in vaine they are yet in their sinnes I shall speake of these in their order Of the time the place the persons I. And as for the chiefe time I call it as I ought the Lord's Day or Sunday because the Sabbath as ceremoniall was abolished at the death of Christ as in the second Chapter to the Collossians is declared And why a day must be still observed is inregard of what is morall in the fourth Commandement For it is absolutely and directly of the Law of Nature that some time be set apart for the publique worshippe and solemne services of God And why one day in seven is not in regard of what is strictly morall in respect of Nature dictating but in respect of Nature informed by the Divine instruction of the God of Heaven For whereas Nature knew not how to make choice or put a difference betweene one number and another it pleased God to instruct and informe Nature that thereby that which is not strictly morall ratione naturae might bee knowne and accounted as morall ratione disciplinae of which condition is the quota pars both for Tythes and for the time of God's publique worshippe And next why this part of one in seven hath since the ceasing of the Sabbath beene observed by us ratheÌ„ ron the first then second third or any other day of the weeke is not in regard of any precept expressely commanding it but in regard of the Churches practice at all times and in all Ages ever since Now they that began it were the Apostles being led thereunto by our and their Lords resurrection and by his often apparitions to them upon that very day rather then upon any other day beside For as they knew the Sabbath to be abolished by Christs death In like manner by his resurrection they had ground sufficient to direct them to the choice of a peculiar day for the observation of a new and chiefe Festivall and so much the rather because Christ used then as I sayd to appeare unto them Hence therefore it is Revel 1.10 Ignat. epist ad Magnes that Saint Iohn makes mention of a Day which he calleth Dies Dominicus the Lord's Day And Ignatius one of Saint Iohns Disciples telleth us that it was the first day of the weeke the very Queene and chiefe of Dayes renowned by our Lord's resurrection So also sayth Saint Austine Aug ad Ianua epist 119. c. 13 the Lord's Day was declared to Christians by the resurrection of the Lord and from that time began to be celebraeted De verb. Apost Serm. 15. And in another place The raysing of the Lord hath promised to us an eternall day and hath consecrated for us the Lord's Day By which he meaneth that Christ thus honouring this day did thereby as it were point it out as the onely day to be made choice of for the religious and solemne services of God Or to use againe his owne words Demonstrare consecrare dignatus est Ad Ianuar. epist 119. c. 9. He did vouchsafe to demonstrate and consecrate it Thus they and their successours first tooke it up Apostoli Apostolici viri This was their ground and from them to us the observation thereof hath proceeded and is still retained in the Christian Church Yea Iust apol 2. ad Anton. Imperat ppope finem and further even this Day which was thus frequently called the Lord's Day Iustine Martyr calls also Sunday and may fitly be so named not because the Pagans dedicated that day to their Idoll of the Sunne but because as another Father speaketh The Sonne of righteousnesse which enlightneth every one of us Saint Ambr. Serm. 61. did then arise Neither was it knowne to have so much as the name of Sabbath ever after in the Church of God without some distinction added to distinguish it from that of the Iewes For in a proper and litterall sence it cannot bee called the Sabbath Day as being neither that day which the Iewes observed nor of such strickt rest as was that Day of theirs And indeed the very stricktnesse of their rest gave the name of Sabbath to the Day which they were to keepe but was not the principall thing wherein the sanctification of it consisted For though the rest was strictly exacted yet but accidentally annexed and therefore now removed in the removall of that yoke of outward observances which for the time was laid upon them Gala. 4. For as the effect abideth so long as the cause remaineth but perisheth when the cause ceaseth so the strictnesse of Rest was to remaine so long as the Day and memoâ—y of the things vailed under the strict rest thereof abided But the Day being taken away the end and reason of the sayd Rest is gone and also the strict Rest it selfe which being figurative could not be too strict For the more exact the figure is the better it signifieth as in the Lambe for the Passeover well appeareth which was to be alwaies such as had no blemish And that this Rest of theirs thus strictly exacted was but accidentally annexed will be manifest if we consider the many causes more then the chiefe and principall for which they were to keepe it For though such a Rest