Saviour in this place also approveth of the payment of Tythes not a word of prohibition or cessation but an approbation of the payment of Tythes as the peoples duty in those days Had he declared that Tythes should no more be paid after his time certainly it would have pleased many a carnal hearer at that time as the hopes of that prohibition or cessation it is to be feared would please too many carnal hearted prophane or spiritually and Antichristianly deluded and seduced souls in these days who would remove both Ministers and their just Maintenance if it did lie within their power But you have not a word from Christ of cessation or taking away of Tythes from the Priests of those times or from the Ministers of the Gospel in succeeding ages 3. The third place in which Tythes are spoken of is that of the same Evangelist Luke 18.11 12. Two men went out into the Temple to pray the one a Pharisee the other a publican the Pharisee gloried in his performances God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this publican I fast twice in the week and give Tythes of all that I possess The Publican humble in his own eyes O God be merciful to me a sinner Our Saviour doth not condemn the Pharisee for his giving of his Tythes of all he did possess but for that he trusted in his own righteousness as you may see evidently manifest in the end why Christ did speak the Parable Luke 18.9 He spake this Parable unto certain that trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others So that you see here is not a word of our Saviour against Tythes or the payment of Tythes in his time nor a word of prohibition that his Ministers in the New Testament should not receive Tythes yea rather Christ approveth the payment of Tythes as part of the Pharisees righteousness which they ought not to leave undone and he tells his Disciples that exccept their righteousnss do exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees they cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven Matth 5.20 Origen in Mat. From which Origen in his time prosseth the payment of Tythes in the Gospel as a duty The fourth and last place in the New Testament where tythes are spoken of is that of the Apostle Heb. 7. in which Chapter tythes are mentioned six or seven several times and in none of these are Tythes condemned by the Spirit of God in the Apostles but rather approved and declared to continue even to the worlds end as Christ's right and special part for maintenance of his service who is a Priest not after the order of Aaron for a time but a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec To give you a clear light to see this truth read the Chapter and you shall finde that the Apostle in the three first verses rehearseth the History recorded in Genesis of Melchisedec and Abraham First Melchisedec described by his Offices 1. A King or King of Salem vers 1. Interpreted first King of Righteousness secondly King of Salem that is King of Peace vers 1 2. 2. A Priest of the most high God yea made like the Son of God abiding a Priest continually vers 2. 3. He describeth Melchisedec by his Actions First he met Abraham as he returned from the slaughter of the Kings Secondly He blessed him 2. Again he describeth Abraham by his owning of Melchisedec as a Priest of the most high God giving him the tenth of all as Gods portion the Tythe due to God To whom Abraham gave the tenth part of all vers 2. 3. He sets forth the greatness of Melchisedec above the Patriark Abraham First Because Abraham gave him the tenth Now consider how great this man was to whom even the Fatriark Abrahm gave the tenth of the Spoils De summitatibus rerum Of the tops of things vers 4. So our Translators render it But the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de praecipuis c. the Greek signifies of the tops of the heaps of the very best things which may be of other things as well as of the spoils Secondly because Melchisedec blessed him for the less is blessed of the greater saith the Apostle vers 7. 4. The Apostle compareth the Priesthood of Melchisedec and Aarons â—iesthood together and proveth the superexcellency of Melchisedec's Priesthood above Aaron's and this by divers arguments taken from Tythes or their divers grounds manner and order of their taking of Tythes as you may read in the fift and sixt verses and the verses following For first vers 5. he affirmes that they that are of the sons of Levi who receive the office of the Priesthood they have a commandment to receive Tythes of the people according to the Law or by vertue of that law yea of their brethren though they came out of the loyns of Abraham But verse the sixth He that is Melchisedec Heb. 7.6 whose descent is not counted from them received Tythes of Abraham great Grandfather of Levi who had the Priestood and blessed him that had the promises Therefore Melchisedec's Priesthood is far more excellent then the Priesthood of Aaron or Levi because he received Tythes not by vertue of the Levitical Law but by a higher and far more antient right even by a right from God himself as Gods High Priest more antient then Levi by far as your may read Gen. 14.20 Abraham Great-Grandfather of Levi paid Tythes to Melchisedec the Priest of the most high God four hundred years before Levi's Priesthood was appointed Secondly Heb. 7.8 Verse the eighth the Apostle proveth this by another Argument Heb. 7.8 Here men that dye saith he receive Tythes that is herein in the Priests of Aaron and Levies order they who are mortal receive Tythes they and their Priesthood are mortal and so their receiving of Tythes it mortal as dying like themselves and their order of Priesthood is dead and gone and their tything dead as Levies Priesthood ended But here Melchisedec that Priest of the most high God and his order receive tythes of whom it is witnessed that he liveth for verse 3. Melchisedec is said to have neither beginning of days nor end of life and so he liveth to receive tythes while the world lasted not in himself but in Christ whom he typified and who is a High Priest after the order of Melchisedec and so to receive Tythes as Melchisedec did not from any right from Levi or the Levitical Law but in his own right from God his Father who made him heir of all Heb. 1.2 Thirdly Melchisedec's Priesthood was more excellent then Aaron's or Levi's because Levi who received tythes paid tythes in Abraham to Melchisedec for he was yet in the loyns of his Father his Grandfather Abraham when Melchisedec met him as the Apostle declareth Heb. 7.9 10. Vers 9 10. But we read not that Melchisedec paid tythes at
all It is Christ's priviledge to receive tythes not to pay tythes therefore Melchisedec's and Christ's Priesthood is far more excellent then Aaron's or Levi's Priesthood or their order Fourthly The Apostle taketh another Argument from the Law of Ordination of each Priesthood Melchisedec's and Aaron's and so of Christ's and Aarons This vers 15 16 17. Because Christ who ariseth another Priest after the order or similtude of Melchisedec he is made not after the Law of a carnal commandment the Levitical Law which is ended Psa 110.4 but after the power of an endless life Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melceisedec Therefore as Melchisedec did so doth and may Christ receive tythes for they are Gods part and Christ's part as Heir to God his Father and so tythes are rightly yea by Divine right due to Christ And thus you see there is nothing in the New Testament in all these places in which tythes are mentioned by which God the Father may be proved to have given away tythes from Christ his Son the Lord of his Church and of his Servants in the Ministery of the Gospel nor in which Christ hath released his right to any or disposed of it to any but to his Ministers for their labor in his service in the Gospel Therefore whatsoever the erring Anabaptists or Quakers speak to the contrary to their seduced Disciples Tythes are the Lords still and will be to the end of the world But some Quakers or Anabaptists it may be will object further Object 4 If we grant that Tythes are the Lord Christs yet what proof is there that they are the Ministers of Christ now in the New Testament Christ doth not name Tythes with any command to give them to his Ministers and Ambassadors where find we any such thing in the New Testament I answer Answer Although Christ doth not name Tythes by a particular command to pay them to his Ministers yet he doth by himself and by his Spirit in the Apostles command as much in substance as if he had named Tythes or challenged his right in them for the maintenance of his servants in the work of the Gospel For first Mat. 10.7.8 Luk. 10.1 2 3.4 c. If we read the manner of Christs Commission or sending those his Disciples to preach the Gospel as it is recorded Mat. 10. and Luk. 10. Christ sends them forth as laborers into his harvest and he giveth them a charge to take no purse nor scrip nor silver nor brass no provisi on for maintenance but to eat and drink what was set before them and he giveth the reason For the laborer is worthy of his meat and worthy of his hire or reward for his labor Now I demand the Question Whose laborers are Christ Ministers are they not Christs and who should pay them their wages or give reward or maintenance for their labor in preaching and publishing the Gospel is it not Christ and out of whose substance or estate should Christ pay his Workmen is it not our of his own If not why then did not Christ give them provision with them when he sent them out to preach the Gospel but sends them to the people of the world many of which would not receive them and wisheth them to receive of the people whither they came for their maintenance Certainly it is not that Christ would take any thing from others that was none of his own to pay his workmen with but to teach us that Christ had a part a portion and inheritance in the peoples hands the Tythes the Lords reserved part and out of this his own part Christ expected his Disciples his Preachers of the Gospel should be maintained and threatens those who should refuse to give his servants entertainment Luk. 10.11 If any receive you not saith Christ shake off the dust of your feet against them And it shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment then for that man or that woman or that city that refuseth Christs servants or denieth them that part which the Lord Christ appoints them for their just and due maintenance Witness our Saviour himself Luke 10.10 11. 2. Again Rom. 15.26 27. the Apostle Paul holdeth forth this as a duty That to those that communicate spiritual things it is the peoples duty to communicate carnal things to them Rom. 15.26 Thus between the Jews and the Gentile and thus between the Ministers of Christ and the people for the reason is the same The Ministers communicate spiritual things in the preaching of the Gospel therefore the people are debrors to them and it is their duty to communicate temporral or carnal things such as are for the comfortable livelihood of Christs Ministers And if it be the peoples duty then it is a debt they owe to Christ and to his servants and if they owe it to God and to Christ then it is Gods none of theirs And what is held forth to be Gods special part or portion for maintenance of his service and servants Mal. 3. Heb. 7. but the tenth part the Tythes which were and are Gods and Christs as noted before 3. The same Apostle A compatatis 1 Cor. 9 proveth by divers arguments from divers comparisons that there is a part due to Gods faithful Ministers laborers for Christ in the Gospel Thus vers 7. 1. From a Soldier 1 Tim. 6.12 2 Tim. 23. Jud. v. 4. And why noticceive their pay due from Christ for the same 1 Cor. 3.6 7. From a Soldier Who goeth a warfare at any time at his own charges Gods Ministers are soldiers for Christ to defend the truth of the Gospel against all enemies to contend for the faith once given to the Saints 2. Again Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof Gods Ministers are planters And wherefore should they not eat of the fruit for their labor feed on Gods part which he hath reserved the Tythes for their maintenance 3. Act. 20 28 Who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock Gods Ministers are Shepherds and wherefore should they not eat of the milk of the Flock why should not Gods tenth be for their nourishment 4. The like arguments taken from the husbandman and other laborers and these grounded upon the law the law of God nature or reason vers 8 9. Say I these things of my self saith he saith not the law also the same For it is written in the law of Moses Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corn Den. 25.4 1 Cor. 3.9 10. Doth God take care for oxen or saith he it altogether for our sates For our sakes no doubt this is written that he that ploweth should plow in hope and he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope Gods Ministers are Gods husbandmen and laborers Gods people are Gods husbandry And good reason Gods laborers should partake of the
Ages but this was still a time when the Church was subject to persecution and dangers and many poor and so a necessity to live in Societies as the people of God did in those dayes a full answer you have in my Justification of Tythes to belong to Christ and his Ministers Hom. 23. ad Epist 1. a Cor. â— in cap. 16 Ambros Tom. 5. Serm. in Ascenti Domini by Divine right and yet all places were not in like condition even in those times Now Sir you proceed forward and bring in Hierom and Chrysostome who you say did press payment of Tythes and Ambrose Bishop of Millan about the year 400 after Christ pressed the payment of Tythes Anthony Peirson's case And page 5. Augustine say you in Sermon de tempore in Tom. 10. This is the just custome of the Lord that if thou dost not give the Tenth to him thou shall be called to the Tenth thy self And after Decimae ex debito requiruntur tythes are required as due debt you add Leo Severine and Gregory Mr. Bourn's answer Thus you have now alledged divers Antients who do not only declare for payment of tythes but for payment of them by Divine right or as a duty Gregory's judgement was that the tenth of all was to be given to God as many others and truly any man that rightly considers the Histories of the Church and what is written by the Antients may see clearly that howsoever in the beginning and dangerous times tythes were not pressed for weighty Reasons as I have shewed in my Defence page 44 yet so soon as ever the Church came to a settlement and they were more free from persecution tythes were preached and pressed and payed as a duty not as alms or liberal devotions as you would make men believe Anthony Peirson's case Again page 6. he affirms that from the opinions of these and other antient Fathers who took their ground as he thinks from the Law tythes were brought into the Church but not received as a general Doctrine that Tythes ought to be payed till about 800 years after Christ Mr. Bourn's answer First how know you that these antient Fathers took their ground out of the Law that Tythes ought to be pay'd as if it had been the Levitical Law only why might they not take their ground long before that Law even from that payment of Tythes by Abraham to Melchizedeck the Priest of the most high God and from Jacobs Vow and what Christ spake and his Apostles writ in the Gospel and Epistles especially that to the Hebrews chap. 7. I am sure some of the Fathers do alledge arguments from divers of these See my Book pag. 59 60 61 62 c. and so it might be from a light to the conscience that Tythes are Gods part and Christs right for maintenance of his worship and service hence might press the payment of them For what you say that the Doctrine was not received till the 800 year certain it doth not appear but the contrary for many Writers before that time did assert the payment of Tythes and that as a due yea by Divine right as I have declared in my Defence of Tythes read my Book with Doctor Slater and Doctor Tilseley his Animadversions on Mr. Seldens History and others Anthony Peirson's case In his 7. page and following he endeavours to prove That Tythes belonged to the Poor above 800 900 1000 years after Christ and that the Clergy was not to use them as their own and people had more willing mind to give them for the poor