of the fruits of thine orchard and garden thou hauing orchard and garden a parte of thy fish and of thy foule if thou haue taken fish or foule a parte of thy spoiles taken in warre thou hauing gotten a bootie in warre a parte of thy money gotten by thy trade or labour thou hauing gained by thy trade and labour in a word a part of euery seuerall thing which thou doest liue by and comes to thine hand as thy goods his sâ—are is many therein aswel as thine owne how sortes soeuer thow hast Thus the children of Israel Gods owne people dealt with the priests in their daies as wee may read in diuers places of those auncient stories and namely Num. 31. where it is recorded That the children of Israel hauing gotten a great booty in â—arre they payd out of it and that by the Lords appointment the Lords tribute vnto the Leuits both of the personâ— women slâ—â—es and of the cattell beeues asses and sheepe Yea of the very iewels they gaue also an offring of euery sort some as there they are reckoned vp vers 50. Iewels of golde bracelets and chaines rings earings and ornaments of the legs The like haue wee 2. Chro. 31. where it is reported thus The children of Israel and of Iuda brought vnto the house of God for the Priests and the Leuits bullocks sheepe corne VVine honie and of all the increase of the field and the tithes of all things and laid them on manie heapes Nehem. 10. and 13. wee doo read how by the commaundement and encouragement of that good Ruler Nehemiah the whole congregation of Israel beeing newly returned from the captiuity of Babylon doo enter couenant with the Lord to doo the like And that this practise continued euen in our Sauiours time and not without his approbation wee may gather by his words concerning the Pharisies Math. 23. 23. who as he testifieth tithed the verâ—e 〈◊〉 rue annis and cuâ—â—â—in and euery other hearbe They payd not for the tithe of them but tithed theÌ„ that is payde the tithe thereof in its kind And this saith our Sauiour they ought to haue done whereunto accordeth that vain-glorious ostentation of the Pharisee Luc. 18. 12. who saith That hee paid tithe of all that euer hee did possesse How much this course of paying the minister euery thing in his owne kinde pleaseth God wee may easily coniecture by this That hee allowed none other course amongst his owne people for his seruants the sonnes of Leui vnto whom notwithstanding they dwelt not as mynisters doo now at home amongst the people in euery seueral City towne or village but were resident by themselues either at the house of God or in their owne Cities hee appointed by expresse Law at their owne charge as farre as I can gather which was no smal trauaile and expense to bring home to them all their dueties as your may read Deut. 12. 11. VVhen there shall bee a place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there thither shall you bring all that I commaund you that is your burnt offerings and your sacrifices your tithes and the offerings of your hands all your speciall vowes whiâ—â— yee vow vnto the Lord. Besides that whereas there were of the seed of Leui two sortes Priestes Leuits the tenth of all things beeing payd vnto the Leuits in kinde they the Leuits were bound by expresse law likewise to pay vnto the priests the tenth of that tenth in his kinde also as appeareth Numb 18. 26. and Nehem. 10. 38. neither it is vnlikely but that that which commeth from God vnto vs by the natural course of his prouideÌ„ce which we know to be most innocent and pure is beeing returned vnto him therefore best accepted because least spotted with the staine of vnlawfull or indirect procurement And as this course best of all other pleased God so hath it likewise most liked the Church of God and the Christian gouernors of the Church as imitators of God in all ages since as may and dooth manifestly appeare by the practise of all Christendome for many hundred yeares together by sundry lawes and constitutions both spirituall and temporall ciuill and cannon which here to recite were but superfluous I may adde further That not onely the Iewes in time of the lawe and Christians in time of the Gospell haue approoued this course but that likewise it was in practise through the very instinct of nature light of reason euen before the Law in time of nature and where the Law reigned not in its time amongst the very heathen For to speake nothing of the offerings of Cain and Abel Genes 4. because therein is no mention made of any priest though it bee probable that they were not offered vp vnto the Lord without a priest who seruing at the altar by the very Law of nature was to participate with the altar who offered according to their seuerall professions of life of such things as they had that is Cain of the fruits of the ground and Abel the first borne and fatte of his sheep Wee haue Gen. 14. a plaine instance for it in Abraham who hauing obteined a great victory against his enemies is there expressely reported to haue giuen vnto Melchizedec Priest of the high God a certaine part of all that is as some vnderstand it of all the goods he had whatsoeuer or of all that is as others expound it and the text of scripture Heb. 7. 4. seemes to coÌ„firme of all the spoiles prey that hee had taken in the warre of euery sort some And the like in Iacob Gen. 28. who there voweth which no doubt hee most religiously after performed Gen. 35. 3. to giue vnto God of all that is of euery kinde of thing according to his kinde that God should giue vnto him a certaine part And touching the heathen Plinie an Historiographer of no smal account and credit reporteth of the Romanes That they vsed not to spend their wines or new fruites till the Priestes had receiued a part thereof And of the Sabeans Aethiopians people of the East That of those spices which those countries yeelded in great plenty varietie the custome was that the merchants might not meddle with any till the Priests had laid out of euery sort vnto their Gods their accustomed portions And of diuers other nations Festus another story-writer dooth giue this generall testimony The people of auncient times vsed to offer of euerie thing a part vnto their Gods So that before the Law vnder the Law and since the Law amongst Heathens Iewes and Christians the auncient and common and so the best and most approued practise hath beene to pay to the Priestes and ministers of the Church Gods part in kind Neither is it without great and apparant reason that thus it should bee For if wee consider of it wee shall finde that it is euery way the best most equall and indifferent course that can
stand at curtesie for his maintenaÌ„ce they allowed to commaund him for that hee is to doo hee inforced to intreat for that he is to haue Thirdly It is contrary to the practise of all times Before the lawe Genes 47. wee doo read of the Egyptian priests that they had their lands certaine reserued vnto them to liue vpoÌ„ oh that heathens should bee more righteous then Christians besides that in time of famine they had an ordinarie of Pharaoh ver 22. And before that wee doo read cap. 14. of the same booke That Abrah payd to Melch. Priest of the high God and in him is expressed to vs no doubt the common practise of all the godly of those times hee payd I say not what he lusted at aduenture but thus much a certaine portion of all that hee had In time of the Law the Priests sonnes and seed of Leui stood not to mens curtesies but had their tithes certaine and knew their parts of euery kinde of offering that came to the altar And in time of the Gospell howsoeuer some particulars haue failed The general practise in all ages nations countries whatsoeuer hath been and is that the minister should know for the principal part of his maintenance what to demaund and the people what to pay The same course holds currant in all trades sciences professions else Goe into all Courts of iudgement haue not euery one their knowne and seuerall fees Goe into the City haue not all officers their certaine salaries Goe out into the field hath not euery Captaine Lieutenant Sergeant Soldiour c. his knowen pay Goe into the country hath not euery labourer his ordinary wages Come home into thine owne house will thy seruant trust to thy curtesy for his seruice will any workman worke with thee either by the day or at taske without agreement what to haue And is it not a straunge thing That should bee thought to bee a course fit and good enough for the minister which is good for no bodie else and hee bee inforced to that kinde of dealing which all others disclaime and vtterly refuse Plutarch a worthie Historiographer writes of Licurgus that famous Lacedemonian Lawmaker That beeing aduised by one to plant in the Citie Democracie that is popular gouernement in steed of Aristocracie that is the gouernement of the chiefe men hee made only this answere Begin saith hee that thy selfe Plant thou first a Democratie in thine owne house His meaning was That kind of gouernement would neuer prooue good in a common-wealth that was so bad that no man would endure or admit it into his owne house The like answere and no more I might haue shapen to this obiection Let them that thinke it good for the minister to stand at mens curtesies practise it in their owne houses a while and bring vs word after a while how it frameth The wiser sort would thereby haue coÌ„ceiued enough But hauing to doo with the vulgar sort for it is their opinion that I am in hand with let wise men beare with me though I bestowe more wordes then one or two to stop the mouthes of a multitude In euery thing how good or euill it is is commonly perceiued by the effectes thereof it is not a good tree that bringeth foorth bad fruite If wee goe this way to worke what good comes there of this course of this I meane That the minister should stand to euery mans curtesie take as they tearme it their good wills as if he were their alâ—â—esman For mine owne part I can see none what others can shewe I long to see or heare Indeed as in building of the tabernacle in the wildernes in the daies of Moses the people there beeing left for that once to doo euery man what he would according to the willingnes of his heart they performed it in such sorte as testified the exceeding loue and zeale they had to the seruice and house of God so people coÌ„tinuing the like course for the maintenance of the ministerie house of God in these daies this good might come of it They might thereby take occasion to shew their great loue and zeale to the house of God to the ministerie and ministers thereof by offering and giuing thereto of their owne accord without Law or compulsion as much and as plentifully as others doo happely against their wills by force and constraint of lawe But it experience may speake her knowledge in this matter If by mens dealings in this case by that many doo giue and would of their owne accord but giue to this so holy so good and so necessary a vse in such places where they stand vpon it That they neither ought nor will doo otherwise a man shall iudge of their loue to God his ministers of their zeale to his Church and the Gospell surely we must iudge it to be very colde and small very backward and bad Now as there comes no good of this course for ought that I can see so on the contrary side I know it and see too often that much euil and hurt comes of it As first It disables the minister vtterly to doo his duetie For wanting as that way hee cannot but doo all necessaries both for his life and his study how can hee possibly be able either to study that hee may preach or preach when hee hath studied 2. It is the ready way to discourage him from dooing his duety to make him timerous and fearefull in reproouing of sinne and wickednes as knowing before hand that liuing vpon the courtesie and good will of his hearers if hee but once crosse them as they tearme it that is but once touch the sinne that such and such do liue in they will be euen with him for it Displease any in word or deed and of them ye get nothing 3. It is the ready way to induce the Minister of God to flatter and soothe the richer sort in hope of the greater reward and better Beneuolence at their hands Both which vices flatterie and fearefulnes how pernitious they be in a Minister who of all other men shuld be most free from respect of persons no man but may easily conceiue 4. It discourageth and disables him vtterly from any good house-keeping and hospitalitie as who liuing himselfe like a begger rather then an house-keeper knowes not how he shal be able to keepe house and giue entertainment to others beeing certaine of nothing himselfe 5. It is the sure way to keepe the Minister of God in extreame pouertie then which there is not any mischiefe more dangerous to the Church of God For such is the charitie and good deuotion of the most part this way that if they may hold the Minister at that bay not one among 20 I speake within compasse and that a great deale too I say not one among 20. will by his good will deale with the minister Ministerlike 6. It emboldens euery man against the Minister to vse
pay them was else no parâ—e of his dutie It is more probable a great deale that being a most religious and wise man knowing that God delights not in rash and vnlawfull vowes and knowing the payment of Tithes to bee acceptable vnto God vpon mature deliberation resolueth to the end his vow might please God that should be a part thereof Thus notwithstanding any thing that can bee obiected it appeareth by payment thereof before the Law that to paie the tenth is a part of the morall law deriued from the very law of Nature Whence it followeth That such payment is in force still for the morall law is perpetuall as a duetie taught vnto man from the beginning to continue to the end so long as there remaineth a man vpon the earth Which standing firme this also must stand for firme That such Tenth is now due to the ministers of the Gospell because they are to vs as Gods Substitutes as were the priests then And therefore as one saith of Abraham paying Tithes What Abraham owed vnto God hee payd it vnto Melchizedec as vnto God himselfe So what people owe vnto God viz. Decimam they ought to pay vnto the ministers of the Gospell as vnto God himselfe To say it is a morall precept To maintaine the minister or to giue God some part of our goods is but a weake euasion forsomuch as it euidently appeareth that the Tenthe and not any other or any vncertaine part hath beene from the beginning payd vnto God receiued by his Substitutes accounted Gods part and that God himselfe so soone as hee maketh claime to his right and once nominateth what it is claimeth and calleth it by the name of the Tenth as Leuit. 27. 30. Numb 18. 20. saying The Tenth is mine 2. From the time of Nature if wee come to the time of the Lawe all doo know That from Moses till Christ the tenth of all things was accounted Gods part that the Lord made challenge therevnto as to his owne proper right and peculiar portion The Tenth of the lande is mine All tithes are holie vnto the Lorde and I haue giuen the Tithes vnto Leui and his seed And herevpon it is that hee saith that Hee is their inheritance and that Malac. 3. 10. hee doth charge the people that in withholding their Tithes and offerings they had robbed him c. In these speeches and their like wee must note two things First the Lords right vnto Tithes Hee claimeth that parte and none other not an viij or xv or a xx but the tenth precisely as his owne proper inheritance The tenth saith he is mine True it is that all wee haue in a sense is the Lords because All thinges are of him 1. Chronicles 29. 14. And in that sense it is saide Psaâ—me 24. 1 The earth is the Lords and all that is therein the round world and they that dwel in it Ps. 50. 10. All beasts of the forrest are mine and so are the cattell vpon a thousand hilles And saith our Apostle what hast thou O man what euer thou bee and whatsoeuer thou haue which thou hast not receiued But in this case God dooth claâ—me the tenth to bee his in a more peculiar sense and sort and that is not Iure Creationis because hee hath made all nor Iure Potestatis because hee hath the disposing of all for in these senses the other nine partes are also the Lordes but Iure Proprietatis siue Reseruationis in respect of the very proprietie thereof or by way of reseruation because hauing giuen all the rest vnto the sonnes of men he hath reserued vnto himselfe to bestowe where hee will the tenth as his owne immediate right and portion euen in a like manner as a Lord passing away his land to a tenant reserueth yet for his owne vse a certaine rent out of it The notice and consideration whereof no doubt moued some very learned and iudicious expositors to intitle tithes by the name of a sacred and holy rent or tribute as it were insinuating thereby that as the land of Egypt Gen. 47. being sold into the hands of Pharao there was reserued vnto Pharao the first part of the increase thereof as a rent or annuitie thereof and the people allowed to take the other foure parts for the seede and for their labour and for prouision for them and theirs So the whole earth being Gods and hee giuing it to the sonnes of men hee hath notwithstanding for a token and acknowledgement of his soueraigntie reserued vnto himselfe as a rent and sacred tribute for the whole the tenth of all The other thing I note out of the words is the bestowing of tithes Tithes saith God areâ—â—ine But to what vse I haue giuen them saith he vnto the Sonnes of Leui for an inheritance And why to Leui his sonnes for the seruice which they serue mee in the tabernacle Num. 18. 1. And this teacheth vs that in Israel so long as Leui serued at the altar and wayted in the Tabernacle so long he had right to Tithes How right Not Proprio iure not by his owne proper right but in the Lords behalfe and by way of assignation from the Lord who had to speake after our fashion passed them ouer vnto Leui and his heires so long as their seruice did continue These things being obserued that is first the Lords right vnto Tithes which cannot but bee perpetuall then his assignation of Tithes to Leui which was but temporary and herewithall that the ministers of the Gospel are to God now in the steed of Leui do minister vnto him not in the same but a more excellent forme we may with great and I think vndeniable probabilitie gather that forsomuch as the Lords right vnto the tenth holdeth still he hath Leâ—its to serue him still his temple and seruice to be attended still that stil they ought to receiue that right on the Lords behalfe which haue succeeded in the steed of those that receiued it heretofore To say that the law of tithes ceased when Leuies seruice ended is an argument of no force First because they were assigned not so much for the persons sake as for the office the Seruice of God which continuing though in another forme doth necessarily require the continuance of the maintenance vnlesse a better come in place which is already graunted cannot bee Secondly because the right and so the law of Tithes tooke not his beginning at Leui for the payment of Tithes was not then first instituted but assigned onely to whom for that time and in that land they should bee payd It is therefore improbable that the payment of tithes should end with Leuies seruice which took not beginning thereat but were Gods and belonged to the priests of God when as yet Leui had not the office but reason equity doth rather yeeld that as the priests of God in time of nature had them before Leui and the law So the Ministers of the Gospel should haue
them now after the law since Leuies time Farther we are to consider that the assignation of tithes made to Leui pertayned onely to them that were vnder the law Then that those nations which liued without the law written could be no lesse bound to the payment of tithes euen in time of the law from Moses til Christ then they were before the law from Adam till Moses whereupon it must follow vndeniably that howsoeuer the heathen fayled in this as in al other parts of Gods seruice yet Gods right for right according to our English prouerbe neuer rots continued among them still and therefore if there had bin among them any godly worshippers priests of God they both would and ought to haue paid tithes to those priests of the high God not to the sons of Leui as Abraham Iacob and other godly men of their and former times did pay the same to the priests that were in their daies If all this be true and what thereof can be denied I see not then forasmuch as the preaching of the Gospel is but a reuoking of them backe into the right way that were gone astray and a restitution of the true worship of the onely true God ouer all the world what letteth that the ministers of the Gospel should not now haue restored vnto them also what by continuall right belonged to the priests of God wheresoeuer the law raigned not from Adam vnto Christ So that whether we consider of the ministers of the Gospel as successours in office for the substance is still one either to the seede of Leui vnder the law or the priests of God without the law it will be hard to shew why they should not succeede them both in maintenance aswell as in seruice Besides this whereas there are in tithes two things to be considered that is the Institution and Assignation Gods proper and immediate right and mans mediate and subordinate possession the one respecting God himselfe as Lord of all the other man Gods ministers for the time being can any man shew nay wil any Diuine say that God hath no longer any proper right interest vnto the temporall goods of men on earth but hath remitted vnto man that holy rent that sacred tribute which once before the law and in the law in signe and for an acknowledgement of his vniuersall Soueraigntie he imposed vpon the wolrd If that may not be affirmed for all Diuines I thinke hold the contrary what is or can be that Sacr. vectigal if it be not Tithes Who can shew vs any other 2. or must we imagine whereas in true wisedome and good policie all kings and princes of the world all landlords and proprietaries of the earth doe impose vpon their subiects and tenants their tributes customes rents c. Certaine whereby the one may know stil from time to time what to demand the other what to pay that God the fountaine of al wisedome and author of al good policy order and not of confusion permitteth men now in time of the Gospel as seeing the tenth to be graâ—amen Ecclesiae a burtheÌ„ too heauy for hiâ— church an exaction too hard and great for the world now to beare and therfore repenting him of that course which for more theÌ„ 4000. yeares he had approued and continued to honor him with their goods in what proportion and quantitie they lust to paie for tribute to him what they will whereby neither he that paies it nor he that on Gods behalfe requires it may be able to say This is it I assure you it soundeth not in mine eares And therfore vntill the institution and right of tithes to God aswell as the assignation of them to Leui be prooued to bee voyd and at an end I see no sufficient reason to yeeld either that men ought not to pay them or ministers to require and receiue them as Gods part stil. 3 From the time of the Law let vs come to the time of the Gospel and so from the old Testament for proofes vnto the new therein for orders sake first vnto our text it selfe Where if we demaund of the Apostle how much the minister must haue of his hearer true it is he doth not say expressely the tenth of all his goods but a part Make him saith hee partaker of all his goods But if we may coniecture what or how great a part hee should meane forasmuch as we are assured that Saint Paul knew well that the priests of God before the law and the Leuits likewise in time of the law had alwaies the tenth part and that in the whole scripture there is no certaine parte but that named to bee the Lords or approued and assigned by name to any that serued in the worke of the Lord what part may wee imagine that hee meant but that which hee all the learned yea learned vnlearned knew had euen from the beginning of the world beene counted the Lords parte the priests portion And it is more probable that therfore in the new Testament that point is not so directly handled as it was in the old because by the old it was already very manifest then that the mention thereof was omitted because it was to grow out of vse For the alteration needed a speciall declaration which the continuance needed not And therefore in my opinion the Apostle must bee vnderstood to speake of the tenth part and not of any other new and neuer yet in vse As if hee should say Let the hearer make his teacher partaker with him of all his goods according to the ordinance of God insuch maner and measure as from the beginning it is not vnknowne that the seruants of God haue euer beene accustomed to receiue As in a like sense speaking of a thing already knowne wee say Let such one haue his due and in the Gospell Math. 20. The Lord of the vineyard hauing first agreed with all the labourers for a peny a day ver 2. when Euen was come saith vnto his Steward Call the labourers and giue them their hire And it is the more probable because he doth require expresly as I haue already taught that this part bee payd in specie in its kinde and out of all such goods as a man hath by due proportion which was and is the true and ancient payment of the tenth For speaking plainely of the maner how this part should by payd hee might thereby easily bee conceiued what hee meant concerning the measure How probable it may seeme to others I cannot tell but this I know That these considerations haue seemed to some those very good Diuines though contrary minded so weighty that they haue therevpon yeelded thus farre That if any place in all the new Testament doo make for Tithes it is specially this If the Apostle bee obscure in this place by reason of the breuitie of his writting let vs see whether hee bee not more plaine in some other where hee is more large
