countervaile the commodities of the land of promise doth drosse equall gold will water match wines may earth mate heaven can vanity compare with eternity Surely I would wish those worldly minded persons which presume upon such disproportionable paradoxes to annoint their eyes with eye-salve that they may see Apocalypse 3. Then they will not onely soone discerne an infinite distance betweene the vertue and worth of these severals but moreover certainly determine touching this point Rom. 15. If they have been made partakers of their spirituall things their duty also is to minister unto them in carnall things Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth c. 3 Our Apostle fortifieth his case with an argument from Gods ordinance in this wise Doe not ye know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell verses 13.14 What God the Father primarily constituted in this case was not afterwards cancelled by God the Sonne saith Aretius for there is the same reason alwayes subsisting of conserving the worship of God And that indeed was amongst all nations he noteth by a publique maintenance This publique worke requireth publique wages Aquinas writeth Wherefore some have here supposed how the condition of this place hath a twofold reflection namely upon the Priests of the Lord and the Priests of the Gentiles Ipsa naturalis ratio hoc habet ut quis inde vivat unde laborat Saint Ambrose affirmeth how even naturall reason alledgeth thus much that folkes must look to live of that function wherein they labour By a divine law in the old Testament the Ministers had a publique and certaine provision of meanes ordained for their liberall maintenance therefore much more the Ministers of the new Testament because their Ministery is the most excellent The Priests of the Heathens had likewise this priviledge good reason then that the Priests of the Christians should receive herein no lesse but rather a large allowance If any would plead why pretend you the Law of Moses unto us who are not now obliged to these antiquated rules living under the Gospell Behold Saint Paul in this place opposeth against them the divine appointment afresh But if they replyed when did that appeare we answer even in that season when our Saviour Christ sent forth his Disciples inhibiting them to make provision for their owne selves as most due unto them from others in regard for their labour and paines threatning also such as welcomed them not in this contribution besides attention Calvin here collected how the Ministers should not live on those whom they teach as depending upon almes according to the errour of the Anabaptists but upon the Gospell For the Lord saith Theophylact hath so determined the matter by enacting in the new Testament Lawes conformable to the old So that after what manner hee had anciently set downe that he who serveth about the Altar must live of the Altar So now hee likewise sheweth how the Evangelicall Preachers must not live barely of the peoples allowance but of the Gospell least perchance their auditours would wax proud and domineering over them through aswelling conceit that they had their meanes from them and so were beholding unto them The maintenance then of the Ministery it is here manifest ought not to bee eleemosynarie or upon benevolence but a setled and affixed portion namelie the tith of the increase of the fruites of the earth For these seeme fittest by Gods owne ordinance of them first to the Leviticall Priesthood and secondly after the change of that Service by way of intailement of them to the Ministers of the Gospell Whereby Saint Chrysostome declareth the Priests which by right receive them may not be upbraded and the Parishioners who are bound to pay them must not boast nor bee puffed up Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth c. wee are now secondly to adjoyne some collaterall places for confirmation of the premisses I will not bee tedious with instances the tender of this one place unto you Galatians the 6. may seeme sufficient Let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reape c. Saint Paul in this passage appeareth to use very significant speeches for the purpose It is not amisse to examine them in a serious manner that we may the more evidently perceive what a necessary duty lyeth upon the Laity to render backe a good returne of temporals unto the Ministers of the Gospell The first word which hee useth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him communicate by this terme Saint Chryostome tels us how he intimateth that there must bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vicissitude and intercourse a flux and reflux of heavenly and earthly things betweene the Priest the Parish Iustice it selfe challengeth thus much for men to expresse their due thankfulnesse toward their Teachers by bountifull recompencing of their Pastorall labours with abundant supplies of all conveniences Secondly hee useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which terme may be taken for the delivering of any doctrine by the organ of the voyce to instruct others in the mysteries of the Christian Religion The Apostle therefore in this place appeareth to put a plaine difference betweene the labouring and lazie Ministers betweene the diligent Bees and idle Drones between the industrious treaders out of the corne and the voluptuous caters up of the corne There must bee ratio dati et accepti saith Arboreus a true reckoning on both sides the Pastour must piously imploy his talent and the Parishioner must profitably reply in his element the Minister must performe his part and the Auditour must doe his duty the Sower must reape and the receiver must returne a croppe with