how great this man was unto whom even the Patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils And verily they that are of the Sons of Levi who receive the office of the Priesthood have a Commandement to take Tithes of the People according to the Law that is of their brethren though they come out of the loyns of Abraham But he whose descent is not counted from them received Tithes of Abraham and blessed him that had the Promises And without all contradiction the lisse is blessed of the better And here Men that die receive Tithes but there he received them of whom it is witnessed that he liveth And as I may so say Levi also who receiveth Tithes paid Tithes in Abraham For he was yet in the loynes of his Father when Melchisedec met him If therefore perfection were by the Levitical Priesthood for under it the people received the Law what further need was there that another Priesthood should rise after the order of Melchisedec and not be called after the order of Aaron For the Priesthood being changed there is of necessity a change also of Law c. I shall draw my Observations Arguments concerning Tithes from both these Scriptures here recited and then answer the main if not sole Scripture objected against Tithes drawn from the cloze of the Apostles words 1. It is undeniable from these Texts that Abraham the Father of the Faithfull is the first person we precisely read of who gave and paid Tithes recorded both in the Old Testament and New for his greater honour and the imitation of all the faithfull under both Testaments 2. That he gave and paid Tithes to Melchisedec the first Priest of the most high God mentioned in sacred writ Who this Melchisedec should be there is great controversie among the Learned some affirming him to be Sem others a Canaanitish King and Priest of that Name and Dr. Griffith Williams very probably and strongly arguing him to be CHRIST himself then appearing to Abraham in his humane shape As Petrus Cunaeus held before him I shall not decide the Controversie certain it is he was either Christ himself or a real Type of Christs and his eternal Priest-hood as the Apostle oft resolves 3. That he was a Priest of a far antienter better and more excellent order than the Levitical Priest-hood and that this payment of Tithes was long before the Law given by Moses for payment of Tithes to the Levitical Priests and before their order instituted Therefore Tithes are not meerly nor originally in their own nature Jewish or Levitical as some rashly now a verr nor eternally abolished as such by Christs incarnation and Priesthood they being originally paid and given not to the Levitical Priests but to Mâ—lchisedec who was either Christ himself or a Type of him and his Priesthood not of Aarons 4. That this Melchisedec as he had neither beginning of daies so he had no end of life but was made like the Son of God and abideth a Priest continually in respect of the truth he typified as Christ himself doth of whom he was a Type who hath an endless life and because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable Priest-hood and is by the very oath of God made a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec Heb. 6.20 7.3 8 13 15 16 17 21 24 25. Psal 110.4 Therefore Tithes being first paid to such an everliving everlasting unchangeable Priest and Priest-hood for the execution thereof may and ought to continue and abide for ever as long as the Priest and Priest-hood last and if so then Tithes are still due payable to the Ministers of Christ under the Gospel by all the Spiritual seed of faithfull Abraham as well as they were by all his Sonnes after the flesh to the Levitical or Aaronical Priest-hood whiles in being and that in the right of Christ they being Ambassadors representing his person beseeching men in Christs stead to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.20 21. Forgiving men in tho person of Christ 2 Cor. 2.10 and in whose persons Christ himself still speaks unto men 2 Cor. 13.3 Whence Christ himself a verres Verily verily I say unto you he that receiveth whosoever I send receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Mat. 10.40 Luke 10.16 John 13.20 That whatever is given or paid to them for their Ministry is given and paid to himself Mat. 10.42 25.35 to 41. and is a Sacrifice acceptable well-pleasing unto God Philip. 4.18 5. That Abraham gave Tithes to Melchisedec for the execution of his Priestly office and that not in offring any carnal or Levitical Sacrifices to God for him upon an Altar but only for blessing him and rendring thanks and blessing to the most high God for his victory which being one chief part of the Ministers of the Gospels duty still continuing even to blesse the people to praise and blesse God for them and their successes in spiritual and temporal things Rom. 1.7 8 9. 10.24 1 Cor. 1.3 4 5. 16.23 2 Cor. 1.1 2 3. 9.10 11. 13.14 Gal. 1.2 6.18 Ephes 1.1 2 3 16 17 18. 3.14 to the end 6.23 24. Phil. 1.2 3 4. 4.20 23. Col. 1.2 3 9 to 14. 4.18 1 Thess 1.1 2 3. 2.13 5 23 28.2 Thess 1.2 3 11 12. 2.13 16 17. 3.18 1 Tim. 2.1 2. Heb. 13.25 1 Pet. 1.2 3 4. 5.14 2 Pet. 1.2 Revel 5.12 13. as likewise to blesse the Sacramental bread and wine for their use 1 Cor. 10.16 Mat. 26.26 typifyed as most hold by the bread and wine Melchisedec brought forth to Abraham is a convincing Argument to me that Tithes are no way Levitical or Jewish in their primitive institution or intrinsecal nature but rather Evangelical and are as justly due and payable by all believing sons and children of faithfull Abraham to the Ministers of the Gospel for blessing them and praying blessing praysing God for them and other Ministerial duties as they were by Abraham to Melchisedec for performing the self-same Priestly duties towards him 6. That the scope of the Apostle in the Hebrews being to prove the Honour Dignity Excellency of the order of Melchisedecs and by consequence of our Saviours Priest-hood above Aarons he useth this as one demonstration thereof 1. That he received Tithes of the Patriarch Abraham himself Heb. 7.2 4 to 11. whereas the Levitical Priests received Tithes only of their Brethren that came out of the loynes of Abraham 2. That even Levi himself who received Tithes of his Brethren paid Tithes in Abraham being then in his Fathers loynes to Melchisedec as his superior yea even as the Levits under the Law paid the tenth of their Tithes to the Priests as their superiours Numb 18.26 27 28. And this payment of Tithes to Melchisedec he recites in the
and all other Professions are included and all things which the Lord shall give the Tenth part is to be tendred to him who giveth the Nine parts together with the Tenth And he who shall detain it shall be compelled to render it by the Iustice of the Bishop and of the King if néed be For these things St. Augustine hath preached and taught and these things are granted by the Kings and Barons and People But afterward let our Tith-oppugners and detainers mark who is their original Tutor By the instinct of the Devil many have detained Tithes and rich negligent Priests do not care to prosecute them because they had sufficient necessaries for their life for in many places now there are three or four Churches where at that time was only one and so they began to be diminished This is that William the Conquerour whom our Officers Souldiers with the Levellers and Anabaptists most virulently reproach and rail against in their Discourses and silly ignorant scurrilous Pamphlets for an Invader Vsurper ROBBER TYRANT and subverter of our native Lawes and Liberties c. when as he claimed the Crown onely by Gist and Title confirmed all our antient Lawes Liberties Civil and Ecclesiastical without any alteration or diminution put never a Noble man but one or other person to death who rebelled or took up Armes against him all his reign but such who were actually slain in Battel was the gallantest Souldier and best Justiciary of any in his age as some Historians then living attest and not only much devoted to Religion daily frequenting the Church both morning and evening but likewise very industrious and bountiful to promote it honouring and richly endowing the Clergy that lived according to their rule and profession but being very rough and hard-hearted to the licentious and scandalous degrading his own Vnkle Malgerius Archbishop of Rhoan and many English Bishops for their dissolute lives founding no lesse then three Churches and Abbies of chief note whereof that of Battel was one endowing them with large Possâ—ssions and Privileges according to the piety of those times out of his Conquests and confirming all the Clergies Tithes Rights Privileges by the recited Lawes If those Officers Souldiers who now pretend themselves Conquerors and us a Conquered or rather cousened Nation will really imitate his Justice Piety Bounty in these recited particulars no man will thenceforth bestow on them such reproachfull termes of Invaders Vsurpers Robbers Tyrants Subverters of our Lawes Liberties c. as they do usually on this first Norman King but repute them real Saints Patrons of Religion Ministers and the Church yea Sons of faithfull Abraham who gave the tenth of the spoyls of war to God whose example with all the rest here recited in justice conscience rather oblige them to imitate his and their footsteps as the premises evidence than to spoyl our Ministers Churches of their Tithes and Materials And so much in Answer of the first Evasion respecting our Army-Officers and Souldiers only The second Evasion of Abrahams Precedent is made by Country Farmers Tradesmen and their Advocates who allege That Abraham gave the tenth only of his spoyls gained in War to Mâ—lchisedec but not of his Corn Wine Cattel and other Goods therefore this example bindes only Souldiers to pay personal but not them or any others to pay any such predial mixt or personal Tithes as now they do by coercive Lawes and Ordinances against Law and Gospel as they pretend To which I answer 1. That the expresse words of Moses Gen. 14.20 are And he gave him Tithes OF ALL. Which being universal not confined by him to the spoyls taken in war must be taken and intended in the largest sense that is of all his Substance or Encrease as well as of the spoyls then won as the Syriack and Arabick translations Solomon Jarchi and others interpret it 2. The Apostle reciting the History Heb. 7.2 useth the self-same general expression To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part OF ALL without restraining it to the Spoyls of War which must be intended in the best and liberalest sense for Tithes of all his Substance and gain being mentioned both to expresse his Piety and Bounty True it is the Apostle in the 4. verse useth this expression Vnto whom the Patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoyls which some oppugners of Tithes would have to be the Interpretation of the two former universal phrases Tithes of all But the Spoyls being not Abrahams all nor in truth any part thereof he refusing so much as to take a thred or shoe-latchet thereof to his own use Gen. 14.23 24. and the word all being not so much as once used in the latter clause which recites he gave the tenth of the not all the Spoyls and the two first general expressions necessarily including in them the tenth of the spoyls I conceive the latter expression is rather a particular specification of one memorable thing he paid Tithes of in a new case not formerly happening even of the Spoyls taken in this first Battel he ever waged or any other that we read of included in the general rather than a full comprehensive exposition of all that is or was intended by the Tenth or Tithes of all in the two precedent Texts 3. It is most probable that Abraham paid Tithes of all his own substance to Melchisedec as well as of the spoyls there being the self-same if not a stronger ground for him to pay Tithes of all his other goods encrease as of these casual spoyls out of which no constant maintenance could be raised for any Pastor or Minister as there might be out of the Tithes of his Cattel and Substance encreasing every year Now Tithes being intended for the Priests and Ministers constant maintenance by God and Man and this Precedent of Abraham recorded for that end we cannot without an absurdity restrain his paying Tithes of all only to the spoyls then and then only unexpectedly gained from the enemy by Abraham and restored by him to the right owners the tenths of them only excepted but of the Tithes of all his Substance principally whence a constant livelihood for the Priest could only arise and of the spoyls of Warr only by reason of his occasional meeting of Abraham then returning from the Warrs and blessing him at that time 4. This president of his was in all probability the ground of Gods appointing Tithes by a special Law for all the Priests and Levites MAINTENANCE amongst the Israelites Abrahams Posterity and the Apostle intimates as much Heb. 7.4 5 6 7 8 c. that they receive Tithes of their Brethren in the same manner by the Law as Melchisedec did of their Father Abraham Now they received Tithes of Corn Wine Oyl Cattel all sorts of herbs and fruits for their standing maintenance and Inheritance too Num. 18.20 to the end Levit 27.30 31 32 33 34. Deut. 14.22 28. Therefore it is most probable if
not infallible that Abraham paid Tithes to Melchisedec of all those things which the Levites and Priests afterward received from their brethren not of the spoyls alone out of which no certain Maintenance could be raised not specified therefore in those general precepts concerning Tithes 5. The Apostle arguing the natural justice of Ministers maintenance Rom. 15.27 and 1 Cor. 9.11 useth this expression If we have sowen unto you spiritual things in the plural number is it a great matter if we shall reap your CARNAL THINGS in the plural number too and such things as seem commonly to grow and multiply as the word reap imports And Gal. 6.6 he useth this general precept Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth IN ALL GOOD THINGS Therefore to restrain Abrahams giving Tithes of all only to the spoyls and not to all his carnal and good things is a very improper exposition dissonant from the scope and sense of these parallel Texts which seem aptly to interpret it 6. The very Pharisee in the Gospel boasting of his Justice and Piety used this expression parallel with that of Abraham Luke 18.12 I GIVE TITHES OF ALL THAT I POSSESSE and to confine Abrahams giving Tithes of all to the Tithes only of the spoils and not to extend it with the Pharisee to all that he possâ—ssed besides is to make this Father of the Faithful less righteous liberal devout than this hypocritical Pharisie 7. That which seems to put all our of question is the parallel Text of Gen. 28.20 21 22. Where Jacob after his travelling vision makes this vow to God even before the Levitical Law for Tithes If God will be with me so that I come again to my Fathers house in peace Then shall the Lord be my God and this stone which I have set up for a pillar shall be Gods house and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely without diminution substraction or failing give the Tenth unto thée Whence should godly Jacob take his pattern of surely giving the Tenth of all not of spoils alone that God should give him unto God but from the practice of his Grand-father Abraham who gave Mâ—lchisedec the Tenth of all God gave him as well as of the Spoils Honouring God with all his Substance and increase according to that precept of Solomon having relation to his practice and this Vow of Jacobs Prov. 3.9 Honour the Lord with thy Substance and with the first fruits of all thy increase And so much in refutation of this second Evasion which some armed men much urge The third Objection which some would make fatal to all Tithes under the Gospel is from the close of the Apostles forecited words Heb. 7.12 For the Priesthood being changed there is also a necessity of a change of the Law c. From whence William Thorp one of our Martyrs thus reasoned against Tithes and others now Saint Paul saith That Tithes were given in the old Law to Levites and to Priests that came of the linage of Levi but our Priests come not of the linage of Levi but of Juda to which Juda no Tithes were promised to be given And therefore Paul saith since the Priesthood is changed from the generation of Levi to Juda its necessary that changing also be made of the Law So that Priests must live now without Tithes and other Dues that they claim following Christ and his Apostles in wilfull poverty as they have given them example I Answer 1. That the Apostle in this and the three following Chapters concludes and proves by sundry Arguments That the Levitical Priesthood and the Ceremonial Law given the people under Moses the Covenant of this Priesthood were both changed and abolished by Christ and his everlasting Priesthood shadowed to us by them and by consequence the maintenance of the Levitical Priests by Sacrifices offered by them at the Altar by first fruits and Tithes themselves so far as they were Ceremonial prescribed by the Ceremonial Law for the maintenance only of these abolished Levitical Priests and Levites which is all this Scripture proves when pressed to the uttermost But can any rational man hence conclude The Levitical Priesthood the Ceremonial law and all the tithes maintenance due to the Jewish Priests and Levites by this Law are abolished by Christ a Priest for ever after after the order of Melchisedec to whom Tithes were due and paid by Abraham before this law and Priesthood instituted Therefore all Tithes maintenance due and paid to Melchisedec and in him to Christ and the Ministers of the Gospel under him are eternally abolished as Jewish and Levitical Surely this is a mad inference both besides and against this Text from which all Orthodox Protestant Commentators as well as Papist and Jesuites conclude the quite contrary and learned Nicholas Hemingius in his Commentary on it p. 805. thus determines It is subjoyned that Melchisedec received Tithes from Abraham which Tithes Abraham verily gave of his own accord following without doubt the custome of Conquerors Let our Conquering Officers Souldiers observe and do the like who were wont to consecrate the tenths of their Spoyls to their Gods or to give them to their Priests But this collation of Tithes multo meliori Jure Christo Sacerdoti debetur is due by much better Right to Christ our Priest who as he gives all things to us out of méer bounty ita vicissim illi non solum Decimas verum etiam omnia nostra debemus so we owe to him again not only Tithes but likewise all we have Whether the Objectors or Hemingius speak most Gospel Divinity and Reason from this Text let every Christians conscience judge 2. The Apostles words concerning the change and abrogation of the Ceremonial Law have no coherence with or relation to the precedent discourse concerning payment of Tithes to Melchisedec and the Levites recited only to prove the dignity and excellency of Melchisedecs Priesthood above Aarons and of the Levitical Priests and Levites above their Brethren from whom they received Tithes The force of the Argument reduced into a Logical form being thus He who receives Tithes for the execution of his Priestly Office is better and greater thaâ— he who payes Tithes But the Patriarch Abraham himself the very Father of the Faithfull and Prince of the Fathers paid Tithes to Melchisedec and likewise the Levitical Priests then in his loyns in and by him who yet receive Tithe of their Brethren but not of their Father Abraham or Melchisedec Therefore Melchisedec is better and greater than Abraham and them and they than their Brethren who paid them Tithes And by consequence Christ being a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec who was but a type of him must be better and greater than Abraham Joh. 8.55 56. or the Levitical Priests or than Melchisdec himself who did but typifie him This excellency and precedency of Christs Priesthood before Aarons he proves by other