Turne wee backe therfore to 1. Cor. 9. where vpon another occasion hee dooth insist vpon this doctrine of the ministers maintenance There ver 13. taking an argument a simili from them that ministred in the temple about holy things and waited at the altar how dooth he conclude Ita etiam Dominus constituit c. So also hath the Lord ordeined that they which doo preache the Gospell should liue of the Gospell Here it seemeth vnto mee the Apostle plainely teacheth That the same measure and the same maner of maintenance which they had that once serued in the temple and attended at the altar is now allowed assigned to them that serue in the Church and preach the Gospell They were maintained in very liberall cōpetent sort so must these Their maintenance was sealed certaine not voluntary so must these They were maintained by tithes oblations so must these Their portion was of holy things that is of Gods part of things consecrated to God so must the portion of these bee Neither is it a matter of equitie onely that it were fit thus it should be or a humane constitutiō supposing it were best so to bee but ita Dominus constituit or as others read mandauit it is the constitution ordinance or commaundement of the Lord that this ought to bee The Lord who hath a peculiar right to a certaine part of euery mans goods hath thus appointed As once God assigned ouer his tithes other duties to the seed of Leui because hee had separated them to serue in his Tabernacle so now their seruice beeing ended hee hauing substitute in their roomes for the worke of the Gospell not some certaine families of the earth but Pastors and Teachers whō it pleaseth him to call To these to the end they may liue by their ministerie as the former did by theirs bee incouraged to the worke they haue in hand hath bee assigned ouer that which the former had viz. his Tithes and Offeringes In a word the Apostle speaking of a kinde of maintenance that is of Gods ordinance not mans established by the Lord not deuised by man allotted the preachers of the Gospel to liue vpon such a one as they had that ministred in the temple and serued at the altar let such as bee contrary minded prooue vnto vs That their maintenance was not tithes and then neuer tell then will wee yeeld nor shall they bee able to prooue That ours ought to bee not Tithes but some other thing For it is euident by this place of the Apostle That such as theirs was ours must bee From this place of the Apostle let vs proceed to another that is Heb. 7. where hee maketh mention very often of Abrah his paying tithes to Melch which though he do to another end yet by those his wordes beeing about another matter he sheweth withall That Tithes pertaine vnto the ministerie of the Gospell as once they did to that of the temple First of all it is euident by the Apostles words that Melchizedec was a figure of Christ whence it followes that Christ in the person of Melchizedec receiued tithes of Abrahā that they are due no lesse to his priesthood then to that of Melch. But if Christ had right to tithes before the law hath he not the same right also since the law in the time of the Gospell For his priesthood being perpetuall so must his right bee too Farther if wee consider of Melch. in his owne person that is not as a figure of Christ but as the priest of God if Melch. had right to receiue them in the behalfe of God whose priest hee was how much more Christ who is a priest for euer after the same order that Melchizedec was Touching Abraham wee may consider of him either as a priuate man or as a Patriarke As a priuate person in paying tithes what other thing did he but what was euery godly mans dutie to doo which saith a certaine learned writer is so reported that thereby it may sufficiently appeare that it was a custome or ordinarie thing among the godly of those times And who can shew vs that the godly are freed from that dutie since the law which they owed to God before Or that God which accepted Tithes as his sacred Right then hath reiected it now As a Patriarke and father of the faithfull if wee consider him dooth not hee the father by performing that duetie shew in what steps his children ought to walke whose ofspring wee are not according to the flesh but by that which is the surer side by faith But what is all this to vs that be ministers of the Gospell very much euery way For seeing we are in Christes steed 1. Cor. 5. 20. hee that receiueth vs receiueth Christ Math. 10. 40 as Melch. beeing Dei subrogatus Gods deputie lawfully receiued at Abrahams hand what was due to God so wee on Christes behalfe doo as lawfully claime receiue of the hand of Christians what is Christes right Which thing is not improbable that our Apostle respected when 1. Cor. 9. the place before alleadged he saith The Lord hath so ordeined as it were giuing vs thereby to vnderstand That such maintenance as the Leuits receiued in the Law as Gods right for their seruice at the altar such ought the ministers of the Gospell receiue now in Christes behalfe for their seruice to him in the worke of the Gospell because as God assigned it vnto his Leuits then so hath Christ who in the new Testament by that title of Lorde is commonly distinguished from God the father vnto his ministers now And as Abrah the father of the faithfull was then to pay the tenth to the priests of God as to God himselfe so all the faithfull now are to pay them to the ministers of Iesus Christ as to Christ himselfe Now that I haue shewed warrant and proofe for this point out of scripture I will adioyne also the testimonie and iudgement of the learned and ancient fathers and others of the Church who wheresoeuer they speake any thing of tithes so speake thereof as generally in their times acknowledged to bee of diuine institution no man for well nighe a 1000. yeares the depth of all corruption and blindnes after Christ gainsaying them This I do◠aswell to confirme more fully that I haue auouched as also to take away all pretext from such as shall thorough ignorance imagine this to bee but mine owne priuate opinion They shall perceiue that I teach none other thing in this matter then the auncients for many ages past haue done S. Origen liued within 200. yeares after Christ not aboue 90. yeares after the death of S. Iohn the Apostle of the Lord. Hee writing vpon the booke of numbers Hom. 11. and speaking of the Law of Tithes saith plainely Hanc ego legem This Law of Tithes as also some other I saith hee doo thinke necessary to bee obserued still according to
scribes and of the Pharisies ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen and he whose righteousnes thine ought to exceed giueth the tenth but thow giuest scant the tenth of the tenth Likewise Ser. de temp Serm. 219. de Decimis Deus qui dignatus est c. God saith hee which hath vouchsafed to giue vs all that wee haue vouchsafeth to receiue againe the tenth thereof yet so as shall bee profitable not for himselfe but for our selues And a little after reprouing them that made no care to pay their tithes he expostulateth with them in this sorte Audi indeuota mortalitas c. which is Heare O thou mortal wight without deuotion Knowest thou that whatsoeuer thou hast is Gods wilt thou not giue to God the maker of al things any part of his owne The Lord hath no need of thy goods God craueth not reward but an hon he requireth none of thine but his owne He vouchsafeth to demaund the first fruites tenthes of that thou hast from him and doest thou couetously deny him what wouldest thou doo if reseruing the 9. partes to himselfe hee had left thee only the tenth Hitherto out of S. Aug. Out of all which his words wee may note these specialties That he counteth the tenth to bee Gods as tribute to bee Caesars calleth it Gods parte saith that God receiuing it receiueth but his owne that long before his time tithes were payd and expoundeth and applieth the scripture for it as before him Origen and others had doone and affirmeth that the paying of them is the meanes of plentie and blessing from God as the withholding of them the cause of scarcity oppression among men c. Long after S. Aug. viz. about Anno 600. liued S. Gregorie Hee Hom. 16. vpon the Euangels hath these words Suut offerre in lege c. that is As yee are commaunded in the Law deare brethren to offer vnto God the tenth of your goods so striue to offer also the teÌ„th of your dayes Wherein expressely he applieth the precept of tithes written in the law vnto Christians so teaching or rahter taking it as a trueth without question coÌ„trouersie That Christians are commaunded by Gods Law to pay Tithes To whom agreeth Beda that liued about an hundred yeares after him who in a treatise that he intituleth Scintillae insisteth vpon the point and prooueth by scripture and by fathers Tithes to bee due inferring out of S. August among the rest this sentence Tithes are required of dutie and them who that will not pay dooth invade goods that are not his owne asmuch to say as he is an oppressour or extortioner Of the same minde is Caesar Arelatensis saying Tithes bee no priuate mans no lay mans goods but the Churches right To all these as it were a Summist of them all I will adioyne Strabo a storie writer who lib. de reb Eccl. cap. 87. maketh this collection Decimas Deo Sacerdotibus c which is to say That Tithes ought to bee giuen to God and his ministers Abraham by his facts and Iacob by his vowes doo insinuate besides the Law of God hath so appointed and all the holy Doctors of the Church doo consent and testifie From particular men let vs come to generall councels so shall wee see not onely what some yet of the best but what all the learned of former ages thought of this matter consenting as it were vno ore as vpon a trueth vndeniable that Tithes euer were stil are due De iure Diuino Anno Dom. 580. was held Concil Matisconens the second In the 6. Canon wherof it was thus decreed Leges Diuinae Sacerdotib ministris EcclesiaruÌ„ consulentes c. Which in English is to this effect The Lawes of God prouiding for the priests ministers of Churches haue commaunded all people that as their inheritance they should pay them in the holy places the Tenths of their increase that so beeing intangled with no wordly labours they may be at leasure to atteÌ„d their spiritual ministeries Which lawes all Christendome haue for many ages past kept inuiolably wherevpon we doo ordaine constitute that all people doo bring in their Tithes Ecclesiasticall accordingly And if any shal contumaciously breake our decrees let him be excommunicated Neere about an hundred yeares before this councell was held the first councell of Orleaunce which affirmeth also the same In the time of Charlemaigne Anno 779. followed Duriens Synodus wherein Cap. 10. it was decreed That Tithes should bee payd and that they which refused so to doo should hee compelled therevnto not only by the excommunications of the Church but also by the officers of the common-wealth About 30. yeares then next ensuing viz. Anno 813. was held Synod Moguntina In the which they thus determine Admonemus vel praecipimus vt decimae de omnib dari non negligantur c. Wee admonish or commaund saith this counsell that Tithes of all things being due by Gods law bee not neglected to bee payd because God himselfe hath appointed them vnto himselfe to be payd For it is to bee feared marke their reason lest whosoeuer with draweth from God his due happely God for that his sinne doe take from him his necessaries Concil Rothomag is thus cyted by Gratian. Caus. 16. q. 1. Omnes decimaeterrae siue de frugib siue de pomis arborum domini sunt c. All the tenth of the earth whether it bee of fruits of the ground or of the trees are the Lords and they are sanctified vnto him Sheepe Bullockes Goates and whatsoeuer passeth vnder the rod euery tenth thereof shall bee accounted holy vnto the Lord. Concil Tribur cap. 13. saith thus Quid si diceret dominus Nempe meus es homo mea est terra quam colis measeminaquae spargis mea animaliaquae â—â—ginas meus est solis ardor c. that is What if the Lord should say Truely thou O man thy selfe art mine mine is the earth which thou tillest mine is the seede which thou sowest mine are the cattell which thou feedest mine is the heat of the sunne c. And whereas all being mine thou which lendest mee but thy hand deseruedst but only the tenth part yet doe I allow thee nine parts Giue me therefore my tenth If thou wilt not giue mee my tenth I will take away thy nine If thou giue me my tenth I will multiplie thy nine If any therefore do make a question why Tithes are payd Let him know that therefore they are to be giueÌ„ Two notable reasons First that God by such deuotion being pacified may more abundantly giue vs necessaries secondly that the ministers of the Church being thereby releeued may be the more free to the fulfilling of their spirituall exercises And in the decrees the Canon law of all Christendome Extra de decimis cap. 14. Parochiano these words are read Forsomuch as Tithes haue their institution not from
first words of the precept Let him that is taught with the later of the same verse viz. make him partaker c. we may gather euidently That all and euery person whatsoeuer which being a hearer of the word doth owe and possesse to his owne proper vse any kinde of goods whatsoeuer is liable to this pay subiect to this precept within compasse If I may so speake of this statute and law of God This statute and commaundement I say reacheth vnto all singular parishioners as we tearme them yea to all hearers of the word whosoeuer both rich and poore yong and old maried and vnmaried housekeeper or not maister and seruant merchant and mariner officer and artificer tradesman and husbandman townesman and countryman or whosoeuer els by profession he be they all and euery of them being hearers of the word and owners or possessors of any kinde of goods whatsoeuer are lyable to this course payable to this purpose and must contribute more or lesse according to their seuerall abilities to their teacher As they haue a benefit by him in spirituall things so must he by them in things temporall This may plainly appeare vnto vs by the words of the Apostle in that he doth set downe the precept in the singular number For when as he doth not say Let them that c. but let him that is taught c. he declareth manifestly that the precept extends to euery one in particular No one is or can be exempted from this dutie but is necessarily to be charged therewith He onely is excepted which possesseth no kinde of goods hath nothing proper to himselfe deales not as we say for himselfe any way but liues altogether either vnder or by others as children prentizes c. which are yet wholly vnder the tutele keeping finding of parents maisters and other like or such as be extreame poore and so doe liue not by their owne goods but by the goods and almes of other men This precept is very like vnto that law which God of old had by Moses giuen vnto his people Israel as appeareth Exo. 23. 15. in these words None shall appeare before the Lord emptie and is both repeated explaned Deut. 16. 17. thus Euerie man shall giue according to the gift of his hand according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath giuen thee That is euery man shal giue according to his abilitie more or lesse the rich man shall giue according to his riches a great liberall portion and the poorer sort of his tenuitie a little also euery man something None shall come without any thing at all Like to this was the lawe of tithes vnto which euery man was subiect that possessed ought The tenth was the Lords and must be paide vnto the Lord wheresoeuer and with whomsoeuer it was to be founde as appeareth Numb 18. and otherwhere Wherevnto we may finde the practize both of the Iewes in time of the law and of Christians aswell in the infancie as flourishing estate of the Gospel to haue bene very cōsonant as may appeare sufficiently for the one by the hystorie of that poore widowe Luc. 21. who offered of her penurie somewhat into the treasurie of God aswell as did the rich and wealthy much of their abundance and superfluities And yet neither is she blamed by our Sauiour as doing more then her dutie more then she needed but highly commended as dooing her duetie and but her duetie cheerefully and liberally nor are the priests that receiued the offrings reprehended for taking an offering of a widow so poore themselues beeing rich And by the words of the Pharisey Lu. 18. 12. who speaking no doubt according to the generall practise of al protesteth That he gaue tithe of al that he did possesse whereto accordeth our Sauiour Math. 23. 23. acknowledging for them That tithed euen the very mint and annis Rue and Cummin et omne olus and euery other herbe and saying That they howsoeuer they ought to haue done also greater things yet those they ought not to haue left vndone As for the times of the Gospell Act. 2. 45. we read how the Church at first being not otherwise prouided for So manie as had either possessions or goods that is either lands or moueables for so the wordes in the iudgement of learned interpreters doe signifie sold them laid downe the price at the Apostles feete that thēce distribution might be made to euerie man poore and rich hearer teacher according as he had neede And so euery man that was taught in the word did that way make him that taught him partaker with him of all his goods The Gospell once throughly planted and by the cōuersion of Constantine and other Emperours and Kings vnto the faith of Christ setled in peace this law was more generally and fully as practized so established and confirmed For vpon due notice and consideration thereof euen then vniuersally in all nations kingdomes and countries that had receiued the faith landes were giuen and consecrated and tithes restored to the Church in such a generall vniforme godly and goodly sort both for the maner the measure thereof as is yet admirable to as many as note either the action then or the disposition of people now To which course how had it beene possible euer people could so generally so vniformely and so readily haue beene drawne vnlesse Christians then with one minde and one mouth had acknowledged this doctrine here taught them by the Apostle viz. That it was euerie mans duetie to make his minister partaker of all his goods and thereupon consented as it were by diuine inspiration That for the better successe of the Gospell then and auoyding of contentions in time to come such course should be taken as might once for euer yeeld settle it to the Church Some may happily thinke That the Church got these thinges in time of blindnes and popery when men in superstitious zeale did they knew not what but I am fo farre from their opinion that I assure my selfe and with great probabilitie can gather and make demonstration That those things which are the Churches in right and properly belong to the maintenance of her ministers were all graunted and established in their largest best and vprightest forme before popery was planted euen in the purest and most flourishing time of the Gospell and that in time of Popery little was added thereunto but rather much thereof was then and thereby taken from the Church And am readie to prooue and shew That the very forme it selfe dooth plainely and plentifully argue true zeale great piety much wisedome with sound knowledge and not blind zeale and foolish superstition to haue beene the founders thereof But of these more hereafter The doctrine and sense of the words beeing thus laid downe it shal not bee amisse now to consider somewhat withall of such motiues as the words themselues may farther affoord wherby to moue euery man
I should say That a man may haue more maintenance by 40. or 50. boyes in a schoole then by an 100. housholdes by 400. communicants in a parish but I doo beleeue it and can speake it of mine owne knowledge That it is probable possible That a schole-maister may haue better maintenance by 7. or 8. boyes then a minister by 7. or 8. score housholds Where it is so and I thinke if due enquiry be made it will be found so in many places of our land the greater our sinne the heauier Gods wrath the more lamentable and miserable the estate of our ministerie can wee say that people doo deale conscionably and liberally with their ministers and Christianly thankefully with God or that ministers complaine without cause and be already euery where duly sufficiently prouided for I know that these things will seeme straunge to such as are not acquainted with them and doo conferre to the maintenance of their ministers in another maner of measure but I would to God they were not most true and that our ministers felt them not I hope good Reader that by this that I haue said I haue according to my purpose made it euident vnto thee That such as will needes continue that euill custome to giue the minister but what pleaseth themselues yet ought in reason conscience if they bee of any abilitie to pay him so much a peece at least as they giue a schoole-maister for teaching one of their children And this rate doo I hold to bee so reasonable and indifferent for both sides that I wish with all my heart That as Dauid made it a Law in Israel 1. Sam. 30. 24. That of things gotten in warre as his part was that gooeth downe to the battell so should his part be that bideth by the stuffe and keepeth the campe so in such places where people will not willingly justly pay as they should tithes of their labours gaines but inforce the minister to stand to their curtesies till a better Lawe come in place That either the people themselues would make it a custome or the superiours of our land a law and statute in England That in steed of those tithes besides their accustomed offerings and other extraordinary prouentions as his paie is that teacheth in the schoole for euerie scholler so should his paie bee that teacheth in the Church for euerie familie that is the â—icher sort to pay as for the best schollers the meaner as for meaner schollers and the poorer sorte that are payable as for meanest that so yet some conuenient portion and proportion some certaintie might bee obserued knowne It is a rate so reasonable and easie that as by it where the place is any thing populous as those commonly are where it needs chiefly to bee put in practise in some coÌ„petent measure the minister might haue sufficient wherevpon to liue so by a lesse such as now is too common it is not possible in these times for a man to redeeme himselfe from extreame need and bee other then very poore In a word it is a rate so small and easie That I more feare least I sinne against God and offend his Church in approouing it then suspect that any which is contrary minded shall bee able to prooue against mee that it is too great too hard and vnreasonable I haue held the Reader somewhat long I confesse vpon this one point and it may bee some will obiect altogether without any cause For may some say As it is not fit indeed that the minister should bee left to the curtesie of the people so neither is hee For by expresse law statute already in force hee is euery where prouided for of some certaintie as of prediall tithes where they are to be had of personal tithes where the former are not as appeareth in the Statutes of Ed. 6. An. 2. Cap. 13. De Decimis True it is and not to bee denied That that Statute dooth indeed so enact From which I trust I may bee bold to obserue this one thing farther for confirmation of that I haue sayd viz. That it is the iudgement of our whole Church of England and of all the estates of our land confirmed in expresse wordes by act of parliament That the Minister ought to haue a certaintie to depend vpon And that the contrarie not in mine opinion onely but in their wise and generall iudgement is as indeede it is intollerable and vnfit But for a full aunswere to the obiection proposed First I doe speake of that is practized not of that is enacted and doe condemne that course which now is growne with many into such a custome that nether that lawe nor reason no nor the word of God can hitherto reclaime them from it and so doe not weary my Reader with waste matter nor fill my paper with an vnnecessary discourse Secondly I say and with all reuerence and Christian humilitie prostrate at the feete of my Superiours desiring and crauing leaue that it may bee free for mee in so great a cause and that so neerely and so much concerneth the glory of God and good of this Church for which euery good man ought to be content if neede be to lay downe his life to speake the truth I say it That that statute doth in very deed rather say it then assure it to the minister shew what he should haue then enarme him to recouer it Because whereas it debars him of the defendants oath the surest and most vsual remedy in al causes of tithes it is found by long and too too much experience that thereby that clause being commonly abused against him he is also debarred of the thing it selfe that he seekes to recouer For people being now a daies very apt to abuse any aduantage that law may yeeld doe easily learne That if they will but not confesse any thing the Minister can recouer but what he can prooue which commonly must needes bee iust nothing whereby his case becomes such that vnlesse he will take with quietnesse as they call it what they wil of curtesie giue him by contending for more he is sure too loose al. No doubt ther were some reasonable causes why the oth was forefeÌ„ded it may be the integrity of those times wheÌ„ the statute was made such that it was presupposed meÌ„ needed not to be pressed so far but wold of very conscience to equity right of loue to the Church Ministery of zeale to God his Gospel do that were fit voluntarily it being but shewed them or at farthest vpoÌ„ examination acknowledge the trueth freely But the corruption and backwardnes of these our times shewing wholly the contrary and beeing such that I thinke that man to bee as rare as a blacke swanne that by vertue of that statute hath of late yeares recouered any thing that there bee many hundreds that can iustly alledge That by abuse or weaknes thereof they haue done and doo