increase Thirdly we meete with the manner of communication subjoyned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all good things not in a few but in all love reverence and maintenance Athanasius noteth expressing al liberalitie towards them Saint Chryostome observeth Which they may very well fulfill these Fathers affirme as receiving much more then they can returne This is a rule saith Doctor Mayer to supply the Ministers with all necessaries especially as is most agreeable to the divine Law the people are hereby injoyned freely and willingly to communicate in all those goods which bee the severall increases of their fruites of the earth unto them Surely this verse seemeth very powerfull against no small number of covetous worldlings Some will impart nothing at all to their Pastours maintenance but only perforce some will expend in this case but a poore and unworthy pittance Some besides wretched miserablenesse use wicked deceit fraud in their payments They pretend ill trading how their corne is thinne their cattle did not thrive their
which he is otherwise bound to accomplish and hath bin wont to put in practise For by these meanes we may whet and better our weake and dull devotions Finally the question here moved by some disaffected folkes unto the Church To whom Iacob paid his tiths seemes unnecessary and indeed not mannerly dealing with the divine word Sem and Heber supposed by sundry to bee the men deceased long before But the Altars the sacrifice the worship the service of Almighty God who liveth for ever were the objects of our thankfull Patriarchs pious vow And this hee performed unto the Lord whiles he consecrated the tenth part of his goods unto religious uses Cajetan and Mercer consent to this purpose Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the oxe c. Tithes and the Law were not twinnes of one time Brentius noteth them for no new invention of the Leviticall Priests but a thing long before accustomed of the Patriarchs in way of thanksgiving and devotion Yea the very Gentiles some by the light of nature some by tradition from the sonnes of Noah held this for a principle That they were bound to honour the al-giving God with their riches whereupon many of them paid tiths Thus the Law was but a confirmer and Levi but an observer of that maintenance long afore offered and devoted unto divine Services Therefore these tenths are fondly by some imagined to bee ceremoniall and by others judiciall The men of this world make them any thing with a mind to pay nothing but from the beginning it was not so Matthew 19. The first borne were then the Priests and they received tiths due to the Priesthood As soone as that Sacred name is spoken of in the holy Scripture behold there likewise mentioned the payment of tiths that calling brought on that condition the Priesthood and tiths seeme things reciprocate Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth c. This same divinely inspired practise did afterward proceed into precept We may heare Almighty God not in a sense of generality but in a signification of speciall propriety claiming them as his owne origin all right Leviticus 27. And all the tiths of the Land whether of the seed of the Land or of the fruit of the tree is the Lords It is holy unto the Lord. And concerning the tiths of the herd or of the flocke even of whatsoever passeth under the rod the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord. Master Calvin upon the place concludeth tiths Gods proper right and royall revenue Hee hath a common right most amply diffused in regard of his creation and providence Every beast of the Forrest and the cattle upon a thousand hils the foules of the mountaine and the wilde beasts of the field Psame 50. All are his and hold of his good pleasure But he hath a speciall right unto tiths as his own reserved demeanes they belong to his Majestie independantly so they were solemnely proclaimed in Sinai above twenty yeeres at least afore their assignation to the Levites Thus it appeareth although he had not appointed them to have beene their portion yet had they beene still his he vouchsafeth Master Calvins phrase is to substitute or surrogate them into his owne place touching the tiths hee addeth how Abraham paid into the hands of Melchisedech what indeed be ought unto God Our due acknowledgement of all fruites and increase to come from the Lords goodnesse is witnessed by our tribute of tithes to him which when he demandeth he requireth not ours but his owne The most gracious God hath beene pleased to make a deputation of this right to such persons who minister unto him in holy things throughout all ages as wel afore Moses as under the time of his Law moreover in the succeeding season of the Gospell So that what his Majestie proclaimed Numbers 18. Behold J have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance for their service which they serve even the Service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation It appertaineth unto the whole company of his Priests whiles the world endureth in respect of their Sacred imployment Although God gave the tiths to the Levites yet did he not first found them in that Incorporation but onely transferred his owne right to that order so long as it should continue And after that expired loe the same right descended as it were by entaile to the succeeding ministery of the Gospell Since then the Lords certaine right and demaund of tithes hath been openly confirmed by his owne publique Statute And since that his good pleasure hath solemnly appointed them for the holy Service sake unto his divine Ministers in all times How dareth then the contemptible creature disanull the decrees of the incomprehensible