be alwaies requisite as may promote the divine duties of God's publique worship and not be contrary to the observance of that precept which requires the performance of them Yet if there be other ends beyond that which the solemne service of God requireth those ends must bee examined whether they be connected with that end which participates with the moralitie of that Commandement which leades us to the setting apart of some time for God's publique and solemne service We denie nothing to be abolished which is as a meanes requisite to that end for which a Day is set apart But if in the Iewish rest there were things figurative and to signifie something which was either past present or then to come We are nothing bound either to the name of their day to the day it selfe or to the strict observance of such a rest as that day of theirs required For if this be not granted wee retaine not onely the substance but ceremonie likewise of the Sabbath their many ends of rest beside that for which the day was chiefely set apart must needes be the cause of an extreame stricknesse But being to signifie as aforesayd it was to them and not to us that God intended such a Rest For first they rested in memorie of the Creation which on that particular day was ended sixe dayes being spent in Creating Exod. 20.11 before that day of Rest approached From the memorie of which after the manner that they remembred it we are now called in regard that the observation of the day it selfe is ceased Col. 2.16.17 Not that we doe hereby deny God to bee our Creatour but acknowledge Christ to be our Redeemer And indeed the benefit of Redemption being greater then that
of Creation the memorie of the first is obscured by the last and so the one is to give place unto the other as in a case not much unlike it the Prophet Ieremâ—e hath declared Ier. 16.14 15. Nor againe doth this last impose a like commemoration with the former in regard of Rest because our Saviour did not so much rest upon that day whereon he arose as valiantly overcome the powers of death It may be rather said that he rested before whil'st he lay in the Grave and so they who are dead bee sayd to rest from their labours but to rise againe implyes a breaking off from rest and a beginning of labour which even in this cannot but be granted if the consideration be taken up with relation to that rest which went before it whil'st the bodie lay in the quiet Grave till the time appointed Nor doe I thinke it strange to say that on our Day of the Lord the memorie of the Redemption be come in place of that of Creation For tho we have the proper solemnitie of Christ's Resurrection upon that day which is called Easter yet this weekely day of publique worship being as Saint Austine speaketh consecrated to us by our Lords Resurrection doth not onely deserve to be made choice of for the peculiar day of our solemne Assemblies but to be judged also to relate in some sort to the benefit of Redemption Secondly their strict resting was a memoriall of their deliverance from the hard labours which they had lately suffered in the Land of Aegypt as is expressely mentioned in Deut. 5.15 Now this was a thing peculiarly belonging unto them and not to us Therefore they and we are not both bound to one and the same strictnesse unlesse their condition and ours were both alike Thirdly Ezek. 20 12. this their Sabbath was given them for a signe Psal 147.20 that God had then chosen them from among all the Nations of the earth to be his people For the Heathen had no knowledge of his Lawes but they had the partition wall was then unbroken In token of which favour they had the Sabbath which they were strictly to observe not doing their owne will nor speaking so much as their owne words as in these Scriptures is declared Exod. 31.13 Ezek. 20.12 and Esa 58.13 And albeit all Christians now be likewise the people of God yet because they are of more Nations then one and live in times of more maturitie they are not tyed to such a strict yoake as if they were still in the dayes of the Law but differenced from that Heire who whil'st he is a Child must live as a servant as the Apostle speaketh Gala. 4.1 For when the fulnesse of time was come the condition of God's people was altered as at the fift verse of the foresayd Chapter is declared And at the seventh verse thus Thou art no more a servant but a Sonne And therefore though bound to bee obedient yet freed from those hard taskes which of old were strictly required from the Jewish people Last of all their Sabbath was a type whereby was prefigured that Rest Heb. 9.4 which as the Apostle speaketh and of which their Canaaen likewise was a figure remained for the people of God to be purchased for them by Christ who being come and gone into his Fathers house Ioh. 14.2 wherein are many mansion places went to prepare them as was prefigured in the foresaid Rest of the Jewish Sabbath And