of the misery of our ministerie the ruine of learning and religion among vs Impropriations Nay doo they not speake manifestly against the scope of the scriptures which teach That the minister must haue double honour that is an honourable and liberall and not a sparing and poore maintenance must be a keeper of hospitalitie and so bee able to entertaine others aswellas to liue himselfe must liue of the Gospell that is haue such maintenance for his preaching of the Gospell that hee may bee able to liue thereby alone without any intermedling for lacke of maintenance in other trades of life not sparingly and needily neither but well and wealthily as becommeth his calling and as did they by the altar that waited on the altar which cannot Ordinarily bee done if his maintenance be lesse then the tenth Secondly I demaund who shall if the word of God doo not determine what is competent Shall the Clergie It is likely they shall not bee admitted as competent Iudges in their owne cause Shall the Laitie What is then to bee expected but that they will fauour themselues enough and too much will there not bee among them Quot capita tot sensa as many men so many minds And as men are surprised with the affections of couetousnes of contempt of the Gospell disgrace of that calling neglect of learning and other like so is it not likely one will detetmine this to bee competent and another that and the fewest of all come any thing neere the marke and they the ministers bee inforced to accept that for competent which is not and to take that for suffitient many times which is halfe lesse then enough And what remedie For seeing as they say God hath sayd nothing to this purpose they must beleeue others not themselues That to be competent not which they themselues know but which others say is competent If already there had bene no tryall of the practise of supposed competencie men might happely be thought to feare where no feare were and to suspect more then they had cause But because experience is the surest though not alwaies the safest teacher let vs heare from it what vpon perswasion no doubt That a competencie onlie was required men haue already determined vpon that point and what good beginnings it hath made and the è culmo spicam ghesse while it is yet in grasse what corne it is like to prooue 1 It is not many yeares agoe That tenne pound a yeare was held a competent maintenance for a minister and accordingly some Church-liuings being seazed into lay-mens hands in lieu thereof there was allotted backe againe either a few of the fragments thereof then worth thereabout or else a set stipend of like valew But how competent a maintenance that hath proued as we cannot but with griefe consider and had need with teares lament so I feare many a damned soule in hell dooth feele All confesse that such allowance is now incompetent but who are they that amend it It were reason that as the temporalities themselues are by the alteration of times become woorth 4. or 5. happely 10. times so much as they were when such stipends and endowments were allotted out of them so they should now increase the same accordingly in such measure at least that a man might bee able to liue thereby now as hee might haue done at that time by such allowance and fit in very conscience That hee that takes all the paines should haue if not all nor one halfe yet at least a fourth or a fift part of the profit But men haue so learned S. Paules lesson backward that is not Godlines is great gaine 1. Tim. 6. 6. but gaine is godlines that nothing contrary therevnto soundeth well in their eares 2. For our present daies what doo men account now to be competent Bee there not many that thinke twenty pounds a yeare enoughe The ordinary reckoning and practise is fortie Some few there be that are so liberally minded toward the ministers that they could wish they had an 100. markes or an hundred pounds a peece and that were abundantly enough if they bee not deceiued for any minister So that in all their opinions that talke of a competencie and would bee the caruers thereof if ministers will maintaine the generall lay-men may determine the particular from 10. or 20. poūd to an 100. poūd is competent maintenance for any minister But what cōpetency there is in these rates I leaue to others to iudge this only added That for mine owne parte I thinke of them all caeteris Paribus as once Demosthenes did of the counsels of certaine Orators in his daies which he resembleth to the dyets of sick men which neither giue a man life nor suffer him to die And for the opinion it selfe of this supposed competencie the more I doo consider thereof of the euils and inconueniences and mischiefes that it must needs bring with it quite contrary to the nature of trueth whose propertie is the more it is eyed the fairer to appeare further to allure the more am I drawne to dislike and reiecte it Leauing it therefore Let vs come to the other opinion viz. theirs which holde That by Gods ordinance Law yet in force the minister ought to haue the Tithes for his maintenance Which point I shall with the more alacritie facilitie intreat of because diuers euen of those that denie Tithes to bee de iure Diuino Gods ordinance for the ministers of the Gospell doo yet graunt and affirme That to the end the minister may haue a competent maintenance this is indeed The most safe indifferent and surest waie to raise such a maintenance yea so excellent and good a way as none better can come in place thereof A thing may bee sayd to be de iure Diuino 2. maner of wayes that is either after a sorte because it is grounded vpon Gods Law or else absolutelie because it is directly commaunded by the Law of God According to the former sense there be that easily graunt Tithes bee de iure Diuino that vsing their owne words in 2. respects First in respect of the equitie of the law in paying of Tithes which is this That the minister ought to liue of the people and to haue sufficient and competent maintenance by them Which equitie and substance ef the Law beeing morall ought alwaies to continue beeing grounded vpon the Law of Nature Thou shalt not mousle the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne Secondly in asmuch as the lawes of the land and of the Church Princes lawes doo confirme this ancient and excellent constitution of Tithes we are bound iure Diuino to obey such lawes beeing agreeable to the word of God which commandeth obedience to our magistrates in all lawfull ordinance To these wee may adde a third respect and that is The obligation wherewith the Church of Christ hath long since bound her selfe to the payment
of the Tithes hauing for many ages past consecrated them vnto God Whereby it commeth to passe That howsoeuer at the first Tithes might probably haue seemed mens owne and men haue had some colour to vse them as they saw good yet now beeing made Gods by dedication beeing giuen vp and yeelded vnto him for the seruice of the Church they are become his proper inheritance And therefore can not now without open iniury to God and his Church without transgression of his Law bee alienated from God taken from his Church and put againe to common vse Hee I say hauing thus long time beene in such sorte inuested with the possession of them it is now altogether vaine and superfluous to enquire wether they bee a matter of diuine right Thus Quodammodò after a sort in this sense and in these respectes the point controuerted is graunted But because this concession doth not satisfie the question it selfe let vs examine the other sense also Now searching the scriptures for this matter Gen. 14. 28. wee shall finde that Tithes were payd by holy and godly men as by Abraham and Iacob before euer there was any law written in the time of Nature WheÌ„ce wee may not obscurely gather I thinke That to paie the Tenth is a parte of the morall law a dutie which God from the beginning required of man as His sacred Right For those holy Pâ—triarkes no doubt did nothing in that point but what it was all mens dutie to performe and are set foorth as examples and Presidents in whom wee are to see what other godly men of those auncient ages and former times did accustome And herein I am the more confirmed for that in prophane histories I doo finde That the very heathen of those elder yeares the time of Nature vsed almost euery where to pay the very same portion The tenth vnto their imagined Gods Some to Iupiter as the Persians some to Hercules or Apollo as the Romanes and Grecians the Sabees and Aethiopians to the sundrie gods which their countries worshipped And in a word as Festus an auncient Storie-writer doth report generally decimam quaeque veteres dijs suis offerebant All nations of former times offered to their gods the tenth For how could it be that all people euen those that knew not the true God yet should herein consent with the true worshippers but that either by the light of nature or by auncient tradition receiued euen from Noah and other Patriarks they had learned that The tenth was Gods part If any will obiect that the heathen did it by instigation of their gods diuels indeed for such a thing doth a certaine Chronographer of those times relate as opening the reason how that custome Vouere decimam Herculi To vow and pay the tenth to Hercules tooke his beginning saying that Hercules a diuell appearing in such a likenesse being on a time friendly entertained by Potitius and Pinarius promised a happy life and increase of wealth to all such as should offer to him the tenth of all their goods This is so farre from ouerthrowing that which I infer that it helps not a little to the proofe thereof For why else should it be that the diuell should claime precisely that part but because being an enemy to God and desirous as enuious of his honour and as the Ape and imitator of God to transfer vnto himselfe Gods worship and to rob him of his glory and due euery way as in sacrifices and oblations so in tenthes likewise he did assume and vendicate this part of Gods worship as if not God but he had beene the maker and owner of the world and giuer of prosperitie and riches vnto men vpon earth The story of Iacobs payment of tythes carieth a greater shew of repugnancy because it reporteth that he paide them vpon a vowe Gen. 28. 20. saying If God will bee with mee in this iournie which I goe and will giue me bread to eate and clothes to put on so that I come againe vnto my fathers house in peace then shall the Lord be my God and this stone which I haue now set vp as a pillar shall bee Gods house and of all that thou O God shalt giue me I will giue the tenth vnto thee Whereupon it is obiected by some that Iacob paide them not as a morall duetie but as a vow But that is easily aunswered First that Iacob had a respect to the couenant made with Abraham namely I will bee thy God and of thy seede Gen. 17. 7. By vertue of which hee was bound to shew himselfe thankefull as Gods seruant by outward seruice whereof tithes were a part and secondly seeing it is manifest by manifold examples practise of godly men that it is no new thing nor vnusuall with the godly by vowing to binde themselues to doe that which by the law of God and former duetie they are bound to performe so to stirre vp their owne slacknesse and enkindle their zeale to necessary obedience what letteth but that wee may conceiue the like of Iacob in this case Hee knew it no doubt to bee his duetie to paye to God the tenth yet partly to stirre vp his owne care and zeale partly to testifie more apparantly his thankefull heart which euen before blessings receiued bethought it selfe what to render to the Lord for the same receiued partly as abhorring and disclayming the prophanenesse of the world which likely euen then began euery where to cast away the feare of the almightie and to detaine to themselues as their owne Gods part of their riches he bindeth himselfe by speciall vow to performe that which hee knew to be though he vowed it not his duety to doe That I straine not his words from his meaning he himselfe by his former words being also a part of his vow doth beare me witnesse For if you note the words well he voweth three seuerall things First that the Lord shall bee his God that is That hee would worship and serue none other God And it is out of al doubt saith a very iudicious interpretour that therein hee comprehended the summe of his pietie and religion Secondly that that stone shall bee Gods house that is that there where he had pitched the stone hee would as in Gods Tabernacle serue God build an altar and offer sacrifices c. as Cap. 35. 1. 7. verse Thirdly that of all that God should giue him hee would giue the tenth to God as the proper maintenance that belonged to the house of God for the sustenance of the priests that should attend on the altar Here no man I suppose will say but that it was Iacobs duetie euen without a vow to serue and worship God onely to offer to him Sacrifices c. Yet doth he by vow promise to performe it And therefore as because hee vowes those dueties it followes not else hee was not bound to haue done them so neither doth it follow because hee vowed tithes therefore to
man but from the Lord himselfe they may be required as a due debt Time will not permit me to recite all diuers other ancient councels haue determined the same things These cited being the common voice and full assent of all the learned of the first and best times doe plainely and aboundanly testifie That Tithes are still due by Gods law holy to the Lord his due ordained by God c. They doe not challenge them at all as due by the rule of equity much lesse by positiue law and constitution of princes but by Gods ordinance True it is that the lawes imperiall the lawes of seuerall nations and kingdomes doe mainetaine and approoue tithes but we must vnderstand it thus and so no doubt in auncient times the lawmakers themselues intended as confirming and restoring to the Church that which they had learned by the generall and vncontroulled doctrine of their owne and former ages to be the Churches in right as did the godly kings and rulers in Israel Ezechias Iosias Nehemias c. which restored to the Leuits their appointed portions and brought againe to the house of God the tithes first fruits offerings c. which in currupt times had beene withdrawen This is manifest enough by that already alleadged out of the Fathers For thereby it may appeare that tithes were claimed and paid to the Church before there were any Christian Magistrates to confirme them by law For Constantine surnamed the great who was Emperour about the yeare 300. was long after Origen and Cyprian and yet hee as faith Hermannus Gigas was the first that euer we read of to haue made any law that tithes of all things should be paid to al Churches Foure hundred yeares at least after whose time as Krantius in Metropoli sua lib. 1. cap. 8. doth note it was that Charles the great did also remit to Christians their tributes and in steede of of them assigned tithes vnto Churches bishops And it is yet more apparant by that which antiquity recordeth of Dionisius that was Bishop of Rome before the daies of Constantine almost an hundred yeares how that he made diuision of parishes assigning seuerall Churches to seuerall ministers and assigned tithes lands accordingly vnto them all Adde to these the testimony of S. Augustine before mentioned Maiores nostrl c. For he liuing not aboue an 100. yeares after Constantines raigne saith yet that their foreelders vsed to pay tithes giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that that custome had beene auncient euen before any princes were Christian to make lawes to that purpose Concerning the present time if I were alone hauing so many of the auncients on my side I neede not feare the cause much Truth chaungeth not with times nor is to bee measured by multitude But God be thanked I am not alone For howsoeuer some and those learned men of our Church bee contrary minded the greater Number I assure my selfe doe goe with mee I doe but as a leâ—rner sitting at the feete of so many worthy Gamaliels subscribe vnto their reuerend iudgements If any enquire what the learned of other Churches think the testimonies of a few may giue vs a probability of the rest Iunius saith thus Tithes by allawes that is by the law of Nature of Moses of Christ and of nations haue for euer beene hallowed vnto God Râ—dulphus Gualter though he be Caluins imitator and as it were Commentator in his Homil. vpon Math. cap. 23. dissenting from him in this point saith plainly These things speaking of tithes ought to bee transferred to the Church of the new testament And a little after Nec est quod aliquis decimarum legem c. That is neither is it to any purpose for any one to say that the law of tithes was abolished together with the ceremonies of Moses law For by what arguments may it euer bee prooued that that law of Tithes was euer by God abrogated Zepperus differs as not in minde so almost not in wordes from Gualter for de leg lib 4. cap. 10. thus he hath Aâ— quibus argumentis c. And by what arguments shall it be prooued that law of tithes to haue beene by God at any time abrogated And againe Quemadmodum in quartodecalogi praecepto Euen as in the fourth precept of the decalogue that which is ceremoniall is ceased the morall parte remayning so at this time tithes are a parte of that stipend which by the law of God and of nature is due to the ministers of the Gospel for their labours in their office Now that we haue seene what God what the auncient Fathers and reuerend councels and some of our late but learned writers haue determined vpon this point I trust I may safely without preiudice to the truth or doubt of errour conclude with them and maintaine what I haue so oft affirmed viz. that tithes are still due euen by the law of God The right and ordinary meanes for maintainance of the minister which is our princicipall question That very part and quantitie which euery man out of his goods increase ought to giue to that vse Herein If I doe erre I will not say as Ieremy did cap. 20. 7. O Lord thou hast deceiued me and I am deceiued but this I may well say The pillers of the Church haue failed vnder me the lights of the world haue blinded me the guides of Israel haue led me out of the way the fathers of the people haue caused me desiring to walke in their steps to wander with whom so many so holy so learned and so auncient while I doe erre if the olde prouerbe Cum Platone errare tutissimum be worthy any respect I feare and care the lesse Well be it that it bee most true that the tenth is Gods part and so the ministers yet what is that to such as haue no lands no fields no cattel no fruits of the earth c What is that to tradesmen artificers and other like which liue by their imployments by their labour and industry To such an obiection I answere thus First Bee it thou haue no lands no fields nor cattell c. Yet if thou dwel vpon the face of the earth it is maruaile but thou hast part of the earth more or lesse an orchard or a garden at least And if thou graunt that Tithes ought to be paid of the fruits of the earth then must thou by thine owne confession pay tithe of thine orchard and thy garden be it little or great as doth the husbandman of his field his medow his cattell c. If it be a small matter yet somewhat it is and where is but little euen a little is worthy the receiuing and it cannot but be sinne to withhold it Marke but our Sauiours words Math. 23. And thou shalt see plainely that those minutae decimae small tithes as the law tearmes them are to be paid aswel as the greater For there he speaking of the
