God secundum literam literally and precisely as they were in the old Testament And vntill the times of Alexander de Hales who was the master of Aquinas which was about the yeare 1240. after Christ howsoeuer there was much wrong and sacriledge practised there was not other doctrine taught concerning tythes But from that time as we shewed â—â—pra cap. 6. before haue the Schoolemen in the steppes of Alexander trampled downe this truth and yet not with out resistance from time to time For in the time of Clement Carlet tyth cap. 5. the eight Pope of Rome about the yeare 1266. liued Iohannes Semeca author of the Glosse vpon Gratian. The opinion of this Semeca as wee cited before in the 12. Chapter is plaine that both prediall and personall tythes are alike due by the law of God And M. Carleton in the fift Chapter of his booke of Tythes citeth out of Krantzius how this Semeca withstood the Pope Clement exacting Thâ—â—amestâ—â—â— of Semeca called also 〈◊〉 is cited out of the sea of histories State of the Chaâ— p. 303. acting tythes out of Germanie and was thereupon deposed by the Pope from the gouernment or prouostship of Halberstade And some fourescore yeares after Semeca liued Nicholaus Lyra who howsoeuer hee be corrupt in diuers points according to the errors of the time yet hee taught this point of tythes not after the corrupt doctrine of the Schoolemen but after the Fathers as we doe now Strabus also is plaine In vtroque testamentâ— Ministris altaris decimae oblationes ad necessaria tribuuntur 〈…〉 Numb 1â— that is In both the Testaments tythes and offerings are giuen to the Ministers of the altar for their needefull maintenance But the truth is that in those corrupt midnight times of Poperie they were very few though alwaies some thorough Gods goodnes who did maintaine any point of truth then suppressed or oppressed the greater number yea almost all betooke themselues to sooth the Pope in his sacriledge amongest many other grosse falsehoods this one point of Poperie also preuailed vz. that tythes were not due by the word of God Indeed as we said before Cap. 2. this point was not so fully discouered to be Poperie by all our late blessed reformers but that diuers of them beeing busied with waightier matters more needfull for the time they either passed by this point as wanting time to examine it or else they tooke it as they found it without any great scanning yet not so as they were all deceiued in it for the Lord did not suffer all of them to let slip a truth so needfull for his Church but would needs that some of them should plainely auouch it Gualter that godly and learned doctor of Tigurie in his Gualt in Matth. 23. 23. homilies vpon Matt. hauing shewed both the originall of tythes before the law and also the vse of them vnder the law at last he addeth Debent hac ad ecclesiam noui testamenti transferri eâ—si enim Leuiticum sacerdotium abolitum siâ— sacra legalia cessarint manet tamen Ministerium euangelij c. that is These tythes ought to be translated vnto the Church of the new Testament for though the Leuiticall preisthood be abolished and the legall rites ceased yet the Ministerie of the Gospel remaineth c. and by and by he saith further in the same place At quae iustior ratio excogitari potest alendi ministros quà m vt ex decimis viuant that is what more equall course can be deuised for the maintenance of Ministers then that they should liue of their tythes Of the same opinion also is Zepperus Zeppeâ— dâ— lâ—g Mos l. â— cap 40. a late and learned German writer Decimae pars sunt illius stipendij quod ministris pro officij sui laboribus diuino naturali iure debetur that is tythes are a part of the stipend which by the law of God and of nature is due to the Ministers for the labours of their calling And now further by the good endeauours of our owne learned Countrimen who haue laboured in this point the matter hath beene more thoroughly examined and the cleare truth is come to light so as many who haue bin otherwise minded doe now acknowledge that doctrin which the word of God and the auncient Fathers and reason it selfe doe so fully importe and auouch vz. that true payment of tythes is due to the Ministers of the word of God by that word whereof they are Ministers and quia magna est veritas praeualebit because great is the truth it will preuaile by the blessing of God which makes it powerfull Obiection 10. Yet hereby doe you but bewray your couetousnesse while you contend and striue so much for worldly maintenance Answer I haue in part preuented this cauill in mine answer to the eight obiection but because I am desirous what I can to remooue all rubbes I will here adde something more fully and say First our strife herein is no way blameable whilest we doe but modestly demand by an orderly proceeding that thing which the word of God assigneth vnto vs. Secondly he is not couetous who asketh his own but he is couetous and iniurious also who detaineth the good from the owner thereof Thirdly it is not riches but the truth that wee striue for God the searcher of the hearts doth know our harts if it were not more for desire to bring the truth to light as much as we can then for any hope of gaine by so vnthankefull a worke we should not once goe about either to write or to speake one word in this argument And so for mine owne part I giue thankes to God vpon the knees of mine heart that I haue not vndertaken this labour either at the first in preaching or since in preparing this treatise for the presse either of a mind desirous to oppose any who is as yet of differing iudgement from me in this matter nor yet vrged by extreamitie