therefore seeing Christ hath actually purchased that which was then prefigured it were injurious to Christ to lay the same yoake still upon our neckes Yea in a word by what hath beene said it cannot but appeare that although our Lord's Day or Sunday hath of late yeares beene vulgarly knowne and called by the name of the Sabbath yet of right neither the name nor manner of keeping it appertaines thereunto For there is so great a difference betweene the old Sabbath and our Sunday that it is a manifest mistake to urge those Scriptures upon us which peculiarly belonged to them in the observation of their Day But if the Sunday be no Sabbath Quest why then doth the Church in her Liturgie retaine still the fourth Commandement and say Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath day c. yea and why are the people bound to pray at the end thereof Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keepe this Law For answer whereunto Sol. this is first that although all the other Commandements are to be kept ut sonant according to the letter as St Austin speaketh yet this of the Sabbath is of another kinde being partly morall partly ceremoniall And if so then in part it is abolished and in part retained And being but in part abolished it must upon necessity have still a place among the other precepts For so farre as 't is morall 't is still of force and is therefore put among the Precepts of the Decalogue for that which is morall in it For as I said formerly it proceedeth from the Law of Nature that some time be set apart for Gods publicke service And therefore this being revived in the Law of the fourth Commandement ought to be remembred and kept upon one day in seven which last though unknowne till Nature was informed is now to be reckoned as that principal portion of time which God requireth And so last of all being bound to the morality of the precept there is good reason that we pray to have the Lord incline our hearts to the keeping of it for being strengthned by his assistance there will be care had that we decline not away from the observation thereof And whereas I formerly gave notice that it is the very chiefe of Dayes or as I then expressed it Gods chiefe Schoole-day I had reason for it because there is no Holy Day which the Church hath appointed to be kept of such eminency and excellency as is this Day of the Lord according to that of St. Austin in his 251 Sermon De tempore at the very beginning therof in these words saying Sciendum est Fratres charissimi quod ideo à sanctis patribus nostris constitutum est christianis mandatum ut in solennitatibus Sanctorum maxime in Dominicis diebus otium haberent à terreno negotio vacarent ut paratiores promptiores essent ad divinum cultum In which words appeareth not only the excellency of this Day above other Festivalls but the necessity also of such a Rest as may be no hindrance but a furtherance to Gods publicke worship For such a Rest as this is as a means requisite for that end for which the Day is set apart The ancient Sabbath had as hath beene shewed other ends which here in this Day can take no place because the Day it selfe is now abolished and gone and the armes of the Church extended further then to one only Nation All that can be added more is this
make these things Lay fees they themselves are like to suffer for it both in the want of a zealous and learned Ministery as also for devouring of holy things I will a little touch upon both these Want of meanes is first of all a means to hinder free speaking To live upon courtesie is to be kept in awe the Prophets shall bee no better than shadowes such as may not teach but as their hearers fancy for they shall bee even forced * Burg. of personall tithes Hos 9.8 Ezek. 13.10 19. Fidler like to play nothing but what their good masters please to call for And for an handfull of Barley or a peece of Bread they must not refuse to ensnare the people to sow cushions under their elbowes or to bedaube over such sinnes as they should reprove Secondly this wee also know that Honos alitartes Wherefore if the divell shall by any cunning be able to weaken the props or pull away the rewards of learning he doubteth not but that in short time he shal worry the face of true Religion and make a faire way to the devouring of Christs flock If the state of the clergy saith one shall be made contemptible Admonit to the Church and people of England pag 29. and the best reward of Learning a meane pension he viz. the divell foreseeth that neither young flourishing wits will easily incline themselves to godly learning neither will their parents suffer them to make that the end of their travell Wee may flatter our selves saith another and say Tho. Ryves Dr of the Civill Law in his poore Vicars plea pag 146. That men ought to take this calling upon them not for any worldly respect but only for devotion unto God But experience hath ever proved