Pharisies that payd Tithe of their Rue annis mint cummin and of euery other herbe all garden hearbs as euery woman can tell saith expresly that as they ought to haue done weightier matters So this though a small thing they ought not as they did not to leaue vndone Which speach of Christs as I haue already shewed in the iudgement of S. Origen containes a precept for Christians now as well as an approbation of that the Pharisies in that point did then And as we doe spie day at a little hole and try how good the tree is by the taste of one of the fruites So by this little tryall may be made and notice taken how good or how euil a payer of tithes thou wouldest be if thou hadst possessions and great store of lands and cattell as the husbandman hath It is our Sauiourâ— owne rule and therefore currant Luk. 16. 10. Hee that is faithfull in the least he is faithfull also in much and hee that is vniust in the least is vniust also in much If therefore thou haue not great and many tithes to pay yet pay thou thy few and smaller tithes faithfully As Zachariah and Elizabeth are commended for iust in that they walked in all both precepts and ordinances that is both greater and smaller obseruances of the law of the Lord without reproofe so is it the part of a iust mâ—n to make a conscience of euery duty small and great Secondly be it that thou haue no fields nor lands nor cattell and such like that yeeld such kinde of tithes yet if thou haue other kinde of goods there is a kinde of tithe marke well what I say there is a kind of tithe to be paide of those kind of goods that thou hast as of fish of foules of spoiles in warre of money gayned by trade by art and labour S. Augustine as hee wrote of this matter de decimis most of any of the Fathers so is he playnest of all other Serm. de Temp. Ser. 219. de dec he saith directly Quodsi decimâ—s non habes c. But saith hee if thou haue not tithes of the fruites of the earth as the husbandman hath yet whatsoeuer meanes thou hast to liue by it is of God of that whereby thou doest liue he demandeth tithes Pay thou therefore tithes of thy warfare of thy trade and of thy handy-craft Thus preached and wrote S. Augustine for 12. hundred yeares agoe and therefore it is no new opinion he goes farther and giues reason why this kind of tithe should be payd as well as the other Aliud n. pro terra dependimus aliud pro vsura vitae pensamus that is The one kinde of tithe we pay for the vse of the earth which we possesse the other for vse of our life vpon the earth Pay therefore O thou maÌ„ whatsoeuer thou be thy tithes because thou dost possesse the earth and because thou art vouch safed thy life his proofe is For thus saith the Lord Euery man shall giue a redemption of his life and so shall there not bee among them any plague or sicknes The place of scripture he alleadgeth is Exod. 36. 12. Whence this father gathers that euery man is to pay to god a tribute of his goods such as hee liues by S. Ambrose writeth to like effect in a Sermon he hath de quadrages Qâ—icunque recognouerit inse quod fideliter non dederit decimam c. Whosoeuer saith he shall call to minde that he hath not faithfully paid his tithes let him now amend that wherein hee hath failed What is it to pay faithfully but that he offer and bring at no time neither lesse nor the worser sorte of his graine or of his wine or of the fruits of his trees or of his garden or of his trade or of his very hunting With these agreeth S. Gregory saying as in the decrees he is alleadged Extra de dec cap. 23. Ex transmissa Fidelis homo de omnibus quae licitè potest acquirere decimas erogare tenetur â— Euery faithfull man is bound to pay tithes of all such goods as he can lawfully get According hereunto whereas the first and most auncient lawes as well temporall as Ecclesiasticall run in general tearmes Decimae de rebus omnibus Tithes of all things the Canonists and other Lawyers as well of former as of later ages willing and endeuouring to explane the same by specialities haue inueÌ„ted approued hitherto continued that vulgar knowne distinction of Tithes prediall and personall By prediall meaning such as arise of the increase of the earth by personall such as arise of goods gotten by labour and industry whether they be gotten saith a very famous Lawyer by handicraft industry science warfarre trafficke or any other lawfull act And so doe all agree vpon the point That euery man is to pay one kinde of tithe or other viz. prediall if hee be a husbandman personall if hee be and quatenus as he is a tradesman artificer c. Of such goods as a man hath and liues by himselfe they determine that God and his Church must still haue some or other parte Hee that is taught of what vocation and course of life soeuer he be must make his teacher partaker with him of all such goods as hee hath Reason and equitie doe consent it should be so For as in the common-weale it is but reason that in subsides and other dueties to the King c. one sorte of subiect bee taxed as well as another So in the Church for the seruice of God It is a weake plea for a trades-man an artificer a townesman a cittizen that is of wealth competent to say I haue no lands therefore I ought not to bee seazed to subsidy it suffiseth that hee bee found worth thus much in landes or in goods And as bad and weake a reason it is to say I haue no lands no corne nor cattell therefore I ought to pay no tithe If thou haue other kinde of goods pay of those thou hast God requires a parte of that a man hath and not of that hee hath not Giue therefore to God that which is Gods as well as to Caesar that which is Caesars 2 Further looke vpon the vse whereunto the tithes are assigned by God and man what is it but the maintainance of the minister now haue not townesmen vse and neede of the Gospel of the ministerie of teachers as well as husbandmen Why then is it not reason they yeelde thereunto the due and appointed maintenance as well as they Haue they other meanes equiualent wee know of none the ministers find none The very law of nature saith The laborer is worthy of his hire for whomsoeuer it be that he doth labor Why should any then looke that men should labour for them gratis The law of God and man hath appointed this Tithes to be the hire of the Minister his wages for his worke in the Gospell Why then should
any sort of people denie or withhold it They that will haue spirituall things must render temporall Otherwise a man hath no reason to account himselfe bound to labour for them as his hearers that will not intertaine him as their teacher They that contrary to the law which saith Forsake not the Leuit all daies of thy life forsake the minister Keeping from him his appointed maintenance leaue him to seeke the bread of his body where he may haue no wrong done them if they be forsaken and left without Ephod and without Teraphim to seeke for the foode of their soules where they wil and are little to be pitied though they wander from sea to sea from the north to the east running to and fro to seeke the worde of God and yet finde it not because they haue brought such famine vpon themselues and reap but such fruites as their owne hands haue sowne Their owne bloud bee vpon their owne heads that will prefer riches before Religion earth before Heauen the world before God the welth of their body to the health of their soul. From proofe let vs come to practise to which purpose if enquirie and search be made all ages and times will affoord vs record sufficient when where by whoÌ„ such tithes haue bin paid The first Tithes that euer wee reade to haue beene paid were those that Abraham paid to Melchâ—zedec And what kind of tithes were they If the common translations of the Bible deceiue vs not the text of holy Scripture Heb. 7. 4. telleth vs They were tithes of the spoiles the tenth of the bootie taken in battell that is Personall tithes 2 Concerning the Isralites whether they paid theÌ„ or no I wil not contend It is as probable yea as no. First by the words of the law which after an enumeratioÌ„ of some particulars vseth this general terme al the teÌ„th in Israel Tithes of al things NuÌ„ 18. 21. 2. Chro. 31. 5. Secondly by their certaine and knowne practise in other things namely in al kind of offerings sacrifices to be performed vnto the Lord. In those there was no difference among them betwixt one and other but the one sort were bound to performe them as wel as the other The law is plaine for it Exod. 12. 49. but specially NuÌ„ 15. 13. Al that are borne of the countrie shall do these things thus and one law and one maner shall serue for both They that had not beasts of their owne for sacrifice must buy them of others c. Now as they were to prouide theÌ„ offerings for the Lord by such goods as they had likely it is they were also to pay tithes for the maintenance of the Leuits and priests of God of such goods as they had Thirdly we do read Num. 31 That being returned from battel the Lord did expressely require by the name of The Lords tribute a certaine parte of the bootie as one of 50. of 500. one lesse indeede a great deale then a tenth yet bearing proportion to a tenth And whether it may be accounted a right personal teÌ„th that is diductis expensis the expenses diducted let others iudge It doth shew vs at least thus much That God would by some part of that which was gotten be acknowledged to be the giuer of the whole and authour of the victorie And that such custome continued in Israel we may not obscurely gather 1. Chro. 26. 26. where we read That of the battailes and spoiles taken in warre Dauid the king the chiefe Fathers the captaines ouer thousands hundreds and all the captaines of the armie and besides them Samuel the Seer Saul that had bin King Abner the son of Ner Ioab others had dedicated according as the Lord commanded Nu. 31. say some expositors such an abundance of treasure that there were treasurers men of great name elected deputed for keeping therof Fourthly The Leuits themselues hauing none inheritance of lands c. yet did pay to the priests the tenth of their tenth that was accounted vnto theÌ„ as we read Nu. 18. 27 as the corne of the barne abundance of the winepresse If the Leuits themselues that receiued tithes of others must did pay tithe of that they had is it not probable that others of what condition soeuer they were for whom the Leuits serued did pay of that they had which might be acounted vnto theÌ„ as the corne wine to the husbaÌ„d-maÌ„ as the tenth of the tenthto the Leuits doth it not intimate that by such meanes as a maÌ„ hath doth himself liue by he ought to coÌ„fer to the maintenance of the minister who must liue by him because hee laboureth for him Fifthly Luk. 18. 12. our Sauiour brings in a Pharisie speaking proudly I graunt yet truely thus I giue tithe of all that euer I possesse Herevpon I aske first whether in the person of this one Pharise bee not expressed vnto vs the actions of them all and in this point of the whole nation then whether all Pharisies were husbandmen onely or whether â—t bee not probable That some of them were artificers as Paul Lawiers as Gamaliel townesmen as they that dwelt at Ierusaelem c And thirdly if beeing townesmen tradesmen and artificers they did giue tithe of all that they possessed whether it must not necessarily follow That they gaue Tithes of their trades labours stipends c. seeing goods gotten that way bee part of that a man dooth possesse aswell as cattell corne c. and is the same to him that the field the tree the beast c. is to the husbandman Sixtly Admit contrary to so euident probabilities that the Iews did not pay any personall tithes yet it followes not by and by that therefore Christians ought not For the case is not altogether like Because their priests and Leuits dwelt together either at the house of God or in other their owne Cities assigned them as their peculiar possession by the lot of God vnder the hand of Iehoshuah and did not dwell so dispersed as the ministers of the Gospell doo and must viz. in euery Citie towne and village Our maner of habitation therefore dooth necessarily require that which theirs did not that is That the minister of euerie place haue his maintenance according to the place viz. by prediall tithes where are prediall and by personall tithes where are personall Otherwise seeing in Lawe and equitie too there is no compartition betwixt ministers of the Gospell as was among Leuits for their tithes either such places where prediall Tithes are not must bee without ministers for lacke of maintenance or else the ministers hauing little or nothing must as commonly they doo but woe bee to them by whom it commeth liue not like their brethren that haue prediall tithes minister like but as if they were the drudges and dregs of the world deseruing no reward beggarlike And to this agree the words of the Apostle who
saith 1. Cor. 9. That the minister should eate as the sheepheard of the milke of his owne flocke drinke as the husbandman of the fruit of his owne wine be fed as the oxe of that corne which himselfe dooth thresh out and as our text declaâ—â—â— plainely â—ee made partaker of all his goods whom hee dooth teach in the word Which is not obserued vnlesse as the husbandman yeelds him tithe of his corne of his cattell of his fruites c. so the fisherman yeeld him tithe of his fish the fouler of his fowles the Soldiour of his pray the hireling of his wages the tradesman and artificer of their monny gotten by their labour art industrie c. 3. From the Iewes if we goe to the heathen to search for this matter their stories doo abundantly testifie that touching their bootres pray taken in warre it was an ordinary thing with them to pay Decimas the tithes thereof as Abraham had doone to the true God to some or other of their imagined Gods As 〈◊〉 Generall among the Greeks hauing gotten a notable victorie against the Persians Decimae seposuae the Tithes of the pray were layd aside to sacred vse employed part vnto the honour of Apollo part of Iupâ—ter part of Neptune Sabellic Aenead 3. lib. 2. pag. 339. Camillus Dictator amoÌ„g the Romanes subduing the Veians Tithes were payd vnto Apollo Liui. Decad. pri lib. 5. The Carthiginians payd vnto Hercules the tenth of their Sicilian pray Dauell pag. 464. Of other goods to pay the tenth was happily not so vsual among them yet not altogether without example For as Plutarch in Lucullo reporteth of Lucullus a Romane Citizen and a rich that he obserued the vse of paying tithes to Hercules so Diodor. Sicul. Biblith lib. 5. Cap. 2. dooth testifie That not Lucullus one he but also many Citizens of Rome not onely those of meane wealth but likewise they that were esteemed the richest of them all vsed to pay Decimas the tenth of their goods to Hercules Thus it appeareth that the heathens also vsed to pay personall tithes aswel as prediall 4. Descâ—nd wee lastly vnto our selues that is vnto Christians And what hath beene accustomed all Christendoome ouer for many 100. of yeares together is not obscure to perceiue nor difficult to gather by the number infinite almost of Decrees Lawes constitutions discourses writings that are extant at this day to bee read of all men touching this sorte of tithes aswell as other Among the which our owne English Statutesâ— made since the abaÌ„doning of Popery in the daies of the worthy renowned Kings of most famous memorie King Henrie the eight and K. Edward the sixt deserue remembrance In the preamble wherof all such as shal attempt to withhold their tithes either prediall or personall are branded with the note of euill disposed persons and in the body wherof is at large expressed the neâ—ner how such kind of tithes ought to bee payd And what Shall wee offer that vnto the makers of such lawes and constitutions to imagine that they enacted such things as they either knew ought not or they intended should not be put in practise Or that vnto our forefathers other auncient Christians That they liued vnder lawes lawlesly gaue theâ—r superiors leaue to decree what they would but tooke libertie to themselues to obserue what they listed made no conscience to pay such Tithes as the lawes both of the Church and land informed and required them to pay If wee would yet the memorie of former times wil conuince vs to our faces seeing it is not vnknowne vnto the present age in what wealth and good estate the ministers of the Church in former daies as well in towne as country did liue For how could that bee except that people then had made a conscience to pay all maner of Tithes acknowledge personall tithes to bee no lesse due then prediall 5. For our owne time it can not bee denied That in London and some few other places that are tyed therevnto by auncient composition And happie were our land and blessed shall hee be that effects it if the like were established the whole land ouer they are still yearely payd to the glory of God great good of the Church content both of pastour and people If in other places where such composition lies not they bee not payd either by computation or other reasonable composition yet that they ought to bee payd is a case most cleare And the withholding of them can bee none other but a most grieuous sinne to God wrong to his Church preiudice to learning hindrance to religion decay of our ministery Of which there is no hope it may bee furnished with learned and able teachers in townes and Cities specially where at this day they are most wanting yet most needfull to bee had vnlesse people be drawne either by instinct of conscience or strength of good able lawes to the due or at least much better performance of this dutie Thus scripture fathers reason lawes and practise affirme that there are two sortes of Tithes to bee payd viz. 〈◊〉 and Personall That the tradesman artificer c. must pay a kinde of Tithe of such goods and profits as 〈◊〉 hath aswell as the husbandman dooth of his But what kinde of Tithe for that I willed before to bee noted what a full Tenth of all hee receiues as dooth the husbandman of all that which to him increaseth herein I acknowledge some difference Neither will I about it dissent from them in whâ—se steps I haue traced hitherto The common determination of the learned and Lawes in this behalfe both is and hath beene That the tradesman artificer c. shall pay the tenth of his cleare gaines that is Expensis dâ—ductis his ordinary and necessary charges from the whole beeing first deducted By which aduantage it must came to passe That whereas the husbaÌ„dman payeth intâ—gram Decimam an entire Tenth one of euery Tenne it may so fall out according to the greatnes or smalnes of the expenses that the other shall pay but one of xij or xv of xx or xxx happely of fifty which yet is still called rather I thinke for the relation it hath to that number then for the proportion or quantitie it selfe and for auoiding confusion a tithe or Tenth See now good Reader This is that Durus Sermo that hard saying that vnreasonable motion whereof who can abide the hearing But let no man bee offended without cause Let all things bee considered well and weighed in equall ballance and what hardnes what extremitie is there in this wheÌ„ as the tradesman the artificer c. in regard of his charges labours aduenture c. is so much fauored more then the husbandman that where the one bath but nine parts for his labour and charges whatsoeuer it bee th' other may haue 2. 3. 4. or 5. times so many parts or more to himselfe for his charges What because it
is no reason by reason of his much charges and many casualties hee should pay an entire tenth which no body dooth demaund noâ— affirme is it reason therefore he should pay no tithes at all honour God with none of his goods reward the minister that giues him spirituall things with none of his temporall What nothing but his accustomed offerings For so some sticke not to stand vpon it That they which haue no lands cattell c. ought to paâ—e nothing but their offerings except forsooth they will of their owne good wills as if their minister were their almesman giue him anie more A speach so deuoide of sense and reason that I wonder it can come out of the mouthes of such as will seeme to guide their words by reason and their action by religion For is there any law that saith None shall pay Tithes but such as haue lands cattell c Doth not our owne Statute law which yet of all other is most fauourable to the people in this case and the Canon Law speake directly of 2. sorts of tithes Prediall Personall And whereas the accustomed offerings are so small that it is not possible they alone might be able to maintaine a minister in any sorte no not in the greatest parish in England may it bee imagined that any lawmakers should but intend such a thing viz. To exempt all such from payment of Tithes as haue not lands c. knowing that there bee many hundred parishes in the land where if personall tithes bee not payd the minister hath and can haue in maner nothing to liue by There is none I thinke of so little knowledge and experience in the world but knowes well enough That in all places the land ouer wheresoeuer men pay tithes of corne cattell c. to the vttermost yet they pay these accustomed offerings too Now mee thinkes people knowing this should of themselues conceiue that tradesmen c. pay not their offerings in lieu of those tithes and other emoluments which husbandmen paye but that as husbandmen pay the like offerings notwithstanding their Tithes payd in the largest maner so themselues should besides those offerings pay some thing or other which might bee somewhat equiualent to the husbandmans Tithes That so it might appeare by their deedes That they loue the Gospell ministers thereof no lesse then the husbandman dooth are as worthie thereof as hee Which thing without all question our forefathers and auncient lawmaters carefully did intend and respect in appointing personall tithes and is only then performed when they in one or other maner are yeelded CHAP. VII Yeeldeth some reasons and speciall causes why God vouchsafeth to haue as his owne some part of all mens goods Why the tenth And why so great a portion as tithes offerings c. are hee hath assigned vnto his ministers Where the Reader shall finde diuers weightie causes why ministers ought to haue not a beeggerly sparing but ample and liberall maintenance HItherto I haue shewed what right the Church hath vnto Tithes proued by sundry arguments drawne from the scriptures fathers lawes of nations rule of equitie and consent of times That Tithes both prediall and personall are still due to the ministers of the Gospell and ought now in the time of the Gospell by diuine right ordinance to be payd Now I hope it will not seeme to the good Reader time ouerlong nor labour superfluous to consider somewhat also more specially of the end reason wherefore it hath pleased God to sanctifie and set apart vnto himselfe as a continuall inheritance any part or such a part of our temporall goods Such a consideration can not but bee a profitable and necessarie motiue and incitation to the true better performance of this kinde of dutie Of this point I conceiue that there be 2. principall causes one that respecteth directly immediately God himselfe another that respecteth the Church of God That which respecteth God himselfe is the acknowledgment of Gods sole and souereigne Dominion ouer all God will by by some certaine portion of our goods returned backe and offered vp againe vnto him bee acknowledged to bee Lord of all I say againe As God is the giuer of all our wealth and he onely who blesseth the workes of our hands so for acknowledgement of his vniuersall Dominion he will haue a part thereof set apart for himselfe This is it the Lord meaneth when making claime vnto Tithes offerings vowes other hallowed things hee calleth them his speaking of them tearmeth them Mine offerings my hallowed things the Lords tribute his inheritance c. as we read in sundry places of the law namely Numb 18. Leuit. 27. c. that Salomon meaneth when as a morall dutie written in the hearts of men by nature he teacheth euery man To honour the Lord with his substance Prou. 3. 9. that the Prophet insinuateth when on Gods behalfe he chargeth the people that in withholding their tithes and offerings they had robbed and defrauded not so much the Priests and Leuits as the Lord himselfe Yee haue spoiled me saith the Lord wherein in Tithes offerings Accordingly auncient Diuines counted it currant Doctrine and a kind of speech very agreeable to pietie trueth to speake after this maner Wee offer vnto God our goods as tokens of thankefulnes for that wee receiue Iren. lib. 4. Cap. 34. Hee which worshippeth God saith Origen in Numb 18. Homil. 11. must by gifts and oblations acknowledge him Lorde of all S. August tract de Rectitud Cath. conuers hath these words Vnusquisque de quali ingenio vel artificio viuit c. Euery man of that meanes whereby hee liueth thereof let him pay to God the Tenth Let him consider that all is of God that he liueth by whether it be the earth or the waters or seeds or all things that be vnder heauen or aboue if he God had not giuen it vnto him he had had nothing And in the decrees as a Maxime vndeniable such like preambles and assertions are to be read Cum autem in signum vniuersalis Dominij c. forsomuch as in signe of his vniuersall souereignitie as it were by a speciall title the Lord hath reserued Tithes vnto himselfe auouching clayming them to be his owne c. And some of our owne later writers very iudiciously vpon like consideration haue tearmed tithes and other holy things appropriated vnto God Sacrum vectigal a sacred Tribute or rent Sacred both in regard of the person God to whom properly it is due of the vse vnto which God hath assigned it to bee payd There cannot bee a clearer trueth then this yet so are mens eyes now a-daies blinded with couetousnes or their minds daseled with ignorance that a great part of men euen of men professing godlines and knowledge seeme to account it a straunge doctrine Many would faine perswade themselues that for their wordly goods if they