than the Priests but after in the year 1274. there was a Law that people should not give them at their pleasures but to the Church this by Pope Gregory Mr. Bourn's answer I answer that before that time there were amongst the people divers things out of order it was some reason till Ministers of the Gospel were setled people should have more liberty to pay their Tythes where they pleased but yet they were paid and due to be paid long before that time and that Law was good by whomsoever it was made That Tythes should be payed to the Church where Ministers were setled to preach the Gospel or to be pay'd to them for their labour in the Word and Doctrine which was most agreeable to the Divine Institution Peirson's Case Now page 8 9. c. Peirson brings History to witness payment of Tythes I shall not trouble the Reader saith he with a relation of Joseph of Arimathea coming into Brittain sent by Phillip the Apostle in the Reign of Arviragus as History reports he about the year 600 of Augustine the Monk who came and preached the Gospel in this Land and when they had brought a great part of the Nation to the Faith they began to preach up the old Romish Doctrine that Tythes ought to be paid c. Mr. Bourn's answer For answer I desire the Reader to observe he relates indeed the story of Joseph Arimathea coming into Brittain to preach the Gospel but he leaveth out the History of that gift of Gleab lands in those dayes at Glassenbury for the maintenance of them that preached the Gospel yet he confesseth that when the people were converted to the Faith then they pressed the payment of Tythes this saith he about 600 years after Christ and yet he saith they began to preach the old Romish Doctrine that Tythes ought to be pay'd I would ask first how old the doctrine of payment of Tythes was at Rome 600 years after Christ if it was an old doctrine within 600 years after Christ certain then it was in or near the Primitive times as indeed it was in some places long before the Pope or the universal Bishop of Rome was born for Origen speaks of the payment of Tythes who lived near the Primitive times about 200 after Christ as I have shewed in my Justification of Tythes read page 59 60. Secondly I demand why old Romish Doctrine for Hierom was not Bishop of Rome and yet he approveth of Tythes and Augustine Bishop of Hippo in Alexandria and divers in other places in those times writ of Tythes as due to be paid and due by divine Right but he would fain make Tythes Romish that he might make them odious though they were thought by the Lord the best way to maintain his servants for his worship and service and indeed are Gods right and Christs right for the maintenance of his Ministers to the end of the world Anthony Peirson's case Anthony Peirson goeth on page 9. c. As concerning Laws saith he for Tythes in the year 786. of a King of Merceland and Elswolph King of Northumberland made Decrees that those two Kingdoms should pay Tythes And Ethelwolf King of the West Saxons in the year 855. made a Law that the Tythe of all his own Land should be given to God and he tells us out of the History that at that time the Nation being under heavy pressure by
by the Apostle to the Hebrews chap. 7. This Melchisedec was King of Salem Priest of the most high God who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings and blessed him to whom also Abraham gave the Tenth of all And why the Tenth part Question and not the Seventh or Eighth part or the Twentieth or Thirtieth part wherefore did Abraham give the Tenth part of all to Melchisedec Answer Vnde enim homo reâ—um juarum decimam potius quam nonam vel octavam vel aliam quamque partem offerendam esse scire potuisset nisi à Deo â—octus suisset From the beginning men were taught by God to pay Tythes as Hugo de Sancto victorie Erudii Theol. de Saer lib. 1. par 12. cap. 4. I answer Certainly Abraham did know God's will what was Gods part either by the Law of Nature or the positive Law of God taught him from his Ancestors from the Patriarks Noah or Shem or some other or they or their Father had received from Adam and Adam from God and therefore Abraham gave to Melchisedec the Priest of the most high God the Tenth part and neither more nor less this was acceptable to God and this was received of Melchisedec as the Lords portion no doubt and not a will worship of Abraham Again not onely Abraham but Jacob the Grandchild of Abraham and Father of Levi before Levi was born or that solemn gift of Tythes by the Lord to the Tribe of Levi he followeth the steps of his Grandfather Abraham and freely declares what was and is the Lords part or portion for maintenance of his Service and Servants in their Ministerial Office Gen. 28.12 13 14 c. This he doth upon that vision or apparition of Christ to Jacob in that Dream of the Ladder whose top did reach to Heaven and the Angels of God ascending and descending Gen. 28. and Jehovah promising blessings to Jacob upon which when he awaked he was taken with an awful reverence of the Maiesty of God and his presence there and maketh that solemn vow to God That the Lord should be his God that he would worship God in that place and if God should bless him c. and give him but bread to eat and rayment to put on of all that God should give him he should give the Tenth to God This certainly was no rash vow of Jacob no Wil-worship nothing but what hâ— did know to be his duty and that which God would accept therefore he voweth not the eight part nor the twelfth nor the twentieth but the Tenth And of all that thou shalt give me I will give the Tenth to thee Thus you have two witnesses from the sons of Noah in the posterity of Shem where the true Religion was chiefly preserved and the Church planted and these recorded in the written word of God the sacred Scriptures and this before the Levitical Law But this is not all for we finde the same witnessed in the posterity of other the sons of Noah of which though many of them lost the true knowledge of the true God and the right manner of giving all the Honor and Service to God yet they retained some parts of Worship due to God which they gave to their false Gods when they were ignorant of the true God amongst the rest that spark of light of the Law of Nature or of the positive Law of God which they had taught them by their great Grandfather Noah or some from him to pay as a due the Tenth or Tythe to God Thus we read Dydimus old Grammarian That it was a Greek custom to consecrate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tythes of their abundance to the gods And Pisistratus that Tyrant of Athens writeth to Solon De Lacrâ—â— in vita Solonis that all the Athenians do separte the Tythe of their fruits not to be spent for our use saith he but for publick sacrifice Herodot in Clio. c. And King Cyrus his Soldiers by the advise of Craesus were staid from spoiling the Lydians City That the Tythes might first be paid to Jupiter And as among the Greeks Festus Decima quaeque veteres Diis sâ—is offerebant Macrâ—bius out of Varro Plutâ—â—ucul so among the Latines the Antients did use to offer all their â—ythes to the gods And another witnesseth that the Antients were wont to give the Tenth to Hercules And it was a common custom amongst the Romans It is reported of Lucullus That he grew rich because he observed the use of paying Tythes to Hercules Zenophâ—n witnesses that others used to pay Tythes to Apollo Yea this custom was not onely used amongst the Civil Nations of the Gentiles Plin. hist lib. 12. cap. 14.19 but even amongst the ruder also Plinie writing of the Sabaeans and Aethiopians saith That in the Spices of which those Countries yield abundance the Merchants may not meddle with any before the Priests have laid out the Tenth to their gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A.R. his view of all Religions I have read that in the old Arabians Religion the custom of the Nabathaeans was to pay Tythes of their Frankincense to their god Sabis and the Priests are not to take it by weight but by measure and they are tied by their Dicipline not to gather Cynamon till they first sacrifice then they divide it with a consecrated Spear and assign to that God they worship his portion and afterwards they take their own parts to themselves Plut in the life of Camillus And Plutarch relates of Camillus that Roman Dictator and valiant Souldier who by some was called the Sword of Rome when he went to War as Captain General of the Roman Army against the famous City of the Vejans which some take to be the Venetians before the Roman Emperors Dr Heylins Geograph and divers hundreds of years before the birth of Christ he vowed that if he won the City he would offer the tenth part of the Spoils unto the gods But after the Victory he did either forget his vow or was unwilling to trouble the City or suffered the Soldiers to take the Spoils without reserving the Tythes of all as he had vowed But after when upon some occasions the Romans thought the Divine Powers were offended though they did not know for what and that Camillus was discharged of his charge of being General He acqainted the Senators with his vow upon which they made an order That every man should upon oath present the tenth part of all his gains in that War that so it might be given to the gods But that being found difficult they agreed That a massie cup of gold should be made and sent to the Temple of Apollo at Delphos whom they esteemed a chief amongst the gods in lieu or exchange of the Tythes Yea and the Ladies and rich women were so zealous to promote this gift that they gave their gold and jewels to make it more rich and as they
was the Levites portion might but at Jerusalem Thus you may read Deut. 14. Deut. 14.22 23 c. Tything thou shalt tythe or thou shalt truly tythe all the increase of thy seed which thy field bringeth forth and thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God in the place he shall chuse to place his name there and if the place be too far thou shalt turn it into money and buy what thy soul liketh and shalt eat there before the Lord thy God and thou shalt rejoice thou and thy houshold and the Levite within thy gates Ainsworth in Deu. 14. This second Tythe might not be eaten any where but before the Lord in Jerusalem as the Hebrew Doctors affirm and is evident from the text This might be Levitical and to end with that Temple-worship Thirdly besides these two Tythes there was in the place or stead of this second Tythe a third Tythe every third year Amos 4.4 Tythes after three years c. which was for the Levite the stranger the fatherless and the widow within their gates as you may read Deut. 14.28 29. This may cease in part as a Tenth but the substance is moral But the first Tythe was wholly for the Levites for their maintenance as the Lords wages or reward the Lord alloweth them for their service in the Sanctuary to continue in the Gospel as after will appear Yea besides the Tythes the Lords portion the Lord commanded that the Levites should have their Cities to dwell in Num. 35.3 4 5 6 c. and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattel and for their goods and for all their beasts and the suburbs of the city shall reach from the wall of the city two thousand cubits round about Num 35. Rich conveniences besides extraordinaries which were very many This was the Levites lawful gain due unto them by Divine right by the law of God and law of Nature as a reward for their labor in the Lords service And this gain they might lawfully seek after every one for his gain from his quarter And this they did when their just portion and maintenance was not brought them by the people Nehem 13.10 11 12. The Levites went every one to his field for his just gain or portion as you may find Neh. 13. Thus did the Levites seek every one for his gain from his quarter to live of his portion of land and tythes at his field when the second tythe was not brought into the treasury as it ought to have been And this was just and lawful for them to do as the Ministers of Christ may lawfully do at this day There is another Objection Object 3 Though the Lord had a part in every mans estate the tenth of every increase which the Lord did give to the Levites the Lords Ministers before the coming of Christ yet now since Christ is come and is not only dead as the High-Priest of our profession having offered himself to God for us once for all Heb. 3.1 2. and is not only risen again and ascended into heaven and liveth for evermore Rev. 1.18 but maketh intercession for us to God his Father and the Levitical Priesthood is ended Now what evidence is there that God hath any part or portion in mens estates or the increases of them for himself or to be disposed of as his own or that the Ministers of Christ have either Tythes or any Maintenance due unto them by Divine right since Christ And then how can it be lawful for them to seek after every one his gain as they do For answer Answer First if it be granted that the Lord had a reserved part of the earth and increase thereof for himself yea that the Tythes or Tenths were the Lords excepted and reserved portion which he had not given to the sons of Adam or to Noah's posterity and that this was the Lords for his service until Christs coming in the flesh Gen. 3.17 c. which I conceive none will deny that truly believeth there is a God that created the world and gave part only not all to Adam or that truly believes the Holy Scriptures to be the written word of God Question Then I desire to know by what Deed of gift the Lord hath given these Tythes his own portion from himself or from his Ministers and servants who once had them Whether he hath released his right and title which in a special manner he had in the earth and the increases thereof to any man and to whom Hath God released his special right in the tenth part the Tythes of all which were once yea which are the Lords own if none can shew a better title to them Let us search the Records in the New Testament and first see if we can find any such Release or Deed of gift from God and his servants and to whom Secondly see what is registred for the maintenance and continuance of Gods right unto them That so we may better answer the Anabaptists who call Tythes the wages of unrighteousness or the Quakers who accuse the Ministers of Christ as if they did seek for unlawful gain the gain of Tythes of that which is neither God's nor theirs every one for his gain from his quarter or people I have searched the New Testament and can find Tythes mentioned but only in four places and in none of these doth Christ deny or give away or release his right to his tenth part or forbid his Minfsters to receive Tythes yea rather Tythes are approved by Christ and his Apostles that speak of them First place The first place is that of our Saviour Mat 23.23 where he pronounceth that woe against the Scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisie Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye pay tythe of mint and annise and cummin and have omitted the weightier matters of the law judgment mercy and faith These things ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone It is evident our Saviour doth not reprove them for their paiment of Tythes but for their omission and neglect of the weightier matters of the Law judgment mercy and saith For he tells them plainly it was their duty to pay their tythes even of the smallest things mint and annise and cummin these things ought not to be left undone Thus both the payment of tythes even in the time of Christ and Christs approbation of tythes is witnessed at full in this place No prohibition of tythes evidenced no cessation of tythes declared no denying of Christs Ministers to receive tythes 2. Again a second place we find Tythes spoken of in the New Testament is that of our Saviour recorded Luke 11.42 to the same effect with the former Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees for ye tythe Mint and Rue and all manner of Herbs and pass over judgement and the love of God these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone You see our