that if there be no maintenance there will be no Ministery The saying of Demosthenes to the Athenians is sure and true Never looke for a man saith he who to doe you service will undoe himselfe for you shall never finde any such And therefore as it followeth in the said author wee may not hope that any man will set his sonne to Schoole and traine him up in the study of Divinity unlesse there be an hope of maintenance for him To which agreeth that of Panormitan Ad tenuitatem Benificiorum necessario sequitur ignorantia Sacerdotium Small Livings make wooden Priests and for want of learning in the Minister proceedeth a generall decay of Religion For where no Prophet there no vision and where no vision is there the people decay Prov. 29.18 Yea Neh. 13.10 faith another Scripture when the portion of the Levites was not given them they left the Lord's house and fled into the field Which therfore caused Nehemiah to bring things into a better order and to helpe this defect by restoring to the Priests their former maintenance as in the place quoted in the margine may be seene Before whom Hezekiah did the like He commanded the people that dwelt at Ierusalem to give to the Priests and Levites their portion 2 Chron. 31.4 that they might be encouraged in the Law of the Lord. For as St Pauls words insinuate If God take care for oxen much more for Ministers And therefore saith he For oursakes no doubt is this written that he who ploweth should plow in hope and that he who thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hopee 1 Cor. 9.10 The words therefore of that * Winchest Posthum pag. 19. thrice famous man cannot but be true Nemo vos seducat verbis falacibus Vt salus non sine verbo nec sine Propheta verbum sic sine author amento suo neque Prophetas neque Prophetarum Scholas diu fore certum est To which is consonant that obervation of a great Lawyer I meane* Judge Cook who wel observed †in the Bishop of Winchest case that Iulian the Apostata having a purpose wholly to ruine the profession of Christianity Ruffin l. 1. c. 32. Socrat. lib. 3. c. 10. Theod. lib. 3. c. 6. Dr. Ryves obr out of Plowd used not the sword as Dioclesian and others did but tooke away the meanes of the Clergy knowingfull well that if those once faild the number of the Preachers would not long continue The reverend Iudges of England saith Plowden in his Commentaries long since observed that by the abuse of the Monkes in applying all to their own bellies and leaving little or nothing to the Vicars many abuses came creeping in Adding moreover that as the revenew of Parish Churches decayed so likewise did Preaching * Winchest Posth Conc. ad Cler. pro grad Doct. pag. 19. Non ergo vectigalium medò sed Prophetarum Concionum Animarum gurgites sunt qui sacra deglutiunt which is as if it should be said They doe not only devoure the meanes of the Priests but even the Priests also Sermons and Soules who rob the Church Next for a destruction to themselves in more particular see this Text of Scripture Prov. 20.25 By reason of which testimony I remember these words Let it be proved saith one that God hath assigned tythes to Gentlemen and I will cleare them from that menace of Solomon in the foresaid Text namely that It is a destruction to devoure that which is holy Which is as if it should be said They that are guilty of this sinne doe but sucke in a bitter sweet a faire-seeming purchase but a destroying possession a desired bait with a wounding hooke a sacrificed morsell with a burning coale apt and fit to kindle a judgment both against them and theirs who desire as the Psalmist speaketh to take unto themselves the houses of God in possession Psal 83. It is therefore generally observed among all nations that there was ever a maine difference set betwixt that which was dedicated to divine worship and that which was for common or vulgar use Which difference not observed was judged even by the Heathens themselves to be an incurable crime and the actour thereof not to be ordinarily evill but a creature composed of inexpiable villanies as Saravia observeth out of Plato de Legibus Dial. 9. And verily we finde it to be one of the most capitall offences tha is pursued with Divine revenge as both the holy Scriptures and stories Ecclesiasticall have recorded As for example When Achan had stollen from the consecrated stuffe of Iericho two hundred shekells of silver with a wedge of gold and added it to his owne goods Iosh 7.25 all Israel suffered the wrath of God till both he and his were punished Malac. 3.11 and when Tythes and offerings were not duely paâ—d the whole Land of the Iewes was cursed Balthazar also even whil'st he was quaffing in the Vessells of the Temple not taken away by himselfe but by his Grandfather was an eye-witnesse to the inscription of his owne doome Dan. 5. written upon the plaistered wall of his stately Palace Alchimus likewise who sought to overthrow