more then other Of this kinde Custome is not the least nor least vsuall Neither doe I denie but that it is a thing that ought much to bee respected and doe willingly acknowledge concerning the verie point in question viz. the ministers maintenance that in our land and Church of England it is one principall cause of much good and quietnes betwixt pastour and people while both ruled by custome doe rest satisfied with that which it by course of time hath made a law And so long and so farre as any custome is good and reasonable accordeth with trueth and equitie doe say of it with Saint Aug. Cum consuetudini verit as suffragatur nihil oportet firmius retineri when trueth it selfe and reason approoueth a custome nothing ought more firmely to bee reteyned Non. n. as saith Tertullian possumus respuere consuetudinem quam damnare non possumus For we ought not nor cannot refuse that custome which wee cannor condemne Where Custome is not such but is apparaÌ„tly euill wicked being repugnaÌ„t either to reason or nature or the word of God c. for so much as by the very lawes of men a Custome to the ende it may haue the force of a law ought to be both agreeable vnto reason and lawfully prescribed we may iustly alledge against it that saying of our Sauiour to the pharisies Math. 15. 3. Why do you transgresse the Commandement of God by your tradition or Custome and the lawe of God to his people Leuit. 18. 30. Keepe ye mine Ordinances saith God doe not anie of those abhominable customes which haue bene before you And say with Cyprian we ought not to attend what anie before vs hath thought fitte to bee done but what first of all Christ who is before all did first doe neither must wee followe the Custome of man but the truthe of God For as the same Father saith otherwhere Custome without veritie is but the Antiquitie of errour These things premised Bee it nowe that there is any where such a Custome as they will call it risen and vsed that people shall not maintaine their Minister not giue of their goods to him that teacheth them seeing this is a custome wicked and vnreasonable as which is directly 1. against reason which saith that The labourer is worthie of his hire 2. against nature which forbiddeth to mousâ—e the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne 3. against the word of God which commaundeth him that is taught to make his teacher partaker with him of all his goods and biddeth euery man so to honour the Lorde with his substance Therefore it ought to be broken and not suffered among men For as it is no good argument to say it hath not beene our custome to serue and worshippe God to honour Christ to haue diuine seruice to haue any Church to receiue the Sacramentes to haue any preaching to haue other then a Sermon once in a month or in a quarter with other like and therefore we will not now begin to doe it or to haue any such thing so it is neither good argument nor agreeable to good reason to say it hath not beene our custome to maintaine our minister to pay any tithes to giue him any thing but what wee lust to bee at any certaintie and therefore wee will not now begin any such matter For reason and trueth as well said S. Augustine must be preferred before custome And the Truth being manifested custome must not be followed because the Lord said not I am the custome but I am the truth Yet sometimes custome is falsely prepentended People count that to be a custome which is none For in these cases properly to speake Custome is an ancient and long continued manner of payment of any kinde of tithe in this or that sorte in this or that quantitie And therefore holdes onely de tanto as I may say not de toto It preuailes I meane and is iustly pretended when question is about the manner how a thing should be paide but not for the thing it selfe For it is a ruled case or Maxime in the lawe that Non est mos de non decimando There is no custome for paying no tithes at all or no tithe of any one thing But where any thing hath beene payd for the tithe of such or such a thing though it be but two pence for that which is worth two shillings or but twelue pence where in very deede tenne shillings were with the least or but the twelfe or fifteenth or but the thirtieth or fortieth parte of the thing it selfe custome carries it be it reasonable or not that it shall still be paid in no other sorte Otherwise the denial or non-payement of any kinde of tithes is nothing else but a flat deniall debarring and withholding of a manifest right and no more makes a custome how long soeuer it hath been left vnpayd then doth a a tenants denialâ— or detayning of his rent from his land-lord prooue and cause it to bee irrecouerable and not due whensoeuer he list to claime or sue for it as a thing whereof the lesse is already payd the more is behinde and to come In a word Then properlie may it be called a custome when some certaintie is knowne that the Incumbent may bee able to vnderstande what is his due what his predecessours haue and himselfe ought to receiue and the parishioners what they are to pay Here it were not in vaine to recite some of those many hard customes and vnreasonable compositions wherewith at this day our ministery is oppressed that being laid open to the cleare view of all men they might the easier be discerned and the sooner If the case be not desperate mollified But as well for auoyding tediousnesse as for other causes I leaue them to the consideration of the godly and conscionable reader who being any thing acquainted with the state of our ministerie may of himselfe obserue diuers such and doe onely wish that such due regard might be had thereto that hereafter neither any man may haue cause by writing nor any minister by grieuance to complaine thereof which might easily be effected if my coniecture faile me not if one thing alone not foreseene at the first were rightly lookt vnto now I meane the mutabilitie anâ— alteration of times For likely it is that whereas for diuers things by custome or composition onely thus much is now payd for the tithe thereof both in towne and countrie which prooueth now to be farre too little and the Church and ministery to be thereby greatly hindred the reason why so small a pay according to our times was heretofore either imposed or agreed vpon for I thinke that they were setled at first with consent and liking of both sides was because in those times it had prooued and was one yeare with another reasonable and such as was indifferent as well for the one as the other and the cause why they are found to
be so farre from indifferencie and so vnreasonable for the one side alone in these daies is onely or chiefly the alteration of the times by which ground fruites of the earth cattell houses and all other things titheable are growne to such a high rate extreame worth as in those daies was not imagined they could possibly haue risen vnto with continuance The speciall reason that mooues mee to coniecture this to be the cause is for that I know that in those times when such customes and compositions tooke their beginnings for most of them seeme to be somewhat ancient not the laytie but the Clergie the Church-men were the stronger side and therefore questionlesse would neuer yeelde but to such composition or Custome as in their iudgement and knowledge or conceipt then should not be preiudiciall to their Churches Wherefore if this errour of the times alone were amended probable it is that diuers customes and compositions which now ministers not without cause complaine of and grudge at might stand without dislike on either part The readiest way to amend it were to make such rates and payments somewhat alterable that so as prices of things doe rise or fall to any notable difference the rates and payments themselues might from time to time as vpon euery vacation of the benefice or altenation of the possessour or other like opportunitie vary and alter and not the minister enforced to looke with his continuall hindrance when things will come which happely and verie likely will neuer be to those old rates and valewes againe and be faine to liue the meane while not as his parishioners according to the present times but as no body else doth according to the former as if it were possible for the minister alone and aboue any others now a daies to liue well enough by that which was thought and found when meanes to liue by were more then â—ower times cheaper then now they are to be but sufficient for him euen with the least or reason that any howsoeuer vnreasonable preposterous composition should bind as well the succeeding as the present Incumbent men haue power to preiudice not only theÌ„selues because meÌ„ may do with their owne as they lust but also all that â—ome after them euen in things that are not their owne farther then for the vse and present time I come now to the fourth and last sorte of obiections viz. those which are more special then any of the former that is such as concerne Personall tithes Touching which very much is to be spoken and answered as which of all other are most in question It seemes vnto many a thing most vnreasonable and hard that personall tithes such I meane as of Artificers Tradesmen Merchants c. are to be paid should be demanded And therefore as if the Statutes and lawes to that purpose made and yet in force were a thing against all reason and conscience they will not abide to heare thereof What men to pay tithes of their labour and of their priuate gaines Tradesmen and artificers to be accountable for tithes But for answere 1. That such kinde of persons ought to contribute toward the maintainance of the minister as well as others is alreadie so plainely and firmely prooued that any man not voide of sense and reason cannot but be satisfied with it 2 This kinde of contribution whether any lust to call it a Tithe or a tribute or a rate or a pay or what else any will it is not much material it is the thing it selfe and not the name that is in question If the name seeme odious vnto any let it be changed if it may Though I thinke there be more reason to retaine also the name as all our predecessors and lawes haue done then to alter it 3 Concerning the quantitie how much they should pay this is graunted that such persons are not required to pay as the husband man doth an entire tenth but a tenth of their cleare gaines their expenses and charges being thence deducted 4 If the quantitie determined doe seeme also as to many it doth ouer great what might be little enough I cannot easily gesse And I suppose our predecessors and the wisest and most learned of all Christendome which did determine it saw more cause and I doubt not but they saw in this matter as much as was to be seene why so to determine then any now can shew for the contrary Their common allegations are as followeth 1 They of whom such personall tithes are demaunded are poore tradesmen artificers c. which hauing no lands no cattel c. as hath the husbandman are not able to pay Answere 1. Where pouertie is truely pretended their case I grant is to be pittied not burthened Neither is it intended that ought should be payd but where it is due But he is very poore that hath nothing at all to pay If their gaine and income bee but small yet according to that it is as they haue receiued so ought they to returne againe to God It is not fit nor it is not lawfull because they haue not asmuch as they desire therefore they should spend Gods part and their owne too eate vp that by which the minister should liue as well as that which perteineth to themselues 2. But whether pouertie be alwaies iustly pretented as if none were to be accounted rich but such as haue lands and cattell may very iustly be made a question For if as a tree is knowne by his fruites so pouertie or riches may by the effects then out of all question if we compare the husbandman and tradesman the townesman contryman together in other outward things as in diet apparell house houshould furniture building expenses c. it will easily and quickly appeare who is the poorer And now is it not strange that whereas in all other things in worldly matters the tradesman c. oftentimes exceeds the countryman very much and will bee taken for the richer more able person onely in honouring God with his substance in vpholding religion with his riches in maintaining the ministerie of the Church with his wealth he wil not come neere him by manie degrees but though he delights to haue the fairest house the best apparell the furest armour goodliest furniture richest table c. Whatsoeuer it costeth him yet is contented rather then he wil be at any charge to haue the worst teacher the abiectest minister And is pouertie the true cause of this is need alwaies iustly pretended Is that I say euer the right cause why now a daies among such vix inuenias locupletem locupletem dico they bee S. August words not mine non tam facultatibus sed opâ—rib a man can scant finde a rich man a man I meane that is rich not so much in worldly goods as in good workes in abilitie as in deeds Why that many etsi in domâ—b aeuroâ—unt diuites tamen in Ecclesia sunt mendici Though at home in their
golde a memorable testimonie of their gratefull mindes They thought it not enough to giue to God as others did and as was ordinarilie required but because they had tasted of Gods mercie aboue others they account it their dutie as euery godly man should to giue to God more then others For nature much more religion teacheth all that The more a man receiueth the more hee is bounden The greater benefits the greater thankfulnes is required at his hands True But cannot we be thankfull to God though we offer vnto him none of our goods we can praise him with our hearts and with our tongues declare the wonders that he had done we can exalt his name in the congregation of the people and tell out his workes with gladnesse Or To be plaine we can be content to offer vnto him the oblations of our hearts and our lips but not of our hands We can be content as S. Bernard very aptly to this purpose speaketh to goe with the wise men to seeke Christ yea we will with them fall downe and worship him too but we be growne too wise with theÌ„ to open to him our treasures That is the very renting of our hearts we cannot endure to be tied vnto it If Paul will make Agrippa a Christian he must except these bands too But be not we deceiued God is not mocked He requires that we honour him with our goods as well as with our bodies and our spirits for both those and these are his Which the man after Gods owne heart Dauid well considered when as we read Psal. 116. hauuing bin in such distresses and troubles that standing vpon the brincke of the pit of dispaire he said All men are lyars and vtterly deceiued that say or account of me that euer I shall esâ—ape these daungers and be exalted to sit vpon the throne and yet at length finding Gods mercies so vnmeasurablie heaped vpon him that he was not able to expresse them bethinking how to shewe himselfe not vnmindfull thereof nor vnthankfull therefore hee did enquire within himselfe saying Quid retribuam Domino c. What shall I render to the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done vnto me He resolueth not onely I wili take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord but also this verse 15. I will offer a sacrifice of thanks-giuing according to the law and I will pay my vowes euen now in the sight of all his people that is I will with my goods performe such ordinarie duties as the Lord in his law doth require and I will besides render of my goods such other things as in my trouble I vowed extraordinarilie to giue or offer vp vnto my God if he should deliuer me out of them Now if men be so farre from Dauids minde that because they haue beene in trouble and danger they will not onely not vow nor giue any thing extraordinarily but refuse likewise therefore to render euen that which God doth ordinarily require let them take heede least pretending to draw neere vnto God with their lips their hearts whatsoeuer they pretend be as farre from him as their hands and insteed of shewing thanfulnesse they do not openly bewray manifest vnthankfulnesse and so make themselues vnworthy of future blessings that be so vngratefull for former 3 But it is not fit that the minister should receiue personall tithes because so he will from time to time be acquainted with mens seuerall estates and know as well as they in manner what they gaine or lose from yeare to yeare Answere But why is it not fit he should know in some generall sort at least how god doth blesse or not blesse prosper or not prosper his people For how they do rise or fal what their states alwaies are hee cannot know because he is nothing the more acquainted thereby with their expenses and spending of that they haue God thought it to be fit enough among his own people the Iewes as may appeare by appointing them 1. To pay the tenth of euery thing 2. to bring 3. times a yeare euery man his offering according as God had blessed him In diuerse of their offerings to offer an offering of greater or lesser valew according as they were either riche or poore Againe we doe see that the husbandman at this day euery where doth account to the minister of God how God hath blessed inriched and increased him or otherwise diminished and brought hâ—m low in euery thing he hath both great and small And why shall tradesmen c. thinke that not fit for them to doe which God did iudge to be very fit for his owne people and which husbandmen neither refuse nor think vnfit Let others thinke what they will I doe verily think it to be not onely fit but also expedient and necessary too that euery man whether he be husbandman or tradesman doth liue by by land or sea by natures increase or by his â—rte and labour should let his minister know how God doeth either blesse or not blesse him that so he the minister may be the more occasioned the rather for that it so neerly toucheth himselfe either to praise God for plentie and abouÌ„dance sent or to pray to God where his hand is heauie for the remoouing therof and sending of better successe Farther But where som composition lies vnlesse the minister be made acquainted with the Income increase or decrease of his parishioners estate by Computation which way is it possible he shall know what certaintie to demand or depend vpon but must the thing that it most disclaimed indeed vtterly intolerable stand stil to the curtesie beneuolence of the parishioner Wherfore sith it is most vnfit and vnreasonable that the minister be left to mens curtesies coÌ„scieÌ„ces which now a daies be but short let such as think it not fit that he should be acquainted with their gains and losses from time to time condiscend at least to that which neither parte hath any iust cause to except against that is some reasonable Composition as in London alreadie there is which one yeare with another may be indifferent for both sides 4 But where is any such Tithe payd who is there that paies them Therefore why should we doe otherwise then others doe Hereunto though I might answere in a word We ought to liue by lawes not by examples And therefore though it were true that this kind of Tithe were now no where paid yet this being prooued as it is that of right it ought to be paid such examples of non-paiment doe not iustifie but make more euill the facte For The more trangressors the greater the sinne The farther the disease is spread the more intolerable and needing speedy care ne pars syncer a trahatur least al be mard yet if the willing Reader will vouchfafe but to turne a little backeward he shall there find it sufficiently declared how long by whom where those kind of
the Cleargie whereby the blinde leading the blinds both fall into the Pittâ— whereas if the minister as in other places had the whole they might haue some learned very able teacher to their Pastour who carefully attending them might saue both himselfe them that heare him Now if the matter be well lookt into what difference is there twixt the one and the other I meane if in the one place the minister hath all the prediall tithes kept from him and in th' other all the personall and thereby as well the one as the other is a fit receptacle for only the worst and vnworthiest Pastour And what is this but as that a kinde of Impropriating vnlesse happely it bee of the two the more wicked and intolerable First because in the other that the minister hath though it bee but little yet is certaine Hee knowes what to demaund of euery man and hath good Lawe for recouery of it if it bee deteined in this not 2. For the most part it is more in quantitie then the personal tithe is the number of parishioners or communicants one with the other compared 3. The other is taken away by Law this by very fraud and nothing else but abuse or at most vnsufficiency and weaknes of Law 4. In the other euery parishioner payes his full tithes if not to whom of right yet to whom by Lawe it ought to bee payd and so is quod ammoâ—â— discharged of his debt and dutie to God and the Church but in this the parishioner without so much as any cloake or coâ—uert of Law to hide his sinne withall deteines his tithes to himselfe and so conuerteth to his owne prâ—uate vse that which the other either directly or indâ—â—ectly paâ—es to God and his Church 5. Finally what benefit it may bee to any people to vsuâ—p this libertie I know not vnlesse this bee a benefit That by this meanes they may at their pleasure abuse wrong impouerish persecute weary out and driue awaye their minister whensoeuer they list For by this meanes if a companie of them shal but lay their heads together vpon any conceipt they haue against the man to hold him short for his maintenance and to pay him no more then perforce they must and both he they know how muchsoeuer in very deed his due bee hee is able by anie lawe â—et in force to recouer then it is easie to coniecture what will within a while become of the poore minister And whether this be not a kinde of persecuting of the Gospell and therefore vnfit to bee tolerated where the Gospell is professed let all men iudge For if in warres as experienceâ— dooth shew it bee possible to assault and ouerthrow the enemy aswell by famine and secreat vnderminings as by open battaile in the field and it be true which Diuines haue obserued that there is a kinde of persecution that is priuy and wrought by subtilitie and policie and it no lesse dangerous then that which is open by planie force and violence then out of all question this is as fine a pollicâ—e as notable a subtilitie whereby men may persecute the minister of God at their pleasure keep him and driue him from them wheÌ„ they list yet be reputed in the face of the world for none other then good and honest men yea religious and good Protestants as any lightly the deuill can deuise And therefore knowing the whynes of Sathan I will not maruell if any such as are secreat enemies to religion and indeed despise and contemne the ministers thereof what shew soeuer they make vnto the world shall labour and stand vp with tooth and naile to hold fast this supposed priuiledge benefit But I shal more then marueil if this diuelish Stratageme being thus disâ—â—uered any that sincerely feares God vnfcinedly loues the Gospell of Iesus Christ in trueth veritie affects the ministers thereof shall but open his mouth to haue it continued such an aduantage ready meanes for the diuell and his members to persecute the ministers of the Gospel at their pleasure suffered among Gospelling Christians I haue shewed sufficientlie that it is no benefit to any whatsoeuer some account it to be freed of personall tithes Now will I also shewe for the farther satisfying of all that indeed it is diuers waies a great benefit and the right way to do themselues good to paie them and so their owne great harme that they doo not 1. By that meanes they shall honour God with their riches as God hath commaunded Prou. 3. 9. as did Abraham Genes 14. Iacob Genes 28. the Israelites Numb 31. their neighbours and brethren that are husbandmen round about them doo and all men by the Law of God and nature are bound as already is proued and declared in the 6. and 7. Chap. of this treatise at large 2. They shall procure vnto themselues able and good teachers one of the most principall benefits that God can bestow on men in this life and not bee subiect as commonly they are vnto the worste and vnworthiest of all other Maintenance for learned men once setled had learned men will easily bee had also to accept it not had it is vaine to expect or hope for such to come among them I denie not but that sometime learned very worthie and able men doo accept of very meane places But it is either for very necessitie making of such as it were a stay till they can bee better prouided for Or it is for a supplie and by way of augmentation hauing some better preferment otherwhere And then not seldome it so falls out that delighting to be most with them that best maintaine them these are left to vnlearned Curates and so haue indeede learned men rather in name then in deede to their Pastors according to the measure they offer them which is a liuing in name and not in deed a maintainance in shew but not in proofe 3 They shall procure the blessing of God vpon them their goods euen in regarde of their outward estates For as after I shal shew more fully Cap. 9. following God doth blesse theÌ„ with pleÌ„ty increase of wealth that duelie pay their tithes as well personall as prediall and liberally maintaine theâ—r ministers whether in towne or countrie as contrarywise hee 〈◊〉 them with losses shipwrackes scarcenes barrennes pouertie and neede of all things that deale otherwise 4. They shall procure much vnitie amitie and good liking betwixt them and their ministers wheras now there is continuall dislike grudge discontent griefe and murmuring on both sides They think him a man couetous vnreasonable one that will neuer be satisfied he againe counts as the trueth is them vnreasonable and vnconscionable in their dealing toward him that look he shuld rest satisfied with their offerings only those other scraps that now and then fall out togither with what they lust besides to giue him Which is in truth a kind of