must be a change of the Law We grant a change of Levi's Priesthood and of Levi's Law and yet the Law of Tythes as maintenance for Christ's Ministers remains still not from Levi but Christ who is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec and ever liveth to take Tythes though not in his own person yet as he or God his Father did before Christ's coming in the flesh by his Ministers and Servants whom he hath ordained to teach his people Sir J Sempil in his Sacriledge S. handled in which he proves the Divine right of Tythes Hebr. 7. I shall conclude the evidence of this Answer to this Objection against the continuance of Tythes in the Gospel with a few Syllogisms of that worthy learned and religious Knight Sir James Sempil in his Sacriledge sacredly handled and Tythes proved due by Divine right 1. He that takes Tythes and liveth is a perpetual Priesthood Melchisedec taketh Tythes and liveth Ergo Melchisedec is a perpetual Priest 2 Whatsoever is spoken here viz. Heb. 7. of Melchisedec typically is transferred unto Christ's verity But Tything is spoken of Melchisedec typically Therefore Tythes must be transferred unto Christ's verity 3. Whatsoever is due to an eternal Priest is perpetually due Tythes were and are due to Melchisedec an eternal Priest viz. in himself the Type or in Christ the verity signified Therefore Tythes are perpetually due to Melchisedec or to Christ who is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec 4. Whatsoever was given as maintenance of both the Melchisedecian and Levitical Priesthood must be also the maintenance of the Evangelical But Tythes were given as maintenance of both the Melchisedecian and Levitical Priesthood Ergo. Tythes must be also the maintenance of the Evangelical Priesthood These Syllogisms are well fortified by Sir James Sempil himself against all pretended Objections so as what hath been said might satisfie a Quaker himself if he would be satisfied But yet another Objection is made by some Anabaptists Object and these quaking adversaries John Cann his second Voyce from the Temple of Babylon or Baal p. 13 14. and their confederates or rather a false accusation damning Tythes as Popish and the pleading for them a pleading for Babilon and for Baal Thus doth John Cann in his Second voyce from the Temple of Babilon And that Pope Gregory the tenth was the first that ordained Tythes to be paid to the Priests in the year 1214. And that with much mistaken ignorance and impudence as learned A Gospel plea by W. Prynn or Swainsw Esq godly and laborious Mr. William Vrynn observes in that excellent Gospel plea for Ministers maintenance proving the antient setled maintenance of â—ythes due by Divine Right and contrary to these malevolent Quakers or Anabaptists who would perswade men that Tythes are no older or not so old as Antichrist and to be abolished as Antichristian But for answer Answer let us reason the case with them a while If they had that light within them which they boast of they might see that Tythes are far more antient then Antichrist even as old as Melchisedec and faithful Abraham the father of the faithful many hundred years before the Levitical Law and above two thousand and five hundred years before that Romish Antichrist had lift up his head in the Church Let us enquire into the History of the Church and antient writers since Christ and we shall finde Tythes to be Christian divers hundred years before Pope Boniface who was the first that took upon him the name of Universal Bishop and the chair of Antichrist at Rome was born First If we examine the Apostles time Act. 4.34 35. and times immediately after there was a community of goods as we proved before the converted Christians sold their lands and brought the money to the Apostles and then no need nor indeed power of paying Tythes in the Christian Jewish Church the Tythes being paid to the Priests amongst the Jews whiles their Synagogues and Priesthood lasted as before you heard and for the Gentiles converted in those times there was such persecution that it was best for the Ministers of Christ to live upon the common Treasury among Saints Tertul. Apol cap 3â— He lived about 200 years after Christ Euseb eccl hist lib. 2. cap 47. This community did continue until Tertullian's time about two hundred years after Christ All things are common with us saith Tertullian praeter uxores except our Wives yet this community was chiefly at Jerusalem and at Alexandria in Egypt and at Carthage in Africa where Tertullian lived and some other places where persecution was And then in the private meetings of Christians each one give in to the common Treasury what they had laid by them in store for the maintenance of the Saints 1 Cor. 16.1 2. Act. 24.17 Rom. 15.26 27. 2 Cor. 11.9 as St. Paul directed 1 Cor. 16.1 2. This Paul brought from the Gentiles to the Jews and without question the Apostle Paul had his part for he himself testifieth that the Brethren which came from Macedonia supplied his want and others also were supplied out of the common treasury Thus for those times of danger and persecution as it was in the Apostles days few in comparison of the multitude being converted and the Emperors being no Christians The beginning of petsecution we read Acts 7. and Acts 12 c. Herod c. After Emperor Nero. First of ten persecuting Emperors c. Eusebius Eccles Hist lib 2. cap. 25. l. 3. c 1. Tertull. Apol c 1. Marsilius Patavinus Defen pacis per. 2. c. 15. but pesecutors it was sufficient they had their lives for a prey and yet often times these also were taken away by cruel tormentors as the histories of the Church doth witness at full And then it was no time to demand or receive Tythes of the people but to live of the common Treasury and of lands and rents of lands and other gifts given to the church for maintenance of Saints and the Ministers of Christ who did preach the Gospel unto them as God stirred up beleivers hearts to give them out of conscience that they were bound to maintain the Ministers of Christ and that those who preached the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.14 as the Apostle Paul witnessed it was the Ordinance of Christ But when community of goods was ended at least in that manner as it was used in the primitive times And when the Church had more quiet rest from persecution and the Ministers of Christ were setled in particular cities and places certain to abide as Pastors and Teachers over particular congregations then we read Lands and Tythes setled and given to the Church not as out of Frankalmoign or Free alms but as Gods due right and the maintenance of the Ministers of Christ who did labor in the Word and Doctrine The Glebe-lands and Tythes were part of that double honor which S. Paul witnesseth the
Ministers of Christ are worthy of 1 Tim. 5.17 This truth we may find witnessed in antient Histories and in the primitive Fathers of the Church First for History we will begin with our own British Antiquities remembred by that learned Mr. Pryn in his Gospel-plea proving that the present opposition against Tythes proceeds not from any real grounds of conscience but base covetousness Mr. Prynne his Gospel plea p. 123. cites John Capgrave in vila Joseph Christ Glastoniens Vincent spect Hist lib. 23 cap. 147. cited by Doctor Vsher Brit Eccles Antiq cap. 2. pag. 973. c. carnal policie c. and a Jesuitical and Anabaptistical design to subvert our Ministers Church and Religion Now Mr. Pryn out of that godly learned and worthy Dr. Vsher relates that Ioseph of Arimathea who with Nicodemus took care for the burial of our Saviour in a new sepulchre where never man was laid as S. John witnesseth Joh. 19 21. This Joseph came with some others into England about the year of Christ Forty eight and preached the Gospel to Arniragus a British King a valiant Prince Dr. Prideaun in Rom. Tribun pag. 289. called Hector of Britain who embraced the Christian faith and understanding the purity of their doctrine and holiness of their conversation he gave as the History relates twelve Hides of land in the Isles of Avalon since called Glastenbury in Somersetshire where they built the first Church made as the Historian speaks of Wattle and Reeds and there they continued together preaching the Gospel and living upon this their Glebe now of great value saith Mr. Pryn which was afterwards confirmed to them and the Ministers of the Gospel there succeeding them both by Marius and Coilus next successors to Arniragus whom also they instructed in the Christian religion Thus was Ministers maintenance taken care of by that Christian King here about forty eight years after Christ Dr. Vsher Brit. Eccles Antiq. Spelmanni Conc. pag. 12. cited by Mr. Prynne his Gospel plea. pag. 124 The Poet thus Lucius in Christum credit Christoque dicatos Ecclesias dotat distinctas ordinat urbes c. Again about the year of Christ One hundred seventy six within two hundred years after Christ we read of Lucius our King of Britain that being converted to the Christian faith by Faganus and Damianus Preachers of the Gospel sent to him at his request by Elutherius Bishop of Rome he builded and endowed Churches through his Dominions with Glebe-lands and Tythes and this for the maintenance of the Ministers of Christ long before Pope or Popery was set up in the world And this afterwards the British and Saxon Kings confirmed and enacted more fully I may tell you that about three hundred years after Christ the Christians being here and elswhere restored to peace Gildâ—s Dr. Vshers Brit. Eccles Antiq. pag. 193. SpelConc p. 36. 45. Cited by Mr. Prynne and freed from persecution by Constantine the Great who was born in England the first Christan Emperor they began to build and repair those Churches or Meeting-places the Emperor Dioclesian and other persecutors had rased to the ground And then were Churches endowed and Ministers maintained by Tythes as well as Glebe-lands witness the antient Writers and Fathers of the Church then and before those times And this long before Pope or Popery and Antichrist of Rome was stiled Universal Bishop and declared Antichrist in the Church I might give you a catalogue of Godly men from those times almost to these very days who witnessed Tythes to be Gods right and due by Divine right to the Ministers of the Gospel I will name but a few And first I begin with Irenaeus Iren. lib. 4. cap. 20. who lived about one hundred and eighty years after Christ and he tells us that the Apostles and so the Ministers of Christ are the Lords Priests that serve at the Altar 1 Cor. 9.13 14. that must eat the Lords part that must have the substance of the Levites not of gift but of right Of them spake Moses And what was the principal substance of which the Levites did live but the Tythes which God gave to Levi for his fervice in the tabernacle Num. i8 2i Therefore certainly Irenaeus witnesseth what was due of right to the Ministers of the Gospel in his time and this was Tythes Again Origen who lived about two hundred years after Christ Sed in novo Testa mento similiter venerabilis est decas c. in his Homilies upon Genesis as in other places he declareth his judgment concerning Tythes But also in the New Testament saith he the Tenth is venerable And because there is one Author of all one fountain one beginning even Christ therefore the people pay Tythes to the Ministers of Christ Thus you see in Origen's time within two hundred years after Christ Tythes were esteemed venerable in the New Testament as well as in the Old and the Christians paid Tythes as of old And this was four hundred years before the Antichrist of Rome was risen up in the Church or made himself manifest in the world Tythes were not then Antichristian nor Popish as the Quakers Anabaptistical Can and others would make men believe Thirdly Cyprian de unit eccles Cyprian who lived about two hundred and fifty years after Christ They did then viz. in the primitive times sell their houses and lands and laid the money down at the Apostles feet for the use of the Church laying up treasure in heaven But now saith he De patrimonio nec decimas damus We do not so much as give the Tenth of our patrimony to God The Father reproveth the Christians for coming short of the Jews in giving God his right But some Quaker or Anabaptist will object Object This sheweth rather that Tythes were not due or not paid in those times of Cyprian I answer Answ Mal. 3.6 7. That is not so For you may read Mal. 3. that the Lord reproveth the Jews for not paying of their tythes and tells them they were robbers of God guilty of that odious sin of sacrilege Ye have robbed me saith the Lord and ye say wherein In tythes and offerings but ye are cursed with a curse for ye have robbed me even this whole nation Doth this prove that Tythes were not due then by the law of God or that none were then paid in that Nation Certainly no but rather the contrary that they were due by Gods law yea that they were the Lords and that those whosoever kept them back they were thieves and robbers then as they are now in the times of the Gospel Tythes certainly were due by Divine right in S. Cyprian's judgment which was long before the days of the Pope or Papacie or that Antichrist of Rome in the world Fourthly Hilar lib. explan in Mat. c. 24. Hilary who lived about three hundred and fifty years after that in his book of Explanation upon Matthew Because the
the Danes Bernredus King of Mercia and Edmund King of Eastangles being present he called a Counsel and they to remove the judgements then over them granted the Tythe of all their Land to God and his servants and divers other Princes after made Laws for the payment of Tythes thus Anthony Peirson Mr. Bourn's answer To which I answer that even this making Laws for Tythes and that when Judgements of God were upon the Land this certainly doth witness evidently that they were perswaded in their consciences that Tythes were due to God and his servants and the detaining of them was a sin and therefore they made Decrees and Laws to pay them to God as due to him and his servants by divine right for had they not believed that the payment of Tythes had been well pleasing to God they would never in that time have made Laws that Tythes should be pay'd to God for his servants Anthony Peirson's case Now that the Reader may understand saith he the ground that some men pay'd Tythes I have in the margin declared the grant of King Stephen pro salute animae meae c. For the health of my soul c. I Stephen King of England do grant Tythes c. Mr. Bourn's answer I answer still though there was some errour in king Stephen yet this doth witnesse that there was a Conscience in him perswaded that Tythes were Gods due and therefore he confirms Tythes as other Princes upon the same ground had done before him Peirson's Case In the tenth page Wicklâ—ffe saith he did make a complaint to the Parliament which he sets down in Wickliffes words Ah Lord God that people should be constrained to find a worldly Priest unable both in life and cunning in pomp and pride covetise and envy drunkennesse gluttony and lechery in symony and heresie with fat horse and jolley with gay saddles and bridles c. when within few years they pay'd Tythes and Offerings at their own wills to the worship of God and fairness of the holy Church c. Mr. Bourn's answer Let the Reader observe Wickliff doth not complain that Tythes were paid but to such prophane wicked men still this doth argue a due of Tythes to be paid and that for Gods worship whatsoever Anthony saith to the contrary Anthony Peirson's case Anthony Peirson proceeds to add to Wickliff VValter Boute and VVilliam Thorpe and others whose arguments saith he are at large in Fox his Acts and Monuments they did in their dayes bear testimony against Tythes for which some of them suffered in flames as he thinks this page 14. Mr. Bourn's answer To this I desire the Reader if he can to read the History in the Book of Martyrs page 669 670 c. and you cannot find that they or any other were burned or suffered flames because they spake against Tythes for there were other Articles which were more fundamental for which they suffered death had there been nothing else but Tythes no doubt they would not have laid down their lives against Tythes as Anthony Peirson would make men believe Again particular mens opinions do not determine the right which God hath in the world and the encrease of the earth for the maintenance of his worship and service the Scripture-proof is sufficient to witness perpetuity of Tythes Anthony would handle the Question whether Tythes be due or not Anthony Peirson's case But Peirson