that it should be so done unto me c. In which Scripture the Apostle asserts the lawfulness and justness of Ministers maintenance under the Gospel by sundry instances arguments against all opponents And because perchance some soldiers then as now were the chief opposers of Ministers maintenance or rather for that he foresaw by a Prophetical Spirit that they should prove such in our daies he first refutes and stops theirs others mouthes with an argument drawn from the wars and their own Militarie practice Who goeth a warfare at any time at his own charge In which short interrogative argument these particulars are both included and tacitly asserted 1. That Ministers of the Gospel are true spiritual Souldiers under Christ their Captain and their Ministrie a true spiritual warfare against the world flesh Devil sins and vices of men exposing them to many hardships dangers and oft-times to losse of libertie bloud limbs yea life it self as he expresly resolves in other Texts 2 Cor. 10.4 1 Tim. 1.18 2 Tim. 2.3 4. 4.7 2. That being souldiers it must needs bee most unjust unreasonable unconscionable yea against the common rules of war and practice of all souldiers that they should goe a warfare ANY TIME at their own charge since no other souldiers else will or use to doe it nor any officers souldiers of the Armie now who will follow the wars no longer than they may do it at free cost no not for a moment and will fight no longer than they receive or expect full pay And therefore should not now nor at any time else press Ministers to preach freely at their own cost unless themselves first went a warfare on their own purses to ease the impoverished oppressed Country of their long continued heavie Taxes 3. That constant pay wages are at all times as really and justly due to these spiritual Souldiers for their spiritual warfare as they are to any other souldiers warriers or officers whatsoever imployed in actual service in other warres Luke 3.14 Therefore those Military Officers who oppugn our Ministers pay and setled maintenance as unlawfull antichristian unevangelical must first renounce their own pay contributions as such and warre without pay on their own charges for the future which many of them may well do having gained so much by the wars already being now most of them out of actual military service or else henceforth permit our Ministers to enjoy their Tithes and setled maintenance without opposition or substraction as they do their pay it being as great a robbery injustice fraud to deprive them of all or any part thereof as to defraud any Souldiers now in actual service by Land or Sea of their lawfull pay Mal. 3.8 9 10. 4. It hence necessarily follows that as Souldiers pay and other Military expences are not left to the arbitrary pleasures and free benevolence of the people who would contribute little or nothing at all towards them at this or any other season if left to their own free wills whence the present dissolution destruction of the temporal Army and Militia would ensue but are reduced to a certainty by a setled establishment and imposed levyed on the people by coercive Laws Ordinances Forfeitures Distresses Imprisonments strict penalties and illegal armed power when willfully refused detained or neglected to be paid in whole or part at the times appointed So the wages stipends of these spiritual Souldiers the Ministers and of their necessary spiritual warfare are not to be wholly left in any setled Christian State to the arbitrary wills and voluntary Benevolences of the people which would soon necessitate them to disband and frustrate their soul-saving warfare but reduced to some certainty by positive Laws as they have been time out of mind with us and elsewhere and in case of wilfull refusal detention substraction in whole or in part when due to be levyed by such coercive legal waies and means as our monthly Taxes Contributions and other just Debts Duties are there being the self-same justice reason equity necessity in both cases Those Army-Officers and Souldiers then who oppose condemn our Ministers setled maintenance and the coercive laws means to recover it when detained from them as an intollerable oppressing yoke grievance must first renounce suppresse all monthly Taxes Contributions Excises Customes Impositions and the many new severe coercive waies means to levy them as such being far more grievous burthensome illegal oppressive to the people both in their value frequency novelty illegality new way of imposing levying than Ministers Tithes Dues and the saddest heaviest pressures they now languish under and live wholly upon the peoples free unconstrained Benevolences taking only what they will freely give them of their own accords without coercive Laws Ordinances Forfeitures Penalties Distresses or else recant their former erronious opinion practice approve of our Ministers setled coercive maintenance for the future without opposition being Souldiers as well and having as just a right to a setled enforced salary as they as the Apostle here argues and resolves 2. The Apostle having thus routed silenced our Captains and Souldiers the Ring-leaders against Ministers setled coercive maintenance encounters in the next place all Husbandmen Sheep-masters Shepheards Ploughmen Reapers Threshers and other Rustical Oppugners of their Tithes and Livelyhood Vers 7 9 10. Wherein he asserts that Ministers of the Gospel have as just as equitable a Right to a competent maintenance from the people for preaching the Gospel to them and to partake of their temporal things as he that planteth a Vineyard hath to eat of the fruit thereof as he that keepeth a Flock hath to eat of the milk thereof as the Husbandman and Labourer who ploweth reapeth or thresheth corn hath to eat of the corn he soweth reapeth ploweth And that it is as great injustice and unreasonable a wrong to deprive Ministers who sow unto us spiritual things of a competent share in our carnal things as to debar one that plants a Vienyard of right liberty to eat of the fruits thereon or one that feeds a Flock to eat of the milk thereof or those that sow reap and thresh Corn to enjoy any share or portion in it Which all Husbandmen Farmers Sheepmasters Shepherds Plowmen Reapers Threshers and other Labourers who deny or begrudge our Ministers their setled long-enjoyed Tithes Dues may do well advisedly to consider to convince them of their error and reform their practice 3. Vers 8 9. To convict all brutish men in these daies who are more uncharitable to their Ministers than men are or ought to be unto their very beasts in denying them so much as to eat of their Tithe Corn or straw he argues the justice of their maintenance and that by the Tithes of their Corn Wine c. as the instances imply from the very Law of God concerning beasts Deut. 25.4 Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corn which though literally meant of Oxen to whom all righteous men
are and ought to be just and mercifull Prov. 12.10 Luke 13.15 14.5 Mat. 12.11 yet it is principally written and intended altogether in its genuine sense of the Priests of God under the Law and Ministers under the Gospel of whom God takes farr more care than he doth of Oxen of whom yet he hath a general providential care as well as of all other beasts and sparrowes Psal 104.25 27. 145.9 15 16. 147.9 Luke 12.6 7 24. Mat. 6.26 10.28 29. and are of more value than many Oxen Sparrowes and yet not one of these sparrowes falleth to the ground without Gods special Providence though two of them be sold for a farthing The force of this argument stands thus If God by a special Law takes so much care of the very Oxe that treadeth out the Corn as to prohibit the muzzling of his mouth that he may not eat thereof then questionlesse he takes much more care of the Ministers of the Gospel and much more inhibits the muzzling their mouthes that they shall not so much as eat feed and live upon the Tithes milk wine fruits of your vineyards straw corn and other carnal things they being farr better than Oxen and this Law purposely yea altogether written for their sakes not for Oxen. Therefore those who deny deprive them of this their right transgresse this very Law of God still in force under the Gospel as is here resolved being founded upon natural justice and equity and are farr more unrighteous cruel unmercifull to their Ministers than they are yea ought of right to be to their very beasts and Oxen to whom they allow both corn straw and sufficient provender for their very work Verily our Ministers now were better to be many mens Oxen Horses Asses than their spiritual Pastours for then they would feed keep them well and allow them straw hay corn to live on as they do to their beasts whereas now they will pay them neither Tithe-corn nor hay nor straw Such men I fear are worse and more Brutish than their beasts that perish regarding neither Law nor Gospel here joyntly urged by the Apostle against their Tithe-detaining practice 4. Vers 11. He encounters all Artificers Merchants Tradesmen and others who live by selling buying exchanging who deny or detain their Ministers Dues and Maintenance by an argument drawn from their own practice the rules of commutative Justice the nature and value of what they receive from Ministers and what they render or should return them for it If we have sowen unto you spiritual things the most precious excellent usefull necessary of all others is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things of far lesse value worth use than what you receive from us for them Surely none of these Traders will give or sell away their wares without any money or recompence for them and if they sell or exchange them for lesse money or things of lesser value moment than what they sell or exchange them for they may in all justice equity expect and receive mony or wares exchanged for them from those who have so gainfull a bargain without the least shadow of covetousnesse injury or oppression Let then such and all others consider their own daily practice and the weight of this Apostolical Gospel argument for our Ministers maintenance Tithes Dues against which there can be no exception nor reply and then it will convince convert them if they have not abjured all principles of common justice and commerce 5. Vers 12. He argues from others precedents and examples If others are partakers of this power over you to reap your carnal things for spiritual are not we rather which may receive these various constructions agreeable to the general scope of the place 1. If others who are true Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel are partakers of this power amongst you or those to whom they preach though they have not been such to you and did not convert you nor labour so much in sowing spiritual things to you much more then I and Barnabas who have been the instruments of your conversion and doubtless are Apostles unto you you being the Seal of mine and his Apostleship in the Lord Vers 1 2. 2 Cor. 12.11 12. may likewise be partakers of this power 2. If others who are not true Apostles of Jesus Christ but meer false Apostles Seducers slanderers of me and the truth of the Gospel yea broachers of Heresies and Schisms are partakers of such a power amongst you then much more I and Barnabas who are true Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel preaching nothing but soul-saving Gospel truthes which seems to be the genuine sense of the place by comparing vers 1 2 3. with 2 Cor. 11.1 to 16. 3. If your Idolatrous Pagan Priests before or since your conversion be partakers of such a power as to receive a competent salary maintenance out of your carnal things even for their idolatrous superstitious rites and ministry or if your Pagan Civil Magistrates receive a competent allowance from you for their care pains in civil government Rom. 13.6 7 then much rather we who are true Ministers and Apostles may doe the like for the true spiritual things we sow among you and have the spiritual rule over your souls Hebr. 13.17 The argument holds strongly in each of these constructions but specially in the two first which are most suitable to the Text 6. Vers 13. He argues the justice of Ministers maintenance under the Gospel from the maintenance of the Priests by Gods appointment under the Law both before and after the Temple built Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar Numb 18.18 19 to 31. Deut. 12.6 11 17 18 19. ch 14.22 to the end of the chapter ch 18.1 2. 2 Chron. 31.2 to 20. Nehem. 10.32 to the end ch 12.39 47. 13.5 to 15. The Priests and Levites by Gods own institution then receiving a liberal maintenance from the people by First fruits Tithes Oblations Sacrifices and likewise Cities Suburbs Lands Houses Chambers for them their Families flocks of Cattell and Goods Numb 35.2 to 9. Josh 21.2 to 43. 1 Chron. 6.6 throughout 2 Chron. 11.13 14. Neh. 10.37 38 39. 13.10 Ezek. 45.1 2 3 4 5. ch 48.9 to 15. Lev. 25.32 33 34. compared with the former Texts and Lev. 37. throughout Numb 21.28 29 30 37 47 50 51 52 53 54. Heb. 7.5.8 None of which might be alienated sold or substracted from them without sin and sacrilege Mal. 3. 8. Ezek 49.14 Lev 25.33 34. Gen 47.22 26. And then to stop silence all future objections and calumnies he thus concludes his argument with a Divine Ordinance and institution of Christ himself under the Gospel for the like liberal maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospel whose ministration is much more glorious than that of the Law 2 Cor.
The like did Ananias with Saphira his wife but because they brought a certain part thereof and laid it at the Apostles feet and kept back part of the price of the Land which is less than to keep back Tithes when due by sundrie Lawes and Ordinances and thereby lyed not unto Men only but to God they both fell down dead sodainly at the Apostles feet in a miraculous manner and were carried forth and buried And great fear came upon all the Church and as many as heard thereof We finde in 2 Cor. 11.7 8 9. That though Paul preached the Gospel at Corinth freely yet he took wages of other Churches at the same time to do them service And when he was present with them and wanted that which was wanting unto him the Brethren that came from Macedonia supplied that in all things he might keep himself from being burdensome to the Corinthians for reasons expressed by him In which respect of not ministring to him of their substance he writes they were inferiour to other Churches 2 Cor. 12 13. How bountifull the Church and Saints of Philippi were to Paul not only whiles present with them and preaching among them but also absent from them preaching the Gospell in other places and how pleasing this their liberalitie was to God he thus records Phil 4.10 to 21. But I rejoyced in the Lord greatly that at last your care of me is revived wherein ye were also Carefull but ye lacked opportunity Not that I speak in respect of want for I have learned in whatsoever estate I am therewith to be content c. Notwithstanding ye have well done that ye did communicate with my affliction Now ye Philippians know also that in the beginning of the Gospel when I departed from Macedonia no Churches communicated with me as concerning Giving and Receiving but ye only For even in Thessalonica Ye sent once and again to my necessity Not because I desire a gift but I desire fruit that may abound to your accompt But I have received all and abound and am full having received of Epaphroditus the things sent from you an odour of a sweet smell a Sacrifice Acceptable well-pleasing to God But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever Amen And in 2. Tim. 1.16 17 18. He makes this memorable Testimony of and prayer for Onesiphorus The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain But when he was in Rome he sought me out very diligently and found me The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day And in how many things he Ministred unto me at Ephesus thou knowest very well From all which precedents coupled together these conclusions naturally and necessarily arise 1. That it is not only the practice but duty of the Saints and Christians under the Gospel chearfully and liberally to contribute to the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel and that not only whiles they are actually preaching and resident amongst them but whiles absent preaching the Gospel in other places or suffering for the Gospel in bonds and prisons if their necessities so require 2. That they ought not only barely to supply their necessities when they are in want but in such a plentiful manner that they may truly say We abound and are full blesse God for rejoyce in their peoples liberality and pray to God for a blessing upon them and theirs with greater chearfulness and zeal 3. That in cases of necessity when the wants of the Apostles Ministers and Saints of God require it Christians are not only bound to pay them the Tithes of their Lands and other setled Dues but even to sell their very Lands Houses Estates themselves and lay them down at the Apostles and Ministers feet for their common supply as the primitive Christians did they being not real proprietors but meer Stewards of their worldly estates which as they all proceed from Gods hand gift blessing so they are still Gods own not mans and therefore in such cases to be chearfully expended for the maintenance and supply of the necessities of his Ministers servants worship 1 Chron. 29.11 12 14 15 16 17. 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. 4. That the maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospel is not meer pure Almes as some have held but wages which though Paul for some special reasons received not from the Corinthians yet he did from other Churches under the name of wages 5. That niggardlinesse and not contributing towards the maintenance of painful Ministers is a shame infamy dishonour to a Church and people making them inferiour to all other Churches 6. That peoples liberal bountifull contributing to the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel is a great joy comfort encouragement to them yea a means to enlarge their hearts in prayers to God for spiritual and temporal blessings on them and their housholds 7. That bountifull and chearfull contributions to the Apostles and Ministers of Christ is not only a well doing or good work but an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing unto God though it stinks in the nostrils of many covetous earth-wormes sectaries and pretended godly Saints now adaies 8. That Liberality to the Ministers of the Gospel and paying them their just deserved Tithes Dues is so farr from impoverishing and hurting mens estates that it redounds to their spiritual and temporal accompt too causeth God to supply all their wants and to blesse both them and their families with spiritual temporal eternal mercies and rewards as the several forecited Scriptures with Prov. 3.9 10. Mal. 1.10 11. Mat. 10.41 42. Mar. 9.41 2 Cor. 9.6 to 13. 2 Kings 4.8 to 38. 1 Kings 17.10 to 24. most abundantly prove 9. That the willful detaining withdrawing of any thing solemnly devoted to the necessary maintenance of the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel brings exemplary curses judgements on those who are guilty thereof as the examples of Ananias and Saphira testifie compared with Mal. 3.8 9 11. Hag. 1.9 10 11 2.16 17 18 19. further illustrating it which all sacrilegious invaders plunderers detainers oppugners of our Ministers ancient established Maintenance Tithes Dues may do well now seriously to ruminate upon and then reform their practice or else renounce their pretended Christianity and Saintship so much swarving from the recited precedents of the first and purest Christians XV. This is further proved by Mat. 7.12 Luke 6.31 All things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets yea and the Gospel too thus twice enjoyning it from Christs own mouth Whence thus I argue All Estates Callings Professions of men whatsoever whether Kings Princes Rulers Judges Magistrates of all sorts Lawyers Physicians Chirurgeons Merchants Artificers Traders Husbandmen Labourers of all kinds Sea-men