Creatour What a marvelous impudency seemeth it in humane mortality to transmute the ordinances of the omnipotent Majesty How audacious doth the vile dust of man appeare for to vary and alter the celestiall Lawes of his unchangeable maker Loe he hath required the tenth but where did he ever remit it Hee hath bound us in the obligation of his precept but where did he ever cancel it Why presumeth any one to usurpe upon an impious liberty when as his Highnesse hath vouchsafed no priviledge nor licence Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the oxe c. Tiths seeme neither Ceremoniall nor Iudiciall neither typicall nor civill Touching the former no proofe is made of any repute the ceremonies of Moses Law were so ordained as they did prefigure and were similitudes of heavenly things standing in meates and drinkes and divers washings and carnall rites untill the time of reformation Hebrewes 9. and they lived no longer then whiles Christ came unto whom they looked But neyther had tithes any ceremoniall institution being separated for the necessary use and maintenance of the Levites neither though they looked toward Christ did they breath their last gaspe at his blessed birth for then might the morall Lawes have also expired at the same period Touching the latter they seeme no Iudicials for they concerned properly the Common-wealth and these were peculiar to the Priest-hood they pertained to policy these to piety they were no Iudges of things Sacerdotall and sacred these had an Ecclesiasticall nature and a being afore the order of Levi and the time of Moses was taken notice of They are consecrate to God man may not meddle with them but onely by vertue of his Soveraigne right when men make use of them as of the Lords allowance or wages marke then that this is not for our naturall or civill worke but for Religion the divine worship Wherefore we must not imagine the tenths as things in common use but separate by God himselfe for his spirituall service and servants so they ought to continue without humane reversall For what the Lord hath once established and enacted and limited within the listes oâ— no expresse space of time Behold that must remaine as the lasting of the Lawes of the Medes and
or diverted Behold there the very life of the Ministers duty and the peoples edification languisheth The sheep will range and scatter up and down at their own pleasures Sordent quae possunt semper haberi All their longing is for strange Novelties with unworthy neglect of their own Pastors and so through their sides they wound Religion The Shepheard whose living is little better then an Almes is over-much loden with the study of looking for himself and his family he cannot care as hee ought for his Cure Hereupon his owne pressures and exigences confine the precious liberty of his place into obsequious slavery Thus whiles they fear to be thought enemies for telling the truth they fall by flattery to trade for untrusty friends they act the fawning Parasites in stead of faithfull Preachers not daring to professe themselves honest Freemen of Verona they appear the servile vassals of London and Placentia because composed to praise and please but not to reprove and pierce The sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God Ephes 6. they bear in vain for they have no courage to cry aloud not to spare to lift up their voices like trumpets and to shew the people their transgressions Esay 58. Necessitie insinuates a safer seeming course namely to sooth up their sins whose benevolence they always need and whose evill will they are not able to undergo Thus they proclayme peace and there was no peace and one built up a wall and so others dawbed it with untempered mortar and sow pillows to all arm-holes Ezech. 13. to the dishonour of God to the ruine of Religion to the destruction of souls Hinc prima mali labes this pestilent mischief sprung from the impious neglect of this precept Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth c. I alledge two profane derogation from God first in his honour Because when as 2. Cor. 5. We are Ambassadors for Christ it followeth then according to our Saviours saying Luke 10. He that heareth you heareth me and hee that despiseth you despiseth me and hee that despiseth me despiseth him that seut me Earthly Princes in respect of themselves interessed be never wont to dispense with wrong and disgraces done their Messengers but expect in all places their worthy entertainment witnesse David's revenge upon Hanun the King of the children of Ammon for this abuse Also for the like offence the utter subversion of the famous City Corinth by the Romans Surely the Almighty Lord must bee imagined much more sensible of contempt and injuries offered against those whom he sendeth in regard of his supreme Majesty interested with his delegated servants Behold in his speech unto the Prophet Samuel What he saith unto all his Ministers they have not rejected thee but they have rejected me He that honoureth the Priest honnoureth God and he that despiseth the Priest by little and little falleth to this also that he will use reproach against God himself Saint Chrysostome sheweth But how should this requisite honour be duly performed without his meet and appointed Ministers Again how should those Ministers of his sufficiently attend their Function without answerable mayntenance But sacriledge despoyling them of that doth consequently derogate from God in his honour 2. It derogateth from God in his rightfull clayme and interest The earth it the Lords and the fulnesse therof the world and they that dwell therin Psal 24. Consideret homo quod omnia Dei sunt per quae vivit sine terra sine flumina sine semina Saint Augustine