beggarly condition so vnseeming a minister of the Gospel that I hold him worthy much reproofe that shall accept and approoue it 5. They shall auoid the grudge and enuy of their neighbours husband-men and others that pay in good sorte who as I haue heard oft with mine owne eares doe repine and grieue that they should paye so much yet but their due to the maintainance of their ministers when others better able a great deale in wealth and worth though not in lands paye in manner nothing not the fortieth nor manie times the hundreth parte that they doe They ask not without reason why one husbandman his liuing beeing not worth aboue 10. or 20. pounds by the yeare should yearely paye 20. or 40. shillings a peece at the least and a Merchant a Clothier a Trade or handicrafts-man dispending by his trade or science an huÌ„dreth pouÌ„d a yeare at least esteemed worth 500. happely a 1000. poundes shall paye scant so manie pence Or when the husband-man payes somewhat either in Specie OF by custome and composition for euery thing hee doth possesse why these shall not pay of anie one thing almost the tenth For they be not so blinde but they can see nor so bad accountaÌ„ts but they can tell That if trades-men paid but the teÌ„th of their gaines for anie one commoditie that oft they deale in it would must needes be more then that they commonly giue for the whole Such inequalitie vn-indifferency seene betwixt them that be of one parish one church one countrey and one kingdome and therfore should be as equally and indifferently dealt with one as another how can it but offend and grieue them that be still pressed and beare euer the heauier burthen And so much the more when they see That by this meanes many times it is that they are ill taught haue had Ministers and their Ministers liue in need and beggerie whereas they know well that if the rest of their neighbors did maintaâ—ne them and allow them as much a peece or but half so much according to their ability as they do in al reasoÌ„ equity besides religioÌ„ so they ought they might haue as able good teachers as in other places parishes there bee 6. Whereas now it oft falleth out That where the place consisteth not of trades-men c. some of the wealthier sort are faine they seeing by the with-drawing and ill payment of the greatest number their Minister else not able to liue among them to pay more then is their due hereby a due certaintie setled by law all shall alike according to their estates be lyable to the Ministers maintenance and so he better maintained then before and yet they that before were ouer-charged much eased 7. Whereas now in diuers places some well disposed people considering their want of teaching haue of late yeares dâ—uised a remedy by surcharging themselues that is by maintaining a preacher besides their Minister by this meanes they shal be eased of a great part of that charge For their owne Minister being condignely sustayned would oftentimes performe that the other doth 7. 6. We do pay personall tithes as they are due so they are not denyed Answ. I do not denie but that diuers trades-men artificers c. doe pay their Ministers somewhat aboue 2 pence a peece as 4. pence 12. pence 2. shill. ten groates or it may be a crowne c. but howsoeuer they may account that ouerplus to be their personall or as they call it their priuie tithes and pay it in name thereof yet for my part I am altogether of another minde and do verily thinke and take the same to be but a meere offering onely My reasons are 1. If Tithes be Decima pars a tenth part of that a man doth possesse or of a mans gaines or increase for so the word doth sound men haue defined Tithes and the law of God doth determine then in no sense can such a scantling or pittance iustly be termed or counted for any Tithe seeing many times it is so farre from the tenth that is not Centesima the hundreth happely vix millesima pars scarce the thowsandth part of that yeares increase and cleare gaines and so no way proportinable to tithes either as gods law or as mans law doth lay them out 2. They which pay it do pay it not as a thing due and accountable as tithes are but as a matter voluntarie such are offerings which they may as they account and indeed vpon the least spleene in the world against the Minister do deny to pay thinking 〈◊〉 a man may beleeue them that by law he hath right to nothing but his two penie offerings and that whatsoeuer they pay him more it is their curtesie forsooth as a gifte or almes and not their duetie or his desert 3. It comes neerer to the quantitie and nature of an offering which commonly is and hath bene a thing voluntarie far lesse then the tenth part variable according to mens minds as well as their estates c. 4. Otherwâ—se the right payment of offerings cannot be seene among vs. For that 2. pence which alone they account to be their offering is enforced by lawe which requireth not so much onely but as I take it and els it is wrong somuch at the least of euery one and therefore is not voluntarie Secondly that is as they account it equall to all whereas gods lawe whence the custome of offerings hath his chiefest ground required it should be more or lesse according to euery mans abilitie Deut. 16. 17. And it were a shame and discredit to the richer sort that they should offer not like rich men much but as poore widowes euerie man his mite or as one tearms it wel micas their â—rums as if they reconed of the minister in the Ch. as of Lazarus at their doores 5. It was the custome once of our Church of England to make their offerings 4. times in the yeare at the least Which though now by a worse custome they be brought all to once presupposing it were yet invse if a rich man shuld offer but 4. times a yeare I would but aske what might be expected from him what but an halfe-peny at a time Could he for very shame setting aside Deuotion or Religion though he did pay his tithes besides in the largest maner cast downe lesse then a groate sixe pence or twelue pence at a time which cast in all at once comes to a like reckoning So that euery way this matter considered make of it what they can they can make no Tithes of it At the most it is but an offering and that a poore one too if it be compared with the aboundance which some of those offerers doe possesse or with the little which it selfe is in respect of that the husbandman doth pay or with the maner of offering among the people of the Iewes who I doubt not by way of voluntarie offering alone besides their tithes their
vowes their first fruites and their appointed sacrifices gaue farre more then manie of those of whom I speake doe giue euery manner of way Wherefore I may with good reason and euidence conclude That they which paye their minister but in such sorte therein paye him no tithes at all and so with-hold from him the greatest part of his maintainance viz. his Tithes wherein properly the very substance of the ministers maintainance doeth consist the rest viz. his offerings beeing but as an ouerplus cast in and added to the heap Wherein I would to God people would or could see First how hardly and iniuriously they deale with the minister in that for his whole yeares labour and paines among them they yeelde him no ordinarie maintainance at all For the offering as I haue sayd is but as an extraordinry bountie And therefore speaking of these matters I am wont to say That he which payes his offerings and other pettie and extraordinary duties but withholds his tithes doth like as if a man making a shewe to paye a man a bushell of corne by heape should deliuer him but the ouer-measure and keepe backe the iust bushell for himselfe Secondly how vnconscionable and voyde of due consideration they shew themselues who seeing the husbandman to pay tithes as well as offerings and to contribute towards the maintainance of the minister so liberally That there is scant a man among them whose liuing is worth Com. annis an 100. pounds but yeelds the minister 7. or 8. pounds at least and in places that be fertile and good a great deale more and diuers tradesmen c. in London I meane to pay by the house 7. times asmuch at least as they doe by this voluntary course yea knowing that they themselues doe many times giue the minister more for one houres labour as at a marryage a funerall c. then this way for the whole yeare yet can perswade themselues that they doe well and satisfie their mindes that they performe their dutie to God and his minister in very good sort For what conscience reason and equitie is in it that a man able to dispend by his trade science and profession 100. markes or an 100. pounds yearely should looke to haue the benefit of a ministers labours for him and his all the yeare long for twelue pence or tenne groates c specially when as an husband-man not of like worth in liuing by farre giues him as manie or moe pounds I hope I haue nowe made it most euident and cleare to the eye of all indifferent persons that notwithstanding any thing that can to the contrary be obiected it is both reasonable and necessary that Personall tithes aswell as Predial be payed by consequent That the lawes and namely the Statute of An. 2. Edu 6. cap. 13. to that purpose made are in that pointe not hard and vnreasonable but reasonably equall and iust Against the which howsoeuer some doe murmure and complaine in that respect yet I would to God that the ministers had no more cause of complainte then the people haue by reason of the greeuances which by occasion or abuse at least of that Satute concerning personall tithes they doe endure For if as I trust it may it may bee lawfull for them that be grieued to groane and that feele themselues distressed to call for helpe and open their griefes if in this time and libertie of the Gospell it may be free in defence and furtherance of the Gospel to speak the trueth the trueth is That that Statute in other respects is ouer-fauourable to the people as made altogither or their aduantage rather then to the minister and too hard to the minister not to the people Namely First in regard of the time allowed for payement which is at Easter For till then by the Statute the parishioner may choose whether hee will pay any penie of offerings or of those personall tithes This clause I assure you goes harde for the minister For howsoeuer in some countrey parishes where are fewe or none that ought ot paye personall tithes and the minister hath his liuing come-in at other times of the yeare in due sorte it is no great matter nor hurt to him to tarrie for his personal tithes and offerings till Easter yet in Townes and Citties where the poore minister hath but a little God knowes as yet to liue vppon to tarrie for all till the yeares ende and to bee faine as no doubt manie doe to borrowe c. wherewith to keepe house till Easter that goes hard 2. And as the forbearāce of a mans due so long time cannot but be to him some trouble and hindrance yet it were well if he lost nothing thereby in the end but that is seldome so For the parishioners who commonly are ready to prey vpon euery aduantage and ingenious to deuise meanes and shiftes to pay as little as may be take thereby occasion to shuffle together their whole yeares employments And then though they haue gayned well in the former quarters of the yeare if happely they haue lost any thing in the later the parson payes for it whereas if they payd those personall tithes as the husbandman doth his prediall or as fishers and fowlers doe their personall viz. alwaies when they arise or at the quarters end as in London the Minister might happely fare a little better then commonly he doth Neither is this all but by this means 3 if the Incumbent hauing serued 2. or 3. quarters of the yeare and more happen to die before Easter all is lost he his wife family c. for a great part of the yeares seruice shall haue nothing but the next Incumbent shal reape the fruits of his whole yeares labours Secondly in regard of the persons exempted by law from such personall tithes which be first all common day-labourers and then in fisher townes all saue those that haue fish to pay For of these the former is a fauour more then the husbandman hath who how poore soeuer he be yet doth and must pay somewhat And then the later is more then a fauour euen a great priuiledge to the wealthy besides the meaner sort of such townesmen seeing it is probable That no towne standes so on fishing but that there are in it dyuers they wealthy too of sundry other trades and occupations who yet if I mistake not go cleare by benefit of the expresse words of the statute where it were disagreeing neither to reason nor religion that they should help to maintaine their Minister of that they liue by aswell as their neighbours that liue by fishing and not the whole charge rest vpon some few and the Minister receiue nothing at all of many of them Thirdly in regard of the meanes appointed for recouerie of those tithes wherein the partie greeued is vtterly debarred of the defendants oath and per Conseq of any certaine and readie meanes thereto Of which point let that suffice which is before spoken Fourthly
in regard of the very words of the statute concerning the quantitie prescribed For I do not yet find it agreed nor explaned by any what is to be accounted Cleare games The common opinion is That only to be Cleare gaines and so titheable which a man putteth vp as they say in his purse at he yeares ende aboue all charges and expenses whatsoeuer Or which a man at the yeares end findeth his last yeares stocke to be increased aboue that at the beginning of the yeare it was But though I know that neither this way after this so large a sense do any almost now a daies satisfie the law that this neither is nor can be the true sense of the law I haue many and those apparant reasons as 1. So might the Ministers maintenance proue exceeding small nothing happely some yeares For it is probable that many trades-men c. may gaine well and yet lay vp nothing at the years end but spend all in housekeeping gaming drinking c. 2. So there should be no maner proportion betwixt predial and personall tithes Because where as the husbandman how smal soeuer his increase be yet paies somewhat the trades-man though he gaine indeed verie much yet if he haue occasion thereunto or but will spend all shall pay nothing And then wheras among husbandmen the maintenance of the Minister lies equally vpon them all both poore and rich euery one paying more or lesse according to that he hath among trades-men it shall lie onely vpon some few and those the honestest and thriftiest onely 3. So should the practize of that law for personall tithes vtterly differ from the practize of the same law in places exempt as in London in fisher townes c. In which euery man rich or poore that hath either house or fish paies accordingly euerie man spending but his owne and not the Ministers parte likewise 4. By this meanes the Minister stands still at an vncertaintie and the curtesie of his parishner the thing principally disclaimed For the parishner what euer hee gaine is still at his choise if he list to spend all and may handle the matter so that though another gaining but 20. pounds yeeld the Minister 10. or 20. shillâ— yet he gaining an 100. pouÌ„ds may not yeeld him twentie pence All which absurdities and inconueniences weighed it is probable that is not the true sense of the law vpon and from which they doe arise Another therefore if we seeke that I take it must needes be this That euery such person shall pay the tenth part not of his gaines absolutely aboue his first stocke or principall but of his cleare gaines that is of that which hauing diducted and abated all such charges expenses as besides the first penie that he had occasion to lay out surmounteth towards house-keeping and increase of stocke So that wheras in prediall tithes the husband-man is not allowed for his seede ploughing weeding reaping mowing shearing carriage or any other like charges in personal tithes it is otherwise The trades-maÌ„ c. shal be allowed besides his principal for his expenses in tools rent reparations for carriage cellerage custome and other like and pay Tithe onely of that which ariseth cleare aboue all such charges and is lefte him when hee hath made his full and absolute returne toward his houshold necessaries or to bee newely imployed as a stocke This sense as any man may easily perceiue first is very consonant to reason secondly beareth some proportion betwixt prediall and personall tithes in that wel-nigh all trades-men artificers c. may be found lyable more or lesse to such a kinde of paye thirdly admitteth some knowne certainety the thing specially intended in euery mans estate fourthly it is confirmed by the vsuall practize of the payment of such tithes in such cases as are out of question as in London where paying by the house euery man whose house is 10. shill. or aboue of yearly reÌ„t paies accordingly of fish wherof in most places the tithe is paid not of the iust Tenth but of the twelfth in some places but of the fifteenth part 2. or 5. parts as the expenses may appeare to be more or lesse being allowed for boate and Sayne c. Which doth plainly argue That the expenses mentioned in the statute should be vnderstood not of all kind of charges whatsoeuer that a man may bee at for himselfe and his Trade the whole yeare thorough but those onely which are imployed about the very thing it selfe as instruments and meanes or as the principal or a part of the principal to bring it the gaines to hand Which kind of charges or expenses once deducted the remainder being cleare gaines is to be shared betwixt the gainer thereof and his minister toward the maintenance of them both euen as the husbandman doth his whole increase as naturally it doth arise without any such deduction These things considered that is the time of payment the persons exempted the meanes for recouery and the ambiguitie of the words I hope I may without any daÌ„ger wrong or scaÌ„dal at al iustly conclude and affirme that the statute for personal tithes is not hard but exceeding fauourable vnto the parishioner That the ministers rather haue great cause finding by iust long experience how men abuse those fauours and peruert that law to their great preiudice the hurt of our ministery hindrance of the Gospel and decay of learning to complaine thereof with all earnestnes to craue desire the magistrats of the land al those in whose hands it lies to redresse such euills that weighing the matter more thoroughly and considering more seriously of the cause for the righting of their wrongs for furtherance of the gospel learning for increase of preachers in the land they would either alter this statute wholly and settle in steed of it a perpetuall composition betwixt the incumbent his parishners for personall tithes either after the maner of the citie of LondoÌ„ or some other like or else at least so explane amplifie and perfit a common practise in sundy cases euen of â—inal moment the present stâ—tute that al ambiguities and euasions being taken away and stopped the minister might plainly and directly know what to demand and how to recoâ—er it and the parishioner what and how to pay Wherein the case being so doubtfull ambiguous apt and open to contention as now it is any reasonable certaintie were much more beneficiall to the ministerie then that which now can bee had And it could not but be a meanes of much peace and concord betwixt pastour and people a thing worthy to be bought with som loss who now in this case wil yeeld in maner nothing without continual contention which moueth the greater number of ministers rather to lose in manner the whole then to be litigious and accounted contentious for a part The statute was made in such a time when it was thought a vertue to nip and
to the careful and due performance of this duety To which purpose â—t furthereth much As we haue already seene who and what persons are commaunded So to consider likewise who it is that thus commaundeth For that in any law and precept is a matter of moment and specially respected All scripture is by diuine inspiration and hath not man but God the author thereof It is not therefore Paul but the Lord aboue not man but God that maketh this lawe The person is such as hath authorithy to commaund power to compell such as of whose Iustice in decreeing and equity in prescribing without extreame impiety none may doubt Such consideration of the person commanding may serue vs to diuers vses instructions For First it dooth well confirme that already sayd touching the persons that must pay shewing That seeing God requireth this duety of euery man that is a hearer of the word therefore from performance thereof no man can bee free and exempt For who can discharge a man from obedience to God As for the lawes that men doo make beeing but meere humane ordinances ciuil constitutions they that make them may revoake them or except and exempt from the penalty of them whom they will or a higher power may dispense therewith but what man may revoake that with God dooth enact or dispense with those whom God doth bind â—t is a ruled case amongst Diuines graunted euen in time of greatest ignorance that against Gods law no dispensation or decree of man can hold shal wee thinke or practize otherwise in our greatest knowledg Who can giue thee power or leaue to commit murther or adultery to breake the sabboth or dishonour thy parents to steale to oppresse c. or make if how dooest any of these things that it shal not bee sinne vnto thee neither can any man giue thee power to breake this law of God or acquit thee of sinne if thou dooest breake it Let men pretend custome lycence dispensation pardon priuiledge or whatsoeuer els of like nature in this behalfe it helps not For as in the Law it is a Maxime Nullâ—mtempus occurrit Regi Against the king Prescription of time holds not so in Diuinity is this another Neque Tempus neque consuetudo c. Neither time nor custome nor priuiledge c. can bee a barre against God Men may aswel say That by custome by licence by priueledge c. they may bee discharged from seruing of God and hauing any Church any Sacraments any publike seruice and so any religion amongst them For doubtlesse so farre and so long as they are bound to honor and serue God publikely to haue the Sacraments administred amongst them orderly to haue the word preached vnto them effectually so long and so farre are they and euery one of them bound necessarily iure diuino by the expresse Law of God by th' eternal and inuiolable decree of the highest whose law is surer then that of the Medes and Persians with altereth not to contribute and yeelde a part of their goods toward the maintenance continuance the vse and exercise of that Religion and Ministery among them Which whoso neglecteth and refuseth to doo hee dooth thereby so farre as lyes in him hindeâ— the seruice of God shut vp the Church doores and roote out from among them the Ministery of the Church of God by which alone those things can bee and are to bee performed Secondly it sheweth vnto vs the equity of the law God being the law maker this law must therefore bee most equall and iust For who should make a iust lawe if not Iustice it selfe decree that which is equal and right if not equitie it selfe or order a thing wisely and excellently if not wisedome it selfe Shal not the Iudge of all the world doe right Genes 18. 25. Rom. 3. 5. Thirdly it warranteth vnto the ministers themselues their right title to their maintenance God commanding the people to pay doth allow them to receiue that which is their due And therefore they may lavvfully and with good conscience take it bee it much or little as their owne because God who hath authoritie ouer all and whose is the earth all therein hath assigned it vnto them They challenge not their maintenance by warrant of mans law onely or onely by the rule of equitie but also iure diuino by the law of God who as hee made lawes for the Priests Leuits that serued at the altar in the time of the law so hath for his ministers in the time of the Gospell Which thing this our Apostle plainly testifieth 1. Corint 9. 13. where he telleth vs That as by Gods ordinance They which ministred about holie things did eate of the things of the Temple and they which waited at the altar were partakers with the altar So also hath the Lord ordained for the time of the Gospel that they which preach the Gospel should liue of the Gospel Wherefore if at any time they preaching the Gospell haue not thereof whereon conueniently to liue it is not because God hath not allowed allotted them sufficient for their labour but because men iniuriously wickedly withhold from them one vvay or other that which is indeede their due This should aduise men to make conscience hovv they deale with the minister seeing it is God that hath interessed him to that whereby hee is to liue For they cannot debarre him of his due or defraud him of any part of his right without an open breache of Gods lawe and manifest infringing of diuine ordinance Were it not great iniury and sinne to denie a noble mans seruant or withhold from one of the Kinges officers the reuenues the lands the pension or other maintenance which his Lord and Maister hath out of his landes possessions lawfully giuen him But no noble mans seruant no officer of any king or potentate can haue greater right or better interest vnto any lands reuenues pension or other incomme giuen him by his Maister then the minister hath to that with is his due because hee hath it not from man but from God and holds in right of the truest and highest owner the Lord of all In the law of God there is a curse against him that remooueth his neighbours landmarke which his sore-elders had set Deut. 27. 17. If he bee accursed that remooueth the bounds that men haue laid out is not hee nigh vnto cursing and in daunger of Gods great indignation that remooueth the bounds of the Church and altereth the right of the minister which the father of vs all hath for many generations past fixed to stand for euer This is the principall reason why euery man should pay of his goods to the minister namely which I obserued to be the second branch of the first general part of this verse Because hee is taught in the worde by the minister The minister dooth teach the word and religion of God and so ministreth to his hearer the food of