among the Thessalonians labouring night and day because he would not be chargeable to any of them when he preached unto them the Gospel of God 1 Thess 2.8 9. 2 Thess 3.8 From whence they conclude that all other Ministers ought to preach the Gospel freely and to labour with their hands day and night in some other calling to supply their necessities and maintain themselves and families that they may not be chargeable to the people To which grand argument requiring the fullest reply I answer that this general inference from Pauls particular practice in these two Churches is very lame and unsound For 1. Paul expresly resolves that all Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel have a just right power to receive a competent maintenance as wages from the people and most strongly proves it to be an ordinance of Christ himself in some of the objected Texts as I have at large demonstrated 2. He likewise declares with a salvo jure as Lawyers speak that himself had such a just right power to receive wages and maintenance from the very Corinthians and Thessalonians themselves as well as others though he made no use of his power witness 1 Cor. 9.4 11 12. where thus he expostulates Have we not power to eat and to drink and to reap your carnal things for sowing unto you spiritual things If others be partakers of this power over you Are not we rather Nevertheless we have not used this power And 2 Thess 3.8 9. Neither did we eat any mens bread for nought but wrought with labour and travel night and day that we might not be chargeable to any of you Not because we have not Power but to make our selves an example for you to follow us c. We have much talk and crying up of late Have we not Power Power and present Power in most Grandees mouthes and publick Papers especially Souldiers who carrie it by their sides instead of our old Language Have we not Law Liberty Right Fréedom the things they say they fought for on the peoples behalf who pay them which words things the greater cry of Have we not Power c. hath made us not to have and quite swallowed up amongst us I wish all such Officers Souldiers Grandees who press these Texts against Ministers Tithes and most use these words Have we not Power if derived from God or the Apostle who thrice mentions it in these Texts would only use and speak them in the Apostles sense language in not assuming usurping but utterly disclaiming the real practice and abuses of their power in his self-denying words worthie to be written in Capitals that all persons of or in Power may now read and practise it Nevertheless we have not used this power but wrought with labour and travel Night and Day that we might not be chargeable to any of you to make our selves an ensample for you Ministers to follow us Then we should be no longer over-charged with endless Taxes Excises c. by for or from any who have power nor grieved with any fresh changes of Laws Civil or Church-Government or Ministers setled maintenance but be a Free State and Nation indeed as some have long promised to make us but still the quite contrarie way in direct opposition to the Apostles Nevertheless we have used and will still use this armed Army tyrannical arbitrary power that we might be chargeable yea very chargeable to every of you Therefore no wonder our Ministers in their objected sense do the like by their example in exacting their Tithes Dues which they may justly do till they disclame the use of their Iron Power in imposing levying New Taxes Excises on Ministers as well as people in strange untrodden waies to pay their own and Souldiers salaries to support their self-created lawless Power in the highest strain of Exercisse which they condemn in Ministers in a far more inferiour degree who questionless may as lawfully make use of it as Paul himself might have justly done as he resolves though he suspended its actual exercise for a time 3. Paul records 4. special reasons why he made no use of this his Evangelical power amongst the Corinthians but laboured with his hands 1. That he might not hinder the Gospel of Christ among the Corinthians 1 Cor. 9.12 they being then most of them Pagans the rest but newly converted to the Gospel by his preaching and all of them very worldly covetous as he insinuates 2 Cor. 4.12 13 14. ch 7.30 31 32 c. 11.7 8 9. 2 Cor. 12.10 to 21. 2. That he might not seem to abuse his power in the Gospel in the opinion of these covetous worldlings 1 Cor. 9.18 3. That he might adde to his glory in undergoing necessities for Christ wherein he gloried and adde to his future reward 1 Cor. 9.15 to 27. 2 Cor. 12.10 to 13. 4. And principally To cut off occasion of slander and reproach from some false Apostles and deceitfull workers and Ministers of Satan transforming themselves into Angels of Light who sought occasion to slander him accounting his preaching very contemptible and him to be none of Christs but a very reprobate 2 Cor. 10.7 10 12. c. 13.6 7. as some now esteem our Ministers seeking a proof of Christ speaking in him c. 13.3 as they doe now in our Ministers glorying as some of the same Tribe do now that they preached the Gospel freely and wrought with their own hands whereupon he addeth that wherein they gloried they might be found even as he 2 Cor. 11.12 13 14. Which false Apostles and dissembling Hypocrites for all their braggs did yet enslave take of them fleece and abuse them more than any faithfull Ministers and yet they patiently endured it as he there affirms and insinuates v. 20. For ye suffer if a man bring you into Bondage if a man devour you if a man take of you if a man exalt himself if a Man smite you on the Face taxing their wisdom and pusillanimitie for this their Asinine sottish stupiditie when as neither Paul himself nor Titus nor any other of those Ministers he sent unto them did either burden or catch them with guile or make a gain of them as these false Apostles domineering Hypocrites and Ministers of Satan did 2 Cor. 12.16 17 18. These were the reasons expressed by him why he took no wages of the Corinthians and supported himself with his own labour But this is not our Ministers case after our so long enjoyment of the Gospel and their enjoying of a setled maintenance by Tithes and Glebes above 800 years space so long since setled on them by our devout Saxon Kings and continued ever since When our Ministers have the self-same reasons as Paul had amongst the Corinthians to move them to pursue his objected practice I doubt not but they will chearfully imitate it for the advancement of the Gospel and winning souls to Christ 4ly The reason why Paul exercised not this power among the Thessalonians labouring amongst them
Gospel no lesse than five several times one after another insisting longer on it then on any other Argument to prove the preeminency of Melchisedecs Priesthood above Aarons Whence it undeniably follows 1. That Tithes are not originally Jewish and Levitical 2. That the receiving of Tithes by faithfull Ministers now is no disparagement but an honour to their Ministry and function as well as to Melchisedecs heretofore 3. That Ministers receiving Tithes now doth no more prove their Ministry to be Judaical or Levitical than it proved Melchisedecs Priesthood to be such which is put in contradistinction to it and exalted above it by the Apostle even by the very receiving of Tithes from Abraham Therefore those Jesuitical and Anabaptistical furies against Tithes who rail against our Ministers and their Ministry as Jewish and Aaronical because they receive Tithes and urge this as a disparagement to their Persons Ministry rejecting Tith-receiving Ministers as Jewish Antichristian unlawfull doe herein argue point-blank against the Apostle and thereby conclude Melchisedecs and by consequence our Saviours own Priesthood after the order of Melchise dec to be Jewish Antichristian dishonourable and unlawfull because Melchisedec himself received Tithes which to do is the highest blasphemy 7. That the Apostle informs us that God had never but two orders of Priests in the world The first after the order of Mâ—lchisedec in Abrahams dayes discontinued under the Law for a time but revived again in our Saviour Christ and continuing now and for ever in him compared here to Melchisedec especially in his Nature the seat of his Kingdom the perpetuity of his life his Sacerdotal blessing and IN THE RIGHT OF RECEIVING TITHES as Hemingius on the place observes The second after the order of Levi and Aaron abolished and changed by Christ that Tithes were paid and belonged of right to both these orders of Priests for the exercise of their function by Gods own approbation and appointment as a just fitting righteous maintenance and reward which since they cannot now be paid to Christ himself in person being ascended into heaven and there sitting at Gods right hand a great high Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec there is great Justice Reason they should be still paid to and received by his Ministers whom we have alwaies with us as well as the poor who are his Vicegerents and Stewards with whom he hath promised to be alwayes present to the end of the World Mat 28.20 and that as the properest justest best fittest maintenance of all other appointed prescribed by God paid by Abraham and all the faithfull by Gods direction and approbation both before and under the Law and is recited justified allowed but no wayes condemned or abrogated by the Apostle and Gods Spirit under the Gospel Wherefore those who inconsiderately revile and declaim against Tithes as heavy Yokes Jewish Burdens an unequal unrighteous wrangling troublesom maintenance c. do herein blasphemously traduce censure the very wisdom justice discretion not only of Abraham and all the faithfull servants of God approving and paying Tithes in former ages but of God himself who prescribed them and of the Apostle pleading for them as appertaining to both these orders of Gods Priests for their perpetual maintenance 8. Here is one notable observation for all the Officers and Souldiers of the Army seriously to consider and O that God would fix it effectually on their Spirits That Abraham the Father of the faithfull as the Gospel styles him Rom 4.16 returning victoriously from the first Warrs we read of in the world gave the TENTH OF THE SPOYLES taken from the Enemy in the warrs to Melchisedec the first Priest of the most high God we finde in the Word or World and an express type of Christ our only high Priest if not Christ himself as some affirm To teach all Generals Officers Souldiers who professe themselves the Sons or Children of Abraham after the faith to do the like And which is very considerable though this victorious General and Souldier was urged by the King of Sodom to take all the Spoyl and goods he had taken and rescued from the Enemy to himself and to give him only the persons rescued which he magnanimously refused saying I have lift up my hand unto the Lord the most high God possessor of heaven and earth that I will not take from a thread even to a shoe-latchet and that I will not take any thing that was thine lest thou shouldest say I have made Abraham rich Gen 14.21 22 23. And O that all Commanders Souldiers now were as conscionable and just in performing their Oathes Covenants Vowes made with hands lifted up unto the Lord as faithfull Abraham was yet he would not renounce nor give away Gods and the Priests portion upon any condition but GAVE THE TENTH OF ALL THE SPOYL TO THEM restoring only the Surplusage And should not our Generals Officers Souldiers in these dayes who professe and style themselves the Eminentest most precious Saints and spiritual seed of faithfull Abraham more really prove themselves such indeed to God the World and their own Consciences by giving the Tenth of all their spoils and gains of Warres to God and his faithfull Ministers which I never heard one of them yet did and making good all their solemn Oathes and Covenants to God whereof this was one clause That they shall sincerely really and constantly endeavour in their several places and callings the preservation of the reformed Religion from utter ruine and destruction against all the treacheries and bloudy Plots Conspiracies Attempts and practices of the Enemies thereof whereof this in present agitation to deprive our Ministers of all Tithes and setled maintenance is one of the principal which will ruine our Ministers Ministry and Religion with them as faithfull Abraham really did rather than by endevouring what they can as too many of them do TO SPOYL THEM OF ALL THEIR TITHES both predial mixt and personal which they have so long enjoyed not only by a just civil right and title confirmed by Prescription the great Charter all sorts of Lawes Statutes Ordinances in antient and late times but likewise by a divine Warrant from this Precedent of Abraham instead of giving them THE TENTH OF THEIR SPOYLS Which practice if pursued as it will insallibly demonstrate them to be no real Saints or Children of faithfull Abraham our Saviour resolving Joh. 8.39 If ye were Abrahams children ye would do the works of Abraham in paying Tithes as he did so it will probably exclude both them and others guilty of it out of Abrahams bosome Luke 16.22 who will never own nor receive those as his friends or children into his bosome who are such virulent Enemies to his most commendable Practice of paying Tithes even of the very spoyls he took in Warr. With this Argument I have so routed some Officers and Souldiers that they blushed for shame had not one word to reply and gave over further rayling
discourses against Tithes as men quite confounded and I hope it will have the self-same effect in all others when they have well advised on it That they may have no Evasion from the dint thereof I shall answer all Cavils I know of to elude it The 1. Evasion is this That this Precedent of Abraham in giving the tenth of the spoyls of Warr is singular and voluntary not obliging other Souldiers to doe the like or to devote any of their spoyls to God and his service To this I answer 1. That this practice and Precedent of Abraham so transcendently eminent for his faith in the old and new Testament in both which it is recorded was undoubtedly written for our imitation and instruction to do the like as may be evidenced from Job 8.39 1 Cor. 10.11 Rom. 15.4 2 Thess 3.7 9. Heb. 13.7 1 Thess 2.14 the rather because the Apostle Heb. 6.12 commands us To be followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises and then presently after instanceth in Abraham and fals upon his practice of paying Tithes of the spoyl to Melchisedec Therefore all Christian Generals Officers Souldiers must follow him in paying Tithes of all their spoyls as well as in faith and patience his Precedent having been the original impulsive ground of all Tithes vowed or paid to Gods Priests or Ministers ever since and of Gods subsequent commands to Abrahams posterity to pay Tithes to the Priests and Levites under the Law as the Apostle insinuates Heb. 7.4 5 6 8. compared together and of all Laws Canons since enacted by Christian Kings and Councils for due payment of Tithes to Ministers of the Gospel in Christian Realms and Republicks 2. I answer That this practice of his was frequently pursued by Generals Officers and Souldiers in succeeding ages of which we have very memorable Precedents in Scripture wherewith I have shamed and confounded Souldiers in discourses with them about Tithes It is specially recorded Num. 31. that when the 12000. Officers and Souldiers of the Israelites under the conduct of Phinehas returned from the slaughter of the Midianites with an extraordinary great booty of all sorts God gave a special charge to levy a Tribute unto the Lord of the men of Warr that went out to Battel and to give it to Eleazar the Priest for an heave-offering of the Lord which kind of offerings was Aarons and his Sonnes for ever from the children of Israel as a due wages for their service Exod. 29.27 28. Levit. 7.32 33 34. Numb 18.24 27 29. Deut. 12.11 and is coupled with Tithes as being of the same Nature in the two last of these Scriptures which tribute was accordingly levyed And because the prey was first equally divided between them who took the Warr upon them and went out to Battel and between all the Congregation which had the other moity of it God out of the Souldiers moity the prey being very great reserved onely one of five hundred out of the Captives Beeves Asses and Sheep for the Priests which were but few and one of every fifty for the Levites of the peoples moity the Priests share amounting to 675. Sheep 78. Oxen 64. Asses 32. Captives and the Levites share to tenne times so many After which tribute levyed v. 48 49. the Officers which were over thousands of the Host the Captaines of Thousands and Captaines of Hundreds brought an oblation to the Lord what every man had gotten of Iewels of Gold Chaines and Bracelets Kings Ear-Rings and Tablets to make an atonement for their souls before the Lord amounting to sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels every shekel weighing half an ounce Which Eleazer the Priest took of the Captains of thousands and of hundreds and brought it into the Tabernacle of the Congregation for a Memorial of the children of Israel before the Lord Numb 31.48 to the end Here were self-denying saint-like Officers Colonels and Captains indeed after all the former deductions and tributes out of their spoyl to bring to the Priest and offer up to God all their Jewels of Gold Chains Bracelets Rings Ear-Rings Tablets and richest plunder they had gotten in the Warrs for the maintenance of his worship when our Officers Colonels Captains Souldiers shall do the like and pay a tribute of the best of their spoyls to our Ministers as these by Gods command did to the Priests and Levites not purchasing Church-Lands and Revenues with them devoted to the augmentation of our Ministers small Stipends we shall cry them up for self-denying Saints and Souldiers indeed and say they are no self-seekers If this Scripture Precedent be not enough behold a whole cloud of Precedents imitating them and faithfull Abraham recorded united in one memorable Text seldome read or taken notice of 1 Chron. 26.26 27 28. Which Shelomith and his Brethren were over all the Treasures of the dedicated things which David the King and the chief Fathers the Captains over Thousands and Hundreds and the Captains of the Host had dedicated out of the Spoyls won in Battels did they dedicate to maintain the House of the Lord mark and imitate it O ye Army-Officers Captains Souldiers And all that SAMUEL the seer and SAUL the Son of Kish and ABNER the Son of Ner and JOAB the Son of Zerviah had dedicated was under the hand of Shelomith and his Brethren Here we have examples of all sorts and sizes for our Army-Officers and Souldiers imitation 1. We have David a victorious Warrier General King and man of God after Gods own heart dedicating the Treasures Spoyls he took from his enemies in Battels to the House and service of God thus more specially recorded for his honour and others practice 2 Sam. 8.11 12. And Tol sent Joram his Son to King David to salute him and to blesse him because he had fought against Hadadezer and smitten him and brought with him vessels of Gold and vessels of Silver and vessels of Brasse which also King David did dedicate to the Lord with the Silver and Gold that he had dedicate of all Nations which he subdued Of Syria and of Moab and of the children of Ammon and of the Philistines and of Amalek and OF THE SPOYLS OF HADADEZER Son of Rehob King of Zobah Recorded again in 1 Chron. 18.2 to 12. with this addition And David took the shields of gold which were on the Servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem Likewise from Tibhath and from Chun Cities of Hadadezer brought David very much brass wherewith Solomon made the Brazen sea and the pillars of the vessels of Brasse What the value of the spoyls which he dedicated to God and his service amounted to himself records 1 Chron 22.14 Now behold in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the Lord an hundred thousand Talents of Gold and a thousand Talents of Silver and of Brasse and Iron in aboundance without weight Besides what he dedicated out of his own proper estate