adviseth man to remember that all the means of his life come from God Yea he induceth his Majesty thus expostulating this case Meus est homo quem feci mea est terra quam collis mea sunt semina quae spargis mea animalia quae fatigas mei sunt imbres pluviae ventorum flamina mea sunt meus est Solis calor omnia vivendi alimenta mea c. Mine is the Man whom I have made mine is the Land which the labourer tilleth mine are the seeds which the Husbandmen sow mine are the beasts which be toyled and wearied in the work mine are the soaking showres and refreshfull rains the cherishing windes receive also from me their welcome wings the comfortable heat of the Sun is mine I am likewise the Lord of all the Elements wherby thou livest Since then God is the supreme owner of all and from his free bounty flows our totall maintenance the duty of justice and gratitude bindeth us to render something back for a token of his Soveraignty and a testimony of our thanks Irenaeus writeth that it was the use of the Church through the World in his time and received from the Apostles to offer some things of the blessings that they lived by as the first-fruits therof to him who gave these things unto them Now qui dignatus est totum dare decimaem à nobis dignatur repetere God that vouchsafed to give us the whole vouchsafeth also to require back again the tenth This most munificent bestower of all the rest reserveth only but that part unto himselfe for that his holy Word proclaymeth to be his inheritance separate to his service and a portion out of the other nine parts to relieve and supply the poor Whosoever therfore saith the same Augustine is desirous either to gain unto himself a gracious reward or to intreat an indulgent remission of his sins let him conscionably pay the tenth to the Clergy and out of the residue parts let him charitably compassionate the poor Oh mankinde hee further addeth empty of zealous devotion but full of perfidious defraudation since thou canst not but know that all good things which thou enjoyest are the Lords what an unthankfull heart then hast thou oh unworthy wretch to return nothing back again of his own to the giver of all things demanding it Lo what hee requireth is a due debt and tribute thou canst not deny it thou must not diminish it thou mayst not delay it Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth c. 3. This sacrilegious usurpation of the Ministers maintenance doth derogate from God in his wisdome There are many learned persons and some of their opinions extant in print although not so resolutely holding tithes to be due by divine right yet they conceive no course else so apt and indifferent for the Clergies provision as by the payment of them And this the reason which they alledge herein because every politike Law is to be supposed the more right and equall by how much it resembleth and approcheth neerer to the Law of the same kinde which the Lord hath ordained amongst the Hebrews But it is certain that the Law of God among the Israelites was for the payment of tithes unto the Misters which officiated in holy duties as well in one place of that Countrey as in another and therefore the continuance of them still to the same purpose seemeth very requisite Moreover it is a common maxime Vetus lex
Persians are anciently written of unchangeable for ever untill the same God himselfe doth repeale them who at first ratified them Whiles his divine Service endureth the tiths which are appropriate to him and thereunto deputed by him must likewise keepe their course of continuance Surely they which vainely suppose that his soveraigne statutes may be dealt with like a nose of wax or a leaden rule namely altered and wrested according to covetous mens corrupt humours shall verily finde him at length to breaks them with a rod of iron and to dash them in pieces like a potters vessell Psam 2. Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth c. Secondly concerning the Posteriour continuation of the right of tiths under the Gospell that may be entreated of in this twofold manner namely either by divine constitution or else by humane consecration First touching the continuation of the right of the tiths under the Gospell by divine constitution It is enough Gualter writeth to know that the duties payable of old in this kinde ought to be transferred unto the Church of the New Testament For although the Leviticall Priesthood be abolished and legall sacrifices have ceased yet notwithstanding the ministery of the Gospell still remaineth and therefore the meanes of their living must in no wise be diminished Some of the learned have alledged in this sense our Saviour Christs answere Matthew 22. When as the deceitfull Pharisees sought so subtilly to circumvent him Render saith he to Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods Caesar must receive his tribute according to the image superscribed upon the coine God must receive his claime according to the purport of his Law in that case provided Wee reade in the 23. Chapter of the same Evangelist how our Lord Iesus reproving the hypocrisie of the Scribes and Pharisees for making a goodly shew of an upright conscience in their tithing even of the smallest particulars when as they omitted the weightier matters of the Law loe he doth thus at last conclude These ought yee to have done and not to leave the other undone Saint Augustine Chrysostome with sundry famous Authours besides expound this instance to our purpose I mervaile then how a great many miserable Earth-wormes most vainely imagine to mount up aloft into the heaven of blisse comming very farre short of the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees in this case when as our Saviour saith