bee First it dooth after a sorte correspond vnto that the teacher dooth while like as the minister of God dooth impart vnto his hearer in spiritual things all the counsell of God and deliuers vnto him euery principle of Religion instructs him in all seuerall duties and increaseth him in all kinde of Christian knowledge hiding and keeping backe nothing from him that God hath appointed him to teach and behooues the other to learne as notably our Apostle dooth for himselfe protest Act. 20. 27 so the hearer againe for his parte by a kinde of retribution dooth render vnto his teacher in teÌ„porall things a parte of all that hee hath some of euery sorte of goods that God hath blest him withall hiding and keeping backe from him no kinde of thing that is once his owne 2. It is the truest and iustest kind of payment that can bee For so the minister may haue his ful due without diminution or alteration which how much God respecteth may appeare by 2. speciall places in his law The first is Leuit. 27. 33. where it is sayd Of that which was the Lords parte hee that was to pay it should not looke whether it were good or bad neither shall hee chaunge it See God would haue it as it did rise else if he did chaunge it both it that it was chaunged for was holie to the Lord and might not be redeemed The other place is Deut. 26. 12. where the people paying their tithes are inioyned to doo it in maner vpon their oathe with very solemne protestation before the Lord. The summe whereof is this VVhen thou hast made an end of tithing then thou shalt saye before the Lord thy God I haue brought the hallowed thing out of mine house and also haue giuen it to the Leuit according to thy commaundement I haue not eaten thereof in my mourning that is for any necessitie whatsoeuer nor suffered ought to perish through anie vncleannes by putting it to any prophane vse but haue hearkened to the voice of the Lord my God and doone after all that thou hast commaunded mee That is I haue payd euery thing iustly as in thy law I am appointed Looke downe therefore from thine holie habitation euen from heauen blesse c. As who would say Hee desired to be blessed and prospered in all that hee had none otherwise but according as hee had dealt truely and iustly with God and his ministers in that point and acknowledged as was iust and dooth no doubt come still to passe that there were no hope to prosper well if hee should defraud God and his seruants of their sacred and appointed portions 3. It is the speediest course whereby the minister may receiue his due sooner then else hee possibly can or should For payd in kind assoone as it can bee seuered from the rest of that kinde it may bee payd which cannot so speedily alwaies bee done if the owner bee permitted to conuert it first into mony And this also was a point specially prouided for in the Law of God as appeareth Exod. 22. 29. where it is sayde Thine abundance and thy licour shalt thou not keepe backe that is thou shalt not defer the payment of them to the priest for that is meant by keping backe as interpreters doo agree the olde interpreter expressing it thus Non â—â—rdabis offerre Thou shalt not linger or foreslow to offer it And another Tremell thus Ne differto dare Deferre not that is put not off the payment of it from time to time but doo it out of hand so soone as it is payable And indeed if it bee an offence to God to keep backe the wages of the â—ireling that worketh for thee about thine owne busines and not to pay him assoone as it is due as wee are taught Deut. 24. 15. otherwhere shall we thinke that hee wil be pleased if his workman that labours for vs in his haruest bee payd when it pleaseth vs at our leisure once in a yeare happely in 2. yeare and not so soone as any parte of his maintenance falleth out to bee due vnto him 4. It is the most necessary course that can bee For the minister beeing to keepe house and hospitality too for that is required at his hands 1. Tim. 3. 2. and they must doo it that haue wherewith hee shal bee the better enabled yea and the more occasioned thereunto receiuing euery thing in kind and so hauing prouision of one thing or other alwaies at hand And this is a point so necessary to bee considered of in these daies wherein charity is growne colde houskeeping let downe and hospitality in maner banisht both out of Churchmens and laymens houses that if by this meanes viz. by paying the minister his due in kinde it might any whit bee reuoked and restored that onely good thereof were cause enough why it should with all care bee performed that so in so holy and necessary a good worke men specially they that should bee men of example to others might not bee any way hindred and discouraged but furthered therein to the vttermost 5. It is the most certaine and stable course that can bee as which is least subiect to alteration because howsoeuer the prices of things dooe rise or fal and daily change yet the things themselues change not And therefore Nature which commonly is one must needs bee the most indifferent and permanent standart betweenes God man the minister and his people that can bee God seemed to haue respect herevnto Num. 18. 27. when commanding the Leuits to pay the tenth of their tithes to the priests in kinde he sayth that so dooing it should bee reckoned vnto them as the corne of the bâ—rne or as the abundance of the wine-presse that is it should bee accounted as if it had beene growne vpon their owne ground by meanes whereof the priests with them and they with the people should still from time to time receiue more or losle as God gaue the increase which obserued still must needes bee the most equal and certaine course howsoeuer the world goe For so the minister as God blesseth the people shall bee partaker of the blessing and if they suffer losse hee likewise shall beare as is fitte the burthen equally with them Thus by all hitherto sayd that is by the practise of all ages the Law of God for his owne people and by manifest and manifolde reasons it may appeare that the right and best course for payement of the minister is to paye him in specie a parte of euery sort of a mans goods as it dooth arise in his kinde Some doo make a question whether it were better that ministers generallie were payd their maintenance by the things in kinde as commonly they are or as in some fewe places by set stipend Such a question is sufficiently aunswered by that already sayd I deny not but that in cases extraordinary and in some places a stipend may prooue more conuenient but
tell But hath not common reason preuailed there against so farre that now a dayes there is scarce any that wil either accept or offer it If very conscience reason can see it requisite to alter the pay for other men what lets it should not for the minister too vnlesse it bee that of all other wee respect them least Lastly nor doo I mooue other then that which long since was by law intended attempted to bee donc as may appeare in the abridgement of statutes in the title Appropriations by these words Because that much hurt hath come to Parishes by Appropriation of Benefices c. Bee it enacted c. That hence foorth in euery Church so appropriated a secular person bee ordeined Vicar perpetuall canonically instituted and inducted in the same Couenably endowed by the discretioÌ„ of the Ordinary to doo diuine seruice and to informe the people and to keep hospitality there c. And that the said statute viz. a statute of An. 15. Ric. 2. Cap. 6. shuld be kept put in execution all Appropriations made since the statute coÌ„trary thereunto to be reformed before a certain time or else to be voyd An. 4. Henr. 4. cap. 12. Where wee may note That euen then in time of grossest Poperie and greatest blindnes the Appropriations of benefices was accounted as indeed it is a great hurt and not a benefite to the people So necessarie to be reformed and restrained what might be that the estates of the land feared not to oppose themselues against the Pope the onely cause and cocatrice of those euills and thought the same not to bee in any measure sufficiently reformed vnlesse there were a perpetuall Vicar there endowed and that so conuenably that hee might bee able to readâ— diuine seruice 2. to preach and also 3. to keepe hospitalitie neither of which much lesse all is it possible for him well to doo that hath but such a stipend as wee speake of or such Vicarage as many at this daie are in the land Thus it is manifest That it is a thing but iust and reasonable that there should in such cases an alteration be made 2. That it were best to bee doone by things in kinde is also as apparant By which meanes a thing that ought not little to bee respected the minister each seueral Church beeing endowed should not liue in that seruilitie vnto lay-men as now a daies many doo to their pay-maisters Nor should so many bad and vnworthy men as there are things standing as yet they doo needs must bee bee thrust into the ministery Such places beeing now capable of none but such as bee most vnworthy and vnlearned would then as others are bee able to entertaine such as for learning and other gifts required in a minister were worthy maintenance CHAP. V. That toward the ministers maintenance euery man ought to contribute proportionabely and not voluntarily onely what euery man will That is tollerable onely in somâ— cases But generally or ordinarily it is a course very euill and perâ—itious Yet how it might be somewhat tollerable is noted Text. Make him partaker of all his goods HAuing in the former Chapters spoken of the qualitie of the things whereof the minister is to haue part wee are now to consider of the quantitie and examine out how much or how great a part of euery mans goods hee ought to haue The hardest indeed but the chiefest and most necessary point of all the rest On which if I dwell somewhat longer then in the other I haue done I trust the curteous reader considering how necessary and how difficult a point it is will easily beare with my prolixitie This that wee way finde out a two fold quantity must be considered of that is how much in proportion how much in number c. For the former The very words of our Apostle doo at least intimate vnto vs That there must a certaine Proportion bee obserued by them that giue of their goods to their teacher For requiring euery man to giue a part of all his goods hee shewes plainely enough that men must giue profacultatuÌ„ ratione according to their ability and the quantity of the goods they haue some more some lesse Not euery one like much arithmetically but euery man alike geometrically that is proportionable ratably As men doo differ in ability and wealth one hauing more another lesse as God hath and dooth blesse men some with one or two sortes of goods some with diuers and sundry sorts so they must blesse God againe by imparting to their minister a part of their few or many sortes so that of all and of each sort of goods euery man may returne a part This accordeth well with the course which God appointed vnto his owne people the Iewes for maintenance of their Priests and Leuits then Their principall maintenance was a tenth part of all things Now who knows not that where a certaine equall part as the tenth twentieth or xxx part is allotted there must needs bee a most equall and exact proportion among all one paying no more then another dooth according to his abilitie 2. They had a Law That three times a yeare all their males should appeare before the Lord none must appeare emptie but euery one must bring somewhat of his owne voluntary goodwill yet with this Prouiso Deut. 16. 17. Euery man shall giue according to the gift of his hand and according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which hee hath giuen thee that is according to his estate and abilitie 3. And in their ordinary offerings for cleansings for attonements c. the richer sorte were appointed their offerings of greater worth as a bulbocke a â—am a goat the meaner sorte a lambe a payre of turtle doues or two young pigeons So as a proportion according to the ability of the persons was still obserued And this course so liked all wisemen of former ages that they resolued none fitter then it for the maintenance of the ministers of the Gospel As if wee doo but looke vpon the maner thereof obserued for the most part all Christendome ouer for many hundred yeares past viz. That a certaine parte of euery thing bee payd to that vse may euidently appeare That thus it should bee wee may reason and gather First from the rule of equity which requireth that euery one bee dealt with indifferently and equally Now as in other payments of rents of customes of subsidies and the like taxations to Lord and King to this and that vse all men will graunt that there is no indifferency vsed if men bee not rated and taxed according to their seuerall estates as their abilities are in regard of others that are rated aswel as they so neither in this Then onely is the matter caried with equalitie when that rule which the Apostle prescribed in another case is obserued also in this that is That Some bee not burthened that others may bee eased but vpon like condition
the letter And in the same place reproouing the people of his time for not paying tithes hee hath these words Quomodo abundat Iustiâ—â—a nostra that is how doth our righteousnes exceed the righteousnes of the scribes of the Pharises if they dare not taste of the fruites of their ground before that they bring foorth the first fruites to the priests the tithes be separated for the Leuits and I dooing none of these things doo so abuse the fruites of the earth that the priest knows them not the Leuit is ignorant of them and them the diuine altar feeles not Againe in the same place Non videtur huiusmodi anima habere memoriam Dei that is That person seemes not to remember God not to thinke nor beleeue that it is God that hath giuen him the increase which he hath receiued which he so layeth vp as if God had no part in them For if hee thought them to bee giuen him of God he would know also by rewarding the ministers of the Church to honour God with his owne gifts rewards And a little after Indecens magnuÌ„ existimo impium vt is qui Deum colit c. I hold it to bee a thing vndecent saith he vnworthy and impious that hee which worshippeth God and comes into the Church who knows that the priests and ministers doe waite at the altar and serue either in the word of God or ministerie of the Church should not of the fruits of the earth which God causing his sunne to shine and sending raine in due season doth giue offer some part to the priests And where our Sauiour saith Math. 2â— 23. speaking of Tithes These ought yee to haue done and yet not leaue the other vadonâ— that he expoundeth to bee a morall precept no lesse for the vse of Christians then of the Iewes and so accounteth that by these words our Sauiour gaue his approbation for payment of Tithes in time of the Gospel So his iudgement is this that the law of tithes is still in force euen according to the letter that Christ approueth the payment of them that our righteousnesse doth not exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises if wee pay them not that that person forgets his dutie to God with omitteth it that it is a thing in a Christian vndecent vnworthy impious not to giue to the ministers of the Church a part of those fruits and increase which God hath giuen him c. Not many yeares after Origen liued S. Cyprian Hee epist. 66. reproouing one Geminius Faustinus a minister for intermedling in secular affaires saith That Ministers haue nothing to doo with secular affaires but as the Leuits had no other busines but to attend the altar so the Lord had prouided for ministers that they might not bee drawne by wordly occasions from their holie busines but might liue honourably maintained with their brethreÌ„ as they who receiued tithes of the increase of the earth Hee saith that the Lord had prouided such maintenance for his ministers alluding it may seeme to the place of the Apostle 1. Cor. 9. where he saith So hath the Lord ordained c. So that is as the Leuits and priests ministring in the temple and wayting at the altar liued of the same Three hundred yeares and more after Christ his time liued S. Hierome Hee writing vpon the Prophet Malac. cap. 3. where mention is made of Tithes saith What wee haue said of Tithes which once were giuen by the people to the priests and Leuits vnderstand to hold in the people of the Church that now is And a little after The people of the Church of Christ are commaunded to giue tithes For the farther proofe whereof hee alledgeth S. Paul 1. Tim. 5. 17. The elders that rule well are worthie double honour expounding the word Honour there to signifie maintenance and maintenance to bee Tithes In the same age though somewhat later flourished S. Ambrose In a Sermon de Quadragesima hee hath these words Quicunque recognouerit in se c. whosoeuer shal cal to minde that he hath not faithfully payd his tithe let him now amend that wherein he hath failed What it is to pay faithfully but that hee bring at no time neither lesse nor the worser sorte of his graine or of his wine or of the fruits of his trees or of his cattell or of his garden c. Neere about the yeare of grace 400. liued S. Chrysostome who writing vpon Matthew Homil. 41. saith directly Iustitiam Misericordiam fidem Iustice mercy and faith hath God commaunded for his owne glorie but tithes for the maintenance of his ministers And Hom. 18. teaching the husbandman how he may be a worthy Christian doo good works though hee build no Churches hee saith Quasi ducta vxore velspoÌ„sa c. â—n English As toward thy wife whom thow hast maried or thy virgin whom thou hast endowed so bee thou affected toward the Church Assure it a dower so shall the reward or as some read praedium the possession of blessing bee multiplied vpon thee For what good will there not come thereof Is it a small matter I pray thee that thy vinepresse bee blessed is it little that God of all thine increase dooth first receiue his part the tenth This furthereth much the peace or prosperitie of the husbandman In all which words hee dooth onely teache That men ought to pay tithes affirming it to bee Gods ordinance calling them Gods part but withall giueth these reasons why viz. 1. because so the minister is to bee mainteined and it is the meanes to haue a plentifull blessing vpon the rest I come now vnto S. Augustine who so succeeded the former in time that when some of them were very aged hee but began to write Hee hath written of this matter more then any of the rest There is extant one whole sermon of his de Decimis touching Tithes besides many sentences thereof in other places of his workes of which I will recite some Tom. 10. Hom. 48 Hee hath these words Reddite dictum est Caesari c. It hath beene sayd Giue to Caesar those things that are Caesars to God the things that are Gods Our foreelders therefore abounded in all kind of wealth because they gaue to God his tenth and payd to Caesar his tribute But now because deuotion to God is gone the oppression of the court is come vpon vs. We haue refused to lay out to God his tenth part now therefore the whole is taken from vs. The Chequer hath that which Christ hath not Againe writing vpon the 146. Psalm hee hath these Exime partem reddituum tuorum that is Lay out a part of thy reuenues or increase Wilt thou lay out the tenth lay out the tenth then though this be but little For it is sayd thath the Pharisies gaue the tenth also And what saith the Lord Except your righteousnes exceed the righteousnes of the