had no affinity with the forementioned Glebes and Tenths belonging as well to the Levites as Priests and therefore are distinctly prescribed by themselves Now for any to argue that Tithes and Glebes which were no wayes properly Ceremonial Levitical or Typical are quite abolished by Christ and incompatible with the Gospel because those meat-offerings Peace-offerings and Sacrifices which were meerly Ceremonial and Typical and by consequence the Fees due unto Priests out of them are quite abolished by Christ the onely true meat-offering peace-offering and Sacrifice for us unto God is a meer Non sequitur they being things of a different nature the one eternally abolished by Christ as the whole Epistle to the Hebrews testifies but the other not as the said very Epistle attests Hebrews 7.1 to 9. compared with 1 Cor 9.4 to 16. 1 Tim 5.17 18. Gal 6.6 And here I shall beat our Sword-men and other Tithe-oppugners with their own weapon They tell us for an unquestionable Gospel-Truth That Ministers of the Gospel ought to have no certain or coercive Maintenance but only voluntary Free-will-Offerings such as the people shall willingly give them without any Law or constraint though their own unordained Chaplains in the Army and Garrisons have constant pay each month out of the peoples Purses to whom they do not speak and are not maintained by the Souldiers free but the people 's enforced Monthly Contributions which practice they should first reform if repugnant to the Gospel Now such Maintenance as this is more properly and purely Levitical and Ceremonial than Tithes since all Meat-Offerings Peace-Offerings and Sacrifices out of which the Levitical Priests were to have their Share and Maintenance were only Frée-Will-Offerings voluntarily offered to God without any coercion when they pleased Levit. 2.1 ch 3.1 ch 22.81 19 22 23. Numb 19.3 ch 29.39 Deut. 12.6 17. ch 16.10 ch 23.23 Psal 54.6 Ezra 3.5 ch 7.16 2 Chron. 31.14 If then Tithes Glebes and all coercive setled Maintenance for Ministers be abolished and unlawfull under the Gospel though not primarily and purely Levitical but of divine Moral and natural Right by the Dictate of natural reason as Tyndarus Rebuffus and many others affirm in their Treatises of Tithes then much more must their maintenance by Levitical Free-will-Offerings Oblations and Sacrifices be such being more purely Levitical and Ceremonial that Tithes as these Instances manifest and 1 Cor. 9.13 Heb. 7.12 13. And if Ministers of the Gospel must have neither a setled nor inforced Maintenance by Glebes Tithes or otherwise as some now plead nor yet an uncertain one by voluntary Free-will-Offerings and Contributions they shall have no maintenance at all allowed them under the Gospel whereas the Priests of God under the Law had both a certain setled Maintenance reward by Glebes and Tithes and likewise an arbitrary and uncertain by their Fees Dues out of the peoples Free-will-Offerings and Sacrifices And why Ministers of the Gospel may not have a like setled coercive Maintenance both by Glebes and Tithes and likewise an honorary super-additional reward according to their pains and merits by the voluntary benevolences and Free-will-Offerings of the People as well as the Priests under the Law or as well as Servants and all publick Officers Military or Civil Let their Opposites render me a reason when they are able the Apostle resolving thus of Ministers of the Gospel in opposition to the Preists under the Law Heb. 13.10 We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the Tabernacle which text compared with 1 Cor 9.13 14. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel and with Phil. 4.18 But I have all and abound and am full having received from Epaphroditus the things or voluntary Contribution sent from you an odour of a most swéet smell a Sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God will warrant this Conclusion that as the Gospel in these Texts retains the old legal Terms of Altar and Sacrifice in a real Evangelical sense in relation both to the Office and Maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospel So Christians under the Gospel in the self same sense may and ought to allow them the like setled Maintenance by Glebes Tithes and likewise an Additional Reward by voluntary Evangelical Sacrifices and Oblations for attending on the new Gospel-Altar Jesus Christ and preaching of his Gospel administring his sacraments to them as the Priests under the Law received from the people by Gods own institution 4. There was another Additional way of Maintenance for the Priests under the Law both certain and considerable by Gods special appointment even the first-born of Man and unclean beasts which were to be redeemed at a set value given by God to the Priests the firstlings of all their herds beasts flocks that were clean payable in kind the first-fruits also of their Ground Corn Wine Oyl of all manner of Trees fruits and likewise of their dough which God peculiarly reserving and consecrating to himself as his own and holy to himself did yet transferre them to his Priests and enjoyns the People to give and bring unto the Priests That they may cause the Blessing of God to rest in the Peoples Houses as you may read at leisure Exod. 13.12 13. ch 22.29 30. ch 23.16 19. ch 34.19 20 22 26. Levit. 2.12 14. ch 23.10 20. ch 27.26 27 28. Nâ—m 28.26 Deut. 12.6 ch 14.23 ch 15.19 ch 26.2 16. compared with Num. 18.11 to 20 2 Kings 4.22 2 Chron. 31.5 and Neh. 10.35 36. ch 12.44 ch 13.12 Prov. 3.9 Ezech. 20.40 ch 44.30 ch 48.14 These first-fruits most hold to be meerly Ceremonial and Types of Christ the first-born of God Heb. 1.6 Psal 89.27 The first-fruits from the dead 1 Cor. 15.20 23. and Types of Christians under the Gospel who are called a kind of first-fruits of his creatures Jam. 1.18 yea the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb Rev. 14.4 Therfore abolished by Christ as Ceremonial and Levitical But yet notwithstanding seeing all true Christians are and ought still to be even Spiritual first-fruits unto God under the Gospel To present themselves their souls and bodies a living Sacrifice and Oblation holy acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ in the first place Rom. 12.1 2 Cor. 8.2 3 4 5. To seek first the Kingdom of God Mat. 6.33 and then afterwards to be ready to consecrate not only themselves but all their Goods and Estates to God and his Service so far forth as there is occasion or necessity Acts 4.32 33 34 35. I cannot yet discern but that all Christians by a proportionable kind of Gospel and natural Equity are still obliged to render a kind of first-fruits out of their Estates besides their Tithes for the maintenance and propagation of the Gospel when and where
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
are Gods and wilt thou not render to the Creator of all things that which is his own The Lord God doth not want he requires not a reward but honour he exacts not any thing of thine which thou shouldest reserve fund He vouchsafes to demand only the First-fruits and Tithe of things which are his and doest thou O covetous wretch deny him What wouldest thou doe if reserving the Nine parts to himself he had left only the Tenth to thee This he hath already done when as thy harvest for want of rain mildew and thy vintage through hayl or frost is diminished into a Ninth part O covetous Varlet how dost thou reckon The Nine parts are withdrawn from thee because thou wouldest not give the Tenth It is most apparent that thou hast not given them but yet God hath exacted them For this is the most just custom of the Lord that if thou wilt not give the Tenth to him he will recall the Nine and leave only a Tenth part to thee What if God should say unto thee Man is mine whom I have made the earth is mine which thou tillest the seeds are mine which thou sowest the cattel are mine which thou weariest the showrs and the rain and the gales of wind are mine the heat of the Sun is also mine And seeing all the Elements by which the seed fruits do live and grow are mine and thou only lendest thy hand thou deservest only a Tenth But because Almighty God feeds deals most liberally with us he hath given a most ample gift and reward to him that laboureth challenging the Tenth only to himself and pardoning all the rest to us And wilt thou then ungratefully and perfideously deprive him of it when the year is ended and the crop reaped If any shall presume to doe so let them read what followes in that Sermon and then sleep quietly if they can 9. That all Christians under the Gospel are bound in Justice Equity Conâ—cience to give their hired Servants and Labourers their due and deserved Wages and not to detain it from them even under the Gospel and that by vertue of Gods command recorded in the Levitical and Judicial Law Levit 19.13 Deut. 14.14 15. approved in the Gospel Col. 4.1 and to allow their Beasts Oxen that plow and tread out their Corn Straw and Provender without muzling up their mouthes by vertue of a like precept recorded Deut 25.4 twice repeated and urged by the Apostle in the New Testament to prove the lawfullnesse of Ministers maintenance under the Gospel 1 Cor 9.8 9 10. 1 Tim 5.18 and that without the least suspition of Judaism or Antichristianism Therefore they may and are also bound in Justice Equity Conscience not only to settle Glebes upon but likewise to pay Tithes to the Ministers of the Gospel as a due Wages Hire Reward for their Labour in the Ministry as well as the Jews did to their Priests and Leviteâ— without the least tincture of Judaism or Antichristianism since Christ himself in the Gospel expresly resolvs Mat. 10.10 Luke 10.7 and 1 Tim. 5.18 That Ministers being Labourers are worthy of their Mâ—at Hire and a competent Maintenance suitable to their pains and function as well as any other hired Servants or Labourers in the fields or as our labouring Oxen or Horses are of Straw and Provender 10. We read it recorded 1 Sam. 8.11 15 17. That this would be the manner of the King that should reign over the Jâ—ws that amongst other things He will take the Tenth of your Seed and of your Vineyards and the Tenth of your Sheep and give them to his Officers and Servants In imitation whereof the Kings of England in antient Parliaments and of late times have usually demanded and received by Grant in Parliament a Dâ—cime or Tenth of the Goods and Estates of their Subjects for their Supplies and likewise a Tenth of their Merchandise exported and imported for Tonnage and Poundage as our Parliament Records Histories and Rastal in his Abridgement of Statutes Tithes Taxes and Tenths attest If then our lawfull Kings Princes and Governours under the Gospel may justly demand and receive by Grant in Parliament the Tenth of all our Goods Corn Wooll Sheep Estates Merchandise for their necessary supplies and the defence of the Kingdom and some who are no Kings and have engaged against Kingship as Tyrannical do the like without a Parliament taking beyond the presidents of the worst of all our Kings not only a Tenth of all our Estates but a double or treble Tenth of all mens yearly Revenues Estates of Ministers Tithes besides for the Maintenance of themselves and the Army without the guilt of Iudaism Antichristian Tyranny Oppression or Superstition Why our faithfull Ministers may not likewise demand receive enjoy their Glebes and Tithes not only granted but confirmed to them by our Ancestors in successive Parliaments from the first planting of the Gospel in this Nation till the Reformation by all our Protestant Parliaments since the Reformation and by sundry Ordinances in the very last Parliament to which some now in highest Power gave their cordial Votes for the Preaching propagating of the Gospel and saving of mens Souls without the like Brand of Judaism and Anti-christianism let John Canne resolve me when he can who most falsly scandalously unchristianly brands both the last and all Protestant Parliaments confirming Tithes for Popish Idolatrous Parliaments acting against the Lord Jesus and our Ministry for an Antichristian Ministry Who certainly was in his Cannes or Cups when he writ and published such palpable scandalous untruths to the dishonour of our Church Parliaments Nation Religion But such Cretians are alwayes Lyars Evil Beasts Slow Bellies wherefore they need a sharp rebuke that they may be sound in the saith Tit 1.12 13. He might have done better to excite those to whom he dedicates his Pamphlet against those Popish Priest Monks Friars Jesuits sent from the Pope and Rome into England of late to root out our Ministry and their Maintenance as most opposite to Antichristianism his Papal Soveraignty and Errors under the Notion of Anabaptists dipped Jews Gifted Brethren New Lights Seekers But against these he hath not one word and why so Because the Dominican and Franciscan Freers as Mr. Selden relates in his History of Tithes were the first who made it a gainfull doctrine to teach Laymen that they were not bound to pay their Tithes to their Ministers as to whom by any Law of God that portion belonged teaching them to be due only as Alms or as what ex debito charitatis not ex debito justitiae was to be dispensed By this doctrine The Mendicams especially often got them to themselves like the old Eustathians as Alms to be arbitrarily disposed of to such as took any spiritual Labour as also made their own detaining of them in lands out of which they were parochially due to séem lesse wrongfull They possessing the people with an opinion to gain them
teacheth him in all good things To which I shall subjoyn 1 Cor. 9.11 If we have sowed unto you spiritual things is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things Rom. 15.25 And their Debtors they are for if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things All these three Gospel Texts resolve That Ministers of the Gospel have a just due and right to a competent comfortable share in all the goods things Temporal blessings and necessaries for the support of this life which the people instructed by them and receiving spiritual things from them enjoy And that the people are bound both by expresse precepts in the Gospel and by the rules of common moral equity and justice chearfully to communicate and minister such a fitting share of all their good things and temporal blessings as a debt and due unto them for their ministring to them in spiritual things which I fully proved in the first Proposition and Impudency it self cannot deny The sole question then is what this share or portion ought to be and who shall determine it in point of difference I confesse the Apostle doth not decide either of these in terminis these Texts being general all in the plural number All good things your carnal things comprising all such things out of which Tithes predial mixt or personal as Canonists and Lawyers distinguish them are or may be paid Wherefore every faithfull Christian every spiritual son of God and of faithfull Abraham whose footsteps presidents they are to follow in all doubtful cases admit this one to satisfie his conscience and judgement in this case must and will resort to the presidents of the Eminentest Saints in former ages and Gods own prescripts in other expresse Texts Where finding the very Father of the faithfull Abraham himself giving his Grandson Jacob vowing and God himself specially reserving prescribing the payment of a Tenth of all good things from and by his own people for the maintenance of his Priests and Levites under the Law which they cheerfully rendred until and in Christs own time that the very Pharisees and Scribes though Hypocrites were so just as to pay Tithes of all that Christ resolved they ought to do it and not leave it undone and that none before the Apostles dayes ever gave lesse than a Tenth part as the premises largely evidence he must and will necessarily conclude from all these sacred Directories precepts presidents that the ordinary constant standing portion and proportion of all his goods and carnal things here prescribed and intended by Gods Spirit is the tenth part and in extraordinary cases more when Gods glory the Ministers necessities the Defence or Propagation of the Gospel require it And when he shall further read in the Gospel it self that speech of Zacheus the converted Publican Luke 19.8 Behold Lord the Half of my Goods I give to the poor And how the first converted Christians and Jews in the Apostles dayes sold their Lands Houses and brought and laid the money at the Apostles feet Acts 4.5 His conscience which must not guide the Word and Spirit of God as most mens consciences do now but the Word and Spirit it and him too will and must from thence conclude that he must not give his faithful Minister lesse than a Tenth part of all and in cases of extraordinary necessity share even half his goods yea the price of all his Lands and Houses between the Ministers and poor Saints of God specially in times of persecution when as he ought to hide and feed them too as godly Obadiah did an hundred of the Lords Prophets in the dayes of Jezebel at his own charge with the hazard of hiâ— Office and Life 1 Kings 18.4.13 If any mans conscience in a setled Christian Realm State be so obstinate or froward as not to submit to the lowest proportion of a Tenth which all ages and most or all setled Christian Realms have unanimously agreed upon and confirmed by publike Edicts as well Civil as Ecclesiastical whereof there are neer thousands in print the Christian Kings and Magistrates are to determine all controversies of this nature and state the just proportion of this Debt and Duty between the Minister and people where it is not publikely decided and may justly enforce the due payment of it when and where it is determined by positive publick Laws as a just Debt as they do in all other civil Debts Duties Accompts in controversie before them as I shall prove in due place even by these very Texts though John Canne denies it in his VOX praeterea NIHIL p. 14. To these I shall subjoyn that noted Text in the 1 Cor. 9.13 14. which John Canne cites by piece-meal as the Devil did Scripture leaving out the principal branch Mat. 4.6 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they that wait at the altar are partakers with the altar Even so hath the Lord ordained this Canne omits that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel I have urged this Text before for proof of the first I shall here apply it only to the second Propositions confirmation as to Tithes 1. Then we have here A Divine Gospel Ordinance made by the Lord of Hosts himself not repealable by any Army or Powers on Earth as well as Parliamentary Ordinances for the Maintenance of the Preachers of the Gospel and let Canne the poorest Preacher of the Gospel I ever yet knew in England except one of his fraternity who heard him once preach an Assize and Fast Sermon too at Chard deny our Ministers to be able Preachers of the Gospel at the peril of his Soul though he denies them to be lawful Ministers of Christ and censures them as Antichristian and Popish But why so Because forsooth they had their Ordination from Rome and by consequence are TRAYTORS and FELONS too by the Statute of 27 Eliz. c. 2. for which they might be legally executed for Treason and Felony if the State were not pleased to interpret the Statute contrary as he conceives to the Letter and form of it the words whereof he both curtals and misrecites just as he did this Text p. 5. To doe him and his best friends a kindness vindicate the lawfulness of our Ministers calling against this ordinary slander and convince him of his grosse mistake I shall truly recite the Statute Thus intituled JESUITES and PRIESTS in England shall depart and NONE SHALL COME INTO THIS REALM If so then many Dippers Speakers Administrators Members in Anabaptistical Congregations many New-lights and Gifted-brethren in separate Congregations many Shakers Quakers Ranters Broachers of new Notions Errours Blasphemies throughout the Realm many new Politicians Levellers Agitators Soldiers in the Army if not some Officers all the late converted pretended Jews dipped in Anabaptistical Congregations discovered and known to be disguised Iesuites