except your righteousnesse shall exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees yee shall in no wise enter into the Kingdome of heaven Neither is their cavill of any sufficient force how the alledged place onely concerned the Israelites under the Levite Priesthood Because as the Lord Bishop Andrewes observeth whereas other Pharisaicall scrupulosities premised in the chapter meet with a brand of abrogation this still remaineth with a mark of approbation Neither dare I suppose that the interest of the Lord solemnely established in the old Testament doth thus sodamely expire in the New unlesse his owne selfe had signified unto us a resignation of his right It is written Matthew 11. Verily I say unto you among them that are borne of women there hath not risen a greater then John the Baptist notwithstanding hee that is least in the Kingdome of heaven is greater then hee Meaning that for so much as Iohn Baptist was next unto Christ in time above all the Prophets which ever lived before him his happinesse went therefore beyond them in that high respect for he saw what they desired to see and saw not Because also he was of a more worthy calling for hee might be reported to have pointed out Christ with the finger of a fuller discovery which others could not descry but onely afarre off Thus likewise those men which succeeded John in this sacred Ministery namely the Apostle and their successours to the end of the world are happier in a higher degree and of a more excellent calling then Iohn the Baptist because living in the resplendent season of the much gloriouser illumination of the Gospell Doctor Downham examining the particulars of the Levites profits affirmeth how they amounted to a far greater measure for the maintenance of that small tribe then all the Bishoprickes Benefices Colledgelands or whatsoever other Ecclesiasticall emoluments doe yet remaine yea although the Index expurgatorius of sacrilegious inquisition had not with that extreme tyranny invaded and over-runne them Why should then the Evangelicall Sunne so marveilously surmounting the glimmering Moone shine of the Law in the sweet of saving knowledge suffer so missebe-seeming an eclipse in the most disproportionable meanes of Ministerial maintenance not rather exceed the other in necessary abundance as it doth in notable brightnesse If the ministration of condemnation be glorious much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceede in glory 2 Corinthians 3. when as the Minister of the Gospell hath succeeded the Levite in the Ministery and is the Minister of a better Testament what cause can bee then conceived but that he ought also to succeed him in the stipend or allowance Quatis ratio spraecepti tale praeceptum the Civilians tell us it is right that the Law should not expire as long as the reason of it remaineth Moreover reason equity and sacred Scripture requite that the worthier wages belong to the worthier Calling Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth c. Further observe how the 13. and 14. verses of this Chapter as likewise Galatians 6. will if well considered that the decree touching tiths in the old Testament is not dissolved in the new but still continued and the practise of the former a president for the latter For that same maintenance which the Apostle Saint Paul in those places maketh mention of is most aptly expounded by Scripture to be the tenth part And though the manner of portion in them places seeme in some mens sight left undetermined yet if wee may explaine Scripture by Scripture as indeede such a mutuall intercourse should bee betweene the old and new Testament then doubtlesse the cleare phrases of the one may easily declare the obscurer speech of the other And so by the context of holy writ the tenth will soone come to bee discovered and Gods ordinance there repeated by the Apostle be preserved inviolable and carnall conceits without warrant be discarded and this divine Law endure in force and vigour Thou shalt not muzzle c. The seventh Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes seemeth a strong champion in this case Now consider how great this man was unto whom even the Patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoiles And verily they that are of the sonnes of Levi who receive the Office of the Priesthood have a commandement to take tiths of the people according to the Law that is of their brethren though they came out of the loines of Abraham But he whose descent is not counted from them received tiths of Abraham and blessed him that had the promises And
the Lord Bishop Andrewes bringeth in Cyprian Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Augustin Chrysostome Hierome c. Pronouncing the detainers of tithes to be invaders of other mens goods how neyther lesse nor worse must be paid how the offenders in this sort have no due feare of God not true sense of repentance Yea to be voyd of all thankfull memory of the divine liberality and bounty to wards them How such wretches seeme wickeder then the Scribes and Pharisees who durst meddle with nothing for their proper uses before they had first of all separated the tenthes fearing else a curse to fall upon them for defrauding the Lord. He also produceth some Orthodox Councels which strictly decreed decimarum pensiones et paraeciarum divisiones the payments of tithes and divisions of Parishes Also shew the ordinances of divine Lawes in this case and the Excommunication of refractory offenders in this point Hee also rehearseth some instances out of the Canon and Civill Lawes which anciently accounted Parishes and tithes Clergie and tenths c. to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reciprocate and convertible