alledgeth the Laws for Tythes page 15 16 17. c. some made by the Pope and Papal decrees and the opinion of Schools Popes exemption c. as if Tythes had not been Gods part before Mr. Bourn's answer I answer if tythes be due to the Ministers of the Gospel by divine Right as I have proved these several claims of several men do not infringe nor can these Laws or Cannons of Popes hinder Christ or his Ministers from challenging tythes as Gods reserved part for his worship and service I may say the same for the Laws of King Henry the Eight and since Edward the 6. Queen Elizabeth thus we bless God for these good Laws and confirmations and settlement of the paiment of tythes to the Ministers of the Gospel by so many Honourable Parliaments for whom we pray that God will guide them still in his waies for the maintenance of his worship and service and for the good of the Common-wealth yet this will not therefore conclude against the Divine right of tythes good Parliaments and godly men have been and are more willing to pay and establish the paiment of tythes because they are perswaded a godly Ministry ought to be maintained and countenanced and this way of tythes is a way which God himself hath prescribed of old and the Kingdoms that have received the Gospel have approved and practised in several ages of the world this still confirms the divine right of tythes I let pass his seeming Answers to Objections as to Abrahams paiment and Melchizedecks receiving of tythes before Levies Priesthood page 17 18 20 c. and the rest I have given answer to that in my Justification of Ministers maintenance by tythes which may satisfie any good man that is not prejudiced against the Ministers of Christ or hath not some self-end in his not being satisfied Anthony Peirson's Case But Anthony Peirson cryeth out page 25. VVhat a shame it is that a man should be compelled to set out the tythes of his own Goods c. Mr. Bourn's answer I answer though the goods be his own the Corn Hay c. yet the tenth is not his own nor ever was neither theirs or their Fore-fathers never bought nor sold with the Land but are Gods reserved part as we have proved to the full and they are by right from Gods Law to be tythed and by the good Laws of the Nation to which Ministers may lawfully appeal for recovery of their just Rights Paul did appeal to Caesar for his just defence Acts 25.1 Anthony Peirson's case But Anthony Peirson objects if any claim tythes by my Ancestors gift may I not ask him to whom and for what my Ancestors gave them all those tythes since Augustine the Monk were given to Popish Priests for superstitious uses or causes Popish Mr. Bourn's Answer I answer there were no tythes given them as if those that gave them had any right of their own in them originally they did not give them to God but restore them to God again when they had been stollen and unjustly detained from God and abused that continuing to be pay'd they might be for maintenance to Christs Ministers in times of Reformation and this no more than what duty men owe to God witness our Saviour Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods Mat. 22.21 for his other Objections page 14. c. I have answered see my Book Anthony Pierson's Case And for that Anthony Peirson alledgeth out of learned Mr. Shepheard page 28. that tythes was never claimed in respect of any
ownership of the Land but Ex debito by the law of God for substraction whereof no remedy lay at the common law and therefore if a Parson let a lease of a Gleab to another with all appurtenance yet he himself shall have the tythe of it page 28. Mr. Bourn's Answer I entreat the Reader to confider here is a testimony of the claim of tythes by the law of God or divine right this in antient times It is no new doctrine then as in my Justification I have declared at large Anthony Peirson's case For his other Objections which he prevents and answers they are nothing to the claim of tythes by divine right but by humane right that Land saith he which any man hath bought or his Ancestors it was bought with this supposal that it ought to pay tythes and so bought cheaper then it should have been if the Land had been free from Tythes Mr. Bourn's answer But I answer it is true that the Land was ever charged with tythes but not that the Land is free from tythe for the Land payeth tythe Hay and tythe Corn and the tythe of Cattel is not in respect of the Cattel but in respect that they feed upon such Lands therefore Anthony Peirson is deceived and tythe neither sold nor bought therefore must be paid Peirson's Case For his last Objection that prescription is an old device Mr. Bourn's answer I answer if prescription be good in Law against a Minister for non-payment of tythes or of small composition why may it not be good for a Minister for payment of tythes whatsoever Anthony Peirson would declaim or exclaim to the contrary Anthony Peirson's case Thus Authony would affirm that because Bishops were voted down by the Parliament therefore all Parsons Vicars and Curats lost their office and so tythes belonging to their office they are lost also and so for maintenance all ends together Mr. Bourn's answer I answer this is a conceit of his own and witnesseth the malignity of his antichristian spirit against the Ministers of Christ he declareth but what he is and into what condition he would bring the Ministers of Christ Jesus certainly he is either a Quaker or possessed with the spirit of Antichrist or infefected with some Jesuite he discovers so much envy and hatred against the faithful godly Ministers of the Lord Jesus dost thou expect thanks for this at the Day of Judgement beware of your enmity Anthony fight not against Christ and his Ministers but submit to Christ and embrace him and his servants that you perish not and be wise ye Kings Psal 2.11 12. be learned ye Judges of the earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish in the way if his wrath be kindled yea but a little Blessed are all they that put their trust in him if those shall receive that dreadful sentence at the last day Go ye cursed Mat. 25.41 who have not relieved Christ and his servants what shall be the punishment of those that seek by all means to rob and spoil the Lord Christ and his Ministers and Ambassadors the Lord pardon and change your hearts if it be his blessed will Anthony Peirson's Case You now come to the last those that claim Tythes by purchase and those say you are the Impropriators and you prevent an Objection that they bought and some paid dear for them therefore no reason they should be taken a way from them to which you answer that you have shewed before that in the root all Tythes is alike whether it be claimed by the Priest or Impropriator and both must fall together and seeing those that sold them had no good title neither can those be made good which are derived from them Mr. Bourn's answer I answer for the Impropriators I cannot defend them though some consideration is to be had of them but yet you err in saying the Tythes impropriate and the Tythes which is still continued for the Ministers of Christ are alike in the root for the tythes of Impropriators were alienated by the Pope to his Abbies and Monasteries and then again by King Henry the Eight and by him sold and there was the root of Impropriate-tythes but tythes belonging to the Ministers of the Gospel whom you with a malevolent spirit call Priests as if they were Popish Priests which we are not that so you may make them more odious to the people and Parliament their tythes I have proved to have a higher Root than Proprietors even Gods own appointment even Gods reserved part for his worship and the maintenance of his Ministers who labour in the Word and Doctrine and are worthy of double honour of reverence and maintenance witness the Apostle 1 Tim. 5.17 18. whatsoever Anthony Peirson would make men believe and therefore I cannot but observe that you are so just and charitable to the Impropriators that they must have some recompence for their tythes but for the poor Ministers of Jesus Christ they must be turned off with nothing for this is the cry of many of you as if we were thieves and robbers as your Generation please to call us and not Ministers of Jesus Christ But let me speak a little further to what you say to the Impropriators you say the Root is all one I deny it as before I did the tythes of Ministers are more antient many hundred yea some thousand years before any Impropriate tythes were heard of in the world Now you would have the Impropriators to have some recompence for them so would I also but the less because they bought them of such persons as had no right nor lawful power to sell them if Anthony Pierson would remember what he saith page 18. the conclusion will be against Impropriators and all others Anthony Peirson's case If tythes be absolutely due by the Law of God saith he no custome usage prescription or Popish dispensation can acquit from payment of the utmost penny of the tenth part Mr. Bourn's answer Now I assume but tythes are absolutely due by the law of God as I have proved at full from the holy Scriptures besides multitudes of testimonies witnessing the divine right both in antient times and at this day Therefore no custome usage prescription or Popish dispensation can acquit from payment of the utmost penny of the tenth part this conclusion necessarily followeth from Anthony Peirson's premises And then first all prescriptions compositions and customs for payment of less than the tenth part are utterly unlawful and the detaining of such tythes must needs be sacriledg for to take or keep away that which is Gods and belongeth to Christ and to his Ministers and Ambassadors is a robbing of God and sacriledg against which the Prophet Malachy proclaimed a curse Mat. 3.6 7. and promiseth a blessing to the restorers of them It is a lamentable thing that Lay men should receive the tythes and the people maintain their Ministers to
A Defence and Justification OF Ministers Maintenance BY TYTHES AND OF Infant-Baptism Humane Learning and the Sword of the Magistrate Which some ANABAPTISTS falsely call Four Sandy Pillars and Popish Foundations of our Ministry and Churches In which Tythes are proved to be due by Divine Right to the Ministers of the Gospel All common Objections Answered and divers cases of Conscience humbly proposed with a light to clear them In a REPLY to a Paper sent by some Anabaptists to IMMANUEL BOURNE Late Pastor of the Church in Asheover in the County of Derby now Preacher to the Congregation at Waltham in the County of Leicester With a short ANSWER to Anthony Peirson's Great Case of Tythes c. Thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit Sacriledge Rom. 2.22 LONDON Printed for John Allen at the Rising Sun in Paul's Church-yard 1659. To the Supream Authority of this NATION The PARLIAMENT of the Common-wealth of ENGLAND By the special Providence of God restored to their TRUST Christian Senators IT is now above twelve years since I Dedicated a larger Treatise to this Honourable Parliament then full of pious Members and full of the Favour of God and high esteem in the World the most wise and powerfull Lord of Hosts the God of all the Armies in the earth having made you hopeful Conquerors over the Adverse Party and given you power to establish the Nations upon the sure Foundation of Truth and Righteousness and not only to confirm the setled Maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospel by Tythes according to the Laws of the most wise God and the most ancient Law of this Nation but to have increased their Maintenance in those places where by that abominable Sacriledg of Antichrist the Tythes were appropriated to Abbies Monasteries and such superstitious uses and after most unjustly detained from the right Owners the particular Parish-Ministers by King Henry the Eighth and the Parliament that then consented to him for their alienation by occasion of which in divers thousands of Parishes even since the time of Reformation poor ignorant yea scandalous Ministers have been setled and continued to the dishonour of God our Religion and succeeding Parliaments A light from Christ leading unto Christ Printed for John VVright 1646. multitudes of Souls made ready to perish for lack of Knowledg as they are in too many places at these dayes In the Epistle Dedicatory of that Book of mine presented unto you I did complain of this miserable ignorance as a cause that such a multitude of poor blind Souls did run to the Kings Standard set up at Nottingham and joyn with that Army against the Parliament which was a sad occasion the King did not return Humble Petition presented at York although he was most humbly Petitioned by multitudes of his most faithful Subjects from several Counties in this Nation which if it had been the will of God he had done might by Gods bâ—essing have prevented those Rivers of Blood which have been shead in these intestine Wars and for my own particular have saved me from that most barbarous plundering of my house and Goods in which I lost with what is still owing me upon the Publick Faith in other respects above five hundred pounds which I hoped I should have received before this having the Engagement of England and Scotland in print that those who were plundered and lost their Estates for their faithfulness to the Parliament and the Cause of God and the Nation then undertaken and continued faithful should have their Estates restored and be recompenced to the full or words to that effect but when the Parliament was Dissolved I gave up my hopes as dead yet since God hath raised you from the Dead again and in his Providence brought you to sit here to perfect the good work was begun I will not despair but both I my self and others may find that Promise of both Nations made good to our comforts in time And yet Right Honourable my Spirits have not been a little troubled to hear and see a Generation of Seduced Souls Quakers Anabaptists and others cry out so bitterly against the Godly faithful Ministers of Christ in the Nation as all Antichristians to be destroyed and their maintenance by Tythes to be taken away Ye to see those inhumane I am sure most unchristian abuses are still offered to too many of us till this day I am afraid lest if the God of Heaven and Earth find it to be with England as it was with Israel when the God of their Fathers sent to them by his Messengers rising up betimes 2 Chro. 36 15 16. and sending because he had compassion on his People and on his dwelling-place they mocked his Messengers and despised his words and misused his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy therefore he brought against them Forraign Enemies to their destruction the Lord pardon these our sins and prevent those Judgements if it be his will Josh 6. and I fear if Achans sin of Sacriledge the taking away of Gods reserved part be found in England as it was in Israel the punishment of Israel may befall us also that our Army as theirs should fly before our enemies and then how sad our condition may prove none but God himself knows to prevent this to the best of my power I make bold most humbly to present this little Treatise to your Honours in which to the best of my understanding Tythes are proved to be Gods Reserved part and due to the Ministers of the Gospel by Divine right and the unsetling of this antient Right may prove I fear the removing of a house built upon a Rock and setting it upon the Sand or a sandy Foundation which may prove the ruine of the House and of those that inhabit it Upon my studying of this Question had I found Tythes unlawful or the Wages of Unrighteousnesse as my Adversary-Anabaptists in their written paper sent to me did affirm or Theft and Robbery as the Quakers I hope the Lord would have given me such a spirit of Contentment that I should have chosen rather to have begged my Bread from door to door as old as I am now almost Threescore and Ten rather than to have lived and dyed a Thief and a Robber accursed of God and Good men But as worthy Luther professed when he contested against the Popes Indulgencies If any man can shew me a more firm and better way of Ministers maintenance than by Tythes which the Lord himself in his wisdom found out to be the fittest I shall lye down in the Dust and when my Conscience is satisfied change my mind In the mean time not cease to pray the most Wise God to guide your Counsels and prosper you in all your just and lawfull Endeavours hoping of your Protection and encouragement for my self and the rest of my Brethren the faithful Ministers of the Gospel I most humbly Subscribe my self A most unworthy Servant