or just as our Bibles Religion Baptism Churches were derived thence and all now living with Canne himself derived from Popish Ancestors many even from Popes Popish Priests Prelates Friars by natural generation as their surnames discover God used the Popes of Rome and their Instruments to convert the Britains and Saxons from their Paganism to the Christian not Papal or Roman Faith which through Gods mercy hath continued amongst us ever since yet mixed of later times with manifold Popish Errors and Superstitions These Errors Superstitions our godly Martyrs and by them our Kings and Parliaments discovering did thereupon by special Acts of Parliament abolish as derived from the Church of Rome together with the Popes usurped power and Gain which they served only to support retaining only the Scriptures Sacraments Soul-saving Doctrines thence derived by succession onely but authoritatively originally from God and Christ himself with such Godly Orthodox Bishops and Ministers who though first ordained in the Church of England when Popish did yet renounce all her Popish Errors Corruptions with the Popes Supremacy and all Popish additional Rites to the form of their Ordination and Baptism which made neither of them void in Substance no more than their annexing of the Apocrypha to the Canonical Scriptures made them uncanonical These afterwards ordained other Bishops Ministers without any Popish Rites in such manner as the Gospel prescribes which Mr. Mason Mr. Yates and others prove against the Papists to be a lawful Ordination though not made by the Popes Authority nor according to former Popish Ceremonies In this Sense onely they write the bare Succession not the Office and Calling of our Ministers as this woodden Canne mistakes was derived from the Church of Rome but their Ministry it self from Christs own Institution And if this makes them Popish and Antichristian then all our Protestant Kings Parliaments Magistrates Judges Officers of all sorts must be Popish too if not Paganish because their Predecessors were such and all Officers Souldiers of the Army and Anabaptistical Saints too who have purchased any Lands Rents Revenues of Abbies Priories Archbishops Bishops Deans Chapters Archdeacons must likewise be both Antichristian and Popish because their Predecessors who first enjoyed and from whom they do derive them were such at least in their and Cannes repute I hope therefore they will all now renounce these their Purchases to avoid the Guilt and high scandal of Popery and Antichristianism or disclaim this Second Loud-lying Voice against our Ministers and their Ministry as a Voice only from a prophane empty Canne not from a Sacred Temple or Gods holy Spirit But to return from this necessary digression touching the Lawfulness of our Ministers Calling unto their Tithes We have secondly in this Text 1 Cor. 9.13 14. a Gospel Ordinance for their very Tithes confirmed by the old Levitical Law and grounded on its Equity But how doth this appear By these emphatical words Even so hath the Lord Ordained in the Preterperfect Tense That they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel But where hath the Lord ordained this The Apostle thrice resolves expresly that he hath done it in the Levitical Law v. 9. For it is written in the Laws of Moses Deut. 25.4 Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the Corn doth God take care for Oxen Or saith he it altogether for our sakes 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 Which he again recites 1 Tim. 5.18 If this Precept concerning the meat and maintenance of Oxen only in the Letter though part of the Levitical Law was doubtless written for and really intended of the Ministers of the Gospels food and maintenance and in full force under the Gospel as the Apostle clearly resolves then a fortiori the Precepts of the Law concerning the food and livelihood of Gods Priests and Levites under the Law by Glebes and Tithes not purely Ceremonial as I have already proved must doubtlesse be intended of them and be in full force likewise in their natural equitable Sence and Proportion in relation to their Livelihood for preaching of the Gospel there being a greater Analogy Proportion between them and Preachers of the Gospel than betwixt them and Oxen. To put it out of doubt he subjoyns Do not ye know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar To wit by Gods expresse Ordinance in the Levitical Law which ye know and therefore I need not particularly cite the words as I did the other of not muzzling the Ox c. which were more obscure and needed my former Paraphrase on them but thus mind you of them in the general And then he inferrs and subjoyns Even so hath the Lord ordained to wit by the very natural moral Equity of the Lawes Ordinances he made for the Priests and Levites Maintenance by Tithes Glebes and Free-will-offerings for officiating in the Temple and at the Altar under the Law that the Preachers of the Gospel who now succeed and supply their places though in different services in the Churches of Christ under the Gospel should live of the Gospel even so fully comfortably and in such sort as they did under the Law Or at least by this Gospel text superadded to them by Gods Spirit To make this out more fully and clear it from the censure of Judaism take notice of these four particulars 1. That in the Holy Ghosts Gospel phrase and language there is a Temple among and for Christians under the Gospel as well as among and for the Jews under the Law else Cannes Voice from the Temple if there be no such place must be thus amended in his next Edition A Voice from the Canne or Alehouse and that this Temple is nothing else but the Church and Saints of Christ 2 Cor. 6.16 1 Cor. 3.16 17. chap. 6.19 Ephes 2.21 2 Thess 2.4 Rev. 3 12. chap. 7.15 chap. 11.1 2 19. chap. 14 15. chap. 15.5 6 8. chap. 16.1 17. compared together 2. That Christians under the Gospel have likewise an Altar as well as the Jews though different from theirs Heb. 13.14 We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the Tabernacle oft mentioned Rev. 6.9 chap. 8.3 5. chap. 9.13 ch 14.18 yea coupled with the Temple Rev. 11.1 Rise measure the Temple of God and the Altar 3. We have Sacrifices to be offered in this Temple on the Altar as well as the Jews in theirs 1. The Sacrifice of Prayer Rev. 8.3 4 5. 2. The Sacrifice of Praise Heb. 13.15 3. The Sacrifice of Charity alms and good works Heb. 13.16 4. Our own bodies which we must present as a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God by serving him according to his word as rational men not beasts that were both slain and sacrificed
under the Law Rom. 12.1 4. We have Priests likewise to offer up these spiritual Sacrifices 1 Pet. 2.9 Rev. 1.6 chap. 5.10 chap. 20.6 And these are three 1. Every sanctified Christian who must offer up the Sacrifices of Prayer Praise alms and his own body to God in his private Closet and Family 2. The Ministers of the Gospel who must continually offer up these Sacrifices in the peoples behalf in publick here on earth in the Temple for which we are to render them not only Tithes and Glebes but a Free-will-offering of bounty and charity besides a sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing to God Phil. 4.16.3 Christ Jesus himself our Altar and High Priest too now sitting in heaven Heb. 13.15 cap. 2.17 c. 4.14 15. c. 5.10 c. 6.20 c. 7.17 20 21 22 27 28. c. 8.1 c. 10.21 And if Christians have thus even under the Gospel a Temple an Altar spiritual Sacrifices Priests to officiate in at them and offer up these Sacrifices to God in publike as well as the Jews Why the Priests who minister about holy things in this Evangelical Temple wait continually at this spiritual Altar offer these spiritual sacrifices publikely unto God thereon administer the Sacraments blesse the people and preach the Gospel likewise to them as the Jewish Priests and Levites did teach instruct and bless the people in the Law and kill the Passeover 2 Chron. 27.7 8 9. c. 30.15 16 17. cap. 35.2 3. cap. 15.3 Ezra 7.25 Neh. 8.5 to 12. Numb 6.23 24 25. should not receive both Glebes Tithes and voluntary Oblations from the people as well as the Priests and Levites did under the Law by vertue of the self-same Levitical law of God by which they claimed them they being both the Priests of the self-same God and both executing the self-same Priestly office in a different manner and that by the Apostles own Argument intention and positive resolution in this Gospel text let Canne and all other oppugners of their Tithes resolve me and others from as clear Gospel texts as these I have here alleged and others formerly insisted on in the first Proposition or else yeeld their cause for ever lost I shall cloze up all with two other Gospel texts most urged and abused by those now in power in their own cases who most of all forgot transgressed oppugned them heretofore in other mens The first is 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supreme or unto Governours c. The Second Rom. 13.1 2. Let every soul be subject unto the Higher powers for there is no Power but of God The powers that are are ordained of God whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation That these two Scriptures extend only to lawful hereditary or elective Kings Governours Higher powers and that in their lawfull commands alone not to Usurpers Tyrants Invaders of the peoples Rights Laws Liberties Properties Lives who may and ought to be resisted as well as any other Theeves Robbers Invaders Murtherers whatsoever I have largely proved in My Second Part of my Soveraign Power of Parliaments and Kingdoms Authorized by the Commons House of Parliament p. 102 to 131. to which I shall referr the Reader for satisfaction not being the point in issue to which alone I shall apply them In the former Text last insisted on we had an Ordinance of God himself for the Maintenance and Tithes of the Preachers of the Gospel here we have two Gospel commandements to submit to every Ordinance of our lawfull Governours and Higher Powers agreeable to Gods Ordinances or not repugnant to them for the Lords sake not to resist them for though the Ordinances themselves be made but by men and in that sence stiled every ordinance of man yet the Powers that make them are ordained of God therefore those who resist them in their humane ordinances though but in humane things do therein resist the very Ordinance of God especially in things divine commanded by and approved in Gods own sacred Word Now the Maintenance of Gods Ministers by Tithes is an expresse Ordinance of God himself both before and during the law and under the Gospel too prescribed warranted by all the forecited Texts And there are infinite Laws Statutes Decrees Canons Ordinances of just and lawfull Christian Emperours Kings Governours Parliaments States Councils Synods and all higher Powers as well Civil as Ecclesiastical in all Christian Kingdoms States Churches especially in our own for the establishment and due payment of them to the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel Therefore they are duely constantly chearfully to be paid unto them by all Christians and Professors of the very Gospel and cannot may not be oppugned detained substracted resisted by John Canne or any of his Confederates nor abrogated by any pretending to Power Ordained by God without resisting the Ordinance of God himself yea fighting against him as these Texts and Acts 5.39 resolve For which they shall receive to themselves damnation though they dream as many now do they should merit heaven and salvation too by substracting subverting both Tithes and Ministers even by open armed violence if they cannot accomplish it by Jesuitical Policy and pious frauds And thus much for the confirmation of the Second Proposition by Scripture Texts and Presidents For humane Authorities that Tithes are lawfull and due to Ministers by a Divine Right even under the Gospel I could cite very many were I near my Library and Books as heretofore but being far distant from them I shall trouble you onely with a Catalogue of such as I have by me or remember Fathers of this Judgment and opinion you may peruse Origen Homil. in Numeros c. 18. St. Ambrose in Sermone Quadragesimae cited by Gratian Causa 16. qu. 7. St. Hierome on Mal. 3. and St. Augustine De Tempore Serm. 219. De Reddendis Decimis Tom. 9. both cited by Gratian Causa 16. qu. 1. For Councils you may peruse Concilium Rothomagense Magotiense in Gratian Causa 16. qu. 7. Concilium Matisconense 2. Anno 588. Concilium apud Solemanum Anno 1266. Synodus Rothingue Anno 1581. Concilium Trecense Anno 1427. which resolves Decimae fuerunt à DEO primitus Institutae Praecipiuntur solvi tam de veteri quam de Novo Testamento Synodus Lingonensis Anno 1404. Synodus Turonensis Anno 1588. Concilium Tridentinum Tholosanum Anno 1591. which decree That the payment of Tithes Divino jure cautum est sacrisque utriusque Testamenti libris confirmatum All these Collected together by Bochellus Decreto Ecclesiae Galicanae l. 6. Tit. 8. De Decimis Concilium Tridentinum sessio 25. c. 12. The Council of Orenth An. 1549. with many more recorded in Binius Surius Crab Caranza Merlin Syrmond and other Collectors of the Decrees of Councils resolve Tithes to be due to the Ministers of the Gospel
Learned Gulielmus Stuckius Antiquitatum Convivalium l. 1. c. 19. De Decimis Stipendiis atque Salariis eorum qui Ecclesiis praesunt proves from the example of Abraham and vow of Jacob Consuetudinem Decimas dandi etiam ante legem fuisse usitatam Veresimile etiam est Ethnicos ab illis commemoratis exemplis tritum illud suum et usitatum praedae spoliarum et quicquid ab hostibus captum est Decimam Jovi caeterisque Diis vovendi solvendique morem traxisse cujus multa sane illustria exempla extant apud Alexand. ab Alex. l. 3. Genial c. 22. Then he shews how God prescribed them to the Levites and Priests that the payment of them continued in Christs time and was revived by Christian Emperors and Magistrates as Constantine Charles the Great Concluding thus Ut ergo impie agunt illi Magistratus qui bona Ecclesiae dicata ad se rapiunt vel ad alios usus transferunt ita Impii et Sacrilegi sunt privati Homines qui non modo nihil pro suis facultatibus conferunt ad Ministri Ecclesiastici et Scholarum conservationem sed Decimas et Census devitos jam antea Ecclesiae dicatos vel omnino non solvunt vel non ea qua par est fide c. Itaque mirum non est multa quotidie cum privata tum publica mala annonae praesertim caritatem ingruere Cum Decime aliâ—que Census ad Ecclesiarum Scholarumque conservationem pertinentes vel negantur vel maligne persolvantur For our own Domestick Councils Parliaments and Writers Judgements herein Egbert Archbishop of York in his Excerptions about the year of Christ An 750. c. 4.99 100. The National Council of Calchuth under King Oswald and Offa ann 787. c. 17. forecited The famous Council of Grateley under King Athelstan ann 928. cap. 1. De Decimis sollicite reddendis Odo Archbishop of Canterbury in his Constitutions ann 943. c. 10. De Decimis reddendis The Canons under King Edgar about the year 967. Can. 54. The Ecclesiastical laws of King Aethelred ann 1012. cap. 4. The Ecclesiastical laws of Edward the Confessor c. 8. confirmed by William the Conqueror The Popish Schoolmen Canonists and Commentators on the Texts forecited whose names I pretermit the Convocation of England an 5 H. 6. and the Petition of the English Clergy in Parliament 50 E. 3. rot Parl. n. 199. resolve in positive terms That Tithes are due to God and his Ministers under the Gospel by Divine Right The same is asserted by divers of our Protestant Divines particularly by Dr. George Carleton in his Treatise intituled Tithes proved to be due by a Divine Right printed at London 1606. By Dr. William Sclater his Ministers Portion By Richard Eburne his Maintenance of the Ministry London 1609. By Richard Mountague in his Diatribe on the first part of the History of Tithes London 1628. by Robert Tileslee his Animadversions on Mr. Seldens History of Tithes London 1619. Mr. Samuel Purchas in his Pilgrimage l. 2. c. 7. with sundry others And though one or two English Writers are of a different opinion yet they all accord that being setled by our laws they are duely to be paid even in point of justice and conscience that they are not simply unlawfull but a just and fitting maintenance under the Gospel which Mr. Selden in his History of Tithes Review thereof doth affirm and no wayes oppose Seeing then all these with the laws of sundry other Kings Nations and Authorities of all sorts conclude them to be of Divine Right and conclude it both a grievous Sinne and Sacrilege against God to substract or abolish them and those who oppugn their Divine Right under the Gospel do affirm it is no sin but a bounden Debt and Duty to pay them as settled by humane Grants Donations Vows Laws Canons Constitutions Prescriptions time out of minde how any bearing the name of Christians can or dare with open face oppugn detain or attempt their total abrogation now as Jewish or Antichristian I referre it to their own consciences and others resolutions to determine I shall answer one grand Objection against Ministers Tithes under the Gospel and so cloze up this Chapter Neither Jesus Christ himself nor his Apostles nor the Ministers of the Primitive Church for two or three hundred years after them received Tithes for preaching the Gospel but lived onely upon the peoples alms and voluntary contributions Therefore the Ministers of the Gospel likewise after them ought to receive no Tithes of the people for preaching the Gospel but to live upon Alms and voluntary contributions as they did This was William Thorps chief Argument against Tithes Fox Acts and Monuments vol. 1. p. 699 700. who addes That those Priests who will challenge or take Tithes deny that Christ is come in the flesh and do the Priests Office of the Old Law for whom Tithes were granted for else Priests take now Tithes wrongfully citing this not as his own but a Doctors opinion whose name he remembred not but thought it was St. Jerome or rather St. Canne in his New Voyce p. 13 14 15. who delivers this for Orthodox Doctrine which St. Jerome directly contradicts with all other antient Doctors I have read Answ To this I reply 1. That Christ and his Apostles lived amongst the Jews who at that time were obliged by Gods own Law to pay their Tithes only to such Priests and Levites as were of the Tribe of Levi of which Tribe Christ and his Apostles were not therefore they challenged not Tithes from them Heb. 7.5 to 15. 2. They then paid their Tithes duly to their Priests and Levites mentioned John 1.19 for which Christ commended them resolving they ought not to omit it Mat. 23.23 Luke 11.42 ch 18.12 Therefore it was no reason they should pay them over again to Christ or his Apostles no more than Papists who pay Tithes in kind against their wills unto our Ministers though not to their own Priests but only voluntary Contributions whiles their Priesthood stood in force which they generally submitted to 3. The total abrogation of the Levitical Priesthood and Ceremonies by the death of Christ was not certainly known to nor resolved by the Apostles and believing Jews or Gentiles till some years space after our Saviours Ascension as is evident by Acts 15. in the great case of Circumcision about which there was a Synod assembled by Pauls circumcising Timothy after this because of the Jews Acts 16.3 his purifying himself and shaving his head after the Jewish manner many years afterward Acts 21.20 to 28. which he being a Jew was obliged even then to observe to avoid scandal but not the Gentiles Therefore Tithes amongst the Jewes upon this account were then still paid to their Levitical Priests not to the Apostles 4. Though Christ whiles on earth received no Tithes from the Jewes yet he had a just Right Title to Tithes from Abraham and all his Posterity yea from the