take no care for the matter because he would defend his owne Church as he did by throwing part of an hill upon the Host by a strange earth quake terrifying the rest that remained with tempests of haile thunder and lightnings wherein Brennus was also so sorely wounded that like one impatient of his sufferings hee slew himselfe with his owne hand I will not therefore stand to tell you of Cambises Xerxes or the gold of Tholouse Nor will I speake of Pyrrhus who with his whole Fleet perished in the waters even whil'st the prize of his sacriledge was heavie in his ships But I will rather proceed to that which I first intended namely to shew the divine right of Tythes and to declare that where they are impropriated there God and his Church are robbed For can it be thought that man is wiser to order these things better than God hath done Or is it reasonable that the rewards of our labours should bee imbezeled into the hands of Lay-possessours for doing nothing What is become of Conscience or true pietie if in maintaining that they may men tremble not at it It is not enough to vouch prescription for the infeofment of Lay-patrons for if nullum tempus occurit Regi that is if no custome can prescribe against an earthly King much lesse against the King of Heaven and earth For first by right originall Tythes are the Lords And secondly by way of assignation they appertaine to the Church in the officers thereof and this for the service that they doe To put us therefore off with stipends courtesie and benevolence is to alter Gods order and to tye us to such meane modicums as are commonly both scant and uncertaine which is a thing miserable and not honourable And yet sayth the Apostle 1 Tim. 5.17 He that ruleth well is not onely worthie of honour but of double honour Wherefore let mee tell you in a storie what I have read in print to the same purpose There was once a certaine Seigniour who came to one of the Images of our Ladie and threw into the bason an angel of gold at which the Image made a low humble courtesie Now his manstanding by and seeing this did much admire the matter and because hee also would have a curtesie hee purposed to throw in something whereupon hee put in sixe pence and tooke out his Masters angell So also they that robbe the Church of what was once her ancient revenews if they leave her but any thing be the moitie never so small they looke for curtesie and observance and would that the Clergie should thinke themselves well that they have any thing left But be not deceived For as Malachie saith Malach. ◠Galat. 6. God in so doing is robbed So Paul affirmeth that he is mocked Shels will not serve where the kernell is due nor a small something acquit you my Bretheren from doing of wrong For as you are bound to communicate to your teachers so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all good things Gala. 6.6 And if in all good things or in every thing of the best and highest esteeme then much more in things of a lower and meaner reckoning For Omne magis continetin se minus the lesser is comprehended in the greater This first And secondly as there is nothing too good to bee dedicated to God and his service so nothing so meane which wee can possibly have without his blessing All comes from the bounty and goodnesse of Almightie God To be thankfull therefore for every thing is to pay a tribute out of all as Iacob did Gen. 28. Cunctorum quae dederis mihi Decimas offer am tibi saith that blessed Patriarch Sed omnia quae homo habet sunt ei data divinitus ergo de omnibus debet Decimas dare Aquin. Sum. 22. q. 87. art 2. sayth Aquinas Yea and sayth the Scripture also in another place Remember the Lord thy God it is he that giveth thee power to get riches Deut. 8.18 And so some following the true sence of the place translate it Communicate to thy teachers in all thy goods although it be litterally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all good things Neither thirdly doth that of our Saviour formerly mentioned but speake as much For it is most certaine that he did well approve of those smaller Tythes of Mint Annise and Rue thereby * Mr. Rob. Revenue of the Gospell c. 12. intimating that whereas the Providence of God doth order and bring forth as well the least branch of little hearbes as the whole vallyes of Corne and whole heards of Cattell so it is good reason that the Lord be payd his Tribute or tenth out of those smaller and tender cropps as well as out of those more plentifull encreasings Yea so exactly doth the Lord require his Tenth as he cannot in any case endure the diminishing thereof Encreased it may be by the more zealous and thankefull but not diminished Whereupon the people of Israel were strictly charged that no man should exchange or make composition for his Tythes except he would give for them a sist part more then the price thereof Levit. 