thought more acceptable I should not have remembred these Religious and conscientious payments of Tythes by these Heathens these Gentiles children of Japhet or Ham but to answer a proud peremptory Quaker who called me Old Jew because I justified that it was lawful for the Ministers of Christ to take Tythes and that they were justifiable by the written Word of God Jos B. when as he thought them to be onely a Jewish Ceremony But it is evident that Tythes are not onely Jewish or paid by the Jews onely For antient History tells that the Gentiles paid Tythes as well as the Jews And although these Histories are not to be received with a divine faith as well as Scripture yet they are to be credited as well as our Chronicles which testifie there was a King William the Conqueror or King Henry the Eighth that pulled down or dissolved the Abbies or a King Edward the Sixt Queen Mary or Queen Elizabeth or as after ages may believe there was a King Charles and a dismal War in England upon which hath followed these sirange and wonderful changes we have seen with our eyes I might add more but who are not satisfied Dr. Carleton Tythes examined and prov'â— to be due by Diviue right I leave them to those learned men who have writ and proved the Divine right of Tythes and to other Histories which record the practises of Painims This that you have read may suffice to witness that the payment of Tythes was acknowledged a due to God amongst the Gentiles to that God they did know Dr. Tillesley his Animadvers upon Seldens Hist of Tythes Dr. Slater Mr. Prynn c. and this even by the Law or light of Nature or Tradition of Gods Law acknowledged by a common consent that Tythes were due to God to that God they did know and worship and certainly this custom could not be so common amongst or in so many Nations had there not been some Divine instinct from the Law of Nature or knowledge of some divine law from their forefathers that Tythes were due to God from all nations by a divine right for his worship and service as an owning of a Divine Power Ps 40.10 11 12. who is chief Lord and owner of all we have But of the tenth God's own part he is owner of that in a special manner as his own reserved portion for his worship and service for this the Lord challengeth in a special manner for his own portion witness God's servant Voses that great Prophet All the Tythe of the land Lev. 27.30 31. of the seed of the land and of the fruit of the tree it is the Lords Lev 27.30 He doth not say it is the Priests or the Levites or the peoples but it is the Lords And thus the Lord himself by the Prophet Malachi doth many hundred years afters challenge the Tythe as his own And when the people did not pay their Tythe as his due the Lord calleth them thieves and robbers and tells them they had robbed him Will a man rob God Mal. 3.8 9. yet ye have robbed me saith the Lord. But ye say wherein have we robbed thee And he answers In Tythes and Offerings And he concludes v. 9. Ye are cursed with a curse for ye have robbed me even this whole nation So that the Tythes were the Lords his own part and portion to be disposed of at his pleasure all the time of the Old Testament from Adam to Moses and from Moses to Malachi the Lord had a reserved part due to him as chief Lord of all But the Quakers and some of these Anabaptists will object Objection What is this to the Priests and Levites either before or since Christ If Tythes be the Lords portion what have the Priests and Levites to do with it or how come they to challenge any right in them or title to them The Answer is easie Answer When the first-born in the family were the Lords Priests and Prophets to offer sacrifice to God as Adam and Cain and Abel did or to teach their families Gen. 18.18 19. Gen. 20.7 Gen. 26.25 as faithful Abraham and the Patriarchs and their first-born did as we read Gen. 8.18 19. Num. 8.17 Then the Lord needed not his part of his Tenths for maintenance of his Priests and Levites but what part he had was chiefly for his sacrifices and services But when he took to him the Levites in stead of the First-born as Num 8.18 then you may read the Lords Deed of gift of his part of the Tythes to Levi for an inheritance Num. 18.20 21. Behold saith the Lord to Aaron I am thy part and thy inheritance amongst the children of Israel and behold I have given the children of Israel all the Tenth in Israel for an inheritance for the service which they serve even the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Lev. 18.21 And thus you may see what title the Levites and Ministers of God have to the Lords part even by a Deed of gift from the Lord himself And this is a Deed or Great Charter enrolled and recorded in sacred Scripture the written Word of God himself Object 2 I know the common Objection We will grant say they that the Lord did give part of the Tythe to Levi and his posterity that taught the people as Nehemiah Nehem. 8 7 8 9. But he did not give all to them for part was to be eaten before the Lord in the place which the Lord did choose to put his name there they the children of Israel were to bring their tythes and their sacrifices and their choise vows and to eat them before the Lord with their families they and their sons and daughters and men-servants and maid-servants and Levite within their gates yea the poor stranger and widow and fatherless as we may read Deut. 12.11 12. Deut. 14.29 Therefore the Tythes were not all given to the Levites as their portion as is said by the Ministers that plead for Tythes For Answer If you read Answ Vltra duas Decimas quas quotannis pendere jam jussi 1. Alteram Levitis 2. Alteram in sacras epulas 3. Tertia tertio quoque anno est conferenda quae in egenos vicinos pupillos distribuatur Joseph Antiq. lib. 4. cap. 8. you may find there was a threefold Tythe which the children of Israel did pay The first Tythe was the tenth of the whole increase which was first tythed and this was the Levites portion and might be eaten every where with their houshold because it is a reward unto them for their service But first they were to give the Heave-offering the tythe of that tythe to Aaron the High-Priest as you may read Numb 18.26 And this Tythe hath a Morality in it as after we shall shew Again there was a second Tythe of the Nine parts that were tythed before And this Tythe might not be eaten in any place as the first Tythe which
benefit of their labors and receive Gods part the Tenth which the Lord hath reserved for them Thâ— Apostle proceeds with other arguments from the equity of this duty v. 11. No man goeth to war without wages c. We are Ministers of Christ figâ—â— for you plant you feed you c Ergo It is your duty to pay us wages fruit and mâ—lk Sir James Sempill of Sacrilege since Gospel p 53. If we have sown unto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things If we communicate to you the Gospel-gladtidings for the nourishment of your souls is it a great matter that we receive Gods part from you for the nourishment of our bodies In a word this he confirms by analogie and similitude with the maintenance of the Priests and Levites before Christ If the Priests and Levites who did minister about holy things of the Temple did by Gods appointment live of those holy things namely of Gods reserved part the Tythes and of Gods consecrated part As Levi lived by the Law so must our Ministry by the Gospel but Levi lived of holythings by the law viz tythes Ergo so must Ministers live of them in he Gospel Sir J. Semp. p. 58 As Levi lived by the Law so must we by the Gospel but Ievi lived by a certain maintenance by the Law viz tythes Ergo so must we live by a certain maintenance in the Gospel and why not by tythes Idem p. 56. things dedicated and freely given to God by the people then certainly the Ministers of Christ who in like manner so preach the Gospel should according to Christs appointment live of the Gospel yea of Christs reserved part the tenths of all and of those free gifts where tythes are not sufficient for their comfortable maintenance in and for their attendance upon the service of Christ their Lord and Master Thus doth the Apostle though not name tythes yet require as much in effect as a duty from the people to communicate tythes or an equal maintenance for and to the Ministers of Christ And this from the Lords ordinance for the paiment of that certain reward for their labor Luke 10.1 2 3 c. which the Lord hath appointed And of this certain reward or wages we read not in the Scripture what part it is but the Lords portion of tythes which was and is Gods part as we prove before Fourthly Gal. 6.6 If you consider that command of the same Apostle Gal. 6.6 it will make this yet more evident Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in omnibus bonis in all goods Our translators render it in all good things But if it be in all good things that he must make his Teacher partaker of yet whose must they be And if they be his own good things and then of his own goods why should the Apostle require this as a duty Let him that is instructed make him that instructeth him partaker of all his goods And why this as a duty to Christs servants if Christ hath not a right in them But what part must he make him partaker of Question Certainly the Quaker or Anabaptist will not say of the sixth part Answer nor of the seventh nor eight part And we will not say of the fiftieth or fortieth or twentieth part of his yearly increase that in most places will be too little for the comfortable maintenance of a Minister of the Gospel and to provide for his family them of his own house which he ought to take care of otherwise he denieth the faith and is worse then an infidel Agree that Christ hath a right to some part witness this Apostle 1 Tim. 5.8 Let us agree then that Christ hath a right to some part whatsoever part the Lord himself in his infinite wisdom hath set down and determined as his own reserved part for the maintenance of his Ministers that is the most fit the most equal and just part to be paid and given from him that is taught the Gospel of grace to him that teacheth him Gen. 14.8 ch 28. And this is the Tenth of all This tenth Abraham paid to Melchisedec and Jacob vowed this tenth to God before the Levitical Priesthood was in the world This tenth part he gave to Levi for an inheritance for his service in the Sanctuary during the life of his Priesthood and this tenth is due to Christ who is a Priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedec and good reason the Ministers of Christ should partake of this tenth and receive it for Christ as Christs part for their service to the end of the world Thus you see what may be the sense of the Apostle Let him that is instructed make him that instructeth him partaker of all goods or in all good things of Christ in his possession For if Christ have no right why should he pay his Servants wages of that which he had no right unto certainly he would not do it But some Quaker or Anabaptist or others Object will yet object If the tenth be Christs and his Ministers Mat 10. Luke 10. then wherefore did not Christ direct his Disciples when he sent them abroad to preach the Gospel to require the tenth of the people nor his Apostle Paul neither in that 1 Cor. 9. nor in this place Gal. 6.6 command and expresly require their tythes as due to Christ and his Ministers by divine right and to be paid upon pain of damnation Luk. 10. Mal. 3.7 8 it being no less sin then sacriledge to rob God or Christ of them as is taught by some godly men both in antient and latter times I answer Answer 1 First for Christ the Tythes were then in his time and when he sent sorth his Disciples paid to the Jewish Priests and Levites of Aaron's or Levi's order as is evident in the Pharisees practice Luk. 18.12 And if Christ had commanded or directed his Disciples to demand Tythes it would have occasioned a controversie not easie to be decided Besides Levi's Priesthood was not then ended and therefore Tythes were then due to them and so ought to be paid as our Saviour himself tells the Pharisees Matth. 23.23 Therefore there was no reason Christ should then have commanded his Disciples to demand Tythes Again If Tythes had been to have ended with Levi's Priesthood and never to have been received by any of the Ministers of Christ then we may demand on the contrary part wherefore did not Christ our Saviour give an absolute prohibition to his Disciples and to preach it to all that should be converted to Christianity that they ought never to take any Tythes but that Tythes should be declared to end with Levi's Priesthood and this would have ended the question and settled a great deal of quiet in the Church if Christ had declared what maintenance his Ministers should have instead of Tythes
for Christ was faithful in all his house as Moses Hebr. 3.2 But Christ no where forbids Tythes nor serteth any maintenance instead of Tythes and therefore Tythes certainly are to coninue still by the mind of Christ even to the end of the world for would Christ here provide no settled maintenance for his Ministers who were sure to finde cold entertainment in the world For the Apostle that he did not require Tythes of the Corinthians or Galatians nor claim them as due to Christ's Ministers by Divine right nor other Apostles Peter John James or the rest there are good and sufficient grounds reasons good enough to answer this Objection 1. In those days in divers places and especially at Jerusalem there was a community of goods the Belivers sold ther Estates and laid the mony down at the Apostles feet Act. 4.32.34 and what need was there then of any claim of Tythes when all was at the dispose of the Ministers and Apostles of Christ or of the Church and Deacons and they lived of the common Treasuries what wisdom had it then been to claim Tythes 2. Euseb Ec. Hist lib. 4. cap. 25. Again then were times of persecution as you may read Act. 11.19 12 1 2. c. and this persecution against the Church continued to after times above a hundred and fifty years after hrist as Eusebius relateth Melito Bishop of Sardis in his A pology to the Emperor writeth that the godly people were grieved by new Edicts published throughout Asia and suffered persecution yea impudent Sycophants and greedy gapers after other mens goods having gotten occasion through those Proclamations openly rob and spoile day and night therefore he desires the â—mperor that he would not despise them who were greived and oppressed with that shamefull spoile Diverse persecutions were both before and after and was it then a time for the Ministers of Christ to press or claime the Tythes of poor persecuted Christians certainly no. 3. These Corinthians and Galatians and others Churches were but new Converts living amongst other Gentiles who were unbelievers and though the Apostle did claim and argue for his right of maintenance yet to avoid offence and hinde rance of the Gospels propagation in those infant days of the Church he did not use that power and right he had to take maintenance of them but charged other Churches to spare them not that he had not a right or that other Ministers had not a right but it was not then a fit time to require this right and therefore much less to claim or preach up Christs his right in Tythes 4. In a word the Apostles then were travellers up and down the world in several Countries to preach the Gospel and had no certain dwelling place as Paul himself witnesseth 1 Cor. 4.11 and what then should they have done with Tythes or to have claimed Tythes when Ministers were not setled nor was there any quiet state of the Church And these are reasons sufficient to quiet the Quakers quarrelling spirit if they were not restless in their malice against the Ministers of Christ or any moderate Anabaptist that their maintenance is due unto them by divine right Thus did the Apostle spare the Gentiles of any demand or nameing of tythes but when he writeth to the Hebrews then he names tythes Heb. 7. and declareth them to belong to Christ and so certain to Christs Ministers not from Aaron or Levi but from Christ himself who was a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec But some Quakers or Anabaptists it may be Object have found out that Objection as they pretend Heb. 7.12 The Levitical Priesthood being changed there must needs be a change of the Law Therefore tythes being under the Levitical Law and that Priesthood of Levi being changed there must needs be a change of the Law of Tythes and so Tythes must cease in the Gospel as being Levitical and Ceremonial I answer Answer It is true That the Levitical Priesthood is changed and that Covenant of Levi by Sacrifices and Ceremonies figuring Christ the Messias to come that is changed and ended all being fulfilled in Christ for that Law of Levies Priesthood in what respect it was Typicall Heb. 10.1 2 that had but a shadow of good things to come for it was not possible that the Blood of Buls and Goats could ever take away sin therefore Christ cometh and offers his own body and by that one offering once for all he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 so that these Levitical Sacrifices they are all ended by that one sacrifice of Christ But there were divers things which Levi did which were not typical or figurative ceremonies to be ended at the coming or ascention of Christ or in the time of the Gospel As first The Levites did ear and drink and wear apparel for their bodily nourishment and preservation of the life of Nature and this was not ceremonial but nature to be done by the Law of Nature and by the positive Law of God for God commanded our first parents to eat freely of the trees of the Garden Of every tree of the garden thou shalt eat freely Gen. 2.16 and this was not Levitical nor Ceremonial nor to end at the coming of Christ for Christ himself commandeth his Disciples when he sent them abroad to preach the Gospel to eat such things as were set before them Luk. 10.8 And if these actions of Levi were ended in Christ then it was unlawful for any man or woman to eat or drink or to wear apparel which is irrational and contrary to the mind of Christ Lu. 10.7 Secondly The Levites did bless the people this was another action of theirs Num. 6.22 c. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Speak unto Aaron and his sons and say unto them on this wise shall ye bless the children of Israel And the Lord separated the Tribe of Levi to stand before the Lord and to bless in his name Deut. 10.1 And this was not ceremonial neither nor to end at Christs coming for Christ teacheth his Disciples to bless them that curse them Mat. 5.44 And the Apostles and Ministers of Christ do bless the bread and wine in the Sacrament 1 Cor. 10.16 And it was the practice of the Church and Ministers of Christ to bless or pray for a blessing on the corgregation 1 Cor. 4.16 Thirdly The Levites taught the good knowledge of God for which that good King Hezekiah spake comfortably to them 2 Chron. 30.22 And they did read in the Book of the Law Nehem. 8.8 9. and gave the sense and caused to understand the reading Nehem. 8. And these actions were not ceremonial nor to be abolished by Christ for Christ commands his Disciples that they should go and teach all Nations Mat. 28.19 20. And thus Philip did by the direction of the Spirit of God he opened the Prophet Isaiah to the Euâ—uch Acts 8.30.35 And the Apostle tells us
that Christ gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastort and Teachers Ephes 4.11 and therefore this office of teaching the people was not meerly Leviticall and to be abolished by Christ we see the holy Scripture doth plainly witness the contrary Fourthly Reward and wages for Levi's service was not ceremonial but Moral according to the Law of God and Nature not to end in Christ or at Christ's coming but to continue to God to his Minister laborers and Servants for their labor in the work of the Gospel unto the end of the world for Christ himself appointed wages for his Apostles and Ministers and this not of charity or Alms at mens pleasure whether they will pay or not but of due debt for their labor When he sent them to preach the Gospel he gave them direction to expect wages and maintenance from them to whom he sends them Provide saith he neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses neither scrip for your journey neither two coats neither shooes nor yet staves for the workman is worthy of his meat Mat. 10. Mat. 10.11 and Luk. 10.7 for the laborer is worthy of his hire or reward it is due to him and the people to whom he preacheth the Gospel are bound by the Law of God and Nature to pay him for his labor And hence the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 9.14 Christ hath ordained that those that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel of their due reward and maintenance for their labor in preaching the Gospel And the Elders that tule well saith the Apostle are worthy of double honor 1 Tim. 5.17 18. especially they that labor in the word and doctrine And he gives the reason from the Law of God and Nature For the Scripture saith thou shalt not mussel the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn and the laborer is worthy of his reward Therefore maintenance of Ministers was not Levitical but Moral as wages and reward for their labor as all other mens labor is and will be to the end of the world But doth not our Savior say Objection Freely you have received freely give what wages then can Christs Ministers require I answer read that Text Matth. 10.8 Answer Christ gave them a miraculous power to heal the sick cleanse the lepers raise the dead and to cast out Devils and to this he adds freely ye have received freely give But for preaching of the Gospel he doth not say so for he directs them to receive meat drink and wages as if you compare those Scriptures Mat. 10. and Luk. 10. you may see the Apostles of Christ then might and the Ministers of Christ may lawfully expect and require Gods reward or wages for their labor in preaching of the Gospel and that was the Tenths as we have proved already they may lawfully look every man for his just gain from his quarter Fourthly Judicial were the Givil laws of the Jews Lev. 17.30 c. Tythes holy to the Lord. The Tythes which were given to Levi for his service were not Levitical ceremonial nor typical nor Judicial which were the Jews Civil Laws whatsoever the Quakers or Anabaptists or any other have dreamed to the contrary no holy things are Judicial but Tythes were holy things and Tythes were not shadows and figures of holy things not ceremonies to be abolished by Christ but the Lords own portion declared to be Gods part in every mans estate long before Levi or the Levitical Law was instituted though given to the Levites by Gods appointment for their service during the life of that Priesthood and Gods part still Christ's inheritance and the inheritance of his Ministers to the worlds end for there is a morality in them and they are Gods part for which he will call men to a reckoning at the great day of Judgement when all the sacrilegious wretches in the world shall tremble except God in time give them to see their sin and repent For although Levi's Priesthood be dead Heb. 7. yet Christ liveth who receiveth Tythes as the Apostle witnesses and Christ's Ministers live and receive Tythe not by any right from Levi or Aaron's Priesthood but from Christ who is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec That Tythes were ceremonial was an opinion devised by Alexander de Hales an Englishman Dr. Carleton in his Tythes examined and divine right proved fol. 20 who lived about twelve hundred years after Christ as that learned Dr. Carleton well observes and this indeed to please the Pope that he might better appropriate Tythes to his Monasteries his Abbots Monks and Fryars as after we shall touch A ceremony is well described to be a carnal type of a holy thing which for the service of the Tabernacle was enjoyned only until the time of Reformation as the Apostle Heb. 9.10 holds them forth unto us but Tythes are no such ceremonies they have a morality in them and whatsoever arguments may be brought against the morality and perpetuity of Tythes the same may be brought against the morality and continuance of the Sabath or Lords Day as that learned acute and solid Dr. Sclater in his sevenfold parallel of Arguments against the morality of Tything Dr. Sclater in his Qâ—estion of Tythâ—s revâ—sâ—â— and proved moral pag. 224 A book I never read till I had almost ended the Answer of this Question and the morality of the Sabbath or Lords Day doth manifest These opinions that Tythes and Sabbath are ceremonial have run parallel in the hands of those who would destroy both the time and maintenance of the Worship and service of God in the Gospel as if since Christ there was no Lords Day to be kept holy as a time appointed in special for the glorifying of God and good of poor souls And as if there were no maintenance due to Christ's Ministers since Christ's ascension into Heaven an opinion well agreeing to the prophane Atheists of the world who like those fools in the Psalm say in their hearts there is no God Psa 14.1 and those high conceited Familists and quaking spirits who boast their are equal with God or those who deny the souls immortality or dream that it dieth with the body or is turned into they know not what But one day they shall be awakened when the trumpet shall sound and the voyce of the Arch-angel shall cry out Arise yet dead and come to Judgement And then they will find that there is a God that is greater then they that he hath appointed a Sabbath or rest day the Lords Day for his special service and appointed Maintenance for his Ministers yea that their souls are immortal and the Lord Jesus is Judge of quick and dead The Lord open their eyes in time to see their errors and repent if it be his blessed will and pleasure And thus I have sufficiently answered that Objection Where there is a change of the Priesthood there
Law saith he prescribes the tything of Mint and Annis the tything of every herb was not to be omitted for the example of future times For this cause in Hilary's judgment Christ doth not forbid but approve of tythes in the New Testament Fifthly Gregory Nazianzen Greg Naz. Orat 5. who lived about three hundred and seventy years after Christ Christ saith he is called Melchisedec as receiving tythes And if Christ receive tythes it must be by his Ministers and this must be by right from Christ Thus doth this Father declare tythes as due to Christ and his Ministers in the New Testament Sixthly Amb. ser 34 in Feria 3. post prim dominicam quadrages Holy Ambrose that famous Bishop of Millaine who lived about three hundred years after Christ Quia de omni substantia quam Deus hominibus donat decimam partem sibi servavit c. Because of all the substance which God hath given to man he hath reserved a tenth part to himself therefore it is not lawful for man to retain that which he hath reserved God saith he hath given to thee nine parts and if thou shalt not give to God the Tenth part God may take away from thee the nine parts And he concludes He that payeth not the tenth doth not yet fear God nor know what is true repentance This doth witness it was St Ambrose's judgement that in his time Tythes were due by Divine Right and this was not four hundred years after Christ and two hundred years before the Antichrist of Rome did lift up his head above his brethren Tythes then were not Antichristian nor popish as the ignorant Anabaptists or popish Quakers teach their Proselytes Seventhly St. Hierom who lived three hundred and ninety years after Christ two hundred year In Ecclesia quoque populis intelligite quibus praeceprum est non solum decimas dare sed vendere omnia dare pauperibus c. Quod qui non fecerit Deum fraudare Dominum supplantare convincitur c. Hierom. in Mal. 3. before the rise of the Romish Antichrist That which we have spoken saith he of the Tythes and first fruits which long ago were given to the Priests and Levites understand ye also in the people of the Church to whom it is commanded not onely to give their Tythes and First fruits but to sell all they have and give it to the poor c. which he that shall not do he is convinced to deceive and rob or defraud God and is subject to the curse c. Thus doth this Father also testifie the Divine right of Tythes or that Tythes are due in the Church of Christ amongst the Gentiles Jure Divino by Divine right Eighthly Chrysostom Si tunc periculum erat decimas negligere perpende quanti nunc istud fuerit Chrysost hom Eph. cap. 2. who lived about three hundred ninety eight years after Christ in his Homilies or Sermons upon Genesis speaking of the Jews paying their Tythes by Gods command They did freely and willingly pay one Tythe to the Priests and another Tythe to the poor but Christians saith he are scarce willing to pay one Tythe But if it were a danger then to the Jews not to pay their Tythes consider what it is now if we neglect it Thus doth St. Chrysostom plainly witnesse that Tythes are to be paid jure Divino by Divine right Ninthly in a word St. August Hom. 40. inter 50. Hom. blessed Augustine that holy and laborious Father in the Church who lived about four hundred years after Christ and two hundred years before Boniface the third took upon him to be universal Bishop and so Antichrist apparent This holy man who was a valiant Champion of Christ to defend the Faith of the Gospel Jud. v. 4 the old Faith that was once delivered to the Saints In his forty eighth Sermon Majores nostri ideo copiis abundant quia Deo decimas dabant c. Mal. 3.6 7 8 9. Our Ancestors saith he did therefore abound with plenty because they gave their Tythe to God God did bless the nine parts when they gave the tenth But now saith the Father Because Devotions decrease Exactions have increased we will not give the tenth part to God and now all is taken away that which Christ cannot have Caesar will have what was hoped to be saved in Tythes is lost in Taxes Yea the nine parts are almost gone and tenths and all This was the sad condition of those times I may add That we have many now murmure at the payment of Taxes but they do not lay to heart the non payment of Tythes if we rob God of his due how can we expect God should bless us If Achan sacrilegious Achan be in the Camp how should we not flie before our enemies as Israel once did before the men of Ai Josh 7.1 2 3 4 c. Let men consider and enquire whether diminishing of Tythes hath not brought increase of Taxes whether it may not in Gods just judgement be with us now as it was in Gods just judgement with the people of whom St. Augustine complaines for their negligent payment of Tythes Again Aug. serm de tempore 219. the same Augustine in his 219 Sermon De tempore he presseth this duty of paying Tythes by divers arguments If thou wilt not give God the tenth God will turn thee to the tenth by his curses and judgements Havock and spoil saith he shall be in your treasuries and in your houses thus shalt thou give that to the unmerciful Souldier which thou wouldest not give to Gods Ministers And in another place he argueth the case from Mal 3. Mal. 3.10 God is always ready to give his blessings but the perverseness of man opposeth for he would have God give him all things and he will offer unto God nothing of that whereof God himself is the owner But what if God should say The man that I made is mine the ground that thou tillest is mine the seed that thou sowest is mine the cattel that thou weariest in thy work are mine the showers the rain and the gentle winds are mine the heat or warmth of the sun is mine and since all the Elements whereby thou livest are mine thou that lendest onely thy hand deservest onely the Tythe or Tenth part Yet because Almighty God doth mercifully feed us he bestoweth upon the labourer a most liberal reward for his pains he giveth him nine parts and reserveth only the tenth unto himself for his service and the maintenance of his servants And I may add to this What is it but base ingratitude yea flat robbery and sacriledge to deny God the tenth or that the tenth is due to Christ and his Ministers by Divine right since God so freely giveth the nine parts and reserveth only the tenth for himself whatsoever the Quakers or Anabaptists dare deny Thus you have St. Augustine's judgement that Tythes are Gods and so due to Christ