wast c. how grieuously and offensiuely he tooke it and how wrathfully and extreamely he did reuenge it Let vs not thinke but that God doth tender as much as euer Dauid did the cause of his seruants and if their beards be clipt and their coatâ—s cut short I meane their liuings gelded and their mainteiance taken from them if they be made to eate the sheâ—â—s and take the straw when other haue the kernells and the corne he both can and will in due time reuenge it He hath testified that it shall be easier at the day of iudgement for them of Sodome and Gomorha then for such as will not receiue his messengers whom he hath commanded departing to shake off against such the very dust of theâ—r fecte for a testimonie Wherofâ— of their extreame ingratitude and contempt of God and his worde and of Gods wrath and indignation against such contemners Secondly concerning himselfe fearefull and notable euen to this purpose is the example of Ananias and Sapphira his wife Act. 5. who making a shew to lay downe at the Apostles feete the full price of their land when indeed they kept backe a great part thereof are by Saint Peter reprooued in this sort Why hath Sathan filled thine heart that thou shouldest lie vnto the holy Ghost and Thou hast not lied vnto men but vnto God and againe verse 9. Why haue yee agreed together to tempt the spirit of the Lord and thereupon by and by for a perpetuall monument of his indignation against such sinnes are smitten horresco referens I euen tremble to tell it both of them with suddaine and terrible death with whom in sinne how neerely doe they concurre that keepe away that which for many ages past is consecrated to God and his Church by the lawes of equitie of God of the Church and of our land and therefore is not now in their owne power and cannot without great and apparant sinne be now conuerted or rather peruerted to any prophane and common vse and to couer their shame and sinne withall come into the Church and presence of the eternal God and there protest to their minister that they haue nothing to pay that they owe him of right but this and that that they doe not nor will not deceiue him of a peny c. but God is not mocked Hitherto of these words in generall tearmes which being briesly thus run ouer I will now more largely touch also certaine speciall obiections particularly Them for orders sake being many I will sort into 4. ranks as vnto certaine heads wherunto all such may be referred and they are these Personal Generall Local and Speciall Personall I terme such obiections as may be pretended against the persons themselues that should receiue such maintainâ—nce Against whom their vnworthynesse sometimes is obiected And that is twofolde either in life if they be such as be not of Good conuersation but giuen to some or other notorious vices or for learning if they bee such as can not preach at all or not so learnedly and excellently as some others doe To which one aâ—nswere may serue viz That notwithstanding any such defects yet the maintenance the ordinary maintenance of the minister for of that do I speake altogether ought to be in such sort setled vnto him that it may not be lawful not easily possible for any priuate persons personall vnworthines to withdraw it or anie part thereof People must know it is not lawfull to requite one wrong with another not fit that they bee at libertie to withdraw their pay from anie vppon supposed vnworthinesse least they take libertie to pretend vnworthines where there is none and vnder colour of fault in some offer iniurie to all and abuse vpon light occasions euen the best They must yeelde the minister his due howesoeuer If hee be such a one as deserues it not the fault beeing not theirs but his hee must answere for his faults other waâ—es No reason euery man be his owne iudge in his owne cause least malice or auarice become parties What is punishable or reformeable must be referred to superiours on earth or to God in heauen God neuer permitted anie such libertie to his owne people Whatsoeuer the Priests or Leuites were in their desert yet the people without any exception are coÌ„manded to bring in their tithes and oblations The Priests are reprooued by the Prophets and termed Dumb dogs Deceiuers Sleepie watchmen c. but the people are not aduised and taught by the prophets therefore to withholde from them their appointed legall maintenance neuer was there greater corruption among them neuer more wickednesse and all kinde of vnworthines then in our Sauiours time yet he sendeth the leper cleansed to the priest bids him offer as was appointed And sitting ouer the treasurie and there beholding how men cast in their gifts commendeth the poore widowe for her riche mite and approoueth the fact of all calling it the Offerings not of the Priests but of God Luk. 21. 4. It is also forefended by ancient lawes ordinances of our Church land Among which one is notable made in the time of King Hen. the 8. An. Dom. 1538. the words whereof are these Foras-much as by lawes established euery man is bound to pay his tithes No man shall by colour of duety omitted by their ministers deteine his tithes or be his owne Iudge but shall truly pay the same as hath bene accustomed without any restrainte or Diminution and such lack or defalt as they find in their Pastouts and Curates to call for reformation thereof at the Ordinaries or other superiors hands To this effect we read also in the Decrees lib. 3. cap. 20. De dec Tua nobis Nonnulli vitam clericoruÌ„ tanquam abhominabilâ—m detestontes Decimas ijs ob hoc subtrahere non verentur Verum si c. that is manie detesting the life of Cleargie men as abhominable feare not for that cause to withdrawe from them their Tithes But if such parties had due respect vnto God from whome all their goods do come they would not offer to diminish the right of the Church nor presume to deâ—eine their Tithes And a little after Seeing that God whose is the earth and the plentie thereof the whole worlde and all that dwell therein ought not to bee of worse condition then a temporall Lord that lets out his land to others It seemeth truely too vnequall if Tithes which God in token of his vniuersall Soueraigntie hath commaunded to bee payed vnto himselfe affirming Tithes to bee his vppon occasion premised or rather by purposed fraude should bee diminished And againe Whereas no man may giue away that which is anothers without the good will and consent of the owneâ—â— Because therfore we wil not suffer that the right of Churches and churchmen vpon any presumption bee diminished we commaund you That you doe compell all such as either in respect of their persons or of their possessions ought to pay tithes
personall or prediall to the Churches and cleargie-men of your Diocesse to pay them to the vttermost I will adde to these a notable saying of a later writer that is of R. Gualter Tig. in his Homilies vpon S. Mathew Homil. 269. They obiect saith hee that manie doe filthily abuse Tithes and therefore they are vnwoorthie to haue them But this is a bald excuse For of such abuses they shall yeelde an account to God which doe commit such things not who paye the Tithes And what reason will excuse him that with-holdes from the needy his necessarie Liuing least happely hee abuse it to surfetting and drunkennâ—s It is the parte of euerie Christian man to paye to euery man that which is his due and not to goe about to excuse his owne iniquitie by anothers fault hitherto hee Thus it appeareth neither the law of God nor of the Church nor yet anie equitie doe permit anie vpon a conceit of the ministers vnworthines any way to with-holde from him his due but that they are bound to pay it to him as hee is their minister and not-as he is so or so worthie a minister The principall reason why expressed also in some of the former allegations is worthy to be noted and that is Because the ministers maintenance is not properlie his but Gods part The Tithes are Gods as hath bene before shewed If he therefore be not worthy of them yet God to whom they are principally due is not vnworthie And therefore as it cannot be but a great fault to withholde rent from a Land-lord or denie tribute to a Prince for the persons sake that is his receiuer so it cannot but bee an open sinne to denie to God his right for his sake into whose hand it is to be paid I haue insisted vpon this point a little the more because howsoeuer it bee a thing vnlawfull yet it is too vsuall with vs in case of personall tithes There are not a fewe which abusing the weakenesse of the Statute that should restraine them doe take what libertie they lust vpon any occasion to wrong the minister Which being a practise so apparantly contrarie not onely to reason and equitie but also to the word of God and all good practize I trust as a thing not tollerable in a Christian common-wealth among them that carry any zeale to the Gospel or loue to them that bring the glad tidings thereof shall not long continue being so apparantly discouered without due reformation 2 General Obiections I tearme such as may bee made against tithes in generall or against the whole maintenance of the minister as this The Tenth is a portion too great for the minister and a burthen too grieuous for the people Lesse a great deale as a 20. or 40. or but an hundreth parte seemeth to manie might be enough if not too-much But who shall bee iudge in such a case what is too-much or or what but enough what euery priuate person or onely this present age Then indeed Vae vobis woe to you ministers Your staie is bad already and daylie worse and worse it wil bee There will be then no ende of oppression and crueltie of fraude and deceit of Symonie and Sacriledge And why but because all you haue is thought nowe a dayes of manie to be too-much And that though there be in places too many but little left yet lesse were enough But if God if our forefathers if all Antiquitie may giue Iudgement and obtaine Audience sentence is already long agoe past on your side viz. That the Tenth is but a competent portion and not too much For 1. First God assigned not it onely to his Leuites and Priestes but together with it well neere as much more in other things For as appeareth in the bookes of Moses Besides the Tithes of all things They had first 8. Citties with their Subburbs of a mile circuit at least for their habitation Num. 35. losh 21. Secondly theirs were the first fruites of all things both annuall and naturall Leuit. 23. 10. and 19. 24 Thirdly of diuers sortes of sacrifices and offerings either the whole or a great and euer a certaine part was theirs as Exod 29. 32. Leuit. 7. 31. and 8. 31 10. 14. 24. 8 9. and Num. 18. doth appeare Fourthly of all coâ—secrated things whether it were man or beast house or grouÌ„d either the thing it selfe without redemption or the redemption thereof at a full and certaine value was the priests Leuit. 27. Fifthly in cases of restitution if neither he to whom the goods belonged nor any of his kindred could be found the goods to bee restored was the Lords and the priests had it Num. 5. 8. 6. And lastly Their inheritance could neuer be diminished but notwithstanding any sale returned still in this Iubile increased it might be by Dedication c. Leuit. 25. 30. 2. As for the Church of Christ it hath bene generally so farre from accouÌ„ting the Tenth too much for the ministers of the gospell That Suasponte of her owne voluntary and free heart it hath added therevnto to the ende they might honorablie and condignely be maintained no small nor few augmentations Of Constantine the great that worthie Emperour it is recorded That ouer besides Tithes of all things which hee first of all by lawes Imperiall confirmed to the Church to enriche it withall First all such lands liuings houses and fields c. as in former times had beene giuen to the Church and in times of persecution taken away againe he restored 2. Of the heathen images which were of purer metall he made much money and gaue that money vnto the Church treasuries 3. Out of the publike tributes throughout euery cittie he deducted a certaine portion assigned the same to the Churches and Cleargie of euery place 4. If anie had dyed in martyrdome without heires or others of their bloud left any goods behinde them he decreed the same being enquired out should be brought into the treasurie of the Church c. 5. Whose munificence other Emperours Kings Queenes Princes and sundry other rich but deuout Christians following by sundrie meanes The goods and treasures of the Church saith one were wonderfully augmented 3. If we come neere home and by that which remaineth and the ruines of the rest iudge of the whole who so wil but cast his eie vpon that vniforme general goodly godly course which once our land-ouer was throughly planted for the maintenance of our ministerie here in England shall be not see That our ancient predecessours did account the tithes alone to be euen with the least And therefore beside the tithes To the ende the ministers of God the Leuites of the Gospel might haue wheron to liue as becommeth the Gospel of Iesus Christ they did as it were imitating the best God I meane in his law for the Leuites lot endow euerie seuerall Church with some reasonable portion of land called The Gleebe and 2. ordained likewise that euerie
Tithes haue from time to time beene paid Farther I answere that in diuers parts of our land they are paid in one or other manner namely in the citties of London Canterburie as both by practice and by the statute for that purpose extant in print is euident 2 Besides London these kind of Tithes are also paid in diuers other places in some other manner as I doe gather by the very words of the statute touching such tithes wherein is this Prouisâ— That in al such places where handiecrafts 〈◊〉 haue vsed in some other manner viz. otherwise then by computation of the tenth the expenses diducted or by compositioÌ„ for the tenth proportionably with London to paie their tithe that there the same CustoÌ„e of paymeÌ„t of tithes shall be obserued continue stil. For these words do plainly signify that there be such places in the laÌ„d wherby some ancient custome artificers trades-men c. haue vsed to pay such Tithes though in other manner then either by the statute generallie is prouided or in London c. particularly is vsed otherwise that Prouiso were superfluous 3 Also in fisher townes the fisher-men doe pay tithe of their fish and so doe fowlers of their fowâ—e both which are a kind of personall tithe as by the manner of payment thereof and custome of euery place may easily be coniectured Now seeing personall tithes are paid in fisher townes likewise in London some other places else after one sort and in diuers other places after another and in all other places of like nature ought to be paid it is superfluous to aske where they are paid and who doe pay any personall tithes Rather they shew themselues apparrantly worthy blame that mooued neither by the example of husbandmen that pay predial tithes nor of the best of our townes and citties such without all exception is London being the head cittie of the whole kingdome which doe in one or other manner pay personall tithes and so yeelde the minister a certaine maintenance will looke onely vpon those which regarding neither law nor good example doe not their duetie and account they doe not amisse so long as they doe but as such the worst not the best doe 5 But this were a great charge to townes and citties where people already though they doe pay the minister nothing toward his maintainance yet haue inough to do to liue And were it not a great benefit to them if they might continue as they doe in many places that is giuing that way but what they lust Answere 1. Why should any account that to be a charge and burthen ouer heauie which others do easily beare and that I say not without any griefe but euen with desire to continue Be there not diuers places in the land where prediall tithes being paid to the Church the minister receiueth yearely more pounds then shillings in some townes that yet are the more populous which neuerthelesse doo not count it a matter of charge nor repent that euer their predecessors condescended thereunto but may count themselues and are indeed of all other therby most happy because they haue those notable meanes which others want to obteine the best and most learned teachers to reside with them And what charge what burthen is it to the Citizens of London to pay as they do by the house Doe they complaine thereof Doe they finde it a beggering vndooing vnto them and see that they haue cause to curse the time that euer such a course was taken betwixt them and their ministers Nay rather doo not many of them of their owne liberalitie and loue to the Worde augment and enlarge it And dooth not infallible experience shew manifest manifold reasons conuince That it was an happy thing for them that euer so iust necessary a law was enacted and so excellent good indifferent a course prouided and planted for their ministerie And that the ministerie of our land specially in places of like condition will neuer stand in good estate nor the people thereof haue due and necessary teaching till the same or some other like course for personall tithes bee generally and duely planted and setled among vs. 2. Men ought not to count that a charge a burthen not to bee admitted beeing yet absent nor endured beeing present without which they cannot well bee But except men will maintaine a minister they cannot haue nor indeed are not worthie to haue a minister among them Wherefore as a tenant counts it no charge to pay his rent because vnlesse hee pay it â—start he knowes hee cannot dwell in the house so neither ought the parishioner who ought to account himselfe no lesse bound to pay to the Church the rights thereof and bee as willing to yeeld his ministeâ— that is due as hee would him to be to performe the office and duetie of a minister 3. It is certaine euident That our predecessours ancient best Christians did not account it a charge ouer-great to paie their personall Tithes and maintaine liberally their ministers nor a benefit to tradesmen c. to pay them nothing and giue them but what they lust For then they would neuer haue condescended as it appeareth generally they did to the payment and establishment of personall aswell as of prediall tithes And it had been an easie matter for them while yet no such thing was in practise and not so much as the name of personall tithes deuised and knowne to haue admitted no such kind of imposition but to haue held fast such a priuiledge and benefit but that besides reason it selfe religion had rightly enformed them that which couetousnes will not suffer vs to learne That such freedome was bondage such ease the worst burthen and such a benefit the greatest detriment and therefore it was as necessary for them to impose personall tithes on tradesmen c. as prediall on husbandmen no more benefit for those to bee free of the one then these of the other 4. I appeale to their owne consciences that thus obiect what benefit it is to any parish where prediall tithes are due to haue them taken from the Church and nothing there to be left except it bee some peeld Vicaridge scant woorth the taking or some beggerlie stipend worse then it I am sure vnlesse they will speake against their owne consciences all reason vnlesse they bee of that minde of which it is likely that some are viz. That so they might haue their tithes other profits which now the Church dooth or should enioy into their owne hands they cared little whether they had any minister any publike seruice of God or any teaching at all they must answere That howsoeuer the case now stand that is not benefit to the place but an extreame miserie plague seeing by that meanes they of the place must needs haue such teachers not as are fit but as they can get rest contented for the most part with the dregs and refuse of
abate the height of the Cleargy and therefore if it do seeme â—o fauour rather the parishioner then the Pastor â—and giue the one aduantage to pay little rather then the other to recouer much it is not much to be wondered at or greatly misliked But now that time it selfe and truth her daughter haue discouered the defects thereof and the present time affecting as is necessarie and iust a learned and able ministerie it were requisite and a very godly act if it might so be lookt into that it might appeare we are no lesse respectiue of our times then they of theirs as willing to restore to the Church and ministerie what wee finde wanting and needfull as they to take from them what they thought superfluous and needlesse Thow mayest maruell happely good Reader why in vrging this matter of personall Tithes I doo so often mention the custome and order of the Citie of London but both that thow maist not bee ignorant of my meaning and bee mooued the sooner to be of my mind I will not conceale from thee the causes thereof which are as followeth First long and good Experience hath prooued that course beeing duely and without fraud and corruption practised to bee very equall and good Such indeed as it is hardly possible for the wit of man to deuise in the like case a better 2. It is a thing desired of the greatest part of the ministers of our land whom the case concernes as which if it might in case of personall tithes bee generally planted would as already appeares by the practise therof in that one place make our land our Church our ministerie and people much the happier 3. What course disclayming that which is found by too long and too much experience to bee very preiudiciall and vnsufficient should any rather looke vnto then vnto that which the head Citie of our Church and kingdome hath as a spectacle and example to the whole if men had as great desire to imitate the best as the worst vpon due and mâ—ture deliberation established and planted in it selfe and for the good it findes therein without any desire of change or alteration hitherto continued 4. It could not but bee a thing praiseworthy and goodly if as there is one Law for prediall tithes the whole land thoroughout so there might bee likewise for personall tithes 5. It is a rate so small a pay so tollerable for the people yet where the parish is any thing populous reasonably competent for the minister also that a lesser or easier cannot with any reason or equitie bee desired For it is nothing so much as either the husbandman dooth vsually pay or as the tradesman artificer some yeares otherwise of right ought to pay 6. Seeing it cannot bee denied but that by meanes thereof the ministers of London liue in very good Scholer-like sorte in so much that to the praise thereof bee it spoken There is not a poore and needy minister among them The people also seeing thereby their ministerie to bee good and the Gospell to flourish among them yeeld it with greate contentation what haue the ministers of the places townes and Cities speciallie offended that they may not bee as well prouided for as they of London Are not their labours and studies as deare vnto them Are they not Pastours in the same Church and members of the same kingdome Or what haue the people of other places townes and Cities specially committed that they also should not bee as duely prouided for of a good ministerie and of able teachers as they of London Are they not members of the same Church and kingdome their soules redeemed with the same price but that the one as if they were the ofspring of Eli should bee faine to crouch for a peece of siluer and a morsel of bread and the other like the people of our Sauiours time but none taking compassion vpon them should bee left dispersed and scattered abroad to seeke here and there for the word of God as sheep hauing no sheepheard 7. If that course planted in London so long time since euen in time of Poperie while yet the Law for personall tithes stood in his greatest strength and the offerings other deuotions of the people to the Church were 7 I might say infinite times more then now they are was found euen then to bee most necessarie and fit for both sides to bee a meanes of great agreement and content betwixt the people Pastour and more beneficiall for the Church it selfe beeing at a certaine composition then the vncertaintie of those tithes No man is able to shew any reason why now the statute for personall tithes beeing very weake and vnsufficient the deuotion and offerings of the people beeing come as it were to nothing such a compsition and certaintie should not be fittest and most necessarie the whole land ouer 8. Last of all Imagine the Londoners did deale at this present with their ministers as the tradesmen artificers of many places doe that is did yeeld vnto the minister but two pence a 〈◊〉 at Easter and if any thing ouer yet but what themselues lift no certaintie lesse for his whole yeares labours and for all dueties commonly then the country minister besides his gleebe and besides his great and smaller tithes receiueth for his Eâ—ster booke onely is it probable or is it possible there would notwithstanding be in London as many learned and worthy preachers as now there are of the Gospel of Christ and the preaching of the word flourish and abound therein as now it doth no man I thinke will be so sencelesse as so to conceiue and affirme for vâ—i cadauer â—bi aquilae Why then is it not easie for men to conceiue If they will not be blinâ— how expedient it were for other places to be prouided for as it is and how dangerous and hurtfull for them that they be not The onely thing that I see can here against be obiected is The state and condition of other places is not like vnto the Cittie of London And why Because in London there is no meanes in the world in diuers of their parishes personall tithes being not paid by Computation how to raise any maintenance but by the house but in other places there are some prediall tithes or other kind of personall tithes which are and easily may be paid in their kinde 1 This helpe and augmentation is but in some places only For diuers places there are where the state of the Citie of London and of them in this respect is all one 2 Though in some places there are more prediall tithes then in London yet the parishes being not so populous nor the rent of houses so great by a great deale the personall tithes though rated according vnto London must needs be lesse and so the maintenance one thing considered with another not much different 3 Be it as in some countrie market townes