27.31 The Apostle therefore meaneth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he who is taught in the Word should make him that taught him partaker in all his goods It is proved then that we may claime a part in all and if a part in all why not that part or portion which in all ages hath beene paid untill the Church was robbed For though in those words of the Apostle formerly mentioned there be no expresse mention of a tenth part yet if Scripture may be expounded by Scripture wee shall find no other part assigned than a tenth No not now For First were the law of Tythes abrogated then he would have shewed some other way how the people might make their Teachers to communicate in all their goods but seeing hee sheweth no other way it must needs be as it was before for no positive sanction can reverse Gods appointment If he hath once spoken thus or thus it shal be shew me then I pray you who can alter it but himselfe Si princeps causam inter partes audierit et sententiam dixerit lex est in omnibus similibus which rule doth much more hold as it is appliable to the King of Heaven And therefore what hath beene once commanded in the Old Testament doth remaine a Law for ever except as Mr. Robarts truly speaketh it hath beene since repealed which is no where to be shewed concerning tythes either directly or indirectly Never was this right disclaimed nor removed to a new rate And therefore whereas the Lord having formerly both challenged and received under the Law and before the Law not only a part but specially and by name a tenth part as I shall afterwards shew you it is our duty still to acknowledge and performe for Gods due not a part wee know not which but even this knowne particularly described Tenth
God was better revealed then to the Heathens Thus also thinketh that learned Brentius in his Comment upon Leviticus Chap. 27. Verse the 30 th How they had it from them is not much materiall It was without question time out of mind among them as well as amongst Gods people And a man may as wel declare who was the first that taught Deos esse colendos as who was the first that delivered the Tenth part rather then any other part to bee the reserved and speciall portion appropriated to a Deitie In briefe all these practises serve to shew that by the law of Nature as a part of Gods service all people knew themselves bound to give something to God of those temporall blessings which God giveth unto them This Something was no will worship unrequired but looked for and expected by the Giver of all even from the first times of the worlds beginning Gen. 4. It was likewise for the Quetitie * Gen. 14.20 Heb. 7.4 Gen. 28.22 Levit. 27.30 declared by the practice of the Patriarkes before the Law and by the words recorded in the Law to bee a Tenth What was beside were those Free-will Offerings and Oblations already mentioned Presents but not Rents And yet such as God was and is wel pleased to receive Thus then you have seene Gods right namely that Tythes are the Lords holy to the Lord and therefore out of the power of man to turne them into common uses Next for the Assignation or Deputement of them to the Priesthood wee have againe to observe That as the Lord did not begin to have a right in them when the Law was given so the Assignment was not then although but then declared by a written Law And therefore as the Right was perpetuall so the Assignment For when God declared why the Priests were to receive them hee affirmeth That it was for the service which they doe Numb 18.21 Deut. 18 5. And if for the service then not due to the Levites as the sonnes of Levi but as the Priests of God Or being due principally to the Service and not to the Men but for the sake of the holy Function maintenance of them in their places it must needs follow That where God is served there tythes are due to those in a secondary right who administer in the Priests office and doe the services belonging to it Yea thus have they alwayes followed Gods worship as well before the Law as under it and why not now also under the Gospel cannot bee shewed For the end of their deputation ceaseth not no more now then it did before Are not therefore Priesthood and Tythes fitly called Twins or as Logicians speake are they not Relatives have ever gone together and of Right ought so to doe so long as God hath a Church and Officers belonging to it For in Gods Church the worke for which Tythes were given can never end and therefore the wages cannot without wrong bee detained from those who doe the Services Neither can it bee denied but that the substance even of the legall Services as reading the Law expounding the Law performing of publike prayers blessing the people and such like is still of force For there is nothing ceased but what was typicall all else abideth with what hath ever belonged to it So that although it bee granted that * Viz. parts of sacrifices and such like some portions belonging to the