Levitical Priests themselves especially after their abolition as he was a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck to whom Abraham himself and the Levites then in his loins paid Tithes of all Heb. 7.1 to 15. of which at large before Therefore he had a just Right to receive Tithes from them both before the institution and after the abolition of the Levitical Priesthood which he might have lawfully claimed exercised and his Apostles likewise in his Right though they did it not We read that Christ had a just Right Title by Inheritance and lineal descent from his Father King David to the Temporal Crown and Kingdome of Judah being therefore said by the Wise men Mat. 2.2 to be born King of the Iews an unanswerable Argument for the lawfullnesse Excellency of Hereditary Titles to Crowns and Kingdomes before that of Election only wherewith I frequently silenced vapouring Souldiers against Hereditary Kingship being the very Title of Christ himself both to his Spiritual and Temporal Kingdome and that which God instituted amongst his Church people as the best surest of all other taken up by most Heathen Nations Now though Christ neither claimed nor exercised this his Temporal Right but avoided it when the people would have made him King by force John 6.15 who yet after cryed him up for the King of Israel John 12.13 15. which even Pilate himself acknowledged when he said unto the Jews Behold your King demanded of them Shall I crucifie your King and wrote fixed this Title on his Crosse Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iews John 19.14 15 19. will or can John Canne or any other of his antimonarchical confederates hence justly infer that it was unlawfull for Christ himself Right Heir by Descent to his Hereditary Temporal Kingdome kept and thrust out thereof by usurping Herod who murthered all the infants in Bethlehem and the Coasts thereof that were two years old and under and would have murthered our Saviour himself to secure his own usurped Power Mat. 2.13 16. such is the bloody cruelty Jealousie of Usurpers to have claimed or exercised this his just Hereditary Right to the Crown or unlawfull for the people to have thrust out this bloody Intruder Herod by force from his usurped Authority and made Christ King as they intended or because Christ did then voluntarily forbear relinquish his Temporal Right to Herod will it thence necessarily follow that it is therefore unlawfull for any other Hereditary Christian King or Right Heir to a Crown kept from or thrust out of his Throne Kingdome by armed violence against the generality of his peoples desires by any aspiring usurping Herod to lay claim to his Crown Kingdome or for the faithfull natural born Subjects according to their duty Oathes Allegiance to endeavour by all lawfull means and open force to expell dethrone such Herods and Crown set up their lawfull Soveraign on the Throne of the Kingdome Doubtlesse they cannot be so absurdly stupid to affirm it seeing Jehoiadah the high Priest the Captains of Hundreds Levites Souldiers and people too thrust out and slew with the sword Athaliah the bloody Usurper of the Kingdome and Throne of Judah in the second year of her Usurpation crowned Joash the Kings Son King as the Lord had said of the Sons of David and set him upon the Throne of the Kingdome whereupon all the people of the Land rejoyced and the City was quiet as is recorded at large to their eternal Honour by God himself and for others imitation in the like case 2 Chron. 23. and 2 Kings 11. The rather because all other men by our Laws may justly lay claim to and repossesse themselves of such Lands Houses Goods as others forcibly detain or take from them against all Law Right notwithstanding Christs Non-claim to his Rightful Crown Therefore by the self-same Reason our Ministers of the Gospel now may lawfully challenge and take Tithes from the people though Christ and his Apostles did it not albeit they had a just Right and Title to them which they might have exercised had they pleased without Sin or Judaism as our Ministers do now as Paul resolves in 1 Cor. 9.4 5 6 15 18. To clear which Right from Judaism and all other cavils beyond all contradiction I shall cite only two Prophecies relating joyntly to Christs Kingdom and Ministers under the Gospel The first is Jer. 33.15 to the end In those dayes and at that time will I cause the Branch of Righteousness to grow up unto David and he shall execute Righteousnesse and Judgement in the Land In those days shall Judah be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell safely and this is the name wherewith he shall be called The Lord our Righteousness For thus saith the Lord David shall never want a man to sit upon the Throne of the house of Israel Neither shall the Priests the Levites want a man before me to offer Burnt-Offerings and to kindle Meat-Offerings and to do Sacrifices continually Thus saith the Lord if you can break my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night so that there should not be day and night in their season then may also my Covenant be broken with David my Servant that he should not have a Son to reign upon his Throne therefore our Covenants Oaths to our Kings their Heirs and Successors should be as stable as inviolable and strictly observed as Gods to David and his Posterity Ps 89.3 4 34. Ps 132.11 12. Hebr. 6.17 18. Ps 15.4 Eccles 8.2 Gal. 3.15 17. and with the Levites the Priests my Ministers As the host of heaven cannot be numbred neither the sand of the Sea measured so will I multiply the seed of David my Servant and the Levites that minister unto me c. The second is Isa 66.18 to 20. I will gather all nations and tongues and they shall come and see my Glory and I will set a Sign among them and I will send those that escape of them unto the Nations and to Tarshish c. and to the Isles afar off whereof England is chief and principally intended And they shall bring all your Brethren for an Offering unto the Lord out of all Nations upon Horses and in Chariots and in Litters and upon Mules and upon swift Beasts to my holy Mountain in Jerusalem saith the Lord as the Children of Israel bring an Offering in a clean Vessel unto the House of the Lord And I will also take of them for Priests and for Levits saith the Lord From which Texts I shall observe 1. That as Christs Title to his everlasting Spiritual Kingdom under the Gospel over all the converted Gentiles as well as Jews is expresly set forth to be neither elective nor by conquest but by DESCENT HEIRSHIP and lineal succession after the flesh from King David Whence he is stiled Heir of all things Heb. 1.12 And the Lord shall give unto him THE THRONE OF HIS FATHER DAVID and HE shall reign over the House of
we are despised even to this present hour we are hungry and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling place we are reviled persecuted defamed we are as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things unto this day If all Ministers in times of peace and settlement must be like the Apostles in not receiving Tithes then they must be like them too even in setled Christian Kingdoms States Churches in all these their particular sufferings and have no certain dwelling place c. And if so Let Canne and his new Ministers of the Gospel as they stile themselves begin the president of whom our Ministers may now say as Paul did of the Corinthians in the precedent verse of this chapter v. 8. Now ye are full now ye are rich ye have reigned as Kings without us when as most of them were very poor and far enough from reigning as Kings or so much as Petty Constables before these unhappy Wars and in dayes of former persecution when Canne himself durst not shew his face in England for fear of a Bishops power or High commission Pursuivant nor durst reproach our Orthodox protestant pious Ministers and Parliaments as Antichristian Popish and compare their Laws for Ministers Tithes with the very Idolatrous Statutes of Omri and Ahab as he doth now p. 3. for which he might have taken a turn at Tyburn in steed of walking freely in Westminster Hall without being questioned for this his impudent high Slanders both of our Laws and Parliaments as well as Ministry 6. If the Ministers of the Gospel be bound to imitate the Apostles in all things then they must not have Gold nor Silver nor Brasse in their purses neither Scrip nor two Coats nor yet Shoes nor so much as two Staves but Sandals only on their feet Mat. 10.9 10. Mark 6.8 9. as the Capuchin-Fryars Mendicants hence conclude this being a positive Precept the objected examples of the Apostles c. only a President And if so not only all our Ministers but Canne and all his Administrators must turn Fryars Mendicants too in good earnest who ground their Vow of Voluntary poverty on this Text and the objected Presidents of Christ and his Apostles and so become no Ministers of Christ but Antichrist and as truly Antichristian as these Fryars are the Heads Ringleaders of our last sect of Quakers 7. If our Ministers must all now be like those of the Primitive times whiles under persecuting Heathen Emperours Kings Magistrates then all Saints and Christians too in our daies times must imitate and be like the Saints Christians in those dayes They must sell all their old and new purchased Lands Houses Lordships Palaces lay all the mony down at the Ministers feet and have all things in common like the real Saints and Christians in the Apostles times Acts 4.34 to the end and instead of Lording feasting it in their new acquired Royal Episcopal Palaces and Mannor Houses they must wander about in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins in Dâ—sarts Mountains Dens and Caves of the earth being dâ—stitute and afflicted like the Saints of old yea and like them they must be tortured tormented not accepting deliverance have trials of cruel mockings scourgings bonds and imprisonments be stoned sawn asunder slain with the Sword instead of slaying plundering imprisoning and sawing others asunder with the Sword Heb. 11.35 to 39. And when our Army-Saints Officers Souldiers Anabaptists Quakers with other Tithe-Oppugners who presse this Objection against Ministers Tithes shall lay down all their Arms Commands Power Lands and sell all they have to become like to all these Primitive Saints and Martyrs of Christ in their sufferings in times of Persecution I doubt not but our Ministers will joyfully part both with their Glebes Rectories Tithes and setled Maintenance to sympathize with them in their Persecutions Sufferings But till such hard times of Persecutions come and they begin to follow this President of the self-denying Primitive Saints I hope they will not make all our Ministers present Martyrs in their Tithes and setled Maintenance nor enjoyn them alone but not themselves to follow the Primitive Ministers of the Gospel in those times of persecution and prove greater persecutors to them in these pretended times of Christian Liberty Law Justice than the late Oppressing Prelates and High Commissioners who suffered many of them though Non-Conformists to enjoy their Tithes Glebes Offrings and not eject disinherit them and their Successors for ever of their antient Glebes Tithes and other setled Maintenance without any Legal Trial by their Peers or Conviction of any Treasonable crimes against our known Laws for which they deserve to forfeit them and all under the false petence that Tithes are Jewish and Antichristian under the Gospel Which I hope I have sufficiently refuted being established on them by Christian Kings States Parliaments immediately after the Primitive persecutions generally throughout Christendome as the fittest Maintenance of all other and particularly in our Realm when as the abolishing of them will be really such in the Judgement of all Godly Protestants Patrons of Religion both at home and throughout the World FINIS ERRATA PAge 68. l. 11. r. luent p. 141. l. 31. Solemanum r. Salmurum Rothingue r. Rothomag p. 142. l. 20. Trovomala The REMAINDER or SECOND PART of A GOSPEL PLEA Interwoven with a RATIONAL and LEGAL FOR THE LAWFULNESS CONTINUANCE Of the Antient Setled MAINTENANCE and TITHES Of the Ministers of the Gospel WHEREIN The DIVINE RIGHT OF OUR MINISTERS TITHES is further asserted The Magistrates Inforcement of the DUE PAYMENT OF THEM BY COERCIVE PENAL LAWS when substracted or detained vindicated That they are no REAL BURDEN or GRIEVANCE to the People the abolishing them no Ease Benefit to Farmers Tenants or Poor-People but a Prejudice rather and a gain to None but Rich Land-Lords cleared That the present Opposition against them proceeds not from any true Grounds of Conscience or Real Inconveniences in Tithes themselves but only from base Covetousness carnal Policy want of Christian Love Charity to and professed Enmity against the Ministers of the Gospel Yea from a JESUITICAL and ANABAPTISTICAL DESIGN to subvert ruine our Church Ministry Religion and bring a Perpetual Infamie on our Nation and the Reformed Religion here professed By William Prynne of Swainswick Esq a Bencher of Lincolns Inne 1 Cor. 9 14. Even so hath THE LORD ORDAINED that those who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel Cyprian de unitate Ecclesiae Domos tunc Fundos venundabant thesauros sibi in Coelo reponentes at nunc de Patrimonio nec Decimas damus cum Vendere jubeat Dominus Emimus pötius augemus Petrus Blesensis Epist 82. Per Prophetam praecepit Dominus Decimas inferri in horreum suum vos ab ejus horreo jubetis auferri c. Quid interest Equos rapiatis an Decimas Nisi quia Decima res spiritualis est ideo enormius SACRILEGIVM in Decimis
only due eternally due because he is and continues for ever an everlasting Priest That our Saviours own words John 8.58 Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it as well with the eyes of his body by this special apparition of Christ then meeting and blessing him as a Priest of the most high God at that time as with the eye of his faith and was glad do warrant this their opinion That Melchisedec was no other than Jesus Christ himself which they fortify with 7. strong unanswerable Arguments in the opinions of many from whence if granted it will inevitably follow That TITHES are more truly and properly Evangelical than Ceremonial or Judaical because thus originally given and paid to Christ himself the everlasting Head King High Priest of the Church by Abraham the Common Head and Father of all the Faithfull as well Gentiles as Jewes out of the prevision of his Incarnation in reference to his Everlasting Priesthood as an honorary Portion Tribute Salary of right belonging and annexed to his Priesthood Hebr. 7.1 to 15. Gen. 14.18 19 20. which Priestly office was principally to be executed compleated upon Earth and in Heaven by Christs subsequent Incarnation Passion Sacrifice of himself upon the Crosse Resurrection Ascension into Heaven and perpetual Intercession at Gods right hand for all his elect both as God and Man especially in relation to the Gentiles not generally called converted to the faith till after his Incarnation and Ascension Therefore by necessary consequence all Christians and believing Gentiles under the Gospel have altogether if not farre greater yet at leastwise as great as strong a reason ground obligation enforcement chearfully thankfully conscientiously to render TITHES of all they have to Christ for the use of his Ministers instruction edification of his Church and compleating of his body since his Incarnation and investiture in his everlasting Priesthood for their eternall welfare as Abraham or the Israelites had to render him or the Levitical Priests who typified him and attended on his service so long before his Incarnation and Priesthood fully compleated in all its parts and Offices Jesus Christ being THE SAME YESTERDAY AND TO DAY AND FOR EVER Hebr. 13.8 and as much if not farre more in some respects a Priest of the most high God to all believing Gentiles Christians since his Incarnation Passion Ascension as he was to Abraham and the Jews before them God since his Resurrection sending him to blesse us in turning every of us from our Iniquities as well as them Acts. 3.25 26. compared with Acts 10.42 45 47. ch 11.1 to 20. Wherefore those ingrate avaritious unconscionable Christians of this degenerous age who obstinately or maliciously refuse to render unto Christ their only High-Priest who sacrificed himself to God and shed his most precious blood for them on the Crosse to redeem their Soules from everlasting Damnation and purchase an eternal Crown of glory for them in Heaven where he continually makes intercession for them executing his Priestly Office for their Salvation the tithes of all their increase as a just Appurtenance to his everlasting Priesthood condemning them as Jewish Antichristian unfit or too much for him as the High Priest and Prophet of his Church to enjoy or for the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel in his Name or Right to receive who spend all their studies labours lives in Christs service in the Declaration Publication Application of the benefits of Christs Priesthood Passion Gospell to them and others for the eternal salvation of their souls are certainly none of the spiritual Sons or seed of faithfull Abraham who gave him Tithes of all and do either repute Christs everlasting Priesthood a mere Fable or set a far lower rate upon it the Ministry of the Gospel and their own most precious Souls than they do upon their detained Tithes and so can expect little benefit from Christs Person or Priesthood which they so much undervalue and sacrilegiously defraud of so antient a duty 2ly There is one Notable considerable circumstance of time in Abrahams payment of Tithes of all to Christ the true Melchisedec not formerly observed or pressed by any I have seen which in my opinion unanswerably proves that this President of his most principally respected related to the believing Gentiles and Christians under the Gospel and as strongly obligeth them his true spiritual seed to the due payment of Tithes to Christ and his Ministers now as ever it did the Jews his natural Posterity to pay Tithes to their Priests and Levites under the Law if not more firmly Namely that he thus paid Tithes to Christ some good space before Circumcision instituted whiles he was yet uncircumcised as is most evident by comparing Gen. 14.18 19 20. with Gen. 17.1 10 to 15. Now as the Apostle thus firmly and Evangelically argues from this very circumstance of time in the point of Abrahams justification by Faith whiles he was yet uncircumcised as presidential exemplary obligatory to all believing Gentiles and spiritual Sons of Abraham under the Gospel who are not circumcised as well as to the natural believing children of Abraham under the Law who were circumcised Rom. 4.9 to 13. Commeth this blessednesse then upon the Circumcision only or upon the Uncircumcision also for we say that Faith was reckoned to Abraham for Righteousnes How was it then reckoned when he was in Circumcision or in Vncircumcision Not in Circumcision but in Vncircumcision And he received Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousnes of Faith which he had yet being Vncircumcised that he might be the Father of them that believe under the Gospel though they be not Circumcised that Righteousnes might be imputed unto them also And the Father of Circumcision to them who are not of the Circumcision only but also walk in the steps of the Faith of our Father Abraham which he had yet being uncircumcised So I by parity of Reason from this very Text compared with the same Apostles relation of Abrahams paying Tithes of all to Melchisedec Hebr. 7.1 to 15. and the inferences thence formerly insisted on may as firmly as convincingly conclude That his payment of Tithes to Christ the true Melchisedec not after his Circumcision but whiles yet uncircumcised and before Circumcision instituted and that as the Common-Father Head of all the justified faithfull believing uncircumcised Gentiles before the Law and under the Gospel as well as of the circumcised believing Jews walking in the steps of his Faith which he had yet being uncircumcised doth as strongly oblige all believing Gentiles Christians though uncircumcised to pay Tithes of all to Christ and his Ministers under the Gospel as it did his believing circumcised Posterity to render thē to Christ himself originally and his Priests and Levites secondarily under the Law if not much more since Abraham paid them to Christ before he was circumcised as a fruit and evidence of his Faith which then he had during his