of neede or discontentment at my portion such as it is by the bountie of God for naked I came and so I shall reâ—uâ—â— But onely I am willing to declare vnto others so much as I can of this truth as the goodnesse of God hath reuealed the same vnto me vpon my meane industrie in the search thereof and according to my poore faith and iudgement to giue my voice and suffrage as weake as it is in the cause with those who haue pleaded the same before mee with greater dexteritie So farre forth as shall please almightie God to open mens eyes and to incline their hearts to see and acknowledge this doctrine we shall haue cause with reuerend thankfulnes to praise his name and gladly to enioy the fruit of our labours And whereas otherwise any bodie shall repute our arguments sleighter then to be yeelded vnto yet neuertheles we shall by the grace of God go on chearefully and faithfully in the worke of our calling knowing assuredly that while we labour sincerely to glorifie the Lord and to edifie his Church in all needefull knowledge our reward may a while be deferred and denied by man in this world but it will be heaped vpon vs with the greater measure of true happines in the kingdome of heauen by almightie God And therefore in regard of these wordly things I say vnto my brethren and to my selfe as the Apostle speaketh to seruants Art thou called beeing a seruant care not for it but â—f thou mayest bee 1. Coâ— 7. 21. 22 free vse it rather for he that is called in the Lord beeing a seruant is the Lord freeman likewise also he that is called beeing free is Christs seruant So if we must continue still in this more seruile condition to be prouided for aâ— the curtesie of our Churches let vs not care for it but if we can happily obtaine the more free estate to receiue the tythes which are our due let vs vse it â—ather for he that ministreth in meanesse and needinesse he is rich and eminent in the Lord for great is his reward in heauen and he that aboundeth in the riches of this world is in Christ but all one with the meanest of his brethren Wherefore I conclude with this earnest supplicationn vnto all men of reason and ciuilitie namely Whatsoeuer you shall thinke of tythes yet for Gods sake wee beseech you and for his sake who bledde and dyed for you in vnconceiueable tortures vpon the accursed and yet most blessed crosse that as you doe professe his name so you would haue his ministers in due account professe not by neglecting and contemning them that the religion of Christ which you magnifie in word you repute indeede to be little worth and so meanely to be maintained Let vs finde that our preaching hath as deliuered you from the superstition and myserie of Poperie so also seasoned you with true powerfull Christianitie Let vs find that whilest we haue informed your vnderstanding the enemie hath not peruerted your affections with irreuerence and neglect of religion We referre the cause to be scanned by your discretion and your discretion to be directed by the grace of God AMEN MATTH 22. 21. Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and vnto God that which is Gods FINIS TO THE READER Who faulteth not liueth not who mendeth faults is commended The Printer hath faulted a little it may be the author ouersighted more Thy paine Reader is the least then erre not thou most by misconstruing or sharpe censuring least thou be more vncharitable then either of them hath been heedlesse God amend and guide vs all Pag. lin    12. 30 when he was not bound  if he had not beene bound 32. 11. bidgnadhaâ— rach  hilgnadhai rak 56. 1. absoletum reade absoletum 79. 5. as  then 83. 18. those  these 134. 18. then the ciuill  then that the ciuill 28. 21.  blotte of 53. 35.   did Marg. pag. 1. for Eph. read Tim.
Gods part and that which is mans parts making the nine parts to be the Lords graunt vnto man and the tenth part to be the Lords owne reseruation Caine and Abel did at the first offer vnto God of the goods which God had giuen vnto them What shall we thinke of that their fact was it a worke of supererogation or of dutie Of supererogation it was not for if they had not beene bound both to offer and in some sort also to the measure and manner of their offering how could Cain haue been misliked for the leannesse or scantnesse of his sacrifice when he was not bound to the performance of any It was therefore a dutie whereunto they were bound for the acknowledgement of their Lord by the true payment of their rent and tribute and therefore all others are in them admonished of this vz. that there is a reserued rent and an imposed tribute vnto Almightie God vpon euery part of their worldly estate as God by his blessing shall cause the same to be increased And although it be not precisely set downe that the portion which Abel did and Caine either did or should haue willingly offered was the tenth yet it is likely that it was the tenth rather then any other if we compare their practise with other Scriptures which concerne payments from man to God as God willing shall appeare Manifest it is that God hath a peculiar right to some speciall part of euery mans increase And if then the question be how great or how little that part is certenly we must answer the tenth for this is the only part which euer God challenged as peculiar and certen And as thus in the old Testament so also in the New we find tythes challenged to be the Lords though not by the very name of tythes yet vnder the generall name of the Lords due as Matth. 22. 