and they did enjoyne the true payments of them under extreme penalties Neither did sundry old constitutions provide onely for honest dealing in prediall tithes but also their care extended to have those which are of a personall nature to be well paid They had in conscience a notable ground for this out of that memorable place Galatians 6. From which Aquinas affirmeth how all things whatsoever a man possesseth be contained under the carnall things mentioned by the Apostle and therefore hee inferteth that tithes ought to be paid out of all our goods c. Thus much was worthily projected in the raigne of our late King Henry the eight and more largely deliberated allowed by many of the Lords spirituall temporall besides sundry other eminent persons when the last Edward sweyghed our English Scepter who as Master Studley writeth willingly confirmed this religious just and necessary resolution for all men of trafficke sciences trades c. that they should put in practise the custome of the City of London for the payment of personall tithes Alledging there could be no conscience for Farmours Plowmen Shepheards c. to returne the tenth and neverthelesse that the persons of this gainfull condition would presume themselves to be free and exempted It seemes then an imagination voyd of all true conscience and devotion whether we examine it by the light of nature or by the brightnesse of grace for any people to pretend and plead an immunity from liberall contributing to the maintenance of their spirituall Pastours It is also irreverently opposit against the opinion and practise of venerable antiquity and contrary to my text Thou shalt not muzzle c. Finally if the words of a few otherwise supposing Autors whether grave divines or judicious Lawyers bee well pondered I conceive in effect they speake to the point I am sure to the purpose of my text For all of them unanimously plead against wronging the Church and for a liberall allowance to the Clergy to furnish and maintaine themselves and their families to keepe hospitality to relieve the poore Solutio decimarum Sacerdotibus est de jure divino quatenus inde sustentantur saith Gerson they hold them divinely precepted in these respects Yea the Doctor and Student acknowledge it to bee grounded upon the law of reason that every one is bound to honour God of his proper substance by giving a meet portion of his temporall goods unto the Minister to him of things spirituall That treatise further affirmeth how there is no cause why the people of the new Law ought to pay lesse to the Ministers of the new Law then the people of the old Testament gave to the Ministers of the old Testament For the people of the new Law bee bound to greater things then the people of the old Law were Matthew 5. And the sacrifice of the old Law was not so honorable as the sacrifice of the new Law is For the sacrifice of the old Law was onely the figure but the sacrifice of the new Law is the thing that is figured that was the shadow this is the truth To conclude most of them commend the old tithing course Insomuch as no few of these professe in Master Perkins speeches doubtlesse had not God himselfe in the old Testament taken such strict orders for the livings of the Levites they had beene put to no lesse extremities then is the ministery of this age which is many times so miserably muzzeled as no mercifull man would suffer his beast Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne Secondly touching the continuation of the tithes under the Gospell by humane consecration Admit as some vainely surmise that the payment of the tithes were meerely a Mosaicall mandate from which men under the Gospell are made free yet because nature hath taught men to honour God with their substance and for that the most true and sure way to performe thus much is by making and rendering him payment in kind out of the very selfe same tiches which through his gracious blessing the earth continually bringeth forth And since that besides Scripture hath left us an evident example of that particular proportion which for morall considerations hath beene determined most fit and meet by them whose wisedome could best of all judge Furthermore seeing that the Church of Christ hath long ago entered into the like obligation of tithing me thinks then in these daies this question seemes vaine and superfluous whether tithes be due by divine right or no Doctor Downham accordingly declareth that tithes are due to Christian Ministers by vow Christian Common-weales and Councels having consecrated them to God and his Church neither is it now meet time after vowes to make this manner of enquiry nor to endeavour for to alter them without divine dispensation and sufficient satisfaction For grant at the first that it might have beene imagined a doubtfull and disputable matter yet now our case appeareth to hold a cleare correspondence with theirs unto whom Saint Peter spake Actes 5. Whiles it remained was it not thine owne and after it was sold was it not in thine ewne power Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God If then it were not lawfull for Ananias and Saphira under pretence of Religion to sell their Land as if they would have given it to the Church and yet concealed and detracted part thereof for which we read their horrible tragedy in the aforesaid Chapter Then is it much more unlawfull to detaine and withhold any part from the Church which wee never gave but it was rightly the Churches just possession before we were borne The generall current of grave authority runneth this way that whatsoever hath beene lawfully given to religion can never be taken away againe unlesse redeemed with a greater price Leviticus 27. The reason is easily