and his Ministers by Divine right and this was two hundred years before the Pope or Antichrist of Rome was born But I might go on with a long Catalogue of antient Writers to the rising of Antichrist yea and since that Antichrist of Rome did exalt himself and give evidence from many godly men in several ages who have witnessed and confirmed by divers arguments the Divine right of Tythes as due to Christ's faithful Ministers in the Gospel by Divine right But I commend those that desire to see many more testimonies D. Tillesley in his Animad on M. Seldens hist of Tythes to that excellent Catalogue composed by learned Dr. Tillesley wherein he produceth about Threescore witnesses that assert the Divine right of Tythes or give arguments to that purpose That they have been and ought to be so paid And I might add the judgement of the godly learned of later times But these before Antichrist's time are sufficient to witness Tythes are not Antichristian nor any popish invention whatsoever the Quakers or Anabaptists or others imagine to the contrary But when did Antichrist arise Object 1 Joh. 2.18 may some demand Doth not St. John say there were many Antichrists in his time 1 John 2.18 I answer It is true the Apostle doth witness that there were then many Antichrists and so there are now many Antichrists many adversaries to Christ and his Ministers now in the world Those malignant Quakers who plot and labor the overthrow of the Gospel established Ministery what are they but the spawn of Antichrist Rev. 16.13 and creeping frogs out of the mouth of the Beast of the Dragon and the false Prophet But the Apostle in the same Chapter and the same verse 1 Joh. 2.18 he spake of another Antichrist that Antichrist that principal Antichrist whom St. Paul describes 2 Thess 2.3 4. The man of sin the son of perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God or as if he were God we may say suffering himself by his flatterers to be called God as some Popes have done that scarlet coloured Beast full of names of Blasphemy As Jewel against Harding proveth to whom the ten Kings give their power and strength to fight against the Lamb Christ as Antichrist and the whore of Babylon is decyphered Rev. 17. Rev. 17.1 2 c. This Antichrist did not arise until about six hundred years after Christ Gregory the Great 600 years after Christ We read of Gregory the Great who was Bishop of Rome about the year six hundred that he foretold whosoever he was that should take unto him the name and title of Universal Bishop he was either Antichristus or praecursor Antichristi Antichrist or the forerunner of Antichrist and this was fulfilled in his next Successor Boniface the Third For when that peremptory proud Centurion Phocas Phocas killed Mauritius the Emperor about 600 years after Christ The papacy began as the great Autichrist had wickedly and treacherously killed his Lord and Master the Emperor Mauritius then Boniface the Third being Bishop of Rome by the countenance of the Murderer Phocas did take upon him that Antichristian name and title of Universal Bishop So fulfilling the the Prophesie of Gregory the Great his Predecessor And this pride of papal dignity his successors imbrace as well as he then laboring by all means to exalt the Papacy yet many hundred years after yea and to this day God preserved some holy men to preserve the Truth and to defend Gods right and the right of his servants As in the days of Ahab and Jezabel God had seven thousand in Israel which had not bowed the knee to Baal Divers Councils confirmed and good Laws were enacted to maintain the Divine right of tythes I shall omit the Councils and give you an antient Law or two for this purpose First King Ethelstan a King of this land about nine hundred and thirty years after Christ by the advice of his Council at that time I do command all my chief Officers saith he in all my Kingdom in the name of the Lord that first of my own proper estate they give the tenth to God as well in my living goods as in the dead fruits of the earth and the same he requires his Bishops Aldermen and others to do Thus he doth as out of conscience acknowledge Gods due And that Law of King Edward the Confessor The Laws of K. Edw. the Confescited pag. 224. 1050 years after Christ who lived about a thousand and fifty years after Christ six hundred years since De omni decima garba Deo debita est ideo reddenda c. Of all the corn the tenth sheaf is due to God and therefore to be paid And if any one hath a flock of Mares he is to give the tenth Foal and if he have but one or two he shall give for every one a penny and he that shall have many Kine he shall give the tenth Calf and he that hath but one or two he shall give for every one a half-penny And he that maketh cheese let him give God the tenth and if he make none then the milk the tenth day likewise the tenth Lamb the tenth Fleece and of Bees the tenth of the profit and so of lesser Tythes of Boss Gardens and other things And this Law you see doth witness Tythes due to God by divine right many hundred years since to let pass Statutes made of later years but I cannot pass over that of Sir Edward Coke that learned Judge and famous Oracle of the Law who affirms That in the very body of the antient Common Law of England Tythes are due Jure Divino by Divine Right and we have declared they were so judged for the first six hundred years after Christ and after that again until the time of King Edward the Confessor about a thousand and fifty years after Christ When the Pope would appropriate Tythes to Abbies ben began the opinion that Tythes were not due by Divine Right the same opinion continued in the Church But after that the Popes of Rome began to be more politick to maintain their own greatness by enlarging the maintenance of their Abbots Monks and Fryers in the Monasteries of several orders devised to maintain the Popes great ness not content with those Lands which out of fair pretence were given to them by men and women religiously Gratian c. 3 q. 2. Leo 4. Cited by D. Carleton in Tythes examined and some superstitiously affected but seeking also to get the Tythes from the particular Parish Ministers to whom they were antiently setled as their proper right which was done in part by Dionysius Bishop of Rome about two hundred and seventy years after Christ Mr. Hanmer his Cronography pag. 577. Jo Canne his second voice from the Temple which was many
hundred years before the Council of Lateran or any Popes Decretals for payment of them to which some would relate this division of Parishes and the payment of Tythes But after that the Pope had appropriated Tythes to his Monasteries and robbed the particular Parishes and their parish Ministers of them then these new opinions concerning Tythes began to creak out and the Schoolmen and others to please the Pope they endeavor to justifie the Popes Sacriledge for certainly that was a diverting of the Ministers maintenance of Tythes from the original intention and use of them whatever men may suppose to the contrary or the Pope pretend to ustifie himself Alexander de Hales 3. part qu 51. art 3. Then Alexander De Hales an Englishman and a Schoolman he affirms tythes to be judicials and so might more lawfully be disposed of by appropriations to Monasteries This was about One thousand two hundred and fifty four hundred years since The opinion that Tythes were Almes did arise from the abuse of Tythes in Popery taking them from the Ministers to Abbyes Monasterie c. and Aquinas endeavors to the same effect This is one opinion of Rome but Tythes cannot be judicials for no holy things are judicials The judicial laws did concern the civil government of the Jews but Tythes are holy to the Lord Levit. 27.32 therefore they cannot be judicials as the said men devised And before we noted another later opinion that Tythes were mere Alms given by the Church and to Church Ministers as men were converted to Christian Religion and Religion more setled in the world This opinion say some was brought in by the Waldenses upon their sight of the abominable abuses of Tythes in the Church of Rome if I may call it a Church the Popes having perverted Tythes from the true use and turned and abused them to maintain the luxury of lazie Abbots Monks and ungodly Friers who were full of all abominations But these good men did not rightly consider the first original nor the reason which moved godly men to give the Tythes to Gods Ministers who taught them the Gospel for their comfortable livelihood and better maintenance And this was because those holy men which gave their Tythes were satisfied in Conscience that Tythes were Gods right his own reserved portion due to Christ as a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec Gen. 28.32 therefore Jacob vowed to pay Tythes as a duty to Christ for the maintenance of his faithful Ministers And the abuâ—e of them in Popery could not take away Gods right nor deprive Gods faithful Ministers of that comfortable maintenance which is due to them from Christ for their service to him in preaching of the Gospel 2 Cor. 5.20 For what else are Gods Ministers but Christs servants We are Ambassadors for Christ and we beseech you in Christs stead as if God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead that you be reconciled to God and therefore may lawfully expect and look for this lawful gain for their labor every one even in the place where he is whatsoever Anabaptists or Quakers alleage to the contrary To conclude A fourth opinion yet later hath been that Tythes are ceremonial and that they are to be abolished and that Ministers that take Tythes deny Christ to be come in the flesh and endeavor to setup again Aarons Priesthood and to revive it again That there is nothing due to Christs Ministers but they should live in high or rather low poverty and the like These are the common cries of our croaking Quakers who are cunningly and I believe some of them ignorantly by the Devil and Antichrist and his Emissaries set on to overthrow the Ministers of Christ in England and the Gospel too if God suffer them And thus as Schollers of that most wicked Apostate Emperor Julian by destroying Tythes and Ministers maintenance to destroy the Ministery it self that they may more easily remove the Candlestick of the Gospel and set up the Kingdom of Antichrist instead of Christ in the Nation which God of his mercy keep from us least Ephesus lot be our portion to loâ—e both the Gospel and our lives estates and liberties to some Turkish Tyrant or other Antichrist to our sorrows and undoing for ever But these men blinded by the spirit of Error speak they know not what For what are Ceremonies but carnal rites which were enjoyned until the time of Reformation as you may read Heb. 9.10 noted before These the Apostle calls weak and beggerly rudiments which held men in bondage as the observation of days and moneths and times and years such shadows and ceremonies as were appointed for instruction and teaching men until Christ who is the substance and end of all was come Now Tythes were not appointed to teach men any thing but for the maintenance and livelihood of them that are Teachers the faithful Preachers of the Gospel and Ministers of Christ Therefore Tythes are not ceremonies as the ceremonious Quakers would have them but the just Temporal outward gain and reward for their labor which the faithful Ministers of Christ may lawfully seek by every man for his labor in his place As it was with the Levites in Nehemiahs time I perceived saith he Nehe. 13 10 11 12. that the portions of the Levites had not been given them For the Levites were fled every one to his field Then contended I with the Rulers and said Why is the house of God forsaken and I gathered them together and set them in their places Then brought all Judah the Tythe of the Corn and new Wine and Oyl into the Treasuries This was the second Tythe which was to be eaten before the Lord and of which the Levites were to have part and when that was kept from them they fled every man to his field to his quarter where they had their houses and where they taught the people and where they had the first Tythe to maintain them It was lawful for them in that case to seek every man for his gain from his place and so it is now for the Ministers of Christ when their just dues are kept from them they are constrained sometimes to seek though sore against their will every man for his just gain in his place where God sets him And this they may lawfully do yea to desire the help of the Magistrate if it cannot otherwise be obtained and this without any just blame whatsoever Quakers or Anabaptists teach their Auditors And thus I have sufficiently answered the Objections pretending that Tythes are Popish Antichristian and Ceremonial and cleared the contrary at full if men will not hoodwink themselves or be wilfully deceived by the deceivers I shall onely propose and examine some Cases of Conscience and wish the Anabaptists Quakers and those that take their parts to enquire into them before they go on any further to oppose Tythes or take them away from the faithful Ministers of Christ And
this is to examine throughly upon all that I have writ A Case of Conscience and is further manifested by godly men concerning the Divine Right of Tythes Whether the taking away of Tythes from the faithful Ministers of Christ be not that abominable sin of Sacriledge for which God hath not onely threatned but punished men with fearful plagues and judgments in several ages of the World as we shall manifest by some examples before we end this Question It may be some will demand Objection What is this sin of sacrilege and of which commandment of the Law or Gospel is this a breach or transgression 1 Joh. 3.4 for sin is the transgression of the Law I answer Answer Sacrilege is a breach of the eighth commandment Thou shalt not steal And every theft is sin But sacrilege is a stealing from God or a robbing of God and so a sin of a higher nature then the robbing from any man whatsoever Sacrilege is as stealing or robbing God of his holy things Will a man rob God saith the Prophet yet ye have robbed me saith the Lord Mal. 3.6 Mal. 3.6 The taking away of the holy things of God and turning them to mans private use or to any other use then God hath appointed this is sacrilege Now things are said to be Gods and holy to the Lord two ways or by a twofold means First by way of Reservation when God reserveth or excepteth them for himself for his own pleasure or service As God did reserve and except the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Paradise from our first parents It was Gods reserved part holy to the Lord and might not be eaten of upon pain of death Gen. 2.17 And secondly Levit. 27.30 31 32. so are Tythes Gods reserved part as we proved before they are the Lords and holy to the Lord Lev. 27. 2. Again things may be said to be holy to the Lord by way of consecration And this first either by God himself to some holy use Or secondly by men to God and his service First thus did God consecrate the gold and silver and vessels of brass and iron which were found in Jericho these by Gods appointment were consecrate to the Lord But all the silver and gold and vessels of brass and iron are consecrated to the Lord they shall come into the treasury of the Lord Jos 6.19 Secondly whatsoever is consecrated or devoted unto God by men that also is holy by consecration unto God Levit. 