21. Giue vnto God that which is Gods The question is there concerning worldly things whereof their tribute vnto the Emperour consisted The answer is that both vnto Caesar they must performe his due impost which is his tribute and also vnto God they must pay their due acknowledgment * 〈…〉 22. 21. 〈…〉 21. out of these earthly things and that is by tythes and offerings but specially tythes because they are determinatiuely set downe in their particular summe But peraduenture some bodie will say that though this place cited out of Saint Matt. be of the new Testament yet it concerneth the state of the Israelites vnder the Leuiticall priesthood and therefore that I haue all this while onely prooued that tythes were Gods speciall due in the old Testament but not that they are so now in the new Testament I answer that if God had a speciall interest in some part of our goods in the olde testament he hath the same interest still for we doe not any where finde that God hath resigned this right And whereas further the Lord hauing formerly both challenged and receiued vnder the lawe and before the lawe not onely apart but specially and by name a tenth part it is our dutie still to acknowledge and performe for Gods due not onely a part we knowe not which but euen this knowne particularly determined part except the Lord had in the new testament either wholly disclaimed this right or else remooued it to a newe rate which he hath not done either directly or indirectly And where it is pretended that tythes were properly appertaining to the Leuiticall priesthood I haue alreadie in part and shall hereafter by Gods helpe cap. 6. more fully confute that imagination concluding now that the Lord hath an originall primary right vnto tythes CHAP. IIII. Tythes by a deputed or assigned right are due to those who are Gods ministers in holy things VVHile we doe consider the deputation of tythes we find therein a twofold ende or cause of that deputation The first and principall which is to maintaine Gods publike worship 〈…〉 The secondarie ende is to maintaine those persons who are the cheife actors in this worship The principall ende of assigning tythes is to maintaine the worship of God In the 16. chap. of Numb ver 21. 〈…〉 where God made the first assignation of tythes vnto the Leuites this is added in plain words for their seruice which they serue in the tabernacle of the congregation the like is Deut. 18. where the Lord shewing first in the fowre first 〈…〉 pag â—â— verses that the portion of the whole tribe of Leui shall be the tythes offerings and certaine shares of the sacrifices he yeeldeth the cause in the first vers for the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes to stand and minister in the name of the Lord him and his sonnes for euer And by the Prophet Ezekiel the Lord saith that the Ezech 44. 28. priesthood shall be the Priests inheritance the Lord will be his possession meaning that the tythes and offerings had not beene the part of the Leuite more then of any of the rest of his brethren if God had not chosen him from the rest to the ministerie If either Ruben or Simeon or anyelse had been ordained the Priest to him should also the tythes haue been assigned for they beeing Gods own speciall part he conuerteth them to the maintenance of his owne speciall seruice and therefore before the priesthood of Leui many yeares doth Iacob vowe his tythes to maintaine Gods worship Gen. 28. 22. whereof more shall be spoken hereafter cap. 6. In the newe Testament though the assignation be not by expresse name of tythes yet in effect the same thing is ordained to the same ende if we consider how the Apostle 〈…〉 69. S. Paul doth ioyne together the 13. and 14. verses of the 9. chap. of the 1. Epistle to the Corinth by a note of similitude wherein while he setteth downe the practise of the old Testament for a president vnto the new we see that what was ordained in the old Testament concerning tâ—â—hes is not abrogated but renewed in the new testameâ—â— They which wait at the altar are partakers with the altarâ—â—ren so also hath God ordained that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospel Where the Apostle doth not only set downe as a matter of equity that the Ministers of the Gospel should be prouided for but also that it be in the same manner as it was in the old testament euen so that is by tythes offerings for so was the ministery of the altar maintained Also in the 6. cap. 6. v. of the epistle to the Gal. there is a full and plaine assignation of a part of euery mans goods vnto the ministerie Let him that hath been taught in the word make him which hath taught him partaker of all his goods A word of explication is wanting in this pâ—ecept for it is not set downe what part the disciple must bestowe vpon the teacher for his workes sake But if
some flowter say that true honour doth not consist in these things but in the reuerend regard that is to be had vnto Ministers I then aske him wherein doth this reuerence consist in the cappe and knee and in saying good Sir and the like superficiall complements Be Gal â—◠〈◊〉 â—3 9 not deceiued God is not mocked Honour the Lord with thy riches Honouring doth partly and greatly consist in contributing so to the Ministers maintenance as it be neither scant nor vncertaine both which are dishonourable The verball or gesturall honour which many men if not the most performe to Ministers is the very same which the Iewes or Iudas did to Christ Faire words and fowle deedes a kisse and a knocke they put a scepter in his hand but pull his garment from his backe and so do men make faire faces vpon the minister and verbally acknowledge him to haue the rule and authoritie ouer their consciences but in the meane time they take from