Levites are now ceased because the parts of those Services for which they were due are abolished and gone yet that which was payed for the maine duties and principall services belonging to the substance of Religion before any such Ceremonies were commanded is still of force and of right our lawfull hire this being the full Tenth of all that increase wherewith the Lord Almighty blesseth his people And although Cajetan by the name of Tenth doth not understand the tenth part but a certaine portion which in Moses his time was called a Tenth Lippom. in Gen 14. Yet Lippoman seeking no such evasion overthrowes his supposition with a more downe-right dealing For in that storie of Abraham paying tythes Melchisedech hee renders it from the Hebrew and saith 't is thus Dedit ei decimam ex omnibus Hee gave him a Tenth out of all which as the Chaldee interpreteth Is one out of ten And therefore Iuxta legem naturae Dei solvuntur Sacerdoti saith the same Authour So also in that vow of Iacob Genesis 28. Idem in Gen. 28.22 Et ne forte alicui dubitare contigeret de portione quam pro Decima se soluturum Patriarcha promittit occurrit Chaldaica inquiens Et omnium quae dederis mihi unum ex decem seperabo coram te Meaning as before That this Patriarke would separate one part of tenne And againe to shew how the old Patriarkes came to the knowledge of this part rather then of any other the said Authour recordeth out of Hugo de Sancto Victore Deum docu sse Adam divinum cultum quo ejus benevolentiam recuperaret quam per peccatum transgres sionis amiserat ipsumquè docuisse filios sues dare deo Decimas Primitias Meaning that Gods Divine Worship was immediately taught unto Adam by God himselfe c. And that Adam taught his sonnes to give Tythes and First fruits to the Lord. Certaine it is that they brought their Offerings at a set time and to a chosen place Gods House called by reason of the Lords more speciall presence there See Gen. 4. Gods Face that then and there they might offer unto the Lord not immediately but rather mediately by Adam the Priest of God for so the Lord expounds our offering to him Numbers 5.8 To the Lord even to the Priest Or as it is in the 2 Chron. 15.11 The people are said to offer when as they onely brought their Sacrifices and the Priest offered for them Neither may this seeme strange For among Gods people from Adam to Moses he that was the eldest of every family was both the King and the Priest over his owne family Thus do the Hebrewes tell us that the Priesthood was a perpetuall annexum to the Birth-right Yea thus doth Saint Hierome witnesse in more places of his writings Hier. quaest hebraic et in Epist 126. ad Evagr. then one And wee also find it in those many priestly practises of the blessed Patriarkes Saint Chrysostome likewise saith that the Prerogative of Birth-right was great whether it were by nature or of grace When Iacob and Esau therefore strove about their Birth-right they contended not about a trifle but about a matter of great weight and moment And howsoever it was that in sundry families there were sundry Priests yet the eldest Patriarke then living was as it were high Priest among them all Bp. Mount against Mr. Seld. c. 1. pag. 207 208. Gen. 14.18 their office ceasing or being suspended for a time when a greater high Priest was present
appoint him what he shall require For when hee tooke the Levites to himselfe and for his service instead of the first-borne no man might be suffered to proportion the quota pars of their allowance Numb 18.21 what they were to have was by Gods appointment For I sayth he I have given c. The Lawes therefore which have beene made insundry places of the Christian world concerning the paying of Tythes are not to be reckoned as the fountaines from whence wee claime our right but rather to bee taken as good and wholesome Laws made in favour of the Church for the maintenance of divine right and for restrayning the filthie wickednesse of such devourers as would not have payd them had not the feare of humane Lawes beene more powerfull with them than the Law of God Audi ergo indevota mortalitas for this is the true and onely end of such Christian Lawes as will better appeare if I mention some which I shall do and those of no farre fetcht proceedings neither but of the ancient Kings Bishops and Nobles of our owne Land I. And first in the yeare 786 with the full consent of the Lords both spirituall and temporall there was a generall Synod held under Elfwold King of Northumberland and Offa King of Merceland where among other words to the same purpose thus we reade Therefore we adjure all men that they studiously endeavoure to pay the Tenth of all that they have quia speciale domini Dei est because the Tenth is God's speciall part II. In the yeare 855 King Ethelulph made a Law concerning Tythes Totam terram suam ad opus Ecclesiarum decumavit propter amorem Dei redemptionem sui In the