27.28 Thus Lev. 27. Notwithstanding no devoted thing that a man shall devote unto the Lord of all things he hath both of man and beast or of the field of his possession shall be sold or redeemed every devoted thing is most holy to the Lord. First then to take away or steal Gods reserved part was and is sacrilege As the taking of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil Gen. 2.17 Mal. 3.6 7. Gen. 2. and the taking away or stealing of Tythes Mal. 3. And thus the taking away or stealing of things consecrated by God himself as the gold and silver of Jericho is sacrilege or whatsoever else is given to God by men for his worship or service or the maintenance thereof this is sacrilege for whatsoever is devoted is is holy to the Lord. And the wise man Solomon guided by the Spirit of God tells us It is a snare a deadly snare to devour that which is holy Prov. 20.25 or consecrated to God and after vows to make enquiry Men cannot give to God and take away again at their pleasure without sacrilege Act 5.1 â— 3 4. c. This is evident in the example of Ananias and Sapphira Act. 5. First they gave to God the price of their lands and so the Apostle and the Church did understand them but they secretly kept back part after they had given it to God and to Christ and his Church and this was sacrilege and for this and their lying they were strucken dead suddenly as you may read there at full And now I desire all these Anabaptists or Quaking or other adversaries to Tythes who pretend to conscience to enquire diligently into this case of conscience and search whether the taking away of Tythes from the right use God hath designed them unto be not sacrilege in a double respect First as being Gods reserved part kept to himself for his worship and service and for the maintenance of his Ministers to the end of the world as we have proved at full and which to take away is declared sacrilege Secondly as Gods consecrated part given by men out of conscience to the Ministers of Christ both in the primitive times and in later ages witnessed both by their Donation of and good Laws enacted for due paiment of Tythes as we have in part declared in those laws of King Ethelstan and King Edward the Confessor noted before And as may appear in the Donation and and Gifts of Constantine the Great his care for the maintenance of the Ministers of Christ not only the good Bishops assembled at the great Council at Nice Euseb Ecclde vita Constant lib. 1. cap. Epist. of Constant to Euseb B. of Câ—saria in Palestine Levit. 27.30 31 The taking away of Tythes is Sacreledge as witnesseth Eusebius but of other Ministers and Churches appointed for the more convenient meetings of the people and furtherance of the Christian faith as Socrates relateth And the taking away of Tythes consecrated to God by holy men given out of conscience and duty to the maintenance of Gods service what is it else but sacrilege except they be redeemed as Lev. 27. they may And these consecrations of Tythes and further manifestations of this truth that the taking them away is sacrilege we shall declare by several examples partly in other and partly in this our own Nation First Mr. Mr. Selden in his Hist of Tythes pag. 49. Selden in his History of Tythes tells us that a perpetual Right of Tythes was consecrated to some Churches by grant or assignment out of such and such lands at the owners pleasure that is as he intends it as voluntary contributions this was his new opinion But here I cannot but demand upon what ground was this done or what was the cause that moved these good religious men instructed in the faith of Christ to consecrate their Tythes the tenth part of their increase to the maintenance of the Ministers of Christ or to what end did they do this And certainly if we consult their donations and declarations of their minds if we had them written at large they would witness that they did consecrate their Tythes as being convinced in conscience they are Gods due and Christs right for the maintenance of his faithful Ministers who are careful and painful in preaching the Gospel of Christ not out of any wrong ground or superstitious end as a will-worship And therefore the taking
not as a free gift from him but as Gods Right and an owning of him to be Gods High Priest and Tythes Gods reserved part as I have proved at large in my History of Tythes and upon this account Jacob vowed to pay Tythes not as a will worship odious to God Col. 2.22 and spoken against by the Spirit of God in that holy Apostle Anthony Peirson's Case Again in the same Page he tells us That besides the Tythes the First-fruits also were given to the Priests but yet he would insinuate that they were but as the Owner pleased and at the devotion of the Owner for which he quoteth in the margin Deut. 18.4 and Ezek. 45.13 Mr. Bourn's Answer For answer if the Reader consult those places of Scripture he shall find Deut. 18.3 4. this shall be the Priests due from the people both for Offerings and First-fruits and if due then not at the peoples devotion as Peirson would infer because a direct quantity is not expressed if the First-fruits were a duty then not an arbitrary devotion And here I pray you consider what Doctrines we are like to have of his collection when he endeavours to draw a false Doctrine from the first Scripture he names and to lay this as a Foundation to build his opinion That Tythes and Ministers maintenance are but Devotions arbitrary to be given or not given at mens pleasure as it God had no right in them which is the drift of his History And if you read that other Text Ezek. 45.13 the direct part what shall be offered is expressed and what ground is there then of gathering a Doctrine hence of arbitrary devotion as if no command from God but at mens pleasure as he would have Tythes to be the Lord open his eyes to see his Error I pass over what he hath said little to this purpose Anthony Pierson's Case Page 3. He proceeds A view of the Doctrines Decrees and practises of Tything from the Insancy of the Christian Church to this day And in this view he tells us that when Christ was preached the Apostles and Ministers of Jesus Christ did not go about to establish the Law by which Tythes were given in the former Priesthood but preached freely and did not require any setled Maintenance but lived of the Free Offerings and Contributions of Saints Hierom. in vita Mar. Philo Judaeus for which he alledgeth Scriptures Acts 11.29 1 Cor. 16.2 and that Christians lived together in societies for which he alledgeth other testimony Mr. Bourn's answer For answer I grant this to be so in those Primitive times as Acts 4.31 c. when they had all things common then the Apostles and Ministers of Christ had their part yea when men sold their Lands and brought their money into the common Treasury of the Church they laid it down at the Apostles feet Read my Book p. 55. then was no need to desire Tythes or any setled maintenance they having no certain dwelling-places But I have answered this at full in my Defence of Tythes to which I desire the Reader to look back where he may find full satisfaction this community of Goods in those times of necessity and danger doth nothing hinder but that when better times came and Churches were setled the Duty of Tythes might be required and paid as it was in after ages as I have evidently manifested and this as a due by Divine Right to the Ministers of Christ Anthony Peirson's Case pag. 4.5 And all those humane testimonies he brings of Tertullian in Apologet cap. 39. the practise of the Church according to St. Paul's direction 1 Cor. 16.2 And Eus bius that this custome continued till the great Persecution under Maximinian and Dioclesian Eusâ—bius lib. 4. c. 22. as appears by divers as Origen that Lands were given to the Church c. and used in common Ministers had but their maintenance with the people not by Tythes Mr. Bourn's Answer I grant that in those times of persecution it was the best way for Ministers to live and for the Church they having many poor to maintain of the common treasury Justification of Tythes p. 55 56. but this will nothing disprove the Divine right of Tythes to be paid to Gods Ministers as it was when times of persecution were ended as I have proved at large in my Justification of Tythes Anthony Peirson's Case For that he saith page 3. They preached the Gospel freely Mr. Bourn's Answer I answer for that direction of Christ Mat. 10.7 8. Freely you have received freely give this relates to that power of working miracles of healing the Sick cleansing the Leapers raising the Dead for these freely you have received freely give But for preaching of the Gospel Christ when he sent his Apostles he giveth them no provision yea wisheth them to take none but to receive and expect their maintenance from their hands to whom they brought the Gospel and this out of Christ his part which was in their hands for we must not think that Christ would have his Labourers paid out of other mens estates but out of his own and out of that they must be payed for saith he The Labourer is worthy of his meat Mat. 10.8 9 10. and worthy of his reward Luke 10.7 c. and this to be paid out of Christs own reserved part not out of other mens goods as if Christ had said fear not provisions for the people to whom I send you to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God they have my goods in their hand viz. the Tenth of every encrease or else the price of the redemption of it and I will rule their hearts to pay You my Labourers out of my part in their hands for your labour in my work This not as a free benevolence but as a duty due to me and to you Luke 10.7 for it is my Ordinance that those that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.14 as afterward the Apostle Paul did witness so that this preaching doth nothing hinder the Divine right of Tythes as in my Defence to which I refer the Reader I have declared at large Our Friend Anthony Peirson brings in divers more humane testimonies to the same purpose to prove as he would have it no right of Tythes nor setled maintenance to be given as a due for the Ministers of the Gospel but to live of the benevolence and charity of the peole together with the poor Anthony Peirsons case For this he brings Origen Homily upon Gen. and Urban Bishop of Rome Anno about 227 after Christ Cyprian Bishop of Carthage Prosper and others about 250 years after Christ in which times it seemeth that Lands were given to the Church for maintenance of poor Saints as well as the Ministers and Ministers were thus maintained not by Tythes Mr. Bourn's answer If I grant this as I may yet this hinders not that Tythes were Gods right in all
Tongues at Babels building Gen. 11. we lost those Original Languages of Hebrew and Greek in which it pleased the holy Ghost the holy Scriptures should be written for our Learning Rom. 15.4 that we through patience comfort of them might have hope And although God did miraculously bestow the gift of Tongues to the Apostles and others in the Primitive times as we read Acts 2.4 yet that gift is not now obtained without mens teaching and much labour and industry And had it not been for humane learning how could you have had the Holy Bible translated into the English Tongue or how could you spell or read or write English or have gotten any measure of that knowledge you pretend to have I will easily grant that if you had been trained up in the Universities and had as much Learning Divine and Humane and as much Grace and natural parts and gifts of God as Gods faithful Ministers have you might preach as well as we and as lawfully too if you had as lawful a Call and Ordination to the ministerial Office and therefore whatsoever high thoughts you have of your selves you are but meer intruders and furtherers of the Kingdom of antichrist of errours Mat. 13.25 in stead of Truths which such Teachers do sow as the envious man did tares amongst the good wheat of Christ The Lord open your eyes to see your presumptuous sin if it be his will Thus I have said sufficient for Reply to your third sandy Pillar and Popish foundation of Humane Learning which may much rather be charged upon your selves as favourers of antichrist The Triumph of Learning by R. B. B. D. Fellow of Trin. Col. in Cam. 1653. Mr. Hall Pulpit guarded the 3 Edition and many Popish errours broached amongst you by divers of your Society But if you would see more to convince you of your erroneous opinion of Humane Learning and your unlawful practise of preaching at unfit times and unfit places to oppose and withdraw from the godly Sermons of Gods faithful Ministers Read those Books of the Advancement and Triumph of Learning over Ignorance and Truth over Falshood written by Mr. Boreman and others And the Pulpit guarded written by Learned Mr. Hall occasioned by a dispute with a Nayler a Baker a Plow-wright and a Weaver publick Preachers nibled at but yet not answered nor can be to justifie your practices whatsoever you or any of your company pretend to the contrary A DEFENCE of the Sword of the Magistrate Anabapt Answer Fourth sandy Pillar and Popish Foundation I Am now at last come to your last Sandy Pillar and Popish Foundation which so much troubleth you and causeth you to separate from our Reformed and Reforming Congregations and this is you say The Sword of the Magistrate which say you the Priests have in all generations run unto Take that away and then you tell us we would be in danger to starve amongst those we call Christians Mr. Bourns Reply For Reply I cannot but wonder you should dare to speak against the Magistrates sword since you enjoy such Liberty of Conscience and such Protection under it I had thought Tertullus Oration before Felix might rather have befitted you Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietnesse Acts 24.2 3. and that very worthy deeds are done unto this Nation by thy Providence we accept it alwaies and in all places most noble Felix with all thankefulnesse much more living under Christian Magistrates A Christian Parliament and Christian Judges and Justices such as have been and are so tender over and for truly tender Consciences and of peaceable spirits though of different Judgements in their Worship of God through Christ Jesus according to the Scriptures Can you justly desire more than you have except you would have all in your own power and if so then we have cause by your expressions of your minds to fear it would be very much against the Godly-faithful Ministers in England and their established Maintenance both by the Laws of God and the Nation as we hinted before But I believe I may guess at your meaning you are not offended at the Magistrates Sword as it is a defence unto you and your peace but as the Magistrates blessed be God for it by their Power defend Us and Our Maintenance by Tythes according to the Law and present Government established and why I pray you may not we have protection by the Magistrates Sword as well as You Is this a Peaceable and Christian behaviour to desire and be well-pleased with Liberty of Conscience and quietness for your selves and to desire and endeavour the same may be denied unto us yea to have us denied our setled maintenance by Tythes and We and our maintenance to be banished the Common-wealth as Antichristian Is this according to our Saviours rule Mat. 7.12 to do as you would be done unto certainly no this rather discovers a spirit of Antichrist a persecuting spirit rather than a spirit of love and peace such as becometh Saints But let me reason the case a little with you Is not the office and calling of a Magistrate an Ordinance of God Rom. 13.1 2 3 4. read Rom. 13. and consider it well Let every soul â—e subject to the higher Powers for there is no power â—ut of God and the Powers that be are ordained of God and he that resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation for Rulers are not a terror to good works but to the evill VVilt thou then not be afraid of the Power do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same for he is the Minister of God to thee for good but if thou do that which is evill be afraid for he beareth not the Sword in vain for he is the Minister of God a Revenger to execute vengeance upon him that doth evill wherefore you must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for Conscience sake But your conscience is against the faithful Ministers of God in England and their maintenance by Tythes and therefore You cannot be subject and what if Yours be an erroneous deluded deceived conscience do You not then sin in refusing to give obedience to the Christian Magistrate and good Laws of the Nation which require the payment of Tythes certainly you will confess you do if there be christianity or conscience or ingenuity in you but if you do not can you well say why should any Minister appeal unto or make use of the Magistrates Sword to compel you to do your duties are you not free and have Liberty of Conscience I answer if it were demanded would you not have liberty not only from Tythes but from Taxes also if it were in your power You will answer as these thirty Congregations the Faith of which you sent me do in the Postscript of that Book That you do own a Magistratical Power for the governing this our