him or keepe from him his apparell and victuall by not paying their true tenthes If the Ministers calling be honourable let not his meanes be miserable either in scarcitie or in vncertaintie The second rule of equity or reason is this That wheras the euangelicall minister is not the minister of men but of God properly and principally he is also to be paid his wages not from men but from God he is the speciall seruant or steward of God the worke he doth is peculiarly the worke of the Lord men haue benefit by it but as seruants in a great house haue benefit by the stewards paines wherein the steward is indeed the seruant of the family accidentally and in a secondarie sense but hee is truely and properly the speciall seruant of his Lord and therefore he is not paid his wages out of the wages of the rest of his fellowe seruants but out of his Lords owne reuenewes euen so the Minister of the Gospel Gods steward is not to liue of the estate or portion of his brethren but to be paid out of Gods owne speciall reuenues which are tythes and offerings that men may not haue occasion to say as oftentimes vnaduisedly and rudely they doe Nabal-like the Minister is maintained with my bread my drinke my money not remembring that God hath a share and doth challenge his speciall tribute vpon their goods which he doth assigne vnto the minister of his word Gods seruice by the ministerie of the word and sacrament is his owne and of his owne appointment not of mans pleasure or deuising Gods seruants for this speciall worke are also of his owne choise for both in the old Testament and also in the newe he sheweth in expresse 〈◊〉 17. 5. 1. Tâ—â— 3. tearmes what parties he accepteth of for this seruice Is it not also equall and likely that he would haue speciall reuenues 〈◊〉 5 4. of his owne where with to maintaine his speciall seruants in his speciall seruice without referring them to the curtesie of men All men are the seruants of God â—s all the cattell vpon a thousand hills are the goods of God vz. in a large sense and common right but the Ministers of the word whether Leuiticall or Euangelicall are the seruants of God as tythes and offerings are the goods of God viz. after a speciall manner the one doth performe to God that seruice which is his seruice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after a speciall manner the other doth belong to God specialâ— proprietate as his reserued rent as I haue shewed in the third chapter So then the Lord doth allow their hire vnto his ministers Carlet tytâ— out of his owne reserued rents and reuenewes and not maintaine his owne seruice with that which he hath 〈◊〉 pag 95. 98. â—â— passed away vnto others as indeede he hath done all that a man conscionably inioyeth tythes and offerings beeing set apart Offerings he requireth as presents not as rents referring the performance of them vnto mens considerations these Gods Ministers are to receiue as an aduancement but the tythes God requireth determinatiuely for the certain maintenance of his owne speciall seruice and seruants And therefore it is that the Lord doth not say I haue appointed the Leuites to serue you and you shall giue them of yours but I the Lord separated the tribe of Deut. 10 8. Leui to beare the arke of the couenant of the Lord to stand before the Lord to minister vnto him and to blesse in his name So I haue giuen the children of Leui all the tenthes I haue Numb 18. 21. 24. giuen the tithes to the Leuites for an inheritance And yet more fully speaketh the Prophet Ezekiel I am their inheritance Ezech. 44. â—8 you shall giue them no possession for ani achuzatham I am their possession as if he should say I will not haue them to stand beholding vnto you for their maintenance for seeing they administer vnto me in my seruice and not in yours I will maintaine them with myne owne reserued reuenewes and not with that which I haue passed ouer vnto you but with the tythes and offerings which I haue reserued for my selfe in expresse tearmes Hereto tend the words of Philo Iudaeus Ne quis ex conferentibus exprobret De pâ—â—m honor sacerd accipienti beneficium suum iâ—betur prius in templa deferre munera vt tum demum inde desumant sacerdotes Least any of those who doe contribute should vpbraid the receiuer by his beneuolence he is commanded first to bring the oblations into the temple that the Priests may thence receiue them Another saith Nec sane dixâ—t vt ex oblationibus ederent sed esacrario ne vel eos qui aliquid caperent puderet The 〈◊〉 11◠〈…〉 accepti proinde ac si ab hominibus alerentur vel qui impâ—rtâ—rentur his sua insolâ—scerent that is He hath not said that they should eate of the offerings but of the tabernacle least either they who receiued should be ashamed as beeing fed by men or else those should grow proud who did contribute of their goods vnto them Also he addeth Manducandum asserit non exdiscipulorum facultatibus sed de euangelio ne forte superbiant quòd Apostolos sustentarent neque enim inquit tu his alimonium subministras sed propria quaedam industria hoc est euangelij enuntiatio ipsos alit that is he saith that they ought to liue not vpon the wealth of the disciples but of the Gospel least men should waxe proud because they maintained Apostles for neither doth he say thou doest minister foode vnto them but a certaine industry of their owne namely the preaching of the Gospel doth nourish them To the same effect also are the words of Augustine which Gratian also citeth Decimae ex debito requirantur qui eas dare noluerint res alâ—enas inuadunt Seâ—m â—dom 1â— post Tâ—â— caâ—s 16 9 1. Tythes are required as a due debt and they