Tithes of all things in kinde to his Ministers as he did unto the Jews It is a received maxim in our Law Quod venit in loco alterius est de natura Prioris If this be Gospel as it hath been ever held both Law and reason under the Gospel I need adde no more to this Aphorism to prove the lawfullnesse and equity of our Ministers Glebes and Tithes and their continuance as well for the future as heretofore by a divine Right 8. That all Christian Churches and pious Christians generally throughout the world from the Apostles dayes till now have unanimously resolved both in point of Piety Justice Conscience and right Reason that they are bound to consecrate and Render unto God the self-same weekly portion of time for his publick worship as the Israelites and Jews under the Law were obliged to do to wit one day in seven though they differ in the circumstance only of the day they observing the seventh day from the Creation every week in memory of the Creation and Gods rest thereon for their Sabbath prescribed by special Laws and we the first day of every week in memorial of our Saviours Resurection thereon by the General Moral Equity of these Laws warranted by Apostolical practice only without any special Gospel-precept Let then the whole Army of Tithe-Oppugners render me one dram of Reason or shadow of answer if they Canne why all Christian Realms Churches Nations in the world may not should not by the self-same rule of Piety Justice Equity proportion continue and render the like proportion of Glebes Tithes to God and his Ministers under the Gospel as the Jews did to him his Priests and Levites under the Law as well as they render to him the self-same Proportion of time for his Weekly publick Service and why payment of Tithes Oblations under the Gospel to God who gives us both them and the residue of our Estates and encrease out of his own meer free grace for the maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospel and support of his publick Worship on the Lords Day should be more Judaical Vnchristian Antichristian Superstitious as Canne and others stile it than the dedicating appropriating of the Lords Day to Gods publick Worship and Honour who hath given and allowed us the other six for our imployments when as he might have justly reserved the nine parts of our Lands and goods to himself had he pleased instead onely of the Tenth as well as the six daies in lieu of the seventh wherewith he is content which Divines usually urge to induce men to the more chearfull Sanctification of the Lords Day and some Scriblers against Tithes as well as others St. Augustin in his 229. Sermon de Tempors thus enforceth this very argument and let Canne and all his confederates reply to it if they can Hear O indevout mortality know that all things thou possessest receivest