uncircumcision and a standing President for all Believers to imitate 3ly From this famous President of Abrahams paying Tithes of all to Melchisedec Saint Ambrose Sermo 34. In feria post primam Dominicam Quadragesimae Gregorie Nazianzen Oratio 5. Contra Judaeos Chrysostom Hom. 35. in Genes Isiodor Hispalensis in Glossa ordinaria Super Gen. 16. Rabanus Maurus l. 2. c. 16. in Genesin Anastatius Abbas contra Judaeos Elias Cretensis in Orat. 5 Walafridus Strabo De Rebus Ecclesiasticis c. 27. Stephanus Tornacensis Epist 171. with other Antients conclude Tithes to be due to Ministers of the Gospel by Divine Right whom the Councils of Mentz Anno 813 846 887. Concilium Aquense Anno 837. cap. 18. with the Council of London under Arch-Bishop Hubert Anno Dom. 1200. recorded by Roger de Hoveden Annalium pars posterior p. 806 808. thus second Decimas DEO Sacerdotibus Dei Dandas Abraham factis Jacobus promissis insinuat deinde Lex Statuit et omnes Doctores sancti commemorant et auctoritas veteris et novi Testamenti necnon sanctorum Patrum Statuta declarant Decreeing thereupon Decimas de omnibus quae per annum renovantur c. Praestare Deo omnino non negligatur Quas Deus sibi dari constituit quia timendum est ut quisquis Deo debitum suum abstrahit ne forte Deus per peccatum suum auferat ei necessaria sua c. From his example seconded with Divine Precepts Gerold Bishop of Oldenburg about An. Dom. 1100. writ thus to the Holzati and Inhabitants of the Deserts of Wagira then newly converted to the Christian Faith and beginning to build Churches for Gods publick worship that they should likewise pay Tithes to their Ministers without which all the rest of their Devotion would be nothing worth Dei enim Praeceptum est Decimas ex omnibus dabis mihi ut bene sit tibi longo vivas tempore cui obedierunt Patriarchae Abraham scilicet Isaac Iacob omnes qui secundum fidem facti sunt filii Abrahae per quod laudem etiam praemia aeterna consecuti sunt Apostoli quoque et Apostolici viri ex ore Dei hoc ipsum mandaverunt sub Anathematis vinculo posteris servandum tradiderunt Cum ergo Dei omnipotentis proculdubio hoc constat esse Praeceptum sanctorum Patrum sit Auctoritate firmatum nobis id incumbit negotii ut quod vestrae saluti deest nostro in vobis opere per Dei gratiam suppleatur Monemus ergo obsecramus omnes vos in domino c. ut decimas prout Deus instituit Apostolica banno firmavit autoritas ad ampliandum dei cultum Ecclesiae detis Ne si Deo quae ipsi debentur substraxeritis substantiam simul animam in interitum mittatis aeternam Valete Upon reading which Letter the rude people cryed out and raged just as the Anabaptists do now His auditis tumultuosa gens infremuit dixeruntque se huic conditioni servili nunquam collum submissuros per quam omne pene Christicolarum genus Pontificum pressurae subjaceat c. whereupon Henry the first Duke of Holzatia commanding them as they would obtain his favour Ut solverent Episcopo Decimas cum omni integritate sicut faciunt in terra Polaborum Obotritorum Ad hoc Praeceptum Holzati obstinatis animis dixerunt Nunquam se daturos Decimas quas patres sui non dedissent malle se potius succenfis aedibus propriis egredi terram quam tantae servitutis jugum subire Praeterea Pontificem cum Comite omni advenarum genere quod Decimarum solvit legitima interficere cogitabant terra inflammata transfugere in terram Danorum Neither obeying the Presidents of Abraham and the Patriarchs nor the Laws of God the Apostles or their Prince in paying their Tithes to their Bishop and Pastor as they ought whose practice our Anabaptists and Quakers now obstinately pursue What strong convincing Arguments to prove the divine moral perpetual right of Tithes to the Ministers of the Gospel learned Protestant Divines to omit Papists have deduced from this Original direct President of Abrahams Tith-paying those who desire further satisfaction herein may read at leasure in Mr. Calvin Junius Hemingius and others on Hebr. 7. Zepperus Legum Mosaicarum Explanatio l. 4. c. 40. Dr. George Carlton his Tithes due by a Divine Right Richard Montague his Diatribae on the first part of Mr. Seldens History of Tithes cap. 1. Stephen Nettles his Answer to the first part of the History of Tithes Dr. Robert Tillesley his Animadversions on Mr. Seldens History of Tithes Dr. Edward Reynolds his explication on Psalm 110.2 4. Mr Francis Roberts his Revenue of the Gospel is Tithes c. Cambridge 1619. Richard Eburn his Maintenance of the Ministery London 1603. The truth of Tithes discovered by R. G. London 1618. Dr. John Prideaux Oratio 5. de Decimis Anno 1620. p. 90. Sir James Semple his Sacrilege sacredly handled London 1619. John Swan his Redde Debitum London 1640. p. 181 to 240. Tithes are due Jure Divino and Dr. William Sclater his Question of Tithes revived or Ministers Portion London 1623. an acute piece wherein all evasions and cavils to elude the force of this example are sufficiently answered 4ly From this example of Abrahams seconded with the Israelites practice Mr. Selden conjectures or rather from the Law of Nature written by God himself in mens hearts as Hugo de Sancto victore de Sacramentis l. 2. parte 9. c. 10. l. 1. parte 12. c. 4. Mr. Mountague in his Diatribae ch 3. Dr. Tillesly in his Animadversions p. 34 35. and others determine the old Heathen Grecians Romans Carthaginians Arabians with other Pagan Nations as the Mahometan Turks Moors and other Infidels since by an antient constant custome and usual practice generally received amongst them dedicated and paid Tithes to their Idol-Gods and Priests of the encrease of all their substance merchandize gains and more particularly of all their spoyles and plunders gained in the Wars wherein they were very carefull and devout Which Mr. Selden in his History of Tithes ch 3. and Review thereof and Richard Mountague in his Diatribae ch 3. evince at large by many Presidents Testimonies Passages out of Herodotus Demosthenes Xenophon Thucidides Dionysius Hallicarnasseus Plutarch Pausanias Aristotle Aristophanes Suidas Callimachus Cassius Trogus Macrobius Plautus Festus Justin Pliny Servius Cicero Tertullian Arnobius Jac. Gruterus with others and that they paid no other determinate part else we read of but a Tenth only to their Gods and Priests Now from whence write Hugo Tillesly and Mountague should this custome and practice proceed but only from the Law of Nature Ad quam non docti sed facti non instituti fuerunt sed imbuti and that by God himself Amongst these Presidents of Pagans there are 7. of special note which I shall here remember to shame the
John Canne most absurdly and impudently asserts as if Gods Precepts were repugnant to each other but likewise expressely positively eternally prescribed by our Saviour Christ himself in this peremptory Gospel-Precept recorded by three Evangelists Matth. 22. 21. Mar. 12.17 Luke 20.25 RENDER therefore to CAESAR the things that are CAESARS and UNTO GOD THE THINGS THAT ARE GODS Thus seconded by the Apostle Paul Rom. 13.7 8. RENDER THEREFORE TO ALL THEIR DUES c. Tithes as the premises evidence beyond contradiction have Gods own Image Impresse Superscription as visibly as legibly engraven on them by himself as any Tribute-money then shewâ—d our Saviour had Caesars by the Mint-Masters yea they were Gods own antient standing constant known Tribute at that very season when Christ uttered this precept and some thousands of years before specially reserved by and duly rendered unto God and his Priests by all Gods faithfull people many hundred years before we read of any Tribute-mony paid to Caesar or any other King or Prince Upon which ground as they were then by this direct Gospel-Commandement of Christ himself enjoyned to be as constantly duly truly paid to God and his Ministers as any Tribute Tax or Customes are unto Caesar or other Higher-Powers whatsoever So they have since our Saviours daies except only in times of greatest persecution under Pagan Emperors during which some Tithes were rendered to Gods Ministers in some places or things of greater value as I shall prove anon been still continued and universally paid to God in his Ministers in all or most Christian Churches Realms Republicks from the first publick imbracement of the Gospel amongst them to this present and more especially in this our Realm as Mr. John Selden in his History of Tithes Doctor Tillesley Tyndarus Rebuffus with others prove at large and the Author of Respublica sive Status Regni Poloniae Lugduni Bat. 1627. p. 177. thus attest for the Church and Clergy of Poland Habent etiam Decimam omnium segitum Publico Principum ac totius Poloniae consensu Iam inde ab initio susceptae Religionis Christianae attributas aliis quibusdam Pensionibus cumulatas Habent luculentos fundos Praedia Pagos Oppida arces territoria partim priscorum ibidem Principum Regum partim privatorum munificentia adjectas as they likewise had in ours and other Christian Realms yet he afterwards subjoynes and complains as we may justly do Nunc passim in alienas Donationes ac Decimas invaditur longe majore avariciae rapacitatisque infamia quam egestatis relevatione Therefore Gods and our Ministers Tithes being by our Lord Jesus Christs own Gospel precept thus positively commanded to be constantly and duly rendered unto them as well as tribute unto Caesar no consciencious Loyal Christians but professed Atheists Antiscripturists Rebels unto God and Christ can justly or by any pretext of Conscience refuse the due constant payment of them no more than of lawfull Tributes and Taxes legally imposed on them by common consent in free and lawfull Parliaments nor any Caesars Kings Princes Magistrates or Supreme Powers denie defraud or deprive them of their Tithes and Dues upon any pretext without impairing impeaching subverting their own Rights and Titles to those civil Tenths Tributes which they challenge and receive from the people as their due by this very Precept of our Saviour which couples Gods Dues and his Ministers together with their own the inviolable preservation whereof is the best and readiest means to secure their own Tenths and civil Dues Whereas these Princes Potentates Powers Grandees Legifers who are so sacrilegiouslie injurious as to invade impair diminish substract or abolish Gods and his Ministers Tithes Duties or divert them to pay their Souldiers or any other publike or private use will thereby but undermine their own interests and teach the people how to defraud substract deny their own antient Civil Tenths Customes Duties Taxes Rents and New Impositions Excises of all sorts by way of retaliation most of the Anabaptistical and levelling present Petitioners against Tithes and Glebes petitioning declaiming likewise against all Customes Imposts Taxes old or new as intollerable Grievances and hinderances to free Trade and many of them asserting all civil Supreme Powers and Magistrates whatsoever as antichristian and unlawfall as Tithes and Ministers are in their false account Lastly all Opposites to our Ministers Tithes do and must of necessity acknowledge from the Scriptures insisted on in the first Proposition and Reasons there alleged That some competent Maintenance Salary Recompence Reward or other arbitrary as they hold certain and setled as we assert belongs to the Ministers of the Gospel by a divine moral natural Right Justice and Equity as all grant a Sabbath and Government in general to be of divine Authority Institution and morally due to God Now the whole Church of God from the creatioÌ„ to this present though under various dispensations in the times of the Patriarchs Law and Gospel being but one intire Corporation or spiritual Body-Politique wherof Jesus Christ himself is the only head King Lord Law-giver High-Priest Chief Pastor Minister Advocate Saviour Foundation Corner-Stone and the successive Priests Ministers and Members thereof from the beginning to the end of the World serving worshipping adoring only one and the self-same true immutable invisible eternal Lord God according to his prescribed will and word and Jesus Christ himself the only High priest of this Church for ever receiving and God his Father prescribing Tithes for the Maintenance of his Priests and Levites both before and under the Law and no wayes abolishing but ratifying them in and by the Gospel as I have already proved There neither is nor can be any other particular kind of competent fitting standing setled Maintenance Reward or Recompence for all the Ministers of the Gospel evinced demonstrated out of Gods word which may be truly reputed moral natural divine universal perpetual and unarbitrary nor any other duly rendered from all Christians in all Ages places in Faith Conscience and sincere obedience towards God as such a maintenance but this of Tithes alone independent on the lusts wills of men It being that which the Patriarchs no doubt by Gods prescription being paid in Faith both vowed and paid to God before the Law which God himself afterwards specially reserved prescribed and all his people duly rendered under the Law annexing many promised blessings to the true payment denouncing many threats curses to the sacrilegious Substraction or detaining of them that which Christ himself and his Apostles most specially pointed at commended ratified in the Gospel that which all Christian Kings States Magistrates Churches Christians under the Gospel in all Ages places have generally fixed upon approved asserted prescribed ratified as not only sacred and divine but as such a most jâ—â—t wise equal excellent incomparable way of maintenance invented by the most wise God which cannot be matched much lesse amended exceeded by all the
or to Confiscation of Goods or to Imprisonment And lest any should deem this a Tyrannical Oppressing Edict Ezra himself subjoyns in the very next words v. 27. Blessed be the Lord of our Fathers who hath put such a thing as this is in the Kings heart Which Law if now put into due execution would send Canne and most of his Confederates here packing back again to Amsterdam or some Gibbet or Prison and strip them of the Goods they have got by the warres and troubles of the time 4ly We have King Darius his Decree for repairing Gods House and furnishing the Priests there with all necessaries they required which thus concludes with a most severe penaltie against the wilfull Disobeyers of it Ezra 6.11 Also I have made a Dâ—cree That whosoever shall alter this word â—et Timber be pulled down from his House and being set up Let him be hanged thereon and his House be made a Dunghill for this Hâ—w many now Giâ—beâ—s should we now have throughout England and how many new-purchased Houses by those who had noâ—e of lâ—te would be made Dungheaps if this rigid Law were now put in are Which may stop the clamorous mouths of such who cry out against Laws and Ordinances for Tithes prescribing more moderate penalties Object But all this is but Old Testament will many now object what can you allege for your Propositions pâ—â—â—f out of the Gospel Answ To stop their mouths I answer 1. That the Gospel expresly commands all living under it To render to all their Dues Therefore to Ministers to whom I have proved Tithes and other setled maintenance to be a just Due and Debt to owe nothing to any Man Rom. 13.7 8. Therefore not to Ministers But what if bold atheistical obstinate or covetous Wretches will not pay these Dues to their Ministers doth the Gospel allow Magistrates and higher Powers to compel them to it Yes in the very antecedent words v. 4 5. If thou do that which is evil as the defrauding denying detaining of the Ministers as well as the Magistrates or any others Due Debts and Salaries is a doing of evil prohibited by the forecited words and many other Texts elsewhere insisted on be afraid for he beareth not the Sword in vain as he should do might he compell none by it to their duties For he is the Minister of God even a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil Wherefore ye must needs be subject in yielding to their commanding Laws and Ordinances for Tithes and Ministers Dues as well as others edged with coercive Penalties not only for wrath that is for fear of the Penalties which else fall upon you for your disobedience exasperate the Higher Powers and Civil Magistrate to execute wrath upon you but even for conscience sake which should more prevail with men than wrath and Penalties though our Tithe-detainers now are grown so atheistically impudent as to alledge conscience for not rendring them and robbing God himself of them Mal. 3.8 as well as his Ministers 2ly The Holy Ghost by the Apostle Peter thus seconds his former precept by Paul 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether to the King as Supream or unto Governours who have made many Lawes and Ordinances for payment of our Ministers Tithes and Duties Yea but say our sturdy armed and unarmed Tithe-detainers now What if we will not do it as we are resolved notwithstanding all such Laws and Ordinances What Are you resolved to disobey and contemn Gods Gospel Laws and Ordinances as well as Mans Where is your Religion your Saintship you so much boast of Will you provoke the Lord himself to wrath are you stronger than he I presume not Therefore the Apostle subjoins That these Kings and Governours are sent by him for the Punishment of Evil doers And such are all those who detain the Ministers established Dues who are not only Theeves and Robbers of God in the Old Testaments language Mal. 3 8. but committers of Sacrilege Rom. 2.20 Thou that abhorrest Idols as many Tithe-oppugners pretend they do Dost thou commit Sacrilege and Church Robberie Acts 19.37 in the New Testaments and meer Heathens Dialect who fall under the just punishment of Kings and Governours whom God will bear out in the just punishment of such evil doers or else punish them himself in a more severe manner if the Armed sonnes of Zerviah be too hard for David and It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God who even under the Gospel is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 and hath proved so to many Tithe-oppugners very lately both in consuming their Houses and personal Estate as well by real fire as by inflicting Spiritual judgements on their souls 3ly Our Saviours own words recorded in the Gospel are direct in point Luke 12.57 58 59. Mat. 5.25 And why even of your selves judge ye not what is right in paying your just Dues and Debts to all you owe them without sute or coercion as the next words literally import When thou goest with thine adversary to the Magistrate as thou art in the way give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him lest he hale thee to the judge and the Iudge deliver thee to the Officer and the Officer cast thee into prison Verily I say unto thee thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing or very last mite Here is a Gospel resolution of our Saviour in two Evangelists ratified with a verily I say unto thee That all those who will not pay their Ministers Tithes and Dues as well as other mens Debts may be lawfully brought and haled perforce before the Magistrate and by the Magistrate and Judge condemned in double Dammages cast into Prison and not suffered to come out thence till he have paid the utmost farthing not only of his detained Tithes and Dues but of his sine forfeiture and costs of sute prescribed by our Laws And let all our Swordmen and other oppugners of our coercive Laws against detainers of Ministers Tithes and Dues give our Saviour himself the Title of a Tyrant and Oppressor a Lyar if they dare and that such proceedings are not sufferable under the Gospel 4ly There is nothing so free and voluntary in the world that I know as Almes and Charity to poor distressed Saints and Christians Yet the Gospel accompts this a due Debt and all able to give them Debtors Rom. 15.27 And if any refuse to render them out of their Hard-heartedness and want of Charity the Christian Magistrates under the Gospel may not only rate and assesse them according to their Estates towards the Poors relief as they do in all Christian Republicks and Realms but by Distresses sale of Goods and other coercive wayes compel them to render them and that both by the Common law of England and the Statutes of 22 H. 8. c. 12. 27 H. 8. c. 25. 1 Edw.