conclusion of which grant this is added Qui autem augere voluerit nostram donationem augeat c. That is But if any will be willing to augment this our donation the Lord Almightie make his dayes prosperous Si quis vero minuere vel matare praesumpserit c. But if any shall presume either to lessen or change the same let him know that he shall give an account for it Ante Tribunal Christi nisi prius satisfactione emendaverit that is Hee shall give an account for it before the Tribunall of Christ unlesse before that time he make satisfaction for the same III. In the yeare 930 or thereabouts King Athelstan made a Law for Tythes and grounded it upon the example of Iacob and athoritie of certaine Texts in the holy Scripture whose words concerning his owne goods to his Stewards and Overseers be these Vt imprimis de meo proprio reddant Deo decimas IV. About the yeare 940 in a great Synod held under King Edmond it was strictly enacted That all Christians should pay their Tythes upon forfeitur of their Christendome V. Neere about the same time were certaine Constitutions made by Odo Arch-bishop of Canterburie in the tenth Chapter whereof we reade the same adjuration which we read before in the lawes of Elfwold and Offa. VI. And in a Councell held under King Etheldred about the yeare 1010 Declmationes frugum vitulorum agnorum c. Domino per singulos annos temporibus rependantur congruis VII Also in some of the Lawes of the sayd Etheldred thus Et nemo auferat Deo quod ad Deum pertinet the words being spoken concerning Tythes VIII And in the Lawes of King Knout thus we reade Reddantur Deo debitae rectitudines annis singulis that is let God have his dues yearly payd him IX And againe in the Lawes made by King Edward the Confessour concerning Tythes this is written Decima garba Deo debita est ideo reddenda that is The tenth sheafe is due to God c. And againe Decima pars ei reddenda est qui novem partes simul cum decima largitur that is The tenth part ought to be payd unto him who giveth the nine parts together with the tenth X. And in the 21 yeare of King Henry the Second among other things this was decreed as in a Synod at Rosne viz. Omnes Decimae terrae sive de frugibus sive de fructibus Domini sunt illi sanctificantur All the Tythes of the Land whether the increase of the Earth or of Trees are the Lords and sanctified to him By all which Tenne testimonies beside other which might be gathered it well appeareth that these godly Kings grounded their Lawes for the performance of this dutie of paying Tythes upon the Law of God and did not declare that by vertue of their Lawes they were first of all due but that by vertue of their Lawes the jus divinum was upheld and the obedience thereunto commanded Wherfore where such lawes are enacted the Clergie may take up that old Grace and say Deo gratias quod nos satias bonis Rusticorum contra voluntates eorum Which I English thus The Lord be thanked for this good banket Which comes from the Hinds against their minds And sure mee thinks hitherto the passages are all cleare and nothing to the contrary but that the Tenth is stil the Churches due Lesse cannot because the Ministery of the Gospel is in it selfe farre more glorious than the Ministery of the Law When we therefore speake unto Lay-men concerning these things wee may fitly say unto them as Pilates wife said unto her husband For as shee said Have thou nothing to doe with that just man so may wee say Have yee nothing to doe with these holy things They are separate and set apart from common use which separation of such a portion in case it had beene made but by men yet were it dangerous to alter it witnesse that direfull judgement in the fatall storie of Ananias and Saphira of which I have spoken a little before Oh but say some Object 7 the Clergy doth but betray their covetousnesse in pleading thus strongly for outward things And is it so indeed Answ why then have Lay-men the more their honour wrote in defence of what wee claime * See his reports in Bp. of Winch. case Sir Edward Cook Sir Henry Spilman Sir Iames Sempill those men of note have laboured to expell this sinne of Sacriledge have bent their forces point blanke against it and shal Clergy-men whom it more neerely concernes to rebuke the world of sinne bee forced to hold their peace and stay their pens or else be covetous Wee plead indeed but doe not strive immodestly when wee demand by an orderly proceeding that portion which the word of God assigneth to us Nor secondly is hee to bee accounted covetous who asketh but his own They are indeed covetous and injurious too who detaine the good from the owner thereof who rob Aram Dominicam to furnish Haram Domesticam Or in a word thus some who thus object are covetous others are prodigall and some are proud The very covetous are scarce content to allow themselves things necessary and convenient and therefore no marvell to see them grudge