purest times for 500. years after Christ Therefore they are unlawfull oppressive un-evangelical tyrannical antichristian as Canne terms them in his thundering empty voyce Answ To this I answer first That there is no expresse Precept or President in the New Testament for any strange High Courts of Justice Martial or other Courts of that Nature for any Articles of War or penal Laws to put Souldiers or any others to death or inflict punishments for any New High-Treasons or Offences whatsoever No Precept nor President that John Canne a late Excise-man as divers report can produce for the imposing or levying of any Excise Impositions Taxes Customes Crown-Rents Tonnage Poundage Contributions by any Distresses Forfeitures Imprisonments sale of Goods billetting of Souldiers on the People and armed violence now used by Souldiers Excisemen Collectors and other Publicans sitting at the Receipt of Custom whereof I hear Iohn Canne is one perhaps to Excise the Alehouses and Cannes there used for names-sake all puny to and less warrantable by Gods Law and Gospel than our Ministers Tithes The Objectors therefore must find express Gospel-Texts for all and every of these publick Duties and the present wayes of levying and enforcing them or else disclaim them or their Objection against Tithes 2ly I have produced expresse Gospel-Texts warranting in the general coercive Laws Sutes Actions to recover Ministers Tithes as well as any other just legal publick or private Dues Debts Rents Lands Possessions whatsoever Therefore the Objectors must either disclaim their Objection or renounce all penal Laws Sutes and coercive Means whatsoever to levy or recover any other civil Rights Debts or Duties whatsoever and introduce a lawless Anarchy and Confusion amongst us for every one to cheat defraud rob oppresse disseise spoyl defame wound murder one another without any penalty or redresse except only by Club-law instead of a peaceable just and righteous Government 3ly The reason why there were no coercive Laws for the payment of Tithes or Ministers dues in the Primitive Church for above 500 years was this because Christians then were so zealous ready forwards to render them with an overplus and to sell their very Houses Lands Possessions Estates and lay them down at the Apostles and Ministers feet to maintain them and relieve their poor Christian Brethren witness Acts 2.44 45. c 4.34 35 37. c. 5.1 2. 2 Cor. 11.9 Phil. 4.15 16 17 18. Rom. 15.26 and that memorable place 2 Cor. 8.1 to 5. where Paul records of the first Churches and Converts in Macedonia how that in a great Tryal of Affliction in times of heavy persecution their deep Poverty abounded to the riches of their Liberality for to their power I bear them record yea and beyond their power they were willing of themselves praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the Gift and take upon us the Fellowship of the Ministring to the Saints c. The New Testament records the exceeding readiness of the Pharisees to pay Tithes of all they did possesse and of the smallest Seeds and Garden-Herbs of all kinds to their Priests or Levites which Christ himself approved commended with a these things ought ye not to have left undone And Philo a learned Jew who lived under Claudius in the Apostles daies records as an Eye-witness on his own knowledge That the Jews were so forward in paying their First-fruits and other Dues to their Priests That they prevented the Officers demanding them paid them before they were due by Law as if they had rather received a benefit than rendered any both Sexes of their own readiness bringing them in with such courtesie and thanksgiving as is beyond all expression they are his very words And were they then lesse forwards think you to render due Maintenance if not Tithes and First-fruits to the Apostles when they turned Christians Surely no for the forecited Texts in the Acts declare they were far more bountifull than before both to the Apostles and poor Saints selling all they had to support them The like zeal even in the heat of persecution under bloody Pagan Persecutors continued in all the Primitive Christians next after the Apostles who though persecuted driven into Corners imprisoned banished and spoyled of their Goods Lands by plundering Officers Sequestrators Souldiers as Eusebius and others record yet every one of them out of his deep Poverty contributed every Month or when he would or could some small stipend for the maintenance of the Ministers and Poor when they had no Lands to pay Tithes out of of his own accord without any coercion witnesse Tertullian who flourished but 200. years after Christ Modicum unusquisque stipem Menstrua die vel cum velit et si modo volit si modo possit apponit nam nemo compellitur there was no need when they were so free of their own accord sed sponte consert Haec quasi deposita pietatis sunt And though their Monthly stipends in regard of their great Poverty were thus termed small comparatively to what they were before the Persecution yet indeed they were very large considered in themselves as by the same Authors following words in this Apology c. 42. appears Plus nostra misericordia insumit vicatim quam vestra Religio templatim they bestowing more in a Liberal free way of Christian Charity in every Village towards their Ministers and Poor than the wealthy Pagan Romans did in their Temples and Sacrifices for the Maintenance of their Paganism In the 9th general Persecution of the Christians about 273 years after Christ or before The Governour of Rome told Saint Lawrence the Martyr Arch-Deacon to Pope Xistus the 2d and Treasurer of the Christians Oblations for the Ministers Maintenance and Poors relief that the common Report then was bow the Christians did frequently sell their Lands and disinherit their Children like those in the Acts to enrich the Ministers and relieve the Poor bringing thousands of Sestertii at a time to St. Lawrence out of the sale of their Lands so as their Treasury was so great that he thought to seise on it for a prey Which their bountiful Liberality Prudentius thus poetically expresseth Offerre fundis venditis Sistertiorum Millia Addicta Avorum praedia Faedis sub auctionibus Successor exhaeres gemit Sanctis egens Parentibus Et summa pietasli creditur Nudare dulces heros What need then any Law to compel the Christians to pay Tithes or Ministers dues when in the heat of Persecution they were so bountifull to them and the Poor as thus voluntarily to contribute their whole Estates for their support Whose President if the Cavillers against our present penal Laws Ordinances for Tithes would imitate no Minister nor other voluntary Tith-payers would oppose their repeal And though in these Primitive times of Persecution the Christians being spoyled of their Lands and Possessions could not pay Tithes in kind in most places but were necessitated to such voluntary Contributions as these yet without all
Arguments drawn from Melchisedec not pertinent to our present businesse after which he largely argues the change and abolition of the Levitical Law and Priesthood by Christ a theam of a different nature from the former to which the objected words refer therefore the total and final abolishing of all Tithes to which these words have no relation can never be inforced from them being ratifyed by the former clause as appurtenances to Christs everlasting Priesthood as well as to Melchisedecs Therefore as due to his Ministers under the Gospel as to any Priests and Levites under the Law which were likewise Types of Christ the true high Priest expiring at and by his death 3. The Priests and Levites under the Law had Cities Glebes Houses setled on them for their habitation families Cattel as well as Tithes by the Ceremonial Law for their better maintenance accommodation and that in a large proportion Lev. 25.32 33 34. Num. 35.1 to 12. Josh 21.1 to 43. 1 Chr. 6.54 to the end ch 9.10 to 35. 2 Chr. 11.13 14. Ezra 2.70 Neh. 11.26 ch 13.10 Ezec. 45.1 to 6. ch 4.8 9 to 15. If then this Text proves the Total Abolition of all our Ministers Tithes root and branch as Jewish and Antichristian as some impudent Scriblers and Petitioners against them now affirm It likewise proves the abolition of all their Rectories Glebes Houses likewise as well as of their Tithes as Jewish and Antichristian And so Ministers of the Gospel now shall neither have Tithes nor Glebes to support and feed them their families and Cattel nor yet so much as an House wherein to lodge and put their heads and be inforced to complain as our Saviour once did of his forlorn condition Mat. 8.20 and Luke 9.58 the Foxes have holes and the Birds of the air have Nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head A condition to which some Jesuitical Anabaptistical Athiestical uncharitable beasts of Prey worse than any Foxes or Harpies would now gladly reduce all our faithful Ministers and their Families whiles some of them Lord it and lodge themselves in our Kings Princes Bishops Deans and Chapters new acquired royal Palaces and not content therewith would spoyl all our Ministers of their more contemptible Glebes Rectories Tithes to enrich themselves and their Posterities and make our Ministers like our Saviour in his voluntary Poverty both Houseless and Harborless They may with as much Justice like the hard-hearted bloudy Jews Souldiers even crucifie them on crosses between such thieves as themselves to make them like our Saviour even in his voluntary sufferings as part their Glebes Lands Rectories Tithes among them and cast Lots upon their vestures even before their death when as the Souldiers who crucified our Saviour did not part his raiment amongst them nor cast Lots on his vesture till after his crucifixion by them there being as much Authority Conscience Law Justice Reason for the one as other seeing none by any Laws can lose or forfeit their Lands Livelihood but such who first forfeit their Lives to publick Justice 4. The Israelites were enjoyned by the Levitical Law Deut. 12.17 18 19. ch 14.26 27 28 29. to harbour entertain the Priests and Levites within their gates and not to forsake them so long as they should live upon the earth but freely to permit and invite them to come eat drink feast rejoyce and be satisfied with them and their Families before the Lord as well as to pay them Tithes But this Law as they argue is now abolished by Christ with the Priesthood Therefore when our Ministers are stript of all their Tithes Glebes Rectories Houses maintenance by our new Reformadoes it must be Jewish and Antichristian for them or any others so much as to lodge entertain or give them any thing to eat or drink within their gates or so much as to admit invite them to a Feast or meal within their Houses and then they with all theirs and other poor widows and orphans must all presently starve perish by John Cannes and these uncharitable mens new Gospel Light and Charity because Hospitality and Alms to such are Levitical and Jewish abolished with the Levitical Law and Priesthood which abrogated all Charity and Humanity out of the world as well as out of these Tithe-Oppugners hearts if this their Objection be Orthodox Gospel truth 5. Meer Freewill Offerings and voluntary unconstrained Contributions were prescribed by the Levitical and Judicial law both for and towards the maintenance of Gods Priests and worship for the building and repairing of the Tabernacle and of the Temple afterwards towards which the godly Kings Princes Generals Captains Officers Souldiers and all the pious people of God contributed most joyfully liberally and in such abundance upon all occasions that they gave far more than was sufficient and thereupon were prohibited by special Proclamation to give or bring any more as in the case of Materials of all sorts for the building and furniture of the Tabernacle of the congregation and of the Temple towards which many Heathen Kings and their Officers contributed freely and the very captive Jews Exod. 35.20 to 30. chap. 36.2 to 9. Levit. 22.18 21 23. chap. 23.38 Num. 15.3 chap. 29.39 chap. 31.48 to the end 1 Chron. 26.26 27 28. chap. 22.1 to 17. chap. 29.1 to 17. 2 Chron. 24.4 to 15. chap. 27.3 chap. 29.3 to 20.31 chap. 34.8 to 15. Ezra 1. throughout chap. 3.5 chap. 7.16 chap. 8.28 29. Therefore Ministers under the Gospel must not be maintained nor Churches Houses for publick Assemblies built or repaired by Free-will offerings and voluntary contributions being Levitical Jewish and so abandoned and if not by Tithes nor forced Rates as they allege then the Ministers must utterly starve and all our Churches fall to sudden ruine as many now do And is this Gospel Saintship and Christianity 6. The Priests and Levites by the Levitical Law were prescribed what wives they should marry and what not Levit. 21.7 to the 14. will it therefore follow as the Papist Votaries conclude Therefore Ministers of the Gospel must not marry and must all now be divorced from their wives as well as from their Tithes and Benefices because the Levitical law is abolished and Priests wives Jewish as well as their Tithes Our beastly Ranters then may seize upon Ministers wives as well as the brutish Anabaptists Quakers Swordmen on their Tithes and Glebes 7. The seventh day Sabbath it self though prescribed by a Moral law was in some sense ceremonial and enjoyned by Ceremonial laws too therefore as most affirm abrogated by Christs death as Jewish as to the precise seventh day from the Creation and the Jewish rigidities Sacrifices on it will it therefore follow that it is Jewish and unlawfull for Christians under the Gospel to observe the Lords day every week and render unto God the same weekly proportion of time for publike worship as the Jews did or to keep any publike Fasts